Safe Zone Grant Proposal Essay - 1192 Words

SAFE ZONE GRANT PROPOSAL MISSION To reduce suffering in the world and advocate humane behavior through providing rescue, rehabilitation, and safe zone to abandoned, neglected, and abused animals. THE ORGANIZATION †¢ This proposal is to fund emergency rescue, rehabilitation, and safe environment. †¢ Safe Zone is a non-profit organization. It is an outgrowth of rescue efforts that helps abused animals and providing them with their own safe zone. This organization although requires the financial support of others. †¢ This organization is a part of a wide collection of animal shelters and rescue organizations that help to create a safety zone from abuse, killings and inhumane actions towards animals. This means this organization does not†¦show more content†¦These animals are moved out of torturous, inhumane conditions, given everything needed for healing, and then moved into safe humane homes. †¢ 95% of all money contributed to Safe Zone is spent directly in support of animal rescue and rehabilitation, (budget and financial reports available upon request) with the remaining 5% supporting administration and fund raising. We have achieved this with the assistance of numerous volunteers. We have a few paid team members, but need funding for more team members. FUNDING REQUESTED With a grant of around $330,000 for ever year to support our emergency rescue and rehab fund. Will go towards the organization project descriptions below†¦ PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS. †¢ Emergency Rescue and Rehabilitation – This is the most cost intensive part of our work, and the aspect that often requires fast funding so we can act quickly to provide emergency medical care and rescue services. Through negotiation, collaboration, and legal assistance when necessary, we get animals removed from abusive environments. We work to get animal cruelty laws enforced. Animals rescued from severe abuse and neglect usually have severe health challenges, frequently related to starvation, dehydration, and physical abuse. First priority is major medical care, medicine as needed, and good nutrition. Our organization does not use cages or chains. The dogs have roaming space in fenced acres, allowing them to exercise and run off their stress asShow MoreRelatedSerbian Nationalism And Identity Of A Nation State s Identity3643 Words   |  15 PagesSerbians voice the need for self-autonomy, often citing being ruled by outsiders for hundreds of years. Today Serbia seen by its people as an unfinished state. Thus, the need for creating autonomous identity is especially relevant.1 Ristic in her essay on Serbian identity, that the formation of a nation-state s identity is crucial to its wellbeing. In general, identity is built upon three â€Å"essential interdependent elements: 1. birth, which creates ties to family, nation and to a concrete geographicalRead MoreWoodrow Wilson s Accomplishments And Failures1691 Words   |  7 Pagesneutrality. He did not favor America’s entry into war under any circumstances. During the period of neutrality prior to American entrance into World War I, Wilson could have avoided conflict with Germany by restricting Americans travel into the war zone, but his stubborn insistence that German submarines must respect the lives and property of neutrals upheld the ideals of international law while ignoring the reality that technology had transformed warfare. Critics claim that Wilson went to war atRead MorePayment S ystem22163 Words   |  89 PagesBANCO DE GUATEMALA PAYMENT SYSTEM OF GUATEMALA: EVALUATION AND MODERNIZATION PROPOSAL Guatemala, October 2004 I N D EX INTRODUCTION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦................................ I. 1 CONCEPTUAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL ASPECTS OF A PAYMENT SYSTEM†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦... 2 1. 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.4.1 1.4.2 1.4.3 1.4.4 1.4.5 2. 2.1 2.2 3. 3.1 3.2 4. 5. 6. 7. Generalities†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Definition†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦.. Importance†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. CharacteristicsRead MoreSocial work intervention in prevention and control of HIV/AIDS5421 Words   |  22 Pagesthe HIV/ AIDS pandemic have affected not only the adults but even the youth and the children. Hence, it becomes all the more important to know the various interventions in the prevention and control of HIV and AIDS so that we all are able to live a safe and long life. Stigma and discrimination towards the victim and the family are the major obstacles to effective HIV/AIDS prevention and control. Social work has developed into a full-fledged profession and its methods and fields are quite diverseRead MoreHeineken Swot Analysis10783 Words   |  44 Pagesoutline of my assessment of the usefulness of strategic management models for Heineken analysis. How PEST, Porter Five Force, SWOT, resource-based and financial analysis use to be described for my analysis successfully. Get help with your essay from our expert essay writers... Introduction Today beer is widely available and enjoyed in most countries and cultures around the world. Heineken is one of the largest companies in a global network of distributors and breweries. In addition, Heineken ownsRead More65 Successful Harvard Business School Application Essays 2nd Edition 147256 Words   |  190 PagesGRIFFIN NEW YORK 65 SUCCESSFUL HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL APPLICATION ESSAYS, SECOND EDITION. Copyright  © 2009 byThe Harbus News Corporation. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. For-information, address St. Martins Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010. www.stmartins.com Library of Congress Cataloging...in..Publication Data 65 successful Harvard Business -School application essays : with analysis by the staff of The Harbus, the Harvard Business School newspaperRead MoreProject Managment Case Studies214937 Words   |  860 PagesStrong executive leadership may be necessary such that the barriers to change can be overcome quickly. These barriers can exist at all levels of management as well as at the worker level. The changes may require that workers give up their comfort zones and seek out new social groups. tive Lakes Automotive is a Detroit-based tier-one supplier to the auto industry. Between 1995 and 1999, Lakes Automotive installed a project management methodology based on nine life-cycle phases. All 60,000 employeesRead MoreBhopal Gas Disaster84210 Words   |  337 Pagesunto death here next month till their sixpoint charter of demands is met by the government. The demands include setting up of a national commission on Bhopal to oversee medical and social rehabilitation of the victims for the next 30 years, supply of safe drinking water to communities currently drinking poisoned water, speedy prosecution of the accused, 1 25 Years After Bhopal Gas Disaster including Union Carbide Corporation and its former chairman; environmental remediation, a ban on Dow ChemicalRead MoreIntangible Asset Accounting and Accounting Policy Selection in the Football Industry85391 Words   |  342 PagesFootball Industry 4.3 Transfer Fees 4.4 Signing-on Fees 4.5 Stadium Redevelopment 71 5 Accounting Policies in the Football Industry 5.1 Accounting for Player Registrations and Transfer Fees 5.2 Accounting for Signing-on Fees 5.3 Capital Grants 5.4 Depreciation of Stadia 106 6 Theoretical Framework for Studying the Selection of Accounting Policy Choice 6.1 Theories of Accounting Policy Choice 6.2 Explanatory Variables 6.3 Statement of Hypothesis 138 7 Methods of DataRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesPHILADELPHIA Temple University Press 1601 North Broad Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122 www.temple.edu/tempress Copyright  © 2010 by Temple University All rights reserved Published 2010 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Essays on twentieth century history / edited by Michael Peter Adas for the American Historical Association. p. cm.—(Critical perspectives on the past) Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 978-1-4399-0269-1 (cloth : alk. paper)—ISBN 978-1-4399-0270-7

Essay on Impact of the Financial Crisis on Banking Sector

Impact of the Financial Crisis on Banking Sector The current financial crisis, which started in the Unites States, has dominated the headlines all around the world since summer 2007. The world has been experiencing one of the most severe crises such as the Great Depression from 1929. This started as a subprime crisis with problems in the subprime mortgage market in the USA in 2007 which spread throughout the world. This subprime turmoil turned soon to a global financial crisis and turnaround to a worldwide recession (Calomiris, 2008). The effect of the financial crisis resulted in problems in the financial systems of many countries. The objective of this paper is to get an overview of the impacts of the current financial crisis on the†¦show more content†¦In other U.K. based failed banks are HSBC Holding PCL, Royal Bank of Scotland, Barclays Plc, HBOS Plc, Loyds TSB Group Plc, Alliance Leicester (Anonymous, 2008). In the first stage of crisis UK based banks also showed that they have adequate capital to absorb potential l osses but after September 2008 major banks declared their losses one by one because there was a sudden increase in the number of borrowers defaulting on loans due to decreased in commercial and residential property prices. Moreover, banks asked for help from the government to stop the further losses on lending. The government has taken to improve banks capital positions. As a result, the government injected capital to some banks in the shape of bailout packages. According to Bank ´s Credit Conditions Survey in April 2008 reported an intention to increase the availability of corporate and secured household credit over the following three months. Governments’ actions should provide some support to lending over the coming year. In return for access to the APS, Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking group, each of these banks made a lending commitment. In addition, Northern Rock has been directed by the government to no longer reduce its mortgage book. In contrast, Barclays and HSBC have announced an intention to expand their netShow MoreRelatedBanking Sectors and Financial Crisis in the UAE and GCC Countries890 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿Banking Sectors Financial Crisis in the UAE GCC Countries Chapter Two Table of Contents I. UAE GCC Countries Economy Overview Overview of the Banking Sector. Islamic and conventional Banking principles. The structure of Islamic Banking in UAE GCC Countries Islamic Banks operating in the UAE GCC Countries Central Bank Federal Law II. The financial crisis in the UAE GCC Countries. Causes of the financial crisis. Effects of the financial crisis. Banking Sector beforeRead MoreThe Global Financial Crisis Of India1441 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction: The Global financial sector had seen one of the worst Global economic meltdown of staggering proportions. The root cause of the problem was substandard loans offered to a large number of customers with inadequate income by the United States Mortgage market. This crisis was commonly known as the Sub-prime crisis. These sub-prime mortgages were packaged and traded into securitized paper investments and were sold by the major financial institutions across the globe. Subsequently, theseRead MoreFactors That Affects The Global Economy And Its Impact On The Nigeria And Egypt Economy1568 Words   |  7 Pagesthat affects the global economy and their impact on the Nigeria and Egypt economy. In 2007, the financial crisis, which later extended to the global financial crisis began in the United States of America. The origin and elements of the 2007/2012 global financial crisis have been widely discussed in the literature throughout the period. The aim of this work is to, however, try to point out the reasons and also the macroeconomic effects of the financial crisis in both countries economy and the resultingRead MoreThe Structure, Conduct and Recent Performance of the Uk Banking Sector1105 Words   |  5 PagesINTRODUCTION Before discussing the structure, conduct and recent performance of the UK banking sector, it is useful to provide an insight in the recent global financial crisis caused by the sub-prime mortgage crisis initiated in the US and underline its effects on the banking industry in the UK. It all started with the collapse of the housing bubble in the US, as borrowers were no longer able to meet their financial obligations and as consequence many of these subprime mortgages became default and theRead MoreImpact of the Economic Global Crisis: Current Situation and Prospects in the Philippines1677 Words   |  7 PagesImpact of the Economic Global Crisis: Current Situation and Prospects in the Philippines Asia in general was not affected by the current global financial crisis (1). The source of the crisis did not come from the developing countries as seen in the 1990s during the Asian crisis. In 2008 - 2009, the developed world initiated the global financial crisis with the sub prime lending implosion; thus, affected the rest of the world. The Philippines in particular did not fall into a recession since theRead MoreIndian Financial Sector: Focus on Indian Banking Environment1118 Words   |  5 Pages Introduction - Financial sector overview Indian Financial Sector is a well diversified arena experiencing high growth and development. The financial sector of India is comprised of commercial banks, insurance companies, non-banking cooperations, pension and mutual fund houses and lot more other financial institutions serving the Indian Economy. However, the financial sector is a major ly dominated by the Bankin Sector where the commercial banks comprise of 60 percent of total assets held by theRead MoreRole Of Financial Sector On The United Kingdom1400 Words   |  6 Pagesinto trouble should be allowed to fail. Present The role of the financial services is vital to the United Kingdom, as it gives support to businesses and enables the economy to grow. The sector offers products and services which has a significant impact on the UK’s economy and forms one of the few world-class sectors. The significance of financial sector in an advanced economy implies that it is fundamental for financial development to provide support for a focused and strong money related frameworkRead MoreMonetary Crises And What Possible Learning Could This Provide For Governments Today?1416 Words   |  6 Pagescountries responded to past financial crises and what possible learning could this provide for governments today? Recession triggered by financial crisis has a tendency to last longer and be more painful than â€Å"normal† recessions. Past financial crises have different causes and the influences on different countries are diverse, but analysis of key impacts of them can provide insight into the management of the current crisis. Responses of various countries to past financial crises will be discussed belowRead MoreThe Global Financial Crisis and The Regulation of Investment Banks1154 Words   |  5 Pagesthe United States both from individuals and corporate. The global financial environment has over the last decade experienced enough changes as can be witnessed from the key economic indicators. These changes have significantly impacted various stakeholders such as financial markets, money markets, capital markets and the general micro and macro economics players. Countries have been hit by recession and economic meltdowns. The impacts of these changes are different across various countries, tradingRead MoreThe Dynamics Of Banking And Financial Reform1447 Words   |  6 PagesA) The Dynamics of Banking and Financial Reform After the collapse of Lehman Brothers, the G-20 became the most important forum for economic cooperation . Its positive impact in the realm of financial regulation can be determined by two main results. Firstly, the most important emerging nations were included in the premier league, thus rebalancing most part of worldwide financial authorities, increasing the number of players who now participate in financial regulation. Secondly, the G-20 started

First Impressions of Lady Macbeth free essay sample

Lady Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s most famous and frightening female characters. Women, as the play implies, can be as ambitious and cruel as men, yet social limits deny them the means to pursue these ambitions on their own. Lady Macbeth is an example of how women use their female methods of achieving power: for example through manipulation. One of the impressions that the audience get when they first meet Lady Macbeth is that she is very ambitious. In Act 1, Scene 5 when Macbeth enters she says to him â€Å"Thy letters have transported me beyond this ignorant present, and I feel now the future in the instant. We will write a custom essay sample on First Impressions of Lady Macbeth or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page † After reading her husbands letter (bearing news of the witchs prophesies), her thoughts immediately turn toward the â€Å"future† that she imagines for herself and her husband. Her dreams of being the wife of a king are so vivid and so real to her, its as though time has completely collapsed, and she feels the â€Å"future in the instant.† However, the audience senses a great deal of mercilessness within Lady Macbeth. She has already started to plot Duncan’s murder after she says â€Å"And that which rather thou dost fear to do than wishest should be undone†. She realises that the shortest route to the throne is murder and that she cannot rely on Macbeth. Also, when Macbeth brings further news that Duncan is actually coming to spend that night with them, it becomes clear that her role is to seize the moment and assist her husbands rise to kingship. Shakespeare has created a character like Lady Macbeth to show the ruthless side of women. One place in the book where it is evident that Lady Macbeth is ruthless is when she invites the evil spirits to enter her. When she says â€Å"Make thick my blood†¦no compunctious visitings†¦take my milk for gall†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , it is clear to the audience that she wants to make sure that she has no thoughts of guilt or regret and that she feels no compassion. She also asks the evil spirits to rid her of her femininity and to make her man-like. This is because the murder will need evil power and evil is not naturally within her. This makes the audience anticipate Duncan’s death and makes them curious about how ruthless Lady Macbeth will actually be in the future, nearer the time of Duncan’s murder. Lady Macbeth could also be presented as a disturbed character. In Act One, Scene 5 when she has received the letter from Macbeth she immediately starts to plan and take matters into her own hands. She knows immediately that the only way for her to achieve her goal of being queen is to kill Duncan. Lady Macbeth then says something quite witchy; she invites evil spirits to enter her. â€Å"Come you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here; and fill me from the crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty†. This comment shows that Lady Macbeth wants to dedicate herself entirely to her evil ambition. Lady Macbeth is ready to go to extreme lengths just to make sure her plan works and gets what she wants, and will get rid of anyone who is in her way. This again makes the readers want to see her ‘disturbedness’ in action and this makes them think of cunning ways of how Lady Macbeth will kill Duncan. Finally, a key characteristic of Lady Macbeth that the audience understands when they first meet her is how evil she is. One place where the audience witness how evil she is, is when she says â€Å"O never shall sun that morrow see†. This short yet powerful sentence makes the audience imagine that Lady Macbeth has something evil up her sleeve. When she says this sentence, she says is with a fierce and evil tone in her voice, which shows that Lady Macbeth is willing and determined to steel herself and make herself into an evil, cold person.

Twilight Movie free essay sample

We all have our own favourites, such as favourite song, favourite singer, favourite book. We all have a favourite movie, too. Some people like to watch comedy, thriller, action, or drama film. I personally like to watch fantasy film. There are awesome special effects and supernatural events which seem exciting. Particularly, I really enjoy watching the teenage vampire movie ‘ Twilight ’ which is fantasy and romance. The special effects, locations, and actors are all amazing in this movie. The first reason I love to watch Twilight is that the special effects are astronishing. For example, there is a scene in which Edward carries Bella on his back and climbs up to the very high tree very fast then jumps to another tree. Also, in the scene in which Edward fights with James, the special effects make this scene even more exciting. Moreover, the scenery is fantastic. The town of Forks, Washington is where the story take place. We will write a custom essay sample on Twilight Movie or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The Swan residence is used as the Cullen family’s home. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada , La Push’s first Beach, and Portland, Oregon, USA are also used as major locations in the movie.In addition, Kristen Stewart is the leading actress and Robert Pattinson is the leading actor. They both have won many awards for Twilight and have been nominated for many awards in the past years. Kristen won MTV Movie Awards for Best Female Performance and Best Kiss also shared with Robert Pattinson in 2008. Robert won MTV Movie Awards for Best Fight, Best Kiss, and Breakthrough Performance Male in 2009. Finally, Twilight is definitely the best movie I ever seen. The great special effects, wonderful locations, and talented actors make this movie considerably excellent. And I hope you would enjoy it as I do.

ESL Lesson Plan for Short Field Trips

ESL Lesson Plan for Short Field Trips Short field trips to local businesses can help English learners begin to try out their language skills. However, it is a good idea to make sure that your students are prepared before taking these short field trips. This lesson plan helps provide structure to what can quickly become a rather overwhelming event without specific objectives for the field trip. This lesson is meant for classes which are held in English speaking countries. However, there are also a few ideas in the lesson notes on ways in which the lesson might be changed for short field trips in countries in which English is not the primary language. Aim: Developing speaking skills/practicing interactions with native speakers other than the teacherActivity: Short field trips to local businesses/government offices/other sites of interestLevel: All levels except for absolute beginners Lesson Outline Begin the lesson with a short warm up. Ideally, tell the students about the first time you did some shopping or tried to accomplish some task in a foreign language. Ask some of the students to quickly share their own experiences. Using the board, ask students to describe reasons for some of their difficulties. As a class, look for suggestions on how they might plan ahead to deal with such problems in the future. Inform students of the rough outline of your planned short field trip. If there are issues surrounding permission slips, transportation, etc. discuss these at the end of the lesson rather than at this point in the lesson. Choose a theme for the short field trip. If you are going shopping, students should be gathering information around a specific theme. For example, students might look into purchasing a home theater system. One group could explore the options for TVs, another group options for surround sound, another group blue-ray players, etc. Other tasks for short field trips could include: Gathering information on health insurance optionsTrips to the zooVisiting the local employment officePlanning a meal together by going to the marketVisiting a local gym to find out information on workout possibilities, facilities, etc.Visiting a local tourist information centerGoing to a local event such as a state fair As a class, create a list of the tasks that should be accomplished on the short field trip. Its probably a good idea to have already created a basic list on your own before class to get the ideas flowing. Have students break up into groups of three to four. Ask each group to identify a specific task they would like to accomplish from the list you have developed. Have each group divide their own tasks up into at least four separate components. For example, in the example of a visit to a large retailer in order to buy a home theater system, the group responsible for researching TV options might have three tasks: 1) Which size is best for which living situation 2) Which cables are required 3) Warranty possibilities 4) Payment options After each student has chosen a specific task, have them write out questions they think they should ask. This would be a great opportunity to review various question forms such as direct questions, indirect questions, and question tags. Circulate in the room helping students with their questions. Ask each group to role-play the situation switching roles between salesperson, tourist agency representative, employment officer, etc. (depending on the context) Follow-up In Class Here are some ideas to use as follow-up exercises in class or as homework to help solidify what students have learned on their short field trips: Create short role-plays based on their experiencesDraw up vocabulary trees employing new vocabulary used/studied during their preparations and short field tripAsk other students in smalls group to take their roles while they take the role of the shop assistant, employment agency personnel, etc.Short writing assignments summarizing their experienceGroup reports back to class Variations on Field Trips for Non-English Speaking Countries If you dont live in an English speaking country, here are some variations on short field trips: Have students take short field trips to each others place of business. Students ask each other the appropriate questions.Visit local businesses, but have students role-play shop assistant - customer/employment agency officer - citizen/etc.Take short field trips online. There are many sites that offer real-time chat. Have students take advantage of these sites to gather information.

Welcome Spring With These May Day Quotes

Welcome Spring With These May Day Quotes May Day  is celebrated on the first of May around the world. While it is a Northern Hemisphere spring holiday, it also coincides with International Workers’ Day. Whether the beauty of spring season in May or the importance of labor, May Day is a fine  time for celebration and good thoughts. The following May Day quotes will add to your celebratory mood. Share them with friends and relive the best moments of your life this May Day. Helen Hunt Jackson O May, sweet-voice one, going thus before, Forever June may pour her warm red wine Of life and passions,sweeter days are thine! Denis Florence McCarthy Ah! my heart is weary waiting, Waiting for the May: Waiting for the pleasant rambles Where the fragrant hawthorn brambles, Where the woodbine alternating, Scent the dewy way; Ah! my heart is weary, waiting, Waiting for the May. Charlotte Smith Another May new buds and flowers shall bring: Ah! why has happiness no second Spring? Thomas Bailey Aldrich Hebes here, May is here! The air is fresh and sunny; And the miser-bees are busy Hoarding golden honey. William Shakespeare Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summers lease hath all too short a date. As full of spirit as the month of May, and as gorgeous as the sun in Midsummer. Robin Williams Spring is natures way of saying, Lets party! Hal Borland April is a promise that May is bound to keep. Robert Frost The sun was warm but the wind was chill. You know how it is with an April day. Virgil Now every field is clothed with grass, and every tree with leaves; now the woods put forth their blossoms, and the year assumes its gay attire. Arthur Rubenstein The seasons are what a symphony ought to be: four perfect movements in harmony with each other. Gustav Mahler With the coming of spring, I am calm again.

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 11

Marketing - Essay Example the development of an effective sales force team and the development of an effective training program to help employees grow in both their own goals as well as to help meet the needs of the company. Developing an effective sales team requires not only investing in the team itself, but also fostering an environment that encourages growth, innovation and provides rewards for hard work and diligent practice at all levels. â€Å"Even in the best companies, we found that 35 percent of the sales force did not have the talents necessary to achieve acceptable results predictably. This rather considerable group – one of every three salespeople out there – is consistently in the bottom half of the performance curve† (Smith & Rutigliano, 2003). The importance of this comes into play when one realizes that sales is essentially a talent-driven occupation. Studies conducted by the Gallup Group and others have indicated that experience has very little effect on whether sales people are effective in their positions while increasing the numbers of employees within the sales force also shows very little benefit to be gained. â€Å"The way to improve the talent in your sales force is to make sure that the new people you hire have talent configurations that closely match those of the best producers in your existing sales force. This is in contrast to the conventional approach of hiring people with more experience or providing more training to your sales organization† (Smith & Rutigliano, 2003). However, this is not to say that some training will not benefit the corporation or the bottom dollar as it is through training that engagement can be boosted among employees. In order to be effective, training must concentrate on those areas that actively involve employees in the key aspects of their positions. In defining the training needs, it is important to keep in mind the needs of the organization as compared with the top performers of not just your own organization, but of

Compromise of 1850 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Compromise of 1850 - Essay Example While that statement had many different interpretations placed upon it, the Compromise of 1850, in part, would seek to address the issue of slavery. As for its definition, "The Compromise of 1850 was a series of five bills that were intended to stave off sectional strife. Its goal was to deal with the spread of slavery to territories in order to keep northern and southern interests in balance," (Kelly, p.1). For the young nation, the hope would be to equalize the relations between both the northern region, as well as the south and enable both sides to come to the same respective unity. The discussion over slavery, would remain one of the more potentially contentious portions of the proposed plan itself. In this case, "Of all the bills that made up the Compromise of 1850, the Fugitive Slave Act was the most controversial. It required citizens to assist in the recovery of fugitive slaves. It denied a fugitive's right to a jury trial. (Cases would instead be handled by special commisioners -- commisioners who would be paid $5 if an alleged fugitive were released and $10 if he or she were sent away with the claimant.) The act called for changes in filing for a claim, making the process easier for slave owners.

The one who is in the sun Essay Example for Free

The one who is in the sun Essay The manipulation of the regular repetition creates contrast and opposition, which produces emotions and makes the story appealing. The contrast also tends to unsettle the readers and make them pay more attention. The rhythm of the story is manipulated by excluding proverbs from the end of the story to prevent monotony and predictability and makes it more memorable. This interruption of the rhythm creates aesthetic tension by means of the fulfillment and defiance of the readers expectations. The repetition of the proverbs creates a pattern, but the pattern is interrupted by the omission of the proverbs. There are also other elements repeated throughout Zabi Naka. The themes of evil, poverty, death, stealing, fighting and righteousness are recurring. The repetition of these components gets vital concepts before the reader more than once and emphasizes the key ideas of this piece of writing. These themes are repeated to accentuate the meaning of the story. The repetition of both the proverbs and the themes in the story creates layers. The layering gives depth and texture to the story. Having the obvious story, then other themes and issues woven in creates the layering. The layering is an embellishment taking something and adding a dimension to it. This tends to instill a sense of wholeness in the reader. The layers of the story make it complete. I believe that interruption also makes the story extraordinary. The proverbs themselves are an interruption of the storyline. The repetition of the pattern of the story, then a proverb, then back to the story is also interrupted by the absence of the proverbs in the second part of the story when the war occurs. The rhythm of the story is interrupted by the lack of proverbs. This constant disturbance throughout the story creates a multitude of layers, making the story more whole. The combination of interruption, layering, repetition, and proverbs make Zabi Naka the incredible work of art that it is. They add meaning and emotion to the story and also make it complete. These artistic characteristics have thoroughly deepened the story and made it interesting.

Japan nears economy plan :: essays papers

Japan nears economy plan TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese policymakers drew closer Tuesday to an agreement on measures to remove two long-standing obstacles to an economic recovery -- banks' mountainous bad loans and stock market weakness. The ruling coalition government is expected to finalize by Wednesday a package centering on steps to help banks dispose of their non-performing loans and a special fund to absorb sales of shares held by banks. While the deadline was self-imposed and officials have been reluctant to guarantee it would be met, at stake is the credibility of political and financial leaders who have been unable to pull the nation out of economic doldrums for a decade. The country's benchmark Nikkei share price average, which shot up more than 3 percent at one point Tuesday on optimism about the economic package, risks a retreat towards last month's 16-year lows if no credible deal is reached. One key point of contention has been whether taxpayers' money should be used by a proposed fund to buy sha res from banks. The Financial Services Agency (FSA), Japan's financial regulator, had been reluctant to channel public funds into the body, saying government intervention in the market should be as limited as possible. But a member of the coalition panel studying the issue said the gap was narrowing. "The FSA seemed to have leaned closer toward us, although there are still some differences," he told reporters. The coalition has changed the name of the proposed body to "a fund to acquire banks' shareholdings" from a more crude "stock-buying fund," specifying that the aim was to help banks unload massive shareholdings, losses in which are squeezing their capital adequacy ratios and throttling lending. The banks have built up huge portfolios of shares in group companies and their clients as a means to cement business ties, but the drop in Japanese share prices over the last decade has brought calls to limit banks' shareholdings. The Nihon Keizai Shimbun financial daily reported earli er this week that  ¥15 trillion, or $119 billion, of funds from the state-backed banking safety net, the Deposit Insurance Corp., could be channeled to the proposed stock-buying body. The government is scheduled to hold a meeting of its emergency task force on economic measures Wednesday morning if agreement can be reached with the ruling coalition parties on Tuesday, an LDP official said. Copyright  © 2001, CNN America, INC.

Bag of Bones AUTHOR’S NOTE

To an extent, this novel deals with the legal aspects of child custody in the State of Maine. I asked for help in understanding this subject from my friend Warren Silver, who is a fine attorney. Warren guided me carefully, and along the way he also told me about a quaint old device called the Stenomask, which I immediately appropriated for my own fell purposes. If I've made procedural mistakes in the story which follows, blame me, not my legal resource. Warren also asked me–rather plaintively if I could maybe put a ‘good' lawyer in my book. All I can say is that I did my best in that regard. Thanks to my son Owen for technical support in Woodstock, New York, and to my friend (and fellow Rock Bottom Remainder) Ridley Pearson for technical support in Ketchum, Idaho. Thanks to Pam Dorman for her sympathetic and perceptive reading of the first draft. Thanks to Chuck Verrill for a monumental editing job–your personal best, Chuck. Thanks to Susan Moldow, Nan Graham, Jack Roman s, and Carolyn Reidy at Scribner for care and feeding. And thanks to Tabby, who was there for me again when things got hard. I love you, hon. S.K. Yes, Bartleby, stay there behind your screen, thought I; I shall persecute you no more; you are harmless and noiseless as any of these old chairs; in short, I never feel so private as when I know you are here. ‘Bartleby' HERMAN MELVILLE Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again . . . As I stood there, hushed and still, I could swear that the house was not an empty shell but lived and breathed as it had lived before. Rebecca DAPHNE DU MAURIER Mars is heaven. RAY BRADBURY

Ampalaya

Introduction Ampalaya  is general known as  Bitter Melon. Scientific name called  Momordica charantia,  amplaya plant climbs uses the vine and it can grow about 20 centimeters this plant came from the family of  Cucurbitaceae,  which is a tropical plant. The heart shaped of ampalya which diameter’s 5 to 10 centimeters. The fruits are colored green the tip is pointed at length. The physical appearance of amplaya fruit is pointed and wrinkled and its taste is bitter.The medicinal value we can get is a substance called  momorcidin. Generations has proved that the amplaya is well effective for many aliments especially to Diabetic person. This herb contains with a mixture of flavanoids and alkaloids that makes the Pancreas healthy and gives more insulin that manage controls the blood sugar. The other value, is it is also good source of vitamins C and A, B, calcium, iron, phosphorous and folic acid. II. Summary: Ampalaya is the indigenous name of Bitter Melon or Momord ica charantia Linn. a vegetable native to the Philippines and Southeast Asia, known for its bitter taste. A popular vegetable often grown by many households, the Ampalaya vine can grow up to 5 meters and its leaves can reach to about 4 to 10 cm. Its yellow flowers are both â€Å"male† and â€Å"female†. The Ampalaya fruit is usually eaten while still green because as the fruit ripens its taste grows bitterer. During preparation, the seeds, which turn from white to red over time, are removed to lessen the bitterness.The skin is retained and proves to be soft and tender once cooked. Used as a regular vegetable ingredient for many Asian dishes, the Ampalaya is also significant for its well-documented blood sugar-lowering effect. Aside from being rich in fiber and nutrients such as iron and potassium, several key compounds have been identified in the fruit, notably charantin, vicine and polypeptide-p, known plant insulin that numerous pre-clinical studies and limited clini cal trials have attributed to the plant's beneficial effects to blood sugar.Several supplements for diabetics have been developed using the Ampalaya, most notably an Ampalaya tea and capsules using the dried Ampalaya fruit. As diabetes continues to rapidly spread across countries and social strata, the Ampalaya is expected to provide diabetics with a safe and natural alternative to help control their elevated sugar levels. While the herb is still rare in countries where it is not indigenous, expect the Ampalaya and Ampalaya-based products to start gracing local grocery shelves as more and more people realize its potential anti-diabetes use.In Chinese, the effectively known Ampalaya in terms in herbal medicine it has been tested by many research companys and laboratories worldwide In Philippines, the Department of Health has says Ampalaya is effective herb medicine to prevent various kinds of illnesses such as liver problems diabetes, and even AIDS. It is also cure cough and skin pro blems. The value of amplaya is to increase the sterility of women, in antipyretic, purgative functions and parasiticide.Note: For women in large takes of Ampalaya juice can be an abortifacient and purgative III. Conclusion: Ampalaya is one of the best crops that can be planted in our country. Through this, there is a possibility that you can really earn a living . Aside from that, this is also good for our body. So that means, you are earning and you are also keeping you and your family healthy. III. References Article Source: http://EzineArticles. com/347711 http://www. 1-4-3. net/amadorrullan/? p=86

Racism in Play Othello by William Shakespeare

Racism in Play Othello by William Shakespeare This essay discusses the play Othello by William Shakespeare. Characters such as Desdemona, Brabantio, and Othello are analyzed in terms of racism and ignorance. Besides, the paper expounds on racism, discrimination, and attitude towards black skin in Europe during the era of this play. In addition, the treatise discusses the irony of Othello’s greatness as a general but being deceived by Iago.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Racism in Play Othello by William Shakespeare specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Across the play, it is clear that the character Othello is often called by other characters funny names depicting racism and discrimination based on his dark skin. For instance, the father of Desdemona; Brabantio cannot stand the imagination of Othello being an item with his daughter. He is seriously enraged on finding out that Othello had been dating his daughter behind his back. Different from the other chara cters who call Othello racist names behind his back, Brabantio frequently refer to him as a â€Å"moor† (Shakespeare 1.2.88) on his face. This is a racist reference to Othello’s dark skin link to North African Arabs. Often, Brabantio uses terms such as† sooty bosom† (Shakespeare 1.2.89) when talking to Othello who is his subject as the Senator of Venice city. Such comments are meant to make Othello understand the hierarchy ladder of control and authority. In my opinion, despite the visible dislike Brabantio has for Othello, these racist onslaughts are influenced by Iago. Constantly, Iago dwells on Othello’s race when discussing his relationship with Desdemonia to Brabantio. Iago asserts, â€Å"Even now, very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe† (Shakespeare 1.1.97). Skin color being a serious issue in this society, Brabantio cannot believe that his daughter could fall for such a sooty dark-skinned man. He thinks that Othello must h ave charmed her with a magic spell and witchcraft to have her in his arms. Without Iago’s influence on his views, Brabantio would not be so mean to Othello. Instead, he would practice racism on the fine solder only because of race difference. In the early 17th century, in England, race dictated the role allocation in the society. The term moor was symbolically used by the whites to show disapproval for a character of undesirable traits (Julius 20). Despite the spirited writings depicting black people as equal to white people, Shakespeare’s writings were criticized. It would be unimaginable for a Negro to claim royal birth. Blacks were considered outcast blood that is not worthy to stand in the courts of Venetian. They represented the opposite of ego, pride, cynicism, and amorality. Racist slurs were hurled at them in every slightest opportunity irrespective of the class (Julius 23). Despite Othello’s vast experience in military and holding a coveted post of a ge neral, Brabantio refer to him as a moor (Shakespeare 1.2.88).Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Reflectively, this gives an impression of a lesser human being who cannot be granted the same privileges and freedom of choice. Iago incites rejection in Othello’s love life. Since Othello is dark-skinned, the society is against his marriage to the daughter of the senator of Venice. Iago says, â€Å"Even now, very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe† (Shakespeare 1.1.97). In role allocation, the white were the masters and blacks their servants. Some roles were reserved for the white supremacy. When in authority, whites were arrogant and insensitive when interacting with the blacks. With every slight opportunity, a white person would exercise authority and superiority. Openly, Brabantio calls Othello a sooty bosom (Shakespeare 1.2.89). Being amoral bein g, Iago interestingly use this trait to manipulate his ways throughout the play. He is delighted in his own cunning. Besides, he is adoptive to every situation and can align himself to assume any form a situation might need. In company of any character, he is coarse, bluff, and genial. Moreover, the characters in the play prefer his easy solutions to every problem and he pretend to have best interest on Othello at heart. Though everyone is above him professionally and socially, he interacts without any ego. For instance, in the fight between Roderigo and Cassio which he instigates, Iago tells Cassio, â€Å"I should rather have this tongue cut from my mouth than it should do offence to Michael Cassio. Yet I persuade myself, to speak the truth† (Shakespeare 2.1.80). He later convinces Othello to replace Cassio in the army for gross misconduct. This move is meant to win Othello’s trust and favor and facilitation of his scheme to replace Cassio as a lieutenant. His goodnes s to Othello only serves his personal interests .Iago’s pride is of sly vindictiveness. In line 280, of scene 1 in act 2, Iago justify his hate and for Othello and is determined to cunningly revenge for a â€Å"twint my sheets†¦done my office† (Shakespeare 2.1.88). In pretence of loyalty, he vividly plots to break Othello’s marriage by vowing that, â€Å"till I am evened with him wife for wife† (Shakespeare 2.1.88).His vengeance insight is declared on Othello for what he presumes as a trodden pride. In summary, the play Othello is captivating and presents racism as it was. The character Othello is gullible and easily manipulated by Iago who is below his class. Brabantio cannot approve Othello’s marriage to his daughter since he is dark-skinned. Generally, in the times of Shakespeare the blacks were despised as inferior being irrespective of their position in the society. Shakespeare, W. Othello. Cambridge: Plain Label Books, 1968. Print.Adver tising We will write a custom essay sample on Racism in Play Othello by William Shakespeare specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Julius, L. Othello. New York: Turtleback Books, 1998. Print.

7 Tactical Fixes for Syntactical Impact

7 Tactical Fixes for Syntactical Impact 7 Tactical Fixes for Syntactical Impact 7 Tactical Fixes for Syntactical Impact By Mark Nichol Writers often miss opportunities to push home a point or spotlight an interesting observation by ignoring or not attending to the effect of cadence and syntax on written communication. Such incidents are like a standup comedian placing a punch line in the middle of a joke. Here are some examples of slight adjustments of sentence construction for maximum impact: 1. â€Å"He argued that the court is hardly a legal entity, for a variety of reasons.† The point of the sentence is buried in its midsection, after which a modifier is tacked on, causing the sentence to stagger to a weak ending. Revise as follows: â€Å"He argued that the court, for a variety of reasons, is hardly a legal entity.† 2. â€Å"The Chinese were growing lettuce by the fifth century BC, where it represented good luck.† Because â€Å"the fifth century BC† could be treated grammatically as a location, the second clause could be misunderstood to refer to the time, not the place, which is furthermore only weakly implied by â€Å"the Chinese.† Strongly link the superstition to the people, rather than the country: â€Å"The Chinese, who considered lettuce a symbol of good luck, were growing it by the fifth century BC.† 3. â€Å"More than 600 schools or school districts nationwide have blocked the Web site, according to cofounder John Doe. Doe, who started the site . . .† â€Å"According to† attributions are often stronger at the head of a sentence. This revision also avoids the clumsy repetition of Doe’s name at the end of one sentence and the beginning of the next: â€Å"According to cofounder John Doe, more than 600 schools or school districts nationwide have blocked the Web site. Doe, who started the site . . .† 4. â€Å"Asquith recognized that the majority of his party wanted to steer clear of the approaching conflict- and, more to the point, a majority of his Cabinet.† Wait the majority of his party wanted to steer clear of a majority of his Cabinet? Huh? Well, that’s what it says. But that’s not what it means. Here’s what it means: â€Å"Asquith recognized that the majority of his party- and, more to the point, a majority of his Cabinet- wanted to steer clear of the approaching conflict.† So write it that way. 5. â€Å"Yo-yos were first used as deadly weapons, not as toys.† The mildly startling fact about the toy’s origins is best held back until the end of the sentence: â€Å"Yo-yos were first used not as toys, but as deadly weapons.† 6. â€Å"The model takes the social systems surrounding the alcoholic as crucial, most often the family.† The specification of the primary social system should immediately follow â€Å"the alcoholic,† the focus of the sentence, rather than being buffered and weakened by the additional phrase â€Å"as crucial†: â€Å"The model takes the social systems surrounding the alcoholic, most often the family, as crucial.† 7. â€Å"There, it’s become fashionable to hate Jews, as they are the proxies for Americans in the Middle East, some say puppets.† As the sentence is written, the last phrase seems a muttered aside, rather than a key component of the statement. Inserting it, enclosed in em dashes, in the middle of the sentence gives it the prominence it needs: â€Å"There, it’s become fashionable to hate Jews, as they are the proxies some say puppets for Americans in the Middle East.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:English Grammar 101: All You Need to KnowComma Before ButForming the Comparative of One-syllable Adjectives

Critique a legal article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Critique a legal article - Essay Example There have been many interesting controversies about the nursing practice in United States since it was formally introduced and recognized as a profession in the late nineteenth century. Majority of the issues were humanistic in approach tackling about the actual institution of medical ethics. However, there have been a growing number of legal concerns that were entertained too. In fact, the Legal Eagle Eye Newsletter for the Nursing Profession has published a recent legal matter involving a patient who died due to the negligence of the stationed nurse. The autopsy conducted showed â€Å"aspiration of food as the cause of the cardiopulmonary arrest that killed the patient† (Snyder, 2010). Tracing back the facts of the case, the patient was actually suffering from a swallowing disorder termed as dysphagia. At a particular time, a nursing aide came to his room and left a sandwich on his tray table and then went away. The patient ate the sandwich without supervision which was ci ted as the main reason of his choking resulting to his death. The heirs of the deceased sued the hospital who gained a favorable decision from the Appellate Court of Illinois in November of 2009. The said honorable court declared the stationed nurse negligent and required the hospital to pay the family of the deceased in the amount of five hundred thousand dollars. In addition, the appellate court affirmed that â€Å"before a nurse may delegate any care task to an aide, it is the nurse’s responsibility to determine that the task is appropriate for performance by an aide and by the particular aide selected to perform it† (as cited in Snyder, 2010). Hence, â€Å"violation of the standard of care for a care-giving task by a non-licensed aide is also a violation of the standard of care by the professional nurse responsible for supervising the aide† (Snyder, 2010). In this regard, it can be stated that nurses just like the other professionals in the society are obliged to serve

BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND POLICY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND POLICY - Essay Example Growth in supermarket retailing is largely a product of this industry moving away from traditional business practices to become more market-oriented. Narver & Slater (1990) define market-oriented firms as those that restructure their operational capabilities and broadcast organisational intelligence in relation to customers and competition. These activities include restructuring distribution channels and improving operational models with a larger focus on advertising and promotion. Market-oriented firms, such as Tesco and Sainsbury (as two examples), have better internal processes to improve product variety and deliver on superior customer value through a variety of marketing practices directly related to consumer behaviour and consumer purchasing needs. In most consumer behaviour models, many different food products are considered latent needs: needs which are not always recognised by the consumer until it has been brought to their attention through advertising (Schultz, Tannenbaum & Allison 1996). Latent products are such things as frozen foods and frozen novelties. Where once these products were left to the consumers’ discretion after they had entered the food retailer, now they are being exposed to multiple marketing messages that provide perceptions of value, price or even convenience through targeted advertising and various internal or external promotions. This shift in advertising presence, either through the grocery outlet or through the product manufacturers themselves has brought considerable growth to names such as Asda and Tesco. Many supermarkets are also extending their corporate social responsibility efforts to make their store brand appear superior to customers in multiple market segments. Some supermarkets are using advertising to promote the importance of reusing different shopping bags for

Affirmative action policies and law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Affirmative action policies and law - Essay Example For quite some time now,certain ethnic and minority groups have been pushing for better rights when it comes to higher education,employment,and government contracts.This has resulted in preferential hiring,college admissions and the allocation of government contracts when it comes to women and minority groups. It also applies to the awarding of other social benefits for these groups. The problem is that some people consider it to be reverse discrimination (Bardach, 2005; Holzer and Neumark, 2000 and Holzer and Neumark, 2006).The Civil Rights Act of 1964 started the whole push towards affirmative action. It was designed to make up for past discrimination of women and certain minority groups. In order to be considered in an affirmative action group, one or more of the following criteria must occur, which is considered different than the criteria that a regular employee would have:In the 1978 ruling of the Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, significant limitations were pl aced on affirmative action programs. Further limitations were placed on affirmative action programs in 1995's Adarand Constructors v. Pena and 1996's Texas v. Hopwood (Kane, 1998).1996 brought the most significant change in affirmative action programs up until this date. At that time, California voted in Proposition 209. This proposition refused to allow government agencies and related institutions from giving preferential treatment to or discriminating against individuals based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. This did not just take place in California, as other states soon adopted similar rules. In Michigan, the United States Supreme Court ruled that race could not be the leading factor in making such decisions as admission to the University of Michigan and its law school (Kane, 1998). When President Kennedy developed the President's Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity in 1961, the term 'affirmative action' was first used. Affirmative action can be defined by the Report of the Citizen's Commission on Civil Rights, circa 1984, as any measure that is taken on to prevent or compensate for discriminatory action that was taken in the past, as well as to prevent it in the future. This goes beyond the simple doing away with a discriminatory practice (Kane, 1998 and Long, 2004). Affirmative action has been challenged over and over again, mainly occurring at the level of the state. The Supreme Court refused to interfere with the law passed with Proposition 209 in 1996, which bans state and local governments from hiring individuals or showing other types of preferential treatment based on the aforementioned factors in the preceding paragraphs (Kane, 1998 and Long, 2004). In 1997, former President Bill Clinton pushed for the 'mend it, don't end it' measure. As far as racial matters, he began an Initiative on Race to encourage communication on racial issues. There are many affirmative action resources available for the latest updates on the measures. These include the following: 1. The Washington Post: Affirmative Action Special Report 2. American Association for Affirmative Action 3. Americans Against Discrimination and Preferences 4. Official Proposition 209 Site (Powell, 2009) Currently, anti-discrimination laws are reaching a new level. They are being pushed so hard on a daily basis that many believe it has reached a point of 'reverse discrimination.' (Powell, 2009) Discuss the nature of the affirmative action policies you describe above in the context of being antipoverty, antidiscrimination, and compensatory. Worsening circumstances for poor individuals has been at least partially blamed for affirmative action, many scholars agree. The fact is that, after the Current Population Survey and a

Human Rights In A Democratic South Africa

Human Rights In A Democratic South Africa In the South African Constitution, citizens are given many different rights. The right to education is specifically important because it builds and largely determines the future of the next generation. Since I am in a privileged position regarding education, attending a private school, I have decided to research the right to education of all South Africans. My aim is to find whether the right to education which are guaranteed in our constitution to both children and adults are realised in the daily lives of all South Africans. My research is focused on high school education (i.e. Grade 8 to Grade 12). This is the phase which forms the foundation for Matric results. Analysing the Grade 12 results across all sectors of our population along with other primary and secondary sources will give a good indication of whether the right to Education is realised in South Africa. I predict that the rights to education are not fulfilled across all races and income groups in South Africa. Review of Literature The research done on existing information regarding the right to Education in South Africa has been studied and is discussed below. The following secondary sources include a combination of angles ranging from the Bill of Rights, the Popular Media (focusing on the recent Limpopo textbook crisis) and Education Statistics of the last few years. There are many different viewpoints regarding Education in South Africa, some highlighting the corruption and inefficiency, some focusing on the transitional phase we seem to be in, and others looking only at the successes. Education is perceived in such different ways because different audiences look at different aspects of the whole, i.e. the teachers, the pass rates or governmental management. Looking holistically at the entire situation will produce a clearer and more objective result. Source 1: The Constitution of South Africa, 4 February 1997, Chapter 2 Bill of rights, Section 29 Education When a careful study is made of the rights to education as stipulated by the South African Constitution, one finds that every child and adult has the right to basic education as well as further education. The state is primarily responsible to provide the infra-structure in which its citizens could be educated. This implies that the state should provide sufficient school buildings, enough capable teaching staff to ensure a healthy teacher-learner ratio, textbooks and other educational materials. The education system should be free from discrimination on the basis of race, gender and language. Education should be made available in all the official languages where at all practically possible. The education system should also make room for independent institutions which are registered with the state and provide standards comparable to that of public educational institutions. Source 2: Articles by Greg Nicolson from the Daily Maverick 2.1 Limpopos education crisis: The price of incompetence and corruption It is vitally important to have an education system which can be trusted. This article deals with explaining the politics behind the Limpopo textbook crisis. During a tender process advertised by the Limpopo education department there were 23 possible tenders of which 22 were immediately disqualified on the basis of technicalities. From this there was later found that the one which was accepted, EduSolutions, had been pocketing money from the government throughout the process and has left the Limpopo schools without the necessary textbooks and learning materials. 2.2 SAs education crisis: Limpopo STILL without books A recent discrepancy in the Limpopo education department has exposed the education system as corrupt and incompetent. However while the issue is being investigated and addressed a large amount of Limpopo students were left without textbooks and were unable to continue any learning. The seriousness of this situation lies not only in the fraud but the inadequacy of the manner in which students were left without any means to education until the middle of the school year. While the whole event has become a political issue there is still no answer to the problems which the students face in their battle for proper education. Source 3: Is South Africa fulfilling right to free education for all right? April 10, 2011  · by Akanyang Merementsi  · in Media, Society This article discusses education in the world and in South Africa and compares the standard of education between South Africa and the world. Not only is focus put on the importance of education as a human right but it also makes the reader aware of the large high school dropout rates and the negative effects thereof. The article discusses A4 as a model of assessment which the education department needs to adopt in order to function effectively. A4 is Availability, Accessibility, Acceptability and Adaptability. These four traits are vital in the department of education in South Africa. Source 4: The South African Department of Education Action plan 14 June 2003 and Strategic Plan 9 March 2011 In 2003 the South African education department confessed to a failing education system and set up a plan of action in order to rectify and improve the education system. It set guidelines in order to help in areas which through community debate and school statistics had been found wanting. However, it is now almost 10 years later and this Action Plan is still needed. Similarly a Strategic Plan has recently been drawn up for education in 2011 to 2014 (published on 9 March 2011). The need for both of these plans highlights the shortcomings in the South African education system; fortunately there is a plan to fix them. For this plan to be effectively deployed, the basic education system needs more than paperwork. What ultimately happens to the children in South African schools is that they are left without means to further education while administrative issues are being addressed. The plans are there, but they are simply not being carried through. Source 5: Reinvent local education now by Jon Tullett, Editor: News analysis, 11 Jul 2012 This source uses several points ranging from the Limpopo textbook crisis to our educational world rankings to discuss the importance of a reinvented education system and the current lack of basic education in South Africa. Certain issues are addressed and possible solutions mentioned in order to move South Africa forward in education using its resources and technology. Recently South Africa was ranked out of 142 countries In the World Economic Forums Global Competitiveness 2011-2012 report. South Africa is in position133 regarding the quality of the education system and in position138 for the quality of maths and science education. These are not good statistics and clearly show a fault in the education system. As we are behind countries such as Zimbabwe this quote from the article relates to many South Africans: When you think of some of the poverty-stricken, war-ravaged, desolate countries in the world, it is sobering to think they are all better than us. Source 6: Education statistics 2010 Published by the Department of Basic Education February 2012 6.1 Ratios, indicators, page 6 Statistics can be used to deduce several facts; in this case ratios are presented to show the effectiveness in numbers of the education department in South Africa. Specifically the ratios are the learner-educator ratio (LER), learner-school ratio (LSR) and educator-school ratio (ESR). The LER in 2010 was 29.3:1 and unfortunately increased to 32.2:1 in 2011. In 2010 the LSR was 474:1 which then also increased to a ratio of 484.5:1 in 2011. In 2011 the ESR had decreased to 16:1 from 2010s 16.2:1. These ratios (The LER, LSR and ESR) are that of the Public and Independent schools throughout South Africa. 6.2 National Senior Certificate (NSC) pass rates When considering whether the right to education is fulfilled in South African high schools it is vitally important to look at the level of education provided from the beginning and throughout the course of Grade 8 to Grade 12. Nonetheless, the level of education can only really be clearly seen through studying the Grade 12 National Senior Certificate pass rates and related statistics. The overall national pass rate in 2010 in the NSC examination was 67.8%. Although throughout the country more females than males wrote the NSC examination, the pass rate for males was higher than that for females. There has been an increase from 62.5% (2008) to 70.2% (2011) in Grade 12 final results in the last 4 years which is a good statistic but considering the level of education it is debatable that pass rates are higher due to a lowering in education standards as will be discussed below. Source 7: Rippling effect of the lowering of standards of basic education 18 July 2012, Varsity SA The main purpose of the South African education department should not be merely educating students but to equip learners with that which is necessary to not only pass Grade 12 but also to be educated enough for further studies. This is important because it is these students who will be responsible for carrying the country and taking over the South African economy thus students need further education and they need to be well enough equipped for further education. This article from Varsity SA raises concerns about the lowered NSC standards which have led to an increase in pass rates. It is currently required that a student only receive 30% (thus knowing only 30% of the syllabus) in order to pass the NSC. Universities have become very unhappy with the large gap in standard between Grade 12 and first year of University studies. This has a large impact on the country as a whole. According to Statistics South Africa there are 4.24 million unemployed people in South Africa. If the standard of basic education continues decreasing it will result in unemployment increasing and not decreasing as expected by government. Unless the education standards are raised the target set by government will not be achieved. Methodology When referring to the topic of Basic Education as a human right in South Africa at high school level, it is clear that research should range across all provinces and schools. Results obtained from a few questionnaires would not clearly and honestly propose a result to the hypothesis of education as a Human Right. Therefore, other means of information, specifically secondary sources, needed to be collected and analysed. The secondary sources collected provide a wide range of ideas and opinions about the education system as well as facts and statistics from a variety of sources. The secondary research conducted was from newspaper articles and internet research. South African education has been the focus of many newspapers, magazines and of the community as a whole, especially with the Limpopo textbook crisis and statistics which were released this year. Gathering research thus became a daily job of listening to news reports, social debates and community discussions. Most of the research ideas come from discussing the topic with people, be it teachers, students, parents or any other South African citizen. Education touches every single South African in one way or another thus it is vitally important to hear what South Africa has to say about education and how it impacts their lives. Articles seen online and in newspapers were recorded and every time a new issue about education was raised the topic was recorded. Then internet research was done on the list of information and the articles found. More online research was done in order to gather other sources and specifically statistics from done surveys and from Statistics South Africa. Both quantitive and qualitive data is used; quantitive data such as statistics and ratios and the qualitive data include reports, articles, opinions, interviews and other literature. Considering the large gap between high school education and university education it was important to have first hand research of the level of students entering university. A senior accounting lecturer of the University of Witwatersrand, Mrs. Belinda Breytenbach, was contacted and an interview set up. Here further insight into the shortcomings of the education system was revealed. Interview questions: Do you believe that the right to education in South Africa for high school students is being fulfilled? Why or why not? Is it true that there is a growing concern regarding the cognitive abilities of first year students who have completed the NSC? Could you describe the academic level of the first year accounting students in general? What would you say is the single biggest need among students academically? How high are the university dropout rates and do you believe that they are increased due to the education students receive in high school? Is there cause for concern about the lowered standards which increase the pass rates of learners writing the NSC? With English being the medium of instruction how would you rate the proficiency of the average first year student? What do you believe are the main areas of concern in the basic education system of South Africa? Do you encounter difficulties in your field of work which is due to the lack of proper education for high school student? Do you believe that education in South Africa is viewed more negatively due to stereotypes? Are there enough opportunities for students who do not receive university acceptance? Do you think that the large amounts of students who after receiving the NSC do not receive university acceptance directly increase the unemployment rate and affect the South African economy? If so, why? What would you suggest the South African Department of Education do to further the education system? Processing of findings The majority of research material is secondary sources. Therefore conclusions and results need to be taken from the literature, graphs and ratios used. From this graph it is clear that by far the majority of learners in South Africa attend Public Schools. For this reason it is vitally important that the South African Education System is successfully fulfilling the basic right to Education as set out in the Bill of Rights. Below all the sources from the Literature Review are analyzed and interpreted in order to determine whether this right is fulfilled throughout the country. Studying the Limpopo textbook crisis, it is quite clear that corruption and a lack of integrity caused learners to suffer great loss in terms of learning materials and eventually in terms of time wasted. There is still no clear plan of action for the successful delivery of learning materials for 2014. Ultimately both articles prove the point that government officials are more concerned about playing politics than about the actual education of learners, who in turn become the victims of dishonesty. The Education Department should have a careful look at their priorities and put the learners first. When comparing South African Education to the rest of the World, South Africa has the fifth worst education system of all the countries reviewed. This puts us behind a country such as Zimbabwe, which in itself should raise grave concern. The current education system disappoints in terms of delivery of results as well as in terms of development. It is quite clear that the academic discussion of the problem has been done and the answers are on the table, however, the implementation of the Strategic Plan calls for responsible individuals to be monitored by the system. The SA Education Department has the tights ideas but has not succeeded in bringing them into action. This in itself might be a result of inferior teacher training procedures and highlights the need for proper education on a secondary and a tertiary level. Too much time is spent on the administration and discussion of the problem, and too little on the actual implementation and monitoring of the system. When analyzing the current education situation it is important to interpret ratios and statistics. Between 2009 and 2010 the Learner Educator ratio increased which means that teachers had bigger classes and more learners had less individual attention from the teacher. The Learner School ratio also increased, highlighting the need for more school buildings. The Educator School ratio decreased, showing that although learner numbers increased, the amount of teachers decreased. These ratios are an indication of the negative development of the entire system, adding unnecessary stress and workload to teachers. The Grade 12 results of 2009 and 2010 are displayed below. At first glance the increase in pass rate looks positive. However, the actual number of students who performed better did not increase, but the requirement to pass decreased to a lower standard and therefore the pass rate increased. In an interview with a senior accounting lecturer from the University of the Witwatersrand, Mrs. Belinda Breytenbach, the following information emerged: High School education is not adequate and many learners are taught by unqualified teachers. Lecturers sit with the problem of students not having the necessary language or mathematical skills to understand the work content. This makes teaching very difficult and emphasizes the need for better education on a higher standard. One of the biggest problems is a lack of English proficiency. When looking at the university dropout rate and the level of comprehension of these students, it is certainly cause for concern. Dropout rates are high and pass rates are low among first year students. When looking at Mrs Breytenbachs answers to the questionnaire, the deduction is made that Education on a tertiary level is severely hampered by inferior teaching on a secondary level. Interview Response: Do you believe that the right to education in South Africa for high school students is being fulfilled? No. Why or why not? Several factors contribute but among them is the inadequacy of education, the need for schools and qualified educators. The textbook crisis is another example. Is it true that there is a growing concern regarding the cognitive abilities of first year students who have completed the NSC? Yes, First year accounting pass rates are low. The mathematic and english skills of the students are below the required standard. Could you describe the academic level of the first year accounting students in general? It is definitely below the expected level at University. We find that most students are on about a Grade 10 and 11 standard and this makes teaching more difficult. What would you say is the single biggest need among students academically? English reading and writing skills. Students struggle with writing and have extreme difficulty with their comprehension skills. How high are the university dropout rates and do you believe that they are increased due to the education students receive in high school? Yes I do, the dropout rate is relatively high for university (+ 30 40%). Is there cause for concern about the lowered standards which increase the pass rates of learners writing the NSC? Yes, people are less equipped to pass at University. With English being the medium of instruction how would you rate the proficiency of the average first year student? English is poor. The majority of students are not first language English speakers. What do you believe are the main areas of concern in the basic education system of South Africa? The education and qualifications of the teachers themselves along with the fact that many learners are passing to the next grade/level without actually having the required knowledge. Do you encounter difficulties in your field of work which is due to the lack of proper education for high school student? Yes, they cannot grasp the accounting concepts due to a lack of English skills along with basic mathematical and accounting knowledge which although required is not actually present. Do you believe that education in South Africa is viewed more negatively due to stereotypes? Yes, but it is not only due to stereotypes. The lack of proper education is a problem I deal with on a daily basis at the University. Are there enough opportunities for students who do not receive university acceptance? Yes, the opportunities exist but students are not equipped well enough and simply do not always use the chances they are given. Do you think that the large amounts of students who after receiving the NSC do not receive university acceptance directly increase the unemployment rate and affect the South African economy? Yes If so why? Many students have passed grade 12 and have received the NSC but the level is too low and thus students cant get university acceptance and are not well enough prepared to be able to work as part of a growing economy. What would you suggest the South African Department of Education do to further the education system? Ensure that teachers are properly qualified. Try to focus on separating politics and education in all aspects. Provide more schools and opportunities. One way of doing this is by joining in on projects similar to one we run at the University of Witwatersrand, it is called the Wits Soweto schools project and it is where university lecturers go to help tutor school children in rural or underprivileged areas. Conclusion Having studied the education system in South Africa over a period of month and with the help of primary and secondary sources, a conclusion has been reached. As predicted in the hypothesis the human right to basic education in South Africa is not fulfilled on a satisfactory level nationally. There are not enough school buildings, there are not enough qualified teachers, learning materials do not always reach the learners and ultimately the level of education is too low to prepare learners for tertiary studies. There are many different reasons for the current problems within the Education System, and one of the biggest reasons is that unqualified teachers teach, which perpetuates the problem. This national problem needs to be addressed with a long term view, creating opportunities for staff development, improved teacher training and careful administration of resources and programs. The strategic plan should be actively enforced and the priority of the South African Education Department should be the learners. The system needs to be constantly reviewed and adjusted in the light of international standards. It is imperative that weak learners should be supported and helped to achieve, rather than to lower standards in an effort to increase pass rates. The biggest limitation of the above discussion is that there is no reference to children who are not even part of any schooling system and not accounted for in any statistics. Several of the secondary sources could be biased as it is written from an individuals perspective although facts and statistics were used. Doing this research project has opened my eyes to the complexity of the South African situation with particular reference to the education system. It does not have a simple solution; neither does it have a single contributing factor. There are numerous problems interlinking causing even bigger problems and one would need great wisdom, huge resources and a lot of determination to even begin addressing these problems. Great leadership is needed in this regard. Reference List Newspaper articles: Nicolson, Greg. 2012. Limpopos education crisis: The price of incompetence and corruption. The Daily Maverick. 18 July 2012 Nicolson, Greg. 2012. SAs education crisis: Limpopo STILL without books. The Daily Maverick. 17 July 2012 Websites: Merementsi, Akanyang. 10 April 2011. Is South Africa fulfilling right to free education for all right?. Media Society. http://akanyangafrica.wordpress.com/2011/04/10/is-south-africa-fulfilling-right-to-free-education-for-all-right/. 6 July 2012. Nicolson, Greg.17 July 2012.SAs education crisis: Limpopo STILL without books. The Daily Maverick.http://dailymaverick.co.za/article/2012-07-17-sas-education-crisis-limpopo-still-without-books. 1 September 2012. Nicolson, Greg. 18 July 2012. Limpopos education crisis: The price of incompetence and corruption. The Daily Maverick. http://dailymaverick.co.za/article/2012-07-18-limpopos-education-crisis-the-price-of-incompetence-and-corruption. 1 September 2012 Right to education project © 2008. The Constitution of South Africa. Right to education project.http://www.right-to-education.org/country-node/522/country-constitutional. 22 June 2012 The South African Department of Education. 14 June 2003. Action plan. The South African Department of Education. http://www.education.gov.za/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket =IBMz%2FjGelkc%3Dtabid=390mid=1124. 4 September 2012. The South African Department of Education. 9 March 2011. Strategic Plan. The South African Department of Education.http://www.education.gov.za/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket= %2F%2BBILaBJ7ak%3Dtabid=80mid=585. 4 September 2012. The South African Department of Education. Feb 2012. Education statistics 2010. The South African Department of Education. http://www.education.gov.za/EMISSTATISTICS /StatisticalPublications/tabid/462/Default.aspx. 22 June 2012. Tullett, Jon. 11 Jul 2012. Reinvent local education now. It web. http://www.itweb.co.za/index.php?option =com_contentview =articleid=56651. 13 August 2012. 18 July 2012.Rippling effect of the lowering of standards of basic education. Varsity SA. http://varsitysa.co.za/fun-stuff/articles/rippling-effect-of-the-lowering-of-standards-of-basic-education/.7 September 2012. Interview: Senior lecturer of Accounting from the University of the Witwatersrand Belinda Breytenbach. Tel:0832934350

The Politicians Scam: Taxing People Outside Their Voting District :: Politics Political Essays

Politicians' Attempt to Stay in Office: Taxing People Outside Their Voting District The United States is one of the most democratic nations in the world. However, for our elected representatives, government is also a business, and these officials want to do anything they can to stay employed, or get re-elected. There are several ways they can do this, but one way has been used repeatedly since the American Revolution. It has been used in many examples, including the trade wars between the states of the 1780’s, the taxation of the federal bank by Maryland until 1819, the speed trap in Macks Creek, MO in the 1990’s, West Virginia’s current tax on river traffic, increased taxes for hotels and rental cars, and finally in the states’ dependency on federal grant money. All of these are examples in which the politicians are taxing people outside of their voting district, in hopes of staying in office. The idea behind all of these schemes is that the people paying the taxes and fines are not the people that vote for the local or state politicians creating these laws. Therefore, the people in the politician’s district receive the benefits of this increased revenue, but don't have any of the cost, causing the elected official to look more favorable. Furthermore, the visitors to the area rarely have an easy way to fight these taxes or fines. They can't vote the officials out of office, and they usually can't avoid the situation. The only choice they have is to comply with the fine or tax, or spend a lot of time and money to fight it in court. The following examples were all devised by politicians who wanted nothing more than to stay in office, and they were created under the same line of thinking – take advantage of people who have no way of protesting. These examples all have this common theme, only the implementation and the legality of them differ. This process of taxing others began before the Constitution was even written. Under the Articles of Confederation, the federal government had no control of commerce between the states. Because of this, the states taxed each other’s goods, creating trade wars. Although they were hurting commerce in the process, the politicians knew they were gaining revenue without alienating their own voters.

Plato †Philosophy Essay

The Republic is one of Plato’s longer works (more than 450 pages in length). It is written in dialogue form (as are most of Plato’s books), & it addresses major issues in almost all of the branches of philosophy. The central theme in the book seems to be the nature of justice, a topic in political philosophy, but Plato also has his characters explore issues in ? philosophical cosmology, ? philosophical theology, ? philosophical anthropology, ? ethics, ? aesthetics, and ? epistemology. The parts of the Republic that are contained in our text (pp. 107-123) focus on Plato’s idea (ideal?) of the Philosopher Ruler. According to Plato, ? the best possible political system (state) ? will be ruled (governed) ? by PHILOSOPHERS! (Is he kidding? ) Our reading selection contains the following themes/sections: ? ? Introduction on the unifying of philosophy & politics (107) Why â€Å"true philosophers† would make the best rulers (108-12) †¢ What is â€Å"true philosophy†? (108-11) †¢ Love of wisdom (108) †¢ Knowledge of true reality (108-9) †¢ The distinctions between knowledge, ignorance and opinion (109-11) †¢ How is a â€Å"true philosopher† different from a â€Å"lover of opinion†? (111-12) †¢ Who is best suited to rule the state – lovers of opinion or â€Å"true philosophers†? (112) ? ? Political leadership and knowledge of the Good (112-13) The ascent of the mind to knowledge of the Good (113-123) †¢ The analogy between the Good and the sun (113-15) †¢ The image of the divided line (115-18) †¢ The allegory of the cave (118-123) The selection in the text begins at a point in the Republic after Socrates, Glaucon, & other characters have been discussing the nature of justice and the marks of a just political system for some time. So we are coming into the middle of the conversation where Glaucon is pressing Socrates to state whether it is possible for a really just political system to come into existence. Before answering Glaucon’s question, Socrates wonders whether it is worthwhile to What does he say construct a theoretical model of a good political system even if such a system could about this? Do you agree? Why not actually exist. or why not? Back to Glaucon’s original question: Can a really just (or at least approximately just) political system exist? What would make it possible? (It is the separation of philosophy & political power. ) And this leads to . . . . unless political power & philosophy are brought together & those who now pursue either the one or the other exclusively are prevented from doing so -neither our political problems nor our human troubles in general can be ended . . . . † (Text, pp. 108-111) True Philosophy & True Philosophers What are the characteristics of a person who is naturally suited to practice philosophy? According to Socrates (Plato), a true philosopher ? loves the whole of wisdom and is satisfied with nothing less; ? recognizes the difference between particular things and the essences (or forms) of which particular things are likenesses (e.g. , beautiful things vs. Beauty itself); and ? knows the differences between knowledge, ignorance, and opinion. Plato argues that someone who really loves something must love that thing as a whole and not just some aspects of it. On that basis, he concludes that a true philosopher (lover of wisdom) must desire wisdom as a whole and not be content with having just some wisdom. Do you agree with this? Do wine-lovers really love all wines? A true philosopher recognizes the difference between particular things and the essences (or forms) of which particular things are likenesses (e. g. , beautiful things vs.Beauty itself). One of Plato’s major metaphysical theories is known as the â€Å"Theory of Forms. † According to that theory, ultimate reality is a realm of forms (essences) not accessible to the senses but only to the mind (intellect). He calls that level of reality the â€Å"intelligible realm† (because it is accessible only to the intellect). The perceptible world (i. e. , the world we perceive through our senses) is a reflection or copy of that higher intelligible world. (The Greek word for â€Å"form† or â€Å"essence† is eidos. ) Do you think it is possible for one thing to be really more beautiful than another thing? Well, how is that possible if Absolute Beauty does not exist? How can â€Å"A† be more beautiful than â€Å"B†? Doesn’t â€Å"A† have to be closer to Absolute Beauty than â€Å"B† is? But how can â€Å"A† be closer to (or â€Å"B† be further away from) Absolute Beauty if Absolute Beauty does not exist? A true philosopher knows the differences between ? Knowledge, ? ignorance, & ? opinion. Plato’s view of knowledge, ignorance, and opinion (Text, pp. 109-111) State of Mind Knowledge Opinion Ignorance Object What is (Being, Reality) What is & is not (Becoming) What is not (Nothingness, Unreality) Access Intellect Perception ? (Do you agree with this setup/theory?) Is Plato right about knowledge, ignorance, and opinion? Here’s a different view†¦. What about knowledge? The three basic questions in epistemology ? ? What is knowledge? How does it differ from opinion? How do we acquire knowledge? What are its sources? Rationalism vs. Empiricism. (What about Intuitionism and Revelationism? ) ? What are the extent and limits of knowledge? What can be known, and what cannot be known? A (fairly) standard definition of knowledge (and opinion) ? Knowledge is â€Å"justified (i. e. , verified) true belief. â€Å" †¢ To know is to believe. †¢ The belief must, in fact, be true. †¢ The belief must be â€Å"justified† (i.e. , verified, proved) by some standard and generally recognized means. ? Opinion is belief that may be true or may be false but that has not been or cannot be â€Å"justified† (i. e. , verified, proved) by any standard and generally recognized means. Of course, some opinions that are rationally defensible in the weak sense are â€Å"justified† in a limited way. And what about ignorance? Isn’t ignorance basically an absence of knowledge? Of course, opinion is also an absence of knowledge. So perhaps ignorance is a certain or special kind of opinion that is in some sense groundless (in a way based on nothing, as Plato says). ? There seem to be various types of ignorance, including unintelligent ignorance, as when someone asserts dogmatically that a false proposition is true or that a true proposition is false. There is also intelligent ignorance, as when someone does not know X and acknowledges forthrightly that he does not know it, etc. More thought is needed on this matter†¦. ? However, Plato’s view of ignorance as having non-being (nothingness) as its object does not seem correct (or at least not completely correct). ? ? ? Lovers of wisdom (philosophers) — they recognize the existence of absolute, transcendental essences such as Beauty & Justice in themselves, and they seek knowledge of such absolutes. ? Lovers of opinion -they recognize only particular perceptible things & do not believe in the existence of absolute essences such as Beauty itself. So what is the nature of the Absolute Good? (Text, p. 112-113) In approaching the problem of defining the nature of the Absolute Good, Socrates (Plato) sets forth three very famous illustrations of his overall perspective on knowledge & reality. These are I The Good & the Sun The Good is to the mind as the sun is to the eye, i.e. , just as the sun’s light enables the eye to see in the perceptible realm, so the Good illuminates the mind and enables it to â€Å"see† in the intelligible realm. (See text, pp. 113-115) 2 The divided line (Text, pp. 115-118) States of Consciousness Philosophical Wisdom E Objects of Consciousness The Good & Other Forms Knowledge D Intelligible Realm Scientific Knowledge Informed Opinion Delusion C B Mathematical & Scientific Objects Opinion Perceptible Objects Images Perceptible Realm A (Text, pp. 118-123) Can you link the images on the following slide to Plato’s depiction of the cave world on pp. 118-121 in the text? Now that the prisoner has â€Å"seen the light,† ? What might happen to him if he were to go back down into the cave-world? (pp. 119-121) ? How does he feel when he looks back down into the cave-world? (pp. 119) ? How does the allegory of the cave illustrate Plato’s overall view of knowledge and reality? (p. 121) More questions: ? What’s the philosophical difference between coming into the darkness from the light & coming into the light from the darkness? (p. 121) ? What, according to Plato, does the allegory of the cave tell us about what the process of education should be? (pp. 121-122) there are the big questions: Why should we want philosophers to rule? How are we going to get them to rule? Since we are asking them to come back down into the cave-world, won’t we be doing them harm by making their lives worse rather than better? (Text, pp. 122-123) What do you think of the following statements by Plato (Socrates)? â€Å"The best rulers of the state are those who know the Good, who don’t look to politics for their happiness, & who live a higher life than the political life. † â€Å"Political power should be held by those who do not want it. † The End (for now).

Night World : Witchlight Chapter 14

Keller put her hands to her face. At first, she didn't recognize what was happening to her. Then she realized that she was crying. She was shaking, Raksha Keller who wasn't afraid of anyone and who never let her heart be touched. She was making those ridiculous little noises that sounded like a six-week-old kitten. She was dripping tears through her fingers. The worst thing was that she couldn't seem to make herself stop. Then she felt Galen's arms around her, and she realized that he was crying, too. He was better at it than she was. He seemed more used to it and didn't fight it as hard, which made him stronger. He was able to stroke her hair and even to get some words out. â€Å"Keller, I'm sorry. Keller†¦ can I call you Raksha?† Keller shook her head furiously, spraying teardrops. â€Å"I always think of you as Keller, anyway. It's just-you, somehow. I'm sorry about all of this. I didn't mean to make you cry. It would be better if you'd never met me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Keller found herself shaking her head again. And then, just as she had the last time, she felt her arms moving to hold him back. She pressed her face against the softness of his sweatshirt, trying to get enough control of herself to speak. This was the problem with having walls so hard and high and unscalable, she supposed. When they came down, they crumbled completely, shattering into nothingness. She felt utterly defenseless right now. Unguarded†¦ vulnerable†¦ but not alone. She could feel more than Galen's physical presence. She could feel his spirit, and she was being pulled toward it. They were falling together, falling into each other, as they had in the library. Closer and closer†¦ Contact. She felt the touch of his mind, and once again her heart almost exploded. You're the one. You're my soulmate, his mental voice said, as if this were an entirely new idea, and he was just discovering it and rejoicing in it. Keller reached for denial, but it simply wasn't around. And she couldn't pretend to someone who shared her thoughts. When I first saw you, he said, I was so fascinated by you. I already told you this, didn't I? It made me proud to be a shapeshifter for the first time. Aren't you proud? Keller was disconcerted. She still wasn't finished crying-but, yes, she was. With his warmth and passion shining into her, his arms locked around her, his mind open to her†¦ it was hard not to get swept up in it. I guess I'm proud, she thought to him slowly. But only of some parts of it. Other things†¦ What things? he demanded, almost fiercely protective. Our history? The dragons? No. Stuff you wouldn't understand Things about-animal nature. Even now, Keller was afraid of letting him see some parts of her. Leave it alone, Galen. All he said was, Tell me. No. It happened a long time ago, when I was three. Just be glad you get to pick what kind of animal you'll become. Keller, he said. Please. You don't like animal nature, she told him. Remember how you pulled your hand away when you touched my shoulder in the music room? In the†¦ ? His mental voice trailed off, and Keller waited grimly to feel the memory of disgust in him. But what came wasn't revulsion. Instead, it was a strong sense of longing that he was somehow trying to smother. And choked, wry laughter. Keller, I didn't pull away because I didn't like your fur. I did it because . . He hesitated, then burst out, sounding embarrassed, I wanted to pet you! Pet†¦ ? Your fur was so soft, and it felt so good when I moved my palm the wrong way against it-just like velvet. And-I wanted to-to do this. He ran a hand up and down her back. I couldn't help it. But I knew it wasn't exactly appropriate, and you would probably break my jaw if I tried it. So I took my hand away. He finished, still embarrassed, but half laughing. Now, you tell me what you're not proud of. Keller felt very warm, and she was sure her face was flushed. It was just as well that it was hidden. It was too bad-there was probably never going to be a time to tell him that she wouldn't mind being petted like that†¦ I'm a cat, after all, she thought, and was distantly surprised to hear him chuckle. There were no secrets in this kind of soul-link, she realized, slightly flustered. To cover her embarrassment, she spoke out loud. â€Å"The thing I'm not proud of-it happened when I was living with my first Circle Daybreak family. I used to spend a lot of time in my half-and-half form. It was easy for me to get stuck that way, and they didn't mind.† I wouldn't, either, Galen said. You're beautiful like that. â€Å"Anyway, I was sitting on my foster mother's lap while she was combing my hair, and I don't know what happened, but something startled me. Some loud noise outside, maybe a car backfiring. I jumped straight up and tried to race for my hiding place under the desk.† Keller paused, made herself take an even breath. She felt Galen's arms tighten around her. â€Å"And then-well, my foster mother tried to hold on to me, to keep me from being frightened. But all I could think of was danger, danger. So I lashed out at her. I used my claws-I have retractable claws in that form. I would have done anything to get away.† She paused again. It was so hard to tell this. â€Å"She had to go to the hospital. I forget how many stitches she needed in her face. But I remember everything else-being taken to another foster family because that one couldn't handle me. I didn't blame them for sending me away, but I always wished I could have told her how sorry I was.† There was a silence. Keller could feel Galen breathing, and that gave her an odd sense of comfort. Then he said quietly, out loud, â€Å"That's all?† Keller started, then lifted her head a little and made herself answer the same way. â€Å"Isn't it enough?† â€Å"Keller†¦ you were just a baby. You didn't mean to do any harm; it was an accident. You can't blame yourself.† â€Å"I do blame myself. If I hadn't been taken over by my instinct-â€Å" â€Å"That's ridiculous. Human babies do stupid things all the time. What if a human three-year-old falls into a swimming pool and somebody drowns trying to rescue her? Would you blame the baby?† Keller hesitated, then rested her head on his shoulder again. â€Å"Don't be silly.† â€Å"Then how can you blame yourself for something you couldn't help?† Keller didn't answer, but she felt as if a crushing load was sliding slowly off her. He didn't blame her. Maybe she wasn't to blame. She would always be sorry, but maybe she didn't need to be so ashamed. She tightened her own arms around him. Thank you, she thought. Oh, Keller. You're so wonderful, and you're so set against admitting it. Everything you do†¦ shines. Keller couldn't form any words for a moment. Then she said, Galen? When you do choose a form, choose something gentle. I thought you thought everybody has to be a fitter, he said, and his mental voice was very quiet. Some people shouldn't have to be. Then she just let him hold her. Another endless time, while they both seemed to be floating in soft, gold fire. It flared around them and through them, joining them. Sometimes she could hardly tell which thoughts were his and which were hers. He said, I used to write poetry, you know. Or try. My parents hated it; they were so embarrassed. Instead of learning to be a good hunter, their son was writing gibberish. She said, There's this terrible dream I have, where I look out at the ocean and see a wall of water hundreds of feet high, and I know it's coming and I can never get away in time. Cats and water, you know. I guess that's why. He said, I used to daydream about what kind of animal it would be most fun to be. But it always came down to the same thing, some kind of bird. You just can't beat flying. She said, One thing I always had to hide from my foster mothers was how much I liked to shred things. I thought I was being so clever when I would hide their panty hose after I used my claws on them. But when I did it on the sheer curtains one day, everybody knew. They talked and talked. And Keller gave herself up to it, to the simple pleasure of his closeness and the feeling that for once she didn't have to hide or pretend or defend herself. It was such a blessed relief not to have to pretend at all. Galen knew her, and he accepted her. All of her. He loved herself, not her black swirling hair or her long legs or the curve of her lips. He might admire those things, but he loved her, what she was inside. And he loved her with a sweetness and a power that shook Keller to her soul. She wanted to stay like this forever. There was something else waiting for them, though. Something she didn't want to think about but that loomed just outside the brightness and warmth that surrounded them. The world†¦ there's still a world out there. And it's in trouble. And we can't ignore that. Galen. I know. Very slowly, very reluctantly, Galen straightened, putting her away from him. He couldn't seem to let go of her shoulders, though. They sat that way, their eyes locked. And the strange thing was that the mental connection wasn't broken. They could still hear each other as they held each other's gaze. We can never be like this again, Keller said. I know. He had faced it as clearly as she had, she realized. We can't talk about it; we can't even be alone together. It isn't fair to Uiana. And we have to try to forget each other and just go on. I know, he said for the third time. And just when Keller was marveling at his quiet acceptance, she saw tears in his gem-colored eyes. Keller, it's my fault. If I weren't the son of the First House†¦ We'd never have met. And that would have been worse. â€Å"Would it?† he said out loud, as if he needed reassurance. Yes. She gave the answer mentally, so that he could feel the truth of it. Oh, Galen, I'm so glad we met. I'm so glad to have known you. And if we live through this, I'll be glad all my life. He took her into his arms again. â€Å"We have it, Boss,† Winnie said. Her eyes were sparkling. Beside her, Nissa looked calmly enthusiastic. â€Å"What?† Keller asked. She herself felt calmly alert, in spite of almost no sleep the night before. She and Galen had stayed up late, reading over the scrolls, making sure that there was nothing they had missed. They had already explained what they'd found to the others. Now Winnie was grinning at her. â€Å"How to protect Iliana at the party on Saturday. We've got it, and it's foolproof!† Nothing is foolproof, Keller thought. She said, â€Å"Go on.† It's like this. We put wards all around the Ashton-Hughes house, just like the wards Grandma Harman made for this house. The strongest possible from Circle Daybreak. But we put them around the house now, as soon as we can. We key them so that only humans can get in.† â€Å"And we add another layer of protection,† Nissa said. â€Å"Circle Daybreak agents posted around the house, starting now. Nothing gets in, nothing gets out that they don't know about. That way, when we go to the party on Saturday, we know it's safe.† â€Å"We just whisk her from one safe place to another,† Winnie said. â€Å"As long as we can keep her in here until Saturday night, there's-no chance of any danger.† Keller considered. â€Å"We have to make sure the limo is safe, too. Absolutely safe.† â€Å"Of course,† Winnie said. ‘Ill take care of it.† â€Å"And I'd want agents to check the people who go hi somehow. Not just monitor. Would there be any way to do that?† â€Å"Without the family knowing?† Nissa chewed her lip gently. â€Å"What if we set up some sort of road crew near the front gate? There's bound to be a gate; this is a mansion, right?† â€Å"Check it out. And we'd better get plans of the house, too. I want us all to know the place by heart before we get there.† â€Å"City planner's office,† Nissa said. â€Å"No, more likely the local historical society. The house is probably a historic monument. I'm on it.† Keller nodded. â€Å"Hmm.† She tried to think if there was anything else to worry about. â€Å"Hmm, it sounds†¦Ã¢â‚¬  They watched her, breath held. â€Å"It sounds good,† Keller said. â€Å"I think there's just the tiniest, slightest possibility that it might actually work. But I'm probably being overoptimistic.† Winnie grinned and socked her on the shoulder. â€Å"You, Boss? Perish the thought.† ‘It's so difficult,† Iliana said. â€Å"I mean, what can you wear to both a birthday party and a promise ceremony?† â€Å"And a Solstice Ceremony,† Winnie said. â€Å"Don't forget that† â€Å"You're trying to make things worse, aren't you?† Iliana held up one dress, then another. â€Å"What's right for a Solstice Ceremony?† â€Å"Something white,† Winnie suggested. â€Å"That would be good for a promise ceremony, too,† Keller said. She was doing her very best to be patient, and finding it easier than she had expected. The last three days had been very quiet Iliana had agreed to stay home from school even when her cold got better. Galen and Keller had scarcely spoken in that time, and they had never been alone. And that was†¦ all right. There was a quietness inside her to match the quiet air outside. They both had jobs to do. And they would do them as well as possible. Keller just prayed that what they did would be enough. â€Å"White? I don't know if I've got anything white. It has to be fancy because everything at Jaime's is fancy. I hope she's really okay.† â€Å"She's fine,† Keller said. â€Å"You talked to her an hour ago.† To her own relief, Jaime had stayed quietly at home for the past three days, too. The last thing she wanted was for that girl to be attacked again. But the Ashton-Hughes house, at least, was safe. For three days, it had been buttoned up tight, with Circle Daybreak agents watching every person who went through the gates. And checking them, using the same wards that protected the house. No Night Person could cross the invisible line that encircled the grounds, and no person who tried to cross and was turned back by the wards would be allowed to leave without being tracked. All we have to do is keep her safe during the drive, Keller thought. First to the mansion, then to the meeting place in Charlotte. We can do that. I know we can do that. She checked her watch. â€Å"Come on, kid, it's after eight,† she said. â€Å"We should be moving soon.† Iliana and Winnie were both ransacking the closet â€Å"Pale blue,† Winnie said, â€Å"pale lavender, pale pink†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It has to be white,† Iliana said. â€Å"I'm sorry I mentioned it.† A knock sounded on the door, and Nissa looked in. â€Å"We're back. You guys ready?† â€Å"In a minute,† Keller said. â€Å"How're things at the mansion?† â€Å"Perfect. The witches say the wards are strong.† â€Å"Who's come in?† â€Å"Caterers and a college band. That's all so far. All one hundred percent human according to the wards-and to Galen, who kept running up to the cars at the gate and trying to sell them Christmas Benefit teddy bears.† Keller almost grinned. Galen would be good at that. â€Å"The family must have thought he was crazy.† â€Å"They never came out and complained. Nobody's come out, in fact, which makes things easy on die surveillance team.† She sobered. â€Å"Boss, why do you think the dragon hasn't tried something yet? He's cutting it awfully close.† â€Å"I don't know. I think†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"What?† â€Å"I think he must be betting it all on one throw of the dice. One all-out attack, fast and decisive.† â€Å"At the party.† â€Å"At the parry,† Keller said. â€Å"So we'd better be on our toes.† â€Å"We've got him locked out, though. Those wards are secure.† â€Å"I hope so.† From the closet, Iliana squealed, â€Å"I found it!† She was holding a dress almost the color of her own hair, white with some sort of sparkling thread woven in. It draped in soft folds across her hip as she held it up for Winnie's inspection. â€Å"Perfect,† Winnie said. â€Å"You can get engaged in that dress; you can go to a birthday parry; you can celebrate the Solstice-you can probably get married in it if you want† â€Å"You can do whatever you want, but you have to do it now,† Keller said, checking her watch again. â€Å"But do you like it? I think I bought it last year.† â€Å"It's beautiful,† Keller said, and then, as she saw the hurt in Hiana's violet eyes: â€Å"Really. It's beautiful. You'll look wonderful in it, and Galen will be-very impressed.† Where had that sudden hitch in her breath come from? She had gotten over it quickly, but she noticed that Diana gave her an odd look. â€Å"Now, come on, everybody,*' Keller said briskly, looking at Winnie and Nissa. â€Å"Are you two ready?† They both looked down at their ordinary outfits, then looked back up and shrugged in chorus. â€Å"Yeah.† ‘I guess they can think we're the help,† Keller said. â€Å"Everybody check your transmitters. I want to be in constant contact once we get there.† â€Å"Right, Boss.† â€Å"Got it, Boss.† Iliana had put on the dress and was looking in the mirror. â€Å"My hair,† she began, and then she glanced at Keller. â€Å"Ill just leave it down,† she said. â€Å"Okay?† â€Å"Down is fine, down is great.† Keller glanced at her watch and tightened her belt. â€Å"Down is just right for a Solstice Ceremony,† Winnie said. She added in an undertone as Iliana started for the door, â€Å"Don't mind her. She's always like this before a big operation.† ‘It's a good thing I didn't ask her about my shoes†¦.† Keller looked around to make sure there was nothing they were forgetting. Then she looked at the other three girls. They smiled back at her, eyes alert and ready for anything. Even the smallest one, who looked like a Christmas tree angel somebody had taken down and brought to life. â€Å"Okay, people,† Keller said. â€Å"This is it. It's show time.† Galen was wearing a dark sweater and pants that set off his blondness. It was casual but still appropriate for the promise ceremony later on. His eyes met Keller's briefly as Iliana said good-bye to her parents, and they both smiled. Not fake smiles, either. Simply the quiet, undemanding smiles of comrades with a job to do. â€Å"Kee-kee!† Alex said from the door as they went to the car in the garage. That kid is up way too late, Keller thought She turned and waved. â€Å"Blow him a kiss,† Diana prompted helpfully. â€Å"He likes that.† Keller gave her a narrow sideways look and blew him a kiss. â€Å"Kee-kee!† Suddenly, his round little face crumpled. â€Å"Bye-bye,† he proclaimed sadly. â€Å"Oh, that's sweet,† Diana's mother said. â€Å"He's going to miss you. He probably thinks you're going for good.† â€Å"Bye-bye,† Alex said, and huge tears rolled down his cheeks. â€Å"Bye-bye! Kee-kee! Bye-bye!† He began to sob. There was a little silence among the group standing by the car. Winnie stared at Alex, then glanced at Iliana. â€Å"He doesn't-he's never had any precognitions, has he?† she muttered. â€Å"He's a baby,† Iliana whispered back. ‘1 mean, how could you tell?† â€Å"He's just tired,† Keller said briefly. â€Å"Come on, let's go.†