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Monday, September 30, 2019

Price and Value Agreement

Is the value of something equal to the price tag placed on it? Is the value and worth of something the same for every person? This is something that many struggle with understanding properly. To fully understand this concept then you must understand the true difference between the value, price, and worth of something. I intend to explain these and provide you with a better understanding by the end of this paper. Have you ever went grocery shopping and purchased multiple items just because there was a half off sale; or a buy one and get one free sale? Many of you probably have, I am one myself that is guilty of this. However, have you ever really thought about the value of that additional item? Since it was free does it mean that there was not value of it either? This is where the importance of knowing the difference in value and price. The value of something does not determine the price of it; the price is determined by the demand of something and how many are available, or otherwise known as the supply. If there is a high demand of something then there is going to be a lower supply of them available. When the supply is low and the demand is high; people are willing to pay more for that item when it is available. This is something that you see happening during the holiday season. For example, a few years ago when the Tickle Me Elmo’s were so popular, the stores increased the prices by almost double just because they knew that people would pay it. Are you one of those people that will pay the price for something you want, regardless on how much it is? There are many of people that do; but not me. I am one of those that will wait for the price to go down; or will do research online to look and see if I can find it cheaper. I am not one of those people that have to have the best of everything; although I do like to stay within the modern days. However, I am willing to pay more for fuel and true necessities. I know that there are smaller stores and gas stations that have these things but price them higher; however, I figure if I can get everything that I need at that time in one stop then why should I waste gas to drive around to find what I am looking for? I have also realized that the name brand items are more expensive that the generic items. This sometimes means that you get cheaper made products, depending on what you are looking at at that particular time. I will pay more for the more popular and name brand items when it comes to vehicles and electronics; but I am all for the generic in everything else. There are sometimes that I prefer name brand jeans; but that is just because they are stronger material for when I work. My uncle is from Mexico and sends money home often. He indicated that the last time he sent money the exchange rate was fourteen peso to the American dollar. So does this mean that if something costs fourteen thousand dollars here that it is only one thousand in Mexico? No, it does not. Something that would cost 32 peso in Mexico would convert to costing two dollars and twenty five cents in American dollars. However that same thing is going to cost roughly three dollars and sixty cents here. Mexico has a much lower income rate so therefore the cost of living is lower. This also applies for each state here in the United States. There are different states that have higher income levels, thus higher cost of living. This means that goods, services, homes, and many other things are going to be more expensive in that state than what you could get in another state. With this being said; is a three bedroom home is California worth more or better than the same three bedroom home in Montana? This does not make the house any better than the other; however, does make it worth more. This is because California is a much more desired state to live in and work because of the attractions and the income level being so high. Therefore, the real estate prices and value go up. The house in California is also going to have a different type of structure that the one in Montana and that is because of the different climate threats and weather conditions; therefore, that also raises the value of the property. However, the largest asset that is going to determine the value of the property is the location of it. I personally would pass up an opportunity to live in a large state and city any day just to stay in my little town. I may not live in the best house but I do live in the best neighborhood of my town. I don’t have to worry about the crime and violence where I am as much as others do. The one thing to remember about property value is that it is better to be the roughest house in the best neighborhood than what it is to be the best house in the roughest neighborhood. This is once again because of the location determine the value of the home. Not only have the value and prices of real estate in my area went down over the years with the economy; but the value of the American dollar has as well. This is caused the cost of living to increase and therefore, the minimum wage has also. When I first started working the minimum wage was only $5. 15 per hour. Here is Indiana it was actually that for many years up until here just a few years ago. Since the cost of living has gone up, the minimum wage has now gone up to $7. 25 per hour here. I try not to look at it as me only being worth that much; but my time for the company being worth that much. I know that my time is worth more to my family; however, I have to have a means of supporting them. I think it is really hard to determine the worth of people dependant on their career choice. I say this because when we take a rookie baseball player making five million dollars a year and a veteran teacher only makes sixty thousand dollars a year; it is really hard to believe that a baseball player does more good than a teacher. The baseball player makes more because they generate trillions of dollars in income annually for the team; thus why they are able to be paid so much. Although the teachers put in just as much time, if not more, they do not generate any income for the schools, so they could be considered an expense. The funding to pay the teachers come from the government and therefore, is much less than that of a baseball player. However, I do not think that the amount of income can determine one’s worth; especially in this situation. I think I would have to say that I am willing to do many jobs to support myself and my family; however, the one that I am not willing to do is fast food. This is because I can not take the heat of being in the kitchen and dealing with the rude customers. It is also a proven fact that those that work in fast food are more apt to be overweight and not healthy. I have enough problems with my weight the way it is; I don’t need the help of the fast food. Price, value, and worth are all related in one way or another. You make decisions on the worth of the item to you every time you decide to make a purchase or not be determining if the item is worth enough to you to pay the price. The higher the demand equals the lower the supply; therefore, the lower the supply equals the higher the price. The worth is determined by each individual because an item may be worth more to one person than it is to another.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Indian and European Nations

Nearly all European invaders as well as their descendants tried to submerge by suppressing their times of yore and by physical repression. The Indian nations relied on spoken means for the spread of history from one memorial cohort to the next, destined that the conclusion of their social constitution would obliterate their history, and thus complete the removal of their survival. Think of what ought to have come prior to the arrival of Europeans, which in several cases was even lost to Indians and the mass of distinctions with the tribes as they dealt with Europeans invaders.In the early 16th century, Indian nations were crisscrossed by the Spanish expeditions, turning over new traits, new influence, and the early amalgamation of priests and soldiers that commenced the progression of racial combination as well as Christianization a century prior to the English and French’s arrival in the New World. The colonization of Indian nations by the Europeans had overwhelming consequen ces for the indigenous people.Flanked by the diseases that were new to them brought by the assailants – Europe itself had simply gotten over an era of plagues as well as epidemics that killed no less than two thirds of its people, and the massacres and enslavement by the hands of the Spaniards. Spain explored and put down claim to the majority of the continent. Indian nations spoke their own languages; communication between Indians and Europeans suffered from differences, not just on a sole landfall, but throughout 500 years and even today.One understandable, yet concealed, source of resistance was the failure or repudiation of the Europeans, predominantly in the British Isles, to learn the Indian tongue. Indian words along with usages, in addition to many other languages such as Spanish, Greek, Italian, Hebrew, and German, came to supplement the English language and particularly the American tongue (Axtell, 2001, p30). The position of men and women among Indian grassroots sh owed a discrepancy more than among European nations.The distinctive characteristic of Indian civilization was the diversity of its population. In European standards, Indian nations at that time were astonishingly diverse regionally. This astounding diversity was in large part a creation of the technique that colonial Europe was initially settled. The reason possibly lay, throughout the 1400s and 1500s, with the regularity of relationships involving sexes that the Roman Catholic Church brought for centuries among the citizens of Central and Western Europe.The division of labor showed a discrepancy noticeably from a tribe, above among Europeans, however it was found that it lacked class system as well as social estates of Europe, there was greater parity and uniformity of role among lower and higher orders of women and men. The establishment of Indian nations is in fact the longest and exhaustive structure of any independent lands in the world.India, in particular, has a quasi-federal type of regime and a bicameral congress functioning under a Westminster-style parliamentary scheme (Iverson, 1992, p34). Since its sovereignty in 1947, these Indian nations maintained amiable and cordial connections with most countries. The history of Indian nations experienced colonial dependencies within the western hemisphere created by the European countries causing diversity in population, problems in geography and establishments of institutions.European nations increased colonies in Indian nations for several reasons, but mostly to create income. They made use of colonies to give raw materials for trade serving as markets for polished and refined products. These systems encouraged religious toleration, diplomat government, economic development as well as cultural diversity. However, the historical policies of Europeans that carry on bureaucracies in and out of Indian nations suppress tribal management and prop up reliance.Indian peoples will stay in a dependent affiliation an d the poverty will provide confirmation of the historic abandonment of the nations’ original people so long as regime (Salisbury, 2000, p18): holds back the economic and political growth of the Indian peoples, deprives them to quality education, disregard cultural needs of Indians, and raises bureaucratic barriers to the recognition of Indian tribes as humans and Indian peoples as part of history.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

How Do I Decide to Drop a Course?

You probably know how important it is to take on a rigorous course load in high school to show top-tier colleges that you are up to the challenge of handling a demanding curriculum. So you may be reluctant to drop a class from your schedule, lest admission committees think you might not be able to handle the demands of college work. However, sometime dropping a course is the right call. Read on for advice on how to evaluate whether or not dropping a class is the best choice for you. First, think about why you want to drop the course. Is there a disproportionate amount of work? Is the work too challenging, to the point that you don’t believe you’ll be able to earn a good grade in the class? Is the course taking away time that might be better spent on friends, family, or your extracurricular activities? Only you can decide what you need to prioritize, but it is important to keep in mind that often, extracurricular activities matter just as much as the courses you take, so if a class you do not particularly want to take is interfering with an activity you find more stimulating, dropping the course may be the right call. Additionally, if a class is causing more stress than you are able to handle, it is probably interfering with other aspects of your life. You should also evaluate whether or not the course in question fits in with your academic profile. You want to demonstrate that you are a specialized student who focuses on particular strengths and interests , so you will need to think about the strengths you a presenting, and how dropping a particular course will influence your profile. For instance, if you are an aspiring English major, you probably shouldn’t drop AP Literature, since doing so may indicate that you are not dedicated to your chosen subject or not able to complete the course material. However, dropping a course outside of the interests you have indicated, such as AP Chemistry, probably won’t have as much of an adverse effect on your college application. On the other hand, if you are planning on majoring in one of the sciences in college as part a pre-med track, dropping AP Chemistry is not such a good idea, while dropping something like AP French is less of a big deal. Keep in mind, though, that it’s important to take as challenging a load as possible in the course subjects – English, Social Studies, Science, and Math – so unless you’re really struggling, staying in a core class that is challenging is probably a smart idea. If the course in question is a requirement at your high school, you probably won’t have the option of dropping it. However, you might be able to take an easier level of a course instead; for instance, if the course is AP, IB, or Honors level, you could switch into the regular version, assuming it is not too late in the school year to do so. You also need to look longer-term and think about whether or not the course in question is a prerequisite for future classes you might want or need to take. For example, some high schools might require you to complete AP Calculus AB before AP Calculus BC, so if you drop AB, you will not be able to take BC later on. Additionally, some high schools have honors or AP tracks, and if you start taking regular-level courses in a particular subject, you might not be able to participate in more-demanding equivalents later on. For instance, you might need to take Honors English in your junior year if you want to take AP Literature in your senior year. Many students choose to drop a course because they are concerned with how it might impact their GPAs. If you are not doing well in a class, and you believe the grade you receive may be much lower than your average, dropping the course may be a good idea. Still, don’t drop a class impulsively, because you may not be doing as poorly as you think you are. Before you make your decision, discuss your concerns with your teacher. He or she may be able to better contextualize particular assignments or test and explain how they will impact your overall grade. You could also ask if you might be able to complete extra credit assignments or make-up work to improve your grade. There may be other ways to resolve the situation aside from dropping the class entirely, so thoroughly explore your options first. If you are not particularly interested in the material, you may not do well in the course. While this isn’t necessarily the case—many students still perform well in courses they don’t like—if the course isn’t a requirement or adding to your academic profile in any meaningful way, it may not be worth taking at all. If you are struggling with a course, you may not need to drop it entirely. Consider additional solutions, such as: Ultimately, you are not bound to your initial course choices, unless they are requirements, so you don’t have to take a class you find too demanding or are not enjoying. And if staying in the course is getting in the way of or distracting from other interests, activities, or courses, dropping it may be the right call. Still, you should weigh the pros and cons carefully before making your final decision. Looking for help on choosing courses and honing your talents? The Mentorship Program matches you with personal mentors from top colleges to work together one-on-one over the course of a year, encouraging you to discover your passions, develop significant self-motivation, and become a high-performing individual.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Flu Vaccination- Benefits and Contra-indications Research Paper

Flu Vaccination- Benefits and Contra-indications - Research Paper Example Active immunity allows the immune system to recognize infected bacteria or viruses as soon as the body comes in contact with them and triggers the production of anti-bodies to tackle them. Vaccination against diseases resists the spread of harmful illnesses in a society, contributing towards a healthy environment. Influenza, more commonly known as Flu, is a respiratory illness that is contagious and is characterized by symptoms like fever, body ache, coughing, sneezing and cold. It can become an epidemic because of its viral nature and once initiated, it is imperative to contain the spread of this disease through proper medication and vaccination. Flu vaccination is generally an annual vaccination program that encourages individuals to ensure protection from the attack of influenza through the year. Since influenza is of several types, it ensures protection against the most major kinds of this disease. It generally offers protection from two strains of type influenza A (H1N1 and H3N2) and one strain of type influenza B. This vaccine can be administered through vaccine injections called flu shots, or through inhalation. Flu vaccination is not mandatory but encouraged in many countries by their respective health ministries. It is more commonly given to young children, pregnant women, elderly, or individuals with health conditions that make them susceptive to such diseases.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Interpersonal and organisational effectiveness and identify areas for Assignment

Interpersonal and organisational effectiveness and identify areas for professional development - Assignment Example I will use the communication process model to aid in understanding why this critical incident occurred and how such situations can be avoided in the future. There are three types-linear, interactive and transactional models (Johnson, 2014). The basic elements in a communication model involved are: Sender- this is the one who initiates and passes a message. Receiver-this is the person that the message is directed to. Decode-when the receiver translates the message into something one can understand through one’s personal experience or the language one understands. Encoding-this is conversion of the words to symbols is what is known as encoding. (West & Turner, 2011). Channel-this is the medium used to convey the message. Feedback-it is the process the receiver shows whether or not the message has been understood the way the sender intended it. Message-this is the subject of communication. Noise, another major element (Narula, 2006) is considered a way of distorting the message by distracting the receiver. The different processes are: the linear; which involves a sender, message and receiver. The message flows directly from the sender to receiver and this usually does not require feedback. Transactional model has the sender and receiver playing the same roles at the same time (Chaturvedi & Chaturvedi, 2011). It seems ineffective and chaotic especially because noise is usually an element here. Interactive model is an upgrade of linear which allows feedback element because the receiver can send back the message after encoding. From the explanation above, I used the transactional model which was ineffective since I talked most of the time and noise distorted the message due to the shouting as I reprimanded the members. The best model to be used here would have been the interactive model because this would have allowed both parties to exchange words, allowing for a conversation to take place

What not to eat or eat when pregnant Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

What not to eat or eat when pregnant - Essay Example According to the author, some of these foods contain a bacterium that causes listeriosis (Ward). This infection is critical since in addition to serious health problems, it may cause miscarriages and stillbirth amongst pregnant women. The article presents the fact that some large fish contain mercury that may affect the brain and nervous system development of a child. The article recommends that one should first test the doneness of the animal meat with a thermometer and ensure that eggs are cooked until there are no longer runny (Ward). Moreover, it advices that pregnant women should wash their hands after handling hot dogs and the luncheon meats and also avoid he fluid from the packages containing these foods. Pregnant women may only eat up to 12 ounces of low in mercury seafoods in a week. Finally, it recommends that one should stick to the baking instruction provided and not eat raw dough. The article forbids women from drinking excess caffeine. According to the article, it can pass to the baby and affect their heart rate (â€Å"Mayo Clinic†). Currently, some studies indicate that drinking caffeine may cause miscarriages amongst women. In addition, the article also prohibits herbal tea since some may affect the development of the baby. Finally, the article advices women to avoid alcohol as it may affect the baby. Mothers who drink alcohol have higher risks towards miscarriages and stillbirths (â€Å"Mayo Clinic†). Too much of it also leads to foetal alcohol syndrome. Recommendations provided by the article include the fact that pregnant women should consult their health providers on the use of herbal tea. In addition, the article claims that no level of alcohol has been proven unsafe but women should just avoid it completely. Finally, concerning caffeine, the recommended dose is less than 200 milligrams a day (â€Å"Mayo Clinic†). In addition to stating the foods and

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Chinese History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Chinese History - Essay Example Moreover, there was a system of training administration officials which was an innovative approach towards ensuring that the affairs of the state could be managed in an efficient and effective manner. The establishment of a bureaucracy helped to ensure the administration process in an effectual manner (Ebrey, 67). Confucianism was adopted as the major system for running the affairs of the state. Confucian system advocated the belief that each individual must obey the family and have devotion towards the rulers. This helped to instill a sense of discipline among the officials. The top officials of the dynasty were living in the capital where they provided valuable counsel to the emperor. The lower officials would be responsible for maintaining roads and canals. They were also entrusted with the duty of maintaining the process of storing grain. The emperors introduced a system of meritocracy where officials were chosen by their competency and ability. A rigorous test was needed so that they could become officials of the state (Ebrey, 67). Civil servants were evaluated after three years for their performance. Therefore punishment and reward were used in combination with other measures to ensure that officials could perform their duties. The Han dynasty was created when Liu Bang won a civil conflict against Xiang Yu. His model of governance was based upon reducing taxes and creating a centralized state. The harsh punishments were reduced in order win the loyalty of the people. The centralized state was a unique innovation as compared with the nomadic lifestyle of Chinese in previous years. This is because of the fact that the provincial officials had to report to the central government. This made them accountable and transparent which led to sound outcomes (Ebrey, 67). A basic local government was formed in different counties which led to efficiency. Han Wu Ti was the greatest ruler of the Han dynasty. He presided over military expansion while enhancing Chinese col onies as well as increasing influence over Central Asia. The creation of the Silk Road helped to increase the trade and prosperity of the empire. The system of governance that was in place helped the empire to provide more freedom to the people. Social mobility and freedom helped prevent rebellions and insurrections against the government (Ebrey, 67). The Han dynasty led China into an unprecedented era of economic expansion, military achievements, scientific discoveries, and powerful stability. The dynasty was able to achieve this through the development of a powerful centralized state. It was able to focus on ruling the empire in a centralized manner so that it could prevent disorder and anarchy within the empire. This was a significant achievement for the empire. B1 A Confucian system focused on the notion of community rights where each individual would be able to contribute towards its progress. A number of advantages existed for this system such as the fact that an individual wo uld contribute towards the development of society with an emphasis on duty and responsibility. Knowledge and spiritual growth would flourish in such a system while the emphasis would be on meritocracy so that an individual would gain social standing and status based upon their personal actions. Moreover, it encourages respect and kindness as a virtue that can create a humane society. The disadvantages of such a system are that it encouraged the development of a hierarchy which would lead to unfairness (Sinaiko, 91). Confucian system focused on family which had a negative aspect also such as the fact that it led to fights and conflicts in which the entire family was involved if a single member had been hurt or wronged. The system also encourages the subordination of females who must remain obedient to

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Ethics of New Yorks Smoking Ban Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ethics of New Yorks Smoking Ban - Essay Example The freedom of the smoker is not impinged in balance with the rights of the other patrons, as the smoker can go outside and all are free. Rawls - Ethical. If you are a smoker, you are negatively impacted and would find this unethical. Given the fact that the majority of people are non-smokers, you (PJ) are most likely to be a non-smoker and not want to breathe second-hand smoke; ergo, the ban is ethical because it benefits you. Kant - Ethical. The categorical imperative is the health of the people. It is universally agreed that smoking is harmful to the health of both the smoker and the breather of second-hand smoke. The right thing, or moral principle in keeping the health of the people as the prime objective, is to ban smoking. Egoists - Ethical/Unethical. If you are a smoker, the ban is unethical because it does not allow you to engage in your preferred behavior. If you are a non-smoker, the ban is ethical because you don't have to breathe smoke. The two forms are Act and Rule. In Act Utilitarianism, an action determines what is moral, and general rules can be distilled from the act. For example, if two people were in a burning building-say an elderly man and a small child-and you could only rescue one, you would rescue the child because she would have the higher potential for happiness in the future; the rule being that the higher degree of happiness wins out. In Rule Utilitarianism, a principle determines what is moral, and individual actions follow the general rules of morality. If the rule says that homicide is wrong, for example, killing Hitler in 1933 would still be wrong even though it would lead to the prevention of millions of deaths. 2. What do economists mean by the "declining marginal utility of money" This is a concept which is fairly intuitive. It means that a specific amount of money has proportional importance relative to the wealth of an individual. The amount of $ 5,000.00 given to a specific person would be an unimaginable amount of money for a welfare mother, a nice bonus for a mid-level corporate manager, and completely irrelevant for Warren Buffet. Conversely, the loss of $ 1,000.00 would be very painful for a college student, somewhat annoying to the average attorney, and unnoticed by Bill Gates. 3. Robert Nozick presents his entitlement theory as a function of three basic principles. What are these three basic principles These principles relate to the holdings or possessions of an individual and that person's justifiable right (entitlement) to have them. The Transfer Principle says that, for any particular item, a person is entitled to have it if they properly obtained it from someone who had the right to transfer it. If I purchased a watch from a retail store that had honestly acquired it, the transfer is valid. If I bought the same watch from an individual on the street who had stolen it from its owner, the transfer is invalid. Under the Acquisition Principle, a person who has something that was justly obtained is entitled to that item. In the watch example, my purchase from the retailer is just and I have the right to wear the watch; the street deal is invalid

Monday, September 23, 2019

Design a study to show relationship between body mass index to asthma Research Paper

Design a study to show relationship between body mass index to asthma in both children and adults - Research Paper Example ethical issues that face experimental and quasi-experimental designs and is suitable for the study that only seeks to observe body mass index among asthma patients. Treatment and control would be impossible in the study because the variables are natural phenomena. Weakness in investigating causal relationships is the design’s major limitation but the study is only interested in investigating a relationship and alternative quantitative methods are infeasible. Non-experimental design is also easier to implement because it is limited to observation variables in their natural occurrence. These justify the design’s selection (The University of Southern Alabama, n.d.). The study seeks to investigate potential relationship between body mass index and asthma. It further identifies two sub groups of research participants, children, and adults. This therefore identifies three variables in the study. The first variable is incidence of asthma in a research participant and will be considered as the independent variable in the study because of the limited ability environmental factors such as body mass index to determine its occurrence. The measure will be determined on a nominal scale, a qualitative scale that has only the identity property. The measure will further have two levels, existence of asthma and absence of asthma. Participants will be interviewed on previous experience of asthma symptoms and experience with the symptoms will be categorized with the symbol 1 while absence of asthma symptoms will be categorized with the symbol 2. Interviews will be used to measure the variable and its advantages ability to gather comprehensive information, flexi bility, and ability to clarify interview questions and to verify responses justify its selection. Interviews also allows for collection of secondary data on a subject matter and for consideration of interviewee’s potentials such as intellectual capacity (Kothari, 2004). Body mass index is another variable and will be

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Jews Living in America in the 1920s Essay Example for Free

Jews Living in America in the 1920s Essay In the autobiography, â€Å"Out of the Shadow†, author Rose Cohen, a Russian-Jewish immigrant, explains the social and economic conditions during the late 1800s and early 1900s for Jews immigrating into the United States. Cohen explains how many Jews fled Eastern Europe and Russia during this time due to the ruling of the tsar, fear of religious persecution, and economic restrictions. Because these restrictions were becoming the norm for Jewish people in their county, Rose’s father, a tailor, began to embark on a journey to the United States of America, in hopes of beginning a new life for himself and his family. Even though her father is captured at the border of Russia and returned home, he managed to get to America. Once in America, he began work as a tailor, striving to earn enough money to bring his entire family to America. In the next year and a half, Rose’s father is finally able to get Rose and her aunt Masha to America. During the early years of Rose’s life in America, she experiences many obstacles and conditions that were faced by Jews throughout the United States during the late 19th century and early 20th century. During Rose and her Aunt Masha’s arrival at Castle Garden in America, they experienced various social conditions, which were different and new from their old lifestyles in Russia. As Rose’s father began to introduce her to the new American society, she became very upset at that many Jews were becoming Americanized; they were forgetting completely about their Jewish religion and roots. Rose writes, â€Å"The first thing men do in America,† she had said, â€Å"is cut their beards and the first thing the women do is to leave off their wigs† (Cohen 79). She explains that the grooming of Jewish men and women was mandatory, because they had to adapt to the American way. Jews chose to conform in hopes of finding the high-paying jobs and avoiding harsh treatment. In the work force, many Jews were also Americanized through the changing and altering of their Yiddish names. By making their names more â€Å"American,† they were more understandable for American people. When Ruth first got her job, her boss’s wife asked Ruth’s father, â€Å"’Well Mr. , have you given your daughter an American name? †¦ ‘How would you like Ruth for a name? ’ I said I should like to be called Ruth† (Cohen 82). Even though many Jews were adapting to the American ways and becoming â€Å"Americanized†, in many places, Jews were highly discriminated against and treated with great disrespect. Many were physically and verbally abused, making life in America even more stressful for incoming Jews. Rose Cohen experienced this treatment on a daily basis in the lower eastside, â€Å"I had often seen these ‘loafers’, as we called them, attack a Jewish pedlar, dump his push cart of apples into the gutter, fill their pockets and walk away laughing and eating† (Cohen 104). Rose describes the different social conditions that Jews faced when immigrating to America. This maltreatment would forever change the standard of living for not only Jews, but for different immigrants coming to America from all over the world. Jews had no choice but to join the workforce, and many of them faced long work hours, low wages, and poor working conditions. Alike Rose’s father, many Russian-Jews began to embark on migrations to America in hopes of bringing their families to the land of the free. Many immigrants had to sacrifice certain needs in order to save money to send over to their family in Russia for steam liner tickets, agent fees, and other necessities needed for a safe travel to America. In her conversation with the presser of a garment shop, Rose reveals that many of the Russian-Jews who had escaped were trying even harder to get their families over to America quickly. â€Å"He said he had escaped from the Russian army a year before and that his wife and two year old little girl were still in Russia. He was trying to save and send for them† (Cohen 120). Although many Jewish people were very hardworking, there was still no job security. Jews like Rose Cohen were jumping from job to job, not knowing what the next day had in store for them. Many Jews stayed without jobs for some months at a time. Cohen recalls, â€Å"I stood a while, then I walked away from the shop, ‘Where next’, I wondered† (Cohen 132). When Jews were able to secure jobs, they faced problems such as twelve-hour workdays. This meant that their lives consisted of nothing but work, eat, and sleep, which was repeated all seven days of the week. The days were long and the working conditions were harsh. Often, Jews had to attend work deathly ill or unable to physically function. Cohen recalls when she first arrived how much her father had to work and how he was hardly ever home, working to establish himself and his family in America. â€Å"When he went away in the morning it was still dark, and when he came home at night the lights in the halls were out† (Cohen, Pg. 74). By telling her story, Rose reveals the different economic obstacles Jews faced in the work force in America. By analyzing Rose Cohen’s autobiography, â€Å"Out of the Shadow†, it uncovers the various social and economical hardships that Russian-Jews faced living in America. Even though adapting to a new life in America came with many obstacles for Jews, Rose’s story shows that many of them made it through their hardships and ultimately overcame their adversities. Rose Cohen’s autobiography serves as a great resource as to what Jewish life was in everyday America during the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century. Works Cited.

Friday, September 20, 2019

The Power Of Shakespeares Macbeth

The Power Of Shakespeares Macbeth The world of Macbeth explores the destructive nature of power and ambition through the collapse of individual identity and the Christian emphasis on the moral hierarchy. Published in 1623, nearly twenty years after it was first performed, Macbeth was written shortly after James VI of Scotland ascended the English throne, and Shakespeares play clearly supports his divine right to the throne. Shakespeare was inspired by Raphael Holinsheds Chronicle of the reigns of Duncan and Macbeth (A.D. 1034-57), but the invention of the framework of the witches who tempt both Banquo and Macbeth with prophecies of greatness are his own. A story of witchcraft, murder and vengeance, Macbeth can be read as a morality play which warns against the dangers of ambitious power. Clearly, Macbeth is a figure whose ambition and hubris result in his fall from power, echoing the biblical story of the fall from grace; however, the play also expresses a profound fear of feminine power as subversive and destructive. The very text of Macbeth itself reflects the single-minded ambition of its main character. With only 2,100 lines, Macbeth is one of Shakespeares shortest plays, and with the exception of such characters as the porter, is devoid of the subplots which characterise Shakespearean tragedies. Coleridge has noted that the play begins at an aggressive pace with Hamlets gradual ascent from the simplest forms of conversation to the language of impassioned intellect, and Bradley follows by describing the beginning of the play as one in which the action burst into wild life. Shakespeares typical tragic worldview represents a complex human world of infinite variety. Macbeth, in contrast, is sparse and single-minded because it is a symbolic play which resorts to soliloquy and symbolic locales to echo the dichotomous world of the Christian morality plays. The focus of Macbeth, like that of Shakespeares famous tragedy Richard III, is an egotistical man with measureless will power who murders his way to the crown and, in doing so, alienates himself from the very world which he wishes to rule. It is commonly said by Shakespearean critics that Macbeths tragic flaw is ambition, and he himself admits that he has no drive but vaulting ambition, but it is ambition without reason or application. He does not, like Shakespeares Tamburlaine, believe it to be passing brave to be sovereign king and ride in triumph through his kingdom, or even desire the power which he would then have over his comrades. Indeed, the sole drive behind Macbeths ambition seems to be the act of competition itself, which is clearly shown by his celebrated success on the battlefield. The audience is introduced to Macbeth through the description by the Sergeant in Act I Scene II. The description of the battle scene and Macbeths eruptive entrance into the horde of kerns and gallowglasses reveals Macbeths ambition and the violence of his power. Brave Macbeth well he deserves that name Disdaining fortune, with his brandishd steel Which smokd with bloody execution, Like valours minion, carvd out his passage Till he facd the slave; Which neer shook hands, nor bade farewell to him, Till he unseamd him from the nave to th chaps, And fixd his head upon our battlements (I.ii. 16-23) Macbeths fierce interruption into The fray and his ruthless domination on the battlefield are indicative of his insatiable thirst for power and status in the political arena. The rhetoric of the soldiers description paints a picture of an epic struggle of good versus evil, with the defiant Macdonwald and the villanies of nature swarming like flies, and Macbeths interruption is both violently brutal and magnificent. This introduction to Macbeth is fitting, for he is a character of decisive action and agency, and his ruthless domination of the battlefield foreshadows his ruthless domination of the political scene as well. However, unlike Macbeth himself, his wife does not have agency of her own, and must enact her own desires and drive through the action of her husband. Her power lies in the power to persuade, and indeed it is argued that the female characters in Shakespeares play hold the real power in the action of the play itself. In Act 1 Scene 7, Lady Macbeth tries to drive her husbands courage to the sticking point by questioning his manhood. She mocks him with the reminder that it was his initial idea to plan the murders, and if he fails to follow through he is weak and impotent. What beast wast then / That made you break this enterprise to me? (I.vii. 47-48), suggesting that it was Macbeths own evil mind which began the murderous plan, and the witches manipulated his ambitious nature rather than revealing him to be the victim of fate. Lady Macbeth herself describes her husband: I do fear thy nature: Thou wouldst be great; Art not without ambition, but without The illness should attend it; what thou wouldst highly, That wouldst thou holly; wouldst not play false And yet wouldst wrongly win Hie thee hither, That I may pour my spirits in thine ear, And chastise with the valour of my tongue All that impedes thee from the golden round Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem To have thee crownd withal (I.v.14-28) Lady Macbeth recognises that her husband has the potential for great power, but lacks the fundamental hard nature and cunning wit to achieve the high reaches for which they both aspire. She, however, has the necessary ruthless nature and calculating wit and vows to help her husband in his ascension to power. The characterisation of the relationship between Lord and Lady Macbeth, like that of the witches and Macbeth, reveals an anxiety of female power as manipulative and subversive. Macbeth is a murderer in thought if not in action at this point, and the lady acknowledges openly that his milk of human kindness will not dissuade him from attempting regicide, but only from catching the nearest way, that, executing it himself. Lady Macbeth, coming upon her husband as he finishes his soliloquy full of cold calculation of his success rate, questions his manhood as an attempt to persuade him to action. I dare do all that may become a man; / Who dares do more is none When you durst do it, then you were a man (I.vii. 46-7, 49). Lady Macbeth draws him on with the idea of decisive action, countering his doubts of the great taboos against the deed. Lacking the authority to both independently gain political and social power, and to enact the murders necessary to further their position, Lady Macbeth wields her powers of persuasion to manoeuvre her husband. According to Janet Adelman, the play strikingly constructs the fantasy of subjection to maternal malevolence in two parts, in the witches and in Lady Macbeth so that what the witches suggest about the vulnerability of men to female power on the cosmic plane, Lady Macbeth doubles on the psychological plane (Adelman 97). Critics have noted the parallel between Lady Macbeth and the witches in their attempt to subversively gain power over the male characters. In Macbeth, manhood is tied to ideals of strength and the force of will. Lady Macbeth uses the idea of manhood to manipulate her husband, knowing that in his desperate attempt to prove his manhood and advance politically he will do anything she tells him. Macbeth, under the influence of female power of both his wife and the weird sisters, murders Duncan, but his increasingly violent form of power is an attempt to escape from this manipulative feminine influence. Macbeth carries out the murderous intent which Lady Macbeth so shrewdly articulates, and despite his efforts to establish his own ambitious power, he embodies her fantasy of subversive power. And yet, Macbeth is unaware of his own manipulation and rejects the women in his life. To be dependent on a woman is to be threatened with a loss of autonomous selfhood, in essence emasculating him and stripping him of his source of masculine, martial power. Lady Macbeth, paralleled with the enigmatic power of the three witches, is representative of the cultures deepest fear of the subversive and destructive power of the feminine. Common critical opinion reduces Lady Macbeth to a fierce, cruel woman, brandishing a couple of daggers, and inciting her husband to butcher a poor old king (Jameson 369), and this sense of self-interested manipulation has shifted the culpability for the murder of the King away from Macbeth to the women whispering in his ear. Beyond the obvious concern with the problematics of political power as divinely bestowed, Macbeth is a play that explores the nature of masculine and feminine power. Lady Macbeth becomes the psychological force over her husband in order to arouse the initiative and violence for the deed, and in the act deprives Macbeth of his masculine power. Back to: Example Essays Works Cited Adelman, J. (1987) Born of Woman: Fantasies of Maternal Power in Macbeth in Cannibals, Witches, and Divorce: Estranging the Renaissance. ed. by M. Garber. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, pp. 90-121. Jameson, A. (1979) Characteristics of Women: Moral, Political and Historical, London: George Bell and Sons. Shakespeare, W. (1997) Macbeth. ed. by A. R. Braunmuller. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Religious Cults - A Threat to Society? Essay -- essays papers

Religious Cults - A Threat to Society? On November 18, 1978, in a cleared-out patch of the Guyanese jungle, Reverend Jim Jones ordered the 911 members of his flock to kill themselves by drinking a cyanide potion, and they did. It seems cultists were brainwashed by this megalomaniac Jones, who had named their jungle village after himself and held them as virtual slaves, if not living zombies. Jones himself was found dead. He'd shot himself in the head, or someone else had shot him. Is it plausible that more than nine hundred people took their own lives willingly, simply because he told them to? This paper will examine aspects of certain religious groups around the world that have shocked us with similar types of behavior. Most of these groups have been categorized into what we refer to as cults. While most of these new religious groups are extremely passive in their methodology, it is my objective to look at those that have gone outside the boundaries of our norms and done such things as mass suicide and acts of terrorism. I will try to understand how the leaders of these groups are able to persuade members to give up all of their possessions and in some cases their lives. What causes people to remove themselves from their jobs, and families? A cult is any group of people who surround themselves around a strong authority figure. Cults, like many other groups, attempt to expand their influence for the purposes of power or money. However, to achieve these ends, destructive cults employ a potent mixture of influence and deception over members and new recruits. Using methods such as brainwashing, thought reform, and mind control. A successful conversion into a destructive cult removes a person's former identity and replaces it with a new one. This is where the new member accepts all of the beliefs of his new group and a new identity is created. However once a member of the group, any deviation from the cult leader's teachings is strictly forbidden. Individuality is suppressed, and subject to fear and suspicion of everyone around in the group. What could cause people to join such groups when it is common knowledge that these groups are known to go against the norms of our society? Many of those who study these groups say that people tend to be more susceptible to manipulation in times of major change and crisis. During the 1960s there was an explos... ... is often which is defined as direct contact with the divine, generating a sense of belonging to something profound and of being a somebody. The modern cult may be viewed as a group that gives its members an identity and a sense of meaning in a world that has somehow failed to provide them these things. With over 3000 destructive cults in the U.S. claiming over 4 million members, it seems that there may only be more trouble to come with these new religious organizations popping up almost out of nowhere. Their leaders seem to pray on the vulnerable and lonely. Perhaps causing them to behave in a manner that would not be in their normal behavior. I am not suggesting that all of these religious groups are threat to our society. In fact I believe that these self-help groups are an asset to the people that they help. However trouble arises when the leaders of these groups lose control, demanding complete and total obedience. It is quite evident that one person's cult may be another person's religion, and history has proven that yesterday's fringe group may be tomorrow’s mainstream religion. All of our popular religious groups once started as out as a cult at one time or another.

Capital Punishment Is Necessary Essay -- Pro-Death Penalty Essay

Capital punishment and the practice of the death penalty is an issue that is passionately debated in the United States. Opponents of the death penalty claim that capital punishment is unnecessary since a life sentence accomplishes the same objective. What death penalty opponents neglect to tell you is that convicted murders and child rapists escape from prison every year(List of prison escapes, 2015). As I write this essay, police are searching for two convicted murders who escaped from the Clinton Correctional Facility in New York on June 6th, 2015. The ONLY punishment from which one cannot escape is the death penalty. Often times, jail sentencing does not do justice to murder. Sometimes, crime is so cruel that there is no realistic punishment for it. There are too many victims out there that have suffered and their attacker received a painless life sentence. Painless, when comparing to horrifying murders that happen everyday. As Paul A. Winters says, If a person commits a gruesome murder, he deserves to be put to death (Winters et al. 154). So many murderers are convicted of man slaughter and only receive years in jail. Their victims feel the pain, but imagine the pain and sorrow the families of the victims feel. The Death penalty is the only justifying sentence for a murderer. The Death penalty is effective because it deters crime. According to polls, more than 70 percent of Americans feel that murderers deserve the death penalty (Winters et al. 168). Although several people are in favor of the death penalty, abolitionist claim there are some alternatives, they say that life without parole serves just as well (Guilmette 2). Many citizens would agree that putting away the murderer is effective, but just isn t enough. Capital punishment is the most effective weapon against the murderers because no executed murderer ever has had the chance to kill again. Over the years, many people would say that public safety has become meaningless and not worth defending anymore. Every country in the world is ready and willing to kill thousands, even millions of human beings in brutal, merciless way to defend their nation from the aggression of other countries. Why public safety doesn t deserve as much respect and protection as a nation s national security does? In fact, it can be argued that supporting armies and war is far more barbarous than the death penalty... ...er bother mankind, but there are others like him. Australia has abolished the death sentence. They can no longer control the men like Panzram. Martin Bryant shot and killed 35 innocent people in Tasmania. The people of Australia are now supporting him. There is one option, which Australia no longer has. They cannot put this man to death, they are not allowed. We must keep the death penalty for the people like this; people who like to kill and that don't fear imprisonment. The Death penalty is the only justification for people like these. Works Cited Bedau, Hugo Adam. The Death Penalty in America Statements in favor of the Death Penalty. Ed. J. Edgar Hoover. Chicago: Alding publishing company, 1964. 130-135 Kronenwetter, Michael. Capital Punishment . Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2004. Winters, Paul A. et al. The Death Penalty. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, 2006. DiLulio, John J. Abolish the Death penalty, officially . May 2007. Online. UMI ProQuest Direct. (27 May 2008). Ramirez, Richard. Carl Panzram, 1861-1930 1996. (28 June, 2008). "List of prison escapes" Wikipedia 2015. Web. 8 June 2015. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_prison_escapes

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

William Wordsworth and Robert Frost - Views on nature. Essay -- Englis

William Wordsworth and Robert Frost - Views on nature. To many people Nature is something of little thought, but when we take time to "stand back" and acknowledge it we can actually see its beauty. Until now a meadow or a tree in a forest to me, was little more than something of everyday life. Now having come to realise the power and force it has upon mans emotions and actions, I realised the thoughts of other people when studying the work of William Wordsworth and Robert Frost. Both poets see Nature in different ways although there are some aspects of the subject which are clearly the same. This view is such a vast subject which is an always changing thing. From the changing seasons to the day- to- day weather Nature never ceases to amaze. For both poets Nature brings the same thing, yet in very different ways. For Robert Frost, the simple scene of a wood (forest) filling slowly up with snow. As for Wordsworth the scene is very much a more vibrant picture as he describes the daffodils in their 'sprightly dance'. To you or me, to see these things is just something that happens and we don't notice it. In today's society such events are not even acknowledged, and there fore people don't normally take the time to experience the occasion. We realise that both Wordsworth and Frost where alone as Wordsworth states 'I wandered lonely' and Frost states-: 'Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village though;' Both quotes indicate a sense of loneliness and isolation. Frost looks very deep into Nature as does Wordsworth. Frost sees an escape from life, and Wordsworth sees an escape from feeling down and 'pensive'. For Wordsworth his encounter with Nature gives him a constant thought ... ...nd company' we see a sense of communion here. The use of onomatopoeia makes both poems more homely. 'Fluttering' the delicate movement of the flower. 'Gazed' long sound to emphasise his movement. 'Glance' a swift sound to indicate a quick look. 'Sprightly' energetic and lively sounding. 'Bliss' relaxing sounding. In 'stopping by woods' Frost uses the word 'sweep' to give the soft feeling of how the snow drifts through the trees. 'Downy' indicates again how the flakes slowly drifted down. The word 'down' could refer to the movement of duck down as it falls to the ground. The phrase 'sounds the sweep' make me think of how the wind whispered through the trees carrying the snow. 'sounds the sweep' is also a perfect example of assonance and soft alliteration. There are a few more points I would like to add to this essay after the first draft has been marked.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

“Mirror” by Sylvia Plath Essay

The poem â€Å"Mirror† by Sylvia Plath is told from the point of view of a mirror hanging up on a wall. This mirror has, over time, been privy to the tears of a woman over who she sees in it, desperate grasps at moonlit lies, and the endless speculations of a pink with speckles wall. â€Å"Mirror† is a poem that probes into the corners of human nature, beauty, life, and death, reflecting back their truths to readers as good mirrors do. In this poem, readers can see the truth about themselves reflected among the words as though the poem itself is a mirror, too. Just as the poem reflects truths to readers, so the mirror in it reflects truths to the woman it sees every day. It is objective about everything it observes in the woman, for it can have no biases simply owing to the nature of its stature. The description the mirror gives of itself in the first few lines is that â€Å"I am silver and exact. I have no preconceptions./Whatever I see I swallow immediately/Just as i t is, unmisted by love or dislike./I am not cruel, only truthful-/The eye of the little god, four cornered.† It is giving, true to its nature, a frank description of itself—nonjudgmental and unprejudiced of its admirers. Mirrors never have and never will pass any judgment on their gazers. They leave that for the gazers themselves to do, and they always do just that, as is human nature. The mirror prides itself on that same clear-cut honesty of the faces it regurgitates back for judgment. It is almost arrogant about it, refusing to falter in its own perfection for a moment, even as â€Å"she turns to those liars, the candles or the moon† which cast false shadows upon her face. It continues to reflect the woman honestly, even though she cannot see it, so that when she learns of the lies and turns back, there she is in all her self-perceived imperfection. Not one person, the woman of the poem included, has ever been judged by a mirror, but rather through it. It is because of it that the woman can see her outer self, so also because of it, she sometimes forgets her inner self. She forgets the pink behind the speckles on the wall of her face, seeing only that the speckles are marring the beauty of it. The mirror, however, does not see the destruction the woman sees, for she is the only one of the two who has the desire to judge. She was the only true master of herself, but she ended up caving in under her preconceived notions of society’s view of her. She became a slave to the mirror and her interpretations its truths. One of these truths is age. No one has yet achieved immortality, and so death is still a formidable foe. Mirrors  reflect the coming of this rival in the rivulets and creases found in a face of age, and many people obsess over this manifesting. In the poem, according to the mirror, â€Å"I am important to her. She comes and goes./Each morning it is her face that replaces the darkness./In me she has drowned a young girl, and in me an old woman/Rises toward her day after day, like a terrible fish.† The woman in the poem â€Å"h as drowned a young girl† in her obsessions, aging her into â€Å"an old woman . . . like a terrible fish.† With each day, the manifestation becomes more pronounced because â€Å"Each morning it is her face that replaces the darkness.† She wasted away in front of that mirror so that now, death â€Å"Rises toward her day after day, like a terrible fish.† She hates the mirror’s honesty on the matter, but cannot turn away. She is unable to resist knowing that death is creeping ever closer every day. She lives her life, it seems, around that knowledge, convinced that she should not be as she is. She is, as the poem says, â€Å"Searching . . . for what she really is.† She is unaware that all around her, death is marking others down for capture with the lines of age. All she knows is that she has gone from â€Å"pink, with speckles† into a world of darkness that she disapproves of seeing in the mirror. She does not seem to under stand that in fact, no one will be left unaffected. â€Å"The eye of the little god† will seek out everyone from all four corners of the globe. In the end, her obsession kills her, the â€Å"terrible fish† having finally made it to the surface. The woman in the poem lives and dies within it, mirroring any and all readers’ lives in that. The poem offers up a universal reflection of a person for readers to judge themselves. After all, it is a mirror and that is what mirrors do.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Holden Caulfield Is an Island Essay

John Donne’s quote, ‘No man is an island’ connects quite directly to Holden Caulfield in ‘The Catcher in the Rye. ’ Holden’s character is very relative to themes such as isolation, loneliness and non-conformity. Holden has a very distinct character; he has many features, which would describe him as quite a lonely, cynical young man. It is evident that a past of his has had such an effect on him that the adolescence he has become quite a rocky journey for him; the death of his brother Allie, and the suicide of one of his schoolmates included. How is Holden Caulfield an island? Well, the quote itself – ‘No man is an island’ – can be interpreted that no man will thrive in isolation, such as an island. Holden has isolated himself from the conforming ways of society. This explains why he finds it so hard to be close to people, and why people find it so hard to get close to him; because he is so different. Holden’s character can be described as one that is flying off the rails. Some events throughout the novel regarding alcohol and drugs, relationships and Holden’s whereabouts show that he is simply trying to be something he isn’t. Holden Caulfield is an island, throughout the novel, a word to describe him best would be ‘alone. ’ Those who attempt to help him, guide him and be there for him, such as Spencer and Mr. Antolini, generally fail as Holden makes a quick escape from their guiding hands. In some ways, Holden can be seen as a hero. It is much harder to go against the grain alone, than to follow along in the footsteps of others. Holden can be understood as a leader, rather than a follower. Although his purpose is not quite evident, his journey is still worth so much. Holden’s personality includes features, which define him as a very judgmental person. He often uses the term ‘phoney’ to describe people who aren’t true to themselves and who according to him, squeezing into a certain cut out. Holden is very set in his ways, and will generally not take on the opinion of anyone else, and will stick to his own very closely. An example of Holden preferring to be alone is when he informs his sister that he will be leaving home. He organizes a meeting with her before he leaves. She arrives with her belongings and asks to go with him. It is not that Holden loses his temper, and refuses to take her along. After Holden leaves Pencey Prep at the beginning of the novel, he makes the decision to find his way around Manhattan alone, with out telling his parents; for a few days before he is due back home. To most sixteen year old teenagers, to make this decision would be a big move, but to Holden, a stunt like this doesn’t concern him. This just shows how far he goes to prove himself to be an individual, who can take care of himself, Holden feels he doesn’t need anyone but himself, as he is left alone by the end of the story. Throughout the novel, is it clear that the story is about Holden’s journey, and Holden Caulfield being an island. The events and occurrences that happen to Holden along the way prove this statement to be true. Holden has a very strong character, that of which he remains tough; he does his own thing, in his own way; without the need for approval from anyone. Holden Caulfield has isolated himself from the conforming ways of society. Therefore, Holden Caulfield is an Island.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Collapse of the Housing Market.

Collapse of the Housing Market. The purpose of self-governing is to make government work better by allowing people to help govern themselves. And the people do that by electing Representative to talk for them, to protect life, liberty and personal properties. â€Å"The absolute rights of individuals may be resolved into the right of personal security, the right of personal liberty, and the right to acquire and enjoy property†¦ and that consists in being protected and governed by laws made, or assented to, by the representatives of the people, and conducive to the general welfare† (James Kent, Commentaries on American Law, Lecture XXIV).Yes I believe that the congress lived up to protect life, liberty and personal properties, because they used â€Å"†¦Federal financial supervisory agency to use its authority when examining financial institutions, to encourage such institutions to help meet the credit needs of the local communities in which they are chartered consiste nt with the safe and sound operation of such institutions†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Community Reinvestment Act, October 12, 1977) They did this so everyone could get a house. They also wanted to get more people into house so the economy could move.Because of that the demand for houses increased and so did the prices and most people were not able to afford and could not get a loan form the bank. Because of that the government â€Å"†¦in 1995 gave the CRA serious teeth: regulators could now deny a bank with a low CRA rating approval to merge with another bank—at a time when the arrival of interstate banking made such approvals especially valuable—or even to open new branches. Complaints from community organizations would now count against a bank’s CRA rating. † (Lawrence H. White, â€Å"How Did We Get into This Financial Mess? † Cato Institute, November 18, 2008). HUD also â€Å"actively pushed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac into backing the enormous expansio n of the nonprime mortgage market†¦. To fund their enormous growth, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac had to borrow huge sums in wholesale financial markets. Institutional investors were willing to lend to the government-sponsored mortgage companies cheaply †¦ because they thought that the Treasury would repay them should Fannie or Freddie be unable. † (Lawrence H. White, â€Å"How Did We Get into This Financial Mess? ,† Cato Institute, November 18, 2008).Congress tried to help the people by putting out more funds like The American Dream Down payment Initiative (ADDI). ADDI helped first time house buyers by paying their down payment or the closing cost. This helps more people to buy a house. â€Å"The American Dream Downpayment Assistance Act authorized up to $200 million annually. Funds were appropriated for fiscal years 2004-2008†¦. ADDI helped first-time homebuyers with the biggest hurdle to homeownership: downpayment and closing costs† The original pu rpose of the president was to carry out any decisions that congress made, but the president was not independent of Congress.Congress still remained completely in charge of how their decisions were carried out. The president is part of the executive who was to look up to congress so there is not a person making all the decision. All the powers of government, legislative, executive, and judiciary, result to the legislative body [in the Virginia Constitution of 1776]. The concentrating these in the same hands is precisely the definition of despotic government. It will be no alleviation that these powers will be exercised by a plurality of hands, and not by a single one. 73 despots would surely be as oppressive as one. † (Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia, Query 13, 1784). But when it came to the housing market the president/ executive department and agencies did not live up to their purpose in their actions in the area of housing. For example â€Å"President Bill Clinton's HUD agreed to let Fannie and Freddie get affordable-housing credit for buying subprime securities that included loans to low-income borrowers. The idea was that subprime lending benefited many borrowers who did not qualify for conventional loans. † (Carol D.Leonnig, â€Å"How HUD Mortgage Policy Fed the Crisis,† Washington Post, June 10, 2008). In 1999 the Clinton administration viewed Fannie Mae as a hazard trying to prevent the housing bubble and collapse. â€Å"Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers issued a warning, saying, â€Å"Debates about systemic risk should also now include government-sponsored enterprises, which are large and growing rapidly. ’ It was a signal moment. An administration official had said in public that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could be a hazard† (â€Å"How Washington Failed to Rein in Fannie, Freddie,† Washington Post, September 4, 2008).The Clinton administration really didn’t like Fannie because they tr ied to â€Å"discouraged Fannie and Freddie from buying predatory subprime loans. Department of Housing and Urban Development called for Congress to enact legislation to â€Å"prohibit the purchase by each of these entities of predatory loans. † Fannie Mae was designed to help people. The sole purpose of them were to get banks to sell loans to people that would not always be able to get loans and then Fannie and Freddie would buy those loans form the bank giving back the money back to banks. The U. S. government had created Fannie Mae in 1938 to buy mortgages from banks that loaned money to homebuyers†¦. It was a Depression-era creation designed to ease financing costs for borrowers still recovering from the economic devastation of the 1930s† (Gretchen Morgenson, Reckless Endangerment, 13). To bring compotation and have verity the government created Freddie Mac so more loans could be bought and more people would invest. â€Å"†¦from an agency of the governme nt into a partially private entity that issued common stock to public investors†¦.The president’s idea was to get the company’s liabilities off the government’s balance sheet† (Gretchen Morgenson, Reckless Endangerment, 13). To get Fannie and Freddie get going on it own, they would sell stock where people would be able to by one of loans that Fannie and Freddie would buy form the banks, but the good thing was if the person was not able to pay back to Fannie and Freddie, the person who bought the loan would get paid back form the government. That got more people to invest in Fannie and Freddie. To fund their enormous growth, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac had to borrow huge sums in wholesale financial markets. Institutional investors were willing to lend to the government-sponsored mortgage companies cheaply †¦ because they thought that the Treasury would repay them should Fannie or Freddie be unable. † (Lawrence H. White, â€Å"How Did We Get into This Financial Mess? ,† Cato Institute, November 18, 2008). Around 1999 Fannie and Freddie became so big that the government was losing more money then making money.The treasury did not like that they had to pay back to the people who invested in Fannie and Freddie. They went in public saying that they are â€Å"hazard†. â€Å"In the fall of 1999, Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers issued a warning, saying, â€Å"Debates about systemic risk should also now include government-sponsored enterprises, which are large and growing rapidly. ’ It was a signal moment. An administration official had said in public that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could be a hazard† (â€Å"How Washington Failed to Rein in Fannie, Freddie,† Washington Post, September 4, 2008).After this one could see how strong Fannie and Freddie has become and more people decided to investigate but were never able to bring it up and who did were sued and lost a lot. â€Å"Gensler and ot her Treasury officials feared the companies had grown so large that, if they stumbled, the damage to the U. S. economy could be staggering. Few officials had ever publicly criticized Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, but Gensler concluded it was time to urge Congress to rein them in†¦.The bill failed† (â€Å"How Washington Failed to Rein in Fannie, Freddie,† Washington Post, September 4, 2008). When the economy downturn in 2001 due to lots of mortgages not paid and more foreclosed houses, the Federal reserve tried to bring it up by expanding the U. S. money supply the goal was to bring up the economy by putting money into the economy and people start spending. â€Å"In the recession of 2001, the Federal Reserve System, under Chairman Alan Greenspan, began aggressively expanding the U. S. money supply†¦.The expansion was accompanied by the Fed repeatedly lowering its target rate for the federal funds (interbank short-term) interest rate. The federal funds rate began 2001 at 6. 25 percent and ended the year at 1. 75 percent. † † (Lawrence White, â€Å"How Did We Get into This Financial Mess? ,† Cato Institute, November 18, 2008). But this did not help, low interest rates affect the behavior of investors. They stopped buying bonds and The Federal Reserve Board’s decision to slash interest rates to propel the economy was hurting investors who lived on the income generated by their holdings. In 2001, mortgage lenders †¦ understood that the low interest-rate environment was driving investors to securities that yielded more than Treasury bonds and other relatively conservative fixed-income instruments. † Due to less people-buying bond, the federal reserve made the interest rate low but they had to raise the house price to balance it. That way people saw this as in opportunity to buy a house with low interest rate. Example form 26D. In 2005 federal reserve desperately made the discount form 4. to 6. 5 to help get the house market rolling again. â€Å"In August [2005], the Federal Reserve Board increased its discount rate to 4. 5 percent, up from 2 percent the summer before. The Fed was finally trying to tap on the brakes of a runway real estate market† (Gretchen Morgenson, Reckless Endangerment, 286) What the feds tried to fix by getting more blacks to buy because of people getting on them form being racist kicked them in the butt when more than half had there house foreclosed. In October 1992, â€Å"Mortgage Lending in Boston: Interpreting HMDA Data† was published by the Boston Fed. Its authors were [Alicia H. ] Munnell, Lynn E. Brown, and Geoffrey M. B. Tootell†¦. Racial bias by mortgage lenders, Munnell and her colleagues wrote, not only existed it was pervasive. The HMDA data showed that black and Hispanic loan applicants were far more likely to be rejected by banks than were whites. The rejection ratio for minorities was 2. 8 to 1 compared with white applicants†¦ . There was only problem.The methods used by the Boston Fed researchers to prepare their report were flawed†¦. The analysis did not consider whether an applicant met a lender’s credit guidelines† I was happy that congress wanted to help anyone who wanted a house, there intensions were good by creating Fannie and Freddie but when people figured out that they can buy loans form Fannie and Freddie will be payed back when they know the owner of that mortgage will never be able to pay back. More community lost there value due to this.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Eagle Scout Essay

  Hello everybody. To start off I would like to say thank you to everyone here for coming, because if it wasn’t for all of you this day wouldn’t be so special. I would like to give a special thanks to my parents for getting me involved in boy scouts, mr.mac, mr.beteyyman, mr.deangles, and all the other leaders for leading my troop, and the scouts that helped me complete my Eagle Scout project. From the start to the end boy Scouts has shaped me as the person that I am today, and without Boy Scouts I wouldn’t be the person that I am. Not knowing where Scouting would lead me, I joined the troop due to many interests such as having fun. It all started when I was about 7 years old and walked into the elks lodge to have my first meeting as a tiger scout. From tiger scouts on I decided that I really liked the scouting experience and would continue on the whole journey. Racing boats in the rain gutter regatta, and racing cars in the pine wood derby were just a few of t he events early on. Time had passed earning belt loops, camping some, and learning wilderness survival tips, and before I knew it Webloes 2 was completed and I had a decision to make. I decided that I would cross over to boy Scouts and shoot for the goal of my Eagle Scout. Anxiously waiting at the table for my name to called, a member from the order of the arrow dressed up as an American Indian came over to me and walked me to the front of the building and over the bridge. I was then welcomed by the boy Scouts and given a troop 2540 handkerchief and hat. I decided that I would be one of the kids to go to all the meeting, trips, and scouting events.   One of my very first memories was the camping trip to rickets Glenn in Pennsylvania. The scenery of waterfalls and hiking through the wilderness hit me immediately that I loved the idea of camping and couldn’t wait to go on the next trip. As time progressed learning how to cook, pitch tents, tie knots, first aid, and physical fitness, I was moving through the ranks very quickly. Some events such as community service taught me to always give back to the community, and to take leadership roles in the troop showed me how to be a good leaders and not a follower. My most memorable camping trips were the 2 out of the 4 high adventure trips that I completed. The National Jamboree in Arlington Virginia celebrated the 100 years of scouting, and the most memorable part of this trip was getting Shaun Whites autograph. Hiking through the wilderness at Philmont Scout Reservation was an amazing espicially hiking up mt.baldy and catching mini bears in our bear bags to  pass time at cam p. Boy Scouts has meant so much to me and has helped me discover what I like to do through the 27 merit badges that I earned over the years. Getting my eagle scout was a long and memorable journey and has helped me become who I am today. Thank you

Friday, September 13, 2019

Data mining Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Data mining - Essay Example Automated prospective analysis provided by the data mining techniques, as will be discussed below, go beyond the simple analysis of past records as availed by the retrospective tools used in decision support systems (DSS). These techniques of data mining were fundamentally as a result of the predominant long processes of research and product developments, with the first pressing need as to help in business data collection, storage and retrieval. Considering every aspects of data mining, the commonly used techniques are: Artificial neural networks Biclustering PageRank Genetic algorithms Nearest neighbor methods Rule indications. A) Data Mining Classification over large database 1. The kNN: k-nearest neighbor classification This algorithm is works by memorizing the entire training data and performing classification on conditions that the attributes of the test object matches either of the training samples accurately. The kNN seeks a collection of k objects within the training set whic h closely associates with test object, and based the assignment of an indication on the predominance of any particular class in its neighborhood. The key factors in this algorithms include the distance or similarity metric to compute distance that exist between objects; a set of the labeled objects; and the number of nearest neighbor (value of k). Advantages It is simple and easy to understand It is easy to implement its classification techniques. It can also perform so well in varied situations, hence its maximum usability. It is known for its suitability for multi-modal classes and applications in which an object is able to have a number of class labels. Disadvantages The choice of k is a limiting factor. If it (k) is too small, the result would be very sensitive to noise points. While if k is too large, the neighborhood is likely to comprise of a large number of points even from other classes. This test limits the numbers of tests records to be classified since it is true that su ch test records will not in most instances match any of the training records to the latter as recommended. The approach of combining the class labels is also considered as very complicated. 2. Page Rank This is classified as a search ranking algorithm that uses hyperlinks on the World Wide Web. Page Rank techniques produce static rankings of the Web pages in a manner that Page Rank value is accurately computed for each and every page that is off-line without depending on the search queries; but rather on the democratic nature of the World Wide Web through the use of its wide link architecture as an indicator of any individual page quality. It is worth noting that these features have helped in the success of the famous Google search engine. Advantages It is quite dependable as its outputs are always accurate and precise. It is simple and efficient to use once one has the knowledge and skills of its usability principle. Disadvantages Database search outcomes are based on literal (keyw ords, Meta data, and tags) items rather than on their actual meanings. Poor ranking of Web pages in different topological Web structures. I.e. in Google’s ranking algorithm. Less page ranks and too much time taken to list and gain high ranks for the new pages. Subsequent quotation of inaccurate information on different web pages may lead to indexing of such inaccurate pages, hence resulting to a mess of fiction. 3. Naive Bayes Advantages It is

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Three-river-sources ecological environment protection Essay

Three-river-sources ecological environment protection - Essay Example It sought to evaluate the region’s management strategies on how the conflict between protection of the region’s ecological environment and exploitation of the natural resources for commercial purposes can be best resolved. The major findings of the paper showed that the activities of men such as hunting and construction of infrastructure have immensely contributed to the degradation of the ecology. As such, this paper observed that in order to create a long-term plan for management of ecological environment in the Three-River-Source, nationwide and local government will need to be foresighted and consider the specifics of each environmental problem in order to balance the conflict between protection of the region’s ecological environment and the use of natural resources for commercial purposes. Three-River-Source which is also known as Sanjiangyuan is located in the Qinghai Tibet Plateau. This name refers to the headwater of three rivers in Chinese and these are Yangtze River, the Yellow River and the Lancang River. These rivers are the major sources of water in the region whereby Yellow River accounts for 42 per cent of the total volume of water supplied while Yangtze River accounts for 25 % and Lancang River accounts for 15% (Wang, 2008). The Three-River-Source region has significant ecological value in the Qinghai Tibet plateau which is regarded as the worlds highest and largest plateau with wetland ecosystem. The region accounts for 2.32% of the total area of national wetlands (Wang, 2008). As such, the region is known as the â€Å"water tower† in China.

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Eugenic Sterilization Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Eugenic Sterilization Law - Essay Example In 1924, Carrie Buck a teenager mother was accused in a court of law for bearing a child outside of wedlock and that her child would probably be socially inadequate. Ms. Buck, whose feeble-minded mother had been admitted in the state colony of epileptics and feeble-minded, was the first American to face eugenic sterilization law. Harry Laughlin’s authentication about Ms. Buck and her child and Eugenic Record Office testimony about her child’s disorder made the court rule in favor of the states. She appealed for a review of the case but the Supreme Court also ruled in favor of the state. Basing his argument on the fact that Ms. Buck was feeble-minded, chief justice Oliver W. Holmes ordered Superintendent Bell to go ahead and perform salpingectomy operation on Carrie Buck. He concluded that it was better for the entire world if unfit human breeds were wiped from the society instead of waiting for them, to bear offspring and execute them for crimes.Later, Paul Lombardo a h istorian at the University of Virginia found out that, apart from Miss Buck’s child turning out to be a very bright student at 7 years old, Buck had been raped. Following this, Eugenics Record Office was forced to close and with time eugenicists’ claims were disapproved by other scientists. This decision had also contributed to more than 65,000 inferiors being forcefully sterilized between 1927 and 1979. United States government has since then been holding annual anniversaries to apologize for the shameful Buck decision.

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Skinny women in the Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Skinny women in the Media - Essay Example Skinny women in the Media It is therefore important to investigate the moral consequences of blind pursuit of dreams based on media images. The images that are actually altered on the media have led to the high rise in mental health problems and physical health deterioration. The reason why these images have gone deep into our minds is the increasing media coverage and forms. Statistical findings like with the bureau of Labor Statistics reports that a significant number of American populations spend more than half their time watching television. This is where the several body and beauty products are features as advertisement with celebrity models. Few people take their time recognize the manipulation of the media in respect of the images displayed on television or on magazine cover pages. Women are the greatest target of media as they seek to be beautiful so that they may identify with members of the society. The media has learnt this social behavior among women and has taken the opportunity to reap in profit s through posting photos of skinny women as the measure of beauty. Although this is a mere Photoshop work, the ordinary womenfolk believe in its existence and go to greater lengths seeking similar appearance. This is not naturally manageable and it is common to find variety of cosmetics and other beauty related diet requirements which the women have to buy in an attempt to achieve their objective. This works to the advantage of the misleading business community while they connive with media.

Monday, September 9, 2019

Capital Punishment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 7

Capital Punishment - Essay Example The other strong reason to oppose capital punishment is that it infringes the most basic human right: the right to life. Critiques of capital punishment have always questioned the morality in correcting a wrong with a wrong. Even though the supporters of the death penalty argue that it deters people from committing serious offenses, this claim is far from the truth. The death penalty is indeed a perpetuation of murder in the society. How right is it to appeal to a person not to killing by killing? Capital punishment has no moral dimension as serves to inculcate the most vicious vice in the society: murder. The death penalty violates people’s right to life.Apart from the deterrent factor, many people in support of capital punishment argue that it is a majority view so capital punishment must continue. It is correct that majority of the population supports capital punishment as is evident in the poll survey done by Pew Research Center. The survey was conducted between November 9 and November 14 in 2011 and 2001 adults responded to this survey and 62% supported the death penalty for homicides. In 1996, 78% respondents favored the death penalty and for last 4 decades, the public opinion has consistently remained in favor of capital punishment. Based on these results, one can argue that capital punishment is essential in fostering a moral society. Perhaps, in the mind of people, capital punishment acts as a deterrent for people not to commit the crime; otherwise, criminals will become fearless and commit more crimes.

Difference between Systems Design and Systems Improvement Term Paper

Difference between Systems Design and Systems Improvement - Term Paper Example The renaissance paradigm tried to account for the shortcomings of the scholastic paradigm by acknowledging scientific principles (Skyttner, 2006). This paradigm introduced the notion of careful observation of the universe, with inferences and conclusions drawn from observation. This era saw the introduction of scientific methods of considering the factors that affected humankind. For example, Skyttner (2006), states that the emergence of knowledge about astronomy greatly increased understanding of humankind as is now known. The beginning of the 18th century saw the firm establishment of the scientific world view, which was done during the mechanistic paradigm and determinism. In this era, the traditional superstitions were replaced by careful analysis of the factors in the environment, and often, the rational analysis led to scientific conclusions. The overwhelming conclusion from this age was that all factors could be rationally explained, thus the mechanistic tendency. This era was followed by the hegemony of determinism, where it was believed that all factors in the universe followed a supposed pattern. According to Skyttner (2006), this age was characterized by a belief that all events followed a specific pattern, that all factors could be explained by the principle of causality. However, the principle of determinism was disproved by Einstein, who introduced the concept of relativism. Instead of a causality principle, the relativity principle served to disprove the notions of the deterministic era. Finally, the general system theory was introduced in the 1950’s to explain the failure of previous paradigms, where the universe is interconnected by way of different systems. The interaction of these systems cannot be explained by one single factor, thus the introduction of the general systems theory (Skyttner, 2006). In this chapter Skyttner (2006) explains the different factors in the general systems theory, for example, the author defined the system as the collection of different entities that interrelate to give a whole factor.

Sunday, September 8, 2019

Outline and discuss the main features of fascist political thought Essay - 1

Outline and discuss the main features of fascist political thought - Essay Example Example of those who became Prince by abilities includes; Moses from the bible, Cyrus the founder of Persian Empire, Romulus the famous founder of Rome and Theseus, a hero of Athens. In this book he has a goal to pass a message on how principalities can be governed in the best way and stored (Niccolà ²,  Russell & Quentin 2005). Machiavelli goes ahead and adds that hereditary principalities are easier to keep and maintain than the newly acquired ones because the rules are already set on the ground to follow. In hereditary principalities it is easier to regain lost power by regaining the love of his subjects again. He also talks about new principalities and mixed principalities which can be administered to the existing ones to the subjects. New rulers come with new territories and if they are from the same culture, region and language, ruling becomes easy. However, if the language and customs are different the new ruler needs a lot of skills, ability and luck to govern the subjects. He gives an example of King Louis XII who went to France in 1499 and adds that the king made many mistakes during his reign. He goes ahead and gives the three ways of keeping principality that is accustomed to living under its own rules. One can destroy it, live in it or accept a form of free government that is friendly and then it gets credits from it. Destroying it may be the only sure way to end it otherwise living in it could enslave one. According to Machiavelli, men who have ambitions, imitate other men with greatness. For a man to become a prince by ability, he has to win over their dominions by setting up new and inventive methods of government. It is necessary to use force to start a new system for example, Savaronola. However, one has to be armed to succeed after use of force. An example of a Prince who rose to the top through abilities is Francesco Sforza, the Duke form Milan. Due to his abilities, he sustained power easily and he ended up

Saturday, September 7, 2019

How are fashion and appearance central to the construction of social Essay

How are fashion and appearance central to the construction of social identities Discuss, with reference to specific examples - Essay Example Fashion plays a very important role in this process, for it is a way to express our personality, to state our beliefs, to communicate our likes and dislikes. Fashion is a skilled architect for our bodies, using colours, shapes and textures to create pieces of clothing, which combined in a particular way produce, at their turn, a graspable, yet unique image of our identity. As Bennett states in Culture and Everyday Life (2005) â€Å"fashion embodies a range of symbolic values which are collectively understood within and across different social groups†. Therefore, by dressing in a certain way and creating a particular appearance for ourselves, we can send out particular messages about our character, education, financial success, interests and intentions, even sexual preferences. After all, in this fast and complicated world we have very few seconds to make an impression, this is why fashion is a key factor which will help us express all of who we are trough our style and choice of clothing. A piece of clothing can make one feel inhibited, or on the contrary, free and daring, nostalgic for the past or a visionary of the future. The right clothes can help us accomplish our goals and better interact with the people surrounding us. Therefore, given the complex nature of fashion as a central part of our society I will focus on three major aspects: feminism and the way fashion has helped women define and change their social roles and identities, youth and their use of fashion to make statements about their place in the society, as well as their personalities and in the end, intercultural exchange and the way one can create a unique style by combining fashion elements from different cultures. I will start with a short historical map out and thus begin with the Medieval times, since it is considered a period marked by darkness, rigid ideology and strict social delimitations. This is why fashion did not suffer any exceptions: clothes were used to set specific socia l boundaries and thus, dictate social identities. First of all, fashion was inspired at court and it included carefully tailor garments, which offered information about the social status of the person that was wearing the clothes. It included heavy dresses, which did not allow women the privilege of fast movement and which transposed into society as little involvement and obedience. The clergymen’s simple tunics were supposed to represent their penitence and modest life. The peasants’ poor dressing was a result of their placement at the bottom of the Feudal Pyramid of social order. As we slip into the modern era, towards the 18th and the 19th century, fashion still remains a wealth-dominated area. However, new social roles appear, such as public magistrates and the militia, which mark their social identity by particular clothing and uniforms. The tailoring business develops rather faster and cheaper replicas of high-fashion, designer clothes became more accessible for women belonging to lower social classes and disposing of smaller wealth. Luxury was not limited to the elite or the metropolitan any more (Breward, 1995). However, women continued to be restrained in movement by their clothes, which included the corset and the long dresses: women’s dresses were composed of large quantities of fabric and different occasions needed different kinds of dresses, factors which

Friday, September 6, 2019

Teachers Day Essay Example for Free

Teachers Day Essay Madam Aishath Adam, Senior Assistant Principal, Supervisors, members of the staff, Teachers and Dear Students. Assalaam Alaikum and Good afternoon. Today, we are here to celebrate great teachers and great teaching. As a fellow teacher, I find awkward to speak about teachers or for teachers. But, first, let me convey to all the teachers, my personal greetings and best wishes on the teachers’ day. Dear Teachers: Though a fellow teacher, I want to say I am proud of you. I am proud of your dedication to the profession and for the personal sacrifices you make to teach our children. I am delighted of your devotion to train their questing minds, and for your inspiration of their hopeful hearts. I am proud that you take this responsibility seriously —that you see it as sacred trust. We celebrate teachers’ day, because we value you. I want to remind you that all the parents, students and the wider community deeply appreciate your commitment to teaching and to the children. There is no substitute for education. Firstly, because it’s the most precious gift we can give our children. Secondly, because it’s the most critical investment in our future. And thirdly, because it’s the most effective strategy which will enable us to survive and to thrive in a changing world. Dear Students: I became a teacher because of some of the happy experiences I had in school. There were teachers who touched my soul; who helped me realize my own potential. I decided to become a teacher because I want to help change someone’s life. Sometimes, it is hard. We have our own families, financial life and life problems that challenge us, like everyone else. Sometimes we are exhausted by our workload and responsibilities. This is why teachers need encouragement and support. So that in turn, we can devote ourselves to our students. Dear staff and students; On Teachers’ Day every year, we remember our teachers, we remember our children’s teachers. We recognize these very dedicated people. People who give of themselves and take a personal interest in their students. Teachers who have touched our  lives, moulded us into what we are today, and are helping to shape tomorrow’s people, tomorrow’s students. Just as a country is as good as its people, so its citizens are only as good as their teachers. Therefore a great deal depends on you, teachers, and I salute you, all of you, those here today, and those absent, for your passion, dedication, commitment and contributions. I wish to all the teachers a successful career in teaching — a career in which you find happiness, health, friendship and love. Happy Teachers’ Day and thank you.