Grade Speech Essay

From the minute the teacher mentioned the word SPEECHES i started to frown. I have never been a big fan speeches from the start, even though i have been doing them for a few years now i still have trouble with them. Whether its coming up with a topic, revising and editing, or presenting in front of the class i don’t like it one bit. But when you think of it who really does like doing speeches at are age. I have never met someone who has started jumping up and down cheering when they hear the teacher start talking about doing speeches. Or someone who started thinking yaaa i get stand up in front of all my friends and my classmates and talk about one subject for 5 to 6 minutes. But in the end we all have to do it one time or another. Knowing that I start thinking of different topics to do my speech on, and then i think why not do a speech on the very thing i have trouble with. Why not do a speech on doing a speech. So here’s my speech on speeches. The first step on creating your speech is too come up with a good topic. You wanna think of something that isn’t too boring. The last thing you want is to be standing there talking with half of the room falling asleep. You want a topic that is something your audience will find interesting or maybe something they can relate to. If your like me, coming up with the right topic to do your speech on can be challenging sometimes. So here are some things to keep in mind while finding a good topic for you. First thing is that the topic you choose has to be one that either you know a lot on or one that will be easy to research. If you cant get information on it then you wont have anything to talk about. Second thing to keep in mind is that you need to make sure the topic is appropriate for whatever audience you will be presenting to. Third thing is that another way to help think of a topic is to brainstorm. You can brainstorm many different ideas then choose the one you want to do most . The next part to do of the writhing section of your speech is the draft. this is one of the parts that takes the most work. The most important thing to keep in mind while writing your draft is that it’s a draft! A rough copy. You can go back and fix things later when you don’t like what u have written. There should be three parts to your speech. #1 the introduction. #2 the body. #3 the conclusion. The introduction is where it all starts. That’s where you have your opening sentence. You want your opening sentence to be something interesting that will grab the audiences attention and make them want to keep on listening to the speech. A good introduction is the way to start off a good speech the body of your speech is the middle. Its the biggest part of the whole thing. Then there’s your conclusion. Its the ending part of speech, the part where you Finnish up and conclude. Now its time to revise and edit.

Siddhartha Commentary: Bildungsroman

â€Å"Siddhartha† by Herman Hesse is neatly categorized under the Bildungsroman genre. Bildungsroman is a novel dealing with one person’s formative years or spiritual education. Throughout the whole novel Siddhartha, the main character, is confronted by many setbacks not only physically and emotionally but also spiritually. Siddhartha’s father was a Brahman and thus Siddhartha learnt the traditions through his own father. However, Siddhartha felt that he was missing something and this started his journey to enlightenment.Herman Hesse splits Siddhartha’s journey into three major locations. The confrontations that Siddhartha faces in the different location all relate to each other by three different aspects that affected Siddhartha. Mental situations, situations that involved human desire and spiritual situations are the three aspects that affected Siddhartha. Firstly, when Siddhartha encountered situation that involved his mentality, human teachers taught S iddhartha. Siddhartha was first taught by his father, the Head Brahman, through scriptures of ways to lead a blessed life.However, Siddhartha had already mastered the ways of the Brahman. He also felt that his soul could not be taught by scriptures because if he continued learning though scriptures he would just go on a â€Å"detour, (he) was getting lost†. Soon after, Siddhartha left the Brahman ways with Govinda to learn from the Samanas. Once again, Siddhartha’s teachers were humans. The duo was taught to deprive themselves of all sorts of pleasure and to be an â€Å"empty human†. After slowly mastering the ways of the Samanas, Siddhartha soon became bitter to his surroundings.He saw his world as one full of negative things. Siddhartha’s â€Å"glance turned to ice when he encountered women†, â€Å"merchants trading, princes hunting, mourners wailing for their dead, whores offering themselves, physicians trying to help the sick, priests determin ing the most suitable day for seeding, lovers loving, (and) mothers nursing their children†. Siddhartha’s mouth would always â€Å"twitch(ed) with contempt†. Siddhartha would also be absolutely numb to the world saying that â€Å"the world tasted bitter† and that â€Å"life was torture. †The Samanas also taught Siddhartha self-deprivation. Siddhartha â€Å"went the way of self-denial by means of pain, through voluntarily suffering† in the process of this, Siddhartha was able to overcome pain, hunger, thirst (and), tiredness. † Soon, Siddhartha acknowledged that the ways of the Samana was not able to achieve enlightenment. He told Govinda that the eldest Samana who has â€Å"lived for sixty years and has not reached the nirvana† so how were they supposed to attain enlightenment through the ways of the Samana if the eldest Samana hasn’t.Siddhartha shadowed behind the mental games that the ways of the both the Head Brahman an d eldest Samana. The way of the Brahman and the eldest Samana were only training Siddhartha’s mental but it did not touch even the slightest part of Siddhartha’s soul. Secondly, Siddhartha went through what I would consider a stage that lured him to somewhat go against what he learnt in the first part of the novel, which is accepting human desires and attending to them.The start of this journey was when he let Govinda stay with the Buddha while Siddhartha ventured out himself. Throughout this journey, Siddhartha’s teachers are humans. Siddhartha learns the art of love from a ‘teacher of love’ named Kamala and the ways of the rich by a merchant named Kalaswami. Siddhartha learnt how to see the beauty in things however, this led him to take advantage of his surrounding’s beauty. When Siddhartha left Govinda, it symbolized him letting go of his the teaching from the Samanas and Brahman.Once he let go, then Siddhartha was finally able to see the beauty of life, he saw â€Å"all of this, a thousand-fold and colourful, had always been there, always the sun and the moon had shone, always rivers had roared and bees had buzzed, but in former times all of this had been nothing more to Siddhartha than a fleeting, deceptive veil before his eyes, looked upon in distrust, destined to be penetrated and destroyed by though, since it was not the essential existence, since this essence lay beyond, on the other side of, the visible. Siddhartha then describes his ‘new life’ as a child-like laughter, he called it â€Å"beautiful and lovely†. As Siddhartha reaches the near village, Siddhartha sees a young woman and inside of him, there is a spark of lust that started the first fire. Siddhartha describes the feeling as one that made â€Å"his blood heating up†. Next, Kalaswami first sees Siddhartha as he â€Å"entered, a swiftly, smoothly moving man with very gray hair, with very intelligent, cautious eyes, with a greedy mouth†.Siddhartha seems to take note of the result of indulging in too much pleasure. Unfortunately, he doesn’t realize when he has become just like Kalaswami. Then Siddhartha finally realizes that pleasure is only temporary. Siddhartha sits and â€Å"he became aware of the strange life he was leading, of him doing lots of things which were only a game, of, though being happy and feeling joy at times, real life still passing him by and not touching him†. Siddhartha acknowledges again that through lust and desire, he was not able to attain enlightenment.So, he continued his journey. Lastly, Siddhartha went through his final stage that would be considered a stage that was about Siddhartha spiritually. At first, Siddhartha’s spiritual journey begins at the Jetavana Grove where the Buddha gave his teachings. The second part of Siddhartha’s spiritual journey, he was guided by a human named Vasudeva. However, unlike the other teachers that Siddhar tha had, Siddhartha learnt how to attain enlightenment through the river that he studied.Siddhartha’s first step to enlightenment was when he was just about to leave the Jetavana grove where the Buddha gave his teachings. As Siddhartha was just about to leave the grove, the Buddha smiled at him. At that point, Siddhartha was able to understand the tranquility behind the smile. Siddhartha also understood that peacefulness was the result of enlightenment. The proof was the Buddha, his â€Å"eyes quietly looked to the ground; quietly, in perfect equanimity his inscrutable face was smiling†. Through Siddhartha’s spiritual path, dreams came to Siddhartha.These dreams brought Siddhartha to a realization of how he was living in the past and they also guided Siddhartha is ways guided him on how he should live his life. Siddhartha’s dreams were manifestations of his consciousness. For example, Siddhartha’s internal ‘death’ through his indulgenc e of pleasure was represented by Kamala’s dead song bird. † At the last stage of Siddhartha’s spiritual journey, Siddhartha made many self-reflections while studying the river. This made him realize what he did in the past, what he was doing in the present and what he would do in the future.Siddhartha through the process of attaining enlightenment, he â€Å"stopped fighting his fate, (and) stopped suffering. On his face flourished the cheerfulness of a knowledge, which is no longer opposed by any will, which knows perfection, which is in agreement with the flow o f events, with the current of life, full of sympathy for the pain of others, full of sympathy for the pleasure of others, devoted to the flow, belonging to the oneness. † Siddhartha studied the river and when he did, Siddhartha finally found enlightenment.Throughout the novel, Siddhartha has had many different encounters with different people, animals and himself, Siddhartha changed from a boy to a man who’s eyes have been opened to the ‘new world’. Siddhartha’s goal that he had when he took the first step by leaving his house to join the Samanas was to attain enlightenment. With this goal in mind, Siddhartha was finally able to attain enlightenment with the help of the river. At first was boy who was hungry for the key to enlightenment even more for his hunger for new knowledge.During his lifelong journey Siddhartha went through many mental, physical and spiritual struggles he on the road to attain enlightenment. However, unlike the other teachers that taught him their different specialties’, Siddhartha’s teacher that helped him to enlightenment wasn’t a human but rather it was from one of Mother Nature’s creations, the river. The many changes in Siddhartha’s life caused Siddhartha going through the vital process of growth. In conclusion, Siddhartha by Herman Hesse is a bildungsroman.

Change the U.S. into a utopia what changes would you make and why Essay

Change the U.S. into a utopia what changes would you make and why - Essay Example Since USA plays central role in world politics and is the center of international trade and economy, utopian USA should be free from racial or religious discriminations. Educating youth is the best step that can be taken to make USA a utopian state. The awareness and standard of education will have to be raised as violence and drug abuse have been increasing among the students at an alarming rate. The post 9/11 USA has become a far fetched reality than what its founding father's wanted it to be. The event was a turning point in the American foreign policy. The enforcement of the ‘Patriot Act’ held deep impacts on the civil liberties of common Americans, especially the ones belonging to ethnic and religious minorities. Racial targeting became common and people had to change or 'blend in' in order to be not picked upon. It is critical enough for US to come close to being a perfect nation as it consists of almost whole of North America. The State department though, has made significant measures to bridge the gap, by promoting cultural exchange programs across the US, by encouraging American families to host foreign students mainly from the Middle East so as to remove the stereotypes from both sides and paint a different picture altogether.

Indecent Behavior in Social Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Indecent Behavior in Social Media - Essay Example Overt sexuality and vulgar language are the most common areas of indecency identified in the media. However, even with the predominant religion is Christianity, the American culture is growing more and more tolerant and secular, which is impacting the media’s ability to push the envelope. This pushing of the envelope is visible in many of the popular television programs today. For example, with the television program called The Vampire Diaries, the network presented advertisements for the show which stated: â€Å"Catch VD† and â€Å"Mind-Blowingly Inappropriate† which were accompanied by sexualized pictures of the show’s cast(Weiss, 2011). The age group for this show is largely young teenagers, so by advertising in this manner, it illustrates that this sexualized â€Å"indecent† behaviour is becoming more and more accepted by younger and younger audiences. The Parent’s Television Council keeps an eye on the media for things such as this and makes sure to discourage people from watching it and keeps itself a visible force in the media as a group which displays public disagreement with the indecent behaviour portrayed on television. An additional example is the popular reality show known as Jersey Shore. According to the article entitled â€Å"MTV’s Jersey Shore Rides Bad Waves After Viewers Respond,† this reality show promotes a variety of indecent behaviours such as sexual promiscuity, drinking, smoking, and vulgar language(Griffin, 2009). The show pulls in millions of viewers every week and has become one of MTV’s most watched television programs with its stars becoming wealthy and famous. The popularity of this program indicates that people have become more accepting of bad behaviour and are coming to see it as interesting rather than indecent. Ultimately, it is this distinction which has led to the overall change in what our media and society allows: the interesting factor.  Ã‚  

The Arab-Israeli Peace Process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Arab-Israeli Peace Process - Essay Example The Oslo process made Israeli forces withdraw from West Bank territory that contained Palestine and was made to be under Palestinians. The treaty brought peace in Palestine. Both the countries had to ensure they provide maximum security to their citizens and prevent the terror attack. There was peace in Palestine because it was their responsibility to ensure that they avoid terror against the Israelis. The Oslo process had some shortcomings in it. The Oslo process broke down because of improper negotiation habits thus turning the peace that was created to the charade. This provided a much safe platform for the Israelis to keep on doing their projects in West Bank and go unpunished (Rothstein, Maoz & Shiqāqī, 2002). Some of these projects harmed the Palestine. The Oslo process led to loose of trust between the countries and there was no peace. The Palestinians are unsatisfied and grieve thinking of what was to yield a wave of peace in their country is bringing harm. The Palestinians lands have been taken because of a construction of roads and walls thus separating the Palestinians communities (Rothstein, Maoz & Shiqāqī, 2002). The number of deaths has increased evidently in the recent killing in Gaza strip and there were more than a thousand individuals killed in the process. After the Oslo process failed there was no room left for subsequent peace talk between the Israelis and Palestinians because of lack of trust, which is a foundation for establishing treaties. From the shortcoming, we see Oslo process as an inappropriate aid, which is falsely framed to bring peace to the

The Human Genome Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

The Human Genome Project - Essay Example The Human Genome Project began in 1990, with the aim of establishing the DNA sequence of the whole euchromatic human genome in a period of 15 years . At the initial stage, the project was filled with scepticism from scientists and even ordinary people. One major issue raised was whether the enormous finances involved in the project would result in corresponding benefits. Nonetheless, the great success of the project is clear, the completion of Human Genome project brought a new age in medicine and also resulted in major advancements in the forms of technology applied in sequence DNA . The U.S National Institute of Health (NIH) and Department of Energy funded the launch of Human Genome project in 1990.   The labs of this project worked with international collaborators and they were able to resolve 95% of the sequence of DNA in human genome in a period of 15 years. Similarly, John Sulston in association with his colleagues at the MRC‘s laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambrid ge in the UK were working at mapping the genome of the nematode worm for a number of years. From their findings, they revealed that sequencing the entire genome of the worm was feasible . Human Genome Project in the US, it progressed well in its operations. In the United Kingdom, the MRC approached the Wellcome Trust and proposed for a new partnership to enable them get funds to facilitate the worm sequence project that John had proposed. After this proposal, things began to move quickly because the Wellcome Trust embarked its operations.

In what ways does recycling directly impact the sustainability of the Essay

In what ways does recycling directly impact the sustainability of the environment - Essay Example Recycling is an alternative to land filling, which in any case in getting scare. In addition, the impact of global warming is much less in recycling than in landfill. Recycling is a major industry and for the sustainability of the environment, the infrastructure has to be in order. Recycling is assumed to be environmentally beneficial but even the process of collecting, sorting and processing material gives rise to environmental impacts and energy use (Postnote 2002). The impact of recycling different products is charted in the table below: Even though recycling results in energy conservation and conservation of natural resources, it does impact the environment through the greenhouse emissions, pollution or the use of finite resources. Recycling positively impacts the environment in several ways. It reduces waste going into landfills, it saves energy in producing fresh products and it reduces the amount of pollution from litter, incineration and misuse. Using three tons of recycled paper can save 17 trees, 7,000 gallons of water, and three cubic yards of landfill (Globalimpact 2005). E-waste has become very common in most countries and particularly in China where economic development has been very rapid. It is an important waste stream in terms of both quantity and toxicity (Liu, Tanaka and Matsui 2005). Both businesses and homes discard e-waste that come from equipments like computers, televisions, refrigerators and the like. The recycling process in China is absolutely informal and this has an adverse impact on the environment. Recycling of the e-waste takes place in the villages in China and is handled by the uneducated people. These uneducated people use technology like burning or acid dipping and the waste is then dumped in the local river that has become polluted. E-waste includes several metals and chemicals and lead is commonly used in the equipments. Lead can cause chronic damage to the nervous and reproductive systems. According to

AED WK4 DQ 1 Reponses Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

AED WK4 DQ 1 Reponses - Coursework Example They can also be helped by utilizing a psycho-educational method to improve communication, cognitive, and social skills and at the same time reducing issue behavior. Since no single intersession works for all such students need individual tailored methods but the most used is in such situation is the applied behavior analysis (ABA). A mean student need to be explained the effects of being mean and benefits of one who is generous. By doing that, we shall be trying to change the behavior to make him adopt positive thinking towards others. While working with such a student use various stories on people who were mean and what life they faced afterwards. The story should have a theme of avoiding being mean. Ensure you are just as generous as possible so that when they compare they see some value helping others(Volkmar et al., 2004). Shy students need to be introduced to various situations to ensure they reduce their shyness. Working in groups is the best method where each person is given a topic to discuss. By doing that, they will develop confidence in themselves for delivering their topic; afterwards they will now start making friends. Afterwards the group discussions will then be taken to class presentation; this will reduce cases of shyness as one realizes he or she can present anything audibly to others(Volkmar et al., 2004). Such a student needs intensive behavioral intervention by ABA. Always while communicating tell them to look at you and ensure you attract her attention as much as possible. Error correction process should also be applied with various trials that will enable her remain focused. There is also need for constructive partnership with the siblings, parents, and co-therapists. Interaction also should be intensified to lower her restricted and communication issue(Volkmar et al., 2004). 3. It is crucial for all children, especially those with ASD, to have immediate feedback. Why is it important to have immediate feedback? How do you feel

Wildest Weather in the Solar System Essay Example for Free

Wildest Weather in the Solar System Essay On February 20 2012, me and my daughter went to the Gates Planetarium in Denver to see the showing of the Wildest Weather in the Solar System. The first thing we did was to walk around the Space Odyssey and explore some of the exhibit they had. Then we went to see the show which I must say was far more thrilling then I or my daughter could have imagined. When you first walk into the Space Odyssey you are amazed it almost looks as thought your walking on to a spaceship or what I would imagine it to be like. When you go thought the entrance you walk into a very long white tunnel with different colored lights all around you. The first exhibit we seen when we emerged from the tunnel was a very lager replica of the earth rotating around and also it look to be tilted my guess to represent the 23 1/2 tilt that the earth has. The next exhibit we seen was the recreation of the surface of mars or more specifically the Candor Chasma Canyons with 15,000 foot cliffs. The last exhibit we looked at before we had to go into the show was of a museum host talking about the Kuiper belt which is kind of like a asteroid belt but instead of being all rock, ice and metal the Kuiper belt is mostly frozen methane, ammonia and water. The wildest weather show was pretty amazing with the screen all around us creating a dome and every thing else being completely dark it make for a great experience me and my daughter shall not forget. First we travel to the sun and inside the core is a thermal nuclear fusion reactor creating energy which is transported to the surface where it becomes twisted in the powerful magnetic fields, the fields open up to allow burst of solar winds. Then we were off to Mercury who is in the path of the solar storms from the sun. The solar winds blast the atoms right off the planet creating a tail of particles stretching a million and a half km into space. Then we went on with are journey of the solar system to Venus. Venus has high winds and toxic clouds of sulfuric acid. On its surface Venus is a oven because of green house gases that are trap from the thick atmosphere of carbon dioxide as a result the average temperature is 460 degrees Celsius making it the hottest planet in the solar system. The last planet I’m going to tell you about that we visited is Mars. Mars is a frozen desert coated in layers of dust. Mars weather can create dust devils from the warming of the sun the hot air rises meeting the cold air to make Martian dust devils that can reach 8 km high. Also at certain times the wind can lift giant clouds of dust off the surface engulfing the planet in a globe dust storm. In all I would just like to say that from all I learned about the different planets in are solar system I think we are very lucky to have a unique place like earth to call home.

Security and Economic Revival Raise Hopes in the West Bank Essay Example for Free

Security and Economic Revival Raise Hopes in the West Bank Essay The New York Times article â€Å"Security and Economic Revival Raise Hopes in the West Bank† by Ethan Bonner covers the reemergence of the Palestinian-covered West Bank, specifically in the city of Nablus, after a series of bloody uprisings and encounters between extremists and Israeli forces. The Palestinian authority has been longing for control over their territories, and it has experienced its first sense of security and economic stability since the second Palestinian uprising broke out in 2000. It seems that the economy has stabilized so far as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) projected a seven percent growth rate for the year 2009. A few infrastructure projects have also started as rebuilding and revitalization of the West Bank area continued. A movie theater has opened and a seven-story furnishing store has started operation recently which proves that the West Banks economic and security status has been stabilizing. Just two weeks ago, Israeli checkpoints have started to shut down and troops are gradually being pulled out from the area which are a part of the Israels promise to aid the Palestinian authority. However, doubts have been raised against this promise as Israel has not permitted Paltel, the Palestinian cellphone company, to construct network towers (Bronner, 2009). By far, peace and order has been evident within the West Bank. The two camps—Israel and Palestine—have been working together in order to stabilize the economy of the area which is seen as a vital aspect for the areas growth. Security has also been a matter most attended to by both camps since it also helps ensure a steady economic growth. If both the economy and the security will be stabilized in the area, there will be enough reason to believe that the Palestinians will be capable enough to handle the problems within their areas. Since Israeli troops are gradually being pulled out, it goes to show that trust is slowly being reestablished between the Israeli government and the Palestinian authority, which is a good sign for both sides future relations. So far, the Palestinian communities—specifically Nablus, West Bank—has experienced a steady growth and a revitalized sense of security. As known in previous years, the conflict between Israeli forces and extremists has greatly hindered economic and political growth within Palestinian territories, especially in the West Bank area. The traumas of conflict may have not been permanently erased, but there is still hope for the Palestinian communities in the future as the West Bank experiences stability within its local economy. Furthermore, the Palestinian authority has been present in order to address the local concerns of the area, attending mostly to the areas security. It may take years before the economy has completely stabilized and the security has been fully established, but as of now, the area has shown great signs of improvement as compared to previous years. People have felt more secure, buildings are being established and reestablished, and stores are being opened and reopened. Communities are starting to experiencing growth again. References Bronner, E. (2009, July 16). Security and Economic Revival Raise Hopes in the West Bank. The New York Times. Retrieved July 17, 2009, from http://www. nytimes. com/2009/07/17/world/middleeast/17westbank. html? ref=world.

Schindler’s List: Movie Review Essay

Schindler’s List: Movie Review Essay Schindler’s List Set in the most horrific period of world history, Schindler’s List tells the real life story of Oscar Schindler. Set in Krakà ³w ghetto of German occupied Poland, Schindler’s List takes a look at the life and evolution of Oscar Schindler, a Nazi profiteer who changed the course of dozens of Polish Jews. Despite originally siding with the Nazis, Schindler goes on to save the lives of over a thousand Jews, who are deemed as essential for his enamel factory. The movie is an incredible epic of Schindler and the Jewish workers (called Schindlerjuden) he risked his life to save. Unlike in other modern movies, Schindler’s List is shot in black and white. While black-and-white film is not obsolete, few movies of our time period utilize it and those that do often do not use it to the best of their ability. This element is one of the reasons that make Schindler’s List stand out from other films. Steven Spielberg, the director of the movie, chose to use black-and-white to better set up the historical atmosphere World War II. I believe his did this because many people psychologically associate WWII and the 1930s without color films or photography. In making this choice, we as viewers are put into the right mindset of the era on screen. While this makes the violence and thematic struggle of the film more impactful, it also helps to accentuate any of the time shifts or vital scenes shot in color. Like the Wizard of Oz, this effect focuses the attention of the viewers and changes their psychological mindset. Clearly, the producers realized that Schindle r’s List would not have the same visual effect or cinematic presence in history if they had not chosen to shoot it in black-and-white. Another important film effect that Steven Spielberg put into Schindler’s List is the use of parallel editing. This effect, more commonly known as crosscutting, weaves several different scenes, and in a more larger sense feelings, together with one another. While this is of course a fun visual aesthetic for the average viewer to see, Spielberg does it to contrast the poverty and desolation of the Jewish people during the Holocaust with the luxury and wealth of the Nazis ruling over them. An example is the scene splice of the Krakow ghetto and Schindler’s new apartment. I believe Spielberg does this to show the irony of that portion of World War II; good benefits for Schindler come from another’s heartbreaking loss. This filming technique helps to accurately show us the bitter, paradoxical time period that of world history that cannot be forgotten but has been overcome. There is a scene in the film where the Schindlerjuden present Schindler a ring engraved with the Talmudic phrase: â€Å"Whoever saves one life saves the world entire.† This phrase perfectly represents one of the main themes of Schindler’s List: one person can make an impact. theme can be seen pretty clearly throughout the film. Primarily, we see this theme through the protagonist Oscar Schindler. After saving Itzhak Stern from a concentration camp, we know that Schindler goes on to save the lives of thousands of Jewish workers from mass extermination by the Nazi Party. Although we know that millions were killed by the Nazi Party at the time the Holocaust, if Schindler had not saved them, six times the amount of people who actually be lost (the number of descendants that came from Schindler Jews). Another example in the movie of one person making a difference is the girl in the red coat. Spielberg only uses color in four occasions in the film and one of them is on a smal l girl. Why would he do that? He did it to show the viewer that Schindler is starting to see the horror around him and grasping that what the Nazis are doing is evil. It is because of this young child, who even more astoundingly does not even have to speak to him, that all of Schindler’s actions and views are changed. Another important theme of Schindler’s List is the easiness of denial. This theme can be seen many times throughout the movie and in the history of the Holocaust itself. Looking at Oscar Schindler, we see that throughout much of the rising action of the film, he cares little to none about the misery and persecution that the Jews in Krakà ³w are facing. He cares only about the luxurious lifestyle and profits that he can get from swindling the Jews. It’s easier to turn a blind eye and bury himself in his own greedy thoughts than acknowledge the atrocities being committed around him. Schindler is not the only one, though. Many of the Jews working for Schindler and living in Krakà ³w refuse to acknowledge the horrors of their situation. Even when forced from their homes, shipped into cramped ghettos, many still insist on seeing the good of the situation, even as Jews just like them are being killed at random. Another example of denial is the scene where smuggler Poldek Pf efferberg’s wife worries aloud about the rumors of extermination camps. She’s heard how dozens of Jews are being gassed and cremated at Auschwitz. Instead of being comforted or reassured by her fellow sufferers, they angrily rebuke her and insist that would never happen. Deep down, I am sure they knew the truth, but it was easier for them to deny it than face the reality of the horror surrounding them. It’s quite easy to see why a film of this emotional depth about the Holocaust would make an impact on the world. Spielberg was motivated to make this film because he wanted to find a way to make Holocaust victims more than just tragic statistics. Traditionally, when we are taught about the Holocaust, we are truly overwhelmed by the horrors and atrocities that were committed and this overwhelming feeling tends to almost desensitize to it. We have so much disbelief that this could ever be allowed to happen that we can’t grasp the full emotional reality of it. It is that desensitization that Spielberg works (successfully) to overcome. Spielberg achieves his goal to communicate the fear and uncertainty the Schindlerjuden had, whether it was while they were in the ghetto, working for Schindler, or riding the train to his factory in Czechoslovakia. The audience feels like they are actively partaking in the action on screen instead of sitting passively by. We emotionally meet each character and devote ourselves to following their journey’s outcome. This viewer-to-character connection was goal Spielberg made the purpose of his film. By truly humanizing all of these characters, the audience is forced to deal with the atrocities that the screen and history show us. He needed every viewer to see and feel invested in each of the characters of Schindler’s List. He didn’t want them to walk out of their theater and return back to their mundane way of thinking. Spielberg wanted to remind the world of the horror of World War II and make it so that whenever genocide or discrimination was seen in the world, every viewer of this movie would not settle to passively sit by and do nothing.

Hindu Custom of Marriage :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Hindu Custom of Marriage Hinduism began in Ancient India thousands of years ago. Hindu customs differ greatly from the ones we practice in the western world. This paper discusses the Hindu custom of marriage and the expectations of those to be wed. Men are expected to marry in order to carry on the family lineage. Women are encouraged to marry to help relieve their financial burden from their parents (Sullivan 135). A wedding occurs after a man has finished his studies, attained the permission of his teacher, bathed, and performed the ritual for homecoming. The father of the girl dresses and adorns his daughter, and receives 2-4 cows and bulls (O'Flaherty 101). The man and his wife to be walk around a fire seven times while they affirm their marriage vows to the accompanied verses from the Veda (Sullivan 135). The Lawbook of Manu contains a list of characteristics a wife should not have. She should not come from a family that has abandoned the rituals, a family with no boys, one that does not chant the Veda. Some more characteristics that are not acceptable are women with hairy bodies, who have consumption, weak digestion, bad memories, and also leprosy. Women that are redheads, have extra limbs, are sickly, bald, talk too much, are sallow, too fat or too thin, too tall or too dwarfish, past their prime, or lacking a limb or fond of quarreling are also not acceptable for marriage. An offensive name can determine a woman's worth. Bad names include ones that have to do with a constellation, tree, or river, low caste names, names of mountains, and birds or snakes. Slave names and fearsome names are also to be avoided. Women with these types of names are not to be married according to the characteristics that must be met for a woman to be acceptable for marriage. A woman fit for marriage should have complete limbs, a pleasant name, should walk like a swan or elephant, have fine hair on her body and on her head, delicate limbs, and should not have big teeth. A man should take a wife of the same class (O'Flaherty 101-102), but if a marriage does take place across caste boundaries, then it is almost always the woman marrying into a higher caste (Fuller 14).   Marriages are often arranged while the girl is only a child. The Manava Dharma Sastra and other legal texts "envision that a man of thirty marry a girl of twelve" (Sullivan 135).

Conquering Nature Essay -- Nature Philosophy Philosophical Essays

Conquering Nature "What we call Man's power over Nature turns out to be a power exercised by some men over other men with Nature as its instrument." (The Abolition of Man, 420) Imagine, if you will, a basketball game in which two teams are in the midst of an intense game. Just because your team knows what it is the other team is doing and the workings of all their plays does not mean you know how to stop them, let alone that you are winning. It is the same with Nature. Just because we know how things work and are able to manipulate certain parts of it for our advantage does not even begin to imply that we have the capability of possessing it, of 'conquering' it. I don't even think we even want to pretend to have conquered it. You see, there is a stark difference between progress and possession. For if Nature is truly at our beckon call, then the latest hurricane or tornado that stole thousands of human lives and destroyed acres upon acres of natural reserves was actually within our control to stop--those disasters were then humanity's own fault. Unless we are r...

Residential Schools Essay

Long before Europeans came to North America, aboriginal people had a highly developed system of education. There was a great deal for aboriginal children to learn before they could survive on their own. Aboriginal elders and parents passed on not only survival skills to their children, but their history, artistic ability, music, language, moral and religious values. When European missionaries began to live amongst aboriginal people, they concluded that the sooner they could separate children from their parents, the sooner they could prepare aboriginal people to live a civilized (i. e. European) lifestyle. Residential schools were established for two reasons: separation of the children from the family and the belief that aboriginal culture was not worth preserving. Most people concluded that aboriginal culture was useless and dying and all human beings would eventually develop and change to be like the ‘advanced’ European civilization. Early residential schools were similar to religious missions. Later, the mission-run schools were administered jointly by Canadian churches and the federal government, and for a number of years, residential schools became official Canadian policy for the education of Indian. . . Provincial education curriculums did not change to reflect the educational needs of aboriginal children. The elders in fact seen a major change in the way the children were acting, they would refuse to do chores and would often talk back and often became violant. The school demanded very little in comparison. Loneliness, sickness, confusion and abuse all had to be borne in lonely silence. Aboriginal children continue to have difficulties fitting in to the existing schools, which are still designed around a culture alien to their own. They were issued clothes and assigned a bed number. Aboriginal people have demanded, and received, official apologies from the Anglican, United and Roman Catholic churches which operated residential schools. All of this must have been a staggering shock to the new â€Å"student† . Many things combined to make the experience difficult for young aboriginal children. After several years away at school, children often found it difficult to speak their mother tongue. The residential school experience continues to plague First Nations education. The white man’s school contradicted everything these aboriginal children had learned at home. â€Å"The organization of the schools and the content of the curriculum conveyed to aboriginal children that the human values, the political institutions, the spiritual practices and the economic strategies of other Canadians were infinitely superior to the â€Å"primitive† ways of their traditional lifestyles. † Students began to believe that the ceremonies and rituals which harmonized the spiritual and social life of the community and gave its members a sense of personal significance and group identity, were â€Å"heathen† and â€Å"the work of the Devil.

Creon’s Soliloquy: A Cathartic Ending Essay

A number of scenes in â€Å"Antigone† are equally significant. These include the confrontation between Antigone and Creone, the confrontation between Creon and his son, Haemon, and the death of Haemon, which signifies the fall of Creon. However, there is one scene that cannot be omitted from the play. In fact, it is the scene that everyone awaits, when the king cries in agony for the great tragedy that happens in his kingdom. This is the final scene showing Creon’s soliloquy as he reflects upon his ill-doings and his ill fate. The scene is very sensitive. Any actor performing it cannot overdo it or underperform because doing so would lead to a different interpretation. Considering that Creon is a king, the actor cannot overdo the performance because it will destroy the characterization that Sophocles established from the very beginning. Therefore, the actor should act it out with much intense demonstrating the depth of Creon’s emotional suffering and at the same time with some poise, somewhat showing the king’s apathetic nature. Some may argue that the final scene in the play demonstrates nothing but Creon’s remorse over the deaths of his loved ones but reading between the lines will give one the perception relating to his apathy towards his wife and the tragedy that happened. His inquiry about his wife’s death illustrates his apathetic nature. As he questions the messenger, â€Å"In what wise was her self-destruction wrought?† he shows an example of a hardened man, who can accept news about the death of his wife. Similarly, the inquiry he makes could also be due to the confusion he suffers from at the moment. He is taken aback by what happened, thus unable to accept it, he suddenly becomes tongue tied, unable to express his real emotions. This may be the reason why the author chose to end the play in this way, with some degree of silence, unlike other tragic plays or movies where characters scream upon discovering the death of their loved ones. Aside from the confusion that he experiences, Creon is subdued at the end due to his status in the kingdom. Because of his reputation as a king, he cannot express his agony by screaming or weeping out loud because he is trying to conceal his shame from all who would scorn at him. In his heart, this arrogant king knows that the tragedy in his own house would cause others to ridicule or laugh at him, especially since he once ignores the prophecy of the wise old man Tiresias, who warns him of his fall before it occurs. In this consideration, the scene showing Creon’s soliloquy must be performed exactly with some blend of temperance and agony to show confusion and pride. Despite the temperance that King Creon shows in his soliloquy, the scene is very important because it signifies Creon’s purgation of remorsefulness and fear. The scene adheres to Aristotle’s requirement for catharsis (as mentioned in Matthews) because it shows that despite the cruel and malevolent behavior of Creon, he is still capable of love, self-reflection, and sorrow. From the beginning till the death of Antigone, Creon is pictured as a fierce and strong’s king, which somehow dehumanizes the character. However, at the end, as he utters his sorrow for the deaths of his son and wife, the audience realizes that behind this man is a heart that can love, a mind that can bend when his loved ones’ welfare is at stake. Even though the remorse is expressed only at the end, it is very important and cannot be omitted. Without it, people will not be pleased by the ending, because they have to experience catharsis at the end. Catharsis is achieved by the king’s pouring out of emotions, although restrained to the very end. What happens is, as the character feels sorry for his fate, the audience reacts and agrees to his penitence, making them feel the catharsis at the same time. The cathartic ending will not be complete without the element of music. To make the scene convincing to the audience, it is important to choose a dramatic melody, one that suggests requiem not only for the deaths of the mother and son but also due to the fall of the king and his death-like sadness. Also, the scene will not be complete without dimming lights, which slowly vanishes on the part of Creon as the scene ends. Work Cited   Storr, F. Trans. â€Å"Sophocles’ ‘Antigone’.† London: Harvard University Press and William Heineman, Ltd, 1912. Matthews, H. â€Å"Catharsis in Antigone.† N.d. 19 May 2009 < http://www.bishops.k12.nf.ca/english/lit3201/cathrsis.html>.

How Did the Nuremberg Trials Work and Who Was Tried and Why? Essay

The war crime trials held at Nuremberg are one of the most well-known trials against humanity in history. These trials were very complex and consisted of many people from many different countries. Justice was a big part of these trials and justice was served to the people who were tried and convicted throughout this complex process. The specific name for these trials was the International Military Tribunal, often referred to as IMT (Taylor Intro). These were complex trials which sought to break new legal ground on major issues of international law (Taylor 4). Simply, the Nuremberg trials were created to convict the people who were involved in the Holocaust and the destruction of Poland as well as other events. The events of the Nazi era were a major part of the Nuremberg trials (Taylor 3). These trials were much more intricate than the average person would think. It changed the lives of many, many people; not only were the families of those convicted but of the people who sat in on the hearings were affected. Everyone who was remotely involved in these trials was affected by them. But what law was the International Military Tribunal enforcing? Ordinary courts and trials are based on the statuses of sovereign nations. However, the IMT was no ordinary court. It was established by the United States and three other major European Nations, and the laws by which the IMT was bound were not the laws of those or of any other nations. For its rules on crime the IMT looked primarily to the international â€Å"laws of war,† violations were called â€Å"war crimes† (Taylor 5). Humanitarianism played a large role in the development of the laws for Nuremberg (Taylor 5). The laws by which the tribunal would follow were not chosen over a day’s time but, they were well thought out, reviewed and reviewed again. This was necessary for the simple reason that there would be no way for the accused to beat the system because something in the wording was wrong. One of the most famous trials from Nuremberg was that of Goering; Hermann Goering. Goering was commander in chief of the air force, president of the Reichstag, and prime minister of Russia. He was found guilty for crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity (Goldensohn 101). It took much more than just taking a look at what Goering did during his time of doing these disastrous things, they looked at his parents, his childhood; they took a look at his personal issues. They went deep enough even to look at his past wives (Goldensohn 101). Unlike most people convicted throughout the trials; Goering was willing to accept that he actually did these things. He admitted his wrong doings (Goldensohn 102). Usually the convicted would try to fight the system. Goering was a smart man and knew it was easier to accept these things because he knew he did them. Goering was willing to say he was Hitler’s successor; he worked face-to-face with Hitler (Goldensohn 102). That right there could have been enough for the penalty of death. Goering believed that his childhood has no major effect on his adult personality, but that his childhood qualities were the same he acquired now; he didn’t change much. Goering’s trial ended in him being sentenced to death by hanging. Two hours before this scheduled execution, on October 15, 1946 he committed suicide in his cell (Goldensohn 101). Goering’s case was one of the more complex and more interesting cases. He understood what was going on and didn’t fear for his life because he knew all of the things he did were wrong. Walther Funk was minister of economics from 1937 to 1945 (Goldensohn 76). He was tried at Nuremberg. Unlike Goering, Funk feared for his life and would become defensive and teary-eyed when asked about his political activity. He claimed he was only a small part of the things that happened and had no idea what was going on (Goldensohn 76). Funk did not lead the destructive life-style that Goering did but what he did in his adult years was enough to get him into these trials and be convicted. In 1931 he retired from the editorship of the paper, â€Å"because I felt that the National Socialists were certain to assume power and I was drawn to the movement. Germany was in a crisis. Unemployment was great. Class struggles existed (Goldensohn 77). Funk was never part of the inner circle of Hitler, He was not a politician (he only headed the office for Private business for a few months) (Goldensohn 79). Then average person today in 2011 would think that all the people tried in Nuremberg hated the Jews and were anti-Semitic. Funk was actually a friend with many Jewish people, he worked with Jews; he did not hate them (Goldensohn 80). At Nuremberg they accused Funk for the rearmament of Germany. Funk claims that it was false and it was in the hands of Georg Thomas (Goldensohn 81). In the end, on October 1st, 1946; Funk was sentenced to life in prison. He was released in 1957 for health problems and later died in 1960. The Nuremberg trials were different and more complex than most trials. They were held to serve justice. In the end justice was served. The International Military Tribunal was successful in what they wanted to accomplish in the first place. These trials are not fully understood by many especially in the laws that they followed and how the trials were run. Having multiple nations involved and defendants from many nations; it became hard through translation and things like that. The Nuremberg trials broke the legal ground internationally that it sought to break. Jacklyn Oleksak 3/23/11 Works Cited Pd. 2 Dodd, Christopher J. Letters from Nuremberg. New York: Crown Publishing, 2007. Print. This book did not help me as much as I thought it would. Titled â€Å"Letters from Nuremberg† it sounded like it would help. After reading various pages I noticed it was more of a novel of enjoyment rather than a useful resource. It was a fairly easy resource to understand and the authors credentials were very good but I only used a line of two from the whole book. I got it at the Plainedge Public Library with two other books about the trials. Goldensohn, Leon. The Nuremberg Interviews. New York: Alfred A Knopf, 2004. Print. Goldensohn has the best credentials of all. He was the one interviewing the defendants in his book. Therefore, all his information was accurate. The books reliability was very high because it had so much information and by checking other sources, it was all correct. It was written a bit above an easy reading level but I was able to understand it fairly well and get the information I needed. I accessed it at the Public library while looking through books for my research. Gormley, Larry. â€Å"Hermann W. Gà ¶ring.† Ehistory archives. 2001. OSU department of history. 17 March 2011. . This website was fairly helpful. I didn’t use it as a primary source but rather as a source to check information. It was helpful in the part of my essay about Goering. It gave me a good oversight of what that paragraph would be about and then I got the more complex details in the Nuremberg Interviews book. I accessed it through advanced search on google. Linder, Doug. â€Å"The Subsequent Nuremberg Trials: An Overview.† World famous trials. 2000. Nuremberg trials. 15 March 2011. This like the Ehistory archives website gave me a great overview of what my paper was going to be about. It was very useful in helping me find out what was important for my paper and what was not as important. It helped my research become more detailed and it made it a better paper all together. I accessed it in the PHS library from searching on advances search Google. Taylor, Ella. â€Å"Crimes against humanity.† The Village Voice. 29 September- 5 October 2011. ProQuest. PHS library. 22 March 2011. http://proquest.umi.com This website did not help me at all. It was not as to the point as the other resources I used. It was vague and unhelpful. It did have some correct information and it was a knowledgeable source but it was not what I needed to write my paper. I accessed it through the PHS databases. Taylor, Telford. The anatomy of the Nuremberg trials. New York: Alfred A Knopf, 1992. Print This was my most valuable source. It gave me much more than I needed and gave me a variety of information to choose from. It was not an easy reading level to read at. It was most likely written for well-educated adults but I was able to decipher the information I needed for my research. The information is accurate, I checked through other sources. This was my most helpful guide throughout the research. I accessed it at the Public library.

Roles of Reality in Children’s Literature

The Role of Reality in Children’s Literature Anna Scott The Role of Reality in Children’s Literature Historical Fiction Historical Realism attempts to recreate a reality of the past, to capture the milieu of a time gone by and must be set at least a generation before the writing of the book. It has the power to broaden our horizons, to learn more about the people and places of our world by reading about the past—where we all came from (Russell, 2009). One such powerful story, one of the inhumanity and sacrilege of World War II and a family’s journey through it all is Lois Lowry’s Number the Stars.Family and Social Values Number the Stars is an excellent example of historical fiction which deals directly with the Nazi regime. Here and there is a bit of violence, suspense and fear of the soldiers, but it is mostly a story of bravery, courage, friendship and hope. A young girl named Annemarie Johanson grows up in occupied Denmark during the Second Worl d War. She learns first-hand about the plight of the Jews in her country when she and her family help her best friend Ellen Rosen and her family escape to Sweden.A soldier appears when the Johanson’s take Ellen in for one night while Ellen’s mother and father are taken to a safe place. Annemarie helps Ellen by hiding her Star of David necklace so the soldiers do not see it. Ellen pretends to be Annemarie’s dead sister Lise and is hopeful that the soldiers do not find out. The next day Annemarie, her mother, Annemarie’s Uncle Henrik and Brother-in-law Peter help Ellen and her family flee to Sweden. During the most intense parts of the book, the two families (Johanson’s and Rosen’s) are often put face to face with the enemy.At one point, the family is gathered around a coffin along with other families in hopes to meet to discuss future events that will aid in their safe departure from the country. But when a soldier enters and demands the coff in be opened, the family must decide quickly a plan to fool the soldier and to convince him that they are truly mourning a death, and not conspiring against the soldiers. Uncle Henrik tells Annemarie: â€Å"It is much easier to be brave if you do not know everything†¦ e only know what we need to know† (Lowry, 1989) and Annemarie quickly discovers that it is better to know less than to know the truth, as the fear is so much more apparent when the truth is known. This story is filled with aspects of respect and unity as both families treat each other equally and protect each other, even though Ellen’s family is Jewish and Annemarie’s isn’t. Ellen and Annemarie’s friendship is a true testament to how far you will go to protect a friend. Almost every character exemplifies bravery in one way or another.Annemarie does not think she is brave even though she took her Uncle his forgotten â€Å"lunch† and takes on two German soldiers. When Uncle Henrik tells her, â€Å"That’s all that brave means, not thinking about the dangers. Just thinking about what you must do† (Lowry, 1989), Annemarie learns that being scared or frightened does not mean that one is not brave. Annemarie and her family push through the fears and the unknown to strive for what is right and what they believe in. Literary elements and structural devicesNumber the Stars is a serious yet hopeful story that provides details about wartime experience. Told in third person, Number the Stars reflects a child’s view of the Nazi occupation in Denmark. The characters main cultures are Danish, Jewish and German and it is assumed that the characters have traditional gender roles and behaviors. The story is set in the Protagonist against Society conflict where the protagonists are the main characters: Annemarie and her family and Ellen and her family and they are against the Nazis values and morals.Number the Stars is a coming of age story about fa mily and close friends that entails the characters likes, dislikes, struggles and triumphs. Based in fact or History In Number the Stars, Lowry tells of the realistic story of life in Denmark during World War II through the lives of two young girls, but while reading there is not too much evidence that the story is not real. The book tells the true events of the Nazi soldiers in that time period as well as Jewish people becoming targeted by Nazi’s and other’s helping them hide.According to Lowry, Number the Stars is a novel that was inspired by a friend who had grown up in Denmark during World War II. It is based on hours of conversations with her friend and others who experienced the hardships of World War II and in much of her writing; Lowry tries to tell the big story by relating small details (â€Å"Study Guide for Number the Stars (pdf)†, n. d). Most of her explanation about where the story came from and where fact ends and fiction begins is at the end of t he book in the Afterword.Here she explains that she had always been fascinated and moved by her friends descriptions not only of the personal deprivation and sacrifices that her family and neighbors suffered through but the courage and integrity of the Danish people and the leadership of the kind they loved, Christian X (â€Å"Study Guide for Number the Stars (pdf)†, n. d). Reading this afterword, adds an element to the story that you thought was already there. You can easily identify the time, place and discover the families while you are shown examples of honor, hope, friendship, bravery and courage all knowing that portions of the story have a small inkling of truth.Summary We read realism because we are interested in the lives of the characters—their loves, fears, likes, dislikes, struggles, and triumphs. What we learn is that human beings of different times and places have a great deal in common (Russell, 2009). In Number the Stars, there are lessons of friendship , honor, respect, unity, and bravery within the story. Lois Lowry gives us a moving story that shows us in the face of Nazi bigotry and hatred, honor and hope still prevail. We are told that we can learn from the past, that we can avoid the same mistakes however, covering it up does not erase it.Being ignorant only leaves us unprepared for the future so we should not only uncover the horrors of the past, but also show the glories as well. References EBOOK COLLECTION:  Russell, D. L. (2009). Literature for children: A short introduction (6th ed. ). Boston, MA: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon. Lowry, L. (1989). Number the Stars. New York, New York: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. Study Guide for Number the Stars (PDF). (n. d. ), Retrieved from http://www. glencoe. com/sec/literature/litlibrary/pdf/number_the_stars. pdf

Censorship - Banning Books

Literature has always been an important part of human life. We use ink and paper to express our emotions; we sprinkle our souls on dry wood pulp. Writing has taken the form of liberation and pleasure since the beginning of written words. You can tell a story and make yourself a hero. You can live all your fantasies. You can explore all thoughts, emotions, emotions and share them with the outside world. But do not think you are jealous just because you can write. It does not matter who you are. Since pen was first put on paper, there was some form of censorship. The latest review is to prohibit books that are considered inappropriate. This type of behavior not only infringes upon the rights of American citizens, but also violates the student's right to study. Even though the government can try to ban all inappropriate books, the desire to read them will increase. Often times before the banning of family problems in books, the federal government tried to reduce the flow of inappropriat e information in the source, often forgotten. ACLU lawyer wrote as follows. The use of certain books such as The New Jim Crow is forbidden. For example, the use of hardcover books is prohibited. Statement continues: Several Caucasian abolitionists argue that they are fully naturalized as US citizens or send back the previous slave to Africa. Each immigrant family will offer 25 acres of vacant land and 10 acres of singles to Black Republic. Many people think that book reviews, tasks, and writing prohibitions are what happened in the distant past. This is certainly not the case, as you will see it from the ban on my recent book review. You may remember all the controversy about Harry Potter's book early in the 21st century. The age level of the book does not guarantee that someone will not try to review it. The focus seems to be more challenging to children and adolescent (YA) books than to others, but it always restricts access to books from certain adult books, usually high school p rofessors I am trying. Most complaints are made by parents and directed to public libraries and schools. The book does not seem to be an old concept for many people. But as it is getting old, censorship remains an important part of American literary culture. Banned books usually succeed at the level of young adult literature. Parents and other opponents use the review process to work to protect children and young people from books that they think are dangerous. - Books are forbidden in history / reviewed. For example, the Catholic Church created an index of the prohibition in the 16th century. The purpose of this index is to prevent ordinary people from reading books that violate the church doctrine. Several of Galileo's books are on this list. Everyone who reads or sells these books is severely punished, tortured, even even killed. However, even after 500 years writing prohibition has been done yet

Hong Kong's Ocean Park Target Market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Hong Kong's Ocean Park Target Market - Essay Example Therefore, in its educational and environmental conservation, as well as development of respect for animals and their habitat, the new facility targets students, and other visitors with an interest in environmental and wildlife conservation. The park thus targets people from all walks of life, with its community initiatives. Such initiatives include the admission of Hong Kong’s residents during their birthdays at a concessionary rate (Lau, 2011 p1). Those elderly residents above the age of 65 will also be considered favorably, to enter the park at low charges. People with disability and those under the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance will also be allowed admission at lower charges (Lau, 2011 p3). From this, it is well observed that the target market for the soon to be open Polar adventure park is a wide range of people, from all lifestyles. Its integration of the themes of attraction and entertainment with the themes of education and conservation serves to ensure that all people, both local and foreign, with diverse interests are the aim of the new

Process Improvement Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Process Improvement Plan - Essay Example There has to be some limits that have to be established that will be used in the determination of the winner. In the slot machine process, the winner is usually determined when the winnings basket fills up. When the basket fills u, the person who dropped the last coin into the slot machine is determined as the winner. That is a form of control because the basket usually gets filled up after the owner of the machine earns quite a good amount of money and that is a good thing for the owner because the owner is usually after making of profits and the profits are useful to him. That form of control ensures that there are no losses on the side of the slot machine owner. The process also ensures that there are many costs that are cut so as to avoid unnecessary costs that usually cut on profitability. Statistical process control can be applied in different processes. Every process usually has an output and input. The outputs that are attributable to a process are usually measurable and that usually necessities the application of SPC. SPC usually tracks variability that arises from causes that are natural. In a case whereby the expected variability exceeds a range that should be expected from a cause that is natural, the causes that are identified have to be assigned. SPC is usually powerful in the optimization of the information that is required in the making of decisions by the management (globalqualityvillage.com). SPC usually comprises of the following, scatter diagram, regression analysis, pare to analysis. Pareto analysis is usually helpful in quality improvement of a process in the early stages of any process. The analysis is usually useful in screening out any instances of a wrong thing in a process. In the slot machine, it can be used to identify the instances that may arise as a result f miscalculation in the declaration of the winner. In most instances, in instances where a process involves so many activates, the probability of a fault or failure are usually increased. That means that the activities that are involved in the slot machine should be used so as to avoid any instances of malfunctions and to ensure that there are accurate functionalities in the process. Pareto analysis is usually effective in the following areas; machine breakdown analysis, analysis of any complaints from the customer, and analysis of any faulty dominants. That is applicable in the slot machine because it can be used in the establishment of any problems that may occur in the working of the machine (Kari, 1999). The scatter diagram analysis is a usually useful in the analysis of the relationship that may exist between output variable s and any inputs in the process. In the slot machine process, there have to be an analysis that will show the relationship between the inputs and the outputs from the process. That will show the relationship that will apply between the input of coins and the determination of the winner. The other controls that can be used are

Current Events and U.S. Diplomacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Current Events and U.S. Diplomacy - Essay Example This was strongly resented by the US. Since the end of the cold war, the relationship between US and Russia unlike in the past has become rosy. The Americans have softened their earlier unrelenting positions and has since become tolerable to the Russians. The policy was dubbed decorative policy and it has made the Americans to drastically change their perceived aggression on Russia to a very cooperative and much philanthropic (Aronson 2001). With regard to these, US have entered into many economic ties with Russia and this has even accentuated the belief that there are cordial relations in the offing. Putin is largely acclaimed to be at the helm of all the gains achieved so far. It is obvious that the relation between US and Russia has grown notches higher since the end of the cold war. Cold war almost led to the fall out between the two countries and these has since been corrected and normalcy is achieved. From the Bush administration to Obama’s, the relationship between the two countries has improved remarkably. For instance, in the Afghanistan case, the US and Russia have joined efforts in finding a lasting solution (Cameron 2005). The US relation with Cuba under the leadership of Fidel Castro for along time has not been admirable, the US initiated economic sanction in Cuba and this has retarded economic gains in the country significantly. There have been constant allegations emanating from both countries against conspiracies (Smith 2008). For example, the assassination of the American president J.F. Kennedy was hinted to have been master minded by the Cuban president, on the other hand the Cuban president claims to have dogged eight times murder initiated by the US. All other countries for along time had at least loose ties with the Cuba economically except the US that has remained defiant in making and signing economic pacts with the Cuba (Smith 2008). In as much as that has happened, US in the year 2000 partially lifted travelling restrictions.

Poverty and Pollution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Poverty and Pollution - Essay Example This paper outlines that Cubatao in Brazil, which may be the most polluted area in the whole world, has about 100,000 people living in the valley. Inhabitants have refused to sell their land and resettle elsewhere because of the readily available jobs from the industries and the cheap life around. This paper will examine the ethical implications of pollution in the third world, pollution as the price for progress, moral right to human beings of a livable environment, and global pollution standards. Additionally, the paper will examine whether the wealthy nations have an obligation to provide poorer nations with resources to develop greener industries. Ethical implications of businesses polluting in a third world country are common. First, every animal, plant, and other living things have a right to a better environment. It is unfortunate that pollution destroys their habitat shortens their lives. Additionally, pollution causes the extinction of some animals resulting in an incomplete life cycle of such animals. Living things depends on one another for survival and human beings depend on them. It is unethical that a human decision can result in death and loss of livelihood. Although human beings are superior to other beings, they have an obligation to other human beings and nonhuman beings. Secondly, right to bodily security supersedes all another human right including the right to property. The health of the environment is more important than all other rights because they protect human life. Therefore, pollution is unethical as it undermines a basic human right. Some businesses may conduct operations in a third world country and disregard any standards of pollution control. To reap the benefit of cheap labor and circumvent the strict conditions of working, many companies have moved their factories to third world countries.  

What would you consider to be the most important issues or problems in Essay

What would you consider to be the most important issues or problems in Human Resources in the United Arab Emirates at the present time Broadly speaking, what d - Essay Example were foreigners in mid-1990s representing no less thÐ °n 60 per cent of the working populÐ °tion Ð °nd more thÐ °n 93 per cent of privÐ °te sector employees (Cooper, 1996). Ð ccording to Ð °n estimÐ °te by the Ð l-IktissÐ °d WÐ °l-Ð Ã °mÐ °l (1997) mÐ °gÐ °zine, no less thÐ °n 95 per cent of the new jobs in the 1995-2000 period were in the privÐ °te sector. There Ð °re four interrelÐ °ted reÐ °sons for the privÐ °te sector’s resistÐ °nce to EmirÐ °tisÐ °tion. The first fÐ °ctor is lÐ °bour cost. The influx of cheÐ °p foreign lÐ °bour during the pÐ °st three decÐ °des led to the development of Ð ° lÐ °bour-intensive privÐ °te sector, whose continued profitÐ °bility hinges on being given Ð ° free hÐ °nd in the utilisÐ °tion of foreign workers. Ð lthough, since the mid-1990s, United Ð rÐ °b EmirÐ °tes hÐ °s increÐ °sed the cost of the lÐ °tter by introducing compulsory heÐ °lth cÐ °re for foreign workers, locÐ °l workers still Ð °re very much more expensive to hire (FÐ °shoyin, 2000). It hÐ °s further been Ð °lleged thÐ °t locÐ °ls will demÐ °nd Ð °bout six times the sÐ °lÐ °ry Ð ° skilled foreign worker would be prepÐ °red to Ð °ccept Ð °nd ‘will not work Ð °s hÐ °rd’ (FÐ °shoyin, 2000). Foreign workers from developing countries Ð °ccept relÐ °tively low sÐ °lÐ °ries becÐ °use they cÐ °n still eÐ °rn more thÐ °n they could eÐ °rn in their home countries. Furthermore, the mÐ ° jority of foreign workers Ð °re young mÐ °le bÐ °chelors Ð °nd therefore do not hÐ °ve Ð ° fÐ °mily to support. For locÐ °l workers, however, the high cost of living in United Ð rÐ °b EmirÐ °tes mÐ °kes the level of wÐ °ges offered by the privÐ °te sector incÐ °pÐ °ble of providing Ð °n Ð °cceptÐ °ble living stÐ °ndÐ °rd for locÐ °l workers (Ð tiyyÐ °h, 2003). Second, sociÐ °l Ð °nd culturÐ °l perceptions towÐ °rds work in the privÐ °te sector greÐ °tly influence compÐ °nies’ Ð °bility to recruit Ð °nd retÐ °in quÐ °lified locÐ °l workers (see TÐ °ble 1). In United Ð rÐ °b EmirÐ °tes, the type of work, sector of employment Ð °nd sociÐ °l interÐ °ctions Ð °t work determine the sociÐ °l stÐ °tus

Traditional Teaching Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Traditional Teaching - Essay Example rough the lessons, giving clarifications wherever necessary; 2) its adaptability to large classrooms in transmitting a wide body of knowledge to students of divergent skills; 3) efficiency in offering straightforward instructions and explanations; and 4) offering better test results by focusing on likely test questions and administering repetitive drills in order to reinforce memorization of facts and information. The disadvantages of the traditional method of teaching, however are that 1) it turns out more time consuming for students who are slower in digesting information; 2) it does not offer any solution to the students for their difficulties in memorizing and retaining information; 3) the knowledge gained is only basic and limited in scope, as the exploratory stage is entirely done away with; and 4) it is inflexible, putting all students at the same starting point, stuffing them with undifferentiated knowledge, without taking into account their differing capacities and interest in the subject taught. Therefore, the method only benefits willing and ‘better’ students, and is not found fit to kindle genuine interest for the subject. In a traditional classroom setting, therefore, the teacher becomes the focus of action, with importance being given to the ‘textbook’. The student is relegated to the sidelines, and is a passive pawn in the learning process. Remembering the correct answer is the priority, to which end, they are inundated with information, in which process, their analytical skills remain largely untapped and untrained. The sequelae or abnormalities of traditional pedagogy lead to several undesirable consequences. This system enshrines Behaviorism as an essential part of education, and does not consider the impact of a student’s mental makeup on the learning process. Looking at the learning process purely as a uni-dimensional phenomenon results in the following abnormalities. First, students are placed in different classes based on their

Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Design - Essay Example There are three main designs of the bottle, that is, bottles made of bamboo, stone and sea shell. Choice of the three designs anchors on the company’s philosophy to offer products that are sensitive to benign nature of the environment (Gabriel, 2014). All the three bottles are refillable, thus minimizing incidences of disposure. Bamboo, stone and Sea Shell designs take resonance with Oriental, Spa and Sea respectively (Lidwell, & Manacsa, 2009). Each design demarcates for the target client that which he or she is able to anticipate from resultant effect of the product to their body’s thus guiding choice of selection. For example, Bamboo extract contributes to Vitamin E in the human skin. Vitamin E contains antioxidants that nourishes the skin of an individual (Lidwell, Holden, Butler, & Elam, 2010). As such, products within the bottle made of bamboo design resonates with positive contributory effect of bamboo extracts to enlighten the human skin. Creation of the bamboo entails chopping of the bamboo reeds in physical size that is in tandem with other sizes of products which the company offer (Chin, 2005). Size of the bamboo tube also has the capacity to bear rightful quantities of moisturizer as Natugo establishes. Outer cover of the bamboo bottle is green. Essence of the green color is for educative purposes (Brandau, 2012). Green is a representative color for nature. Therefore, the green color depicts that the product is purely natural and contains elements of extracts that emanate from Bamboo therefore healthy and benevolent in refreshing skin of the users (Hughes, 2006). Creation of the stone bottles entails selection of fine stones. The stones resemble the ones used within a Spa (Lee, 2005). Designer of the stone arranges bigger stone to constitute base of the bottle. Pile of the stones emerge in a descending order in times of the physical size. The designer then drill a

African American Struggle Essay Example for Free

African American Struggle Essay The story of African immigration is unique among immigrant groups, just as the African experience in America has been exclusively essential to the course of American life. Unlike other immigrants, most Africans came to North America against their will, caught up in a cruel system of human exploitation. The treatment we endured in the United States was of a harshness hardly ever surpassed in recent history, and their role in U. S. society was contested with a rage that nearly tore the nation apart. The centuries-long battle African Americans waged for freedom, for dignity, and for full participation in American society completely transformed the nation, and shaped the world we live in today. Today, there is no aspect of life in the United States that has not been touched by the African American experience; there is no institution, custom, or daily practice that has not been influenced or remade by the efforts of African American thinkers, workers, artists, activists, and organizers. African Americans faced every form of racism, prejudice, and segregation possible. We were not allowed to eat, drink, or even sleep in the same places with white people. They had everything marked whites or colors, and that was considered segregation. If an African American were to break one of those â€Å"rules† they would suffer great pain whether mentally or physically. When segregation came to an end, blacks were still not welcome to partake in the world comfortably. We were constantly going through life feeling like a slave although freedom was granted. Affirmative Action, in the United States, was to overcome the effects of past discrimination by allocating jobs and resources to members of specific groups, such as minorities and women. The policy was implemented by federal agencies enforcing the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and two executive orders, which provided that government contractors and educational institutions receiving federal funds develop such programs. The Equal Employment Opportunities Act (1972) set up a commission to enforce plans. The establishment of racial quotas in the name of affirmative action brought charges of so-called reverse discrimination in the late 1970s. By the late 70s, however, flaws in the policy began to show up good intentions. Reverse discrimination became an issue, epitomized by the famous Bakke case in 1978. Allan Bakke, a white male, had been rejected two years in a row by a medical school that had accepted less qualified minority applicants-the school had a separate admissions policy for minorities and reserved 16 out of 100 places for minority students. The Supreme Court outlawed inflexible quota systems in affirmative action programs, which in this case had unfairly discriminated against a white applicant. In the same ruling, however, the Court upheld the legality of affirmative action.

No Man Is An Island Scottish Culture

No Man Is An Island Scottish Culture This essay will examine this motion and discuss the idea that no man is an island. The phrase no man is an island means that everyone is influenced by the world around them; no person has total independence and freedom. This idea will be explored in relation to Scotland. The phrase will be no Scotland is an Island. Scotland over the years has had many challenges to its place, space and identity, and these will be explored through looking at Scotlands history, its economy, its politics, its culture and how it is today. The idea of nationalism and Scottish Nationalism in particular, and whether nationalism is a good thing will be examined. The question of whether Scotland should be independent will be investigated. Scotland has struggled for years to be an island in its own right; the whole nationalist feeling and want for independence is a want to be their own Island. Has Scotland got this or is it still struggling with its nationalist views and identity? What is Nationalism? Nationalism is difficult to define as there are so many different views on what it is. It is closely linked to the identity of a country and how a country promotes themselves. Nationalism is also a collective and shared feeling about a place. Nationalism is a way of showing pride towards your country (Smith, 1991). However there is an argument to suggest that nationalism is political and something that the government uses to show the rest of the world what makes their country special. One definition of political nationalism is: the active solidarity of a group who share a common culture or history or history and who seek to give this common experience a political reality whether by means of self government or some other kind of political recognition if not autonomy (Phillip cited in Mitchinson, 1980). Nationalism is an active movement from a group that collectively share the same culture and history and want to preserve that culture and history through a political party. This is similar to why the Scottish National Party (SNP) was set up and this will be looked at in more detail later. In Scotland there are different extremes of nationalism: there is the aggressive form of where people think Scotland should be an all Scottish country with no one else from other countries and there are the people who try and preserve what is left of Scottish culture and history. The second form of nationalism can be defined as Pseudo-Nationalism (Smith, 1991). Jim Silars, a former Labour MP, when describing Scottish Nationalism said: I see a nation as formed by people with a shared historical experience whose customs, practices, social mores, culture, patterns of thought and attitudes form a human group which is quite a distinct part of humanity. When that nation can identify issues and perceive that its members have interest in them and when that nation asserts its right to decide its own attitudes to issues then we have a basic nationalism (Silars, 1986). This is very similar to Isobel Lindsay, a member of the SNP, view of nationalism as a countrys national identity and ability to rule on its own (SNP). She considered that the sharing of power is important so that everyone has a fair say (SNP). The government is more socialist in its views because it looks after the less fortunate (SNP). The idea that the current way of running the country cannot continue and that Scotland should look at a more European structure (SNP) (Murison, 2003). This is a more political view of Nationalism and how it is used practically in running a country. Scotland has lost touch with some of these values because of its ties with England In terms of No man is an Island, when a country has strong nationalism they are saying that they are an island. It does not mean that they are really an island but metaphorically they should be viewed as a country in their own right and not politically attached or influenced by any other country. Scottish History Scotland has a vast and well documented history much of which consisted of attempting to ward off continual attacks from England. England was always invading Scotland and claiming it as its own. The wars with England were known as the Wars of Independence. After the death of King Alexander III in 1286, Scotland was plunged into uncertainty whilst a new heir was chosen (Lang, 2005). Eventually, with the aid of King Edward I of England, John Balliol was selected in 1292, but his was not to be a peaceful reign (Lang, 2005). Refusing aid in Englands war with France, Balliol attracted the wrath of Edward and the two kingdoms descended into a conflict that would endure for more than 40 years (Lang, 2005). England was exercising a degree of hegemony in its pursuit of Scotland. This was a challenge to Scotlands space and place. England wanted to expand. Many Scottish people died for their freedom and amongst these was William Wallace. Wallace, who led the Scottish rebellion against Edward I, inflicted a famous defeat on the English army at Stirling Bridge (Murison, 2003). However, English judges read a list of charges against Wallace and then tortured and executed him (Murison, 2003). Robert the Bruce had himself crowned King of Scotland in 1306 and defeated the English forces, while Edward I died before he managed to launch another campaign in Scotland (Lang, 2005). His successor, Edward II, was not able to precede his fathers policy and Robert the Bruce consolidated his position in Scotland (Murison, 2003). After deposition and assassination of Edward II in 1327 Robert invaded northern England and the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton in 1328 that recognized Scottish independence and him as its king was signed (Lang, 2005) (McCracken-Flesher, 2007). Scotland had its independence from England and was an Island and a country in its ow n right again. In 1707 Scotland was starting to have economic problems due to harvest failure and problems with colonization so needed to unify with England (McCracken-Flesher, 2007). However, there was a divide in Scotland as some people were still very bitter towards the English and wondered if unification was a good thing. Conversely, the political powers saw it as an advantage economically. England wanted to bring Scotland back under control. The Scottish parliament was dissolved and Scottish representatives were sent to Westminster instead (McCracken-Flesher, 2007). The two countries were to have common economic politics and common tariff barriers. Scotland was to maintain its own Kirk, legislation and education system (McCracken-Flesher, 2007) (Brown, 2010). Scotland had lost its Island. There are still areas in Scotland that are bitter towards the English. This is where a lot of Scottish Nationalistic feeling stems from as their ancestors fought hard for Scottish freedom and independence. Pe ople feel Scotland should go back to being what it was like before 1707 it should go back to being an Island. What is Scottish Identity Tartan, shortbread, haggis and whisky: this is stereotypical of what Scotland is known for. It raises the question of whether an individual can give themselves an identity or whether it is what others gives to the individual? Scotland is known worldwide for its Identity. Tourists come to Scotland with certain expectations of what it should be like and in a way people have given Scotland its identity. Scottish Identity is what makes Scotland and its people Scottish. There are a lot of factors that come into it such as language, food, behaviour, heritage, clothes, culture and traditions. Tartan is a symbol of Scottish Identity.The earliest example of tartan dates from the third century AD (Brown, 2010). A two coloured check, named the Falkirk tartan, was found near the Roman Antonine wall (Brown, 2010). Tartan has become the main symbol of Scottish culture and an emblem of Scottish descent (Brown, 2010). The first tartans were simple checks coloured by vegetable dyes found in the various districts of Scotland, the colours signifying a geographical base (Brown, 2010). The clans were recognised by regional shades caused by the diversity in weaving techniques. After Bonnie Prince Charlies defeat at Culloden in 1746, the wearing of the kilt was banned and the Gaelic language discouraged (Brown, 2010). Anyone caught wearing tartan or playing the bagpipes could be sent to jail for six months (Brown, 2010). This was oppressing Scottish Identity. The use of tartan and Scotlands traditional way of life was lost. There was an upsurge in the Highland craze after Sir Walter Scott stage-managed the Royal visit of George IV to Scotland in 1822 (Brown, 2010). The king arrived wearing a kilt. Tartan became even more popular during the reign of Queen Victoria when commercialisation took hold and tartan mania rolled on (Brown, 2010). Back then wearing tartan was a way of life for Scots but now they only wear it for special occasions such as weddings. Every Scottish family have their own tartan which is brought down from generation to generation these tartans stretch back from the Scottish clans. Tartan is a symbol of Scottish Nationalism people wear tartan with pride for Scotland. Tartan is recognised worldwide. Scottish education left teaching about Scotland out. Scottish history was British history, and British history usually meant English history. Scotland does have its own education system but there is very little taught about Scottish history so kids cant develop nationalistic views or make up their own mind about the future of Scotland. People dont trust children with big issues as they dont feel they will understand them. Scotlands traditional language is Gaelic which was one of the languages highlanders spoke. There are very few people who speak the language nowadays as not a lot of people teach it (Ferguson, 1998). The people who do speak it are in rural places or in highland areas. Scotland is also a more multicultural country so English is the language that most people understand. The Scots have made the English that they speak their own (Ferguson, 1998). They have retained a high percentage of vocabulary derived from Old Norse and Anglo-Saxon, and they speak with a lilt. Indeed (Ferguson, 1998), Scots is an actual language all on its own. However it was frowned upon in schools (Ferguson, 1998). Scots Gaelic, a language in its own right, was all but eliminated; less than 2% of Scottish people speak Gaelic today (Ferguson, 1998). There are numerous attempts to keep it alive, and the BBC as well as ITV offer segments of Gaelic programming for Scotland, where it survives mostly in the nether regions of the highlands and islands (Ferguson, 1998) (Anderson, 1997). There is little efficacy in speaking Gaelic nowadays. Scottish culture and identity is very important to Scottish nationalistic feeling. People want to keep the old traditions and way of living alive. There has been a lot of struggle over the years especially with tartan and their language. Scottish Economy Scotlands main industry was heavy industry such as construction (Anderson, 1997). The essential industry had been in great demand during the post-war period, but as Europe slowly recovered from the lingering impacts of war, old competitors became active again, while the need for heavy industry continued to diminish (Anderson, 1997). Unemployment in Scotland rose steadily, having doubled the number of jobless labourers by the beginning of the 1960s a tendency which continued in spite of attempts of bringing new industry to Scotland (Anderson, 1997) However in the 1960s oil was discovered in the North Sea which is located just off the coast of Scotland (Russell, 2005). Aberdeen became the centre of Britains North Sea oil industry, with many oil terminals such as that of Sullom Voe on Shetland and Flotta on Orkney and at Cruden Bay and St Cyrus on the north east coast of Scotland, being built to support the North Sea oil industry (Russell, 2005). However Scotland could not reap the rewards economically from this as while Scotland was part of the United Kingdom it had no control over royalties and revenue and it thus could not be used to benefit of Scotland economically (Russell, 2005). This strengthened the nationalist ideals and the fact Scotland should go independent because they would be able to take full advantage of the oil reserve and survive economically on their own. However, Labour claims that the oil is not sustainable and Scotland would not survive economically (GUNN, 2010). The oil is also a valuable resource for the United Kingdom so going independent would mean they lose out on that resource. The Scots were not inclined to favour home rule or nationalism, but whether they did so or not, their attitudes were determined not by economic but by other issues. Whatever the reality of an economic case for nationalism in Scotland before 1914, none was imagined (Mitchinson, 1980). Scotland economy provides a strong argument for independence. However does not give Scotland its national feeling, nationalism comes more from other factors. Nationalism is more about Scotlands Identity rather than its economy. Scotland can sustain its Space, Place and Identity through its economy though for a good few years. Scottish National Party (SNP) The SNP is a democratic left-of-centre political party committed to Scottish independence. It aims to create a just, caring and enterprising society in the mainstream of modem Europe by releasing Scotlands full potential as an independent nation (Independent, 2011). The leader of the SNP is Alex Salmond (Independent, 2011). At the 2007 local elections, the SNP won 363 council seats of 1,224 (doubling its 2003 total of 181 councilors), making them the largest group in Scottish local government. (Independant, 2011) The party has been at the forefront of the campaign for Scottish self-determination for almost seventy years (Independant, 2011). The evolution of the SNP has been paralleled by the political evolution of Scotland herself: from an almost totally unionist country to a nation on the brink of independence (Independant, 2011). The Scottish people have invested a lot in their Parliament but there is a growing realisation that, although devolution was a job worth doing, it is a job half done. The SNP ideology is to restore Scottish Parliament and return Scotland to the normal status of an independent country. Independence means Scotland will have a direct voice in Europe and the international community, and the power to tackle Scotlands social and economic problems by making Scotlands wealth work for Scotlands people (Independant, 2011). The SNP have a very nationalist view. The leader of the SNP Alex Salmond said There is not an anti-English bone in my body. I have forgotten more about English history than most Tory MPs ever learned (Bentley, 2009) The leader and the party are very passionate for independence and pass their passion on to the people of Scotland. In the current economic climate people are more supportive of them because they are growing tired of other parties and having to suffer the same policies as England. The SNP want to take Scotland back to what it was like before the 1707 unification. They believe Scotland should be able to make all decisions itself and govern itself. However some people still think Scottish economy is too unstable and people also like the idea of a United Kingdom. . Lindsay says: The Scottish National Party declares its unshakeable belief in Scotlands destiny as a European nation and reaffirms its belief that the best course for Scotland to take lies in Independence in Europe (SNP) The SNP think Scotland should be an island and not be influence by England. The issue for independence has cropped up again as the 2011 Scottish Elections saw the SNP win by an outstanding majority they won 69 seats in the Scottish Parliament which means they can push for an independence referendum (BBC, 2011). Scotland will be able to decide whether it will be a country in its own right or will still be part of the United Kingdom. It finally gets to decide whether it is an Island or if it is not. Scottish Parliament The first Scottish Parliament arose during the early thirteenth century, and its first meeting was at Kirkliston in 1235 in the reign of Alexander II (McCracken-Flesher, 2007). However due to economic problems the parliament was unified with England in1707 (McCracken-Flesher, 2007). Since then Scotland had been governed by Westminster but more recently there has been a lot of nationalistic feeling in Scotland thanks to the SNP. As the Scotland Parliament Scotlands Right report said: The longing of the people of Scotland for their own Parliament rings clear and true every time opinion is sounded. We believe that the momentum for change is now too great to deny; and that a Scottish Parliament will soon be meeting for the first time in nearly three centuries (SCC, 1995). In September 1997, a referendum of the Scottish electorate secured a majority in favour of the establishment of a new devolved Scottish Parliament, with tax-varying powers, in Edinburgh (McCracken-Flesher, 2007). The new Scottish Parliament met at the Church of Scotland General Assembly rooms until 2004 when they got given their own building called Holyrood (McCracken-Flesher, 2007). This gave Scotland more control over domestic issues that affect their people. This was a great turning point for Scotland (McCracken-Flesher, 2007), However some people did not think it was enough and wanted more control over their decisions. The SNP keep pushing for more devolved powers to be given over to Scotland so it can take control of its own resources. In conclusion, Scotland as it stands today is not an island: it still has nationalist views but is a long way from independence. Scotland has a vast history of standing against the English for independence from the wars of independence when many Scottish ancestors died which feeds a lot of the nationalist feeling in Scotland today. Scotland was a country in its own right prior to these wars. Scottish people today take pride in wearing tartan for special occasions but there was a time when it was suppressed. A lot of old Scottish past times that are a part of Scottish identity are dying out because of the unification with England such as the speaking of Gaelic. Scotlands economy could hold the key for Scotland becoming an Island in its own right as the oil could mean Scotland could survive on its own. However the United Kingdom relies on it too and people worry that it would run out. The SNP is Scotlands leading political party and keeps Scottish nationalism alive but also fights for Scotlands right for independence. However Scottish people are divided with those who want it and those who do not. Scotland has been given more power as under Tony Blair they got the Scottish Parliament back but only with devolved powers. Nationalism is important for a country to have as they can have pride in their country, heritage, culture and way of life and what makes their country unique. Scotland may not have independence yet but does it need it? Even if Scotland was to become independent it would still have to answer to the rest of the world. It is important to share the aspects that make Scotland great and for Scotland to be enriched by other countries. Scotlands culture will never fully return and Scotland will always be reliant on other people to keep whats left of it alive. Scotland is not an Island as no man is an Island but it does not have to be.