Economic Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Economic Analysis - Essay Example GDP is the increase in the amount of goods and services produced by an economy over time. According to the Economic Cycle Research Institute (ECRI), more than three years ago, the 2008 financial crisis already triggered studies on longstanding pattern of slowing growth, characterized by higher cyclical volatility and lower trend growth. In layman’s terms, in the short run, we may be having higher upswings of economic growth but at the cost of having equally strong downswings which are hard to anticipate. However, when you try to see patterns as far as from 1970, the long-run trend is down. A part of this trend is shown on the graph below: As one can notice, there was a steep upward change in GDP growth by the end of the 3rd quarter in 2009. The GDP growth figures for 2011 is 2.2% and 1.6% for eth 1st quarter and the 2nd quarter respectively. The graph above may be misleading insofar as it suggests an upward sloping imaginary trend line, but as far as the ECRI is concerned, two implications are possible: First, the fall of GDP will even be steeper than perhaps the -5% in the 2nd quarter of 2009. This means that it’s only a matter of time before GDP growth hits a -5%. If this is the case, since the economy has its own lags and assuming that this debt problem has no clear end, the US economy will be flirting within -5% range or even lower by next year.The second probable case is that though the dip in GDP will only be slight, it will be more frequent resulting in persistent recession perhaps every 2-3 years as the interval of the 2008 crisis with the current crisis. Given that GDP will be fallin short, another index that significantly goes together with this is employment, which can be expected to decrease as well. The index that is commonly used for this is the unemployment rate. The unemployment rate then is defined as the number of unemployed divided by the total labor force while the labor force can be defined as the number of people employed plu s the number unemployed and is seeking work. This on the other hand was expounded on by Okun’s law, which verifies that employment, a factor of production, affects output, albeit with a lag. Okun’s law states that a one point increase in the unemployment rate is equated with two percentage poonts of negative growth in real GDP. So if this the case, if GDP falls in the near future, the unemployment rate may be breaching the 10% line. The unemployment rate is pictures below with the graph showing an upward trend from the start of 2006 to the 2nd half of 2011. As one can see, the unemployment rate has been very high, close to 10%, since mid-year of 2009. Alas, this is a signal that the economy is not producing goods and services the best that it could or at full capacity, because of the many jobless citizens. This is the reason why the Fed, with Bernanke at the lead, is using monetary to expand the economy through the use of interest rates. Monetary policy operations incl ude controlling some overnight or short-term interest rates and these rates to lend money to commercial banks influencing mortgage rates and other types of loans. The logic of controlling interest rates is this: lower interest rates means lower costs for companies who wish to borrow money. The lower cost for borrowing is an incentive for more companies to borrow money and invest in capital expansion and businesses. More capital put up would mean not only

Doing business in India Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Doing business in India - Research Paper Example This view is changing rapidly due to the countries’ potential future. It is deemed that in the near future India will have the world’s largest market for goods, services, and development of infrastructure (Padmanand & Jain, 2000). India’s fast economic growth is due to its ready domestic market in the agricultural and service industry and its appealing demographic trend. The Indian government is also taking measures open up the country to foreign investment (Manian, 2007). The Indian Market The major barrier in penetrating the Indian economic barrier is cultural disparity. The chances of success are improved by understanding the influence of Hinduism and the Indians cultural norms. It is fundamental that investors study some of the cultural facts because such facts influence business in India. India’s official language is Hindu though the international language for commerce is English. Investors also need to understand that India is a hierarchical country (Bose, 2009). The legacy of the caste system influences attitudes towards business. The boss has the final word and cannot be questioned whether his instructions are correct or not. He cannot also been seen doing menial jobs such as making his own coffee or arranging chairs in a boardroom. His instructions are followed to the latter and micro- management works. This approach makes it necessary for potential investors to liaise with individuals with a final say over decision-making. Investors should not overlook the importance of etiquette in India. Using a Namaste handshake is a sign that one understands the Indian culture. During the first meeting, business cards are exchanged. It is advisable to have it translated to Hindi. Enhancing relationships is imperative because negotiations can be slow if trust is not established. Understanding cross-cultural divergences is a bonus in doing business in India (Business standard India 2010). The business law in India offers employees several protections. Foreign employees are required to present visas and Amaritt for such protection (Millar, 2006). Attorneys in India are allowed to practice across the states and most of the legal regulations are consistent across states. Most court cases drag for decades (Makar, 2008). Additionally, arbitration is preferred in solving disputes. The judicial system in India is poorly institutionalized and highly corrupt. Judicial procedures are expensive and influenced by politics. There is a high deficient in protection of property rights. The cost of licensing is very expensive and starting a business can take up to one month. The main source of employment in India is the unskilled informal sector, which is inefficient. The government controls pricing of commodities and this has seen the weakening of the rupee. Foreign participation in India’s economy is impeded by the dominance of the government in the financial sector. The government has also stripped down the citizensâ€℠¢ right in purchasing from low cost multinational stores. Excessive regulation by the Indian government has impeded economic growth (Manian, 2007). India’s economy after independence was the â€Å"socialist mixed model† the government controlled both the private and public sectors output, prices and licensing (Schmidt, 1991). Suppliers are unable to benefit from monopolies as tariffs for electricity consumption are fixed. The BIS: Bureau of Indian Standards set quality standards for products for consumer protection. In 1895,

Impact of Texting on Language

Impact of Texting on Language The English language as you may know is evolving since the beginning, one read of Beowulf or The Canterbury Tales is enough to be reminded of how far removed we are from the language of our ancestors. Texting is the next step in evolution of English language so we should be cautious about it. There are two main arguments about text messaging. One is that text messaging is impacting the English language by impacting teenagers ability to write English using proper punctuation and spelling. The opposing position is, of course, that it does not impact English language and in some way might actually enhance it. Perhaps as we document and collect works of writers and leaders, texts will be abbreviation rich. Future generations would have to study and analyze those abbreviations to understand them. It is accurate to say that the use of texting impacts teenagers language skills which in turn can impact our English language. Language Skills: Some researchers have begun exploring how text messaging affects students language skills and surprisingly, they find a positive correlation. One study done by the professor Clare Wood at Coventry University in Britain found that 11-year-olds who used the most textism (texting language) were actually better at spelling and writing. A command of texting seems to indicate a broader facility for language, and these students seem to switch easily between text messaging and Standard English. Not only that, the study also showed that children who regularly texted showcased a richer vocabulary and gain creativity. She believes that its all misconceptions that text messages are all made up of abbreviated words (Wood, Plester Joshi, 2009). However, this is one of the misconceptions. Professor Clare Wood thinks that texting has a positive impact on teenagers language skills, but these seem a bit extreme. Some studies find this to be the opposite. Drew Cingle and S. Shyam Sundar conducted research at Penn State University. Both authors argued that the students who write in techspeak used shorthand phrases to compose a text message. They thought that writing in techspeak would prevent persons ability to go from techspeak to normal rules of grammar. Based on their data from over 500 students from middle school, they concluded that our data supports that there is a decline in grammar scores. Cingle gives reader personal example from his two younger nieces. He indicates that their text messages were incomprehensible and that he had ask them what they were trying to get out of that message. The message was incomprehensible because the use of shorthand phrases, he said (Cingle Sundar). I agree with Professor Clare on how texting develops creativity through the use of shortcuts. However, Clare Wood has to realize that teenagers are actually making their own language through texting and that language is different from English. Shortcuts used are not that easy to understand as Clare thinks. Even Cingle mentions that he couldnt read his nieces text. And not only that, Sundar and Cingles study proves that texting could also impact grammar. It is true that not everyone can be affected; some can even benefit from it. However, this is something that should be taken into considerations. Since more and more teenagers are starting to use shortcuts. Another research done by Joan Lee undermines Clare Woods research. Joan Lee did study to find the impact of texting on language skills. Based on her data, her results proved that the students who texted more were less likely to incorporate new vocabulary. Her results also proved that students who read newspaper or media were likely to gain more vocabulary. Our assumption about texting is that it encourages unconstrained language, Lee argues, but the study found this to be a myth. Lee argues that reading print media exposes people to variety and  creativity  in language that is not found in text messaging used among youth (Lee). Study done by professor Clare Wood provided some good evidence on vocabulary. I agree with her on how students can gain vocabulary by texting. However, the professor didnt realize that the vocabulary expands upon first using communication device due to some unique words used in texting. However, the vocabulary size levels off as the person knows most of the words that are unique to texting. After that, the person will use same group of vocabulary over and over again. If the Wood did his study many times then the result could have been the opposite. Since the teenagers vocabulary isnt expanding, this means that more words are going extinct and fewer words are being added to our language. Even Cingle and Joan Lees studies hold some limitations. Since the study was done on small population, the results are not generalizable. However, both researches lay the groundwork for future studies. One thing can be certain for sure and that is texting does impact students language skills to a small extent. Addiction: Texting language is no different from other innovative forms of written expression that have emerged in the past (Crystal).    Some linguists are optimistic about the use of texting. Despite doom-laden prophecies, texting has not been the disaster language many feared, argues linguistics Professor David Crystal. On the contrast, it improves childrens writing and spelling. In his book he mentions that students know when to switch from texting to writing an essay for class. He believes that text messages are not made up of abbreviated words (Crystals). Txting is an informative book that really explains the history of abbreviations and acronyms. David Crystal points out a lot of such abbreviations that we tend to take for granted. However, I disagree with some of his opinions that texting is really not a problem. He doesnt go into any detail about how obsessive people can get when it comes to texting. Dr. Greenfield, a psychologist and expert on technology addiction, mentions in his book Virtual Addiction that texting is a form of addiction. Every text is novel and changeable and it is this novelty and unpredictability that creates the pleasurable dopamine  [1]  hit that chemically locks in the reinforcement  [2]  . The fact that you cannot predict what and when you will get a desirable text creates addictive reinforcement experience, and it is this phenomenon that seems to help lock-in a compulsive pattern of text use. Therefore, addition leads to the decrease in performance (Greenfield). Again, the book Txing is mostly a critique on language and how it is affected by texting, but to think that texting is not problematic is a bit naive. David Crystal sees texting as whimsical and creative, but he must acknowledge the social and emotional implications as well. Addiction also plays role. Addiction leads to the downfall of language skills not just by limited use of texting but in order for texting to impact teenagers, teenagers have to text almost every day until it becomes their habit. Those abbreviations become their habit and teens will start using it everywhere, where its not needed. Those abbreviations are then slowly incorporated into their everyday language. It is hard to understand addiction unless you have experienced it (Hensley). The texting language is slowly pouring into English language. Language is evolving; however the consequences could be unpredictable. Caution should be taken regarding texting.What would you do if you opened up a book to see nothing but chat speak? Personally, I would be terrified. In response to this new generation of language, the latest update of the Oxford Dictionaries Online has published new additions of words, definitions and abbreviations consisting of the initial letters of expressions (made popular through their frequent use in text messaging, an other forms of technological communications such as in social-networking sites and emails) such as OMG and LOL. These new internet and text inspired expressions are now legitimately margining into our English language, which demonstrates how much texting has impact our language. And not only that, when I write essays, I often write r u instead of Are you. So the texting messaging is also impacting language skills. Everything boils d own to language. Every abbreviation that teenagers use is impacting our English language. Literature is likely to become as abbreviated as teenagers attention span. http://awilli10.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/net-lingo.jpg The arguments from both sides are very strong. Linguistic David Crystal argues very effectively to tell readers that texting does not affect language. However, his results were mostly based on interviews which are not reliable because since the interview questions tend to seek opinions. Instead research should be conducted to find the accurate results. Joan Lee and Sundar point out some interesting points regarding texting and language skills. Based on their results, one thing is certain for sure, and that is that text messaging has had an impact on Standard English and on peoples language skills, slight or great. It is the addiction that makes texting a habit for teenagers. Text speak will seem normal in 50 years time. Perhaps there will be a 21st-century edition of Shakespeares collected works featuring 2B/not 2B and the Oxford English Dictionary will define 2thless and 1derment.   Some students seem to have difficulties keeping the language of text messaging separate from t he Standard English, and whether Standard English will change as a result of this remains to be seen.

Essay --

​Throughout history there have been several radical events which have ultimately affected large groups of the human population, if not the world in its entirety. The events of World War II are without question a part of that list of radical events. Lasting approximately six years, this global war went from unprovoked acts of military invasion, to acts of mass genocide, to utilization of suicide bombers, and even the first appearance and use of atomic weapons. While it’s not hard to understand why the events in this war, or really any war or large scale battle, can be considered radical in nature, it is also not uncommon to also question whether certain actions were or were not ethical [1]. For instance, it has often been questioned whether the United States’ decision to drop two nuclear bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was ethical or not. While many people may struggle with the realization of the aftermath of these events, to me the answer i s quite clear. The United States' utilization of nuclear weapons against Japan during WWII was neither necessary nor ethical. ​Before any rational discussion or analysis on the topic can be formally begun, I believe it is of relative importance to clarify exactly what is meant by the word â€Å"ethical.† Ethics can roughly be defined as the moral principles and standards that govern people’s, or groups of people’s, behavior, thoughts and general way of thinking. This means that when one deems an event or action as ethical or unethical one is not simply deciding if said event was right or wrong [1]. Ethical labeling implies that one has taken the general mindset of the society in which they consider themselves a part of as well as their own personal feelings, thoughts and opini... ...us that while the U.S. did not intend to formally enter the conflicts of the time, it was the actions taken by the Japanese that caused us to declare war. History also tells us that the Japanese didn't stand a chance against the U.S. and it's coordinated efforts with allies. The fact still remains that the Second World War was ended with the utilization of nuclear weapons against two Japanese cities. Asking if the attacks were necessary, majority of what is now known says no. Asking if the attacks were right or wrong, the simple fact is I believe it was wrong for the U.S. to implement that kind of attack on populations that were primarily composed of noncombatant civilians. Between one, let alone two, atomic weapons not being necessary and it being obvious how inhumane and wrong the attacks were, there is no question in my mind that the events simply weren't ethical!

Flight 93 and Utilitarianism in Times of Crisis

On September 11, 2001 United Airlines flights 93 crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. It has been theorized that the crash was a result of the passengers trying to regain control after it had been hijacked by four members of the Al Qaeda terrorist group in their attempt fly the aircraft into either the White House or the U.S. Capitol building.With that being said, let’s change the scenario a little bit. Suppose that none of the passengers attempted to interfere with the terrorists plot to crash the plane into Washington D.C. Would it be acceptable for the government to launch military aircraft to intercept and possibly shoot down the airliner knowing that all 44 people on board would be killed? From a utilitarian mindset my answer would have to be yes.The whole point behind utilitarianism is to find the one action which maximizes utility, meaning, producing the greatest net benefit. When all things have been considered there is only one right action. It looks at what is good for the greatest number which means that it is possible to do something that has a positive net benefit for the majority but may be very harmful to another segment of the population.In the case of flight 93, shooting down the airliner and sacrificing 44 lives would have, in turn, save the lives of hundreds of people on the ground. Preventing the terrorists from reaching their destination would have averted the likelihood that a large number of our elected officials would have been severely injured or killed. Also, it would have prevented the potential shutdown of the U.S. Government, a shutdown that would have had negative effects felt around the world.This brings to light an interesting question. Are we more likely to accept the idea of utilitarianism in times of crisis? Again, I would have to answer yes. People tend to gravitate toward and readily accept structure and guidance, especially in times of crisis. By applying a utilitarian style of thinking, everything is b roken down into costs and benefits and can be quantified and rationalized.There are times that we may find utilitarian style of thinking to be to our advantage. For example, in times of crisis, however, I don’t feel that this makes the utilitarian theory universally acceptable because utilitarianism has the potential to be very unjust or unfair. It is human nature to apply a mix of all these different theories to our every day decision-making process. We can't just apply one style of thinking to the situation. I guess this is why some decisions seem nearly impossible to make.

Death and Athlete Essay

Title: The title can suggest two different things because â€Å"dying young† can be interpreted differently figuratively and literally. Literally, it would mean that the athlete was dying. Figuratively, it would mean that the athlete’s career was coming to an end earlier than expected perhaps because he was sick or injured. Paraphrase: The speaker is specifically addressing the â€Å"athlete dying young† but is addressing everyone in general. When you won the town race, everyone congratulated and cheered for you. However, today we bring you home after you finished your long race. You’re smart for leaving the world before glory left you. Though victory and subsequent glory comes early, it withers away faster than a rose. Now since you are dead, you cannot see or hear anything. At least your fame and glory stays with you as you died. Many people’s renown and fame left them before they left. So leave the world before fame’s echo fades. Then your fame will last forever and you will be well known for your achievement. Connotation: Form – This poem is kind of like an eulogy because it praises the athlete who died/is dying young. In stanza 3, the speaker seems to be praising the athlete by stating, â€Å"Smart lad, to slip betimes away From fields where glory does not stay. He’s basically saying, â€Å"Yay. Good job on dying young. † Diction – The diction is relatively easy to read and seems very conventional. This makes it seem as if the poem was not specifically for the athlete or athletes but for everyone. Imagery – The imagery makes the poem seem more elegiac. Stanza 3: â€Å"And early though the laurel grows It withers quicker than the rose. † Stanza 7: â€Å"Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead† Point of View – The POV seems to be that of a fellow resident of the town the â€Å"athlete dying young† resided in. â€Å"We chaired you through†¦ we bring you home† Details – There are a lot of details on life/death and glory/fame. Allusions – There is an allusion to the time of the Greeks. It was customary in ancient Greece to crown champion athletes with wreaths with leaves from laurel trees. Stanza 3: And early though the laurel grows. Stanza 7: â€Å"And round that early-laurelled head† Symbolism – In stanza 2, the â€Å"road all runners come† symbolizes life and how it eventually leads to death. In stanza 3. the laurel symbolizes glory and fame while the rose symbolizes how beauty/victory/life is ephemeral. Figurative Language – In stanza 2, there is a metaphor dealing with the â€Å"stiller town. † Basically, there is a comparison of a cemetery/graveyard to a town. Also, in stanza 4, the â€Å"shady night† is a comparison of night to death. Attitude: Well, at first, I thought the tone was depressing because it was mournful of an athlete who died young. However, the speaker’s tone seems to be more reverential than mournful because the praises the speaker gives to the athlete makes it seem as if dying young is better. The speaker states that since he died young, his fame/glory is fresh and everlasting and that this is better than â€Å"runners whom renown outran [them]. † Shifts: There is shift from the first stanza to the second stanza and then from the second to the third. From then on the stanzas are mostly positive. The first stanza is quite celebratory. Everyone is celebrating the athlete who won the race. Then in the second stanza, the mood shifts from cheerful to mournful because the athlete now died. After the second stanzas, all the stanzas are more optimistic. It makes early death seems better than long life. Title: My original opinions of the title are quite similar to my current ones. Basically the poem is about a champion athlete who died early. Due to his early death, his fame lingers on because his accomplishments in life will still be remembered. The athlete in the poem literally dies but so does his career as well. However, one thing that doesn’t die or decay is the athlete’s accomplishments. Theme(s): The main theme in this poem is between life/death and glory. Life doesn’t last forever and neither does youth nor fame. Since fame/glory is ephemeral like beauty, if you live for too long after your accomplishments, your fame/glory is bound to wither away before you do. However, if you die with achievements, your renown will be fresh and remembered. Yet the consequence to this is that you have to face bitter death.

Free Essays on Medea

It all started when Cupid’s arrow pierced Medeas heart causing her to fall madly in love with Jason, beginning her moral corruption. Medea's overpowering manipulation through out her speeches allows one self to despise her character. Medea has the ability to coerce one to believe her evil schemes, â€Å"thought most helpless in doing good deeds, are of every evil the cleverest of contrivers.† Medea isolated herself from the chorus informing them they cannot feel the tremendous amount of pain Jason has caused her. â€Å"You have not suffered as I have,† convincing the chorus that they can’t feel her suffering, she continues to tell them her pain justifies her reasoning for her upcoming actions. Medea builds herself a wall between herself and the chorus, and in doing so she has the chorus fooled and completely for her. In Medea’s speech begging for her one more day in Corinth she gains Creon’s pity when she speaks of her children, relating them to his own. â€Å"And to look for support for my children†¦have pity on them,† Medea explains how her children have nowhere to go. Medea wanted Creon to feel too guilty about her and her kids being sent away, in order to fulfill her need for revenge. â€Å"You have children on your own.† She brings the two of them together through their common shared love for their own children. She has then manipulated Creon into allowing her to stay one more day in Corinth. Medea’s ability to manipulate one surpasses any emotion of sanity one might have. Medea consistently gains one’s respect by relating one to herself, then in gaining one’s respect Medea twists her story to set one up for an opposite outcome.... Free Essays on Medea Free Essays on Medea Medea’s Insanity in Euripides’s play Medea â€Å"Death. Death is my wish. For myself, my enemies, my children. Destruction.†(13). Medea said this quote in the play Medea when she learns that she is going to be exiled from Corinth. Medea is basically saying that she hopes everyone dies. The quote is significant because it shows that she wants to kill everyone including herself, which seems like she is insane. In Medea a women named Medea seeks revenge for her husband leaving her by killing everyone. When a woman wants to kill everyone and everything around her because of her husband leaving her there must be something wrong in her mind, making her insane. Euripides, in his play Medea, uses the characterization of Medea, to show she is legally insane due to mental illness. The many evil thoughts of Medea show that she is insane due to mental illness. Jason betrays Medea and marries the daughter of the king of Corinth. Medea was so angry and furious with Jason that she wishes death upon everyone. Intending for Jason, Medea says, â€Å"NO! I want him crushed, boneless, crawling-â€Å"(72). When Medea is saying this it is like foreshadowing, because later in the play her children and her enemies do die. When Medea says this you first find out how insane she really is. Nobody wishes death upon everything unless they really are insane. This is just one of Medea’s foolish harebrained ideas. When Medea is talking to King Creon about his daughter she says, â€Å"But I wish her well, my lord! I wish her all happiness. I hope that Jason may be kind to her. As-to me.†(22). Jason was not kind to Medea at all, and by saying this Medea is telling Creon that she hopes Creusa will be cheated on and betrayed just like her. Medea seems more insane when she says this because of the way she lied to Creon’s face. This shows once again of Medea’s insanity because it is very absurd for a person to lie directly to another’s face. From these quotes it s... Free Essays on Medea Despite its ancient context, ‘Medea’ is a play that is as current now as it was in the fifth century BC, due to its universal themes, its basic structure and strong distinct characters. Themes such as revenge and jealousy stemming from love are such widespread sentiments they will always be relevant in the theatre. The structure of the play, while not that of a contempory playwright, is easy to follow, significant for its historical nature and provides an opportunity for modern interpretations of the play and in Medea and the Chorus we see characters that are reflected in today’s society. The major themes of ‘Medea’ are that of jealously and revenge, with love as the motivating factor behind it, and these themes are as common in contempory theatre as they are in ancient theatre. While the events of ‘Medea’ are perhaps a more dramatically heightened reflection of life than modern theatre, the idea of a spurned lover seeking to have her revenge on the one who betrayed her is not an unusual or outdated concept. The major theme of love is stated explicitly in the Chorus’ line â€Å"The fiercest anger of all†¦is that which rages in the place of dearest love.† (Euripides pg 32). Love is the ultimate subject for any art and ‘Medea’ explores this theme in a way that modern theatre would also attempt to. ‘Medea’ is a good play to study for its themes, as its structure makes them easily visible and definable. The play’s structure – especially with regards to the chorus – is not wholly applicable in a modern context, but it is still easy to understand, manipulate and significant for historical reasons. The use of the parados and exodus of a chorus is not used in modern theatre; however its use in ‘Medea’ is vital for the proper explanation of the story. As ‘Medea’ is a continuation of the Greek myth ‘Jason and the Argonauts’, without the Nurse – in her position of basically a featured choru... Free Essays on Medea It all started when Cupid’s arrow pierced Medeas heart causing her to fall madly in love with Jason, beginning her moral corruption. Medea's overpowering manipulation through out her speeches allows one self to despise her character. Medea has the ability to coerce one to believe her evil schemes, â€Å"thought most helpless in doing good deeds, are of every evil the cleverest of contrivers.† Medea isolated herself from the chorus informing them they cannot feel the tremendous amount of pain Jason has caused her. â€Å"You have not suffered as I have,† convincing the chorus that they can’t feel her suffering, she continues to tell them her pain justifies her reasoning for her upcoming actions. Medea builds herself a wall between herself and the chorus, and in doing so she has the chorus fooled and completely for her. In Medea’s speech begging for her one more day in Corinth she gains Creon’s pity when she speaks of her children, relating them to his own. â€Å"And to look for support for my children†¦have pity on them,† Medea explains how her children have nowhere to go. Medea wanted Creon to feel too guilty about her and her kids being sent away, in order to fulfill her need for revenge. â€Å"You have children on your own.† She brings the two of them together through their common shared love for their own children. She has then manipulated Creon into allowing her to stay one more day in Corinth. Medea’s ability to manipulate one surpasses any emotion of sanity one might have. Medea consistently gains one’s respect by relating one to herself, then in gaining one’s respect Medea twists her story to set one up for an opposite outcome.... Free Essays on Medea Obsession as a driving force in Euripides’ Medea â€Å"The fiercest anger of all, the most incurable, is that which rages in the place of dearest love† (Medea 32). With this brief sentiment, the collective mind of the female Chorus in Euripides’ Medea relays to the audience the destructive potential of devotion transformed into an obsession for revenge. Medea embodies the ultimate scorned female figure; a person disposed to taking horrific actions to satisfy the need to wound her enemies. Such a personage, often blinded by an insuppressible fury, habitually finds personal justification in taking actions of revenge that may ultimately cause them more grief than their adversary endures. Her propensity to unhindered obsession is ultimately the driving force which propels Medea through her life, first causing her to take extreme actions to secure Jason for her husband, and then to continue her murderous rampage in response to her husband’s infidelity. Medea’s irrational and horrific response to her husband’s new wife stems from a deeply rooted belief that she is solely responsible for Jason’s successes during their courtship. When Jason first confronts Medea, imploring her to cease her behavior, his scorned wife quickly reminds him of the role she played in his past victories. â€Å"The serpent that kept watch over the Golden Fleece†¦it was I who killed it, and so lit the torch of your success† (Medea 31). Medea continues to remind Jason that she was also responsible for saving his life from the fire-breathing bulls, and that she betrayed her own father and homeland, and caused the death of a king in order to ensure a life of greatness together. Additional players inform the audience that Medea’s compulsion further propelled her to murder her own father and brother before ultimately fleeing with Jason to a life in exile in Corinth. Due to the extremity of her past actions, which she attribu tes to love, and the fact that ... Free Essays on Medea Dance is a form of expression which is uniquely expressed by an individual in his or her own way. Martha Graham influenced the world with her individual form of dance which changed dance. Graham has influenced many dancers to learn the Graham technique because it is different from ballet and it’s contemporary. Martha Graham has choreographed many dances which have been touched by people around the world. Her dances are unique in style and choreography. She is called the pioneer of modern dance, because she developed her own style of dance. In the 1930’s Graham developed a technique which uses the body to perform in percussive manners and let the emotions run freely. In the performances choreographed by Graham feelings in each dance is carried out so the audience can feel the pain or the happiness. In the performance Cave of Heart Graham has once again shown how she works her magic by carrying out every feeling. Cave of the Heart is a Greek mythology which was turned into a dance by Martha Graham. The dance was presented with such expression and feelings. The destructive powers of love, dark passions of the human heart are shown through the dance. Medea was a sorceress who, was in love with Jason. She used her magical powers to help him gain a Golden Fleece. Medea fled with him to Corinth and sacrificed everything that was dear to her. Jason was very ambitious and just cared about power and abandoned Medea. Medea felt betrayed by Jason because he had felt her alone. So Medea plans a plot which would end in death of her rival the princess and murder of her own two children. Medea is so furious with Jason that she wants to destroy everything even there children. Medea was adopted by Martha Graham, to create an expressive dance. This dance showed how Medea felt with the moves and colors which were chosen for the costumes. The dance moves in weren’t stiff, the moves were talking with the hands and showing feelings. Medea express...

Iridium Facts - Periodic Table of the Elements

Iridium Facts - Periodic Table of the Elements Iridium  Basic Facts Atomic Number: 77 Symbol: Ir Atomic Weight: 192.22 Discovery: S.Tenant, A.F.Fourcory, L.N.Vauquelin, H.V.Collet-Descoltils 1803/1804 (England/France) Electron Configuration: [Xe] 6s2 4f14 5d7 Word Origin: Latin iris rainbow, because the salts of iridium are highly colored Properties: Iridium has a melting point of 2410 °C, boiling point of 4130 °C, specific gravity of 22.42 (17 °C), and valence of 3 or 4. A member of the platinum family, iridium is white like platinum, but with a slight yellowish cast. The metal is very hard and brittle and is the most corrosion resistant metal known. Iridium is not attacked by acids or aqua regia, but it is attacked by molten salts, including NaCl and NaCN. Either iridium or osmium is the densest known element, but the data do not allow for selection between the two. Uses: The metal is used for hardening platinum. It is used in crucibles and other applications requiring high temperatures. Iridium is combined with osmium to form an alloy used in compass bearings and for tipping pens. Iridium is also used for electrical contacts and in the jewelry industry. Sources: Iridium occurs in nature uncombined or with platinum and other related metals in alluvial deposits. It is recovered as a by-product from the nickel mining industry. Element Classification: Transition Metal Iridium Physical Data Density (g/cc): 22.42 Melting Point (K): 2683 Boiling Point (K): 4403 Appearance: white, brittle metal Atomic Radius (pm): 136 Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 8.54 Covalent Radius (pm): 127 Ionic Radius: 68 (4e) Specific Heat (20 °C J/g mol): 0.133 Fusion Heat (kJ/mol): 27.61 Evaporation Heat (kJ/mol): 604 Debye Temperature (K): 430.00 Pauling Negativity Number: 2.20 First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 868.1 Oxidation States: 6, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0, -1 Lattice Structure: Face-Centered Cubic Lattice Constant (Ã…): 3.840 References: Los Alamos National Laboratory (2001), Crescent Chemical Company (2001), Langes Handbook of Chemistry (1952), CRC Handbook of Chemistry Physics (18th Ed.) Return to the Periodic Table Chemistry Encyclopedia

Groundhog Facts (Marmota monax)

Groundhog Facts (Marmota monax) The groundhog (Marmota monax) is a type of marmot, which is a ground squirrel or rodent. It is familiar to Americans for its weather prognostication on Groundhog Day. The animal goes by many names, including woodchuck, groundpig, and monax. The name woodchuck refers neither to wood nor to chucking. Instead, it is an adaptation of the Algonquian name for the animal, wuchak. Fast Facts: Groundhog Scientific Name: Marmota monaxCommon Names: Groundhog, woodchuck, whistlepig, monax, siffleux, thickwood badgerBasic Animal Group: MammalSize: 16-20 inchesWeight: 5-12 poundsLifespan: 2-3 yearsDiet: HerbivoreHabitat: North AmericaPopulation: Abundant and stableConservation Status: Least Concern Description Within its range, the groundhog is the largest ground squirrel. Adults average between 16 and 20 inches long, including their 6-inch tail. The relatively short tail distinguishes this species from other ground squirrels. Groundhog weight varies dramatically throughout the year, but averages between 5 and 12 pounds. The animals tend to be brownish in color with four ivory incisor teeth. Groundhogs have short limbs that end in thick, curved claws suited to digging and climbing. Habitat and Distribution The groundhog gets its common name from its preference of open, low-elevation land, especially well-drained soil in fields and pastures. Groundhogs are found throughout Canada and in the eastern United States. Other types of marmots are common worldwide, but they tend to prefer rocky and mountainous habitats. Groundhog distribution. Andreyostr, Wikimedia Commons Diet and Behavior Technically, marmots are omnivorous, but groundhogs are more herbivorous than most species. They eat grass, berries, dandelion, coltsfoot, sorrel, and agricultural crops. However, they will supplement their diet with fallen baby birds, insects, snails, and grubs. Groundhogs do not need to drink water if they can obtain it from dew or plant juice. The rodents store fat and hibernate to survive winter rather than caching food. Groundhogs are preyed upon by humans, foxes, coyotes, and dogs. Young may be taken by hawks and owls. Reproduction and Offspring Groundhogs are never found far from their burrows, which they dig in the soil and use for sleeping, escaping predators, raising young, and hibernating. Groundhogs mate after they rouse from hibernation in March or April. The pair remains in the den for the 31 or 32 days of gestation. The male leaves the den before the female gives birth. The usual litter consists of two to six blind pups that emerge from the den after their eyes have opened and their fur has grown. Near the end of summer, the young move off to build their own burrows. Groundhogs may breed the following spring, but most become mature at two years of age. In the wild, most groundhogs live two to three years and up to six years. Captive groundhogs may live 14 years. Baby groundhogs look like miniature versions of the adults. Manfred Kuster / Getty Images Conservation Status The IUCN classifies groundhog conservation status as least concern. The rodents are abundant across their range and have a stable population in most places. They are not a protected species. Groundhogs and Humans Groundhogs are hunted as pests, for fur, for food, and as trophies. Although the rodents eat crops, groundhog burrows improve the soil and house foxes, rabbits, and skunks. So, maintaining a controlled population of groundhogs is beneficial to farmers. February 2nd is celebrated as Groundhog Day in the United States and Canada. The premise of the holiday is that groundhog behavior following hibernation may indicate the approach of spring. Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. Jeff Swensen / Getty Images Research on groundhogs given hepatitis-B may further understanding of liver cancer. The only other suitable animal model for the disease is the chimpanzee, which is endangered. The groundhog is also a model organism for studies on obesity and other metabolic disorders and heart disease. While groundhogs may be kept as pets, they may display aggression toward their handlers. Usually sick or injured groundhogs may be rehabilitated for release back into the wild, but some do form bonds with their caregivers. Sources Bezuidenhout, A. J. and Evans, Howard E. Anatomy of the woodchuck (Marmota monax). Lawrence, KS: American Society of Mammalogists, 2005. ISBN 9781891276439.Grizzell, Roy A. A Study of the Southern Woodchuck, Marmota monax monax. American Midland Naturalist. 53 (2): 257, April, 1955. doi:10.2307/2422068Linzey, A. V.; Hammerson, G. (NatureServe) Cannings, S. (NatureServe). Marmota monax. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.3. International Union for Conservation of Nature, 2008. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T42458A22257685.enSchoonmaker, W.J. The World of the Woodchuck. J.B. Lippincott, 1966. ISBN 978-1135544836.OCLC 62265494Thorington, R.W., Jr. and R. S. Hoffman. Family Sciuridae. In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 802, 2005. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0.

TSCA VS REACH VS CEPA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

TSCA VS REACH VS CEPA - Essay Example The TSCA laws and regulations majorly deal with control of exposure to toxic substances from industries to the environment as asserted by Girard, Day and Snider (2010). The TSCA restrictions provide control over exposure from substances relating to food, drugs, cosmetics and pesticides among others. In addition, they have authority requiring recording keeping, testing requirements, restriction to chemical substances and reporting the findings to make a decision. On the other hand, REAC regulations aim to improve protection of human health and the environment by identifying earlier, any key properties of chemical substances. Majorly, REAC applies to the exclusion of potential risks substances imported or manufactured in the EU. CEPA was a Canadian Environmental Registry enacted in 1999 as contained in Girard, Day and Snider (2010). CEPA is an act that concerns about pollution prevention and protection of the environment with attention to human health. CEPA exercises its mandate to protect the environment where any threats of serious and irreversible damage or lack of full scientific certainty on a product enforces pollution prevention approaches. Therefore, CEPA takes preventive and remedial measures to protect and enhance the restoration of the environment for sustainable development as explained by Girard, Day and Snider

Current events report and analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Current events report and analysis - Essay Example As result of the increase in the supply of the oil, the price of the oil has gone down in the country. The demand for oil in the other oil consuming major countries like Spain and Italy had been due to the crisis that these countries have been experiencing. Thus among the other developed countries the both the consumption and the production of oil in the United States has been the highest (Norris 1). In respect to the above article, the demand and supply model has been fit and the analysis has been done from the perspective of the oil prices of the United States. The diagram below depicts the demand and supply of oil in the economy of US. The downward sloping curve is the demand curve and the upward rising curves are the supply curves. In the figure it can be seen that the initial supply curve of oil in the economy of US is given by S2 which was the supply of oil in the previous period. The demand and supply curve in the initial phase intersected at the equilibrium price of P2 and quantity Q2. In the present period the supply of oil in the economy increases and the new supply curve shifts to S1. Therefore at the same level of demand for oil in the economy the demand and supply curves intersect to form a new equilibrium the new equilibrium point is formed at the price P1 and at the quantity Q1. If the macroeconomic policy of aggregate demand and supply is applied to the article above it can be found that the rise in the consumption has resulted in a push in the demand for oil. This in turn has increased the level of supply of oil in the economy. In the above figure the aggregate supply and demand curve has been drawn. The initial aggregate supply curve is AS. Due to the rise in the production of oil the new aggregate supply curve would be at AS1. The rise in the production of the oil has led to the fall in the prices. As a result the price level of the economy decreases. The spending of the people increases the aggregate demand in the economy. This results in

Busniess communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Busniess communication - Essay Example More importantly, however, women who are better educated have a better chance of supporting themselves and not relying on sex (either through prostitution or more informal relationships where one person supports the other in exchange for sexual favors). In fact, the ratio of girls to boys in elementary and secondary school in a country correlate incredibly highly with the prevalence of AIDS: in Chad and the Central African republic, for instance, only 4 girls are in school for every ten boys, and the AIDS rate is among the highest in the continent. Mouritania, however, with 20% better education numbers, is having the first steps of containing its AIDS outbreak (World Bank). In America, the ratio of girls to boys in education is actually higher than one because of better female attendance at the post-secondary level, and when this statistic is compared to the best countries in Africa, which have ratios of .6:1, it’s clear why Africa is

Research paper about the life of a swordfish in the Medditerrean

About the life of a swordfish in the Medditerrean - Research Paper Example It uses its jumping skill to stun targeted preys such as the barracuda, the flying fish, small  tuna and the squid. It usually hunts its food at night. It also uses its sword-like snout to injure or kill preys and, if needed, to defend itself. While the greatest known predator of the swordfish is the shortfin mako shark, there are also the killer whale or the orca, larger sharks and the sperm whale. A very powerful fish, which can defend itself well against predators, the swordfish always keeps distance from its own kind and, though very agile, it has become a favorite catch among fish catchers. It also distances itself from small boats, though it has become an easy harpoon target to bigger ones and, though there has never been any news of attacks to humans, it remains to be a dangerous fish due to its pointed snout. Until the use of fishnets in catching the swordfish, as well as other fish, there has been a great decrease in its number. In fact, in 1999, a restaurant owner wrote to urge her peers to stop or put a strict control over the serving of this healthy and delicious fish meat. She claimed that in the North Atlantic alone, â€Å" nearly 2/3 of swordfish caught . . . are too young to breed, . . . the average size . . . is just 90 pounds, . . .† and the â€Å"North Atlantic swordfish are now at the lowest levels ever recorded (Pouillon). Up until now, the swordfish is a favourite cuisine across the East Coast of the United States. This popular fish can be served in a variety of ways. Its meat, which is more tough than other fish, is usually grilled and served as steak. At present, the swordfish is no longer included in the list of endangered

Young Australians & the U.N Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Young Australians & the U.N - Essay Example I know my input can help shape the community and make a difference to other young people. Being a Committee member will give the individual a valuable opportunity to build their skill base by gaining leadership experience, an in-depth knowledge of the youth sector, and build networks within the business and community sector.† (Adam Smith, Deputy Chair of The Foundation for Young Australians). Also United Nations Youth Associations of Australia is a significant voice for the youth of Australia. They play an important role in the education of every youth as each individual is looked upon as the next leader of the country. Youth speak are between the age group of 12 to 25years. Ben Groom the elected Australian youth representative to the United Nations Spent five months traveling around Australia and collecting issues to be represented at the UN. The Australian Youth Representative to the United Nations is a member of the Australian Delegation to the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Once selected, the Youth Representative has the challenging but amazing task of consulting with a substantial proportion of Australia’s youth population. The broad goal of the consultation phase is to equip the Youth Representative with a comprehensive mandate of youth representation that may be outside the normal scope of their experiences as a young person. This will assist greatly in the preparation of the Youth Representative’s address to the General Assembly. (Australian Youth Representative to UN, 2007) Ben Groom is the 2007 Australian youth Representative to the UN. On 9th October Ben addressed the UN and the issues represented were due to insufficient rains many were facing drought. â€Å"Young people are the most effective agents of change. The world can harness this energy by strengthening the role of education and training in global climate change solutions. Australian youth have already proven we can

Why was Ulysses S. Grant so successful in finally ending the Civil War Research Paper

Why was Ulysses S. Grant so successful in finally ending the Civil War - Research Paper Example Some of them argued that the major issues of the conflict are related with the rights of the States, and others underlined the fact that quandary of slavery had paved the way of American Civil War. However, by the end of 1860s, one can find Ulysess S Grant making a personal mark in the history of American civil war, blowing a series of battles, conquering a Confederate army and earning the status of an antagonistic military general. Grant’s stubbornness and self reliance contributed stability in success and that helped him to mark his name in the history of American Civil War and the ultimate success is coined with Grant’s army. Grant’s idea of total war helped him to maintain consistency in the battlefield. It is a part of common knowledge is that a war place is filled with turmoil and sufferings. The haunting sounds of guns and the frustrated whispering of officials characterize the battlefield. A military general has the duty to stand lonely in the middle of t hese commotions with fear, anxiety, suspicion, and official responsibility. As an experienced military general who witnessed in the American Civil War at close quarters Ulysses S. Grant was better equipped to triumph over the barriers of the battlefield through his war policies and brilliant administrative tactics. Grant succeeded to gain the support from the President Lincoln, leaders of Republican Party, the Media and a significant number of common people in the United States. Grant’s efforts to use the federal army or legislation to preserve the rights of blacks paved the way for White’s aggression and opposition. However, political and material backgrounds during the time of 1860s paved the way for the success of Grant’s army. Thus, one can note that Grant’s domestic political transactions, foreign and domestic policies, professional tactics and his innate abilities were instrumental in his success in American Civil War. American civil war which is

Young Australians & the U.N Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Young Australians & the U.N - Essay Example I know my input can help shape the community and make a difference to other young people. Being a Committee member will give the individual a valuable opportunity to build their skill base by gaining leadership experience, an in-depth knowledge of the youth sector, and build networks within the business and community sector.† (Adam Smith, Deputy Chair of The Foundation for Young Australians). Also United Nations Youth Associations of Australia is a significant voice for the youth of Australia. They play an important role in the education of every youth as each individual is looked upon as the next leader of the country. Youth speak are between the age group of 12 to 25years. Ben Groom the elected Australian youth representative to the United Nations Spent five months traveling around Australia and collecting issues to be represented at the UN. The Australian Youth Representative to the United Nations is a member of the Australian Delegation to the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Once selected, the Youth Representative has the challenging but amazing task of consulting with a substantial proportion of Australia’s youth population. The broad goal of the consultation phase is to equip the Youth Representative with a comprehensive mandate of youth representation that may be outside the normal scope of their experiences as a young person. This will assist greatly in the preparation of the Youth Representative’s address to the General Assembly. (Australian Youth Representative to UN, 2007) Ben Groom is the 2007 Australian youth Representative to the UN. On 9th October Ben addressed the UN and the issues represented were due to insufficient rains many were facing drought. â€Å"Young people are the most effective agents of change. The world can harness this energy by strengthening the role of education and training in global climate change solutions. Australian youth have already proven we can

Checks And Balances Essay Example for Free

Checks And Balances Essay When the Framers of the Constitution set out to create a government, they made sure that one of the fundamental principles underlining the government would be the separation of powers. This separation of powers outlines the numerous powers and functions of the government by dividing them into separate independent levels and branches of the federal government. The Founders believed that by creating separate branches of government, it would help limit the powers of the national government and prevent tyranny. Therefore, the legislative branch has power, under the Constitution, to make laws. The executive branch, headed by the President, executes or carries out laws. Last but not least, the Constitution established the Supreme Court to head the judicial branch, which interprets and applies the law in federal court cases. Read more: How does federalism prevent tyranny essay The principle of separation of powers, as implemented in drafting the Constitution, was based on several values generally held: the separation of government into three branches, legislative, executive, and judicial; the idea that each branch performs its own unique and identifiable functions that are appropriate to each; and the limitation of the personnel of each branch to that branch, so that no one person or group should be able to serve in more than one branch simultaneously. Since the judicial, executive, and legislative branch of the government all held power, the framers began to develop a system of checks and balances to guarantee that governmental power would not be conducted in an abusive manner. However, the constitution went much further than the mere separation of powers. It also established an elaborate system of checks and balances. The framers believed that in order to steer clear of a monarchy such as the one they had been used to under Britain’s rule, they would have to come up with a system of checks and balances which still prevails to this day. By implementating this system of checks and balances, they would ensure that each branch would prevent the other from abusing their powers. This theory of checks and balances began from the underlying idea of separations of power. Madison and the other Framers considered separation of powers essential in order to avoid a tyranny. The framers came to the conclusions that there was a desperate need for the Constitution to execute a set of checks and balances. Under this system, each branch has the obligation and power to make  decisions on certain issues. However, each branch will still require voluntary support from the other branches if its initiatives are to be successfully implemented. By successfully separating the power that each branch holds, the framers would be able to guarantee a practical balance of power amongst the different branches of government. The operation of checks and balances in the federal government is spelled out in the Constitution. The two houses of Congress legislate separately, and this legislation is subject to presidential veto; however, Congress, by a two-thirds vote of each house, can override a presidential veto. The judicial branch, in determining cases, may declare legislation unconstitutional, but the judiciary itself is subject to executive and legislative checking through the appointment of judges and the passage of legislation governing organization, procedure, and jurisdiction of the courts. There also is a possibility of amendment of the Constitution to reverse judicial determinations. Other constitutional checks are the possible legislative removal of the president and of judges by impeachment as well as approval by the Senate of treaties and major presidential appointments. From this we can conclude that the Framers implemented this system of checks and balances because it was viewed as extremely necessary in maintaining a balance of power among elected officials. It would prevent any one particular group from obtaining a majority influence is essential when having a government that is ruled by the people. Checks and balances and the separation of powers are vital mechanisms to ensure the smooth running of democracy. This complex system is extremely necessary in a democratic system because it promotes equality. Equality is the foundation of a democracy and the purpose of American independence. The goal of American politics is to have a government that is successfully ruled in the interest of the people. To have our countries leaders immune to the same laws that they pass for the citizens contradicts the very democracy that they uphold. Checks and balances function to guarantee that no one body or group of people ever are able to have so much power that they are able to unreasonably influence the legal system or law making of a country. Ensuring that any new law has to go through a system of intense scrutiny, for example, is one way of helping to ensure the long and successful life of democracy. I think something often overlooked in the United States government and the checks and balances  provided for by the founding fathers is the people. The final check and balance is the American public who can vote individuals into or out of political positions. It paves way to democracy because voters are given the power to elect official out of office if they are not doing their job. There are also critics who are against the separation of powers and checks and balances concepts. They pointed out that such arrangements make policy making more cumbersome and time consuming than it needs to be and that in fact it can result easily in a deadlock in which government is unable to take any action at all. Moreover, it is also said to be undemocratic, in that it places barriers to the absolute power of the majority to determine public policy by imposing on majorities the need to bargain with minorities that have managed to gain disproportionate influence on one or another branch or level of the federal system of multiple governmental institutions. For these reasons, political thinkers who see government as the primary instrumentality for the community to successfully combat or adjust to an on-going series of emergencies that have no other possible remedy tend to be very suspicious of such decentralized power arrangements. On the other hand, political thinkers that see society and the economy as largely self-regulating organisms that need relatively little in the way of new policy initiatives from government for their successful functioning tend to take a more favorable view of checks and balances. The press has also been described as the fourth check on power because of its considerable influence over public opinion in which it exercise by widely distributing facts and opinions about the various branches of government. Public opinion in turn affects the outcome of elections, as well as indirectly influencing the branches of government by, for example, expressing public sentiment with respect to pending legislation. An example of the press checking abuses of power was Watergate scandal; where two Washington Post reporters exposed government corruption and cover-up at the highest levels. This exposure caused many individuals to resign, be fired, or prosecuted. The impact of Watergate on American Politics was felt on multiple levels. The most elemental of these was how the news media evolved into the fourth check on the government. From Watergate, politicians understood that the media could be strong enough to bring down a government. Essentially, Woodward and Bernsteins reporting took down a sitting President. Through Watergate, the  office of the President, and all politicians, understood the power of the media. Another impact of Watergate was that it was living proof that no politician could operate for a prolonged period of time above the law. Power could not save President Nixon and his cabinet from facing impeachment, and eventual resignation/ prison terms. The Constitutions belief of equality before the law was affirmed through Watergate. The last impact of Watergate was that politicians understood the value of judicious conduct.

European Studies Essays Inter-War Period

European Studies Essays Inter-War Period What conditions existed in the countries of central and Eastern Europe in the inter-war period that allowed the Communists to take power there after 1945? Various factors contributed to the emergence of communist regimes in Central and Eastern Europe after 1945, some arguably in the Inter-war period. These factors differed in effect and contribution from country to country. The factors will be discussed in greater detail below. Individual countries within the central and Eastern European region had communist parties with various levels of support and capabilities. Above all the situation in the Inter-war period presented internal and external factors that allowed for the implementation of communist regimes aligned to the Soviet Union, the debate being whether these factors contributed to the communist takeovers after 1945. Some of the countries in the region, most notably Poland had suffered under Nazi occupation whilst other countries such as Romania and Hungary had been allied to Germany. Politically much of the region could have been described as backward at the start of the Inter-war period (excepting the Czechoslovaks and Hungaria ns) and not as advanced as their western neighbours. Political backwardness was not a stumbling block to the communists obtaining power as Lenin and Trotsky had proved in Russia in October 1917. Aside from a short-lived Soviet Republic in Hungary during 1919 the communists had failed to gain power in the region prior to 1945.   Socialists rather than communists dominated the Hungarian Soviet Republic. Indeed the removal of the Soviet Republic led to the counter revolutionary if not fascist regime of Horthy who violently repressed the radical socialists and communists. The communists were ousted but they were not destroyed and were able to survive their persecution.   Lenins hopes of a revolution in Germany that would spread to her neighbours to the west and east were also dashed with the defeat of the Sparticus Putsch in 1919.   Communists throughout the region expected revolutions to occur quite rapidly, believing that the tide of history would move in their favour. In the 1920s especially after Stalin gained power the Soviet Union concentrated on building Socialism in one country ‘ instead of actively promoting revolution in the rest of Europe. The Soviet regime had too much to concentrate on internally without promoting revolution.   However the Soviet leaders were always looking for opportunities to cause revolutionary agitation abroad and funded communist parties in Germany, France, the United States and China as well as central and eastern Europe.   The Kremlin’s money certainly maintained the position of the various communist parties even if they were unable to gain power during the Inter-war period.  Ã‚   Communism was not particularly popular in parts of Central and Eastern Europe. Czechoslovak forces had actively fought against the Red Army during the Russian Civil War whilst the Poles had taken advantage of the collapse of the Tsarist empire (combined with German and Austrian defeat) to gain independence.   While P oland was in theory a democracy for most of the inter-war years it was virtually a dictatorship under Pilsudski and his successors most of it’s population being anti-German, anti-Russian and anti-Communist. Poland’s victory in the war of 1919-21 with the Soviet Union ended the threat of the Soviets providing military aid to communist revolutionaries or coups throughout the region during the 1920s and much of the 1930s. For the majority of the 1930s Stalin was more interested in collectivization, industrialization and carrying out the purges then actively seeking to promote revolution in central and Eastern Europe.   It was only after it became clear Hitler was a serious threat did Stalin seek allies in central and eastern Europe and giving their communist parties more instructions.   Poland’s communists had remained weak as they seen as too close to Moscow and had not been enthusiastic in campaigning for independence.   Across the region most of the commun ist parties would be banned at some stage during the Inter-war period and had to learn to survive as underground movements.   Experience of surviving underground proved beneficial during the war when communists became involved in resistance and partisan movements.  Ã‚   Future success would follow from gaining support amongst the peasantry. For much of the period communist parties were hampered by their image as been internationalist rather than nationalist in outlook, but conversely the communists also nurtured Yugoslav and Czechoslovak identities instead of rival ethnic nationalities.   It is worth noting how both states disintegrated rapidly after the end of communist rule.   The emergence of communism in Central and Eastern Europe was aided by the apparent failure of liberalism during the inter-war period. The states that appeared in the region in 1918 were to varying degrees economically backward. Only Czechoslovakia had a semblance of large-scale heavy industry and was also the closest to democracy. Poland and Hungary had industrial bases as well but also had large agricultural sectors. In the immediate aftermath of the First World War the region like the rest of Europe suffered from increasing unemployment and inflation that in turn produced social, political and industrial unrest. These conditions certainly gave the communists the opportunity to gain influence if not power. They largely missed this opportunity but not by the fascists and the far right when the situation deteriorated in the 1930s. The apparent economic recovery of the mid 1920s offered more stability. There was little or no economic co-operation between these countries and all suffere d after the Great slump of 1929. The economic dislocation was not as great as that of Germany that assisted the Nazi rise to power but it was bad enough to disrupt the capitalist system. In the 1930s the region laid between the two powers that offered a viable alternative to liberal democracy, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. Communists also made some ground in the region by emphasizing collective security and popular fronts with other parties as a counter for fascism, Nazism, and the ruling right wing authoritarian regimes. The concept of collective security was undermined by appeasement. Communists also had difficulty in explaining the Nazi – Soviet pact. Stalin had been prepared to defend Czechoslovakia but then eagerly partitioned Poland. The communists were however able to redeem themselves in the role they played resisting the Germans.   The use of popular fronts was a useful way of gaining popular support and obtaining power without people realising they voting for a communist regime. That strategy would prove most successful in Bulgaria.   The adoption of popular fronts came too late to prevent Hitler gaining power in Germany, without that the communists could have made further ground in the region during the Inter war years. The communists of central and eastern Europe like many of their counterparts in Comintern did not see fascism as a serious threat rather more as a portent of capitalisms demise. If they had have done perhaps the regions convergence to communism would have happened earlier. The same conditions that helped undermine liberal democracy favoured the fascists and the right wing authoritarian parties as much if not more than they favoured the communists.   Fascists might gain power but (the communists hoped) inadvertently accelerate the victory of Marxist Leninism in the process. In a roundabout way that is what happened in much of the region eventually.   Social and economic developments during the Inter-war years meant there was a radicalisation of the working and peasant classes across the region sometimes mixed with ethnic and nationalist tensions in countries such as Poland, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia.   Yugoslavia suffered not only German occupation but a civil war based on ethnic divisions. In reality for large parts of the region the communists seized power after 1945 due to the close proximity of the Soviet army rather than the success or otherwise of the national communist parties during the Inter-war period.   Defeating the Germans gave Stalin the opportunity to establish communist regions friendly or submissive towards the Soviet Union. Communists gained power with help from Moscow and with the understanding that the Soviet army would ultimately back them up. The only exception was Yugoslavia were Marshall Tito and his partisans seized power themselves after defeating the Germans and winning the civil war. Those opposed to the new communist regimes also realised that the Soviet Union was given a free hand in central and Eastern Europe in return for Britain and the United States having the main influence in the west were ironically the communists enjoyed mass support in France, Italy and Greece.   Stalin was not bothered by how enthusiastic the peoples of the ce ntral and Eastern Europe were towards having communist regimes, what mattered to him was the Soviet Union’s security.   Stalin clearly understood that without Soviet military intervention only Yugoslavia and Albania would have turned communist on their own, and they would prove unwilling to be told what to do from the Kremlin.   The Hungarian communists had not done particularly well since the crushing of the Soviet Republic but they did start to recover during the war. The Czechoslovak communists were only outlawed after absorption into the German Reich but their patriotism was important in gaining support. The Poles and Hungarians proved most reluctant to accept communism and only hard bargaining and the threat of Soviet intervention would keep their regimes in power. Although communist regimes were also forced on Romania and Bulgaria they were eventually more enthusiastic. Therefore the communist parties within central and Eastern Europe were able to lay some if not all the foundations for their gaining of power during the Inter war period. The strength and success of the communists differed from country to country.   The communists laid the strongest foundations in Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia despite facing right wing regimes, being allied to or occupied by the Germans.   In some ways the communists best success in the Inter-war period was presenting themselves as patriots in a time of impending war and as a force of resistance once it had started. The communists realised too late the possibility of popular fronts in preventing Hitler seizing power but their adoption in central and Eastern Europe proved useful at the end of the Inter-war period.   It was the prominent role that the Czechoslovak and Yugoslav communists played in resisting the Germans during the war that contributed most to their gaining of power.   They were success ful in portraying themselves as patriots and freedom fighters. In Bulgaria the popular front tactic in favour at the end of the Inter-war period was revived to gain power by stealth after 1945.   In other countries such as Poland, Hungary and Romania the communists had never been that popular and their main achievement was to survive the Inter –war period and the war in enough numbers to be installed in power in the wake of the Soviet army’s liberation of their various homelands.   Communists throughout the region would argue that they did not need to have mass support just the ability to seize control of their states, then the superiority of communism would win the public over any way.   Communists could also claim in the Inter-war years that liberal democracy could not survive the depression and fascism would not survive the forthcoming war to the death with communism. Bibliography Bideleux Jeffries   A History of Eastern Europe Crisis and Change (1998) Routledge, London Brendon, P. The Dark Valley a Panorama of the 1930s (2000) Jonathan Cape, London. Crampton, R .J Eastern Europe in the Twentieth Century (1994) Routledge, London and New York Harvey, R. – Comrades The Rise and Fall of World Communism (2003) John Murray, London Matthews, A   Nationalism in Europe 1789 1945 (2000) Hodder Staughton, London. Roberts, J M   History of Europe (1996) Schopflin, G. The Politics of Central Europe (1993) Blackwell, Oxford Service, R    A History of Modern Russia from Nicholas II to Putin (2003) Penguin, London Vadney, T.E The World Since 1945 (1992) Penguin, LondonVolkogonov, D. The Rise and Fall of the Soviet Empire – Political Leaders from Lenin to Gorbachev (1998) Harper Collins Publishers, London

sir gawain :: essays research papers

In Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, the Pardoners Prologue, we see the theme of hypocrisy throughout the play. The pardoner knows he is a con artist and liar and freely admits it in both word and action in his tales prologue. The pardoner begins with the tale itself. In his sermon he describes gluttony in detail, and defines it as not only overeating, but the intense pleasure of doing it. He also denounces wine with examples of drunkenness. He also discusses swearing and cursing and concludes with condemning gambling.However, we can see hypocrisy be4 the tale even begin.The pardoner before telling his tale stops off at an inn for food &bear .He also partakes in a bet , whoever tells the best story wins. The pardoner also insults the host, who just before asking the pardoner to speak has been cursing and using bear to mend his broken heart. Furthermore, he is also the owner of the tavern which encourages eating &drinking. We can also assume that the pardoner and the host r drunk.In addition, the pardoner offers his lisnters a chance to redeem themselves, not through relics by acknowledging what they did wrong.However,at the end of his tale is saying his relics are needed for redemption eventhough he knows they are fake. In conclusion we see how through the pardoner the theme of hypocrisy. IN THE PLAY KING LEAR written by William Shakespeare a collection of images are used to express certain points. One reoccurring image was animals.Shakespeare portrays these animals when King Lear and many other characters in the play talk about Goneril and Regan. They are compared to tigers , serpents , and even monsters.These reoccurring images have an important idea behind them.When Lear leaves Goneril at the end of ActI , after she has sneered at him, he compares her to a â€Å"sea-monster†. He also comments on his daughters ingratitude using animal imagery when he said â€Å"How sharper then a serpents tooth it is to have a thankless child† (act15295-296). Lear is showing how he feels about how his daughters are treating him by comparing them to animals.Furthermore,after Lear has an argument with Regan,he uses animal imagery to show how his daughter r sinking to be like animals.They show this when both daughters lock him out into a stormy night.In conclusion, Shakes peare is showing that the sisters are sinking from the level of man to animals.

Heroes in Wonderful Fool and The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Se

Expectations of Heroes in Wonderful Fool and The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚         In a human being's search for spiritual peace throughout life, he constantly turns to outside sources for the answers to his questions. Some people quench their curiosity in a god or religion; some find release through the use of foreign chemicals. Many people, however, turn to another person in their time of personal questioning, soliciting answers from their own pseudo-hero. This character is one who, by virtue of his exotic origin, is chosen by the person to fill a void or achieve a goal. The hero is expected to meet certain qualifications based on his devotee's heroic ideal. However, no one can successfully accomplish the objectives set for them by another person, especially when they are personally unaware of these goals. In many instances, this leads to disillusionment and bitterness in the person who has determined these goals. This is the case with the main characters in the novels Wonderful Fool and The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea. The "heroes" in these books, Gaston Bonaparte and Ryuji Tsukazaki, are constantly expected to fulfill the fancies of those who venerate them. The inability of both Gaston and Ryuji to automatically satisfy these expectations ultimately leads to a sense of indignation and betrayal in their respective devotees, Tomoe and Noboru. This disappointment is fueled not by the failure of Gaston and Ryuji to achieve the goals set for them, but rather by the arrogance assumed by Tomoe and Noboru in expecting their preset qualifications to be fulfilled. Shusaku Endo's novel Wonderful Fool is a work filled with characters who receive something contrary to their expectations. The... ...ed leveling of charges. However, there is one major difference. Tomoe, unlike Noboru, realizes her own hubris near the end of Wonderful Fool and feels as if it has been somehow defeated by having "lost out" to a fool: "This feeling of having been beaten was to Tomoe, who prided herself on being a very knowledgeable young lady, particularly disagreeable" (Endo 185). Noboru, on the other hand, takes his egotism to the extreme, using the crimes he has accused Ryuji of committing as sufficient reason to condemn him to death, in order to â€Å"make him a hero again" (Mishima 163). In each case, the arrogance assumed by Tomoe and Noboru is not realized in time to redeem their heroes, who in turn vanish from the lives of their devotees, never to return. Works Cited: Mishima, Yukio. The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea. Trans. John Nathan. New York: Vintage, 1994.

Comparison Essay on Fall of the Roman Empire

Comparative Essay – Step By Step STEP 1 – Diagnosis †¢ Read the Question and break it down in for what it is asking †¢ In the Margin, determine all of the information that you know about it o Start from broad to specific (time period, location, concepts, events, etc. . . ) STEP 2 – Organization and Planning †¢ Find three topics that you can group together into paragraphs †¢ Plan out your essay into a brief skeleton that you can draw upon as you write STEP 3 – Creation †¢ Write your essay following the point structure below and paying attention to the examples. POINT 1 – Thesis If you don’t have one you can’t gain this point or point #3 for supporting your thesis o Consider the thesis to be the essence of the paper, it is your essay in one or two sentences o Introduce each paragraph with a topic sentence linked to the thesis o The thesis MUST address Similarities AND Differences in either the introduction or the conclusion to get full credit †¢ The thesis can only be counted as the thesis and not also as a direct comparison †¢ You don’t need to write an introduction, so don’t. Leave blank space to come back and write one if you have extra time.POINT 4 – Direct Comparisons †¢ 1st Sentence for each body paragraph should be a comparative (a direct comparison sentence) o Remember you must make Direct Comparisons, (apples to apples) so make it very clear to the reader your comparing in your sentence ? Use linking comparative words such as â€Å"whereas† to help set up direct comparisons ? For Example: â€Å"Both the Haitian and Russian revolutions drew considerable strength from the subjugation of the under classes into oppressive conditions, slaves and serfs repectiveley. POINT 5 – Analysis for Direct Comparisons †¢ 2nd sentence then explains/analyzes the direct comparison in the first sentence. ? For Example: â€Å"The Haitian Slaves we re worked in the demanding sugar market in a foreign continent without a demographic representation that allowed for stable familial ties that had been a strong part of their culture, without the widespread allowances to have families the choice was clear, â€Å"rebel now and maybe die, or be worked to death slowly†.While Russian Serfs were allowed few more rights than a slave, they were bound to the land the worked for their elite Boyar ‘Little-Princes’ while the influences of the enlightenment and liberalization of Western Europe had long since freed their equals to the west. As the wars of their absolutist Czars brought Russians into contact with western ideas it was only a matter of time that the lower classes would demand a change. Thus the regimes dominating these two classes created a ‘powder keg’ in their much larger in population under classes. POINT 3 – Historical Evidence Then subsequent sentences in the paragraph should provide at least 2 prior knowledge statements/evidence in each paragraph. o You will do this for each of the body paragraphs in the paper so at least six will be written o This content should be from your coursework and can POINT 2 – Addresses all parts of the question †¢ Must address similarities AND differences for a full 2 points †¢ Address Comparisons, Chronology, Causation, Connections, Themes, Interactions, and Content EXTENDED CORE †¢ You have already written yourself into the extended core if you have followed the step by step!!! If in the comparative question there is a parenthetical qualifier such as (political, economic, cultural), it is not required that evidence is given for each. This parenthetical qualifier helps students think about what to write. AP World History Comparative Essay Generic Rubric Overview |Basic Core |Expanded Core | |Historical skills and knowledge required to show competence. |Historical skills and knowledge required to show excellence. |1. Has acceptable thesis. 1 Point |Expands beyond basic core of | |(addresses comparison of the |1-7 Points. The basic core of a 0-2 Points | |issues or themes specified) |score of 7 must be achieved | | |before a student can earn expanded | |2. Addresses all parts of the 2 Points |core points. |of the question, though not | | |necessarily evenly or thoroughly. |Examples: | | |Has a clear, analytical, and comprehensive thesis | |(Addresses most parts of the (1) |Addresses all parts of the question (as relevant): comparisons, | |question: for example, deals with |chronology, causation, connections, themes, interactions, content. |differences but not similarities) |Provides ample historical evidence to substantiate thesis. | | |Relates comparisons to larger global context. | |3. Substantiates thesis with 2 Points |Makes several direct comparisons consistently between or among | |appropriate evidence. |societies. | | |Consistently analyzes the causes and effects of relevant | |(Part ially substantiates thesis with (1) |similarities and differences. |appropriate evidence. ) | | | | | |4. Makes at least three relevant, 1 Point | | |direct comparisons between or | | |among societies. | | | | |5. Analyzes at least three reasons 1 Point | | |for a similarity or difference | | |identified in a direct comparison. | | | | |Subtotal 7 |Subtotal 2 Points | |Points | | TOTAL 9 Points

Analysis of the article ‘What makes a good teacher?”

It is important to understand what students value most in teachers especially nowadays when the continuing employment of a teacher depends on the performance of students. Studies of what constitute an expert teacher are motivated by several factors. For instance, the study will help in conducting initial education to teachers, their appraisal and better curriculum reforms. The knowledge of a teacher should include the ability to contextualize and personalize the content for the learners as well as create strategies and principles of class management.In addition, the teacher should have knowledge of the characteristics of the learners and be able to interact well with them. It is also necessary to recognize the values and purpose of education. There are different ways that are used in the identification of expert teachers. The most common criteria are by reputation and performance of students in standardized tests as well the experience of the teacher. Another way of identification is by asking primary and secondary students their most effective teachers and qualities that made them that good.Expert teachers have highly organized knowledge bases with complex interconnected schemas which are easily accessed. Besides they have skills and routines that are executed smoothly and effortless. Expert teachers work towards their pedagogical goals while evaluating and monitoring their actions. This is through knowledge of the subject matter, the techniques of teaching it at different levels of learning and finally effective classroom management. A study was done to investigate views of a good language teacher to complement the findings of the characteristics which emerge from general education literature.The subjects were students of applied linguistics and TESOL in post graduate as well as diploma levels. Some had experience in teaching while others had none and they were from different cultural backgrounds. The methods used to collect data were interviews and questionn aires. The findings of the qualities of a good teacher starting with the most frequently mentioned were a teacher who understands the needs, expectations, strengths and weaknesses of students. Secondly, the knowledge of the subject matter plus an understanding of teaching techniques.Ways of keeping up to date with the language and the teaching methods of a particular language was the least mentioned. There are different views between teachers and students concerning what constitutes a good teacher. According to students, the two qualities of a good teacher that were repeatedly mentioned include the ability of a teacher to explain to students so that they can clearly understand. Another quality pointed out was being helpful, understanding, empathizing and leadership as well as organization.On the other hand, the two qualities seen as crucial by teachers were organization of the classroom and secondly fostering participation of the students. Other characteristics of a good teacher inc lude technical skills which mean knowledge of the subject matter, pedagogical skills as well as interpersonal skills and personal qualities. However, the simplest answer to what constitutes a good teacher is that good teachers care more about the learning of their students than their own teaching. Some people distinguish two types of teachers as the expert teacher and the good teacher.The expert teacher teaches good learning strategies for passing examinations while the good teacher teaches technical skills but places less emphasis on pressuring students to pass exams. Instead the teacher tries to understand them and establish good relations with them. Teachers can either be pragmatic or emphatic. The former refers to those who get good exam results while the latter refers to those who meet wider interpersonal, social and affective needs of the learner. It can however be argued that an expert teacher should have a combination of the two.Perceptions and qualities that make a good tea cher can therefore be summarized as keeping up to date with knowledge and skill, having personal qualities of being humorous and finally being patient and enthusiastic about the work. Article Response Pedagogy is the technique, principles and methods of instruction that a teacher uses to teach learners. There are many ways of teaching students and they vary from one teacher to another depending on the level of the learners as well as the content of the material that they are learning.Even though each teacher has a different way of teaching, the basic principles should be applied to avoid drifting away from the education perspective. What constitutes an expert teacher is an arguable topic that keeps changing between different individuals. This is because each individual is different and has his own way of understanding things. Therefore, the opinion of what makes an expert teacher may vary from one person to another. A good teacher should be able to relate well with students through knowing the learners characteristics well, being courteous and respecting them.The teacher has to be more understanding and establish good relations while at the same time try to teach them about life (Mullock, 2003, pp. 17). In addition it is important to learn the students strengths and weaknesses so that the teacher may have an idea about which teaching methods to use hence knowing where to put more effort. A good teacher must know the subject of study thoroughly and be able to simplify the contents for the learners.For this to happen, knowledge and understanding of the subject matter is required since it becomes the framework for constructing other forms of declarative and procedural knowledge that are important for teaching (Mullock, 2003, pp. 10). Moreover, the teacher should be capable of transforming content knowledge to make it more interesting and comprehensive for the learners. This can be done by using fascinating topics, activities and giving accurate and helpful feedba ck. Another important factor that contributes to a good teacher is interesting personnal characteristics.This include things like a good sense of humour, enthuthiasm during teaching, involving the students in heated debates as well as outdoor activities. Making a lesson interesting is a very good way of capturing the attention of students. Students will tend to look forward to the next lesson since they are enjoying the learning activity. Futhermore, it will be much easier for the students to remember the lesson and what they were taught if it was exciting rather than if it was boring. A teacher should develop strategies of teaching and planning their lessons in effective and creative ways.These skills help to execute basic skills smoothly and efficiently (Mullock, 2003, pp. 13). This is important in managing not only the lessons but also the students in a planned manner. In addition, the students will be organized in their work, hence being neat just like the teacher. A teacher sho uld be an opportunistic planner, that is, having the ability to think on their feet. This means the ability to develop contingency plans for situations that are likely to occur but were not expected. An expert teacher should never provide incrorrect information to the students.This mostly happens when a teacher is unsure of a certain fact and does not want to admit lack of knowledge to the students. Some teachers may argue here saying that to admit lack of knowledge means lack of credibility. However this is not the case since the teacher can always give the answer at a later date or time after doing a research. Giving out incorrect information is misleading a student. A good teacher should know what to teach and keep students in the instructional process to ensure smooth learning. Article ComprehensionThe article was easy to read since the terms used were comprehensive. The writer has explained everything in a simple manner and as such there was a smooth flow of ideas. The study do ne to investigate what makes a good teacher was thorough and each aspect was taken into consideration. In addition, the findings were clearly discussed and presented (Mullock, 2003, pp. 7). The article begins by introducing what other people have said about the subject. The topic of the article was also discussed briefly giving the reader an idea about what is going to be talked about.This include defining a teachers knowledge and what exactly a teacher should know (Mullock, 2003, pp. 4) The article has used a lot of comparisons which make reading not only interesting but also simple. This include comparing views of two categories of people and stating clearly the differences while giving lucid examples. An instance is where the writer has evaluated the opinion of both teachers and students on what constitutes a good teacher (Mullock, 2003, pp. 5). The information is then presented in a table for easy comparison and interpretation.Another association was between a ‘pragmaticâ €™ teacher and an ‘emphatic’ teacher with the distinctions plainly being presented in a table (Mullock, 2003, pp. 17). Finally, there are slight contrasting points that were obtained from the study done and the article has tried to elucidate them. An example is when a respondent distinguished two types of teachers, the expert teacher and the good teacher. The article explains clearly the different ways in which respondents views may differ and in the end gives a clear outlook (Mullock, 2003, pp. 17). There are however few parts of the article that were intricate.This was mostly because of use of difficult words. An example is the use of the words ‘lexico-grammar, phonology and semantic’ in a certain paragraph while trying to explain the knowledge of a language and how it works in making of a good teacher (Mullock, 2003, pp. 11). All the words have been used in one sentence without explaining what they mean. This article does not have an index to explain hard words. An index is important to a reader because whenever a complex term is encountered, it can always be checked out, assuming that the reader does not have a dictionary in hand at that particular moment.Some of the tables in the article which were used in data presentation were also not very clear especially in the numerical content. For example there is a table in the article that represented the most frequently mentioned characteristics of a good TESOL teacher. The characteristics have been listed clearly and comprehensively but the frequencies have been presented in a confusing manner (Mullock, 2003, pp. 10). It takes a reader a long time to be able to correctly interpret the data. This may lead to wrong translation or a misunderstanding of the facts.Important information obtained from the article Before I read the article, it was not clear to me what exactly a teachers knowledge should consist. Most people have the assumption that a teacher should only have technical ski lls, content knowledge and curriculum knowledge. However this article has clearly defined what knowledge of a teacher should include and it is much more than the three just mentioned above. It has defined the knowledge of a teacher as content knowledge and also pedagogic content knowledge which is the ability to simplify the contents for the learners.In addition a teacher should have general pedagogic knowledge, meaning to be familiar with the principles and strategies of classroom management and also have knowledge of characteristics of the learners. Finally the knowledge of education purpose and values has also been mentioned in the article (Mullock, 2003, pp. 4). This is important because having learnt what a teacher should know, it is up to the reader to ensure that they possess all these knowledge which will contribute to better teaching methods and practices.Furthermore, equal effort can be applied to each section when relating this knowledge so that a lot of concentration is not put on one side while ignoring the others. Having content knowledge means having the knowledge of the subject that you teach. This is important since a teacher should be conversant with the topic of study so that any problem presented by student concerning the topic can be tackled correctly and professionally. The article also mentions that a teacher should have knowledge of educational context.This means knowing the surroundings, the group, the classroom, the community and the district. Most teachers would ignore this and only concentrate on the students and the immediate surrounding which is the school. However light has been shed on the importance of expanding the knowledge of the teacher in respect to the external environment which would help in addressing some external problems that students may occasionally have. The article has also mentioned that a teacher should know the values and purposes of education (Mullock, 2003, pp. 4).Most teachers assume that their only purpose is to teach. However this article has stated that a teacher should know the importance of education and the values, aims and objectives of education. This is important because whatever a teacher teaches the students or whichever method is used to teach, it will be of quality since the teacher understands that education is more than just teaching. Another important point learnt from the article is keeping up to date with teaching techniques (Mullock, 2003, pp. 15). Majority of teachers only go for training once.After that, they plunge themselves into the teaching profession and start teaching until they retire. However this should not be the case since changes will always take place. Something new may be introduced for example a new subject, materials of teaching or even new modes of teaching. It is therefore important for teachers to refresh their courses after every few years. This fact was not clear initially but after reading the article, its importance was clarified. Article Re levance The importance of this article is that it will help in understanding the different ways that a teacher should use to teach students.The article has compared different views of what really amounts to a good teacher and helps in learning the correct techniques that should be adopted. The study done could help in dealing with a challenge that most teachers face which is variance of learners. Each learner has their own way of grasping things. The article has discussed what students think of how a teacher should teach. This can help through combining these factors and finding an appropriate way of teaching that will benefit all the students hence each one of them understanding the concepts being taught.This article has raised the issue of whether teachers should be taught how to teach. It does not matter if the teacher has had previous training. There are new changes every day that come with invention and teachers must keep up to date with such changes. Therefore just like their students it is necessary to always be on the lookout while coming up with new, easier and better ways of teaching. The study of teaching methods helps in improving teaching techniques which in the end will make a teacher be good in what he or she does.The article points out the need for further studies to correlate perceptions of a good teacher with behavior of teachers in the classroom context and with larger number of subjects of different languages and educational backgrounds (Mullock, 2003, pp. 21). The article has focused mainly on TESOL which is Teachers of English to Students of Other Languages. From the study, it is clear that for any teacher, knowledge of the subject matter is necessary. A language teacher should be fluent in the language being taught which includes in writing, reading, speaking and translation to the language the students are speaking.This means that the teacher should be fluent in both the language the students are speaking and the language the students a re being taught. The article has pointed out that students nowadays are more critical and less accepting of teachers whose language skills are poor (Mullock, 2003, pp. 20). Good TESOL teachers know the language and how it works. It therefore draws attention to the importance of knowing thoroughly the field of study or the subject matter to avoid critism from students.Finally the article has highlighted all the qualities that make a good teacher from different perceptions. It is not possible for a teacher to have all the characteristics and just like a student, a teacher has both weak and strong points. It is therefore up to the teacher to look at these qualities and find out which ones suits his or her personality and then find a way to make good use of these traits and apply them in teaching. From the article, it is also clear that teaching technique depends on the level of learners and the subject being taught to the learners.This helps a teacher to understand that a technique tha t may be successful to one group of learners may not be successful to another group. It can be concluded that the article has underscored important points of teaching techniques and qualities that make a good teacher hence answering a question that most teachers find complex about how to be a good teacher and what really constitutes to this. Reference Mullock, B. (2003). WHAT MAKES A GOOD TEACHER? THE PERCEPTIONS OF POSTGRADUATE TESOL STUDENTS. Prospect , 18 (3), 3-24.