Administering the School Budget & Accounting and Auditing Essay - 2

Administering the School Budget & Accounting and Auditing - Essay Example A comprehensive and aligned education program should give out the data that are necessary in answering questions like who finances education, how funds are allocated, how many funds are spending on the program, and how education resources are aligned to the achievement of students (Brimley, Rulon, Garfield, et.al, 2008). For these questions to be answered, a system of education requires more components than just finance. It needs a system of staff records, record of students, property system, program component, and a system of community service. The system of instructional agreement can be directed to records of students. This will give policymakers a Herculean analytic capability that would make timely and cost-effective decisions. This paper reports on incidents of misuse of funds that might have been avoided if a proper accounting and auditing practices had been followed. The paper discuses a situation in one of the school districts in Fentress County Tennessee. A school needs to be concerned with the achievement of a bottom line that is profitable. Many education entities have an expectation of being in a position that is breakeven whenever an academic year ends. In York elementary school, in Fentress County Tennessee, the situation is particularly different. ... This audit established that approximately $ 125,000 had been allegedly paid to unperformed work. The auditing statement showed out that there had been some misused credit cards. In this regard, the credit card of the school was used to purchase more than $ 3,500 of personal purchases that were unauthorized. This is what made the state Bureau to allege misconduct in this school. According to the audit made, no employee had been resigned from his position due to the prior audits. When the school’s principal was asked to give out an explanation for the situation, he argued that all employees in a school are administrators and that they should always make purchases even without their boss’s authorization. Additionally, a charge had been split in order to obtain the limit of the credit card. In this case, the principle added that there were some corrective measures that had already been taken in maintaining the school district. However, the measures taken had not been realiz ed; therefore, the audit concluded that there was a failure in compliance of York elementary school with the districts' procedures and policies in the school’s financial oversight and accounting. This was a terribly serious situation in the school. This report was displayed as parents and students of this school were protesting the decision of the district to put one principal on leave. After this audit, an investigation concerning the school’s financial system was set. The investigation on York elementary school reported that the school district failed to have a reliable internal control. This means that the internal control was not appropriate to prevent the misuse of specific assets. A number of employees of the school made a confirmation to the

United States Economy on the rebound Essay Example for Free

United States Economy on the rebound Essay Forbes. com reported that the United States economy recovered from an economic slump by 3. 4 percent in this year’s second quarter. It is reportedly a highly-favored performance in more than a year. The major force believed to be the largest attributing factor to this economic resurgence is the reinforcement of business spending. (AVERSA, 2007) The 3. 4 percent growth rate is said to be a bit higher than the 3. 2 percent estimated by Wall Street. (Daily Times , 2007) Despite the seemingly favorable pace, analysts predict that this show of strength may not continue for the rest of the year. The economic upswing can be credited to the rise of exports, a significant improvement in the global business scene, and a decline in consumer spending. Exports have reportedly grew to 6. 4 percent while imports dropped by 2. 6 percent. (Daily Times , 2007). Consumer expenditure is one of the factors that fuels economic expansion. However this component does not have too much of an impact. End user spending went up only 1. percent as opposed to 3. 7 percent in the first quarter. It is reportedly the weakest since late 2005. (Daily Times , 2007) The real estate sector also experienced a dip as real estate investments fell to 9. 3 per cent although not as low as the first quarter dip of 16. 3 per cent. Analysts are predicting that there are certain risks as brought on by this development. This is because the drop in real estate investments may have impacts of still unknown nature (Daily Times , 2007). Inflation rate is also among the meter sticks of economists. Inflation rates are better from the 2. 4 percent in the previous quarter to only 1. 4 percent in the next quarter; this is said to be the slowest rate since 2003. (Daily Times , 2007) It is expected that the American people will have more buying power resulting from the better condition of the economy and of the United States dollar’s show of strength. Personal incomes of the American people have increased by . 40 per cent or $47. 3 billion. Disposal personal incomes climbed up to $37. 6 billion or . 0 per cent according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis or the BEA. (Armah Rankin, 2007) Wages and salary payments have increased to a high $24. 9 billion in May. This is in stark contrast to the dip of $36. 4 billion in April. (Armah Rankin, 2007) In addition to the above factors, the real gross domestic product or the yield produced by industries and property in the United States, went up to 3. 4 per cent per annum. Elements that caused this increase in the GDP include upbeat inputs from personal expenses for services, exports, and nonresidential structures. Also lending a hand were federal government spending, state and local government expenditure. (Mannering, 2007) The uphill inclination of the economy will cause improvements in the financial stature of many Americans. Analysts and ordinary people alike expect that more and more people will be confident in their finances such that they will be able to afford more luxuries. This may cause a change in the lifestyle of many Americans. Banks are always on hand to offer loans that many people think will help alleviate their financial situation. People should be wary of this and be aware of the impact that interest rates may have on their finances, should they start to fail in making payments. In spite of the uphill trend of the economy, business analysts are hopeful but are still watchful of the possible outcome. Notwithstanding this positive development of the economy, it is still and always advisable to be careful of one’s spending habits. People should take advantage of the financial freedom that this economic condition will lend so that they can prepare for their future. Instead of spending a big portion of their hard-earned money on luxuries that will gradually deplete their monetary reserves because of expenditures such as taxes and depreciation, people should make it a habit to set aside a sum of money for investment instruments. Investment instruments such as pension plans, trust funds that will help them maximize their money’s earning potential and help them secure their future or make it easier for them to afford other comforts such as leisure trips out of the country or a new vacation home. Whatever state the economy is in, it is always wise to plan for the future. Those who are new in investing can seek the help of professionals who can aid them in making the right investment decision. One must always take advantage of investment tools that will help him enjoy and maximize the benefits of his hard-earned money. It is also important that people learn to stay debt-free. If they are already in debt, they should seek help of financial advisers on how to get out of debt in such a way that they can still live a comfortable life.

Fire in Hinduism, Christianity, and Judaism :: Papers

Fire in Hinduism, Christianity, and Judaism Fire has the capacity to burn everything, and that is why in Hinduism it is can be described by the god Agni. Agni seems to be the creator of everything: "It is Agni, who showers rain, has covered earth with the sky; and O Agni! It is you, who are the creator of everything". Then again Braham can be seen as being the fire in Hinduism, since he is the Supreme Lord. Fire symbolizes the brilliance of the lord; it is purifying; and it stands for effulgence and illumination. It is said that "Braham is Jyotirmaya (full of light)." There exists the Vedic fire ceremony performed by Hindus at all major events of life including birth and coming of age ceremonies, weddings, and funerals, as well as on all major religious holidays. Common to all branches of Hinduism, the fire ceremony is very important in the lives of many Hindus. The god Shiva is surrounded by a circle of firerepresenting samsara, the endless cycle of death and re-birth. The dance of fire is symbolic of the frenetic movement of the universe. In Christianity, fire is used to move from evil to good. It is one of the most expressive and most ancient of the liturgical symbols. The sun as a principle of heat and light for the earth is a symbol of the divinity that enlightens and warms humanity. The following is a prayer relating God with fire: "Lord God, Almighty Father, inextinguishable light, Who hast created all light, bless this light sanctified and blessed by thee, Who has enlightened the whole world; make us enlightened by the light and inflamed with the fire of Thy Brightness; and as Thou didst enlighten Moses when he went out of Egypt, so illuminate our hearts and senses that we may attain life and light everlasting through Christ out Lord. Amen." (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06079a.htm) God is always represented with fire, usually with a lit candle. Fire is mentioned in the New Testament, in Luke 3:16, "John answered all of

The Ethics of Prison Privatization Essay -- legal issues, penal system

How true is Christie’s warning that an increasingly privatized penal service threatens the ethics and effectiveness of the criminal justice system? More aspects of the penal system are now privatized, and are set to increase. This includes the privatization of such services as prisons, electronic tags, catering companies, probation work or prison escort services. David Taylor-Smith, head of the world’s biggest security firm, G4S says he expects private companies will be running large parts of the UK’s police service within five years (Taylor and Travis, 2012). Nils Christie’s text (2000) â€Å"Crime Control as Industry† draws upon increasing prison populations in the US. However reflecting upon that the prison population in England and Wales has increased from 41,800 prisoners to over 86,000 in 14 years (Ministry of Justice, 2013, 1) Christie also looks upon other countries that face similar problems and how this and modern crime control represents a move 'towards gulags, western type’ (Christie, 2000, 15). He describes the criminal justice system today as a â€Å"Pain Delivery† service (Christie, 2000, 143) and argues that it is regulated by the amount of pain they choose to inflict on society and not by the actual number of crimes committed. Christie also identifies changes in capitalist societies and their social organisation, this he says is due to factors such as a larger readiness to report incidents to the police and social controls have declined producing a greater ‘supply’ of criminal acts (Jones & Newburn, 2002, 175) However the main force behind this is crime control becoming a commodity, as represented by the expanding privatization market. Christie argues that crime control is now a product and privatization of the penal ... ....org.uk/PressPolicy/News/vw/1/ItemID/179 (Accessed 29th November 2013) Prison Reform Trust (2012) Bromley Briefings Prison Factfile http://www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/Portals/0/Documents/FactfileJune2012.pdf FINISH Pudelek, Jenna (2013), HM Prison Peterborough social impact bond has led to a fall in reconvictions, official figures show. http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/news/1186265/ (Accessed 16th December 2013.) Tanner, Will (2013) Reform Ideas No 1 the case for private prisons. London: Reform Taylor, Matthew and Travis, Alan (2012), G4S chief predicts mass police privatisation. http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/jun/20/g4s-chief-mass-police-privatisation (Accessed 29th November 2013) Urbina, Ian (2007), Despite Red Flags About Judges, a Kickback Scheme Flourished, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/28/us/28judges.html?_r=2& (Accessed 15th December 2013) The Ethics of Prison Privatization Essay -- legal issues, penal system How true is Christie’s warning that an increasingly privatized penal service threatens the ethics and effectiveness of the criminal justice system? More aspects of the penal system are now privatized, and are set to increase. This includes the privatization of such services as prisons, electronic tags, catering companies, probation work or prison escort services. David Taylor-Smith, head of the world’s biggest security firm, G4S says he expects private companies will be running large parts of the UK’s police service within five years (Taylor and Travis, 2012). Nils Christie’s text (2000) â€Å"Crime Control as Industry† draws upon increasing prison populations in the US. However reflecting upon that the prison population in England and Wales has increased from 41,800 prisoners to over 86,000 in 14 years (Ministry of Justice, 2013, 1) Christie also looks upon other countries that face similar problems and how this and modern crime control represents a move 'towards gulags, western type’ (Christie, 2000, 15). He describes the criminal justice system today as a â€Å"Pain Delivery† service (Christie, 2000, 143) and argues that it is regulated by the amount of pain they choose to inflict on society and not by the actual number of crimes committed. Christie also identifies changes in capitalist societies and their social organisation, this he says is due to factors such as a larger readiness to report incidents to the police and social controls have declined producing a greater ‘supply’ of criminal acts (Jones & Newburn, 2002, 175) However the main force behind this is crime control becoming a commodity, as represented by the expanding privatization market. Christie argues that crime control is now a product and privatization of the penal ... ....org.uk/PressPolicy/News/vw/1/ItemID/179 (Accessed 29th November 2013) Prison Reform Trust (2012) Bromley Briefings Prison Factfile http://www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/Portals/0/Documents/FactfileJune2012.pdf FINISH Pudelek, Jenna (2013), HM Prison Peterborough social impact bond has led to a fall in reconvictions, official figures show. http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/news/1186265/ (Accessed 16th December 2013.) Tanner, Will (2013) Reform Ideas No 1 the case for private prisons. London: Reform Taylor, Matthew and Travis, Alan (2012), G4S chief predicts mass police privatisation. http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/jun/20/g4s-chief-mass-police-privatisation (Accessed 29th November 2013) Urbina, Ian (2007), Despite Red Flags About Judges, a Kickback Scheme Flourished, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/28/us/28judges.html?_r=2& (Accessed 15th December 2013)

Greek victory over the Persians in 490 to 480/479 BC Essay

Assess the reasons for the Greek victory over the Persians in 490 to 480/479 BC. Make a judgement based on outcome, results and values. The reasons for the Greek victory against the Persians in 490 to 480/479 BC was a mixture of exceptional leadership, skilful tactics and strategy, superior weapons and soldiers, and Greek unity. Strong leadership was the most important aspect of the Greek defence, as without the intelligence and bravery of the leaders, the Greeks would have been easily defeated. As a result of the excellent leadership; Greek tactics, strategy, and unity were greatly strengthened. Combined with their better weapons and soldiers, the Greeks held the advantage and seized opportunities at the perfect moment. Also, with each victory the Greeks grew more confident of success and defiant of the Persian attempts to invade. The poor organisation and disarray of their enemy led to an undermining of the Persian might and further improved Greece’s chances of success. Despite the lack of official unity throughout Greece, many brilliant leaders from individual cities combined their skills and abilities to defeat the Persians. Greek leadership developed from weak and conflicting to united and strong, directly contributing to a Greek victory over the Persians as they promoted unity, strategy and a determination to defend their homeland. Without this firm leadership, the other reasons for Greek success would not exist as strongly. Despite the Greeks strong defiance of Persia, Darius and many of his council still foolishly believed that they could easily overcome the Greeks. They were short sighted as they saw only personal fame and glory to be gained, and as a result, did not prepare for the possibility of difficulties, and certainly not defeat. This arrogance reflects the poor leadership from the Persian side, which aided the Greeks in defeating them. When Darius invaded, there was conflicting debate at Athens as to whether they should defend the city walls or meet the enemy. However Miltiades’ excellent leadership persuaded the council to take supplies and leave the city if the Persians landed. This is seen in the ‘Miltiades’ Decree.’  Despite being the Polemarch, Callimachus relied on advice from Miltiades who had in depth experience in Persian combat. As opposed to the Persians, the Greeks were willing to co operate in the defence of their country which directly lead to their success. Both Callimachus and Miltiades convinced the Athenian Assembly to send an army to Marathon. At Marathon, the 10 strategoi were equally divided in decision as to whether to attack the Persians or retreat, as they were heavily outnumbered. A decision was made to attack, and each of the generals was given one day to hold in command. Aristides and three other leaders gave their leadership command to Miltiades. This meant that Miltiades was in command for five out of the ten days of battle, and due to the generosity of the other generals, was able to carefully plan a much more effective attack over five days instead of one. When Miltiades was informed that the Persian calvary was absent, he timed the attack to surprise the Persians. â€Å"We know enough to realise the brilliance of Miltiades’ generalship at every stage: his decision to march to Marathon, his determination to attack, his grasp of the suitable opportunity, and his tactical disposition of the infantry line.† (Hammond) It was this brilliance that allowed the Greeks to win at Marathon, which directly increased their confidence and improved future chances of defeating the Persians. The Persian leaders Datis, Hippias, and Artaphernes were confident of a victory over Athens after their defeat of Eretria. â€Å"Their experience at Eretria will have encouraged them to believe that there would be divisions among the Athenians at Athens, and possibly on the field.† (Bury& Meiggs) They therefore did not predict the Athenians to challenge them at Marathon, and dismissed their own cavalry. This foolish decision costed them the battle as the Athenians would have been intimidated by the excellent Persian cavalry, which could have easily defended a Greek attack. It is this arrogance and poor insight from the Persian leaders that added to a Greek victory. After the death of Darius, his son Xerxes was persuaded by his overconfident advisor Mardonius to attack the Greeks, and in doing so, Mardonius exaggerated Greek weaknesses and character. Even when Damaratus repeatedly told Xerxes that the Spartans were the bravest and best fighters of Greece, Xerxes still mocked them for their appearance and actions. â€Å"For four whole days he suffered to go by, expecting that the Greeks would run away.† (Herodotus) Contrasting with Persia’s arrogant and assuming leaders, Greece produced the finest leadership after Marathon. Themistokles was an example of excellent leadership, as he prepared for the possibility of renewed attacks from Persia. He fortified the Piraeus bay, and used surplus to build 100 new triremes to fight against the Persians. â€Å"The pre eminent importance of his statesmanship was due in the first place to his insight in discerning the potentialities of his city and in grasping her situation before any one else had grasped it; and then to his energy in initiating, and his adroitness and perseverance in following, a policy which raised his city, and could alone have raised her, to the position which she attained before his death.† (Bury& Meiggs) Themistokles’ clever tactics and strategy emerged from his high quality leadership, as he carefully selected the positions and methods for the Greek defence. Themistokles persuaded the Greek navy to battle against the Persians despite being outnumbered as Artemisium. Herodotus says that Themistokles even bribed some of the navy leaders to keep the Greek unity together. He again exhibited his leadership skills when he planned the attack on the Greek navy. Themistokles chose excellent timing and precision in attacking the Persians where the weather, tide, and narrow straits made it difficult for the enemy. At Artemisium, â€Å"The Persian admirals did not know the coastal waters of the Greek peninsula, and they were comparatively inexperienced in naval warfare†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Hammomd) The Persians were unorganised as they did not  expect attack and disadvantaged because of their lack of competent leaders. At Thermopylae, Leonidas was a responsible, respected, and courageous leader; and despite facing inevitable death, he continued to fight for the Greek cause, whilst dismissing many of the other soldiers from battle because â€Å"he tendered their safety†. (Herodotus) Sparta was given overall command but did not abuse her powers as a leader. â€Å"The fact that Sparta did not seek to extend her own Alliance and assert her own supremacy, but preferred to treat as an equal with the other states and let them choose their leader, is an outstanding mark of her far sighted statesmanship.† (Hammond). This again contrasted with the competitive and all-for-one nature of the Persian leaders, as the Greek leaders promoted unity and alliance. Themistokles also cleverly chose the position of the battle at Salamis so that the Greeks few numbers would be placed at the biggest advantage- â€Å"Themistokles had managed that a naval battle should be fought at Salamis, and under the conditions most favourable to the Greeks.† (Bury& Meiggs). However the Persians were â€Å"badly generalled† and this spread chaos throughout the Persian navy. Themistokles made an extremely clever and daring plan to fool the Persians at Salamis. He sent a slave to tell Xerxes that the Greeks would attempt to escape during the night through the straits. The Persians wasted their energy guarding the exits and in the morning the Greeks successfully attacked them. Themistokles’ ingenious plan lead to the defeat of the weary Persians at Salamis, and once again proved that the main reason for the Greek victory was the insightful and daring leadership shown at that time. Pausanius â€Å"won the most splendid victory which history records† (Herodotus) at Plataea. He found it necessary to withdraw from Plataea as the battle had developed into a stalemate. Whilst the Persian leader Mardonius assumed that the Greeks would be weak whilst they were changing position, the Greeks counter attacked. â€Å"But when the main body of Persians had drawn up within  bowshot behind their fence of wicker shields, the order to charge was given, and the heavy Peloponnesian infantry dashed at a run upon the enemy’s line†¦The result was decisive.† (Kagan) The clever strategies used by the Greeks were a direct result of their qualified leaders, and lead to the defeat of Persia. All the locations and tactics chosen by the Greeks contributed immensely to their victory and was the second most important reason for the Greek triumph. Miltiades chose Marathon as a strategic site for the battle- the high lands surrounded both roads to Athens and hid the Athenians until the perfect moment to attack. Due to Miltiades’ former knowledge, he knew that the Persians would be strong towards the centre, and so he placed the skilled Athenian infantry into wings to encircle the Greeks. Miltiades aimed at surprising the Persians and â€Å"the men charged at the double and hurled themselves upon the Persian infantry†. (Hammond) This was the first time such an attack had been attempted, and the creativity and excellent strategy was all due to the amazing ability of the leaders, Miltiades and Callimachus. The run created fear and confusion in the Persian ranks and allowed the Greeks to close in before the Persian bowmen could release their arrows. Despite the Persians breaking through the middle Greek troops, the Greek wings wheeled around to attack the Persians from the rear, as Miltiades planned. He had even organised the attack so that the Persians could only flee north towards a difficult marsh, where many died. The Persians did not realise the Greek tactics and strategy, as they underestimated their ability. Instead they believed that â€Å"the Athenians were bereft of their senses, and bent upon their own destruction: for they saw a mere handful of men coming on at a run without either horsemen or archers.† (Herodotus) As they were caught unaware, the Persians had little time to adopt new tactics for battle. Their strategic preparation was poor. At Thermopylae, Leonidas selected his position carefully, and fought in a narrow pass in which the Persians had difficulty in passing through. This greatly advantaged the Greeks, as the narrow space could only admit a small  portion of the Persian army. They also had a stone wall to protect the army camp. In addition, the Persian cavalry were unable to fight in the small area, which would increase the Greek chances of winning dramatically. The Spartans planned strategies on drawing the Persians into the pass and would then wheel around and attack them. Themistokles understood that the Greeks were unable to fully defeat the Persians over land and selected Artemisium as the ideal location to battle their navy. At Artemisium the Greek leaders developed strategy of combining the triremes to form a circle facing outwards to attack the Persians. This plan overcame the disadvantage of being greatly outnumbered. Themistokles carefully chose the timing and position of the battle. The strategy of drawing in the Persian fleet into narrow waters meant that the enemy ships began to collide with each other. Themistokles waited until the tide rose and began to push the Persian ships off course, â€Å"the low-built Athenian triremes, which were less affected by the swell, rowed in to the charge and rammed their opponents, shearing their oars or holing their sides†¦A great victory had been won by tactical skill, by the use of the ram, and by the fighting quality of the Greek marines.† (Hammond) Despite using citizen troops, the Greek hoplites were better trained and equipped than the Persians. The hoplites wore bronze visored helmets, solid bronze breast plates, and carried longer shields and javelins. On the contrary, the Persians wore light armour, wicker shields and used bows and arrows, which became useless in close contact. The discipline in which the hoplites were famous for was shown through their ability to encircle the Persians and attack from the rear. â€Å"In hand to hand fighting their defeat of a more numerous enemy was due to their courage, spearmanship, general and the finest infantry force in her whole history.† (Hammond) At Artemisium, the navy was extremely well disciplined whilst facing many Persian ships surrounding them. They responded to two signals and successfully formed a close circle to attack the Persians. This shows the exceptional skill from the sailors that contributed to their victory. Both the Spartan hoplites and the Tegeans were acknowledged as having great fighting skills and discipline at Plataea- â€Å"by the superb spirit and skill of the Spartan hoplites, who proved themselves to be the finest infantrymen not of Greece alone but of the civilised world.† (Plutarch, Aristides) Thus the incredible skill and ability of the Greek soldiers, combined with their superior weapons contributed immensely to their victory. The battle at Marathon was to be a direct planned attack by the Persians on Athens. After the downfall of Eretria, Athens united under their leaders like Miltiades and planned on how to save the city. Their appeal to Sparta for aid was reluctantly refused as the Spartans had an important religious festival to attend to. Despite Sparta’s inability, the Plataeans sent help â€Å"in full force† (Herodotus), and 2000 Spartans did arrive soon after the battle and congratulated the Athenians on their defeat. â€Å"No one in antiquity doubted the sincerity of the religious scruples which had prevented them from participating in the battle.† (Kagan?) Sparta and Athens â€Å"now joined hands to resist the invasion† as they were singled out by Persia as the Greek leaders. (Bury& Meiggs) In 481 BC the congress at Isthmus united 31 Greek states to discuss the possible Persian threat. Athens discarded her claim to leadership, knowing that the other states would prefer Sparta to lead. In doing so, a quarrel that may have divided the union was avoided. All past disputes were ended, and deadly enemies Athens and Aegina combined their naval superiority. The meeting of the Greeks was â€Å"an attempt to combine all the scattered cities of the Greek world to withstand the power of Persia.† (Grote) Themistokles issued the Troezen decree so that â€Å"all Athenians may in unity ward off the Barbarian† (Troezen Decree) by calling back Greek exiles. This plan was clever, as the exiles like Xanthippus and Aristides combined their efforts to resist the Persians, despite being previously forced to leave their own country. At Thermopylae â€Å"the Thespians stayed entirely for their own accord, refusing to retreat and declaring that they would not forsake Leonidas and his followers.† (Herodotus) Despite the number of forces joining the army at Thermopylae, many of them, including the Spartans were unwilling to provide full assistance as they did not think it was feasible to defend the northern states. Thus unity was at times strained and lacked the full force it potentially had. Mardonius attempted to offer peace with the Athenians in an attempt to undermine Greek unity and overpower the Spartans. However the Athenians angrily refused, displaying their courage and alliance with the Greek cause. Mardonius made a second offering, and he even believed they would change their minds. The underestimating of the Greek unity and Athenian determination was one reason why Persia failed to defeat Greece. â€Å"Artistides declared that, so long as the sun continued in his course, the Athenians would attack the Persians with the aid of the gods†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Kagan) â€Å"The campaign of Plataea was the finest achievement of Greek unity.† (Kagan) 23 states took an oath of comradeship to fight together until the Persians were defeated, and over 100 000 Greeks joined the battles. In comparison with the Greeks, the Persians were ominously competitive. Pausanius and his second in command Artabazus were rivals and schemed to take control and glory from each other. The strongest reason for a Greek victory against the Persians in 490 to 480/79 was the extraordinary ability of the leaders. This led to the next most important reason- the cunning tactics and strategies used by the Greeks. The skill of the Greek soldiers and their superior armour also  greatly contributed to their victory, as only their bravery and aptitude would help them overcome the size of the Persian army. Unity was the least contributing factor throughout the battles as it was inconsistent and was only really significant when Athens and Sparta joined forces.

Edna St. Vincent Millay essays

Edna St. Vincent Millay essays I think my feelings right now could be summarized from a quote from the made for TV movie: The House Without a Christmas Tree... (Mary Catherine Gallagher Christmas). Just as Mary Katherine Gallagher, a character from the popular television show Saturday Night Live, has mastered expressing her feelings through words, so has the famous poet, Edna St. Vincent Millay. Her expert skill over the words of the English language was far superior to most others. It was this dominance that led Edna St. Vincent Millay to be so excellent at conveying her thoughts, feelings, and beliefs through the medium of language. As a result, she was very influential not only to her readers, but also to writers. Overall, Millays poetry had a huge effect on so many people and groups solely because of her ability to control, with simplicity, the messages she gave when she wrote. In the New York Times Book Review on March 15, 1992, Liz Rosenberg commented on a new compilation of old Millay poems. In general, Rosenberg seemed to enjoy most of Millays works. She found that there are beliefs of feminism, anti-fascism, and social justice scattered all across the stanzas. This article also communicates to the reader that the simplicity of Millays works is beautiful. She also comments that Millay is able to express an important thought or belief in a brief poetic line. This furthers the idea of Millay being able to use words so effectively. Millays ...sense of natural speech... (3) in her works also clarifies her mastery of the use of vocabulary. This New York Times article suggests that Millay is able to give ideas to the reader in such a straightforward style. This way the reader is not overwhelmed by the superfluous and the point comes across simply. When Edna St. Vincent Millay published her first book, Renascence, and Other Poems, in 1917, she was young and new to the writing c...

Seven Faces of Persuasion Essays

Seven Faces of Persuasion Essays Seven Faces of Persuasion Essay Seven Faces of Persuasion Essay Essay Topic: Persuasion Chapter 1 notes Seven Faces of Persuasion- Interactive media – media in which the receiver is able to actively participate in the communication process. Cultural diversity – the increasing numbers of persons from other cultural backgrounds, races, ethnicities, sexual preferences, educational levels, political and religious beliefs, etc. Propaganda – set of messages designed to influence large numbers and warns that it is selective and that it â€Å"†¦presents facts selectively in order to†¦produce an emotional rather than a rational response to the information provided†. Advocacy – to promote a given belief or course of action. â€Å"arguing on behalf of a particular issue, idea, or person. † Response-ability – your ability to wisely and critically respond to the persuasion you encounter and to make wise choices and ethical decisions when you both process and craft persuasion. Doublespeak – NCTE defined as deliberate miscommunication and which the American Heritage Dictionary defines as â€Å"evasive, ambiguous, high-flown language designed to deceive. Scam – A fraudulent business scheme- a swindle. To deprive by deceit† The typical scam relies heavily on persuasion first in convincing the person to be scammed that the persuader or scammer is credible or believable. Identity theft – Most commonly accomplished by phishing or representing oneself as a trustworthy financial institution in order to gain sensitive information that can be used to masquerade as someone else. Self-protection – Rhetoric Aristotle defined rhetoric as â€Å" the faculty of observing in any given case, the available means of persuasion. † Artistic proof the choice of evidence, the organization of the persuasion, style of delivery, and language choices. Inartistic proof – includes things not controlled by the speaker, such as the occasion, the time allotted to the speaker, and the speaker’s physical appearance. Ethos – The sources credibility, the character of the speaker. Pathos – emotional appeals, usually found in the kinds of colorful language and imagers used by the persuader or in the emotional level of evidence cited. Logos – using logical or rational appeals. Aristotle defined this as a persuasive tactic as well as the use of statistics on behalf or against a given policy of government or a brand or other issue. Common ground – Shared beliefs, values, and interests between persuaders and persuades that could be established by all of the tactics. Enthymemes – defined as â€Å" a form of argument in which the first or major premise in the proof remains unstated by the persuader and, instead, is suppli9ed by the audience. † Identification – Burke believed that if receivers feel they are being spoken to in their â€Å"own language† and hear references to their own beliefs and values, they will develop a sense of identification with the persuader, believing that the persuader is like them. Co-creation – this definition implies that persuasion requires intellectual and emotional participation between both persuader and persuade that leads to shared meaning and co- created identification. Self-persuasion – (ELM) Elaboration Likelihood Model – is a theory that serves as an organizational model of persuasions and has resulted in significant changes in the way theorists view persuasion. Central information processing route – one of two routes taken from the ELM, the receiver consciously and directly focuses on the persuasive communication while mentally elaborating on the issues and actively seeking more information. This requires significant effort on the part of the receiver. Peripheral information processing route – one of two routes taken from the ELM, information may be processed almost instantly or just by the senses, without direct focusing on or researching of the decision. SMCR model : A source (S) (or persuader), who or which is the encoder of the message. The code can be verbal, nonverbal, visual, or musical, or in some other modality. A message (M), which is meant to convey the source’s meaning through any of the codes. A channel (C), which carries the message and which might have distracting noise. A receiver (R) (or persuade), who decodes the message, trying to sift out channel noise and adding his or her own interpretation. Influence – refers to the ways in which some kinds of things alter a person’s attitude or behaviors. Coercion – another form of influence, always uses some level of force-physical or psychological- to gain compliance. Propaganda – is also another form of influence-usually psychological versus logical. Hugh Rank’s model of persuasion – this gives four major persuasive strategies and six associated tactics frequently used by persuaders which critical receivers can identity. 1. Intensify their own good points 2. Intensify the weak points of the opposition 3. Downplay their own weak points 4. Downplay the good points of the opposition The six tactics are: Repetition, association and composition to intensify their own good points or the bad points of the opposition Omission, diversion, and confusion are used to downplay their own bad points or the good points of the opposing brands, candidates, causes, or ideologies.

Best Private Schools Offering Summer Experiences

Best Private Schools Offering Summer Experiences Many folks hear the words summer camp and think of living in cabins for a month, swimming in lakes, and participating all kinds of outdoor activities, like archery and ropes courses. Rarely does the phrase summer camp make someone think about an opportunity to prepare for the upcoming school year. ​ On the other hand, many folks hear the words summer school and  think of the stereotypical student who failed a class or needs more credits to graduate. Rarely does the phrase summer school make someone think of a positive summer camp-style experience. What if we told you theres a middle ground? A summer experience thats both fun and educational? Its real. And some of the best private schools in the country are offering students unique educational opportunities that are way more than just your typical classroom experience.   Lets look at a few of the  unexpected opportunities  that you might find at a private schools summer program. Travel the World Summer camp doesnt have to be  limited to only one campsite. Some schools offer summer travel experiences, taking students around the world to experience life away from home. Proctor Academy in New Hampshire offers a summer service opportunity, which takes students to places like Guatemala for two-week sessions. See the World From 30,000 Feet in the Air Thats right, aspiring aviators can attend a summer camp at Randolph-Macon School in Virginia. Students get the chance to participate in a highly specialized program  leading towards taking a solo flight in a Cessna 172.   Space Camp and Sustainability Sustainability is a popular topic at private schools  and is one that has led to several summer camp programs designed to educate students and get them thinking about how we can better serve the planet Earth. One such program exists at Cheshire Academy in Connecticut, which offers two different tracks from which students can choose for their summer study. One track focuses on the impact of humans on the earth, while the other takes a new approach to a space camp by exploring both the oceans and space. You even get to take field trips and even launch rockets - and were not just talking about small model rockets!   Learn a New Language For students looking to come to the United States for a boarding school experience, a summer camp can be a great way to master their English language skills. ELL/ESL students can often greatly benefit from these highly specialized summer classes that are often several weeks long and designed to immerse students in an English language environment. This not only helps participants to master their speaking, reading, and writing skills, but also gives them a preview of what dorm life is like, making the adjustment to boarding school in the fall a little easier. Some schools even offer an accelerated program, like New Hampton School in New Hampshire.   Get a Competitive Edge in Athletics Aspiring athletes, especially those looking to improve their skills in order to play varsity sports at private school, can benefit from a summer camp focused on athletics. Starting to participate in these camps during middle school can be a great way for high school coaches to see a student athletes drive and potential, which means building relationships with the school even before the admission season arrives. Athletic camps are available for the more novice student-athletes, as well, helping those players still learning the game to prepare to play on a sports team at a  private school for the first time. Baylor School in Tennessee offers a camp that meets the needs of both the competitive athlete and the recreational athlete.   Perfect a Creative Craft Young artists can find numerous private schools that offer creative summer camp experiences, ranging from drama and dance to music and drawing. And, some of the best private school programs even offer creative writing and literary-focused programs, as well as digital photography and animation courses. The opportunities for creative expression are endless, and the levels of experience can vary. While some schools, like the Putney School in Vermont, offer a wide variety of workshops for artists of all experience levels and interests, other schools take a more specialized approach. The Idyllwild Arts Academy in California offers intensive two-week programs as part of the  Idyllwild Arts Summer Program. These programs can sometimes help students looking to attend competitive art schools for college get a head-start on art portfolios. Try Your Hand at a Non-Traditional Trade Some schools offer incredibly unique programs, like Emma Willards Rosies Girls camp. Drawing inspiration from the fictional character Rosie the Riveter, the boarding school in New York offers girls the chance to experience what its like to work in  carpentry, automotive repair, masonry, and other non-traditional trades.

Quantitative and Qualitative Research Study Article

Quantitative and Qualitative Research Study - Article Example identification of the problem, methods of carrying out the research, the findings, the barrier to the implementation process and finally the discussion. Quantitative study is more reliable as it as a development of the qualitative study. This method of research is basically a primarily examining research. This is because it’s applied to get awareness and an understanding opinions, and incentives. This research offers insights into the problem or assists to come up with different ideas as well as the applicable hypotheses for a possible quantitative research. Qualitative Research is besides applicable in uncovering process on the trends in beliefs and ideas, and usually digs deeper into the problem. The collection of Qualitative data is via methods that vary as they are not structured or are semi-structured methods. Some of the common methods comprise focus groups, interviews, and participation, and observations. In this method, the sample size is usually small, and the subjects that are selected are representatives of a particular quota (Glassman, 2004). Based on my experience as a nurse, the development of an effective evidence-based practice (EBP) is very essential. In order for a nurse to display credibility, they ought to display an effective incorporation of evidence, comprising of research findings, to their clinical decision-making process. For this to be implemented, nurses ought to develop a interrogative and critical outlook to practice by developing a question about nursing practice that may come from a various sources such as patients. A good question is developed via the help of the PICO analysis. The next step is to look for most relevant evidence on the question. Evidence is present in books and journals done by individuals with awareness in EBP and with professional expertise. These sources are present in the internet and specialist databases such as the university libraries. Locating the evidence is often time consuming (Cranston, 2002). It

Terror Risk Assessment and Counter-Terrorism Strategy Essay

Terror Risk Assessment and Counter-Terrorism Strategy - Essay Example A quick strategy that many governments adopt when confronting terror is one of deterrence. However, one academic’s discussion points out that deterrence is hardly an effective strategy, although it still is a crucial part of any comprehensive plan. Deterrence, in the case of Israel for example, requires extreme, â€Å"Draconian† measures for success and thus defies justice. Overall, the most effective form of deterrence may be an all-out assault on the leadership structure of a traditional terrorist organization, but little else can be done. (Radlauer) That said, the best counter-terror strategy is a readiness for a response after the movement of the attack begins, but before it can be effectively carried out. In a sense, this can be compared to structuring a vehicle to be durable and ensure the safety of its passengers in the case of an unavoidable accident.One of the most devastating possible terrorist attacks is the use of a biological weapon, as chemicals and diseas es are a threat to human life that can arrive undetected and cause massive loss of life from a small source. For potential terrorists, biological weapons present a method of destruction that requires a lower level of infiltration and effort with a high-yield result. A research fellow from the Center for Non-Proliferation Studies describes how the Israeli government’s counter-terror efforts in the realm of biological and chemical attacks present a model for the US government to follow when making policy.... Deterrence, in the case of Israel for example, requires extreme, â€Å"Draconian† measures for success and thus defies justice. Overall, the most effective form of deterrence may be an all-out assault on the leadership structure of a traditional terrorist organization, but little else can be done. (Radlauer) That said, the best counter-terror strategy is a readiness for response after the movement of the attack begins, but before it can be effectively carried out. In a sense, this can be compared to structuring a vehicle to be durable and ensure the safety of its passengers in the case of an unavoidable accident. One of the most devastating possible terrorist attacks is use of a biological weapon, as chemicals and diseases are a threat to human life that can arrive undetected and cause massive loss of life from a small source. For potential terrorists, biological weapons present a method of destruction that requires a lower level of infiltration and effort with a high-yield re sult. A research fellow from the Center for Non-Proliferation Studies describes how the Israeli government’s counter-terror efforts in the realm of biological and chemical attacks present a model for the US government to follow when making policy. He describes how the Israeli government provides a kit to all citizens, free of charge, consisting of a gas-mask and sterilization tools. This is part of an overall strategy that recommends keeping a â€Å"sealed body in a sealed room† during the event of a biological attack, and also recommends that citizens set the radio to a station playing only static while sleeping—this station is used by the government to broadcast warnings. However, these strategies may not be practical in the US, where society is not so

How Children Learn Mathematics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

How Children Learn Mathematics - Essay Example To help the students with such problems, teachers and parents should provide various representations with meaning and be positive in their approach to discussing mathematical issues. There are strategies in teaching mathematics that may reduce some of the problems. All authors believe that teachers should use a variety of representations and even some relatively unconventional tools. Mental mathematics, linking cubes, drawings, mental images, concrete materials, equations, base-ten blocks, computer programs can all be used with the goal of students to find the representations they personally can manipulate (physically and or mentally) with most ease and meaning. By choosing the representation that represents how they personally think, students can attach meaning to the situation and it becomes more accessible (Fennell, 2001, 288). Parents should also learn their childrens learning style even if it differs from their own. Parents are also encouraged to "pretend" they enjoy mathematics and can do them "as well and anybody" (Dedyna, 2002, Press). For Thompson, one of the simplest ways of teaching vocabulary is to explain the concepts first, and then attach the term to it. This strategy can be used in conjunction with etymologies (word origins) because when students know these roots, they can make connections between common English words with which they are familiar and mathematics terms. Many students from elementary to high school have the same problems with understanding mathematics. One of students biggest problems is the inability to represent their thinking. Representations can be oral, numeric, drawn, concrete, on a computer, etc. A student may understand a problem in its oral form, for example, but the written version of the same problem may stump the student because they incorrectly make the transition from the words and symbols on the paper to their mind when they attempt to

Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 32

Case Study Example Talent and succession planning has become an important area of focus as far as organizational leadership is concerned. Many business organizations are coming up with ways of ensuring that they develop among their current staff, which is able to steer them through the changing times to make the organizations successful. This paper examines how the process of talent and succession planning in organizations is taking shape, using the case study of Apple inc., a technology giant in the United States and the world at large. Talent management as used in most multinational organizations refers to the process of implementing systems and strategies that are properly designed and integrated in order to create and enhance the productivity and efficiency of employees. This process can only be achieved through attracting, developing, retaining employees that have aptitudes and skills for meeting current needs and those in future for the business. Talent management can also be described as the chief driver of organizational performance and success by ensuring that the top management is able to have employees that can take on the changing roles and functions in the company. Research reports have indicated that about 85% of all human resource managers in organizations are of the view that one of the greatest obstacles to effective workforce leadership and management is the creation and maintenance of an organisation ability to compete for talent (Cohn, Khurana & Reeves 276). This understanding means that talent management is being ranked as a practice that bears a strategic advantage for companies, especially in these changing times for businesses. Therefore, one of the main functions of effective leadership is to ensure that businesses are better placed create a workforce that will always be there for the present and future success of the company. In response towards the rapidly changing business environment, organizational leaders are supposed to have a

Breakfast cereal kellogg's as an oligopoly Essay

Breakfast cereal kellogg's as an oligopoly - Essay Example They have a very serious concern about the customer service satisfaction process. It has been seen as a norm for the people at Kellogg’s it comes as second nature to them. Monopolistic competitions are made up of single companies. Currently in case of Kellogg’s there are many local competitors and it is important that the business have their own niches, the competitors are for select group of people and therefore, they have not actually been interfering with each other. The local competitors can not in any way be equivalent to the Kellogg’s brand as they are operating at the international level and have reach in around 180 countries. This gives them a huge profit margin and even leverage in the practices they carry out. They have been marketing themselves as the healthiest way for breakfast and they have around 35 products, these products cater to adults, children, diabetic patients, heart patients, then they have a whole range of breakfast cornflakes for the weight watchers. They have portrayed the product as a weight loss and diet supplementing breakfast options. They have had special focus on nutrients in nearly all their cereals. The fact that they have now been highlighting in all their cereals is the presence of high iron content in them. They have even introduced a women specific and weightwatcher women in the world (DRANOVE, MARCIANO, 2005). Kellogg’s is a house of brands as it has, around 35 successful cereal brands operating under them and that to quite successfully. Their products are being manufactured in 180 countries of the World and they have a total of 18 manufacturing plants. They have spent quite a lot in advertising since they started. It was a product of the creation of possibilities for healthier diet when it had been ordered by the church. The grains that were used were initially very simple ones, but then they were mixed

Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 32

Case Study Example Talent and succession planning has become an important area of focus as far as organizational leadership is concerned. Many business organizations are coming up with ways of ensuring that they develop among their current staff, which is able to steer them through the changing times to make the organizations successful. This paper examines how the process of talent and succession planning in organizations is taking shape, using the case study of Apple inc., a technology giant in the United States and the world at large. Talent management as used in most multinational organizations refers to the process of implementing systems and strategies that are properly designed and integrated in order to create and enhance the productivity and efficiency of employees. This process can only be achieved through attracting, developing, retaining employees that have aptitudes and skills for meeting current needs and those in future for the business. Talent management can also be described as the chief driver of organizational performance and success by ensuring that the top management is able to have employees that can take on the changing roles and functions in the company. Research reports have indicated that about 85% of all human resource managers in organizations are of the view that one of the greatest obstacles to effective workforce leadership and management is the creation and maintenance of an organisation ability to compete for talent (Cohn, Khurana & Reeves 276). This understanding means that talent management is being ranked as a practice that bears a strategic advantage for companies, especially in these changing times for businesses. Therefore, one of the main functions of effective leadership is to ensure that businesses are better placed create a workforce that will always be there for the present and future success of the company. In response towards the rapidly changing business environment, organizational leaders are supposed to have a

The best presents are those that cost the least Essay

The best presents are those that cost the least - Essay Example On the other hand, it has now become a social practice to give presents on birthdays, anniversaries, etc that is the reason that every other retail business is now putting efforts to showcase and sell a huge range of gifts. Such range of presents varies from baby toys to diamond necklaces, or in other words, shops offer gifts from a dollar to thousands of dollars. In such significance of presents, and especially in this era, people believe that expensive items can be the best presents to give to someone, or to acquire someone’s love and affection. Although gold and diamond have always remained a weakness of women, however, few people believe that sometimes, even a small greeting card can be the best present for someone rather than even a diamond ring. From a different perspective, people criticize that money cannot buy everything, especially love, and thus, feelings and emotions are the major factors that count more as compared with physical presents. Even from personal experiences, it is observation that sometimes a 1000-dollar present only brought temporary smiles, whereas, a handmade photo frame costing less than ten dollars made the whole day, and continued to bring smiles for rest of the life. In this regard, I believe that money does not matter when it comes to presents, but the feelings do. In other words, humans are emotional machines, and although these machines run after the notion of money and expensive things, however, during most times, emotional aspect of humans dominate the materialistic side that inclines individuals towards sentiments and feelings rather than cost of the present. Lastly, it will not be wrong to state that although expensive gifts can be attractive, exotic, and striking, but they usually result in temporary smiles and few moments of fun. On the other hand, real and best present can be something

The United States political system compared to The United Kingdom Essay Example for Free

The United States political system compared to The United Kingdom Essay The US and the United Kingdom are alike, although not as evidently, in many ways, and this likeness has contributed to their present relationship. History   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The History of the United Kingdom is characterized by significant changes with each ruling Monarchy. In 1066, William, the Duke of Normandy was able to displace Harold II, the Saxon King (Emsworth 1-59). From then on, English History became filled with intrigues, and power struggles between members of the Monarchy. There was a time when no one was considered more powerful than the members of the Royal Line. It was during the reign of Henry III in the 13th century when the concept of the â€Å"Parliament† was created, when Simon de Montfort challenged the monarch (Emsworth 7). From then on, the branch evolved in power from what used very limited to the legislative and political whims of the monarchy at first, to its intermittent dissolutions and recalls during the reign of Charles I and Charles II, its survival of the battle between Catholicism and Protestantism, its increased influence in 1644, to to what it is today, a representative of the Sovereign (Emsworth 1-59). It was under the reign of George I when first â€Å"Prime Minister† was appointed (Emsworth 20). Although there were attempts to minimize the influence of this figure, it has continued to grow in power, together with the parliament. William IV was the last monarch who appointed a Prime Minister without the confidence of the Parliament and since then, the parliament had survived many changes in system and its influence in the government (Emsworth 1-59). The constitution of the United Kingdom, up to this day however, remains â€Å"unwritten†. Demographics   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There were approximately 60.2 million people in the United Kingdom in mid-2005. The majority of the population, about 84% lived in England. There was an increase in the average age of the people from 34.1 years to 38.8 years. 1/5 of the nation’s population are below 16 and 1/6 are above 65. The ratio of males against females is almost equal. By mid-2005, the growth rate had increased from 0.3% to 0.6%. It is said that the population growth of the United Kingdom had been a result of natural change because there had been more births than death every year since 1901. However, this had changed because during the late 1990s, there had been an evident increase in the international migration which is a very significant factor that contributes to the increase in population (â€Å"Population Estimates: UK Population Grows to More than 60m.†). Executive   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Article II of the US Constitution states that the Executive power is held by the President of the United States who holds Office at a four-year term, together with the Vice President who is likewise elected at the same term. Whereas the US is Presidential in its system of government, the powers in the United Kingdom is dictated by the provisions of the Westminster System. As with any other country under the system, the executive power of the United Kingdom is theoretically held by the ceremonial figurehead or the monarch. At this time, the monarch in the United Kingdom is Queen Elizabeth II (â€Å"Politics of the United Kingdom†). But essentially, executive power is exercised by the Prime Minister as the head of the Government, the Cabinet and the Junior Ministers. Although theoretically, the powers of the executive are with Queen Elizabeth II, it is actually the Prime Minister, the Cabinet and the Junior Ministers who exercise this power, but under the ceremonial authority of the Monarch (â€Å"Politics of the United Kingdom†). The term of the Prime Minister is limited to a maximum of five years, but such length could still be shortened or â€Å"dissolved† by the Sovereign or the monarch. This could be done only upon the Prime Minister’s request. Some cases such as the passage of Motion of No Confidence by the House of Commons or its rejection of a significant Government Agenda could also compel the resignation of the Prime Minister or the Dissolution of the Parliament (â€Å"Politics of the United Kingdom†). The term of the US Executive can also be shortened, that is, in cases when a President becomes disabled, dead or resigned (â€Å"The Constitution of the United States†). The term can also be shortened by impeachment. The twenty-fifth Amendment of the US Constitution says that he/she should be succeeded in Office by the Vice President if such cases would happen. After the Vice President, the line of succession includes the Speaker of the House of Representatives, President pro tempore and the Cabinet members. A Vice President can be replaced in case of disability, death or resignation by the appointment of the President of the United States. In case the Office of the Prime Minister becomes vacant, it is the Monarch who is responsible for the appointment, based on the Constitutional conventions. In such a case, the Monarch is expected to appoint an individual who is supported by the House of Commons (Emsworth 27). It is expected that the Prime Minister as head of the government could control the majority of members of House of Commons. This must be so as to ensure that there is no significant opposition against them because support must be made by the Cabinet regarding policies (Emsworth 27). As it is in any country under the Parliamentary form of government, there is an overlap between branches of the government, in this case, the executive and the legislative. Section 2 of Article 2 of the US Constitution explains the powers vested on the President of the United States. Based on this, the President has the power to command the Military of the whole of United States for the service of the country. In the United Kingdom, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces is the Monarch. As it is, the British Armed Forces swear allegiance to the Sovereign Monarch only. But, it is the Prime Minister who holds the decision over the deployment of the British forces. In addition, the Prime Minister has the power to authorize Britain’s use of nuclear weapons. However, because in the UK political system, the power of the executive is dependent on the Parliament, even with such powers, the Prime Minister’s status is dependent on the general confidence of the Houses. As said earlier, it is expected that the Prime Minister could control majority of the House members (â€Å"Politics in the United Kingdom†). The President of the United States also has the power to create treaties, appoint ambassadors, ministers, consuls, judges and officers but only with the consent of the two-thirds of the senate. Still, the Congress may allow the President, the Courts of Law and the Head of the Departments to appoint inferior Officers (â€Å"The Constitution of the United States, Article II). In the United Kingdom, the members of the cabinet, as part of the executive, are considered responsible in the positive and negative implications of the government policies. As with the convention, all decisions of the cabinet must be a consensus and in cases of supposed inadequacy, the Prime Minister has the power to control the government by appointing and dismissing ministers on such grounds (Emsworth 40-41). The Ministers act as leaders of the different Government Departments which are usually composed of the Members of the Parliament or â€Å"peers† in the House of Lords (Emsworth 40). The US President would be responsible for providing the Congress information about the State of the Union, receiving of Ambassadors and Ministers, the execution of law and the commission of officers. This is based on Article II of the US Constitution. The counterpart of the State of the Union in the United Kingdom is the Westminister System’s annual Speech From the Throne. Here, the Head of the State, the Monarch addresses the parliament about the possible policies that are to be expected in the next year (â€Å"Politics in the United Kingdom†). Other than these, there is no written constitution to limit to the power of the executive or the Prime Minister as long as he/she holds the confidence of the legislature. Legislative Since the United Kingdom also has a parliamentary system of government, its executive is also founded on its legislature. In other words, the executive is fused with the legislature. There is no limitation in the government powers because there is no written constitution in the United Kingdom. In addition, there is no written document that formally separates the powers of the executive and legislative branches. The government of the United Kingdom has no limitation on its power in the legislature as long as it holds confidence. It is Parliament vote that is necessary to break the government power over the legislature. Just recently, Tony Blair, the current Prime Minister was defeated on a proposal involving the extension of the detainment of some terrorist suspects (â€Å"Politics of the United Kingdom†). On the other hand, the United States has a Constitution that clearly defines the separation of each government branch, that is, the Executive and the Legislative branches hold separate, equal powers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Article I of the US Constitution states the powers and responsibilities of the Legislature. The US Legislative Powers is held by the Congress which consists of two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives, with the former having the power to approve treaties and nominations by the President, and the latter having the power to originate revenue bills.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Similarly, the British Parliament is bicameral, composed of two Houses: The House of Commons and the House of Lords (Zulueta 209). While the United States has both its legislative houses democratically elected, in the United Kingdom, it is only the members of the House of Commons who are democratically elected (Zulueta 209). The members of the House of Lords are usually members of the aristocracy and attain hereditary power (Emsworth 34). In addition, members of the US legislature are representatives of each of the 50 states in the United States. In the same way, members of the UK legislature are representatives of constituencies, with boundaries determined by the Boundary Commissions (â€Å"Politics of the United Kingdom†).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As with the case in the US, bills and financial concerns, based on convention, originate in the House of Commons and not in the House of Lords (Emsworth 32). But, unlike that in the US, which constitution allows for equal powers between its two Houses, the House of Commons is considered as more powerful compared to the House of Lords (Zulueta 209). Although, historically, this may not be the case, the House of Commons is always superior to the House of Lords because this chamber is democratically elected and can be considered as a repository of the people’s rights (Zulueta 209). In terms of financial matters, taxation, supply bills, the House of Lords are barred from proposing amendments (â€Å"Politics of the United Kingdom†). It can be said too, that the legislature, particularly, the House of Commons holds power over the Prime Minister who is considered as the wielder of Executive power because of the dependence of the executive power on the support of the legislature.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Section 8 of the US Constitution enumerates the powers of the Congress. Generally, it states that the Congress has power to impose and collect taxes, borrow and pay debts for the general welfare. It also has the power to regulate trade with other nations and states, establish rules for naturalization and bankruptcies, regulate the value of money and provide punishments for crimes such as counterfeiting. Others include the establishment of post offices, constitution of tribunals and courts that are inferior to the Supreme Court, definition and punishment of laws, declaration of war, maintenance and provisions for the Armed Forces, and to create laws which are necessary for the carrying out of the provisions of the Constitution.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At this point in time, the most notable among the powers of the US legislature is its power to declare war. It is clear then, that the US Executive has the power only to command the Armed Forces but cannot declare war without the consent of the Congress. This is the same with the case of the UK, whose Prime Minister can only declare war upon the approval of the Parliament, with him of course, as its head.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Because there is no written constitution that guides the legislature, the UK legislature, can, too, by convention, have unlimited power and proposals can be easily approved as long as it has gained the support of the House of Commons (â€Å"Politics of the United Kingdom†). Judiciary   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The US Judiciary is comprised of the Supreme Court and the federal courts established by the legislature. The Judges of the Supreme and the inferior courts are allowed to hold their offices during good behavior unless impeached. The salary of the judges cannot be reduced during office but may be increased (â€Å"The Constitution of the United States†).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The power of the US Judiciary extends to all cases arising from the Constitution, Laws and Treatises in the United States involving all US citizens, including ambassadors, ministers, consuls, and also any other issue that involves the State. While there are some cases in which the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction is regulated by the Congress (e.g. appellate jurisdiction), the Supreme Court’s original jurisdiction cannot be amended by the Congress (â€Å"The Constitution of the United States†). Section two of the US Constitution states that criminal cases require trial by jury, except for impeachment cases. The jurisdiction of Federal courts is limited to the subject matter to which it is involved. In the US, a person who already holds Office in the government cannot hold another position, that is, the head of the Supreme Court cannot be the President. This was not the case in the United Kingdom. In the United Kingdom, the head of the judiciary is the Lord Chief Justice (previously held by the Lord Chancellor). Prior to the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, the head of the judiciary had power that encompasses the executive, legislature and judiciary branches. But since the passage of the act, such powers have been divided to new posts such as the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and the Lord or Lady Speaker. The counterpart of the US Supreme Court in the UK is the House of Lords (Emsworth 42). Like that in the US, the jurisdiction of the UK Judiciary extends in all civil and criminal cases. But, unlike in the US where the Supreme Court is considered as the last resort, UK has the Privy Council that could also perform similar function but with less jurisdiction, most of which involving only minor matters. Elections It is the appointed Electors of each State that choose both the President and the Vice President of the United States. There is no indicated limit the selection of Electors except that it can only be as many as the number of Senators and Representatives in the Congress and that no Senator, Representative or any person that holds an Office of Trust or Profit could be considered as Elector (â€Å"The Constitution of the United States†).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   During the election, the person with the highest number of votes is immediately chosen as President and the next highest is chosen as the Vice President. In case there is a tie, the Senate decides who holds the Office of the President and the Vice President with a quorum consisting of two-thirds of the States and majority of all the States (â€Å"The Constitution of the United States†).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Only a person who is a natural born Citizen of the United States at the time of the Adoption of the Constitution can run for President. In addition, the candidate must be at least 35 years of age and has completed at least 14 years of residence in the United States. A President cannot be elected thrice. The United States is composed of two Political Parties: the Republican and the Democrats (â€Å"The Constitution of the United States†).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The electoral system of the United Kingdom is done through the First-past-the-post system or the plurality voting system in which a candidate wins as long as he/she has the most votes regardless of whether he/she has the majority of votes. The UK is composed of three major parties: the Labor Party, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats (â€Å"Politics of the United Kingdom†).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The election of the Prime Minister is done by the members of the Parliament from among themselves. These members of the Parliament are elected by the Electors from different parliamentary districts (Emsworth 1-59). US-UK relations   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   More evident among any other reason for the alliance between the US and the UK is their common position at such times when there is a threat to international security. After all, most will remember how the US and the UK relationship flourished immediately at the end of the Cold War when the two nations, together with others, posed at the same side against Hitler. Just recently, the US and the UK were on the same ground against terrorism and the War in Iraq.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   But it is interesting to note that such alliance can be traced back in history even before the US had its written Constitution. More importantly, the US-UK relationship can be said to be rooted to their political histories and ideologies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The American concept of liberty, for example, can be traced to the British resistance to Absolute Monarchy in the 17th century. This concept of liberty highlighted the importance of the parliament particularly in its role in consenting to taxes, being the â€Å"people’s† representative, the concept of trial by jury, and the protection of citizens (Raymond 1-15).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The founding Fathers of the US were greatly influenced by the law-based state which is a British concept. The US documents, the US Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, for example, are based on the Magna Carta and the English Bill of Rights, the latter being the basis in writing the Constitution (Raymond 1-15).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It cannot be denied that the two countries’ shared experiences especially in wars and security issues have been a binding element in their relationship. But, more than anything, it is these similarities in concepts and ideologies, the US and the UK’s shared ideas about freedom, law, justice and experience that bind the nations together. Works Cited Emsworth. â€Å"UK Constitution and Government.† Boston, MA: Free Software Foundation, Inc. 2002. Politics of the United Kingdom. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 31 Mar 2007. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 1 Apr 2007 http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Politics_of_the_United_Kingdomoldid=119272844. â€Å"Population Estimates: UK Population Grows to More than 60m.† National Statistics. 2006. Directgov. 31 Mar 2007 http://www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/nugget.asp?ID=6. Raymond, R. â€Å"The US-UK Special Relationship in Hisotrical Context: Lessons of the Past.† US-UK Relations at the Start of the 21st Century. Ed. McCausland J and Stuart D. Carlisle, PA: Strategic Studies Institute, 2006. 1-15. â€Å"The Constitution of the United States.† National Archives. 29 March 2005 http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/constitution_transcript.html. Zulueta, F. â€Å"Foundations and Dynamics of Political Science.† Manila: Academic Publishing Corporation. 2003.

Newspaper Tool To Promote Malaysia Government Propaganda Media Essay

Newspaper Tool To Promote Malaysia Government Propaganda Media Essay 1. Introduction During the pre-election, the election candidates usually will choose appropriate media as their major election tools to disseminate their asserted statements for changing government policies and convey their main purpose of gaining the ruling power from opposition parties, which may sway the voters decision of balloting. So what is media? Why does media so important during the pre-election period? The word of media is included the whole host of modern communication systems, for example cinema, television, newspapers, magazines, advertisements, radio, and interactive multimedia. These developments depend on the use of industrial technology to produce, send and receive message. Country information From the overview coaches and trainees that like working journalists will need to do some intensive research before they arrive in an unfamiliar country. It is enormously beneficial to have a basic understanding on the country. That included their demographics, culture and history, as well as the current political situation and their media environment. This information is important in setting the context for the specific election. They also need to know about the specific conditions of the election. We will able to country information thought todays internet system and also some country-specific guidebooks. Besides that, the local governments websites will also present some basic information on the countrys population, economic conditions and health standards to educational levels. In examining guidebooks, we also can look for information such as life expectancy and number of citizens of voting age, extent of literacy, different ethnic groups, religions and languages, and urban and r ural populations. These are factors to consider in guiding media coverage of an election campaign because they identify important groups of voters, challenges to voter education, and regions or issues which otherwise might be neglected. However in Malaysia, the Sultan is elected by hereditary state rulers to serve a 5-year term. Prime Minister is designated by parliament. In the Senate (Dewan Negara), 44 members are appointed by the monarch to serve 3-year terms and 26 members are elected by the state legislatures to serve 3-year terms*. In the House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat) 222 members are elected by direct popular vote to serve 5-year terms. Political context Political background Election is about few political parties are competing with each other for the popular support and power, so it is essential to know the basic facts about the political history of the country. There may be facts or events which play a symbolic or special role in the parties campaigns because of how they are perceived by the voters. Information such as the date of the countrys independence, major internal and trans-boundary conflicts, and the names of former heroes or villains, who may become an issue or rallying point in the campaign, should be identified. These kinds of considerations also apply in the case of referenda. Other factors to examine include the pattern of stability of previous governments, and the role of the army or other forces, or foreign interventions in the duration of past governments. Beside that, the structure of government and leading figures like presidency, parliamentary democracy, monarchy, and so on. Current political landscape Beside that, the current political landscape or immediate context on the election is an essential knowledge for coaches to know. They need to learn what key issues arose during the term of Coaching Manual for Media Support during Elections. For example, the country information, and the previous government works; on how they were handled and whether they caused this election. Coaches should know the names of the main political parties, their central ideologies and leaders, and relative strength and popularity. This kind of information aids coaches in assessing whether election reporting is balanced. Other factors that under consideration are include the extent of democracy, the strength and activity of civil society in public life, the courts and authorities respect for the rule of law and human rights, extent of corruption and lawlessness, and the economic or political disparity between identity groups. In addition to media reports and country profiles, organisations such as Human Ri ghts Watch and Amnesty International, Freedom House, the International Crisis Group, and the United Nations Development Programmes human develop meant indicators can provide such assessments. Coaches will also usually find the reports and staff of international observer teams monitoring the election to be helpful and well-informed. For Malaysia, it is a country which is seem to be a long and drawn out struggle to what is now some resemblance of a democratic nation much like its neighbours Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and East Timor (admittedly East Timor isnt a direct neighbour but its in the hood).   This country experiences significant problems domestically with extremes in poverty and wealth.   There are seemingly an endless string of problems with labour and workers rights, as well as significant issues with deforestation and continued infringements on human rights.   What makes 2010 significant for Malaysia is that despite its apparent problems, the most significant of them being the domestic political turmoil, there appears to be progress towards better transparency? However the problems for the incumbent leadership really are about domestic issues and how to keep their country from quickly sliding backwards after years of relatively steady economic growth albeit underpinned by the International Mon etary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. With growing extremist populism in politics taking root even in the moderate political parties, the country faces growing isolation as other countries attempt to work to resolve Western sentiment of the region being riddled with terrorism, extremist organisations and terrorist training camps.   There are many unresolved problems between different ethnic groups, especially involving Malaysian Chinese. The media environment The first priority is to identify the principles of the countrys media freedoms and regulations. Coaches must then determine the practical realities of these freedoms and regulations. In some countries there may be wide-ranging protection for media freedoms in the constitution or in legislation but the freedoms are much abused or ignored by authorities or journalists in daily life. Media regulations among the essential media regulations to examine are: Constitutional guarantees for a free press: Do they exist in law? Do the courts protect them effectively against government or other interests harassment, intimidation, assault? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Media regulation bodies (press councils and radio-television regulators): What powers do they have? Are they independent of government? Are they free of corruption? Do they defend media freedoms? Do they fairly discipline irresponsible media? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Content restrictions: Are there laws which censor what the media can report or offer as opinions? Who imposes these restrictions? Is there an appeal to the courts? Are there laws against hate speech? Is criminal libel used to suppress published criticism of government? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The Internet: Is it widely available? Is it regulated or censored? Is it influential? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Ownership restrictions: Is media ownership determined by government, by law, or by free market competition? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Journalist registration/accreditation: Is there any law defining who can be a journalist? Who administers the law? Is this law used to restrict free expression? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Broadcast media: How is it regulated? Is licensing conducted fairly? Is public or state broadcasting treated differently than private broadcasting? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Are there Access-to-Information laws? Are they effective? Are they blocked by secrecy laws, political interference or bureaucratic obstruction? Firstly, newspaper is the best way to research because it is a regularly scheduled publication containing news, information, and advertising, has emerged as one of the important media throughout the entire world. However, its multifunctional purpose has caused it to be manipulated in many forms. In Malaysia, the most obvious manipulation towards newspaper is in the form of political view. Political parties especially the ones who act as the rulers of the country are continuously taking advantage in the name of veto power to use newspaper as the primary tool to promote their propaganda. (Media Stereotyping: Reporting War and Terrorism, 2007). As a definition, propaganda stands for a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position. As opposed to impartially providing information, propaganda in its most basic sense, presents information primarily to influence an audience. Propaganda often presents facts selectively (thus possi bly lying by omission) to encourage a particular synthesis, or uses loaded messages to produce an emotional rather than rational response to the information presented. The desired result is a change of the attitude toward the subject in the target audience to further a political agenda. It is proven as it is used in the ancient times; the Roman Empire published Acta Diurna, or government announcement bulletins, around 59 BC, as ordered by Julius Caesar. (Acta Diurna, 2010). Looking back during the National Election campaign in 2008, the Barisan Nasional governments launched their massive political campaign through the means of newspaper and other forms of media to sell out their propaganda in order to influence the minds of the citizens to vote for them. To make things easier, they are the rulers of this country and thus, no one can put the barrier on them on what-so-called restriction of press. The determination of press freedom is on their hands. However, in the campaign, they suf fered the most humiliating defeat in the history of Malaysia as they lost five states to the opposition sides, Pakatan Rakyat; Kelantan, Kedah, Perak, Selangor, and Penang. How could it happen? This situation lied on several factors. The non-government newspapers played their role in publishing news on the truth behind every promise made by the governments sold out to the society during the election campaign. This actually worked out as citizens realised that they could not be continuously cheated off by the fake promise. It can be said here that propaganda does not always work the way it should. Currently, the issue of the concept of 1Malaysia is another case regarding the manipulation of newspaper by the authorities to promote their propaganda. The introduction of this concept has been massively spread out to the mass audience via various kinds of mass media including newspapers. The spreading out can be classified as successful as everyone is talking about 1Malaysia now. However, the concept, introduced by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak, is still on the surface and the truth behind it is hidden from the acknowledgement of the public. 1Malaysia conce pt is still blurred and confusing. Everybody seems to accept the propaganda without realising the effects on them. The most obvious effect that will someday happen is that it harms and destroys the special rights enjoyed by the bumiputra especially Malays. Before things turn from worst to worse, Pakatan Rakyat try to stop the citizens from getting carried away by the cheat through the only medium they are able to; newspapers owned by them. Is it going to work? Conclusion In this research, there are three main problem statements that are aimed to be found out. The first problem statement is that newspaper is being used as the primary tool to promote Malaysia government propaganda. The matter that is about to be conveyed is the advantage enjoyed by the government to simply use their veto power to spread their propaganda. Newspapers like Utusan Malaysia, Berita Harian, New Straits Times and many others are owned by the government. The question is that are these puppets being manipulated to do the promotion on behalf of the Barisan Nasional government neither directly or indirectly to set up the minds of the society. The second one is that the use of newspaper as a medium of spreading government propaganda is effective and giving impacts to the society or it is either occurring the other way around. The governments are the ones who act as the gatekeeper to all media including print media like newspaper. They pick what to publish and eliminate news that i s risky to harm them. The question whether it is totally effective or not in manipulating the citizens minds will be answered in the findings of this research. Last but not least, the opposition-own newspapers are also playing their role in revealing the hidden truth behind every propaganda of the ruler of this country and how effective their messages in setting up citizens minds? Newspapers like Suara Keadilan and Harakah are owned by the opposition sides. This research will reveal whether they succeed in showing the truth behind the propaganda of the government in the high-risk situation of do-or-die as there is a very high possibility that the government will misuse their power in stopping these kinds of newspapers to continue showing their true colours. Harvard-style for List of References

Mordecai Richler’s The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz Essay -- Appren

Mordecai Richler’s The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz Cunning though he is, Duddy Kravitz fails to learn the tricks of his trade and, consequently, fails to become a whole person. In Mordecai Richler’s The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, Duddy’s peers succumb to his antics, thereby becoming deficient as Duddy’s teachers. Duddy’s amoral business associates are masters of ruthlessness and deceit, and his family members are enfeebled by the society they live in. Trained at the hands of these cripples, Duddy Kravitz is unable to complete his apprenticeship. Duddy Kravitz’s apprenticeship takes place where "the boys grew up dirty and sad, spiky also, like grass beside the railroad tracks." (The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, 46) At the Fletcher’s Cadets Parade, the boys whom Duddy learns from in his early years tell crude jokes and defect to buy rye. Duddy is also the president of room forty-one at Fletcher’s Field High School. He learns from his peers that the vulnerability of others can be used to his own advantage. From singing songs with lewd lyrics to tormenting his class masters and the rabbinical college students, Duddy elicits positive reaction from his peers. No one dares to accuse Duddy of lying, though his classmates see the outrageousness in his tales of Bradley’s exploits in Arizona. His peers humour him and stroke his ego. They applaud his pranks, but Duddy is a coward – he does not take responsibility for his wrongs. Whether it is writing hurtful comments on the board or phoning MacPher son’s wife Jenny – thus causing her death – Duddy learns that he can use his peers to relieve his conscience, "We’re all in this together, you understand?" (40) As the leader of the "Warriors," Duddy learns that his weak peers ... ...and is nobody," and not explaining fully to the boy what he means, Simcha fires the boy’s imagination and lust for land. Surrounded by emotional and psychological cripples, Duddy mistakens his goals in his apprenticeship and does not complete what he should do in order to become a complete person. Duddy’s peers, business associates, and family members all have distorted views of how to approach life, therefore they are unsuitable to preside as Duddy’s masters in Duddy’s apprenticeship in the field of life. Works Cited Richler, Mordecai. The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz. Ed. Malcolm Ross. Toronto: McClelland, 1969. Works Consulted Wainwright, J.A. "Neither Jekyll nor Hyde: In Defence of Duddy Kravitz." Canadian Literature 89 (1981): 56-73. McGregor, Grant. "Duddy Kravitz: From Apprentice to Legend." Journal of Canadian Fiction 30 (1980): 132-40.

Analysis of the Cuban Missile Crisis Essay -- History, Nuclear Weapons

The Cuban Missile Crisis remains an example of one of the most terrifying events in history for the people of the world. A very real threat existed for the crisis to escalate and create World War III, which would include the annihilation of countries and cause unimaginable damage from the use of nuclear weapons by the United States and the former Soviet Union. The conflict had historical roots in the Cold War between the United States and the former Soviet Union, as well as in the history of relations between the United States and Cuba. The strife between the United States and Cuba culminated when Fidel Castro overthrew a government publicly supported by the United States, although political and military officials in the United States secretly welcomed the events. However, it soon became clear that the takeover of Cuba by Castro would result in escalating conflict between it and the United States, something that quickly became more evident in the Bay of Pigs invasion and Operatio n Mongoose; both designed to eliminate Castro from the political field in Cuba. The Soviet Union supported Castro’s regime and Cuba’s stand, and forced its hand with the placement of nuclear missiles on the island. The United States countered, and the two countries played out their hands to determine the fate of the world. In the end, the United States and the Soviet Union came to an agreement, both sides attempting to avoid a nuclear war. To this day, the way in which the threat was diffused remains an important model in studying how to avoid future conflicts that threaten the world. The history of relations between the United States and the former Soviet Union paved the foundation that would culminate in the Cuban Missile Crisis. The battles b... ...s a model in many ways for how not to handle negotiations; many of the benefits of studying this event, in fact, are to identify how to do just that, as well. Although the outcome was ultimately positive and nuclear war was avoided, the tactics and countermoves of the United States and the Soviet Union had the potential to backfire and cause nuclear destruction. The conflict with the United States and Cuba contributed to the tension between the United States and the Soviet Union. Each country was attempting to solidify its power as not just a superpower, but the superpower of the entire world. As a result of this, one of the most terrifying events in the history of the world, even today, emerged – The Cuban Missile Crisis – and we still use it today as an example to prevent any possible errors that might once again escalate to create an event of such severity.