Saturday, November 30, 2019

What impact did Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam have on the civil rights movement Example For Students

What impact did Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam have on the civil rights movement What impact did Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam have on the civil rights movement in the United States of America in the period between 1960 and 1965? In the United States of America (USA), in the period 1960 to 1965, the Nation of Islam and Malcolm X had a strong impact on the civil rights movement. Through the bold teachings of Elijah Muhammad and Malcolm X, African-Americans gained a greater awareness of the horrific atrocities committed against them by Caucasians throughout the history of the USA and specifically during the civil rights campaign, and this impacted on the civil rights movement as issues such as racial violence and inequality were exposed by the teachings of the Nation of Islam. The Nation of Islam empowered many African-Americans to stand up for their human rights, whilst Malcolm X provided a strong example to African-Americans of someone who was willing to stand up for the fundamental rights of the race which positively impacted on the civil rights movement. We will write a custom essay on What impact did Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam have on the civil rights movement specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The Nation of Islam offered an extreme alternative to the non-violent approach of Martin Luther King Junior and other civil rights groups and made the demands for equality of King far more acceptable to Caucasians, despite the fact that the sense of militancy that accompanied Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam gave the African-American people greater voice, strength and unity within the community, the extreme views of the Nation of Islam negatively impacted upon the civil rights movement in the period 1960 to 1965, as their beliefs conflicted with other civil rights groups and leaders which made progress and unity harder to achieve within African-American society. Thus, the imposing presence of Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam in the USA between 1960 and 1965, had a strong impact on the civil rights movement despite the positive and negative responses that were elicited. The teachings of the Nation of Islam and Malcolm X impacted on the civil rights movement as they exposed and created a greater awareness of the atrocities committed against African-Americans throughout their history. Black Muslims believe that the white man is the devil 1 and that Caucasians over time had robbed, raped, beaten and destroyed the Black man 2. This philosophy strongly appealed to many African-Americans, as not only did it reveal the crimes that had been committed by Caucasians but it also put forward the idea that African-Americans are superior to Caucasians. The Nation of Islams teachings were often accepted by those in the most vulnerable and exploited position within society as they found the teachings and philosophies of Elijah Muhammad and Malcolm X relevant and real to their experiences. This applied to a young Malcolm X who in his autobiography stated, when I thought back I could not remember a single good thing a white person had ever done to me 3. Atrocities committed against African-Americans by Caucasians include the horrific lynchings that occurred across the USA, with approximately 3,445 African-American lynshings between 1882 and 1968. The severity, callousness and racism of the lynchings illustrates the atrocities that the Nation of Islam exposed in its teachings, typically, the victims were hung or burned to death by mobs of White vigilantes, frequently in front of thousands of spectators, many of whom would take pieces of the dead persons body as souvenirs to help remember the spectacular event 4. The philosophy of the Nation of Islam exposed the atrocities that Caucasians had committed against African-Americans throughout history and in the period between 1960 and 1965, and thus both the Nation of Islam and Malcolm X impacted strongly upon the civil rights movement. .ucf35a1a44a870c66f3b369682d337f16 , .ucf35a1a44a870c66f3b369682d337f16 .postImageUrl , .ucf35a1a44a870c66f3b369682d337f16 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ucf35a1a44a870c66f3b369682d337f16 , .ucf35a1a44a870c66f3b369682d337f16:hover , .ucf35a1a44a870c66f3b369682d337f16:visited , .ucf35a1a44a870c66f3b369682d337f16:active { border:0!important; } .ucf35a1a44a870c66f3b369682d337f16 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ucf35a1a44a870c66f3b369682d337f16 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ucf35a1a44a870c66f3b369682d337f16:active , .ucf35a1a44a870c66f3b369682d337f16:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ucf35a1a44a870c66f3b369682d337f16 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ucf35a1a44a870c66f3b369682d337f16 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ucf35a1a44a870c66f3b369682d337f16 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ucf35a1a44a870c66f3b369682d337f16 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ucf35a1a44a870c66f3b369682d337f16:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ucf35a1a44a870c66f3b369682d337f16 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ucf35a1a44a870c66f3b369682d337f16 .ucf35a1a44a870c66f3b369682d337f16-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ucf35a1a44a870c66f3b369682d337f16:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Men And Women Argumentative EssayThe strong teachings of the Nation of Islam and the leadership of Malcolm X impacted on the civil rights movement as it empowered many African-Americans within the community to stand up for their fundamental human rights and challenge those who threaten these rights. The teachings of Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam are that the African-American race is superior to the Caucasian race, and that the Black Man will endure forever, for he is born in righteousness 5. This philosophy sanctioned greater strength within the African-American community before and during the civil rights campaign and thus positively impacted upon the civil rights movement as African-Americans were encouraged to strive for the greatness and supremacy that African-Americans had been deprived of, according to the Nation of Islam. The Nation of Islam also used African history to unite and empower African-Americans who had limited knowledge of any racial history, as Malcolm X stated, one of the things that made the Black Muslim movement grow was its emphasis upon things African. African blood, African origin, African culture, African ties. And youd be surprised we discovered that deep within the subconscious of the black man in this country, he is still more African than he is American. 6 The united African-American front of the Nation of Islam is illustrated in the establishment of This outspoken and strong leadership of Malcolm X, similarly impacted upon the civil rights movement as African-Americans began to follow the example Malcolm X set as demonstrated through the testimony of a militant following Malcolm Xs death, What made Malcolm X a great man, is that he had the guts to say what nine-tenths of American Negroes would like to say but dont have the guts to say. 7 Malcolm X attracted many African-Americans to the Nation of Islam through promoting a religion that was perceived to stand up for African-Americans against Caucasians, I believe in a religion that believes in freedom. Any time I have to accept a religion that wont let me fight a battle for my people, I say to hell with that religion 8. This uncompromising strength and ambition that Malcolm X conveyed empowered African-Americans and thus, there was a greater African-American voice within the USA in the period of 1960-1965. The growing presence of the Nation of Islam with its extreme and often perceived offensive views of its members in the USA between 1960 and 1965, allowed the work of King and organisations wanting integration, to receive wider acceptance as an alternative to the black power and black nationalism that the Nation of Islam offered. NAACP, SCLC. Similarly, many pitted Malcolm X against King and the preferred alternative for African-Americans and obviously Caucasians was King. Malcolm X realised that the seemingly severe and radical Black Muslims made King far more acceptable to Caucasians, At one time the whites in the United States called him a racialist, and extremist, and a Communist. Then the Black Muslims came along and the whites thanked the Lord for Martin Luther King 9. The intense and racist views of the Nation of Islam and Malcolm X impacted on the civil rights movement as it often made the non-violent equalitarian views of King and other civil rights groups more acceptable to Caucasians and many African-Americans in the USA between 1960 and 1965. The extreme view of Caucasians taken by Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam, negatively impacted on the civil rights movement, as it distanced the relationship between the two races. As the Nation of Islam viewed Caucasians with such detestation and anger, the ability of Muslim leaders such as Malcolm X to impact upon the civil rights movement through cooperation with other civil rights leaders, either African-American or Caucasian, was limited until 1964 when he was able to form and organisation that encouraged cooperation between civil rights leaders (the Organisation of Afro-American Unity). Before Malcolm X split from the Nation of Islam he refused to work alongside anyone who did not follow the extreme views that Elijah Muhammad taught him, It could also be argued that the attacks from the Nation of Islam and Malcolm X on others involved in the civil rights movement also negatively impacted the movement, as illustrated through Malcolm Xs verbal attacks on King, He (King) got the p eace prize, we got the problem. If Im following a general, and hes leading me into a battle, and the enemy tends to give him rewards, or awards, I get suspicious of him. Especially if he gets a peace award before the war is over .ua4ff95bb2cc4e3d95896896245c55374 , .ua4ff95bb2cc4e3d95896896245c55374 .postImageUrl , .ua4ff95bb2cc4e3d95896896245c55374 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ua4ff95bb2cc4e3d95896896245c55374 , .ua4ff95bb2cc4e3d95896896245c55374:hover , .ua4ff95bb2cc4e3d95896896245c55374:visited , .ua4ff95bb2cc4e3d95896896245c55374:active { border:0!important; } .ua4ff95bb2cc4e3d95896896245c55374 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ua4ff95bb2cc4e3d95896896245c55374 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ua4ff95bb2cc4e3d95896896245c55374:active , .ua4ff95bb2cc4e3d95896896245c55374:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ua4ff95bb2cc4e3d95896896245c55374 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ua4ff95bb2cc4e3d95896896245c55374 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ua4ff95bb2cc4e3d95896896245c55374 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ua4ff95bb2cc4e3d95896896245c55374 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ua4ff95bb2cc4e3d95896896245c55374:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ua4ff95bb2cc4e3d95896896245c55374 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ua4ff95bb2cc4e3d95896896245c55374 .ua4ff95bb2cc4e3d95896896245c55374-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ua4ff95bb2cc4e3d95896896245c55374:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Mailbox Rule Essay10. As the philosophies of the Nation of Islam contradicted many of the objectives of other civil rights groups and leaders, it impacted negatively on the civil rights movement between 1960 and 1965 through their inability to co-operate with other groups and leaders. The increasing presence of the Nation of Islam within the US community in the period 1960 to 1965, signified strength and unity amongst African-Americans and the strong, militant philosophies demonstrated by Malcolm X in this period gave African-Americans a voice within the community that impacted on the civil rights movement. Malcolm X pushed black unity which gave African-Americans unity that it had not seen before in the USA, All of us are black first, and everything else second 11. The strong, purposeful philosophies of Malcolm X who was renowned for his famous by any means necessary statement, gave African-Americans a militant figure who was prepared to physically fight Caucasians. This appealed to many African-Americans who wanted to counteract Caucasian violence with violence. Malcolm Xs consistent threat to the Caucasian community also impacted on the civil rights campaign as Caucasians felt threatened by the Nation of Islam and Malcolm X. The creation of the militant African-American, Black Panther Party, in the wake of the assassination of black leader Malcolm X 12, in 1966, illustrates the impact of Malcolm Xs militant that inspired the creation of this group that Federal Bureau of Investigation chief J. Edgar Hoover described as, the greatest threat to the internal security of the United States. Conclusion ; 1 What is Islam? What is a Muslim?, http://www.muhammadspeaks.com/about.html 2 ibid. 3 A. Haley, The Autobiography of Malcolm X, Penguin, 4 R.W. Logan, The betrayal of the Negro: From Rutherford B. Hayes to Woodrow Wilson, New York, Macmillan, P.239. 5 The Nation of Islam, http://www.noi.org.html 6 The Official Website of Malcolm X, www.cmgww.com/historic/malcolm/quotations.html 7 ibid. 8 ibid. 9 ibid. 10 The Official Website of Malcolm X, www.cmgww.com/historic/malcolm/quotations.html 11 Malcolm X,Gods angry men, WO, 31 May 1958 (FBI files 105-8999-788) 12 The Black Panther, http://www.blackpanther.org/TenPoint.htm 13 ibid. Modern History 12 Individual Essay Cullen Bailey

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Immigration Essays (463 words) - Demography, Population, Free Essays

Immigration Essays (463 words) - Demography, Population, Free Essays Immigration American Immigration Policy Immigration has held a major role in shaping our country. Immigrants have provided many things such as customs, manufacturing, inventions, and entertainment. Many people today don't realize how greatly we have been affected by immigration. A survey was given to ten people. The survey contained a list of people who were all immigrants. When asked how many actually were, only one person got the question right. Old Immigration occurred between 1840-1890. Immigrants during this time period came from countries such as Ireland, Germany, and Scandinavian countries (Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland). Next came the period of New Immigration. These newcomers came from Italy, Russia, Poland, Lithuania, Greece, Austria, etc., most of whom were peasants who couldn't speak English. The people who migrated during the period of Old Immigration disliked these aliens because it meant lower wages for themselves and the new immigrants had greater advantages including poor and political machines. These people also were not willing to adapt to American ways of life, created their own little towns that resemble their homeland. They were treated as outcasts. New Immigration ended with World War I when the immigrant boats were being sunk. Immigration is still continuing today. Current Immigration includes people from Latin America, the Philippines, and Asia. Laws regarding immigration are constantly changing to fit the needs of society. In 1854, the Know-Nothing Party declared the need for strict limits on Immigration. Members of this party felt it was necessary that immigrants must be residents of the United States for 21 years before being granted citizenship. The campaign ended in 1860 during the time of the Civil War due to the demand of immigrants needed to enlist in the Union Army. Ten years later, the Naturalization Act is passed. This states that only white persons and persons of African descent, are able to become citizens. This excludes all Asians. This trend continues for several decades. In 1921, Congress decides to pass immigration restrictions, first establishing a quota of 350,000 immigrants. The quota is increased as times change. In 1995, it was passed that the total number of legal immigrants allowed to enter the United States be limited to 650, 000 a year. Immigrants were given visas, which allowed them to come to this country. Visas were distributed for family and employment-based immigrants, and persons from adversely affected countries. Strict regulations have also been made due to the large amount of people entering the country illegally. The nation is on the right track. They have created laws stating limitations of the privileges of immigrants, including welfare and those who test positive for HIV/AIDS. There is also a growing problem with illegal immigration which needs to be tended to. More Border Patrol guards could be hired along the Mexican border, however, this does cost a lot of money. Funding could come out of taxes to help put an end to illegal aliens. Cutting down welfare, food stamps, and Medicare to immigrants even further would also be beneficial. Immigration is a key part to our nations history. The continuing situation could drastically affect our country's future.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Nicomachean Ethics Essay Sample

Nicomachean Ethics Essay Sample Nicomachean Ethics Essay The term ethics was first used by Aristotle to name fields of study which were developed by Plato and Socrates who were his predecessors. Philosophical ethics tries to offer a logical argument to the question of why humans should live their lives at best. Aristotle considered that ethics and politics are related but they were two separate fields of study because ethics investigated the good of a person while on the other hand politics investigated the good of a nation or state. This ethics highlighted the importance of an individual to develop good and excellent character. Over the years since ancient time, the writings of Aristotle have been read and because of that, these writings continue to impact today’s philosophers. So, this paper describes Aristotle’s work, Nicomachean ethics. The title known as Nichomachean Ethics refers to Aristotle’s ethics and is usually given to the best works of ethics by Aristotle. It is assumed that the title may be referring to his son Nichomacus to whom Aristotle dedicated the work to but then again the title maybe was referring to his father who was also known as Nichomachus. This work played an important role in explaining Aristotle works on ethics and originally it consisted of ten books in numbers which were separate scrolls. These works are understood to be notes from the lectures Aristotle used at the Lyceum. The Nicomachean ethics as a historical philosophy is believed to be very important and had played a role in the European Middle Ages. Therefore, Nicomachean ethics became important in developing the modern philosophy, European theology, and law. The first philosophical work on ethics was written by Aristotle. He argues that the best way to study disputable subjects such as politics and ethics, which was done through discussions of what was just is to begin with what would be violently agreed upon by people of good character, people with experience in life, and then work from there to understanding and up. With this approach, Aristotle starts by saying that the highest good of people, the highest point of all human applied thinking, is happiness. He successively asserts that happiness is correctly understood as a stable progress specifically fitting for the soul at its most ethical. If there are many virtues, then the happy one is the best, or perfect of them all. Aristotle goes again to discuss several virtues and their agreed wrong doings. He discusses courage to be composed of confidence when facing fear and a person’s temperance as not yielding easily to the joy of physical feeling. Magnificent and liberality are composed of lending away some amount of cash in a right way. Proper ambition and magnanimity are composed of having the right character toward honor and knowing what is one’s right. Patience on the other side is the correct nature when it comes to controlling anger, though sometimes it is good to show the anger of some degree. The virtues of sincerity, intelligence, and amiability make for a good and agreeable interaction with others. Modesty is not really a virtue but an appropriate character towards shame and is seen in the young people. In conclusion, the term ethics was first used by Aristotle to name the fields of study which were developed by Plato and Socrates who were his predecessors. The ethics tries to offer a logical argument to the question on why humans should live their lives at best. Ethics and politics are related but they were two separate fields of study because ethics investigated the good of a person while on the other hand politics investigated the good of a nation or state. Nichomachean Ethics refers to Aristotle’s ethics and is usually given to the best works of ethics by him. This work played an important role in explaining Aristotle works on ethics and became important in developing the modern philosophy, European theology, and law.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Sustainbility and Renewable Technologies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Sustainbility and Renewable Technologies - Essay Example Discussion The Benefits of Sustainable Construction According to the UK’s Strategy on Sustainable Construction published in June, 2008, sustainable development can only be achieved if the construction industry also engages in sustainable construction practices. The strategy laid down several initiatives aimed at achieving sustainable construction. It focused mainly on effort that would ensure the United Kingdom construction sector engages in long-term sustainability efforts that would ensure the UK meets its sustainability targets. It emphasizes on the need to build new homes that are free from carbon and new commercial buildings that are rated, zero carbon. It proposes amendments to the regulations that govern building and construction which will see CO2 emissions from new homes reduced significantly. The policy requires those new houses are constructed in such a way that they are water efficient and have standards for minimum efficiency. It also emphasizes on the use of rene wable energy and effective management of wastes by encouraging reuse and recycling. Being a joint government and industry policy to ensure sustainability in construction, it is imperative that the company considers sustainable construction. This will be within the regulations of the country and local authority. The benefits of sustainable construction to an ISO 14001 certified insurance company that is committed to meeting high environmental standard are many. This discussion aims at explaining these benefits and their implications to the business at large. As opposed to standard building approaches, sustainable construction employs practices that give emphasis to efficiency, quality and long-term affordability. The quality of life and comfort increases as a building is developed using sustainable construction best practices. This leads to a decrease in the negative effects on the environment and a substantial increase in the projects ability to sustain itself. Less raw materials, w ater, land and energy are consumed if a building is sustainably constructed. The negative impacts on the environment by the building and construction sector are far reaching. This severely damages the earth’s ecosystem that is currently at a critical stage. The damages are irreversible and rob the ecosystem of its critical life supporting function. It is a known fact that more than more than 30% of the greenhouse gas emissions globally, 40% of energy used, 40% of generated solid waste and 30% of used raw material are due to building and construction in OECD countries. Sustainable construction reduces these adverse effects on the environment by a much greater percentage. It helps minimize pollution, waste and energy use. Re-cycling and reuse is also maximized thus reducing costs. This helps preserve the earth’s ecosystem that is currently threaten. Most people spent about 90% of their time in buildings. This has seen the rise in sickness related to buildings thereby inc reasing the cost related to treating such sicknesses. Sustainable construction practices emphasizes use of less toxic paints for indoor paintings and construction of big, wide windows that allow natural light and fresh air into buildings. This ensures confortable and healthy indoor environments. Such environments significantly contribute to human well-being and health. Diseases and sicknesses caused by poor and unhealthy indoor env

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Art History Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Art History - Movie Review Example The movie flashes back to 1941; nine years earlier. During this time, Pollock was often drunk and made a living by displaying his paintings in the infrequent group art shows. He was struggling to make a mark in the 1940s New York. As cited Boddy-Evans, this struggle made Pollock to suffer from depression, volatile temper, alcoholism, and self-doubt. The film provides glimpses of the New York art world. The viewers note that the war between creativity and vulnerability to impotent rage, self-doubt, and drunkenness. and alcohol destroys Pollock. He later meets artist Lee Krasner (Harden) and Jackson takes interest in her. Lee Krasner is also a painter and later became his wife and the most tireless champion. Krasner rescues Jackson from his struggles helping him to win the patronage of a rich Peggy Guggenheim. He gives him painting contract worth $2,400. However, his fame results in a wedge between himself and Lee. The casting is excellent as to appear inevitable from the stare of the silent challenge, to the virile baldness, and the manner in which Pollock handles a cigarette like a throwaway extension of his will. The studio scenes are rooted in the moment when Jackson drips pain on the floor accidentally and finds out that his revolutionary controlled splatter technique is everything most people hope for. In its execution, Pollock’s style was singular and joyfully athletic. This makes the viewers believe that they are witnessing the creation of the actual works. The most eye catching sequences demonstrate the manner in which Jackson works on his populous drip paintings, invoking dense disordered patterns with a combination of skill and gravity, along with luck. Harris is comfortable portraying the self-destructive streak of Pollock and its impacts on Krasner. However, his wife, Lee shows the will of iron under her unshakable compassion and

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Important to the public Essay Example for Free

Important to the public Essay The Gallup organization has surveyed American schools for the past 40 years. These surveys, carried over the years, have served as a mirror to reflect the country’s educational achievements, attitudes and perceptions held by various education stakeholders regarding the education system, and to serve as a pointer of reflecting the overall direction of the education sector. It should not be lost on us that the Gallup poll is not meant to be a rapid snapshot for public perception. Rather, the poll is conducted annually to provide all education stakeholders with some useful insights in tracking public opinion about the American educational system. Therefore, the poll is carried in the most straightforward and honest manner, with its objective set at accounting for how Americans perceive their public schools and the learning process. Below, I offer my reactions. Americans opinions regarding schools Being an election year in the United States, The question of who most Americans trust to run their schools could not escape the Gallup survey. I totally agree with the Gallup study that the democratic presidential candidate, Barrack Obama looks more responsive and supportive towards public schools than his challenger, John McCain. This is basically because of the policies that Obama want to institute in the education system. His comprehensive zero to five plan will offer the much needed support to young children and their parents in the United States. He has continued to emphasize early care and education for infants, and has promised to develop an Early Learning Challenge Grants to promote states to move towards voluntary, universal pre-school education. For positive transformation of Americans public schools to take place, the next American president must turn away from using business or political leaders in developing policies for public schools, to utilizing education leaders. To this, I can’t agree more since previous political leaders have been involved in legislating unpopular laws that harm the public schools instead of making the efficient. For example, the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) rule needs to be radically reformed by improving on its accountability schemes so that schools that need improvements are supported, rather than being punished. It is also true that most Americans believe that the federal government is still not doing enough to fund the public schools. Federal funds should be increased to maintain local public schools. However, there is a mix-up of issues in that Americans want educational leaders, state and local educators to be more involved in the running of the public schools but they do not want to shoulder the massive costs involved, preferring to request the federal government to meet the ever-rising educational budget. Here, I think that average Americans must be prepared to meet the accrued cost burden arising out of educational expenses (â€Å"Highlights†, 2008). Majority of the parents perceive their children in public schools to be well behaved. According to me, this is not the case. Discipline in American public schools is a matter of concern. Though the problem of lack of discipline is real, parents are more generally concerned with overcrowding at schools. Infact, during its lifetime, the annual Gallup poll of the public’s attitudes towards public school continue to point out that the most serious problem facing the nation’s educational system is lack of discipline. There are many grave concerns about the dangers and disorders of lack of discipline in school environments. These dangers involve cheating, drug use, insubordination, intimidation, and truancy. It is estimated that unbecoming behaviors in U. S. schools is directly related to nearly two million suspensions per year (â€Å"Highlights†, 2008). Average Americans continue to perceive community Schools positively. In the recent survey, 46 percent of the respondents assigned grades A and B to community schools, as opposed to 22 percent, who favored nation’s schools. I clearly agree with this finding. Morale and confidence, is quite low in most American’s public schools, and majority of the people interviewed believed that the Democratic presidential candidate, Barrack Obama, have the capability to remedy the situation by offering practical solutions to problems that have made the American public lack confidence in public schools (â€Å"Highlights†, 2008). Parents continue to carry in high esteem the schools attended by their oldest children. 72 percent of the parents said that their perceptions regarding the school attended by their oldest children were positive. The Americans attitudes and perceptions towards other public schools in Europe and Asia were even more positive. Almost a half of the respondents assigned these European and Asian schools grades of A and B, as opposed to the much lower grades they assigned to their nation’s schools. I totally disagree with this finding and believe that Americans schools are the best that there is in the world. My reflection is reinforced by the view that America receives more applications from foreign students, wanting to come and study in the U. S. If the system is poor, this could not be the case. Our students are competitive, and compare favorably to other students around the world when it comes to their creativity and problem solving skills. Two-thirds of all Americans are satisfied with the education standards set by policy makers. I agree with that assertion (â€Å"Highlights†, 2008). Important educational issues First, majority of Americans feels that it is important to re-organize the No Child Left Behind rule as it has outlived its usefulness. The NCLB Act of 2001 remade some federal programs that were aimed at improving the efficiency and performance of the U. S. public primary and secondary schools. This was to be achieved by increasing the accountability for schools, school districts, and states. Parents were provided with more flexibility in deciding which schools their siblings attend. The NCLB was aimed at increasing the educational standards, but not any more. It needs to be changed drastically, or abandoned in its entirety. In the latest Gallup survey, only 16 percent of the respondents said they can re-administer the NCLB legislation without valid changes. I totally agree with the concerns raised (â€Å"Highlights†, 2008). Another important educational issue is the School progress measurement system. An overwhelming majority of Americans would like the school progress to be measured, not by a single score as NCLB propagates, but rather by student’s improvement. Nearly 80 percent of the respondents believed that teacher grades, examples of student’s work, and teacher observations are the most dependable measurements of students’ academic progress. I totally agree with that assertion to do away with test scores in our education systems (â€Å"Highlights†, 2008). For American educational system to be globally competitive, a change in the belief system of average Americans must take place. Majority of Americans think that their education system is pretty bad and inferior. Everyday, we read in the media about the poor performance of our nation’s schools. But the problem may not even lie with the schools. Children must be trained to achieve more in their schooling to be able to be competitive in the globalized market (â€Å"Highlights†, 2008). Another important educational issue that needs to be addressed is the use of standardized testing. According to experienced teachers, standardized testing lacks in quality as it only works to produce simplistic results that are embraced by policy makers as indicators of excellence. Teaching techniques need to be looked into, and if possible, overhauled. To prepare the children of tomorrow, we need to move away from standardized testing and integrate into our learning institutions some student-centered learning processes (â€Å"Highlights†, 2008). Poll results and future planning by public educators First, it would be the challenge of the incoming president to develop a more broader vision of learning and performance, while greatly expanding opportunities to run and raise educational standards. The incoming president needs to increase federal budgets for public schools to effectively meet the costs incurred by school administrators (â€Å"Highlights†, 2008). Public educators must also come up with national strategies and policies that would enable the Americans change their belief system, that there is a bad system of education. If such a belief is changed, educators can achieve much in guiding the education system in America. Also, public educators must plan on how they will change the education system from using standardized testing procedures which narrows the students’ desire and imagination, to a more student-centered approach that will free the student and make him enjoy the learning process. All education stake holders must ensure that they come up with strategies that preserve the relevance of education in our learning institutions. Students should not be taught just to pass examinations. They need to be taught how to utilize that education to take care of themselves (â€Å"Highlights†, 2008). In future, education stakeholders must come up with ways of increasing their funding base instead of relying on federal government’s alone. This can be achieved by developing networks and partnerships with other organizations. Education stakeholders need to realize that financial incentives are much needed if the problem of inadequate staffing is to be effectively dealt with. Educational policy makers must from now rely on the expertise of educators while drawing and formulating national education policies, instead of relying on business leaders. Marked improvement in the education system will be reflected if some or all of the above issues are addressed. Reference Highlights of the 40th PDK/ Gallup Poll. (2008). Retrieved October 21 2008, from http://www. pdkmembers. org/members_online/publications/e-GALLUP/kpoll_pdfs/pdkpoll40_2008. pdf

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Social, Cultural, and Historical Issues in Coral Island and Lord of

The Social, Cultural, and Historical Issues in Coral Island and Lord of the Flies At first sight, ‘Coral Island’ seems an extremely pompous and arrogant novel. This, however, is because the book is being read from a 21st century perspective, whereas when Ballantyne wrote ‘Coral Island’ it was seen as a thoroughly enjoyable story. This is because the book was written in the 19th century, when the people of Britain felt that they had developed an organised society where humans were at their best and flourishing. As Ballantyne himself described the society: ‘Britons at the top of the tree, savages and pigs at the bottom.’ Looking at ‘Coral Island’ from a 20th century point of view, Golding analysed the book very critically and decided that it was an out of date, arrogant, false portrayal of society and that he could write a better book. He sat down and wrote ‘Lord of the Flies’ to show the problems of human nature. The island in the book was used just as a place to put his group of boys away from the adult world, but also had symbolic values linked closely to the theme of evil in man throughout the novel: ‘The island itself is a symbol of perfection and paradise, and the instant that humans arrive, a scar of destruction is left through the once perfect forest. The island is also boat shaped, and looking out at the waves at a point on the island gives the illusion that it is moving backwards. This symbolises a journey in which man is always moving on, but makes no progress in life.’ As well as being linked to Golding’s beliefs, the use of the island also enabled direct comparisons with ‘Coral Island’. Golding hated the tone and ideas of Ballantyne in ‘Coral Island’, and expressed his thoughts publi... ...e rescue in the end where adult life appears, dignified and capable, but in reality enmeshed in the same evil as the symbolic life of the children on the island. The officer, having interrupted a manhunt, prepares to take the children off the island in a ship which will presently be hunting its enemy in the same way. And who will rescue the officer?’ Overall, I think the main theme running throughout ‘Coral Island’ is the nobility and courage of Victorian England, that the English are innocent and that they can do nothing wrong. These views are completely turned upside down by Golding in ‘Lord of the Flies’. I think Golding makes a very clear point that society holds everyone together. Without strong government and rules, mayhem and savagery will thrive, and without policemen and schools men revert to their primitive beginnings as hunters and killers.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Iron Crowned Chapter 3

I might have come to accept being queen of the Thorn Land, and it was hard not to grow attached to a place you had a spiritual connection to. Nonetheless, nothing the Otherworld offered would ever take the place of my home in Tucson. It was a small house, but in a nice neighborhood, near the Catalina Mountains north of the city. Gateways between the worlds existed all over, facilitating travel, but I had an â€Å"anchor† in my home, meaning once I shifted out of the Thorn Land's gate, I was able to materialize directly in my bedroom. An anchor could be any object tied to your essence. My roommate Tim, who hadn't seen me in a few days, was understandably shocked when I came strolling into the kitchen. â€Å"Jesus Christ, Eug!† he exclaimed. He'd been flipping pancakes at the stove. â€Å"We've got to put a bell around your neck or something.† I grinned and had an inexplicable urge to hug him – though I knew that would freak him out even more. After all the craziness in the Otherworld, his normality was a welcome sight. Well, â€Å"normality† might have been an exaggeration. Tim – with his tall, dark, and handsome looks – had taken to impersonating Native Americans (badly) in order to score chicks and make money selling his awful poetry. He rotated through various tribes, and last I knew, he'd been passing himself off as Tlingit, seeing as the locals got a little less pissed off by him donning the clothes of a tribe living hundreds of miles away. He lived in my house rent-free in exchange for cooking and housework, and I was glad to see him dressed in an ordinary jeans and T-shirt ensemble today. â€Å"Are you making enough for two?† I asked, heading straight for the full coffeepot. â€Å"I always make enough for two. But most of it goes to waste.† That last part came out as a grumble. He'd once complained about being my â€Å"slave† but missed my being around now. â€Å"Messages?† â€Å"Usual place.† When in the Otherworld, I left my cell phone with Tim. It forced him to play secretary, something he resented since I actually already employed one. Indeed, most of the messages he'd scrawled on the refrigerator's white board were from her. Tue. – 11 AM – Lara: two job offersTue. – 2:30 PM – Lara: one possible client needs ASAP helpTue. – 5:15 PM – Lara: still wants to talk to youTue. – 5:20 PM – Lara: needs you to finish tax paperworkTue. – 10:30 PM – Lara: won't stop callingWed. – 8 AM – Lara: who calls this early?Wed. – 11:15 AM – BitchWed. – 11:30 AM – Sam's Home Improvement: interested in vinyl siding? I admired his detailed message taking – frustration with Lara aside – but my heart sank when I saw who was conspicuously missing. Every time I came home, I secretly hoped I'd see their names up there. Sometimes, on the sly, my mom would check on me. But my stepdad, Roland? He never called anymore, not after finding out about my allegiance to the Otherworld. Tim, preoccupied with his cooking, didn't see my face. â€Å"I don't get why she keeps calling. She knows you can't get any of her messages. Why does she need more than one? It's not like a billion of them are magically going to get through to you.† â€Å"It's just her way,† I said. â€Å"She's efficient.† â€Å"That's not efficient,† he declared. â€Å"It's borderline neurotic.† I sighed, wondering not for the first time if I should just let messages go to voice mail. Despite having never met, Tim and Lara were mortal phone enemies. Hearing them bitch about each other was wearying. Nonetheless, staring at her string of calls already made me feel tired. I'd once had a brisk trade as a freelance shaman, kicking out ghosts and other annoying supernatural creatures who harassed humans. Now that I moonlighted as a fairy queen, I'd had to become much more selective with clientele. I could no longer keep up with the demand around here and felt bad about that. I suspected Roland was picking up my slack but didn't know for sure. I waited until after breakfast before dealing with Lara. Pancakes, sausage, and coffee gave me the strength to deal with this latest batch of requests. Undoubtedly seeing my number on her caller ID, Lara didn't bother with formalities when I finally called. â€Å"About time,† she exclaimed. â€Å"Has he been giving you my messages?† â€Å"He just did. I've been gone for three days. You know you don't need to keep bugging him about it.† â€Å"I want to make sure he tells you I called.† â€Å"He writes them down, every one. Besides, my phone's log also tells me you've called †¦ a lot.† â€Å"Hmphf.† She let it go. â€Å"Well, you're getting a lot of requests lately. I've thinned them out, but you've still got to choose.† It was almost February. We weren't near any major sabbats, when paranormal activity always increased. Sometimes, though, it happened for no reason. It figured now would be one of those times – right while I was in the middle of a war. Or, I realized, it might be happening because of that. My identities as queen and shaman were both well known among many creatures. Maybe they hoped they could get away with more while I was distracted. Half seemed to show up for selfish purposes in our world; the other half hoped to forcibly father Storm King's heir on me. â€Å"Okay,† I said. â€Å"Let's hear the priorities.† â€Å"We need to finish your taxes.† â€Å"That's not a priority. Keep going.† â€Å"Single woman, stalked by a fetch.† â€Å"That's serious. I'll have to get on that one.† â€Å"Tree elemental. In your neighborhood.† â€Å"Yeah, that one's here for me. He won't hurt anyone else.† â€Å"Phantom-infested subdivision.† â€Å"On a graveyard?† â€Å"Yup.† â€Å"Schedule it, and make sure the builder's charged double. Their own stupid fault.† â€Å"Will do. Then you've got the usual weirdness. Lights in the sky. Possible UFO.† â€Å"Was that Wil again?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Damn it! Did you tell him it's just the military?† â€Å"Yes. He also said there's been some Bigfoot sightings – â€Å" I froze. â€Å"Bigfoot? Where?† â€Å"I didn't get the details. I thought it was his usual craziness. And didn't you say they don't live in Arizona?† â€Å"They don't. Has there been anything weird in the news? Deaths?† There was a pause, and I heard the rustling of papers. â€Å"Two hikers died over in Coronado, near the Rappel Rock trail. The report stated that they fell. Took a couple days to find their bodies. Nasty stuff. Some animals got to them.† I was up and out of my chair in a flash, making the dishes on the kitchen table rattle. Tim, leafing through a magazine, looked up in alarm. â€Å"Call Wil,† I told her, trying to tug on one of my boots while balancing the phone. â€Å"Find out where he heard about these Bigfoot sightings. If it's not Coronado, give me a call back. If it is, no need to call.† Wil was Jasmine's half brother, and I avoided speaking to him when I could. One reason was that he always asked me about her. The other was that he was a crazy, paranoid conspiracy theorist. This time, he might be on to something. Lara was understandably startled. â€Å"But you said Bigfoot – â€Å" â€Å"It's not Bigfoot.† â€Å"Don't forget your other job tonight!† â€Å"I won't.† I disconnected and managed to get on the other boot. Tim regarded me warily. â€Å"I don't like it when you get that look.† â€Å"That makes two of us.† He watched as I went to our hallway closet and produced a little-worn leather coat. â€Å"You're going to Coronado?† â€Å"Yup.† â€Å"High?† â€Å"Yup.† He sighed and gestured to where we hung our keys near the door. â€Å"Take my car. It'll handle better if you run into snow.† I slung my satchel over my shoulder and flashed him a grateful smile. He warned me to be careful, but I was already out the door with the keys, heading for his Subaru. My eyes barely saw the road as I drove toward Coronado State Park. Bigfoot. No, you wouldn't find Bigfoot out here, not even in the Catalinas. Now, tell me there'd been a sighting in the Pacific Northwest? Or anywhere in Canada? Yeah, it'd be Bigfoot hunting time. But it wouldn't be a priority. They were generally harmless. Here? When you got a Bigfoot sighting in Tucson, it was a demon bear. Yeah – I know. It was a ridiculous name, but it got the point across – and really, there was nothing funny about them. They came from the Underworld and were utterly lethal. With their tall and furry appearance, it was easy to understand why the untrained eye would mistake them for popular images of Bigfoot. Demon bears didn't fuck around either. If only two people were dead, then this one hadn't been in the area long. We were lucky – even if the hikers weren't. No rodents or foxes had fed on those bodies. In Tucson proper, we were enjoying our typically mild winter weather – mid-seventies today, if I had to guess. As I drove higher into the mountains, the temperature dropped rapidly. I soon saw snow on the ground and signs for Mt. Lemmon's ski resorts. Other signs directed me toward popular hiking and climbing areas – including Rappel Rock. In and of itself, it was a popular area for outdoorsmen. With its proximity to the ski areas, the demon bear's presence was doubly dangerous this time of year. I finally reached the trailhead and parked in a gravel lot. Only a couple other cars were there, which was a small blessing. I stepped out of the Subaru, shocked by the blast of cold air that hit me. I was not used to these temperatures. I hadn't been bred for them. Give me monsters and ghosts? No problem. But cold weather? That was a weakness. I could've used magic to adjust the air but needed to conserve my power. Instead, as I stuffed my arsenal into my belt – not comfortable but ready for easy access – I used my magic for a summoning. I spoke the ritual words, and a few moments later, a small implike creature appeared before me. He had pointed ears, smooth night-black skin, and red slits for eyes. â€Å"My mistress calls,† he said in a flat voice, â€Å"and I answer, no doubt for some mundane task.† â€Å"We're going after a demon bear,† I said, moving briskly toward the trail and trying my best to ignore the cold. My jacket wasn't suited for this weather at all, but it was the best I had. â€Å"A more challenging task than most,† he observed. I ignored his condescension as I stopped before the sign indicating the various routes and levels of difficulty for these climbs and hikes. Volusian was a cursed spirit I'd subdued and enslaved. His power made him a useful asset – and a risky one. He hated me and spent a good deal of his time planning how to kill me, should I ever lose the control needed to bind him. I closed my eyes, attempting to become one with the air rather than its victim. The world was silent here, save for the rustling of wind in the pines and chatter of birds and small animals. I spread my senses out, seeking something out of place. My abilities weren't perfect, but I could often sense a presence not from our world. â€Å"There.† I opened my eyes abruptly and pointed near a trail marked â€Å"moderately difficult.† â€Å"Do you feel anything?† Volusian studied the area, using his senses as well. â€Å"Yes. But more there.† He pointed not at the trail itself but more toward its left, off into the woods. I grimaced but knew his senses were slightly better than mine. â€Å"Off-roading. Lovely.† We set out in that direction. Volusian shifted to a more ghostly form that floated along with me, rather than treading through the underbrush like I had to. It wasn't anything I couldn't handle, but it made for slow going. Yet, as I traveled farther and farther, that magical feel increased. â€Å"It will sense you too, mistress,† said Volusian, in a rare show of unsolicited commentary. I didn't doubt it. â€Å"Will it come after me? Or will it run?† â€Å"Run? No. Hide? Perhaps.† There was a calculated pause. â€Å"It won't try to force itself sexually on you, however. The blood of the shining ones is too alluring. It will simply try to eat you.† â€Å"How reassuring,† I muttered. â€Å"I'll do the banishing. You distract it.† Soon, I needed no special senses to know we'd reached our goal. The forest had grown deadly silent. No more birds or other signs of life. A strong sense of †¦ wrongness filled the air. The worlds were stacked: human, Otherworld, Underworld. With our proximity, Otherworldly creatures could sometimes move throughout this world without me feeling anything. Something from the Underworld was too foreign. It stuck out. â€Å"We're close,† I murmured. â€Å"We're practically – oomphf!† A massive arm swung out from a cluster of trees and hit me in the stomach, knocking me painfully backward. There was nothing I could do to prevent my fall onto the forest floor of sharp sticks and rocks, but I did manage to grab hold of my wand as I went down. A giant form loomed in front of me, almost eight feet tall. Long-limbed, with clawed feet and hands, its muscled body could easily be mistaken for that of a Bigfoot. Its ears – while definitely bearlike – were flattened against its head, adding to the humanoid appearance. It roared, showing a mouthful of sharp teeth. Black eyes, filled with nothing but mindless rage, peered down at me. Volusian, compelled by my orders, threw himself against the bear. The power radiating around Volusian's body had the substantiality of a ton of bricks. The creature staggered backward, eyes shifting angrily to my minion. The fact that Volusian hadn't knocked it to the ground was concerning. They were either well matched, or the demon was even more powerful than Volusian. The latter would be problematic, seeing as I wasn't strong enough to banish Volusian. Well, that is, I wasn't strong enough to banish him and fight him. If someone else subdued him, I could have sent Volusian on. If this demon bear had the means to defeat Volusian, then I'd be cake. Hopefully, the demon bear couldn't obliterate Volusian while distracted by something else – me. I scrambled to my feet, holding my wand out as I prepared to open a door to the Underworld. Volusian and the demon battled it out, neither capable of killing each other. I gathered my will, channeling the power of my soul to spread past this world and the Otherworld, on to the Underworld. On my arm, a tattoo of a black and white butterfly sacred to Persephone began to burn as I touched her domain. The air near the demon dematerialized, forming an opening to the Underworld. Grabbing my silver athame with my free hand, I approached the battle, cautious of both the combatants and the forming gate. Volusian hovered over the demon, keeping its eyes directed high. I sneaked up unnoticed. With well-practiced speed, I snaked out with the athame, drawing an arcane symbol on the demon's chest. Usually, banishing a demon back to its domain kept it from returning. A binding mark like this ensured it. I didn't want to take any chances. The demon's roar of rage echoed through the woods, and it turned toward me. I'd anticipated this and had already scrambled away, keeping out of its reach. Really, I'd been lucky the first time it hit me. It had the strength to kill me with one blow. Volusian came forward again to pull the demon's attention back – only, it didn't work. The demon recognized the threat I was and could feel the opening of the gate. Volusian, attacking and attacking, was a nuisance – a painful one – but one the demon could apparently ignore as it came toward me. â€Å"Shit,† I said. I backed farther and farther away, but the demon was quickly closing the distance. Its massive feet could trample the underbrush that slowed me so much. I worked hard to ignore just how dire my situation had become and instead concentrated on the gateway. That door grew more substantial, and soon, its power began calling to its own – sucking the demon back. The creature paused in its attack. The problem was, the gate wanted to pull Volusian too. Orders or not, he moved out of range for self-preservation, which I didn't exactly blame him for. Only, without my minion to beat on the demon, it now had just enough strength to fight the gate and keep coming toward me. It had to know that if it could take me out, the gate would go away too. Suddenly, I heard something approaching us, sticks and leaves crackling under strong feet – or, to be more precise, paws. A red fox – much larger than a normal one – sprang out onto the demon's back, sinking its teeth into the furry brown hide. This brought another shriek from the demon – and gave me a moment's respite. I threw all my power into the gate and jerked the demon toward it. The demon flailed, unable to fight being sent back to its own world. The fox had the sense to get out of the way, its services no longer needed. The demon gave one last mournful cry and then faded from our sight. I stretched the wand toward where the demon had disappeared, sending my energy through the wand's gems to banish the gate as well and reseal this world. Silence followed, except for my own rapid breathing. Slowly, birds began to sing again, and the forest's natural state returned. I leaned against a tall, leafless oak in relief. The banishing hadn't been as easy as I expected, but it certainly could have ended worse – like, with my death. â€Å"We didn't need your help,† I said. â€Å"We were doing just fine.† The fox was no longer there, as I'd already known. It had transformed into a tall, muscled man, with deep, golden-brown skin and black hair that barely touched his shoulders. He was a kitsune, a shape-shifting Japanese fox from the Otherworld. Actually, he was half-kitsune. His mother had been the kitsune; his father a mortal from Arizona. Power-wise, it made little difference. â€Å"Yeah,† said Kiyo, crossing his arms over his chest. He needed no coat and simply wore a burgundy T-shirt. â€Å"You seemed to have it all under control.† â€Å"We were about to,† I retorted. â€Å"Actually, mistress,† said Volusian, deadpan, â€Å"your death was probably imminent.† â€Å"Oh shut up,† I snapped. â€Å"You're dismissed. Go back to the Otherworld.† Volusian vanished. I turned back to Kiyo. â€Å"What are you doing out here anyway?† He shrugged, and I worked hard to ignore the effect his physical appearance always had on me. â€Å"Same thing as you. I'm on Wil's mailing list. When I heard about the Bigfoot sightings †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I sighed and turned back the way we'd come. â€Å"I don't need your help.† â€Å"I wasn't coming to help you.† He caught up with me easily. â€Å"I was coming to kill a demon bear. You just happened to be here first.† Considering the trouble Volusian and I had had, I doubted Kiyo could have taken out the demon through brute force. Kiyo was strong, yeah, but hardly all-powerful. Unfortunately, he was all-bravery. He rushed into impossible situations, ready to defend others – even at cost to himself. He'd always been reckless that way – except for once. And that was the core of our problems. Kiyo and I used to date, wrapped in a deeply romantic and physical relationship. His continual disapproval of my Otherworldly relations had begun to fracture things between us. The final break had occurred after Leith had raped me. Kiyo had come to rescue me but had refused to punish Leith. Kiyo had advised a tamer course of action: letting Otherworldly justice take its course. Dorian, however, had opted for on-the-spot justice: he'd run Leith through with a sword. Kiyo and I had broken up shortly after that. â€Å"You were outclassed,† I told Kiyo. â€Å"There are a billion other creatures running loose right now. If you want to help, go after them.† â€Å"Ah, yes. I forgot,† he said. â€Å"Tucson's former caretaker is too busy playing queen.† I came to a halt and glared. â€Å"I'm not playing at anything! Controlling the Thorn Land wasn't my choice, and you know it.† â€Å"That's true. It was Dorian's choice – one he tricked you into. Yet, somehow that doesn't matter, and now it's okay for you to shack up with him and wage war.† I started moving again, marching through the woods in a haze of anger. When we'd broken up, Kiyo had been sad and withdrawn. Over time, he'd gotten his spunk back and now – whenever we ran into each other – didn't hesitate to express his opinion of Dorian, the war, or anything else Otherworldly I was involved in. â€Å"The war wasn't my choice either,† I said at last, after refusing to respond for several minutes. â€Å"Stopping it wasn't exactly out of your control either.† â€Å"So what are you saying? That I should just stop now and surrender?† â€Å"No.† His calmness was annoying. â€Å"But there must be a peaceful way to end it. To negotiate something.† â€Å"Don't you think we've tried?† I exclaimed. â€Å"How bloodthirsty do you think I am? Every diplomat we send is either given unreasonable demands or met with death threats.† â€Å"I like the use of ‘we.' I wonder how seriously Dorian is taking the peace process.† I could see the parking lot through the trees ahead. Good. I needed to be away from Kiyo. His presence was stifling. It stirred up too many feelings, too many feelings I didn't want to deal with. â€Å"Dorian isn't running this by himself. We're in it together, and we have tried to settle with Katrice.† â€Å"And as that's failed, you're now going to march in with your allies and take her land with overwhelming force, expanding your empire.† We reached the gravel lot, and I turned on Kiyo in full anger, hands on my hips. â€Å"We don't have any allies. And I don't want another kingdom! I sure as hell don't want an empire!† He shrugged. â€Å"Say whatever you want, but everyone knows you're looking for people to join up with you.† â€Å"And Katrice is doing the same,† I said smoothly. â€Å"I hear she's visited the Willow Land quite a bit.† Ah, that broke him. Kiyo's smug, cool faà §ade faltered. â€Å"Nothing's decided,† he said stiffly. â€Å"But your girlfriend's no fan of Dorian and me. She's afraid of us. How long, Kiyo? How long until she – and you – fight against us?† I was gaining ground; he was on the defensive. He and Maiwenn the Willow Queen had once been lovers; they'd even had a daughter together. I'd never believed their â€Å"just friends† claims since our breakup. Kiyo took a step forward, leaning toward me and fixing me with that dark, dark gaze. â€Å"She's not my girlfriend. And we're staying neutral.† I gave a shrug as masterfully casual as the one he'd given me earlier. â€Å"If you say so. And I like your use of ‘we.' Except, you don't really have an equal share in it, do you? You just run along and follow her orders.† â€Å"Damn it, Eugenie!† He clenched his fists. â€Å"Why do you have to be so – â€Å" He couldn't finish, and as we stood there, so close, I became aware once more of his body and the memories of our time together. I remembered what that body could do in bed. I remembered the way we'd laughed, how easily we'd connected. The Otherworld consumed so much of my time lately, but I was still half human. The human part of me called to other humans. And as he looked down at me, the anger softening a little, I had a feeling he was thinking the same thing. If he had any lingering attraction, the animal attributes in him would make this doubly awkward. My physical appearance would trigger sexual attraction that much more quickly. Even my scent could arouse him. He looked away. â€Å"Well. None of that matters. You should go home. You're freezing.† â€Å"I'm fine,† I said automatically, like I wasn't shivering and covered in goose bumps. â€Å"Of course you are.† He glanced back at me, a small, wry smile on his face. â€Å"Be careful, Eugenie.† â€Å"With what exactly?† I asked. â€Å"Everything.† With that, he shape-shifted back into a fox – a smaller, normal one – and scampered off through the trees. Naturally, he was too hard-core to have driven up here. Suddenly feeling drained, I got out Tim's keys and turned toward the car. I'd done what I needed to, that was what counted. I didn't want to think about Kiyo or war or anything like that. I wanted to go home and rest before the next job. A tingling along my spine made me drop the keys as I felt an Otherworldly presence appear behind me. I spun around, pulling my wand back out as I did. There, before me, was a ghost. It was female, looking like she'd died in her midthirties. Her translucent form washed out any color, but her hair was curly and shoulder-length, her clothing casual. Seeing a ghost outdoors was rare; they tended to be attracted to material things. Still, location didn't matter. They were dangerous. I pointed my wand at her, banishing words upon my lips. â€Å"Wait, don't!† she cried, holding up her hands. Pleading ghosts weren't uncommon. â€Å"Sorry. This isn't your world. You need to move on. It's for the best.† â€Å"Please. Not yet. I need to talk to you, Eugenie Markham.† I frowned, wand still poised and ready. â€Å"How do you know my name?† â€Å"Because I've come to ask for your help. I need you to find out who killed me.†

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Brian Clark Whose Life Is It Anyway Essay

Exploring the ways in which Brian Clark makes the scene an important and dramatic moment in the play When talking about the important and dramatic scene in this play I refer back to pages 25-30. These six pages are all about a little encounter between Ken and Mrs Boyle. This is a fundamental scene in the marvellous play because Ken finally expresses his motives and feelings. Brian Clark uses many techniques to give the reader this valuable information through repetition, the use of speech (quite obvious, could be expected), stage directions and the form of text (Carmen figurate but then for texts). The stage direction supplies the reader with a lot of essential information. In the beginning just before Mrs Boyle enters the room Ken is supposedly happy. I know this because I quote; â€Å"(cheerfully), Doubt it Sister (pg. 25). I’m not even able to be death of myself. Because of he stage direction we can clearly see that Ken is in a positive mood. The interactions with Mrs Boyle start of with a friendly and respectful greeting to Ken, â€Å"Good Morning† (pg. 25). But through out this scene Ken changes his attitude and starts shouting and cursing. The main reason why he was shouting is because Ken dislikes the professionalism that goes on in the hospital. He dislikes it to a certain extent when it can be called hate. In this important scene Ken has mentioned that he doesn’t want to live on anymore with these conditions of the body, as he only wants to live if he can live a normal life. And a normal life would include living healthily with out the help of medical instruments. Brian Clark has made Ken use a certain amount of sarcasm and partly rhetorical questions to portray Ken to the reader as he is. The reader will most likely think that Ken Harrison is trying to outsmart people and sometimes he does achieve this. Such as; â€Å"What do you do? Conjuring tricks? Funny stories? Or a belly dance? If I have any choice, I’d prefer the belly dance. † Mrs Boyle: I’m afraid I’ve left my bikini at home. Ken: Who said anything about a bikini? He thinks outside of the box. He repeats the same kind of jokes. This can be funny for the reader but for Mrs Boyle and the other hospital staff it might be annoying on the long-term aspect. Also the joke about the ‘How to be a sculpture’ book is funny, but in the meantime its another moral definition. This joke tell us that one of his many reasons to die is because he cant do what he loves most, sculpturing. This is quite sad but you must think through each joke. Through out the whole play Clark portrays Ken as a sex addict who loves to flirt with the younger nurses but we (as a reader) find this ok because all have a weak spot for this funny paraplegic individual. He insults Mrs Boyle and the hospital staff multiple times in this short scene. Many of these curses are religion related but this is most likely just because of when this was written. The early 90’s this was very usual. Ken says Christ almighty, for god’s sake and other things. He must express his feelings in some way and since he can only move his head and speak he chooses, since its his only option, to let out his anger via the mouth. These words are all aimed towards Mrs Boyle’s professionalism and detachment. This makes Ken very angry and I understand his motives very well. His feelings are just being crushed and he feels ignored, so why continue living a life you don’t want to live? The main genre of this scene and play is the fight between personal choices versus professional opinions. The doctors claim the responsibility to keep him alive if he can (except for John, but he is not a â€Å"real† doctor). In conclusion Clark has successfully made this an important scene in the play. One of the main things was the moral of Ken’s actions.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Magic realism cheah essays

Magic realism cheah essays POLITICAL SCIENCE 240: TAKE HOME EXAM QUESTION TWO Magic realism is a term represented in the works of various authors, from Gabriel Garcia Marquez to W.P. Kinsella. It is hard to define, but can, in its simplest terms, be described as a critical ontology of ourselves. Magic realism is a minority literature movement that seeks to offer a new form of historicism, and is therefore radically different from the realist perspective that is consistently being showcased on western media outlets such as CNN. Magic realism is important to the storytelling within the discipline of international relations as it serves to represent voices that would otherwise be silenced. Magic realism must be considered important to international relations because of its liberation of silenced opinions. Magic realism has been shown as both an engagement with history, as well as a rejection of history. It manipulates conventional narrative as a symbolic act of cultural resistance and empowerment, yet seeks to resist engagements with the political. For years, social theory has been attempting to highlight the impartiality of representations within a realist framework. This is not unlike the magic realist perspective, which serves as a liberating response, not simply to countries within the global periphery, but to established nations as well. It therefore becomes worthwhile to assume that magic realism is capable of expressing different voices through a variety of literary devices that are usually in opposition to conventional realism. This form of realism differs in that it attempts to incorporate a barrage of illusionary measures in its quest to provide an accurate interpretation of reality. It becomes obvious that both the reader and the author are clearly aware of such deceptiveness, as is the case with the novel Shoeless Joe, where Kinsella discusses the experiences of baseball, and thusly imprints within the narrative ...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Your LinkedIn Questions Answered Coaching for Leaders Podcast

Your LinkedIn Questions Answered Coaching for Leaders Podcast Last year, I appeared in a podcast on Coaching for Leaders, How to Vastly Improve Your LinkedIn Profile. It was a smash hit, viewed by over 25,000 people. I came back for an encore this month and the new podcast, Leverage the Full Power of LinkedIn, was released today. This time I addressed specific LinkedIn questions from Dave Stachowiak’s audience of business people and job seekers, plus added my own insights as we went along. Here are the questions we started with. These B2B, B2C, and job hunting topics will interest you too! LinkedIn Business Questions What are the rules and recommendations around publishing an article and then promoting it via posts? Where does the article show up when you publish it other than your profile? What are some tips specifically for B2B communication and selling on LinkedIn? LinkedIn Job Seeking Questions If you signal to recruiters that youre looking (via Open Candidates), will your boss find out?  Is there a way to limit what information is shared within ones network versus outside the network?  Or is LinkedIn too much of a spider web to control/limit what gets shared with certain connections? Do recruiters who value the involvement of a potential candidate on LinkedIn in terms of post sharing, contribution to discussions in public posts, contribution to public group discussions? Are community engagement and the ability to contribute to discussions constructively valued, and do recruiters capture this information? What else do recruiters value? LinkedIn Sharing Protocol Questions Recently, LinkedIn has been receiving more and more posts â€Å"Facebook style,† especially after they enabled the upload of videos. Sometimes people comment â€Å"this is not the place for it,† â€Å"this is not Facebook,† etc. Is it best to answer these posts politely or maybe exclude the connection that posted it? What’s the best way to promote one’s ideas and views? Is it better to post the entire article to LinkedIn rather than a personal or business website? Does it even really matter which approach is used? LinkedIn Student Questions What are some tips on gaining connections, and trying to land internships, when you are still a student? So many business-related internships expect you to have a bachelor’s before being considered for an internship. How can I stand out on LinkedIn as a University student? Find out The Essay Expert’s answers to these LinkedIn questions and more by listening to this lively podcast. Please let me know your feedback, and ask any additional questions you may have! document.createElement('audio'); https://theessayexpert.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/cfl342.mp3 If youd like to find out more about how you can utilize LinkedIn to its fullest, check out my book,  How to Write a KILLER LinkedIn Profile. After youve implemented the advice in my book, you may like to follow up with my LinkedIn Profile Review Special  (for a limited time only).

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Small-scale research project Outline Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Small-scale research project - Outline Example However, the researcher discovered that cervical cancer screening has been available in virtually all countries as part of primary care and family planning programs. Uganda was one country that introduced preventative health screening long ago. Nevertheless, after several years, cervical cancer remains the leading cause of death due to cancer among women 15 years of age and older and the mortality rate for this disease has been increasing (WHO/ICO, 2010). Robles (2000) suggested that an explanation for the problem lie in the concept of prevention; and for many women this concept may not be fully understood. It became apparent and alarming to the researcher that the prevalence of cervical cancer in Uganda was high (WHO/ICO, 2010). As a human service professional, the researcher began to inquire about the nature of the problem in an attempt to understand the reasons why women who had accessible healthcare failed to obtain these life saving screening tests. The research studies had not looked at the issue of womens reasoning for not seeking cervical cancer screening with a qualitative eye. The purpose of this study is to provide a qualitative approach to the investigation of cervical cancer in Uganda. The phenomenological approach design will discover a Ugandan womans perspective on health and a disease that is unique to her. Cervical cancer can affect her sexuality, gender identity, fertility, and mortality. Discovering the cultural influences that motivate or deter her from seeking screening will add to the existing work already done and those yet to materialise. The ultimate goal is to broaden the possibilities of discovering methods to eradicate this disease. The main research question is, would using a qualitative study specifically employing ethnographic techniques discover the reasons why Uganda women fail to seek cervical cancer screening? The objectives of this study are: What are the health beliefs of