American Federation of Teachers Essay

The continued drive to improve education and to support the legislation of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) policy of the government has pushed the district of Georgia to create an effective framework of assessing and testing students of their proficiency in the different realms of education. By doing such, the district not only complies with the legislation and policies but at the same time ensures that the continued need of students in the facilitation of education is attained. Seeing the three documents notions of similarity can be seen. Looking closely these similarities have well in fact have to do with the standards set by the district of Georgia with the regards to proficiency standards. Also, there is a similarity in the objective and rationale that an improvement of such standards is necessary to achieve the optimum educational needs of students in the classroom. Lastly, there seems to be emphasis and importance on creating appropriate methods within the classroom scenario. This means both teachers and students are expected something to contribute for the overall facilitation of classrooms. On the other hand, the two documents have their own differences. One important difference that can be seen in the article are their relative scopes One article focuses on the general framework and ideas in Georgia concerning the improvement of standards that will enhance student education. On the other hand, the other article showcases an analysis of deeper sets of standards. This means that each point and objective is elaborated more clearly and brought down to per level category. This categorization helps readers understand the complexity and depth of such initiative. With this understanding, proper critiquing and arguments can arise which later can contribute to a better development of initiatives that can foster and administer change for students and teachers within the classroom. Creating standards are an integral part in the overall facilitation of learning within the classroom setup. This is because it enhances the level of knowledge imparted to students and at the same time. â€Å"Introducing standards in the classroom will augment the learning experience by pointing students to available design and marketing tools, and best industry practices. † (Schultz, 2005) Furthermore, the creation of standards enforces the actualization and realization of information of students within the classrooms. â€Å"By establishing standards for teacher competence in student assessment, the associations subscribe to the view that student assessment is an essential part of teaching and that good teaching cannot exist without good student assessment. † (American Federation of Teachers, 1990) By integrating these standards, it can create an integral part in the overall process of learning and facilitation of education. Enhancing student learning requires a thorough understanding of issues revolving around a particular topic. By doing so, it gives the teachers the necessary information that they need to sustain and develop methods adequate for students needs. First these documents serve as (1) an added tool for application. Seeing the development of literature gives options for teachers to apply proper schemes in classrooms. Second, it sketches approaches in the field of educational development of students. â€Å"Students cannot achieve high levels of performance without access to skilled professional teachers, adequate classroom time, a rich array of learning materials, accommodating work spaces, and the resources of the communities surrounding their schools. † (NSES, p. 1) Lastly, these documents promote equality in the classrooms in terms of addressing the needs of each actor. By realizing the importance of student and teacher’s needs, objectives can be calibrated to better suit the classroom. In the end, literature has shown that by creating standards, issues in education and student needs can be addressed. Properly applying these standards within the classroom needs to be done in order for students to avail of the proper amount of education they need to sustain their holistic development and endeavors. References American Federation of Teachers. (1990) Standards for Teacher Competence in Educational Assessment of Students. Retrieved April 24, 2008 from http://www. unl. edu/buros/bimm/html/article3. html National Science of Education Standards. National Science Education Standards: An Overview. Retrieved April 24, 2008 from http://www. nap. edu/readingroom/books/nses/overview. html Schultz, D. (2005) Standards in the Classroom in ASTM International. Retrieved April 24, 2008 from http://www. astm. org/SNEWS/JULY_2005/schultz_jul05. html

The Impact of Work-Based on our Identity

In all modern societies, work fills a basic and central role in human life. The centrality of work is demonstrated by the personal responsibility individuals assume for their work, the amount of time they devote to it, and the significance it has within the general context of their lives. Work has important social and economic implications as well, on both an organizational and general social level. Identities within society have been determined largely by the work that people do. It has a major part to play in shaping our sense of self and affects how we see ourselves and how others see us. It's formatted by large number of influencing factors, like which are interpellated and which we make a conscious decision to choose or exclude. We all know the first question asked in many situations of primary social encounter: ‘What do you do? ‘ by which we really mean ‘What is your job?. ‘ we do not answer with our hobby, or with our religious identity, but with all the certainty in the world with our occupation: ‘skilled worker for ‘. If we know our interlocutor's occupation then we think we know him or her. The occupation serves a mutual identification pattern, with the help of which we can assess personal needs and abilities as well as economic and social position. I will discus the story which written by john greaves, the coal miner and his identity's change during the time, after that I will discus the employers of developing industrial country and how they work now, then I will compare between this two employer, and I will explain how work influences and shape people identity . Firstly, the coal miner, who spend most of his life and time working more that twenty years in this field, he was working and get up early every day, actively, satisfied and without any fear. His identity was as a coal miner as an individual and also a member of a community with a shared collective identity. His village, Goldthorpe, in South Yorkshire, revolved both economically andsocially around the pits. He did not think that he will be unemployed on day and he will lose it. And now, after all this years and after closing the mine, he talk about his feeling of uncertainty or the future, and he feel sad about losing his job, identity and the symbol that relate to his job. He say that he lose his powerful identity, he mean â€Å"collective identity† which can be found among workers whose lives are closely bound up with their involved in coal mining. this changes in the economy lead to considerable anxiety among white working class men. In other hand, developing industrial country is a major reason for increasing levels and number of service and employers that is largely part-time , such as â€Å"call center† , Which connects large computer and telephones together. We can find more that hundred of employers work there with different job titles and careers , like direct seller, customer services, managers and others. It's described as white collar factories as the workload is constantly monitored and performance related pay is often used as an incentive. Now, if we compare between the coal miner that lost his work and his correlative identity and one of call center stuff, it would be clear to identify how work influences and shape our identity. There is little sense of community or collective identity. John Greaves was clearly interpellated into his role as a coal miner and his identity associate with his community, whereas call center staff work for instrumental purposes, define himself by what he purchase and his spending power. We are now more likely to identify ourselves through our income and spending power rather than job title. This is backed up through recently research that tell us we have leave our collective and occupational identities to more individual consumption based ones. Also our identities are shaped by our income. Income allows us to consume and depending on the amount of income we generate this results in what we consume and our ability to selectively purchase goods. Bourdieu (1977 pg 107/8) argued that people are able to express their identities through consumption and also that as taste differs between social class then consumption will also differ. People in different social classes are unlikely to have the same consumption patterns, which leads to a difference in the ability to portray identity. For example, the ability to purchase expensive ca and material goods such as cars from being in a well paid job will create an identity of a middle class citizen compared to coal miner wage on which limited items can be purchased. Consumption preferences and abilities are highly symbolic markers of status and dividers in social class. Some sociologists have argued that consumption has replaced class and that this now is the key factor in the structure of social division and identity. We can conclude that income, socialisation in the workplace, unemployment and social class. It is evident that work is a contributory factory in influencing and creating identities. Also identities which are created by work are not unfixed, it can change by economic changes. Change of work from collective community base to individual to and material one would be clear today . Like what â€Å"call centers† employers do, they don't identify with their work, they define themselves by what they are spending and what they have. There is also an evident link between income and person, people's behaviors in the way which identity is created.

Home Is Where by Ligaya Fruto

The girl sat tensely on the edge of the Consulate bench, her face carefully devoid of expression. The bird-of paradise pattern was gaudy on her aloha shirt, the thong sandals looked slovenly on her feet, and on her head, riding the loose curls, was perched a big hibiscus flower. Her hands were tightly fisted in the pockets of her old jeans as she listened to the older woman seated before the passport clerk’s desk. She looked at the woman, then at the clerk, with one eyebrow slightly raised. Too many movies, the clerk thought amusedly as he listened to the older woman talk. He smoothed the passport application that she handed him and read: Benita Medina Sales, born in Narvacan, Ilocos Sur, in 1908. On the back, in the space for names of persons to accompany the passport applicant, he read: Lucille Sales, born in Wailoku, Maui, Territory of Hawaii, on June 14, 1931. ‘Your daughter is going to the Philippines with you, Mrs. Sales? † the clerk asked. â€Å"Of course she is going with me. † The woman said, turning to the girl on the bench. The girl looked back at her, and the two locked stares for a long moment while the clerked fidgeted with the papers. She gave these to the clerk and the latter leafed through them with some interest. He glanced quickly at the woman as a copy of divorce decree appeared in the batch. He checked the names on both documents, then studied the remaining papers. A frayed certificate showed the old Philippine Commonwealth seal, and next to this were two thick photo copies of the girl’s birth certificate. â€Å"You can see I was born here,† the girl spoke up. â€Å"I am an American citizen. I cannot go to the Philippines. I will not go! † â€Å"Oh yes you are going,† the mother’s voice shook a little. You are coming home with me. † â€Å"This is my home,† the girl said. â€Å"I am an American citizen. I will live here all my life. † â€Å"You are a Filipino,† the mother’s face flushed, then paled. â€Å"Your father and I are Filipinos. You and I are going back to our country. We are going home. † Home, the girl thought, and her hand moist inside her pockets. Where was it? For her it was here, where the roads wound between the mountains and the sea, where the breeze was cool while the sun was hot, where flowers grew by the roadside and never seemed to die, such ws the continuity of the earth’s ichness. The sea was gentle, the lawns were smooth, and the people . . . At the thought of her friends, the girl’s young face worked a little. She did not know what the Philippines looked like. She had no idea of the people. Her mother said that they were her own people, but she felt no kinship. â€Å"I will not go,† she thought desperately. â€Å"I will not go to the Philippines, I am an American citizen. The Philippines is so far away, and those who come from there have such terrible things to say about the war. I won’t go. My mother can’t make me go. The woman looked at the girl, and a dull ache began to throb in her temples. What an unnatural child, she thought sadly. She seemed to feel no love of home at all. She herself never stopped thinking of it: fields of rice glistening to the sun: tobacco plants maturing in the heat: nipa houses hidden in bamboo groves. The people talked her language. They are the same fresh fish from the creeks and cooked carabao meat in the animal’s blood. They worked in the fields. At night they gathered about the looms, the women weaving and listening to the talk of the men. That was home, where one could belong and not feel like a stranger who, just passing through, must leave a fee of toil and heartbreak, then pass over still more foreign roads. The clerk looked first at the mother, then at the daughter wondering idly what thoughts kept them silent. â€Å"How long have you been here? † he asked the woman. â€Å"Nineteen years,† she replied. â€Å"I came with my husband in 1928. He worked for an experimental station. † â€Å"Did you live in Maui just before Lucille was born, sixteen years ago? Why are you going back to the Philippines now? The clerk asked with some interest. The woman clasped her handbag. She glanced at her daughter, then turned to the clerk, her paler face flushing a little in embarrassment. â€Å"I have always wanted to go back,† she said softly. â€Å"And now that my husband and I . . . Besides, I have the money . . . † The clerk nodded understandingly. He took up the batch of papers before him and examined the divorce decree. Extreme mental cruelty, it said, and a smile almost escaped him. The phrase somehow seemed absurd. He looked at the woman with overt interest, wondering what type of a man she had married. Perhaps a man with some education, for it was plain that the woman had schooling. He noted the sureness of the handwriting on the application form. Her speech, too, was not the pidgin English that most plantation folk employed. â€Å"The women here. † The woman burst out, as though in spite of herself. â€Å"Ah the women here . . . † Her face showed her disdain. She remembered with acute suffering the young bride who had accompanied her husband to this land fo promise, and the almost unbearable homesickness which had made adjustment not only to a new husband but to new surroundings so pitifully difficult. She recalled to the loss of first one child and then another and at the coming of Lucille. Lucille was her last child, the only one who had lived. Staring at the divorce decree, she thought of her husband’s infidelities. She thought of them not too much as separate experiences but as haziness piled upon haziness in protective merging. Through many years of such unhappiness, she had clung to one bright hope –the hope of going home some day. It might take five years, she told herself then, or ten –even twenty. But eventually she would go home. And now here was this child frustrating her. This was a strangeling she had nourished in her bosom. She spoke a jargon which she, her mother, barely understood. She dressed like a boy, behaved like a hoyden. She chewed gum all day long, sang and danced without restraint, went to endless movies. And now she flaunted her American citizenship as though that were important. Her nose was short, her hair was black, and her skin was the clear brown of her mother’s and her father’s skin. The mere fact of birth in a strange place did not make her a citizen of that place. Or did it? This is not your country, she had told her again and again. You were only born here. I shall take you at last to the place to which you and I belong. A country like this and yet not quite like this. You will see, she had said, you will notice the difference when we get there. Sometimes she thought the girl was interested, but then something would happen –a glimpse of the sea beyond the park perhaps, or a plumeria tree in full bloom –and the girl’s jaw would set in stubborn resistance and she would say that here, in Hawaii, she had been born and here she would remain. This is my home,† she would repeat, â€Å"I am not going away. † The same resistance was in her daughter’s eyes now. The line of her jaw was hard, and her lips, carelessly rouged, were pressed together. â€Å"How long will it take before I get my passport? † the woman asked, turning to the clerk. â€Å"Oh, perhaps two hours,† the clerk replied, checking the papres. à ¢â‚¬Å"we need three copies of your pictures. Oh, here they are,† and he detached the pictures from the sheaf of papers. He smiled and looked at the girl. The fighting, stubborn expression had been caught accurately by the camera. â€Å"You still want your daughter included in your passport? † he asked the woman, more to tease the girl than to get an answer. â€Å"Of course, she is coming with me –if I have to drag her aboard ship! † â€Å"I won’t go,† said the girl, raising her voice, the line of her jaw taut. â€Å"You can’t make me go. I will go back to my father. He will not send me away and I. . . † She stopped as her mother rose from her seat and took a step toward her. Defiance hardened in the girl’s eyes as she stared up her mother, â€Å"I am an American Citizen, I tell you,† she said, breathing hard, flinging her words sharply against her mother’s anger. She opened her lips to say more when a slap, ringing swift, fell across her mouth. â€Å"You! † the woman cried, her face so pale it was frightening. â€Å"You, you. . . † she repeated, her lips trembling so that the words couldn’t take shape. She raised her hand once more, then dropped it, slowly crumpled in her chair, sobs suddenly and tearingly shaking her body. The girl stared at her mother aghast. She could not –she would never –understand all this.

A reflective portfolio where you identify your learning requirements Essay

A reflective portfolio where you identify your learning requirements and discuss how you addressed those needs - Essay Example curriculum: reflexive practice is critical to establishing a proper corporate strategy and aligning people, tools and measurement instruments to guarantee business success. I first learned that corporate strategy development must consider the external market, internal stakeholders and the conditions of the marketplace in order to be successful. Hence, there is a need to harmonize resources and people effectively in order to maintain a competent competitive position in the market and ensure operational efficiency. This means being able to develop a team environment in which workers are motivated, considering quality of outputs, determining an effective marketing strategy and further maximising efficiency of operations. I was highly intrigued to understand the inter-dependency of marketing to the achievement of strategic goals. According to theory, companies that are the first-to-market with a new innovation actually become the pioneers that define the product category and maintain strong advantages (Agarwal and Gort 2001). First-to-market innovators become a model through which consumers judge late entrants into a marketplace and are often viewed more favourably by the consumer market (Kalyanaram and Gurumurthy 2008). For a business that desires to be a first-to-market innovator as a competitive tool, it is critical that a company maintains a well-developed marketing strategy, part of brand management. According to marketing theory, building a strong brand provides economic and competitive benefits for a business, provides less vulnerability to the marketing activities of competition, and provides more extensive word-of-mouth from consumer markets (Gounaris and Stathakopoulos 2004). One example of how a first-to-market innovator managed to gain consumer preference is the Sony Corporation with the release of the pioneering Sony Walkman in the early 1980s which revolutionized mobile consumer recreation. By having an effective promotional strategy, this company

Gorporate Governanace Advisor for case PowerPoint Presentation

Gorporate Governanace Advisor for case - PowerPoint Presentation Example All these aspects of cooperate governance help in decision making capabilities. The decisions that the board have been making from the point of insufficient information and without due regard to either the risks or the environmental, social, and corporate governance issues involved. It is necessary to advice them on the growing importance of governance issues. It is imperative for the role of the good governance in corporate performance, and maximization of share holders’ value and the protection of investor’s rights. The decision by the board to invest a large amount of money which was raised primarily by bank loans, in developing a residential area by constructing homes, villas, a five star hotel recreational site and other required sites are informed by this lack of informed decision on corporate governance. The board should be advised that, the main objective of corporate governance is to reinforce a company, and encourage the standards of self rule so that the intensity of governance is in line with other domestic and international practices. It helps in the responsibility of handling money and the conduct of commercial activities. The serious concerns about the environmental impact of the construction plans and a very high probability that the project will be banned by the government’s Real Estate Standards Agency and the eventuality of the board cancelling the project, with a write off of the expenditure already incurred. This was possible to avoid, if cooperate governance was in place, as the scales of trade, and the size of companies’ bureaucracies’ involved makes it harder for individual control, and makes regulation externally by all the government agencies involved before a project can commence. To avoid the spread of failures corporate governance has come in handy for most companies in economies which are

Company law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Company law - Essay Example In instances where calls are not met, the shares are forfeited. The main advantage of a no liability company is that the investor has a chance of pulling out if the company has no future. S 112(2) provides that a no liability company must be a mining company, which has a company constitution stating its objects in mining. The provision of section S 148(4) is that a no liability company must use â€Å"No liability† or â€Å"NL† at the end of the company's name. The no liability companies restricted to companies that have an object of mining only. The concept of no liability increases investment in the industry as it does not bind to its shareholders and they can withdraw from the company2. The difference between a no liability company and other companies is that a no liability company’s shareholders are not liable to pay calls on any unpaid shares. The conventional provision of companies is that the purchase of shares is a contract that is binding and shareholders bound to pay for the shares when there is a call. The position is that if the shareholder does not pay the share there is a forfeiture of the already paid up shares and the unpaid shares. The provision of a no liability company concerning the shares gives confidence investors in potentially uncertain mining undertaking. This is the reason because a shareholder who has unpaid shares can elect to pull out from the company without any legal penalties. In the case of Mac Stevenson, the best company would be a no liability company. The choice of a no liability company is because the mining ventures are uncertain and; therefore, investors are not willing to invest in such companies. The provisions of the no liability company tend to encourage investors into investing in mining companies. When there is uncertainty in the ventures of a company the investors would still be willing to buy the company shares. This is because they are not compelled to pay on making of calls to pay. The provisi ons of a no liability company fit this provision, as the shareholders who will purchase the share in the Mac Stevenson’s company will be more willing to invest in the venture. This is especially so since they are uncertain in the future of the company they will not be bound to pay the unpaid share if they will see no future for the company. The company will be a small company, according to 45A a company can be a large or a small company. Mac Stevenson’s company will fit into the small company. This is because it satisfies two of the criteria that are it should have gross operating revenue of less than $25m and its gross assets are less than $12.5m. Mac Stevenson’s company has operating revenue of less than $25m and its gross assets are not in excess of $12.5m, therefore, fits into the category of small business. On the other hand, Mac Stevenson can the can expand the business to install solar panels with the batteries3. However, the expansion cannot be done the any liability company as the provision of the no liability company restricts the operations of companies registered as no liability to only mining ventures and as such, they cannot operate other business dealings like installing solar panels4. The expansion realized when the company converts to a limited liability company. The general undertaking is that when a no liability mining company becomes

Exam3 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Exam3 - Assignment Example This is followed by the table of content that gives a listing of the key sections of the document. This is then followed by an executive summary, which in most cases, is written last after the whole document has been prepared. It usually helps refine and polish the key message of the writing. This is then followed by body the document’s body, which is usually an in-depth explanation of a writer’s ideas. Coming last is the conclusion that provides a summary of the key ideas presented in the body paragraphs. This process involves a preparation that often involves establishing the purpose of the document, assessing the audience, determining the scope of writing as well as selecting the appropriate medium of conveying the message. Research and literature review then follows where the writer seeks to understand the work before he conveys it. Organization follows, and this is where the writer considers options of how best to convey his message and what to convey in his message. The writer then writes a draft where he expands the outline into paragraphs not worrying about the grammar. The final phase is the revision phase where he checks for completeness and accuracy, spelling checks, review mechanics as well as acronyms and abbreviations. Being capable of preparing and delivering a public presentation has more advantages over giving a spontaneous one. It has the advantage of knowing who your audience is, which helps the speaker establish issues of importance such as how many they are, what they already know to avoid duplication of information, why they are there, what they think, and who they really are. It also gives the speaker the advantage of knowing when the occasion will be occurring, the exact timing of the occasion, as well as the duration it will take. In addition, it also enables the speaker to carry out a reconnaissance of the presentation venue

Visual analysis paper of greek pottery Assignment

Visual analysis paper of greek pottery - Assignment Example The vessel had themes of encyclopedia of mythology. It exploits of Peleus and his son Achilles (the hero of Homer’s Illiad). Dionysos and Two Satyrs The vessel came into being in the years 500 BCE. The vessel was amphora shaped. The material used to make the clay was Corinthian which in other words reffered to as the beige clay is commonly. The vessel’s decorativeness technique comprises of geometric and organic forms which are limited to the shoulder of the vessel. The composition of the vessel is that of the registered one and it comes in distinct forms like silhouetted, ones filled in with color. The details of the vessel are done by great accuracy and incision. The effect of the vessel is that of a decorative and appears in two-dimensional. Dionysus in a Boat This relic: the vessel â€Å"kylix† came into being in the years 540 BCE and was made by an artist by the name Exekias. It measures 12† in diameter. The material used in making this vessel is known as Attic or in other words the orange clay. The technique employed is that of the â€Å"black† figure; black glaze. The details of the vessel are very much incisive. The decorativeness forms of the vessel are very much organic. The compositions of the vessel are those that are narrative and figures that do not necessarily conform to the shape of the vessel. Herakles Strangling Nemean Lion This Greek relic; â€Å"amphora† came into being in the year 525 BCE. ... The composition of the vessel is very much registered. The narrative bit of the vessel is limited to the body of the vessel while decorative bit of it is expounded on the geometric patterns and limited to the border areas and arms. Death of Sarpedon This Greek relic; the vessel â€Å"krater† was brought into being in the years 515 BCE by artists going by the names Euxitheos and Euphronios. The material that the artists have used is the Attic or better known as the orange clay. The technique used in this relic is that of the red figure, which is an inversion of the black figure and has the background around the figures painted in black. The details are no longer incised but painted in black. He decorativeness effect are the geometric patterns and limited to the border areas. The composition is registered and the narrative bit of it is limited to the body of the vessel. The figure depends less on the profile view and embraces foreshortened and overlapping limbs that interest in facial limbs. Lapith and Centaur This Greek relic; â€Å"kylix† was made in the years 490 BCE. The artist who made it is known as the â€Å"Foundry Painter†. The material used is the Attic or in other words the orange clay. The technique used is the red figure. The decorativeness of the vessel bounds along the geometric patterns that are limited to the border areas. The composition is non-registered while the narrative conforms to the body of the vessel. The figures are shortened and overlapping limbs that interest in facial expressions. Archaic Period - Rycroft Painter Column Krater (Mixing Bowl) comparison In comparison with the above described relics, this vessel embodies the epitome of finesse and precision. It dully conforms to the works of the Greek Archaic period

War and peace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

War and peace - Essay Example The Zionist argument is that they appeared in Palestine in the late 19th century with the intention of reclaiming their ancestral land. Jews purchased land and started putting up the Jewish community. Palestinian Arabs with violent opposition tried to force the Jewish out of the land, but the Zionist reacted with force to defend themselves. This same case exists up to date. The Zionist movement, from the start, desired to completely dispossess the indigenous Arab inhabitants so that Israel could be completely a Jewish state (Bennis 58). The land purchased by the Jewish Fund was in custody of the Jewish and could not be sold or leased to Arabs. The Arab population, as it became aware of the Zionists’ desires and intentions, it opposed further immigrations of the Jewish. The Arab population also opposed further sale of land to the Zionists. The sale of land to the Zionists exerted an immense danger to the existence of Arab community in Palestine. Because of the opposition, the w hole project of Zionist could not be realized without the backing of the British military. The Zionists did not mind about the real inhabitants of the land they believed in colonialist view that the rights of the original inhabitants did not matter. All that the Zionist wanted was total or partial entitlement to the land. On the other hand, the Arab’s opposition to the Zionists was not based on anti-Semitism, but on a reasonable fear of dispossession of their populace. Because of these two oppositions, the conflict continues. Palestine became an Arab and Islamic state by the end of the seventh century. Its boundaries and characteristics became known almost immediately. The occupants of the land at the time believed that they lived in a land known as Palestine. However, after the establishment of Israel in 1948, everything changed. The land, which the inhabitants of Palestine referred to as Palestine, part of it, was now Israel. The Palestine and the Israelis oppose each other regarding the land. Each group seeks to fight for the land, which they believe is theirs. This opposition increases daily and deepens as the two groups engage in the fight and kill one another’s group. The fight could have been halted a long time ago if there existed no opposition to the land. For a very long time, the ancient Arabs who have been existing on the land were the majority as the Zionist came to purchase land and establish their community. In this case, when the Arabs discovered the intentions of the Zionists of forcing out of the Arab community, the Arabs gained opposition to the move since they wanted to retain their ancestral land and at the same time, the Arabs were the majority. There was no way; the Arabs could have allowed a minor community to force them out of their inherited soil. On the other hand, the Zionist could not give up gaining ownership of the land for their benefit. As the two sides oppose each other, the conflict continues to exist between th e two communities (Tessler 73). According to the founder of Zionism, the aim of the Zionist was to split the penniless population, who were the Arabs, across the border through procuring employment in transit countries. The process of expropriating and removing of the poor was to be carried out circumspectly and discreetly. However, at

Inventory Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Inventory Management - Research Paper Example The project will only review the relevant literature on inventory management. The review will cover the elements of inventory management then go through four main sections of intelligent inventory management. The first three parts will cover the principal domains of inventory management: inventory modeling, expert systems, and the decision support systems. The fourth part is the intelligent decision support system discussion, which advances the two previous parts. Inventory is the stock of goods kept on hand by an entity for future and current use of meeting the customers demand. The inventory is of importance to an entity in both the financial and operational perspective. First, inventory contributes the main investment for any firm. Inventory constitutes approximately 30 to 55 percent of current assets in manufacturing companies while constituting approximately 70 to 85 percent of current assets to wholesaler and retailer companies. On the other perspective, from the operational po int of view, inventories put operating flexibility to company. Keeping of adequate inventory by manufacturing processes will facilitate smooth production process. Holding of inventory by wholesaler and retailers facilitates good customer service which in return gives the companies good public image. The main aim of inventory management is to balance between having low inventory and the high return on investments. Inventory has a variety of functions, which should be summarized to facilitate a good inventory management. First, the main aim of holding inventory is to meet customers demand for the product. This is because it is impossible to have delivery of products or production of goods exactly the same time when the consumers need them. It is therefore wise to keep a reasonable level of inventory to meet this expected or anticipated consumer demand. Secondly, it is wise to keep adding inventory inform of buffer or safety stocks since the demand is usually not known with certainty.

The framing of the church settlement of 1559 Essay Example for Free

The framing of the church settlement of 1559 Essay Elizabeth faced numerous obstacles following her accession as Queen of England, but the main sector of concern was the religious aspect of society. England was at war against the France, as they sided with the Spanish, and also the Parliament was a key constituent of Elizabethan religious settlement. The Parliament was a hindrance to Elizabeth’s progress as many of the Parliament members were religious conservatives, which implied difficulty when presenting and passing the bill to the House of Commons. Presenting the bill to the House of Lords would prove toughest to Elizabeth and her ministers. It cannot be denied that her personal preference and her Counsel’s decisions respectively played a large role in making sure the bill was passed, although it must be acknowledged that she and her councilors had to compromise to achieve their main religious aims. Susan Doran believes that Queen Elizabeth had successfully fulfilled her goal in terms of religious settlement, while her councilors thought the general outcome fell short of her primary plans. The complicated international affairs that England was stuck in after Mary’s reign put Elizabeth in a troublesome position. As Edmund Grindal, Bishop of London, proposed, plans for religious settlement were heavily delayed to the desperate search for peace. Elizabeth had to deviate from her main plans for religious settlement has she had to be involved in he ongoing war against Spain, which England had entered in 1557, later into Mary’s reign. Furthermore, to make matters worse, she had to prevent any potential threat to the throne from Mary Stuart, who was in alliance with France. In order to prevent Catholic nations from turning against England and to avoid any large-scale domestic uprising amongst English Catholics, Elizabeth was keen on not infuriating Catholics. She pursued this plan by retaining certain aspects of the traditional Catholic Church. On the other hand, she still showed signs of Protestant settlement, as she had recalled her papal ambassador and had formed alliance with strongly Protestant German princes. The Peace of Cateau-Cambresis in 1559 would emphasise on the link between Elizabethan religious settlement and England’s international affair. Even though, this would result in the loss of Calais, the borders neighbouring Scotland would be soothed and English settlement could be spread more quickly. In addition, retaining hope in Philip II to potentially marry Elizabeth in the nearer future would enable Philip II to make sure the Pope did not take any action against Elizabeth. Although, she does eventually get excommunicated, this is much later on in the reign where Philip II’s hopes have dried up. After international affairs were gradually settled through the peace treaty, it was her personal preference that played a key role in the religious settlement. It is crystal clear that Elizabeth desired a Protestant settlement but not a radical one. She rejected papal authority unsurprisingly and also denied the concept of transubstantiation, which caused tremors amongst the more conservatives of Elizabeth’s reign. Even with clear motives of Protestant settlement, she was still keen on sustaining certain traditional and conservative aspects of the Church. She was very fond of Catholic ornaments in the Royal Chapel and had Catholic musicians and choir in her presence. Even though she rejected the doctrine of transubstantiation, she still partially accepted the concept that there was some sort of presence in the communion bread and wine, which was a common though amongst Lutherans. Such personal preference were reflected directly in her proposal to Parliament as she wanted to reintroduce the 1552 Book of Common Prayer and break away from papal authority. However, the House of Lords did not allow the bill to be passed, which is why Elizabeth and her ministers had to take a different approach to religious settlement. Furthermore, Elizabeth’s counsel could be considered another large body to have influenced religious settlement. She had appointed members who had previously served Edward VI, which would imply an already-Protestant mindset. It is acknowledged that there were many members of her Privy Council who were strong Catholics for international affairs of not having Catholic states turn against England. However, as her appointment of Francis Knollys, earl of Bedford, and William Cecil, she was still keen on having the fundamental protestant foundation even within her councilors. For instance, William Cecil and Nicholas Bacon were key members of the Privy Council who were able to advise and guide the Queen before and during initial rejections and failures of passing the Bill. Such failures including Winchester and Shrewsbury voting against the Bill still emphasise the influence the members had on Elizabeth’s decision and the Bill itself. The last large consideration that influenced religious settlement was the Parliament itself. It had rejected the first bill proposed by Elizabeth until they made amendments for the final settlement. Elizabeth tried to discredit and Marian bishops before the amended bills were to be re-proposed to Parliament. Although Elizabeth was indeed able to hinder the Catholic bishop, there were key amendements made in the bill. For instance, Elizabeth was given the title â€Å"Supreme Governor† not â€Å"Supreme Head†. It is unclear whether or not this change in title name was for conservative reasons or to calm political stirs of a woman naming herself superior to laymen. However, it still ensured her to have as much authority as Henry VIII or her brother. Amendements in the Uniformity Bill targeted the concept of transubstantiation as people were not in favour of the complete denial and rejection of this doctrine. Therefore, priests modified the words used in the Uniformity Bill to create deliberate ambiguity. This would allow diverse interpretations to be made by peers allowing less opposition. Last, the â€Å"Ornaments Rubric† allowed traditional vestments and ornaments to be sustained in Church. It can be argued that the Catholics Bishops in the House of Lords had finally been given the upper hand; however, it must also be taken into consideration that this could simply have been part of Elizabeth’s personal preference as she was keen on keeping traditional ornaments in her Royal Chapel. In conclusion, the framing of the religious settlement of 1559 was based on numerous factors. The main influence on the settlement was her personal religious preferences such as the traditional ornaments and a not-so-radical Protestant movement. The international dilemma she was stuck in had indeed hindered her progress of Protestant settlement. However, as this tribulation cleared up, her council members could help her construct her bill to be passed. However, the Parliament’s involvement or influence must also be considered largely as it rejected the first Bill and allowed important amendments to be made.

Slaughterhouse Five Essay Essay Example for Free

Slaughterhouse Five Essay Essay Kurt Vonnegut wrote the book Slaughterhouse-Five in order to express his feeling of disgust towards the brutality of World War II. It was written as a general statement against all wars. Vonnegut focuses on the shock and outrage over the havoc and destruction man is capable of reeking in the name of what he labels a worthy cause, while learning to understand and accept these horrors and ones feelings about them. Through his character, Billy Pilgrim, he conveys not only these feelings and emotions, but also the message that we must exercise our free will to alter the unfortunate happenings that might occur in our lives. Vonnegut had tremendous difficulty writing this novel. He says, I thought it would be easy for me to write about the destruction of Dresden, since all I would have to do would be to report what I had seen (Vonnegut 2). He did not count on his emotions interfering with his attempts at a factual and logical report of such atrocities. It took Vonnegut twenty years to directly face his private demon of the firebombing of Dresden in the form of this novel. He had trouble recalling any memories of substance about his time in Dresden. It could be said that he was blinded by the firebombs of Dresden. It was not until Vonnegut returned to the sight of the bombing twenty years later, along with one of his war buddies, that he was able to recall the disastrous and horrific incidents in Dresden. The novel served as a form of therapy for Vonnegut; it enabled him to examine the events of the past that impacted on his life, and to come to terms with them. Vonnegut chooses to focus the novel on events surrounding the firebombing of Dresden, Germany.

Criminological Theories of Terrorism

Criminological Theories of Terrorism ORIGIN Terrorism has occurred throughout history for a variety of reasons. Its causes can be historical, cultural, political, social, psychological, economic, or religious-or any combination of these. Some countries have proven to be particularly susceptible to terrorism at certain times, as Italy and West Germany were during the 1970s. Terrorist violence escalated precipitously in those two countries for a decade before declining equally dramatically. Other countries, such as Canada and The Netherlands, have proven to be more resistant, and have experienced only a few isolated terrorist incidents. In general, democratic countries have provided more fertile ground for terrorism because of the open nature of their societies. In such societies citizens have fundamental rights, civil liberties are legally protected, and government control and constant surveillance of its citizens and their activities is absent. By the same token, repressive societies, in which the government closely monitors citizens and restricts their speech and movement, have often provided more difficult environments for terrorists. But even police states have not been immune to terrorism, despite limiting civil liberties and forbidding free speech and rights of assembly. Examples include Russia under tsarist rule and the Communist-ruled Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, as well as the Peoples Republic of China, Myanmar, and Laos. In broad terms the causes that have commonly compelled people to engage in terrorism are grievances borne of political oppression, cultural domination, economic exploitation, ethn ic discrimination, and religious persecution. Perceived inequities in the distribution of wealth and political power have led some terrorists to attempt to overthrow democratically elected governments. To achieve a fairer society, they would replace these governments with socialist or communist regimes. Left-wing terrorist groups of the 1960s and 1970s with such aims included Germanys Baader-Meinhof Gang, Italys Red Brigades, and the Weather Underground in the United States. Other terrorists have sought to fulfill some mission that they believe to be divinely inspired or millennialist (related to the end of the world). The Japanese religious cult Aum Shinrikyo, responsible for a nerve gas attack on the Tokyo subway in 1995 that killed 12 people, falls into this category. Still other terrorists have embraced comparatively more defined and comprehensible goals such as the re-establishment of a national homeland (for example, Basque separatists in Spain) or the unification of a divided nation (Irish nationalists in Northern Ireland). Finally, some terrorists are motivated by very specific issues, such as opposition to legalized abortion or nuclear energy, or the championing of environmental concerns and animal rights. They hope to pressure both the public and its representatives in government to enact legislation directly reflecting their particular concern. Militant animal rights activists, for example, have used violence against scientists and laboratory technicians in their campaign to halt medical experimentation involving animals. Radical environmentalists have sabotaged logging operations and the construction of power grids to protest the spoiling of natural wilderness areas. Extremists who oppose legalized abortion in the United States have attacked clinics and murdered doctors and other employees in hopes of denying women the right to abortion. Â  [2]Â   More than 2, 000 years ago the first known acts of what we now call terrorism were perpetrated by a radical offshoot of the Zealots, a Jewish sect active in Judea during the 1st century ad. The Zealots resisted the Roman Empires rule of what is today Israel through a determined campaign primarily involving assassination. Zealot fighters used the sica, a primitive dagger, to attack their enemies in broad daylight, often in crowded market places or on feast days-essentially wherever there were people to witness the violence. Thus, like modern terrorists, the Zealots intended their actions to communicate a message to a wider target audience: in this instance, the Roman occupation forces and any Jews who sympathized or collaborated with the invaders. Between 1090 and 1272 an Islamic movement known as the Assassins used similar tactics in their struggle against the Christian Crusaders who had invaded what is today part of Syria. The Assassins embraced the same notions of self-sacrifice an d suicidal martyrdom evident in some Islamic terrorist groups today. They regarded violence as a sacramental or divine act that ensured its perpetrators would ascend to a glorious heaven should they perish during the task. Â  [3]Â   THEORIES OF TERRORISM THE POLITICAL THEORY OF ANARCHISM AS A THEORY OF TERRORISM Terrorism is most definitely not a form of governance, but anarchism is. Most anarchists reject terrorism in its vanguard varieties (for nationalist or religious purposes), but in a theoretical sense, anarchism justifies terrorism as a form of criminal action that attacks the values of an organized, complacent society. Anarchism is a theory of governance that rejects any form of central or external authority, preferring instead to replace it with alternative forms of organization such as shaming rituals for deviants, mutual assistance pacts between citizens, syndicalism (any non-authoritarian organizational structure that gives the greatest freedom to workers), iconoclasm (the destruction of cherished beliefs), libertarianism (a belief in absolute liberty), and plain old rugged individualism. Anarchism is often referred to as the nineteenth century roots of terrorism, the term first being introduced in 1840 by Pierre-Joseph Proudhon. Anarchism definedis the rejection of the state, of any form of coercive government, of any form of domination and exploitation. It is the notion of free and equal access to all the worlds resources to enable positive freedom (freedom to) in place of negative freedom (freedom from, or the basis of most constitutional rights). THE POLITICAL THEORY OF FASCISM AS A THEORY OF TERRORISM Fascism is the one form of government with the most disagreement about a definition for it. The word comes from the Latin fasces which means to use power to scare or impress people. It generally refers to the consolidation of all economic and political power into some form of super-patriotism that is devoted to genocide or endless war with ones enemies. Benito Mussolini, who practically invented the term in 1922, said it is the merger of state and corporate power. Mussolinis version of fascism was based on the idea of an indomitable power and an attempt to resurrect imperial Rome. Adolf Hitler said fascism is the clever and constant application of propaganda so that people can be made to see paradise as hell, and the other way around. Hitlers brand of fascism drew upon philosophical reflections by Hegel, Nietzsche, and Spengler, and also drew upon Nordic folk romance from Wagner to Tacitus. Japanese fascism involved racism, fanaticism, historical destiny, and a mixture of Bushido, Ze n and Shinto Buddhism, emperor worship, and past samurai legends. THE PHILOSOPHICAL THEORY OF RELIGION AS A THEORY OF TERRORISM More than one criminologist has pointed out that the disciplines of theology, religion, and philosophy have had important things to say about terrorism (Stitt 2003; Kraemer 2004). It is also a fact that about a quarter of all terrorist groups and about half of the most dangerous ones on earth are primarily motivated by religious concerns (Hoffman 1993). They believe that God not only approves of their action, but that God demands their action. Their cause is sacred, and consists of a combined sense of hope for the future and vengeance for the past. Of these two components, the backward-looking desire for vengeance may be the more important trigger for terrorism because the forward-looking component (calledapocalyptic thinking, or eschatology) produces wild-eyed fanatics who are more a danger to themselves and their own people. The trick to successful use of terrorism in the name of religion rests upon convincing believers or convertees that aneglected dutyexists in the fundamental, m ainstream part of the religion. Religious terrorism is therefore, NOT about extremism, fanaticism, sects, or cults, but is instead all about a fundamentalist or militant interpretation of the basic tenets. Evil is often defined as malignant narcissism from a theological point of view, and religion easily serves as moral cover for self-centred terrorists and psychopaths (Stitt 2003). Religion has always absorbed or absolved evil and guilt in what is called theodicy, or the study of how the existence of evil can be reconciled with a good and benevolent God. Most religions theodicize evil away as either: (1) a test of faith; (2) a product of free will; (3) part of Gods plan; or (4) functional to let people learn right from wrong; and terrorists easily make use of these established theodicy or critiques of them (Kraemer 2004). THE ECONOMICS THEORY OF RATIONAL CHOICE AS A THEORY OF TERRORISM The discipline of economics has many concepts that are relevant to an understanding of terrorism supply and demand costs and benefits, etc. Fully-developed economic or econometric models of terrorism are quite rare, however, and often involve such things as psychic costs and benefits (Nyatepe-Coo 2004). More down-to-earth economic theories can be found in the literature ondeterrence. Rational choice theory, in particular, has found a place in criminology, and holds that people will engage in crime after weighing the costs and benefits of their actions to arrive at a rational choice about motivation after perceiving that the chances of gain outweigh any possible punishment or loss. THE GLOBALIZATION THEORY OF TERRORISM Nassar (2004) has probably written the most interesting piece on globalization theory as it relates to terrorism, and although his ideas are fairly critical of the U. S. for exporting nightmares as well as dreams, he does provide a robust introduction to the complex topic of globalization. Globalization contributes to dreams, fantasies, and rising expectations, but at the same time, it leads to dashed hopes, broken dreams, and unfulfilled achievements. Terrorism breeds in the gap between expectations and achievements. The thinking is very similar to strain theory in criminology or the rising expectations theory of prison riots, and about the only thing unique about globalization theory is that it adds a rich-poor dichotomy. Rich people (or nations) are seen as wanting power and wealth, and poor people (or nations) are seen as wanting justice. From this perspective, then, rich people are part of the causal factor or root cause of terrorism, since they contribute to the conditions whic h give rise to it. Perpetrators of terrorism (always treated as an ill-defined concept in globalization theory) are never seen as born or raised with any specific predispositions toward it. In brief, globalization theory holds that if the oppressed and disgruntled poor people of the world were simply given the chance to find peaceful means for achieving justice, terrorism would not thrive. SOCIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES OF TERRORISM Modern sociological perspectives are primarily concerned with the social construction of fear or panic, and how institutions and processes, especially the media, primary and secondary groups, maintain that expression of fear. Labeling theory in criminology, for example, is a social constructionist viewpoint that, in my opinion, goes about reconnecting consequences with causes in a way that is less systematic than the way functionalists did it a long time ago. Some societies become softer targets after terrorism (especially after short-term target hardening), and other societies become stronger in the long term. It depends upon interaction patterns, and stabilities and interpenetrations among the structural subsystems (economy, polity, religion, law). PSYCHIATRIC THEORIES OF MENTAL ILLNESS AS A THEORY OF TERRORISM The leading exponent of the terrorist-as-mentally-ill approach is Jerrold Post (1984; 1990), who has gone on record saying that the most dangerous terrorist is likely to be a religious terrorist, and that all terrorists suffer from negative childhood experiences and a damaged sense of self. His analysis of the terrorist mindset (a word that substitutes for terrorist personality, and technically means a fixed mental attitude or inclination) draws upon a view of mental illness that compels, or forces, people to commit horrible acts. It should be noted that we know from criminal justice that this is not the only possible view on mental illness. More crazy people come into contact with the law through sheer folly and foolishness than a compulsion their mental illness made them have. Post (1990) makes a somewhat neo-Freudian distinction between terrorists who desire to destroy the nation, or world, of their fathers and those who desire to carry on the mission, or world, of their fathers. BIOLOGICAL THEORIES OF TERRORISM David Hubbard (1983) was one of the first biological researchers of terrorism, and his line of work is similar to the familiar cycle of violence hypothesis in criminal justice. In this view, people who commit repetitive and cyclical acts of violence (which would include wife beaters, rapists, and serial killers) are driven by hormonal or neurochemical fluctuations in their body or brain chemistry. Three compounds, in particular, have been singled out as having abnormal levels among terrorists: norepinephrine, acetylcholine, and endorphins. Of these, norepinephrineis suspected as being the most influential, as it is associated with the so-calledflight or fight mechanismin human biology. The theory of fight or flight was developed by W. B. Cannon back in 1929, and refers to a state of arousal under stress in which the heart, lungs, and muscle operate more efficiently. As it applies to terrorism (and crime), the behavioral requirements of such activities (fighting exhilaration before an event, and fleeing manipulation of audience after an event) produce a syndrome of physiological need for arousal at fairly regular intervals. Motives for terrorism appear to be quite stable when the biological viewpoint is taken, and it is possible to link a variety of aspects in the typical terrorist profile with biological factors. TRADITIONAL CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORIES APPLIED TO TERRORISM Its not easy applying traditional criminological theories to terrorism. Most of these theories were designed to explain ordinary street crime like robbery or burglary, and have a certain hardiness to their perspectives which makes them difficult to extend. Ruggiero (2005) is typical of those who have attempted to apply such theories or suggest various extensions, starting with Durkheims functionalism by asking whether Durkheim would see terrorism as part of the normality of crime or as part of a clearly unacceptable, dysfunctional form of crime. On the one hand, Durkheim said that all crime serves positive functions (of innovation and evolution), but on the other hand, the organic metaphor that Durkheim used seems to suggest that some forms of crime only cause disintegration and are cancerous. The Chicago school of disorganization in criminology would presumably focus on the distinctiveness of different social worlds between terrorists and non-terrorists, analyzing the communication blockages, for example. Strain theorists would likely argue that terrorism is inevitable as a manifestation of the broken promise that everybody can rise from rags to riches, and study the adaptation Merton described as rebellion. Learning theorists would likely emphasize the importance of role models or the techniques of neutralization involved along with the drift into a terrorist lifestyle. Labeling theorists would probably say, cynically but truly, that terrorism is what the other person does. Control theorists would likely focus on terrorists being unattached, unloved, uncommitted to education or business, uninvolved in conventional tasks, and having their hands idle so time becomes the devils playground for them. Conflict theorists would probably focus on the presence or absence of associations that provide room for collective action and permanent confrontation, although more radical versions of conflict theory might glamorize terrorism as proto-revolutionary action. Integrat ed theories would likely focus on the influences of aggressive proneness, provocation, and the support of third parties. THEORIES UNIQUE TO DOMESTIC TERRORISM Freilich (2003) does a good job of reviewing the theories in this category, a relatively small area of research which tends to be studied within a field called the sociology of social movements. There are three groups of theories. The first is called economic/social integration theory, and it holds that high concentrations of farming, economic depression, and social disorganization are all related to high levels of domestic terrorist activity, militia movements in particular. In some varieties, it tends to be a kind of farm crisis or agrarian reform theory frequently used by those who study the Latin American context. The second theory is called resource mobilization theory, and it suggests that states which are more prosperous and socially integrated would tend to develop more domestic terrorist activity, on the basis that group competition for power and resources becomes intense. The third group of theories are called cultural theories, and propose that states experiencing greater cultural diversity and female empowerment along with increasing paramilitarism are likely to develop greater levels of domestic terrorist activity. In terms of research findings, more empirical support seems to exist for the third set of theories (at least according to Freilich 2003), although resource mobilization theory tends to dominate the theoretical literature. Also in general, there is more empirical support for the idea that domestic terrorism more often plagues richer and affluent nations than poor ones. Â  [4]Â  

Author Intention through Character Reaction in Paradise Lost and the Bl

How would you react if you realized you had altered the future of an entire people? Would you be sympathetic or apologetic? Would you be regretful or sincere? I believe that the reaction of a person in such a situation gives insight into their quality of character and shows us the real extent of their influence over their surroundings and beyond. John Milton’s Adam in Paradise Lost altered the future for mankind just as Margaret Cavendish’s Empress of the Blazing World altered the future for the inhabitants of the Blazing World. Both characters realized the consequences of their actions and desired to change it back to the original state. Both were regretful for their deeds. However, the manner in which each of the characters showed regret gives us insight into the respective author’s intention for the work. By analyzing the difference between the lamentations of Adam and the Empress, we can see strikingly opposing approaches to the same desire – to correct the wrong. Adam falls into a sincere state of despair while the Empress is much more apathetic about the situation. From this observation, we can make claims about Milton and Cavendish and his or her reasoning for fashioning the characters in the way they are portrayed. From the outset of the plot, the storylines of both texts seem to parallel along a very similar outline. The opening of each story is a description of a paradise, free from the corruption of conflict, deception, or sin and more importantly, free from the issue of a foreign influence. Perhaps the most influential factor that allows these paradises to continue in their original state is the innocence they possess from just not knowing any other way, the lack of alien influence. This lack of knowledge was G... ...g entirely fictitious, fabricated, and immaterial. This alteration impacted the reactions of Adam and the Empress. Adam’s real existence required a natural, real reaction just as the Empress’ artificial existence conjured a false, inhuman reaction. The apathetic tone of the Empress mirrored the apathetic tone of Cavendish in stating her intended purpose for the work. The serious tone of Adam mirrored the seriousness of Milton’s intended purpose. Both Adam and the Empress had decidedly altered the future conditions of an entire people to the point that they desired restoration of the original status. However, the Empress’ apathetic tone and Adam’s serious tone shows, respectively, both the extent of influence of the affected people, the reality factor of that people, and most significant, the importance of those people upon the current state of the contemporary world.

Utilitarianism, Economics and Ethics Essay -- Flaws in Utilitarianism

Imagine a child living in a hot, government owned apartment in Chicago. He has no father. With his single, jobless mother he struggles to the words of the founding fathers: â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with inherent and inalienable Rights; that among these, are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness...† (The Declaration of Independence). This is one of the most famous phrases in the US Declaration of Independence and has become the underpinning of the dreams of millions of people around the world. Although the words are different, these sentiments are reflected in the political and economical policies of many democracies. While the notion of ‘happiness for all’ seems like the obvious solution to many of our persistent problems, we inevitably encounter conflicts between our actions and our morals. â€Å"The state is based on†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦the contradiction between public a nd private life, between universal and particular interests. For this reason, the state must confine itself to formal, negative activities.†(Marx, 1992). This essay focuses on the issues of a prominent theory, Utilitarianism as it blends and encompasses both areas of Economics and Ethics which have become the basis of our governmental bodies. In Utilitarianism the aim of our actions is to achieve happiness for the greatest number of people. â€Å"Actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness.† (Mill, 1971). Utilitarianism directly appeals to human emotions and our reactions to different events. Emotions are a fundamental Way of Knowing and influence both ethical and economical theories. In most cultures there are fundame... ...eories to stay stagnant and restrictive at the same time as our economies, ethical systems and societies are changing so dramatically right in front of us? Works Cited Brannigan, Jack. The Purpose of Life & the General Theory of Ethics. Nebraska, USA: iUniverse, 2005. The Declaration of Independence: A Transcription. Web. 14 June 2015. http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_transcript.html Jenkins, Author Joe. Ethics and Religion. Oxford, UK: Heinemann Educational Publishers, 2003. Lagemaat, Richard van de. Theory of Knowledge for the IB Diploma. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2005. Marx, Karl. Early Writings. London, UK: Penguin Classics, 1992. Rothbard, Murray N. Ethics of Liberty. New York, USA: New York University Press, 1998. Sen, Amartya. On Ethics and Economics. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing, 1988.

The Holocaust Essay -- Nazi Germany Papers

The Holocaust All throughout history, Jews have been persecuted. The Jews were blamed for killing Jesus and the idea of anti- Semitism has been around centuries before Adolf Hitler and the Nazis. Adolf Hitler led the Nazis to power in 1933 promising to make Germany powerful and respected by the rest of the world. He promised to fight Communism, to find jobs for the six million unemployed workers in Germany, to restore law and order, and to get rid of the â€Å"Jewish influence† in Germany. Hitler’s speeches were full of hatred for the Jews and this encouraged his followers to attack Jewish people. The Nazis controlled the police. The Nazis controlled the law courts, and Jews soon discovered that they would have no protection against Nazi attacks. In April 1933 Nazis called for Jewish shops to be boycotted. Storm-Troopers stood outside shops and stopped Germans from going in. Slogans were painted on shop windows. These boycotts were not very effective so the Nazis needed more effective methods. Joseph Goebbles, who controlled propaganda, produced many anti Semitic books and In 1933 Jews were also banned from some professions such as: doctors and the civil servants. Hitler wanted a racially pure Germany this is why the Jews were banned from these professions because they didn’t want their influence to spread. Source A is an extract from the Nuremberg laws; in September 1935 it starts by saying, â€Å"A Jew may not be citizen of the Reich†. This Shows that the Jews where stateless and they had nowhere to go. After it says, ‘Jews have no vote; they may not fill any public office’. Thi... ... face. The killing centres were, isolated areas, moderately well hidden from public view. They were located near major railroad lines, allowing trains to transport hundreds of thousands of people to the killing sites easily. The deportations required the help of many people and all parts of the German government. The victims in Poland were already imprisoned in ghettos and totally under German control. The deportation of Jews from other parts of Europe, however, was a far more complex problem. The German foreign minister was successful in persuade German occupied nation to assist in the deportations. The introduction of the Auschwitz extermination camp meant that the Jews could be killed efficiently. Unlike other death camps which were build solely to kill Jews, the Auscwitz death camp had a work camp attached.

Film Stars Are Earning Too Much?

Constantly appearing under the spot lights, attending endless extravagant parties and feasts, famous film actors, singers, or sportsmen are absolutely celebrities of contemporary society who can earn a huge money that normal people cannot even imagine. Personally I cannot be convinced that this is justified. Nowadays, in most countries, it is not uncommon that these celebrities, or so called ‘stars', make an incredible money with very little effort.For instance, through an endorsement of certain cosmetics brand, an actor/actress could probably get a payment reaching around several millions which equals to at least 10 years' disposable income of an ordinary working family. Therefore, this may attract more youngsters to move into the entertainment industries with false promises of being popular and successful. Besides that, occupations like film actors or singers, from my point of view, are by no means as essential and imperative to our society as some of others vocations such as teachers, doctors, or scientists, to name but a few.Just imagine, how can we survive in a society without any doctor when we get sick? Without teachers, how can we impart all the precious experiences and knowledge to our descendants, thus secure the future of our society. Considering the factors identified above, I tend to agree that stars' big income can by no means be justified by the effort they dedicated. However, let us consider some of the points that may be made in defense of their huge income. For example, the stiff competitions, a lack of privacy, or the relatively short professional life, etc.But, when they choose the career themselves , all these stresses are something they have to be confronted with, and can by no means justify their extravagant life style. By contrast, professionals (e. g. , teachers, doctors, scientists, etc. ) always play a much more pivotal, fundamental, indispensable role in our community. Thus, steps should be taken by governments to raise the awa reness of general public, and to raise social status, as well as incomes of these professionals.

Penn Foster College Essay

We are in diverse world, a world of differences and unique situations. For example, it is the mandate of the Law that children should study and that it should be financed by our parents, for most, in their primary and secondary, and for those born with golden spoons on their mouths, up until their college days or Ph. D. We have different priorities and our human values are made up of the inward and outward factors of the societies we were brought up. We also have different needs, from small things like ice cream, electronic gadgets, to houses and cars. According to the Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, a person has deficiency needs and growth needs. Before he advances to the next level of need, he should have met the previous need. That’s what is happening to us. The people around us such as our parents, relatives, and friends nurtured us. Once the fourth level of need was accomplished (achievement, recognition, or approval), we now aspire for growth. The common growth that can lead us in higher positions in society, with huge paychecks, and luxurious lives, is the growth in education. We could have not known that this growth is priceless until we have engaged in jobs or in the professional world. However, once a person is in the marketplace, he has been wrapped up with some daily concerns, from her work, and, once he gets at home, from the concerns of his family. And though there’s an opportunity of a higher education, it has been covered up with the loads that we have from the concerns above. Like most of us, I also have dreams for the future and my goals are going to be a lot difficult to reach if I have not planned it critically. I made use of the Step Decision Model as my guide. I am fond of teaching kids, yet I didn’t have enough money to pay for the tuition in a university. That is my problem. In addition, my mom is already old and I only earn through peer and personal tutorials. I have the option to stop realizing that education is an infinite learning. Yet, I insist to make a decision. I weighed down my options. The little money I earn can be used to pay my tuition fee and travel expenses or it can help me buy the needs of my family. Finally, I enrolled in a kind of college that I have recently found out to be enjoyable, educational, and very convenient—distance learning. This is an alternative from the kind of education that we get from the four corners of the classroom. Distance learning offers lots of conveniences for me—it makes me save up my money and makes me much available to aide my mother. However, before, I had difficulty in focusing to my subjects due to conflicting schedules. There were times that I prioritized the tutees that I had because it was their exam week and they needed greater time of assistance. There were also instances that I had family gatherings and reunions that I almost forgot to accomplish a certain project. It’s my decision to study so I should be responsible and make the best out of it. If I really want to earn a degree, I should be serious about it even to the littlest things. Conflicting schedules should not interfere with my studies. I now make sure that every time I study, I have a conditioned mind. Also, at first, I thought that I can’t have a quality education unlike those students in the usual college setting, but I was proven wrong. In distance learning the professors consistently interact with their students. And as a learner, I enjoy the benefits of having my mentor’s attention even if he or she is very distant. With that, I have developed the confidence to communicate with people even of higher ranks and they have properly guided me. As part of the human dimension, a balanced life needs a clear or if not a detailed set of priorities. Learning is fun but we should understand that distance learning is not different from any other learning. We should be serious with it. We should be eager to learn and to focus. Proper time management and the passion to pursue our dreams make will make us enjoy our studies while performing other responsibilities to our loved ones and to our works. References: Penn Foster College. Penn Foster Collger Student Testimonials http://www. pennfoster. edu/student_testimonials. html Huitt, W. (2004). Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University. Retrieved [date] from, http://chiron. valdosta. edu/whuitt/col/regsys/maslow. html

Cultural Landscape Essay

A cultural landscape is a piece of land that possesses natural and cultural resources related to an historic event, person, or group of people. They are usually man-made lexis of relationships with the nature and/or society or culture. These can include grand estates, public gardens and parks, educational institutions, cemeteries, highways, and industrial sites. Cultural landscapes are also humanist works of art, texts and narratives of cultures that express regional and cultural identity. They also present relationship to their ecological perspective. Human activities have turned out to be a major cause of shaping most cultivated landscapes on the surface of Earth. Human, animal and machine labor expended in using the land can create outstanding cultural landscapes with high aesthetic, cultural and ecological value such as the paddy-field rice terraces of south-east Asia, but may as well result in land degradation as is the case in some regions in the Mediterranean. The distribution of landforms such as steep slopes, fertile plains, inundated valleys in a landscape sets the frame for land use by determining factors such as accessibility, water and nutrient availability, but may over long periods of time also be changed through land use. On the other hand, land use serves distinct socio-economic purposes: land may supply materials and energy through hunting, agriculture or forestry, it may host infrastructure, or it may be needed to absorb waste and emissions (Haberl et al. , 2004). Landscapes can be seen as the contingent and historically variable outcome of this interplay between socio-economic and biophysical forces. During the evolution of cultural landscapes throughout the world, humans have developed adaptive land-use techniques and created specific patterns of fields, farmsteads, remnant woodlots and the like that depended on both natural and socio-economic conditions. In European agricultural landscapes, the long history of land transformation has led to regionally distinct regular patterns of geometrically arranged landscape elements, reflecting the historical and cultural background of the prevailing land-use system of a region (Bell, 1999). The spatial distribution of ecotopes, the so-called landscape structure, has therefore often been regarded as a mosaic of ‘frozen processes’; i. e. landscape structure assumedly mirrors the processes which had been going on in a landscape. This perception has even become a central paradigm in modern landscape ecology. While many ecosystem processes are difficult to observe directly, landscape structure can be derived from mapping as well as from remote-sensing data; therefore, landscape structure was often not only used to evaluate the ecological value of landscapes, but also to judge ecological aspects of the sustainability of land-use patterns (Wrbka et al. , 1999b). The Influence Of Land Form On The Intensity Of Land Use Cultural landscapes have, in contrast to natural and semi-natural landscapes, special characteristics. The disturbance regime as well as the major material and energy fluxes in these transformed landscapes is controlled to a large extent by humans. This is done by the different land-use practices applied for meadows, arable land or forests. Decisions about land use are made according to the local agro-ecological characteristics which are nested in a hierarchy of social, economical and technical constraints. Cultural landscapes can thus only be understood by analyzing the interplay between biophysical and socioeconomic patterns and processes. Landscape Structure And Intensity Of Land Use Odum and Turner (1989) found that the landscape elements of the Georgia landscape in the early 1930s had a higher fractal dimension than the elements of the same region in the 1980s. During the same period of time the use of fertilizers, pesticides and other agrochemicals increased dramatically. This illustrates that the growing human impact on the land may result in a landscape with decreasing geometrical complexity. Human activities introduce rectangularity and rectilinearity into landscapes, producing regular shapes with straight borders (Forman, 1999; Forman and Moore, 1992). Various studies suggest that the rate of landscape transformation is a function of land-use intensity (Alard and Poudevigne, 1999; Hietala-Koivu, 1999; Mander et al. , 1999; Odum and Turner, 1989), and that the geometric complexity of a landscape in particular decreases with increasing land-use intensity accompanied by a decrease of habitat heterogeneity and an increase of production units. Applying the thermodynamic laws to landscape structure, Forman and Moore (1992) suggested that the concentrated input of energy (e. g. , by tractor ploughing, plant production, wildfire) decreases the entropy of patches compared to adjacent areas and produces straight and abrupt boundaries. In other words, energy is required to convert natural curvilinear boundaries into straight lines and energy is required to maintain them. The reduction of the energy input increases entropy and revegetation convolutes and softens landscape boundaries. This means that the ‘landscape structure’, in the sense of Forman and Godron (1986), can be regarded as ‘frozen processes’. Landscape Structure And Biodiversity Many surveys show that species richness of vascular plants and bryophytes normally decreases with land-use intensity (Luoto, 2000; Mander et al. , 1999; Zechmeister and Moser, 2001; Zechmeister et al. , 2003). As the link between landscape structure and land-use intensity could be established, shape complexity as a measure of land-use intensity seems to be also a good predictor of species richness (Moser et al. , 2002; Wrbka et al. , 1999a). Accordingly, higher species richness in areas with high LD and richness values can be expected. The use of shape complexity indices as indicators for plant species richness is based on an assumed correlation between geometric landscape complexity and biodiversity (Moser et al. , 2002). Obviously, this correlation is not mechanistic but it is supposed to be due to congruent effects of land-use intensity on landscape shape complexity and species richness. Moser et al. (2002) gives a good literature overview about the driving factors responsible for the decrease of landscape complexity with increasing land-use intensity, which resulted in the following key findings: * The majority of landscape elements in agricultural landscapes are designed by humans as rectangles with straight and distinct boundaries (Forman, 1999). * Outside boundaries of semi-natural or natural patches are straightened by neighboring cultivated areas (). * Increasing land-use intensity is accompanied by a decrease of semi-natural and natural areas (Alard and Poudevigne, 1999; Mander et al. , 1999), resulting in a decrease of natural curvilinear boundaries. * Intensification in agriculture tends to increase the size of production units (Alard and Poudevigne, 1999; Hietala-Koivu, 1999). In addition to that intensification of land use on the production unit, e. g. , by fertilizing or increased mowing intensity, also leads to a dramatic decrease of the species richness (Zechmeister et al. , 2003). The description of the degradation of semi-natural and agricultural landscapes shows clearly the interdependence of biodiversity and landscape heterogeneity, induced by closely interwoven ecological, demographical, socio-economic and cultural factors. For an effective conservation management of biodiversity and landscape eco-diversity, a clear understanding of the ecological and cultural processes and their perturbations is essential. Intermediate disturbance levels lead to a highly complex and diverse cultural landscape which can host many plant and animal species. Landscapes, with ‘eco-diversity hotspots’, can be regarded as hint for ‘biodiversity hotspots’. Landscape pattern indicators therefore play an important role for landscape conservation planning. The understanding of landscape processes is crucial for the conservation of both, landscape eco-diversity and biodiversity. Conclusions From a conservation biology point of view, the ongoing process of genetic erosion and biodiversity loss as well as the replacement of specific recognizable cultural landscapes by monotonous ubiquistic production sites will continue. The biophysical characteristics and natural constraints of the investigated landscapes are interwoven with the regional historic and socio-economical development. This interplay is the background for the development of a variety of cultural landscapes which have their own specific characteristics. Geo-ecological land-units provide one solution. This is of special importance when the relationship of landscape patterns and underlying processes is under investigation. Works Cited Alard, D. , Poudevigne, I. Factors controlling plant diversity in rural landscapes: a functional approach. Landscape and Urban Planning, 1999: 46, 29–39 Bell, S. , Landscape—Pattern, Perception and Process. E. &F. N. Spon, London, 1999 Forman, R. T. T. , & Godron, M. Landscape Ecology. Wiley, New York, 1986. Forman, R. T. T. , & Moore, P. N. Theoretical foundations for understanding boundaries in landscape mosaics. In: Hansen, F. J. , Castri, F. (Eds. ), Landscape Boundaries. Consequences for Biotic Diversity and Ecological Flows. Springer, New York, 1992, pp. 236–258. Forman, R. T. T. Horizontal processes, roads, suburbs, societal objectives in landscape ecology. In: Klopatek, M. , Gardner, R. H. (Eds. ), Landscape Ecological Analysis: Issues and Applications. Springer, New York, 1999, pp. 35–53. Haberl, H. , Wackernagel, M. , Krausmann, F. , Erb, K. -H. , Monfreda, C. Ecological footprints and human appropriation of net primary production: A comparison. Land Use Policy, doi:10. 1016/ j. landusepol. 2003. 10. 008. , 2004 Hietala-Koivu, R. Agricultural landscape change: a case study in Y lane, Southwest Finland. Landscape and Urban Planning , 1999: 46, 103–108. Luoto, M.. Modelling of rare plant species richness by landscape variables in an agriculture area in Finland. Plant Ecology , 2000: 149, 157–168. Mander, U. , Mikk, M. , Ku. lvik, M.. Ecological and low intensity agriculture as contributors to landscape and biological diversity. Landscape and Urban Planning , 1999: 46, 169–177.

African American Minority Group Essay

Among many of the ethnic groups that experienced a combination of segregation, racism, and prejudice; African Americans is one of the few that is still faced with one or more forms of discrimination today. The majority of African Americans came to the United States from Africa to be slaves, while others are citizens or residents of the United States from partial ancestry a form of the native population. In 1619, the first recorded Africans were recorded in British North America in Jamestown, Virginia, and the numbers began to increase as more English settlers died from harsh conditions and the Africans were brought to work as laborers. In the late 1700s the American Revolution occurred, which landed approximately 3 million Africans in slavery in the United States by the mid-1800s, (Centerwall, Brandon, 1984). In 1863 President Abraham Lincoln declared that all slaves in the United States from a Union were free. Meanwhile the declaration of Africans being free from slavery was joyful event, it was also the beginning of a growing battle that lead to a different approach of discrimination including; segregation, prejudice, and racism. By the 1900s, the African American population increased, which majority of the population lived in the Southern states of the United States. The Southern states enforced the Jim Crow laws, which mandated racial segregation in all public facilities giving white Americans advantages over black Americans in public schools, public transportation, restrooms, restaurants and drinking fountains. In order to eliminate the control that white Americans had over African Americans, African Americans began to build their own schools, churches, and communities. Although, African Americans building their own communities was the intention of avoiding the humiliation of the Jim Crow laws, it still didn’t prevent the African Americans from becoming victims of racially motivated violence. African Americans experienced countless acts of violence incidents that lead blacks battered, beaten and even dead in some cases. White Americans begin to form organizations that promoted white power, leading the organizations to practice out violence and destroy African Americans property. A popular white power organization called themselves the Ku Klux Klan and performed acts against blacks that included; lynching cross burnings, physical violence, and house burnings towards African Americans. Although, the Ku Klux Klan was formed in 1867, it has been rumors that there are people that are still secretly members today. African Americans experienced a wider range of discrimination, segregation, and racism more so in the later days but still arise in society today. In a perfect world, no one would be judged by the color of their skin and society would focus on a person’s individual true character. Often times African Americans miss out on opportunities because they are being judged by the color of their skin, rather than their abilities. The United States has tried to provide Americans the rights to equal opportunity, by creating the Affirmative action. The affirmative action eliminates people being granted opportunities based on their race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or national origin and ensures that minority groups within a society receive equal opportunities. Although, the affirmative action was intended to diminish situations which cause people to participate in different forms of discrimination, but unless it could be fully proven that African Americans were being passed up for jobs, education, income and other forms of advancements there will never be a way to fully prohibit this form of discrimination. Today, there is still unequal opportunities and discriminatory treatment that occurs in the United States especially with African Americans. African Americans were affected by many forms of discrimination that decreased advancement to equal other races in society. They were faced with dual labor market, forcing blacks to work in lower labor market areas. Redlining was enforced by keeping businesses from helping African Americans simply because of the area they lived in. Many African Americans wanted to better themselves by furthering their education, but suffered from institutional discrimination and given less information and aid for education. Knowing the history of the African American struggles on; prejudice, discrimination, and segregation allows me to understand my roots and accomplishments of my ethnic group. Personally the history of African Americans affects me greatly, because it is the combination of struggles that has played a huge role to my advancements and opportunities performed daily. The African American ancestors fought daily through all counts of discrimination helps that allows all groups of different minority groups the same equal rights for advancement opportunities. Although, the majority of the world views of African Americans has changed there are still people that choose to discriminate against African Americans by choosing not to change with the ways of the world and maintain prejudice. Acts of discrimination is performed but not as greatly as many years ago. African American culture has had a rough past journey, but in the long run the majority of the United States has made it possible for all African Americans equal rights and opportunities in life.

Abigail Adams: Witness to a Revolution

Abigail Adams: WITNESS TO A REVOLUTION Abigail Adams, Witness to a Revolution, was one of the greatest writers of her age. She passionately campaigned for women's education, denounced sex discrimination, and matched intelligence not only with her husband, John, but also with Thomas Jefferson and George Washington. She wrote more than two thousand letters about her legacy that her family members saved, recognizing their importance and ignoring her plea to burn them. Abigail’s letters are her biography and it is through them that we understand her unique character, sense of humor, independent spirit, and her English language.It is through her writing that opens a window to our nation’s history and brings Abigail Adams and her time to life. On November 11, 1744, Abigail Adams was born Abigail Smith. She lived in a small town of Weymouth, Massachusetts and lived with her two parents William and Elizabeth Quincy Smith. She had two sisters and one brother, Mary, Elizabeth, an d William. When Abigail was a little girl she always asked her mother if she could go to school. Her mother said no so her grandmother taught her to read and write at home.Abigail loved to read books from her father’s library and listened in on her father’s meetings. She loved books and politics and was a very clever and talented girl. As a teenager, Abigail had many friends that she wrote letters to. She was always very self-conscious and worried about her spelling and punctuation since she didn’t have a proper education. One of Abigail’s many friends who wrote letters to her was John Adams. When Abigail was nineteen years old she married John Adams on October 25, 1764.John Adams was a lawyer in the Smith family home of Weymouth, Massachusetts and was married by Abigail’s father, Reverend Smith. As a married couple they moved to Braintree and lived in a house that John inherited from his father. John was a very intelligent man who wanted to become a farmer as a boy, but his father discouraged it and sent him away to school. John got his education from Harvard College and this is where he became a lawyer. John and Abigail had five children together. Their first daughter, Abigail nicknamed Nabby, who was born on July 19, 1765.Their second child was John who was born on July 17, 1767. Susan was born December 28, 1768, but passed away a year later. Their son Charles was born May 29, 1770 and on September 15, 1770 their son Thomas was born. In 1767, the Adams family was living in Braintree Mass. When the British started requiring taxes on American documents, John knew he wanted to help the colonies and became a well-known spokesman. He was away from home a lot so in 1768, Abigail moved her family to Boston. After the Boston Tea Party event they moved their family back to Braintree.While John was away traveling it was up to Abigail to raise her first daughter Nabby, along with managing the farm and family money. She also taught a black slave how to read and write. When John was away she was often very lonely and writing letters made her feel better along with the birth of her second child John. John and Abigail had a very good marriage and relationship. She was very intrigued with politics and books and would often ask John what was going on in the world, which was very unusual for women to do so. They often talked about women’s rights.When John was away Abigail would write to him reminding him of the women. Meaning that he should include women’s rights in the continental congress. In 1770 the Boston Massacre happened where the fire bells were ringing. Abigail rushed home afraid her house may be on fire but were relieved to find out they were safe. The bells sounding the town meant trouble. Some teenage boys were throwing rocks and snow at British soldier, which lead to the soldiers shooting five people dead, and six were very injured. This even was known as the Boston Massacre.In 1775 the batt le of Concord and Lexington marked the beginning of the Revolutionary War. Many people fled Boston for fear of attacks. Abigail invited them in for food and shelter and wrote, â€Å"The house is in state of confusion. † When Johnny was eight years old, Abigail took her son to watch a battle on Breed’s Hill in Boston on June 17th, 1775. After seeing the terrible battle of Bunker Hill she wrote to her husband who showed her letters to George Washington and other leaders about the people’s suffering. In August 1776 the Declaration of Independence was written.Abigail became the first First Lady to ever live in the White House when John was elected Presidents over the United States. As first Lady she spoke out in favor of the women’s rights. Abigail Adams in an example of a life lived by women in colonial, Revolutionary. While she is best known as an early First Lady and the role she took for women’s rights in letters to her husband she is also known as a farm manager and financial manager. Abigail passed away on October 28, 1818 of typhoid fever. She is buried beside her husband in Quincy, Massachusetts.She was seventy-three when she died and her last words were, â€Å"Do not grieve, my friend, my dearest friend. I am ready to go. And John, it will not be long. † –Abigail Adams The wife of the second president and the mother of five children, Abigail Adams was an extraordinary women. She experienced the Revolutionary War and saw the battle of Bunker Hill from a hilltop near her home. The letters written by Abigail Adams to her friends and family bring the Revolutionary period alive, with every day life changing events of her time.She is given her own place in history in this award winning biography that she deserved and more. Natalie S. Bober wrote Abigail Adams, Witness to a Revolution because writing biographies did not only fascinate her, but her goal was to make Abigail Adams heard by everyone. She wanted us rea ders to know how much of a role she played in sticking up for women’s rights, being a good wife to her husband by caring for her family while he was away, and the decisions she had to make as a strong independent woman that changed the Revolutionary period and made her who she is today.I don’t think the author took any sides or had any arguments while reading this book. Natalie Bober took a lot of time to research and search many old documents to put together this award winning biography. Reading this book I would recommend it to any strong independent women to reinsure us that there are great role models for us women to look up to. I only hope to be as courageous, intelligent and independent as Abigail Adams some day.