The Iliad Essays - Religion, Greek Mythology, Mythology,

The Iliad The competition for power and ultimate victory is continuous throughout the Iliad. Several characters including gods and men, attempt to assume authority and rule in order to fulfill personal endeavors and obtain self-gratification. However, it is often that by themselves, these strong figures cannot carry out the tasks that they wish to accomplish. Instead, they are quick to manipulate and beg in order to have the job completed by someone else. On both the human and immortal level, individuals constantly need the help of others in their struggle for supremacy. At first, discord arises due to the greed of Agamemnon, yet Achilleus prolongs the problem by holding on to his anger. He acts such as a tantrum-throwing child does when Pallus Athene disallows him from continuing his argument. To prove his point, he has to ask his mother to go to Zeus, and plead for him to help the Trojans so ?that Atreus' son wide-ruling Agamemnon may recognize his madness, that he did no honor to the best of the Achaians? (I, 411-412) Achilleus puts himself above the rest of the Achaians, but does not act 1 accordingly to the position he claims for himself. He forgets that as leader, the consequences of his actions, also affects those whom he holds in his charge, and close to his heart. Furthermore, instead of assuming full responsibility for his situation, Achilleus places part of the load on his mother Thetis, as well as Zeus. In drawing gods into the conflict, Achilleus further complicates the matter. Without the intervention of immortals, the victor of any contest is simply the stronger, more skilled, or perhaps luckier opponent. Once the gods are brought into the field of play, anything can be expected since they are even capable of changing the destinies of men. Hera is one of the first of the gods to exhibit her meddling ways and the capacity to turn the tables. When she plans to seduce Zeus into bed to occupy him so that Poseidon may help the Achaians, Hera enlists the help of Aphrodite and Sleep. Though the concept of helping mortals is good and selfless, there is also much evil in her actions. There are no bounds to how low Hera will stoop to acquire the services she needs to triumph over her husband. In order to gain their help, Hera tells lies to Aphrodite, and bribes Sleep with ?gifts; a lovely throne, imperishable forever, of gold? (XIV, 238-239). Without the help of the other two immortals, Hera would not be able to beguile Zeus though she is the highest of all goddesses. Yet, the daughter of Kronos still puts her unknowing accomplices in danger of Zeus' wrath. Similarly to Achilleus, Hera disregards the well being of those whom she finds herself dependent upon at times. 2 When the Achaians hold their games in honor of Patroklos' death, several of the greatest warriors receive help or unwanted attention from gods watching on. There are times where the best man does not always win such as when Eumelos comes in last in the chariot race. Diomedes wins the race though Phoibos Apollo ?[dashes] the shining whip from his hands? (XXIII, 384), only because Athene reciprocates by smashing the chariot yoke of Eumelos. Though neither Achaian prays to the gods, the two deities choose to interfere by assisting the man they favor. Therefore, the mortals do not always have a choice, since the gods are free to influence whomever they fancy. Some are granted help whether they realize they need it or not. In the case of Odysseus, he knowingly asks Athene to ?be kind; and come with strength for [his] footsteps? (XXIII, 770). Despite his status as one of the most noble and glorious Achaians, Odysseus relies on the aid of a goddess to procure dominance and victory. He is not confident enough to count only on his true abilities. Furthermore, Aias remarks that the goddess who makes him fall in the cow manure is the one ?who has always [stands] over Odysseus like a mother, and [takes] good care of him? (XXIII, 782-783). After supporting Odysseus through many of his struggles, Athene has become somewhat of a maternal figure. A bond thus forms

Social Networking or Social Isolation Essay Example

Social Networking or Social Isolation Essay Example Social Networking or Social Isolation Essay Social Networking or Social Isolation Essay Individuals use of wed-based interactive websites isnt just restricted to social interaction and wikipedia.. The shrewder of Internet users out there can now become globally recognised, a familiar face in the sea of faces, if you like. There are several ways of doing it. The first would be to make a video of yourself and post it on a video hosting website, something which is accessible to millions of people worldwide and nearly always free- therefore a way of getting instant recognition. Like Facebook, this is only a recent phenomenon, but one which is becoming increasingly popular amongst Internet users. The range of videos you can make is seemingly limitless and these so-called video blogs (or vblogs for short) can make stars out of the people who are in them. A famous example is Chris Crocker, a young American kid who defended Britney Spears after she was on the receiving end of worldwide negative press. He became a star overnight; he was interviewed on CNN and ABC, he has been on various American chat shows, and he even has his own line of Leave Britney Alone merchandise. It is ironic, of course, that the unwitting star of this cult video should be interviewed by well-established American news stations- the sign of just how big vlogging has got and an indication that the media pendulum has swung somewhat- suddenly, it is the people who make the second-hand media, the vloggers, that are now stars in their own rights. Surely this is a true symbol of people truly embracing, truly becoming, the media. In one of his interviews he says I actually had no idea that any of this was going on. I went to the grocery store after I posted it, not even five hours afterwards. An old woman in the grocery store said she saw it on (TV). From then it kind of snowballed (4) (Chris Crocker interviewed on MSNBC website).  It took just five hours for this everyday American teen to gain national and global recognition, a clear indication that people have truly embraced the media. Another way of getting fame and fortune via these Web 2.0 applications is sharing music. Napster, a web 1.0 P2P file-sharing website was the first to share website to allow people to share music, but recognised artists were generally the only ones who were shared on a regular basis. Then MySpace came along. Some of the biggest acts of in recent years started off on myspace promoting their music in order to move up the ladder to possible global superstardom. One band who epitomise the MySpace music sharing generation is The Arctic Monkeys, who were just four everyday young lads from Sheffield who started off sharing their music on MySpace. They went on to have the fastest-selling debut album of all-time, largely due to the following they amassed as relative unknowns using the Internet to promote their material. Louis Collard writes:  MySpace represents a huge marketing opportunity for artists, and given the essentially zero cost, this is an avenue available to both signed and unsigned artists. Many well known bands, as well as thousands of lesser known and unsigned artists have a MySpace homepage. (5) (Collard, date unknown, page 3). And what he says is true; MySpace is definitely a huge marketing niche for the average soloist/band, to promote their music to millions of people, for free, and perhaps make it big. That is an opportunity more and more people are going to grasp, as long as MySpace remains free the market is going to widen, because more and more bands will want to exploit the benefits, but the niche will get smaller because there are so many bands about who sound the same. Innovation is the key in this type of technology, if you can release something unheard of, like the social realism of the Arctic Monkeys, then you are half-way to making it; youve just got to promote your work enough and work hard to achieve goals. Is the fact that these Web 2.0 applications are so successful, and so globally utilised, a sign that the motto Dont hate the media, become the media is being employed a lot more, (maybe not as consciously as the Indymedia organisations but probably as much as them) as more people see the benefits of the media, and not the drawbacks? There are, in my opinion, several factors that are benefiting the average person- the fact that these utilities are free, the fact that these utilities can be used and recognised globally and the fact that these utilities are highly interactive make them an ever-popular medium. Finally, after years of living in the producers spotlight, the consumers have a say how things are ran, and the line between producer/publisher is becoming more and more blurry by the day. Paradoxically, the consumer becomes a producer, whilst still remaining a consumer too, when promoting their music on MySpace for example, a clear indication that the line between producer and consumer is sketchy. An IBM report states:  Media consumers, to varying degrees, will be increasingly involved in the creative process. These shifts toward a pervasive media environment will evoke major changes in media and entertainment companies by 2010. Media companies will need new strategies to respond to emerging media experiences and consumption behaviours. (6) (IBM report, various authors, 2004) Even the large companies are acknowledging that there is going to be a gradual change in the future and that the consumer will become increasingly involved in the near future. The trends certainly show no sign of declining, as more and more people gain access to the Internet, and sign up for interactive satellite TV., newer applications will be made available. Who truly knows what lies in store for the media in the future? It is too difficult to envisage what new interactive mediums people will dream of next, but there is no doubt that the next big phenomenon to take the Internet by storm will involve an element of interactivity. Not always made by the people but powered and popularised by them, interactive forms of media are a true sign that people have listened to what Jello Biafra said all those years ago and instead of showing animosity to the media, they have truly became the media themselves. Footnotes: (1) Cyberactivism, Martha McCaughey, Michael D. Ayers, Routledge, 2003, page 60) (2) Nyland, Marvez, Beck, Myspace: Social Networking or Social Isolation?, 2007,gentletyrants.com/wpcontent/uploads/2007/03/Nyland_Myspace%20isolation.pdf, (accessed 17/11/2008) (3) Maness, Library 2.0 Theory: Web 2.0 and Its Implications for Libraries 2006, webology.ir/2006/v3n2/a25.html, (accessed 17/11/08)

Brief Analysis of How EUs Policies Have Influenced the Car Industry Term Paper

Brief Analysis of How EUs Policies Have Influenced the Car Industry - Term Paper Example The car industry is no exception. The policies framed by the political leadership for the car industry are based on the information provided by different stakeholders and the push and pulls are strong and strategic. Hence, such policies have to be balanced so that they do not appear to lean in favor of one stakeholder at the cost of another. The major stakeholders in the car industry viz. the manufacturers, the OEMs, the distributors, society and the environmentalists make their contributions and influence the decision of the policymakers. These contributions and influences do not always coincide and can be quite diverse and even confrontational. For instance, the contributions of car manufacturers and the environmentalists are so diverse that any government will be hard put to frame policies agreeable to both parties. The car industry is stagnating in the United States (US) and the European Union. This industry has shown a rise in developing economies like China, India, Brazil, and Eastern Europe. In the United States and the EU, the survival of the industry depends on innovation, variety and technology fusion (Ahlgrimm, Michael, p3). Customer demands for these are high in the US and the EU. Constant innovation also plays a useful role in higher energy efficiency. There is a sea change in the car market. Until the 1980s, the market was dominated by a few big players who monopolized and were in a position to roll out specific models though user-friendly were not really individualized to suit the requirements of individual customers. This has now changed. There is greater awareness of customer specifics when designing cars of different models. The car market is no more the sellers' market. It is the buyers' market. Sensitivity to customer preferences and tastes rules the industry. The purchasing power coupled with the discernment of the customer decides the unique sales points of the car market. In this scenario, it is not only cost but also the salient features built into the car system that prevails in the market.  

An American painting. Winslow Homer Research Paper

An American painting. Winslow Homer - Research Paper Example The artist had done this painting during the last 10 years of his life, when he was 63 years old. The painting of ‘The Gulf Stream’ was created in 1899 and it was a sort of synopsis of the artist’s own lifetime experiences which were steeped in adversity and combined with the memories and reflections of his life. This was not the only painting of ‘The Gulf Stream’ but he had created two other variants of the same with watercolors. In addition to this he also made a few sketches on the same subject. The artist drew inspiration for this painting from different sources. Since he frequently visited Nassau and Florida, his journey took him through the Gulf Stream and this could have been a source of inspiration to him. Studies show that the painting was based on the two winter trips made by the artist to the Bahamas3 in 1884 – 85 and 1898 – 99. Another source of the artist’s inspiration is believed to have come from ‘Mc Cabe†™s Curse’4 which is a Bahamian story that tells of how a British Captain had been robbed and had to survive a terrible storm. Homer also drew inspiration from his father’s death as he was left lonely and abandoned. Painting Description 4 The painting of ‘The Gulf Stream’ was an oil on canvas painting whose dimensions are 28.1 inches by 49.1 inches (71.5 cm x 124.8 cm) Presently, this painting is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.5 The background of the painting shows a rough and violent seascape and a partially lit sky. The center of the painting shows a small rudderless boat, devoid of mast and sails, bobbing up and down on its dark waters. The solitary figure of a man, battling the waves, with huge hungry sharks all around him stands out against the dark background of water. On the right of the boat in the distance a water spout can be seen rising up into the clouded sky. The actual painting of the rough sea is done with brush strokes of blue an d gray that occurs alternating with scant brush strokes of reddish brown. The entire scene is bathed in a creamy white light depicting either dawn or dusk. In the far away distance is the ghostly outline of a ship, very vague in its form and shape, but unfortunately the ship is not noticed by the man in the boat. There is a sort of aesthetic realism6 that is portrayed in this composition. In as much as the author consciously separates the good and evil elements he portrays them together, showing that both good and evil exists in our midst. The helpless man symbolizes vulnerability and abandonment on one hand, but on the other hand he is shown to be calm and at ease among the sharks in the water. Homer’s 5 underlying meaning could have been one of hope with nothing much to fear and suggests strength of character. There is another area of possible symbolism and that is the ebony cross located on the bow of the boat suggesting impending death and a funeral to follow. The open ha tch also could suggest a sort of tomb or a grave. The ethereal ship shown in the distance could symbolize redemption by making peace with ones self. The artist’s use of line and color is so mature showing his experience on oil and canvas. The lines are smooth and the colors such as the shades of grey, blues and creams blend well against each other giving the whole scene an ominous appearance. The color and contours of the figures gives it a dark mood filled with impending danger. From the exquisiteness of the painting it is clearly understood that Winslow Homer was a highly skilled artist of his time. I really liked the painting for its

Dq 8-Terence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Dq 8-Terence - Essay Example Based on the same, are ethical issues concerned with the efficiency and speed of information systems, especially at the work place (Brown, 2012). Information is one of the strong tools to success. The development of information systems may also involve political and social relations (Hollifield & Habibi, 2011). Electric information systems are now widely used, especially in the workplace. There is need however to guard the privacy and security of the information being transmitted through the information systems, since people may misuse it, or in some cases, the information may affect parties that are not involved significantly (Xu & Quaddus, 2013). Privacy in knowledge worker information systems as well as security is important. The information systems may have information that may be useful to the larger society, or a group of people (Zimmermann, 2011). However, security and privacy are important for the sake of preserving information that may otherwise be harmful if leaked. A knowledge worker such as a scientist for example, may have researched on and stored information in an information system (Salmela & Anna, 2011). The kind of information stored needs security, should an individual want to leak the hard- earned information. There may be hackers who might also illegally obtain information they are not supposed to obtain (Stair & Reynolds, 2013). To address the risk of private information being accessed, a company may consider establishing an electronic database. The database should be designed to access all kinds of information as well as store it. An electronic database may alter the way information is convened. Persons that may be involved require training on how to retrieve and enter the information in digit form. This kind of precaution may ward off several persons, acting as an effective measure (Hollifield & Habibi, 2011). Offshore outsourcing mainly occurs when services and products are procured from

Role of Money in Inequality and Rights

Role of Money in Inequality and Rights Jonathon James Dunn For this essay, I have been asked to describe how two of the module themes help to illustrate the role of money in society. The two themes I have chosen are inequality and rights. The idea of inequality can be applied to the subject of money to give a range of different insights. The presence or absence of inequality can be judged in relation to equality of opportunity, conditions or outcomes. Inequalities take many various forms, such as the ones based on social categories, like class, gender or age. A study by the independent think tank Inequality Briefing provides an explanation regarding the distribution of wealth within the UK. It suggests where the money should be in an ideal world, where we think it should be (based on polls) and where it is. It concludes that the actual distribution figures show that the richest 20% have 60% of all the wealth. This suggests the balance is not as fair as the majority think and emphasises the apparent inequality within UK society. * The theme of inequality and rights can also be shown concerning migrants and the right to education, with the example of the rapidly growing city of Guangzhou, the export capital of southern China. After more than 30 years of domestic migration in China, more than 10 million migrant workers are working in Guangzhou city; they are considered the backbone of Chinas export industry. Guangzhou is one of the four mega cities in China which include Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen.ÂÂ   In 1978, less than 20% of Chinas population lived in the cities. The growth in Chinas export industry resulted in increased urbanisation, and consequently, millions of people left rural areas ascended to Chinas cities to find employment. This was at a time when the government was looking to convert broad areas of land and employ cheap labour in order to make products and to sell those products to the world. Now for the first time in history, China is a more urban country than a rural one. Desp ite the rapid growth in Guangzhou, a significant question arises; has everyone benefited from it? With Chinas rapid urbanisation driving its growing economy, the enlarging inequalities in the cities have received widespread attention. Evidence suggests, migrants have been made to feel excluded, isolated, and have suffered discrimination while also being blamed for increasing traffic congestion and urban crimes. Many people within the city are urging for reforms towards equality. The growth of Guangzhou encourages, and enables, investigation of the impact that rapid urbanisation and a fast-changing economy has in the social world. Social inequality exists between the wealthy elite and the working poor in megacities such as Guangzhou and in this sense shows some similarities to the Inequality Briefing statistics previously mentioned, regarding the UKs wealth division. Guangzhous rapid development is the result of a mixture of globalisation, the migration of people from the countryside to the city and investment into infrastructure. To achieve this, it had to take on massive debt. The issue of rights and inequality is none more prevalent than when considering migrants who are far poorer on average than those from the City. Of an estimated 14 million people living in Guangzhou, nine million are considered as residents. The Chinese population is categorised as belonging to one of two groups urban or rural under a system called hukou. This system became a way of administering the distribution of state resources and controlling migration within the country in 1958. Under the socialist regime, people were provided with ration cards to buy food and goods at subsidised prices. Those individuals who were not resident in the place where they held their hukou status were not entitled to access these rationing cards. Migrants are only permitted to work in the cities with temporary residence permits and without an urban Hukou. This seemingly archaic system remains in place today. Although movement between the countryside and the city has become much freer, people with no hukou in the place where they live face significant difficulties accessing jobs, education, healthcare and welfare. There are even recent signs that the growth of rural migrant labour is slowing down and despite the increase in the number of migrant workers during the past decade which reached an estimated 274 million in 2014, this growth has declined from 5.5 percent in 2010 to just 1.9 per cent in 2014. * The children of rural migrants are denied access to education in the city and are only entitled to free education in their hometowns. An article in the South China Morning Post suggests Some migrant workers put in 18-hour shifts in sweatshops, others sell vegetables, sweep the streets or labour in construction sites. Often that just brings in 5,000 yuan a month- This means they cannot afford the fees children without hukou must pay to study in the city. When you consider rural migrants have provided the workforce that has enabled the city to grow and prosper are not entitled to the same benefits as those who have lived in the city for all of their lives, a striking example of inequality emerges, especially as Ganzhou has particularly relied on the movement of these people from the countryside to the town. Being a full member of the UN, China are duty bound to guarantee all humans a minimum standard of rights.* It could certainly be argued that children of migrants face unnecessary ha rdship in accessing education, which could be against their human rights. Without a doubt, its been difficult for the government to maintain equity during this growth period. The rising social inequality experienced by Chinese migrant workers in the Guangzhou is worrying. The governments comprise a strategy which should aim to balance economic growth and social equality and consider removing or altering the hukou system. Word count: 937 Wealth inequality in the UKYouTube. (2017). Wealth inequality in the UK. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOJ93tAbPP0 Chinas migrant workers embrace new opportunities closer to homeEqual Times. (2017). Chinas migrant workers embrace new opportunities closer to home. [online] Available at: https://www.equaltimes.org/china-s-migrant-workers-embrace?lang=en [Accessed 28 Feb. 2017]. Under Article 26.1 of this universal declaration:Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.(UN, [1948] 2015) Migrant workers in Guangzhou hope to give their children a brighter future South China Morning Post. (2015). Migrant workers in Guangzhou hope to give their children a brighter future. [online] Available at: http://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/families/article/1826842/migrant-workers-guangzhou-hope-give-their-children-brighter

Medicinal Value of Yoga Essay -- Health Medicine Exercise

Medicinal Value of Yoga What most Westerners picture when you say Yoga, is an Indian guru in cloth shorts or a long flowing robe, twisted up in a some sort of a pretzel pose. You may picture the Yoga practitioner in peak physical shape, as well as, being a very peaceful human being. It is attaining this goal that is the aim of Yoga, but what most of people don't realize, is exactly how much goes into achieving this state. Yoga time honored teaching on how to achieve physical health, psychological well being and spiritual peace. This can be achieved by concentrating for hours in a state of complete focus, know as meditation. While mediating, the practitioner assumes various body positions known as asanas, that allows for maximum circulation of the body. By quieting the mind and placing attention on the breath and on the movement (and stillness) of the body the idea is to achieve a state of mind where he experiences total health and feeling of well being. The word Yoga as a term, literally means "union", the aim of Yoga is to integrate and harmonize all the various human faculties--mind, emotions, body, and spirit. In India, where it originated, this process of harmonization takes many forms: the yoga of devotion, of meditation, or selfless service, of knowledge and study. Although are advantages and disadvantage to all types of Yoga the scientific community maintains a belief through many years of study that Yoga has definite medicinal value in the maintenance of health and treatment of disease Overall benefits of Yoga The practice of Yoga encompasses many different forms--e.g. Karma, Bhakti, Jnana, Raja, Hatha, Kundalini and Tantra). As Sri Krishna Prem so eloquently stated, Yoga is not a synthesis of a... .../item,45098.asp 7. B. K.S. lyengar, "The Tree of Yoga" 8. http://www.holistic-online.com/Yoga/hol_yoga_pos_intro.htm#Introduction 9. Sahay, Sadasivudu, Yogi, Bhaskaracharyulu, Raju, Madhavi, Reddy, Annapurna, & Murthy, 1982 10. http://www.healingyoga.com/ 11. Monroe, R., A.K. Ghosh, and D. Kalish. 1989. Scientific Studies on Yoga and Meditation, Yoga Biomedical Trust, Cambridge, England. 12. Schell, Allolio, and Schonecke (1994) Scientific Studies on Yoga and Meditation, Yoga Biomedical Trust, Cambridge, England. 13. Wood, 1993, Scientific Studies on Yoga and Meditation Biomedical Trust in Cambridge, England, Yoga Biomedical Trust, Cambridge, England. 14. http://www.chennaiwebsites.com/html/yoga/ 15. Monroe, R., A.K. Ghosh, and D. Kalish. 1989. Yoga Research Bibliography, Scientific Studies on Yoga and Meditation. Yoga Biomedical Trust, Cambridge, England.

Edu100 Artefact Analysis

What does it mean to be a teacher in the 21st century? Schoolteachers provide students with education and preparation for adulthood. However, what it means to be a teacher in the 21st century is rife with ambiguity. An analysis of educational artefacts will aid in answering this question. One is a system-level document titled Closing the Gap (Appendix A), while the other is a school-level document outlining the homework guidelines at Siena Catholic College (Appendix B).Discussion on these documents will relate to one of four educational discourses and the effects of policies on students, teachers and the schooling milieu. The four educational discourses include academic rationalism, social and economic efficiency, child centred learning, and social reconstruction (Morris, 1998, p. 12). The Department of Education and Training produced the document Closing the Gap in July 2009. This document outlines an initiative to reduce Indigenous disadvantages under the pretence of education as a dominant catalyst for improved health and personal human capital.Ross & Wu (1995, p. 719) advocate this pretence, stating ‘high educational attainment improves health directly, and it improves health indirectly through work and economic conditions, social-psychological resources, and health lifestyle’. Halving the gap for Indigenous reading, writing, numeracy, and Year 12 attainment within a decade is the predominant goal for the Closing the Gap scheme. Essentially then, a discourse of social reconstruction underpins this document, as it focuses on community interaction, injustices, social problems and inequalities.Generally, the policies introduced enforce a foundation of inclusivity and anti-discrimination in the actions of teachers. The effects on students, however, will be more profound. Higher levels of education bring wealth and changes in social class, which in turn allows resources for further education (Orr, 2003, p. 282). This will narrow the social classes b etween students, encouraging collaboration between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students. Although a discourse of social reconstruction is prevalent throughout this document, some policies that are introduced are based on other discourses.Academic rationalism is another discourse that can be associated with the policies in Closing the Gap. The ‘Deadly Maths’ initiative encourages high expectations of attendance, behaviour and performance to raise numeracy education outcomes for Indigenous students. This policy aims to improve schoolteacher understanding of the nature and pedagogy of mathematics, particularly the role of symbols and pattern recognition. It also aims to improve the teachers understanding of the nature and pedagogy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge, culture, language, and out of school life.Initially, this may seem unrelated to mathematics, or any academic discipline. However, teachers are not removed from traditions other than science, t hat is, rational inquiry and the search for truth. As Moran (2005) states, ‘An historian or a sociologist who is ignorant of religion will be hampered within his or her own field of scholarship. The classroom is not a place for proselytising but the traditions of the students deserve respect and the tradition of the teacher needs acknowledgment’.Differences in literacy and numeracy levels between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students were revealed through NAPLAN and will continue to be tested this way in the future. This method of testing can be attributed to the academic rationalist educational discourse and can be detrimental to achieving the goals and ideals detailed throughout this document. ‘The potentially destructive affects of such data on school, teachers' and students' self-esteem was suggested as a real negative of NAPLAN for Indigenous students’ (Lingard, 2011, p. 230).Ironically, the use of these tests is in opposition to a discourse of social reconstruction, the discourse which underpins the entirety of Closing the Gap. ‘From a social constructivist perspective, five explanations for the literacy achievement gap appear plausible: linguistic differences, cultural differences, discrimination, inferior education, and rationales for schooling’ (Au, 1998, p. 297). Au’s last three explanations given are now in the process of rectification. However, English is a second language for many rural Indigenous students, giving them an immediate disadvantage in IQ and NAPLAN tests.Figueroa & Garcia (1994, p. 10) state that tests and testing need to be racially and culturally non-discriminatory and should be provided in the primary language. If NAPLAN is used to measure the gap in literacy and numeracy skills, an overwhelming burden will be placed on schoolteachers. Indigenous parents will be encouraged to speak in English to their children from birth in order to close the gap, eventually leading to the abolishment of their native language. Alternatively, NAPLAN tests can be available in the native language.In this scenario, schoolteachers will be required to learn the native language; otherwise large numbers of teachers who are proficient in the native language will need to be trained. Another educational discourse presented in this document is one of social and economic efficiency. Closing the Gap also introduces some policies based on a discourse of social and economic efficiency. An example of this is the introduction of wraparound support for Indigenous school-based apprenticeships and traineeships (SATs).These services assist in the participation and completion of SATs, mentoring, and successful transitions from school to employment or further training. This can be categorised into the social an economic efficiency discourse, as it focuses on current and future labour needs. This discourse adopts a ‘hands-on’ approach for students, expanding on vocational knowledge and skill s. Teachers play a major role in the advertising of such services and the modification of curriculum and co-curricular activities for students participating in SATs. When detailing their research, Smith & Wilson (2002, p. 7) reported that ‘more than half of the students had learned about the school-based new apprenticeship through school, either through a teacher or co-ordinator (58%) or from a notice board at school (6. 7%)’. These services positively impact on students, particularly those at risk of becoming socially isolated or disengaging from school. When speaking on students who are unlikely to pursue a bachelor’s degree, Bishop (1995, p. 14) states that ‘at-risk students should be advised to start building their foundation of occupational skills and knowledge while they are still in school’.Another policy presented in this document may also have a positive impact on Indigenous students. The ‘Flexible Alternative Learning Program’ presented in Closing the Gap is designed for students who are at-risk of separating themselves from school. This program delivers culturally relevant and capability appropriate curriculum, whether vocational or academic. The full range of student needs will be addressed, including basic material needs, travel requirements, health and nutrition and personal support requirements.This initiative is based on a child centred learning discourse as it focuses on the individual, providing opportunities for personal growth. However, all four educational discourses characterise different areas of this program. This program will allow students with special needs to have more time with teachers, ensuring teachers maintain a caring and nurturing environment. However, to further clarify the role of teachers in the 21st century, another document will be analysed. Siena Catholic College produced the document Homework Guidelines in 2007.This document outlines what homework is, why it is necessary, t he amount of homework given, and categorises the different types of homework. This document introduces homework with two definitions; as a method of consolidating or preparing for class studies, and as formal assessment that may be completed using both class time and time outside normal lessons. Against this first definition, Otto (1957, p. 367) states, ‘homework is not significantly related to achievement as measured by teacher marks or standardized tests’. However, many academics praise homework. Goldstein (1960, p. 22) believes that authors have a tendency to frame their conclusions of the values of homework in terms that favour preconceived notions about homework and for subsequent authors to cite these unfavourable conclusions rather than the actual research findings. The second definition given in this document is founded in a discourse of academic rationalism, where teachers test students on their ability to complete set tasks. This discourse can affect students negatively, giving those with more resources, such as access to tutors, ICT’s, and textbooks, a distinct advantage.Also, teachers should be cautious when conducting this form of assessment, as plagiarism can occur when students are not under direct supervision of the teacher. Although academic rationalism may impact negatively on teachers and students, other discourses presented in this document will not. A discourse of social and economic efficiency is prevalent throughout this document. The document praises homework for fostering good learning habits, self-discipline, planning, organising, ICT skills, resource collection and multimedia knowledge.These tacit skills can be utilised in many career pathways. Teachers have a duty to foster these skills in students, ensuring the homework tasks address these skills. Teachers also have an obligation to facilitate the acquisition of these skills, enforcing the use of planners such as diaries or timetables. As well as this discourse, social reconstruction is portrayed throughout the homework guidelines. An educational discourse of social reconstruction is apparent in this document.The document states that homework strengthens the partnership between home and school, providing parents with insights as to what is being taught. This encourages cooperation between schoolteachers and parents, especially when resources such as ICTs are not available to the student outside of school. Students are also encouraged to balance homework with family, social, work and extracurricular activities. This promotes collaborative learning and community interaction, which are also categorised under a discourse of social reconstruction.Lastly, the child centred discourse is also contextualised within this document. Homework Guidelines states that homework provides an opportunity for students to be responsible for their own learning. According to this document, homework also challenges gifted students to explore open-ended tasks, deve loping self-learning and independent inquiry. This quasi-acceleration rescues talented students from the boredom of insufficient challenges, helping them to develop better study habits and more realistic self-concept (Kulik & Kulik, 1984, p. 10). This teaching method is based on a child centred discourse. In taking this discourse to its extreme, teachers may set different homework tasks for each student according to their aptitude and future prospects. What it means to be a teacher in the 21st century is still to be determined. However, an answer to this question has been attempted through the use of academic artefacts which summarise policies and procedures at both the school and system level. The Department of Education and Training developed he document, Closing the Gap, which outlines initiatives to narrow the academic gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students. As this document focuses on community interaction, injustices, social problems and inequalities, it is based o n a discourse of social reconstruction. This document delves into other discourses however, with the ‘Deadly Maths’ and ‘Parents as First Teachers’ initiatives being founded on a discourse of academic rationalism. The use of NAPLAN for testing students also falls under this category.A discourse of social and economic efficiency is portrayed in the use of SATs and the ‘Flexible Alternative Learning Program’ presents a child centred approach. The homework guidelines at Siena Catholic College are also embedded within the four discourses. Although the testing of students on homework is based on an academic rationalist discourse and may produce negative results, the tacit skills and knowledge gained from independent study can be applicable to many career pathways. The document outlines other positive outcomes of homework, such as parent-teacher interaction, and the challenging of gifted students.These policies and discourses may affect the teacherâ €™s inclusiveness, knowledge of other languages and traditions, knowledge of alternative educational pathways, ability to cater for those with special needs, understanding of resource limitations, fostering of work habits, ability to talk to parents, and development of aptitude based homework. Reference List Au, K 1998, Social constructivism and the school literacy: Learning of students of diverse backgrounds, Vol. 30, no. 2, p. 297, viewed 1 May 2012, Journal of Literacy Research. Bishop, J 1995, Vocational education and at-risk youth in the United States, Vol. 5, no. 19, p. 14, viewed 4 May 2012, Centre for Advanced Human Resource Studies. Goldstein, A 1960, Does homework help? A review of research, Vol. 60, no. 4, p. 222, viewed 1 May 2012, The Elementary School Journal. Kulik, J & Kulik, C 1984, Effects of accelerated instruction on students, Vol. 54, no. 3, p. 410, viewed 4 May 2012, Review of Educational Research. Moran, G 2005, On being deeply conservative, viewed 5 May 2 012, http://old. religiouseducation. net/member/05_rea_papers/moran_2005. pdf. Morris, P 1998, The Hong Kong school curriculum: Development, issues and policies (2nd Edition), p. 2, Hong Kong University Press, Aberdeen, Hong Kong. Orr, A 2003, Black-white differences in achievement: The importance of wealth, Vol. 76, p. 282, viewed 4 May 2012, Sociology of education. Otto, H 1957, Elementary education-Ill: Organization and administration, p. 367, Encyclopaedia of Educational Research, Macmillan, New York. Ross, C & Wu, C 1995, The links between education and health, Vol. 60, no. 5, p. 719, viewed 29 April 2012, American Sociological Review. Smith, E & Wilson, L 2002, Learning and training in school-based new apprenticeships, p. 27, viewed 29 April 2012, National Centre for Vocational Education Research.

History failures. When something went wrong

History failures. When something went wrong The greatest screw-ups in history Studies reveal it is almost impossible to pick one screw-up in history and name it the worst. Some say that it is the invention of the nuclear energy, but today, we are going to talk about the times when the said energy was not discovered and people had to think of other ways to screw themselves up to earn a place in the archives: Franz Ferdinand and his driver The turn that started World War I could not have been made, if the Archduke’s driver had not steered the wheel in the wrong direction. Some would say this is fate, others would call it bad luck, but the story is the following: on the day when the Archduke and his wife went for a walk in a personal automobile, there had been an assassination attempt in one of the streets. The driver successfully avoided the bomb†¦ only to encounter one of the assassins later, when Franz Ferdinand decided to pay a visit to the victims of the explosion in the hospital. An open gate of Constantinople If you think that Constantinople had no chance of withstanding Turkish attacks, you are utterly wrong. Byzantines did have one visible advantage, and that was the advanced defense system in one of the city’s walls, which secured the place from the enemy.The failure occurred, however, when one of the commanders in charge forgot to close the gates, and the opposing army sneaked in unnoticed, to the sheer horror and surprise of the Constantinople citizens. The capture of the capital continued with the Ottomans establishing a flag on one of the city’s buildings, which ensured their reign and victory for the decades to come. Napoleon invading Russia Napoleon gathered the largest army in continental Europe and thought it was enough to conquer Russians. The war campaign started in the month of summer, when it was hot and humid, and the emperor thought it would be only a few months before they take over Moscow and proclaim their reign.However, Russians held out surprisingly long and proved to be stronger than was originally believed. Napoleon’s army was forced to endure bitter Russian weather and eventually died of cold and freezing temperatures, occasionally helped out by the locals, whose hearts melted at the sight of the defeated foe. Interestingly, Hitler made the same mistake during World War II, when his army turned out to be completely unprepared for the Russian climate and was freezing to death as well. Battle at the Alamo Mexican General Antonio Là ³pez de Santa Anna led his troops to the American borders in the war against the States and was 99% sure he would be the one to win the battle. On his way to meet the Texan rebels, though, he decided that a small lesson of courtesy and social justice would not hurt, and stopped at the city of Alamo.He then proceeded to take over the city and caused a huge massacre where many locals perished. For all those wondering, General did win the battle, but the cost was too high. The ones hesitating whether to support revolution and the Texan rebels were now on the American side, and Mexicans lost all the key points they previously captured, which resulted in Texas becoming the part of the United States. The British Isles invasion A long time ago, Anglo-Saxon troops decided they did not have enough people to protect the British Isles, so they called mercenaries from the borders to help. Unfortunately, when the soldiers on hire arrived at the place to see thousands of defenseless men and women at their mercy, the thought of being paid to protect did not seem appealing. Their next move was to suppress the people and take over the Isles themselves instead of being financed by the government.When the Anglo-Saxons learned the truth about the mercenaries and the way they brought trouble to their own country, they had to deal with the consequences. It was too late, however, and the years of bloody conflict and violence began. This is the kind of failure that was caused by the inexperience of the war generals and the carelessness of the government, who thought that mercenaries were reliable enough to protect their lands. Another historical and accurate proof you should not trust a person who does things out of financi al reward alone. The Austrian army fighting itself The misunderstanding between the generals and the armies led to Austrian soldiers fighting themselves. This happened during the Battle of Karansebes, where the original scheme was to attack the Turks during the night.However, it was dark, and the armies did not communicate well with one another (they were previously divided in two), which led to one part violently attacking another and causing chaos. When the truth was finally revealed, it was already morning and more than 10, 000 soldiers were badly wounded or killed. The Turks did arrive in a few days, though, only to find their enemies unable to participate in any of the war moves and quickly overtook the parts of the land, which is now Romania.

The Bank of Canada essays

The Bank of Canada essays Canadas central bank, the Bank of Canada, is a largely unknown institution to the majority of Canadians. Despite its small size and obscurity, however, the Bank of Canada plays a vital role in the nations economy. With a budget that is dwarfed by most minor federal agencies, the Bank maintains a policy capacity that allows it to take a fast and effective role in influencing Canadas economic climate. The Bank is given autonomy that is unparalleled by other agencies, exemplified by the fact that the Governor of the Bank is appointed to seven year terms in which he/she is greatly shielded from political pressures. The internal structure of the Bank promotes the influence of the Governor, although all monetary decisions must take into account global conditions and inflationary goals. The Bank of Canada was created in 1934 with the passing of the Bank of Canada Act. The poor economic conditions during the depression prompted demands for government intervention into the economy, and the creation of the Bank was a way for the government to gain control of monetary policy. Canada was comparably late in creating a central bank: the United States having done so in 1913 and the UK way back in 1694. The original mandate of the Bank, as laid out in the Bank of Canada Act, was to regulate credit and currency, protect the value of the dollar from undue fluctuations and promote the economic and financial welfare of the Dominion . The objectives given to the bank were broad and left a lot up to the will of the Governor. The original ownership structure of the Bank was made up of private shareholders who could not work in the financial sector. The intent was to create a separation between the Bank and the financial community, as well as the Bank and the government itself. Th e government, in an attempt to gain further control over monetary policy, nationalized the Bank in 1938 making it a crown corporation. Throughout i...

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

Land law - Essay Example Different types of ownership stipulate different rights and liabilities of co-tenants. The type of ownership determines guidelines on the property in terms of attempts to sell it, and methods by which the property can be transferred. In this case, each owner is referred to as a tenant in common. The freehold property that the four pioneer owners (Allan, Ben, Chris and David) bought by contributing different amounts makes them tenants in common (TIC). Unless otherwise stated, most courts assume that a tenancy in common exists whenever several persons take concurrent possession of a single piece of land. When land is granted, transferred, conveyed, assigned or bequeathed to two or more persons, other than as executors, administrators or trustees in either fee simple or any lesser estate, legal or equitable, and the tenancy is not specified in the document creating the estate, the co-owners hold as tenants in common1. Each member has an interest in a particular part of the parcel and th e right to access the parcel as a whole. Each co-owner is allowed to choose who will inherit his or her ownership interest upon death. In cases where no will exists, then the share of the deceased would go to the persons entitled under the rules of intestacy. Each co-owner is liable to the others if they cause any deterioration in the value of the property. Tenancy in common only has the unity of possession and has no right of survivorship. Unity of possession is achieved when each co-owner is entitled to possession of the whole property. In situations where the conveyance in favor of the co-owners includes how the co-owners should hold the equitable interest in the property, this agreement is conclusive2. Each tenant in common enjoys autonomy in dealing with his interest, including the decision to dispose of the interest by will. Each tenant in common holds undivided proportionate interests. Tenants in common cannot hold unity of interest because their interests are not proportiona te. Each tenant is awarded interest according to his contribution. Initially, the shares of Allan, Ben, Chris and David are determined by how much each owner contributed to the purchase of the property. After Chris retired and sold his shares to Fiona, Fiona owned Chris’ shares and hers as well. The sale of Chris’ shares to Fiona does not alter the arrangement between the remaining owners. However, a transfer must be used and fees should be charged on the value of the proportionate interest being transferred. On the other hand, Elsa took over David’s shares after David died. After Elsa died, Gerry and Harry became co-owners, each entitled to the share Elsa assigned him. It is permissible for Harry and Garry to hold Elsa’s interest in joint custody. In that case, Harry and Garry can be joint tenants so that they are both tenants in common with the other co-tenants. As joint tenants, they enjoy the right of survivorship which presumes that when one dies, th e other takes over ownership of the entire parcel which they shared before the death. This minimizes delays when handing over property. Incase Garry, having inherited property does not desire to claim any ownership interest, the interest to the property can be transferred to the other tenants in common. As joint tenants, Harry and Garry have four unities which include: interest, time, title and possession. Joint tenancy mandates owners to have the same interest, developed under the same conveyance, starting at the same time and held under the

2 contract law assignments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

2 contract law assignments - Essay Example However, that right would have arisen by virtue of common law principles rather than statutory law as contained in the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999. Owen Fox explains that ‘for many years, the doctrine of privity of contract was a fundamental feature of English law, meaning that it was only the parties to a contract who could rely upon or enforce the terms of that contract. The consequence of this was that if a third party suffered a loss because the contracting parties failed to fulfil their obligations to each other, then the third party had no recourse under the contract.’2 This is the background against which Sarah Jones Development’s claim for damages against Archibald must be examined. There were and are exceptions to the privity of contract rule. One exception is to be found in circumstances where a collateral contract exists. For example when there is a contract between two parties one of the parties thereto may have a collateral contract with a third party in respect of the same matters contained in the primary contract. Shanklin Pier v Detal Products [1951] 854 provides a good example. In this case the plaintiff hired a contractor for the purpose of painting a pier. The painting contractor was instructed to purchase the paint from the defendants. The defendants informed the plaintiffs that the paint would last for seven years when in fact it only lasted for three months. As a result the plaintiff took the defendants to court despite the absence of a contract between them and defendants. 3 The court ruled that the plaintiffs could sue the defendants for damages on the basis of a collateral contract. The plaintiff had provided consideration in exchange for the defendants’ assurance of the quality of the paint by indorsing a contract with the painting contractor which specifically required that they purchase the defendants’ paint.4 The general tone of judicial findings was that there must be an intention to form a