Corruption And Voter Fraud Mexico Is Not A Democracy

Democracy can be defined as people having the right to vote and those elected into government are chosen through a free and fair election process. Mexico was able to briefly become a democracy when the 71-year rule of the PRI came to an end in a transparent 2000 presidential election. The lack of voter fraud evidence made it clear that it was one of the fairest elections to date for Mexico. During the PRI power Mexico was a hybrid regime. It was disguised as a democracy that only favored those who were higher up and gave not voting power to the citizens. Killings and voter fraud make it clear that Mexico was not a democracy. In 2012 when the PRI took over again allegations of corruption and voter right violations came up again and taking Mexico back years. So, for this reason Mexico is not a democracy yet. In an authoritarian regime the power is concentrated in the authority of the country and the citizens are subjected to the rules that the authority decides to impose and they are not given the right to vote. Mexico has characteristics of an authoritarian government, but there is a faà §ade that it’s a democracy. Years ago there were elections and political activity that made it seem like citizens were really participating in a democracy. This made Mexico a hybrid regime. For 71 years the Partido Revolucionaro Institucional (PRI) governed Mexico uninterrupted. During this time the president had extensive political power over the other government branches and Mexican states.Show MoreRelatedPolitics And Politics Of Mexico1573 Words   |  7 PagesPolitics has had significant impacts on states. Depending on the state, they can be positive or negative. 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Furthermore, according to the World Bank s governance indicators for 2008, the country was given a high percentile rank of 94.3 on government effectiveness. The heavy involvement of the UK in the

The Immigration Affects All Americans - 2272 Words

Immigration Affects all Americans Heather Long Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College Summer 2015 Immigration Affects all Americans With an election year just a year away, the topic of immigration and how it affects us as a nation will be one of the more controversial and hotly debated subjects. The United States deficit has reached 18 trillion dollars, this has made many question the financial implications of President Obamas executive order on immigration. Social programs are paid for by federal, state, and local governments and policy makers and the public want to know how these programs will be affected by his executive order. Those that defend the order state that the nation only stands to gain on tax revenue that had†¦show more content†¦These taxes were not to discourage immigration, they were set in place to help defer some of the costs the federal government had to pay for immigration officials (Alchin, 2015). It wasn’t until 1996 that President Clinton signed a welfare reform bill that excluded legal immigrants from social programs such as food stamps, w elfare payments, and Supplemental Security Income (Creekmore, 2004). If legal immigrants do not qualify for social programs, what are the issues and debated costs of immigration and of President Obamas executive order? President Obamas’ Executive Order Due to the lack of Congress passing new immigration reform policies, President Obama took the controversial step and signed an executive order to alter the current immigration policy to provide a pathway for undocumented immigrants to obtain legal status and to increase boarder security along with other features. President Obama did not want to pass the executive order, he would have preferred that Congress had acted on their own. When President Obama addressed Congress he stated To those members of Congress who question my authority to make our immigration system work better, he said, or question the wisdom of me acting where Congress has failed, I have one answer: Pass a bill. (Facts on File, 2015, Para 11) Congress failed to act, President

School Does Not Prepare You for Life Free Essays

It is argued that school is designed to teach individuals how to teach themselves, but many scholars who study the state of academia would argue this is not the case. It is a common belief that the western private schools and universities are industrialized markets more focused on their profit margins, and pleasing parents, than preparing their students for the real world. The public school system is even worse off in that their infrastructure and supplies are largely dependent on the average income tax of their local communities, which in most urban areas barely makes the grade. We will write a custom essay sample on School Does Not Prepare You for Life or any similar topic only for you Order Now Not often considered to be a home for organizations, the schooling industry in the United Kingdom has become a major source of profitable income. A national curriculum is mandatory in all state schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and for virtually every student up to the age of 16. It is organized by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) and its partner authorities, the Qualifications, Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales and the Northern Ireland Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) (HayGroup, 2006). The main aim of the national curriculum is to raise standards, making sure all children have a broad and balanced education up to the age of 16. In the past, many students dropped important subjects like modern language or science at 13 or 14 (Boone, 2006). If these mergers become successful, no different from major corporations, they mean expanded profit margins for whoever holds the asset. These schools are already considered financial assets, through the increase in property value around them, whether the property is owned by the government or privately owned (Boone, 2006). This is not a major issue for public schools, but when you consider privately owned schools, or Universities, the profitability of these corporations pedaling degrees must be realized. More often than not, these Universities are considered to be doing a common good, and therefore held in the charitable status tax bracket, where they are to very minimally taxed. This leads to more profit gains, and less reason to complicate the curriculum even if it fails to serve its purpose. In her essay, From Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work Jean Anyon identifies the hypocrisies in the education system. One of her major points is that in the higher income classrooms the majority of the students’ parents are executives, and only 10% are minorities. A common finding in her research is that the working class schools lack the necessary materials, or faculty, to be considered equal with the other school systems. Anyon also argues that the curriculums are different. students in different social-class backgrounds are rewarded for classroom behaviors that correspond to personality traits allegedly rewarded in the different occupational strata – the working classes for docility and obedience, the managerial classes for initiative and personal assertiveness. (Anyon, 1980) The defining line of the difference between what Anyon considers to be the executive curriculum and the working class is that the use of efficient learning methods verses inefficient forms. Historically, the most efficient form of learning used in the west, more so than textbooks, is the field trip; this is also known as project based learning (B. I. E. , 2002). It is also a very expensive learning tool, which is why most lower class curriculums are deprived of it. Project based learning has a long lived tradition of learning through the use of field trips, labs, investigations and other projects. It is considered to be a substantial method of teaching. The belief that drives this form of instructions revolves around the idea that students will be more liable to gain interest in curriculum that they can connect to their surroundings. Just studying the work in a text can grow to be mundane. When she analyzes elementary and secondary classroom curriculums, she finds a methodology very different from what is inherent in Project based education. Anyon discovers that the majority of contemporary textbook instruction is designed for the working class. PBL programs are usually not supported in public schools because they are too expensive. This difference is usually applicable to public schools and whether one is located near high income housing or low income housing. In sum, the school system in the U. K. suffers from capitalist interests, so much so that it fails to prepare its students for the real world. A lack of project based learning in lower income schools deprives the majority of the U. K. population of having real life instruction. Likewise, the upper class institutions that Anyon refers to, while they prepare students for executive positions, they handicap the students from ever being able to handle manual labor in the real world (Anyon, 1980). The end result is a generation of students that are socioeconomically segregated and that lack the necessary resourcefulness to survive on their own. School systems today produce students who are reliant on major corporations to employ them for skills they were predisposed to having. How to cite School Does Not Prepare You for Life, Papers

Medea monologue from the play by Euripides Essay Paper Example For Students

Medea monologue from the play by Euripides Essay Paper A monologue from the play by Euripides NOTE: This monologue is reprinted from The Plays of Euripides in English, vol. ii. Trans. Shelley Dean Milman. London: J.M. Dent Sons, 1922. MEDEA: O my sons! My sons! ye have a city and a house Where, leaving hapless me behind, without A mother ye for ever shall reside. But I to other realms an exile go, Ere any help from you I could derive, Or see you blest; the hymeneal pomp, The bride, the genial couch, for you adorn, And in these hands the kindled torch sustain. How wretched am I through my own perverseness! You, O my sons, I then in vain have nurtured, In vain have toiled, and, wasted with fatigue, Suffered the pregnant matron\s grievous throes. On you, in my afflictions, many hopes I founded erst: that ye with pious care Would foster my old age, and on the bier Extend me after deathmuch envied lot Of mortals; but these pleasing anxious thoughts Are vanished now; for, losing you, a life Of bitterness and anguish shall I lead. But as for you, my sons, with those dear eyes Fated no more your mother to behold, Hence are ye hastening to a world unknown. Why do ye gaze on me with such a look Of tenderness, or wherefore smile? for these Are your last smiles. Ah wretched, wretched me! What shall I do? My resolution fails. Sparkling with joy now I their looks have seen, My friends, I can no more. To those past schemes I bid adieu, and with me from this land My children will convey. Why should I cause A twofold portion of distress to fall On my own head, that I may grieve the sire By punishing his sons? This shall not be: Such counsels I dismiss. But in my purpose What means this change? Can I prefer derision, And with impunity permit the foe To \scape? My utmost courage I must rouse: For the suggestion of these tender thoughts Proceeds from an enervate heart. My sons, Enter the regal mansion. As for those Who deem that to be present were unholy While I the destined victims offer up, Let them see to it. This uplifted arm Shall never shrink. Alas! alas! my soul Commit not such a deed. Unhappy woman, Desist and spare thy children; we will live Together, they in foreign realms shall cheer Thy exile. No, by those avenging fiends Who dwell with Pluto in the realms beneath, This shall not be, nor will I ever leave My sons to be insulted by their foes. They certainly must die; since then they must, I bore and I will slay them: \tis a deed Resolved on, nor my purpose will I change. Full well I know that now the royal bride Wears on her head the magic diadem, And in the variegated robe expires: But, hurried on by fate, I tread a path Of utter wretchedness, and them will plunge Into one yet more wretched. To my sons Fain would I say: O stretch forth your right hands Ye children, for your mother to embrace. O dearest hands, ye lips to me most dear, Engaging features and ingenuous looks, May ye be blest, but in another world; For by the treacherous conduct of your sire Are ye bereft of all this earth bestowed. Farewell, sweet kissestender limbs, farewell! And fragrant breath! I never more can bear To look on you, my children. My afflictions Have conquered me; I now am well aware What crimes I venture on: but rage, the cause Of woes most grievous to the human race, Over my better reason hath prevailed.

Eight-thousander Essay Example

Eight-thousander Essay Sudarshan Gautam has a long road ahead of him before next years historic attempt to summit Mount Everest. The Nepalese-born Mount Royal University student, who has no arms, will be cruising from one Canadian coast to the other to raise cash, awareness and, perhaps, the pulses of other drivers as he makes the journey behind the wheel using just his feet. The inspiring amputee, who is licensed to drive and has done so on asphalt in 29 countries, is planning to pull off the feat as early as this summer.Donations generated through his adventure will be split among a mountaineering program for the disabled, offered through the Vancouver-based Tetra Society, and his own endeavour to scale the worlds highest peak, planned for next March. I like to spread the message that disability is not inability and I hope it will help for our mission to raise (money) for those things, said Gautam, 30, who will meet with sponsors Tuesday to finalize a start date for the cross-country tour. I have been pl anning this for next month, but because of the federal election the sponsor wants to move the project a couple months later. | |Gautam, who hails from the rural Ramecchap district of Nepal, lost his arms at 14 while vacationing with his family in Kathmandu. He was flying a kite that became entangled with overhead power lines. Believing the wire was insulated, he used a piece of iron to dislodge the kite. The resulting jolt badly damaged his limbs, which doctors had no choice but to remove. The physical disadvantage has proven to be of little consequence to Gautam. In 2005, he earned a bachelors degree in management and commerce before moving on to his next challenge scaling the 5,372-metre Mount Yala using his teeth, feet and the aid of sherpas.Through the Mount Everest expedition, Gautam hopes to raise $1 million for Nepalese orphans and disabled persons. I was born a normal child in Gunshi, Bhauduri-1 in Ramechhap district of Nepal. An average student, I enjoyed sports, particul arly, volleyball and soccer while at school. Apart from sports, I felt excited by scientific experiments. Like any child I was full of dreams, hopes, aspirations and passion. The first few of my dreams were to become a pilot or a political leader. A tragic accident, however, turned my whole life upside down.In June 1994, I arrived in Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal, on vacation. One day, I was flying a kite from a rooftop. The kite got stuck on the overhead electric wires. I did not realize that there were some naked wires. What’s even worse: I was totally oblivious to the fact that the wires carried an electricity of 11,000 volts. Naive as I was at the time, I used an iron rod to free the kite. I always shudder to think what happened after that. My father and uncle took me immediately to the Nepal Army Hospital. When I regained consciousness, I found that both my hands were completely burnt.After a few days at the hospital, doctors amputated both my arms. The unthinkabl e consequences of the accident led to the amputation of not just of my dreams but my whole future! My life became a burden onto myself. The days and weeks after my arms were amputated seem like dreadful memories. It felt as if I was engulfed in total darkness without the smallest glimmer of light. I knew I was alive, yet I was no more alive than a dead body. I could no longer do things that I did earlier. All my friends deserted me. I felt completely isolated from the world.I saw all my dreams shattering into pieces right before my eyes. I returned to my village after eight months of medication. When I reached my village, my neighbors and even my close friends laughed at my condition and others felt pity at my disability. In my own village, I was dubbed a â€Å"poor boy. † Meanwhile, many of my friends and classmates completed their School Leaving Certificate exams. The villagers congratulated them on their success and expressed pity for me, the â€Å"poor boy. † Their pity hurt me. I started facing terrible discrimination.I had not only lost my hands, but also my self-respect and dignity. I had lost my identity of being a man. There was nothing left in my life except for tears and endless sorrows. I asked myself how long I could go on living in that condition. What can I do? There seemed to be no answers. There seemed to be no hope at all. â€Å"Change and growth take place when a person has risked himself and dares to become involved with experimenting with his own life. † Herbert Otto â€Å"Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful. Joshua J. Marine Time is the greatest healer and courage a genuine guide. As time passed by, I began to gather myself up and was able to muster courage and strength I never felt within me before. Things began to change after I made peace with the fact that no matter what, I had to endure my disability. I knew that if I did not overcome my weakness, I would end up worthless. I had to either prove myself a differently-abled person or live like a dead man. I followed my inner voice and started doing things in my own way. I customized things around me to suit my ability.I trained myself to do things on my own, including brushing teeth, taking showers, shaving, cooking and feeding. The more I started doing things independently, the more I realized I could do a lot of things that physically fit people do, without anybody’s support. Gradually, I started to play cards, carom, chess, etc. I even learnt how to ride a horse, a task many bodily fit people find daunting. I also practiced writing with my toes and later took School Leaving Certificate final examinations. I passed, writing the answers with my toes. â€Å"I am thankful for all of those who said NO to me.It’s because of them I’m doing it myself. † Albert Einstein Success is the harbinger of happiness. My village folks congratulated me on my success in the SLC exams. My courage and consistency paid back at last. I felt a deep sense of delight and pride. Overnight, I – the poor boy – became an icon of success in my village and others in the vicinity. Parents would tell their children, â€Å"Look! He passed his exams despite the disability. You should be embarrassed of yourself. † All this boosted my confidence. I began to believe in myself strongly once again.I managed to free myself from the psychological barriers that were holding me back. Finally, I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. I was ready to take on all sorts of challenges in the world and I was prepared to strive hard to succeed. I recovered my old cheerful self and started getting involved in all kinds of activities and socializations in the community. People in my village began to call me their young leader. I left my village for Kathmandu to continue my higher education. When I arrived in Kathmandu, I made a promise to myself: â€Å"One da y I will claim my respectable lace in my society and the world will regard me as a brave person! † I got enrolled at Nepal Commerce Campus, Kathmandu, Nepal from where I graduated in commerce. While at college, as a leader of students’ council, I advocated for the rights and rehabilitation of the disabled. â€Å"If we all did the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves. † -Thomas Edison † It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed. † Theodore Roosevelt I aspired to have my name entered in the Guinness Book of World Records so that my country would be proud of my efforts.To achieve that goal, I decided to drive a standard car. I visited many driving institutes asking them to train me and sought financial help from many organizations to help fund the project. Nobody came forward to support the cause as they didn’t believe I could do it. At last, I invested my own funds to learn how to drive from a private dri ving institute. On September 8, 2001, I demonstrated my driving skill to approximately 10,000 spectators. The Government of Nepal, Nepal Disabled Federation, Only at Nepal and many other social organizations helped me to organize that event.The demonstration was aired by various television channels and radios and covered in the print media. Now I am capable to drive a standard car with my feet through the busy streets. Driving a car on the streets of Kathmandu for the first time was an amazing and unforgettable experience. After the driving demonstration, I got support from many institutions. I was presented with cash awards and honored by many social organizations and the Nepalese Government. As people started to take me seriously, I transformed from being a poor, pitiable child, to somebody who could help others.So I began advocating the cause of others like me. As a president of Nepali for Nepali Cooperation Committee-Nepal, Nepal Scout and other organizations, I took initiatives to support more than 20,000 people of Mugu district from 2001 to 2004. In 2003, I took on a new challenge. With the help of a driving institute, I learned how to ride a normal (not modified) motorbike. A date for motorcycle riding demonstration was fixed. Unfortunately, because Nepal’s political situation worsened, the demonstration had to be cancelled. I continued to serve as a social worker nd was an active student political leader, but I was not satisfied. Meanwhile, I had been meeting many dedicated people and philanthropists from around the world. They supported me and helped me to plan my future activities. I got a chance to visit different countries and show my abilities. The abroad experience reinforced my confidence and I felt I had attained a new status in my life. Finally, I chose Canada to settle down. Today, I have the potentialities and opportunities to prove my abilities. My dreams, which I had wrongly believed were shattered after my hands were amputated, onc e again started coming alive.I felt capable of dreaming again. â€Å"I avoid looking forward or backward, and try to keep looking upward. † Charlotte Bronte â€Å"Forget all the reasons it won’t work and believe the one reason that it will. † Unknown Now, my only one dream is to set my foot on top of the Mt. Everest. I have had some rock climbing training in Nepal. I climbed 5,732 m Mount Yala Peak in 2005 without prosthesis arms and oxygen. A press conference was held before I went on the Yala Peak expedition. People did not believe that I could not climb mountains without both arms. Some even laughed at me and taunted me.But I didn’t give up my hope. I ascended Mount Yala at 3 am on Aug. 24, 2005 with an expedition team led by the fastest climb record holder, Pemba Dorje Sherpa. I got enormous support from the Government of Nepal and the United Nations in Nepal for my attempt to summit Yala. I am confident that can climb Mt Everest as well. All I need is your support and best wishes to keep up my strength and hope. I wish to climb Mount Everest without prosthetics so that I can be an inspiration to millions of physically challenged people around the world. I’d like to spread the message: â€Å"Disability is not inability. †

How Long Is the ACT With Breaks

How Long Is the ACT With Breaks SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips While the test-taking part of the ACT is strictly timed at 2 hours and 55 minutes, the actual time you'll spend in the testing room is longer due to breaks, check in, and other factors. This guide will take a closer look at how long the ACT is with breaks and the amount of time you can plan to spend at your testing center. First, let's consider how long the exam itself is versus how long your whole test-taking experience will be. How Long Is the ACT? Strictly speaking, the ACT is exactly 2 hours and 55 minutes (175 minutes) or 3 hours and 35 minutes (215 minutes) with the optional essay. In terms of the specific amount of time per section: English is 45 minutes Math is 60 minutes Reading is 35 minutes Science is 35 minutes Optional essay is 40 minutes The sections always come in this order, and you can't return to work on a section once time has been called. You also can't flip ahead to other sections. The only exception is for students with approved accommodations, like extended time or Special Testing. The ACT is a fast-paced and time intensive test, and you only get one ten-minute break during the multiple-choice sections. This break always comes after Math and before Reading. If you're taking the essay section, then you'll get a five-minute break after Science and before beginning the essay. This is also when students not taking the ACT with Writing will leave the testing room. To give a more realistic sense of how long the ACT will take, including breaks and other factors, let's look at the entire ACT test-taking experience. The test will take all morning. How Long Is the ACT Test-Taking Experience? How long is the ACT with breaks? Including your 10 minute break, the ACT without Writing will take a total of 3 hours and 5 minutes from the time you start testing. With Writing, the ACT will clock in at 3 hours and 50 minutes, with the following schedule. (For simplicity's sake, I used a start time of 8:30 AM. Depending on how much time it takes for set up, students begin testing somewhere between 8:30 and 9:00, so you can shift this schedule forward accordingly.) Section Total Time Start Time End Time English 45 min 8:30 9:15 Math 60 min 9:15 10:15 Break 10 min 10:15 10:25 Reading 35 min 10:25 :00 Science 35 min :00 :35 Break (some students leave) 5 min :35 :40 Optional essay 40 min :40 12:20 Total 230 min For the most part, this schedule is standard for all students in all test centers across the country and world (give or take a minute to switch between sections). At least, it's supposed to be. It's possible there could be some variations if the proctor isn't strict about break times, or if there's some disruption like students taking too long to return to their testing room or someone getting dismissed for cell phone use. A few students have reported that their proctors skipped over their breaks completely, which both messes with your pacing and is totally unfair. If you find this happening to you, make sure to speak up, as you're entitled to take a ten-minute break after the Math section. The only other exception, as mentioned above, is for students who get accommodations for extended time on the ACT or extended or additional breaks. Otherwise, testing conditions should remain the same for all students. What other procedures come before you start taking the ACT? What Are the ACT Test Day Procedures? You should plan to arrive at your test center by 7:45 AM at the latest. Students should be checked in by 8:00, and latecomers won't be admitted. Your test will be on a Saturday morning at your chosen test center, unless you were approved for an alternative testing date due to religious reasons. Test centers vary in size, and larger ones might be holding other exams that same morning. It might take some time to get through the check-in line, hang up your belongings, high five your friend good luck, and find your room and assigned seat. I would advise getting there before 7:45, around about 7:30, to be safe. Make sure to save your admission ticket even after you're admitted, as you'll need it to fill out personal information on the test. Once all students are checked in, the proctor will read directions and hand out the tests. You'll spend some time filling out your personal information. All of this will take 30 minutes to an hour, so you'll actually begin taking the ACT between 8:30 and 9:00. In rare cases, students will be asked to take an unscored fifth section. This may be multiple choice or student-produced responses, and it's used to test out future material. In the past, this sections has been just 16 minutes. Most students will be finished and dismissed from the testing room between :30AM and 1:00PM, depending on when your exam starts and if you take the essay. The only exception is students with extended time, who will either stay until around 2:30 to 3:00 or take the ACT at their school over multiple days. Considering the ACT is an intense marathon of a test, you should make sure to get there early and take advantage of break times. Don't add any extra stress to your morning by running late or getting distracted by being hungry or thirsty. Don't go hungry on test day. How Can You Be Well-Prepared on ACT Test Day? Do you ever have a morning where it feels like everything's going wrong and you're constantly running 15 minutes late? You do not want your ACT test day to be one of those mornings. To make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible, you should pack your bag with everything you need the night before, like Number 2 pencils, your calculator, snacks, and a drink. Try to go to bed early and eat a nutritious snack in the morning (definitely want to avoid a mid-test sugar crash). Take advantage of your 10-minute break after the long Math section to get up and move around. Re-energize with a snack and drink of water. Clear your mind, and get ready to shift from Math to Reading. Just moving around and looking off into the distance will help refresh you before returning to tackle the Reading section. I would suggest returning to your seat about a minute before you start up again to settle in and get back into test-taking mode. Again, if your proctor isn't giving you a break (rare), speak up and get your time. You should have your ten minutes before Reading and five minutes before the essay. Just by being aware of the test day schedule and preparing with official ACT questions, you shouldn't have too many surprises on test day. Let's briefly review the most important pieces of information about the length of the ACT. To Sum Up... The ACT is about three hours (or three and a half with Writing), but the entire test-taking experience will be around four and a half (or five) hours. Upon arrival at the test center, you'll spend half an hour to an hour getting checked in, seated, and filling out information on your test. You get one ten-minute break after Reading and one five-minute break after the multiple choice sections. Arrive by or before 7:45AM and plan to be picked up or drive home at between :30AM and 1:00PM, depending on when your exam begins and if you take the optional essay. Prepare the night before, get there early, and take advantage of your break times. Before you know it, you'll be all finished and can enjoy the rest of your weekend! What's Next? For more on timing and what to expect on test day, check out our expert guide answering all your questions on the length of the ACT. Students and test experts agree that the ACT has been getting harder and more difficult to finish over the past few years. What does the ACT have to say about this? Has it been getting even more challenging? Read all about changes in the ACT here. Are youwondering when you should sign up to take the ACT for the first time? This guide describes the most important considerations to help you choose the best test date for you. Disappointed with your ACT scores? Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically. Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article! Tweet Rebecca Safier About the Author Rebecca graduated with her Master's in Adolescent Counseling from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She has years of teaching and college counseling experience and is passionate about helping students achieve their goals and improve their well-being. She graduated magna cum laude from Tufts University and scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT. 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The Independence Movements of Nigeria and Algeria Research Paper

The Independence Movements of Nigeria and Algeria - Research Paper Example The Nigerian freedom struggle was a multidimensional effort that involved various Nigerian communities, popular classes, the intelligentsia, labor groups, youth, traders, and market women in order to securer political, economic, and cultural independence from the British colonial masters (Johnston, 2000). The Nigerian freedom movement achieved its goal in five wide phases: first phase (1880s to 1900), second phase (1900s to 1930s), third phase (mid-1930s to the 1940s), fourth phase (mid 1940s to early 1950s) which was a continuation of 1930s developments, and the final phase (1950s to 1960 independence). The first phase (1880s to 1900s) The early anti-colonial struggle was led and organized by the intelligentsia that were mainly descendants of former slaves who had returned to their homes in Lagos and other parts of western Nigeria . The intelligentsia was mainly educated elite who were socially and politically active, and mostly, they promoted their struggles through framework of ideas (Falola, 2003 p.83). At this stage, the nationalist intelligentsia advocated for grievances of various groups such as traders, ordinary citizens, and workers who being oppressed by the colonial masters, thus they mobilized social groups and formed political associations, pressure groups, nationalist movements and even formed political parties (Aborisade & Mundt, 2002). Among the notable events of this period was the religious and cultural nationalism between the 1880s and 1900s, through which the nationalist intelligentsia sought assertion of the normalcy and validity of African cultural usages, social norms, religious beliefs and pr actices, since the European Christian and colonial imperialist devalued African culture, viewing it as evil, inferior, and primitive (Coleman, 1971, p.175). Through their enlightenment, some African clerics objected to the Europeans missionaries’ view of African religious and spiritual beliefs. Thus, they opted out of the European controlled churches and even formed African independent church movements such as the United Native African Church (1883) and African Church Inc (1901), while other advocated for appreciation of African history and heritage, with people like Reverend D.B. Vincent changing his name to Mojola Agbebi (Coleman, 1971, p.175). The second phase (1900 to 1930s) This was period of early reformist political nationalism in which nationalist intelligentsia focused on struggle for political and civil rights, protesting against specific colonial policies and initiatives; thus, they were calling for reforms within the colonial system. The independence movements at this time mainly focused on changes within the established colonial system, while the call for self-rule and political independence was more of a long-term goal. The first independence movements emerged including the People Union (PU), the Aborigines Rights Protection Society (APRS), and the Nigerian Reform Association (NRA), and they mainly championed a single matter rather than the broad aspect of colonialism. During post 1914 period, nationalist also used the Press to attack the colonial rule, with journalist such as Horatio Jackson and others constantly and

Examining the Effectiveness of Bicameralism Essay

Examining the Effectiveness of Bicameralism - Essay Example Bicameralism entails a legislature that is characterized by the division of legislators into two assemblies. This approach tends to have an influence on presidential and parliamentary systems. The presidential system would have the legislators elected directly by the separate chambers. A parliamentary system assumes a different approach as it is characterized by the presence of a lower and an upper chamber. The first chamber has the legislators elected directly while those in the second chamber can be elected directly or indirectly. The effectiveness of a bicameral system has been contended as some see it as a virtue of any constitutional design as another term it as a suggestion of weakness in any legislative system. Citing related literature, we can establish that bicameralism has a unique history and was established with an aim of balancing the needs of the majority and the minority, but the division can make deliberation of legislature slow and laborious. Bicameralism finds its roots in Europe where the likes of Aristotle suggested the need for a multi-chambered legislature. The logic behind Bicameralism was the fact that the society always has people on both extreme ends. The groups have unique features that are distinctively defined such that they should be represented separately. This notion became popular in medieval Europe, and many European countries were inspired to assume this direction (Tsebelis & Money, 2009).

Improve management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Improve management - Essay Example To me, it is also a chance to get to realize my full potential, get in touch with personal self and lastly, to focus on what I want to attain in the long-term or in short-term period. In this report, I will focus on my personal strengths and weaknesses, as well as how I can make full use of my strengths towards attaining my objectives, addition to improving my weaknesses and making them my strengths. 1. Evaluation of Skills and Knowledge Personal evaluation is a key stage in the self-improvement cycle that enables one to rediscover himself. The four areas I would like to concentrate on include decision-making, communication skills and time management. i) Decision-making According to McKee (2012), decision-making is an integral part of management that should be based on logical choice of available alternatives. In essence, the process of making a decision should be backed up by critical thought process. I have been slow in making decisions as I prefer to assemble as much information a s possible rather than rush into a decision. Most of thise decisions have however tended to be dependable and less disappointing. I always tend to weigh between alternatives before coming up to a decision. Overall For example, while working at my father’s firm, I always tended to research and choose between alternatives. In some instances, I had to confer with expert opinion from the more experienced staff. The result is that the decisions were always welcome among the senior management and my supervisors. However, some of my decisions have been regrettable, which means that I still need to focus on improving my decision-making skills. In making decisions, an individual must weigh the alternative options, including the negatives and positives. One must also be able to have a foresight on the outcome of the alternatives taken (McKee, 2012). ii) Time-management Time management comprises processes or activities that involve scheduling and implementing conscious organization of t he amount of time spent performing different activities to increase one’s productivity or effectiveness (McKee, 2012). Working at my father’s business, I could always get overwhelmed with task. I also had to avoid more difficult tasks and go for simpler ones. I have also faced issues with tardiness as I’m always late for meetings. I also have trouble meeting deadlines for my assignments. This has resulted in instances where I had lost businesses after having been late in completion of a customer’s order. I also fall behind projects and sometimes work longer in my projects than necessary which has caused me to be stressed or feel fatigued. I’m also always unprepared, for instance, although I may always have sufficient information for my presentation in a meeting, poor preparation often renders my presentation ineffective (Avolio, 2005). iii) Communication Skills Great communication skills implies one has the ability to convey information effectively through exchanging messages, information or thoughts effectively, while stimulating feedback at the same time. Communication is judged to be effective when it is complete, meaning; the receiver has understood the message and acted responsively (McKee, 2012). Able to talk confidently regardless of whom I'm talking to or the situation. While working at my

Quantitative Determination of Sulphate

Quantitative Determination of Sulphate Quantitative Determination of Sulphate by Gravimetric Analysis Yeo Yi Joshua Gravimetric analysis is a quantitative method to determine the amount of a substance, sulphate, by selective precipitation of the substance from an aqueous solution. In this experiment, the amount of sulphate is determined quantitatively as barium sulphate, BaSO4 by gravimetric analysis. This experiment will allow one to determine the amount of sulphate SO42- by the gravimetric method. This determination is done by slowly adding a dilute solution of barium chloride, BaCl2 to a hot unknown sulphate slightly acidified with concentrated HCl. The reaction is as followed, Ba2+ + SO42- → BaSO4 (white precipitate). The white precipitate is then filtered off, washed with water, dried in the oven, and weighed as barium sulphate. The percentage of sulphate is then calculated from the weight of barium sulphate. According to the results, the concentration of SO42- we obtained was 0.0345M and 3.31 g/L, which was close to the theoretical value of 3.38 g/L, at only a deviation of 2.11%. The experiment was successful and the results obtained were desirable. The objective of the experiment is to determine the amount of sulphate by the gravimetric method. In this experiment, the precipitation gravimetric method is used. The unknown sulfate solution is converted into an insoluble white compound, BaSO4. It is then filtered by suction filtration, washed, dried and weighed to determine the amount of sulphate. The following diagram shows the outline of the experiment. 3.1 Gravimetric Analysis Gravimetric analysis is defined as the quantitative analysis of the chemical composition of substances of materials based on the separation of each component of interest and weighting either the purified compound or a derivative of it. Gravimetric analysis include precipitation, volatilisation and electro-analytical methods. The precipitation method involves converting the analyte to a sparingly soluble precipitate which is then filtered, washed free of impurities and converted to a compound of known composition by suitable heat treatment which can be weighed. The volatilisation method involves volatilising the analyte of its decomposition products at suitable temperature. The product is then collected and weighed or alternatively determined indirectly from the loss in mass of the sample. The electro-analytical method involves the depositing electrically the element to be estimated on a suitable electrode, avoiding filtration and decomposition, by controlling the experimental conditions. This is based on Faraday’s Second Law, i.e. when a given current is passed in series through the solution containing various ions, the amount of substances that is deposited will be in the ratio of their chemical equivalent. In this experiment, the quantitative determination of sulfate, as barium sulfate BaSO4, is done by the precipitation method of gravimetric analysis. This involves precipitation by slowly adding a dilute solution of barium chloride, BaCl2, to a hot unknown sulfate solution slightly acidified with concentrated hydrochloric acid, HCl. The white precipitate is filtered off, washed with water, dried in the oven, and weighed as barium sulfate. The percentage of sulfate is then calculated from the weight of barium sulfate, this include the molarity and concentration of sulfate, SO42-, in g/L. 3.2 Reaction In the experiment, dilute barium chloride is added to an unknown sulfate solution slightly acidified with concentration HCl. Reaction: Ba2+ + SO42- → BaSO4 (precipitate) The mole ratio of SO42- : BaSO4 is 1:1. Thus, for every 1 mole of SO42-, there will be 1 mole of BaSO4. Since Moles of Solute (mol) = Molarity (M) x Volume (L) and Moles of Solute (mol) = Weight (g) à · Molar Mass (g/mol), the molarity of SO42- can be easily obtained with the volume of SO42- weight of BaSO4 and molar mass of BaSO4. 3.3 Precipitation 3.3.1 Conditions of Precipitation Precipitating agent should be mixed slowly and with constant agitation. This keeps the degree of supersaturation small and will help in the formation of crystalline precipitate. Precipitation should be carried out in dilute solution. Precipitation should be carried out in hot solution, provided the precipitate is stable at higher temperature. Crystalline precipitate should be digested for a longer time. Precipitates should be preferable washed with dilution solution of appropriate electrolyte. Washing with water is avoided as it leads to peptisation. Precipitates that are contaminated by co-precipitation or others are dissolved in a suitable solvent and then reprecipitated from the solution. 3.3.2 Properties of Precipitates Precipitate should be of sufficiently low solubility such that no sufficient loss of the solid occurs during filtration and washing Physical nature of the precipitate should be such that it can be readily separated by filtration and be washed free of soluble impurities i.e. particles should be size such that they cannot pass through the filtering media and particle size is unaffected by washing Precipitate should be stable and unreactive to atmospheric conditions Precipitate must be convertible to a pure compound of definite and known chemical composition. This may be possible by either ignition or by simple operation such as evaporation. 3.3.3 Particle Size of Precipitates The particle size of a precipitate is influenced by precipitate solubility, temperature, reactant concentrations, and the rate at which reactants are mixed. The net effect of these variables can be qualitatively accounted for by assuming that the particle size is related to a single property of the system called relative supersaturation. Q is the concentration of the solute at any instance and S is the equilibrium solubility. This equation is known at the Von Weimarn equation in recognition of the scientist who proposed it in 1925. The particle size of a precipitate varies inversely with the average relative supersaturation during the time when the reagent is being introduced. Thus, when the relative supersaturation is large, the precipitate tends to be colloidal, and when the relative supersaturation is small, a crystalline solid is more likely. A colloid consists of solid particles with diameters that are less than 10-4 cm. 3.3.4 Mechanism of Precipitation A supersaturated solution is an unstable solution that contains a higher solute concentration than a precipitated solution. As excess solution precipitates with time, supersaturation decrease to zero. Precipitates form by nucleation and by particle growth. Nucleation is a process in which a minimum number of atoms, ions, or molecules join together to give a stable solid. These nuclei form on the surface of the suspended solid contaminants, such as dust particles. Further precipitation then is governed by the competition between additional nucleation and growth of existing nuclei (particle growth). Adsorption is a process in which a substance (gas, liquid or solid is held on the surface of a solid. In contrast, absorption is retention of a substance within the pores of a solid. The charge on a colloidal particle formed in a gravimetric analysis is determined by the charge of the lattice ion that is in excess when the precipitation is complete. Digestion is a process in which a precipitate is heated in the solution which is was formed (the mother liquor) and allowed to stand in contact with the solution. Mother liquor is the solution from which a precipitate was formed. Digestion improves the purity and filterability of both colloidal and crystalline precipitates. 4.1 Outline 4.1 Precipitation of BaSO4 4.2 Washing and Filtering BaSO4 Precipitate 4.3 Drying and Weighing BaSO4 Precipitate 5.1 Weights Weight of crucible with the precipitate = 17.7473g Weight of crucible (with a piece of filter paper) = 17.5462g à ¯Ã‚ Ã…“ Weight of BaSO4 precipitate = Weight of crucible with the precipitate Weight of crucible (with a piece of filter paper) = 17.7473g 17.5462g = 0.2011 g 5.2 Molarity and Concentration Ba2+ + SO42- → BaSO4 (precipitate) (Mol Weight BaSO4 = 233.33 g/mol) à ¯Ã‚ Ã…“ Molarity of SO42- = 0.0344747 M = 0.0345 M à ¯Ã‚ Ã…“ Concentration of SO42- in g/L = Molarity of SO42- x Mol wt of SO42- = 3.313026 g/L = 3.31 g/L 6.1 Theoretical Values [SO42-] = 0.0352 M = 0.0334 – 0.0376 M (5% deviation) = 3.38 g/L = 3.21 – 3.55 g/L (5% deviation) 6.2 Comparison of Results The concentration of SO42- we obtained was 0.0345M and 3.31 g/L, which was within the 5% deviation range of 3.21 – 3.55 g/L. It was relatively close to the theoretical value of 3.38 g/L, at only a deviation of 2.11%. The results above show that the experiment was successful as the actual value was close to the theoretical value. 6.3 Precautions Taken To obtain the best results, BaSO4 crystals should be as large as possible. This facilitates filtration and washing of the crystals and the decreased surface area minimizes the amount of impurities adsorbed onto the crystals. Generally, larger crystals are obtained when the rate of precipitation is lower. The rate of precipitation can be decreased by slightly increasing the solubility of BaSO4. To minimise the rate of precipitation, the following were done: Adding 5 drops of concentrated HCl. Adding HCl increases the solubility by lowering the pH. The solubility of BaSO4 at room temperature is around 0.3-0.4 mg per 100 g of water and increases when excessive amount of mineral acid is present. Additionally, precipitation should be done in an acidic medium as when done in neutral and basic mediums, Ba2+ ions precipitate with PO43-, CO32- or OH ions which are present in the solution. Addition of excess acid is avoided. Heating to boiling. Adding BaCl2 dropwise with vigorous stirring. At the end of the precipitation, a few drops of BaCl2 was added to the clear supernatant liquid to test for complete precipitation. After precipitation, suction filtration was performed. Suction filtration allows a higher rate of filtration by using a pressure gradient created by the aspirator. The precipitate was washed with deionised water and dried in the oven. It was then placed in a desiccator. The function of a desiccator is to remove moisture from a substance or to protect a substance from moisture, thus preventing water from the humidity in the environment to react with the substance. 6.4 Sources of Error 6.4.1 Coprecipitation Coprecipitation is a process in which normally soluble compounds are carried out of solution by a precipitate. There are four types of Coprecipitation: surface adsorption, mixed-crystal formation, occlusion and mechanical entrapment. Surface adsorption and mixed-crystal formation are equilibrium processes, and occlusion and mechanical entrapment arise from the kinetics of crystal growth. Coprecipitation impurities may cause either negative or positive errors in an analysis. If the contaminant is not a compound of the ion being determined, a positive error will always result. In contrast, when the contaminant does contain the ion being determined, either positive or negative errors may occur. 6.4.2 Surface Adsorption Adsorption is often the major source of contamination in coagulated colloids (large specific surface areas) but of no significance in crystalline precipitates. Although adsorption does occur in crystalline solids, its effect on purity are usually undetectable because of the relatively small specific surface area. Coagulation of a colloid does not significantly decrease the amount of adsorption because the coagulated solid still contains large internal surface areas that remain exposed to the solvent. The coprecipitated contaminant on the coagulated colloid consists of the lattice ion originally absorbed on the surface before coagulation plus the counter-ion of opposite charge held in the film of solution immediately adjacent to the particle. The net effect of surface adsorption is the carrying down of an otherwise soluble compound as a surface contaminant. 6.4.3 Mixed-Crystal Formation In mixed-crystal formation, which is also known as inclusion, one of the ions in the crystal lattice of a solid is replaced by an ion of another element. For this to occur, the two ions must have the same charge and their sizes must differ by no more than 5%. Furthermore, the two salts must belong to the same crystal class. The extent of mixed-crystal contamination is governed by the law of mass action and increases as the ratio of contaminant to analyte concentration increases. Little can be done about it when certain combinations of ions are present in a sample matrix. This problem occurs with both colloidal suspensions and crystalline precipitates. When this occurs, the interfering ion may have to be separated before the final precipitation step. Alternatively, a different precipitating reagent that does not give mixed crystals with the ions in question may be used. 6.4.4 Occlusion and Mechanical Entrapment When a crystal is growing rapidly during precipitate formation, foreign ions in the counter-ion layer may become trapped, or occluded, within the growing crystal. Because supersaturation and thus growth rate decreases as precipitation progresses, the amount of occluded material is greatest in that part of a crystal that forms first. Mechanical entrapment occurs when crystals lie close together during growth. Several crystals grow together and in so doing trap a portion of the solution in a tiny pocket. Both occlusion and mechanical entrapment are at a minimum when the rate of precipitation formation is low, under conditions of low supersaturation. In addition, digestion often reduces the effects of these types of coprecipitation. The rapid dissolving and reprecipitation that occur at the elevated temperature of digestion open up the pockets and allow the impurities to escape into the solution. 6.4.5 Peptisation Peptisation is the process by which a coagulated colloid reverts to its original dispersed state. When a coagulated colloid is washed, some of the electrolyte responsible for its coagulation is leached from the internal liquid in contact with the solid particles. Removal of this electrolyte has the effect of increasing the volume of the counter-ion layer. The repulsive forces responsible for the original colloidal state are then re-established, and particles detach themselves from the coagulated mass. The washings become cloudy as the freshly dispersed particles pass through the filter. Washing is needed to minimised contamination but there is a risk of losses resulting from peptisation if pure water is used. This is usually solved by washing the precipitate with a solution containing an electrolyte that volatilises when the precipitate is dried or ignited. 6.4.6. Postprecipitation Post precipitation occurs when the top of the precipitate, which is in contact with the mother liquor is contaminated by precipitation of impurities. This may be due to the primary adsorption of the common ion in excess, whereby the supersaturated solution of the second material is formed on the surface of the particle which offers nucleation sites to break supersaturation and causes a secondary precipitate to form. 6.5 Improvements 6.5.1 Minimising Adsorbed Impurities on Colloids The purity of many coagulated colloids is improved by digestion. Digestion is a process in which a precipitate is heated in the solution which is was formed (the mother liquor) and allowed to stand in contact with the solution. During digestion, water is expelled from the solid to give a denser mass that has a smaller specific surface area for adsorption. Washing a coagulated colloid with a solution containing a volatile electrolyte is also helpful because any non-volatile electrolyte added earlier to cause coagulation is displaced by the volatile species. Washing generally does not remove much of the primarily adsorbed ions because the attraction between these ions and the surface of the solid is too strong. Exchange occurs, however, between existing counter-ions and ions in the wash liquid. 6.5.2 Reprecipitation An effective way to minimise the effects of adsorption is reprecipitation. Reprecipitation adds substantially to the time required for an analysis. In this process, the filtered solid is redissolved and reprecipitated. The first precipitate carries down a fraction of the contaminant present in the original solvent. Thus, the solution containing the redissolved precipitate has a significantly lower contaminant concentration than the original, and even less adsorption occurs during the second precipitation. 6.5.3 Precipitation from Homogenous Solution Precipitation from homogenous solution is a technique in which a precipitating agent is generated in a solution of the analyte by a slow chemical reaction. Local reagent excesses do not occur because the precipitating agent appears gradually and homogenously throughout the solution and reacts immediately with the analyte. Thus, relative supersaturation is kept low during the entire precipitation and homogenously formed precipitates are better suited for analysis. This results in marked increase in crystal size as well as improvements in purity. In a nutshell, the experiment was a success and the results obtained were desirable. According to the results, the concentration of SO42- we obtained was 0.0345M and 3.31 g/L, which was close to the theoretical value of 3.38 g/L, at only a deviation of 2.11%. Although there may have been various possible sources of error, we have minimised them by lowering the rate of precipitation. The amount of sulfate was successfully determined by gravimetric analysis. A. V. Kasture , H. N. More, K. R. Mahadik , S. G. Wadodkar. 2008. Pharmaceutical Analysis Vol. – I. Pragati Books Pvt. Ltd. Braun, R.D. 1982, Introduction to chemical analysis, McGraw-Hill, New York. Cammack, R. 2006, Oxford dictionary of biochemistry and molecular biology, Oxford University Press Oxford, Oxford Erdey, L., Belcher, R. Gordon, L. 2013, Gravimetric Analysis : International Series of Monographs in Analytical Chemistry, Vol. 7, Pergamon, Burlington. Skoog, D.A. 2014, Fundamentals of analytical chemistry, Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning, Australia. Davidson College Chemistry Resources. Gravimetric Analysis [online]. Available from: http://www.chm.davidson.edu/ronutt/che115/ VIII_gravi.pdf [Accessed 20 December 2014] Middle East Technical University. Gravimetric Determination of Sulfate in a Soluble Sample [online]. Available from: http://www.metu.edu.tr/~chem223/sulfate.pdf [Accessed 20 December 2014] Santa Monica College. Gravimetric Analysis [online]. Available from: http://www.smc.edu/projects/28/Chemistry_11_Experiments/Gravimetric_Analysis_Procedure.pdf [Accessed 20 December 2014] Texas AM University. Gravimetric Analysis [online]. Available from: https://www.chem.tamu.edu/class/majors/tutorialnotefiles/gravimetric.htm [Accessed 20 December 2014]

Essay --

Liam Connelly Final Project Golden Age of Greece Thermopylae and the 5,200: an Analysis of Creative License in Film There is perhaps no last stand than the famous 300 Spartans at Thermopylae who held the massive Persian army for three days in a narrow mountain pass, nearly two and a half millennia ago. When the movie 300 premiered, I was beginning to appreciate military history and I found the story of these hopelessly outnumbered Greek patriots absolutely riveting. I had known that more than a little creative license was taken after seeing some of the more fantastic scenes but some of the important historical nuances were lost in the depiction. My objective today is not to pedantically nitpick every anachronism and erroneous fact, but simply to discover why the filmmakers augmented the history with them. My primary source for comparison is Herodotus’ Book VII of The Histories, in which he describes the background and facts known to him about the battle itself. The origin of the 5,200 from which this project takes its name is the fact that Herodotus counts not only 300 Spartans but at least a full 4,900 other troops from other Greek regions who fought against overwhelming odds to hold the Persians at bay (Herodotus, 511). While the Spartans may have earned the lion’s share of the glory for their self-sacrifice, the 4,900 or so other soldiers deserve a place in this epic tale of courage and discipline. The primary formation of Greek infantry is the hoplite phalanx. Each hoplite’s hoplon, or shield, protected the man to his left and long spears gave the ranks behind the first allowed them to bring to bear a wall of bronze spears in front of them. The phalanx is a strong formation but it is vulnerable to flanking maneuvers, ... ...eks doesn’t need any tweaking or embelishments; it’s already extraordinary on its own. Indeed, nearly every genre of film audiences love today can be found in the stories of Greek dramatists, myth, tradition, and history, from romance to comedy and war. There’s a rich cultural well waiting to be drawn upon by other filmmakers to tell the story of Greece in her finest hours. I hope more directors discover that. Until then, I’ll remember the 300 as they were, not what I’d like them to have been. Works Cited Herodotus. The Histories. Trans. Aubrey De Selincourt. Ed. Betty Radice. Middlesex: Penguin, 1954. Print. Miller, Frank. Interview by Steve Daly and Entertainment Weekly. 13 Mar. 2007. Snyder, Zack, dir. 300. Prod. Gianni Nunnari, Bernie Goldman, Mark Canton, and Jeffrey Silver. 2007. Warner Bros, 2007. DVD.

General Safety and Security Essay

* Investment in surveillance camera systems by school districts ensures parents and guardians that the general safety and security of children are being addressed during schools hours and at all after-school extracurricular activities and programs. 2. Crime Deterrent * The presence of highly visible surveillance cameras at strategic locations in buildings and public areas/premises of a school property prevents theft, vandalism and acts as a deterrent to thieves and criminals from indulging in illegal activities. 3. Sexual Predators * One of the biggest threats that school children face is the threat of sexual predators and pedophiles hanging around unobtrusively on school campuses or in parking lots. Camera systems’ footage is very useful in tracking down predators or helping inform police about threatening situations in real time. 4. Prevent Bullying * New-generation surveillance camera systems have audio, voice and sound capturing capabilities. Teenagers bullying or harassing other students can be disciplined based on video and audio footage records. 5. Emergency Evacuation * School security personnel manning surveillance camera systems in real-time can take quick action about evacuating children, faculty and staff in case of emergencies related to fire or other potentially dangerous situations. Prevent Theft and Illegal Activities * The primary purpose of installing surveillance cameras is to act as deterrence to robbers, criminals, petty thieves and unscrupulous elements from indulging in theft, illicit and criminal activities. Security cameras are installed in bungalows, townhouses, apartment buildings, condominiums, schools, university campuses, offices, stores, malls and other public areas. These cameras monitor suspicious activities; stop theft, vandalism and shoplifting; and alert stationed security officers about real-time thefts. Staff monitoring cameras and centrally manned systems in large businesses can also inform county and state law enforcement officials about developing dangerous situations.

Samwise Gamgee Essays - Forest Ecology, Biology, Botany, Ecology

Samwise Gamgee Essays - Forest Ecology, Biology, Botany, Ecology Samwise Gamgee What exactly is a rain forest, you say? Well, on the outside, a rain forest has a wall averaging 20 feet thick that is made of a tangle of vines that love light. This wall seals off the interior creating the illusion that the whole jungle is this thick. But if you find an animal path or stream to follow, you can slip through and enter this mysterious world. Once you're inside, you can look up and see a tree canopy that's as high as a 17 story building! And it's pretty dark too, a perpetual twilight. Only 1% of the sunlight ever actually touches the floor of the forest. And moonlight, even a full moon, doesn't get through at all. You'd better have a flashlight with you if you plan on reading any comics. Rain forests have different layers that support different animals and insects. Some plants and animals occupy specific layers, while others live and feed wherever they can. I live in the lower canopy of the South American rain forest because a lot of the fruit I like to eat is found there. The tallest trees in the canopy layer grow up to 200 feet high. Some of the trees that poke through (called the "emergents") have been known to grow as high as 270 feet. It is not uncommon for the expansive umbrella crown of an emergent tree to cover an entire acre. Now there's a good spot for a treehouse. Many types of indigenous people live in rain forests. The environment is perfect for tribes of hunter-gatherers. Local materials are used to make their blow guns, spears, and arrows. The forest also provides building and roofing materials, wild cotton for clothing, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and more. In fact, just about every need can be met by the rain forest. For these people, the rain forest is like living in a gigantic mall. Amazonian deep-forest Yanomamo are a group of forest people that can literally run up heavy trunked emergent trees (over 200 feet) without breaking a sweat. It's because of their remarkably wide feet, which also have advantages running around the muddy rain forest floors. The Pygmies are a tribe of honey gatherers that rely almost exclusively on the help of a bird called the Greater Honeyguide to direct them to the beehives. This little bird leads the Pygmies with its rasping, churring chatter and its white outer tail feathers to point out the proper tree. The bird lives on beeswax, so after the Pygmies climb the tree with a bundle of smoking leaves to put the bees to sleep, they take the honey and leave the beeswax behind as a reward for the bird. Here you'll find bats with wingspans up to 5.5 feet, moths with wingspans of 12 inches, frogs so big they could eat rats, and rats themselves weighing up to 100 pounds. Let's take a closer look at just a few of the interesting animals and insects that live in the rain forrest. Piranha, The piranha is a small fish that is activated into a feeding frenzy by the smell of blood. Their teeth are so sharp that they can strip a 100 pound animal to the bone in a minute. No telling what they could do to a person unlucky enough to go for a swim at the wrong time! Large electric eels live in tropical rivers. Their bodies can generate enough electricity to knock a person senseless and, in some cases, can cause drowning. "Shocking" ... but true. Anacondas can even swallow a crocodile. The anaconda is a water boa and it is the largest snake in the world at 37.5 feet long and weighing over 500 pounds. They've been known to eat people now and then, although they don't make a regular diet of humans. Boa, oh boa that's a lotta snake! In every rain forest there are many kinds of plants. Many, many, many kinds of plants. In fact, inside a single hectare (2.47 acres) you can find up to 750 types of trees and 1,500 types of plants! But this entire range of species can easily be broken down into four categories, grouped by how they

Benefits of Tuition Reimbursement Essays

Benefits of Tuition Reimbursement Essays Benefits of Tuition Reimbursement Essay Benefits of Tuition Reimbursement Essay | Benefits of Tuition Reimbursement| | Latoya Freeman| | 3/17/2011| Benefits of Tuition Reimbursement Programs I am here to inform you on why adding tuition reimbursement for bachelor’s degrees in business and communication will benefit our company. Since the company has already approved a budget for this expansion, and financial costs are of no concern, we should put this program into action. I think this program will be very beneficial to our company. I believe this program will open up a whole new world of opportunities for our employees. People who earn their degree have more professional opportunities than those who don’t. They are open to a wide range of different careers, they have a higher earning potential, and this program will benefit our company. In today’s economy it is very hard to find a decent paying job without a college degree. The cost of living is on the rise and minimum wage is just not a valid source to provide for a comfortable living. We are always stressing to our employee about how much we value them and care about their well being. Why not help to provide them with the opportunity of a lifetime. It is the dream of many of our employees to obtain a college degree, but because of different circumstances, they are unable to fulfill that dream. We have a lot of hard working individuals who have the potential to grow within our company and the thing that is holding them back is their lack of education. By offering to help with the expenses of tuition and books will show our employees that we are aware of their potential and we care about their success and the success of the company. This benefit will encourage those employees who have the desire to further their education do so and thus providing a loyalty to our company in appreciation. It is no secret that those who earn their degree have more professional opportunities available to them. We can’t expect all of our good workers to remain with our company with low pay. Some of our employees are enrolled as college students and earning their degree already. Do we really want to risk losing a dedicated worker to another company because they can’t see any future growth with our company? If we offer this benefit to our employees they will able to live a successful life just like the rest of us. They will have the opportunity to become a supervisor, a manager, and maybe even President one day. I don’t think we should deny our workers this opportunity, especially if we have room in the budget to cover it. This would seem a bit selfish on our part. Some may think that offering this program will eventually cause the company to spend more money. But I believe that paying for our current employee’s tuition will save the company money. If you think about the money that will be spent to hire a new employee with the degree that our experienced employee is trying to obtain, you will eventually spend more time and money on the new hire. They will need to be trained and that costs time as well as money. Whereas, our employee that is earning their degree can have the opportunity to obtain extra training while they are still in school. Let’s think of the positives here, we will provide our employees with the opportunity to work, earn their degree, and receive on the job training for future promotions. One of the main reasons that people make the choice to further their education is to increase salary potential and advancement in their careers. Individuals who go that extra mile to obtain their degree are rewarded with exceptional employment opportunities. If we offer assistance for those who want to explore the business field, it will give our company a major boost as opposed to our major competitors. In most cases a business degree is required for executive and senior management positions. Some companies will not even want to look at an applicant’s application if they didn’t have a degree in business. (businessmajors. about. com †º †º MBA Program Information) There are many different types of employment opportunities available for those who hold a business degree. Think of all of the wonders this could add to our business. Many business programs offer an education in general management along with a more specialized curriculum. This form of education is relevant to all industries and sectors. It will be valuable regardless of the career that is chosen after graduation. The different jobs that are able to be performed by an employee who has a business degree are endless. They can perform many jobs in human resources, operations management, accounting, marketing, etc. In this case, we can’t lose. We will have the opportunity to have an employee that is well rounded. They can perform operational duties as well as business and other human resource tasks. Overall, I believe this program will benefit our company as a whole. We won’t have to waste money to hire new people to take care of any business that we may have because we already have a qualified person with a business degree. By providing our employees with this benefit we will have more educated employees. Employees that take advantage of tuition reimbursement tend to stay with their company longer. This establishes loyalty between employer and employees. Another advantage of offering tuition reimbursement is that the company will be given a tax deduction. Up to $5,250 annual maximum, an employer’s reimbursement program costs are tax deductible. Essentially, after the tax benefit, the employer pays very little to offer this benefit. Since the costs balance out and the company reaps the benefits of a smarter workforce, it’s a highly desirable win- win scenario for the company. (distancelearn. about. com †º paying for school) I think this is a great program that will be very beneficial to our company. We as employers should see this as an incentive for our employees to go to college. This will make them more productive as well as more knowledgeable, thus adding to the success to our business. We need our employees to be smart, diligent, and very hardworking individuals, and by earning their degree in a field related to their job, it will allow them to be better employees. I also believe it will encourage them to gain a higher respect for our company. They will make us more money and in turn we can pay them a little more to work harder. We must remember that education is the key to success. By adding this benefit I believe in turn we will have a much more successful company. References: businessmajors. about. com †º †º MBA Program Information distancelearn. about. com †º paying for school

Service organization analysis services marketing plan on a service Essay

Service organization analysis services marketing plan on a service company - Essay Example The bank is one of the largest in the country and has presence in more than 50 countries. The department chosen in this case is the bank's internet banking services. The bank has a well established department for this and gives comprehensive information in its web pages. The characteristics of services marketing with reference to this department is given in the paper. Relevant marketing theories with reference to services marketing is also given. An overview of the internet banking service of the bank is also given. This is followed by the internet banking industry in the country. Major competitors of the bank are also provided. The internet usage and habits of the public are also included. The bank is in a good position regarding this since the usage and penetration of the internet is one of the highest in the world. The bank's biggest challenge would be to convert the users to be more active in internet banking. One important aspect, namely service recovery is also discussed. It se ems that ANZ Bank is keenly aware of this factor and has chalked out well laid out plans for customer service and satisfaction. The organization selected for the service market analysis is ANZ Bank. ANZ bank (Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited) is an Australia based major banking and financial institution. It renders services of home loans, car loans and business loans to its customers. Internet banking and phone banking is its peculiar features. Credit cards and savings accounts are also offered by it to the customers. It carried out insurance services also. Main strategy of ANZ Bank is offering a range of products suiting with different needs of customers in a better convenient way. Savings and investment accounts of ANZ carry competitive interest rates. ANZ online saver helps customers to manage their own accounts through online. (ANZ, 2008). ANZ bank is recognized as a major international banking and financial services group in Australia and New Zealand and included in the 50 list of top 50 banks in the world. It started its working in 1830s by opening office in Melbourne. (ANZ: History, 2008). Business Strategies of ANZ Bank: For sustaining in the highly competitive banking industry in Australia, the ANZ Bank has accepted good corporate governance and transparency as the fundamentals of its business. For guiding the business decision making on the right way the bank has insisted on specific codes of conduct ensuring company value. The Board of Directors is mutually responsible for the corporate governance and directing the financial performance. It has company policy of concrete honest and ethical behavior of the organizational members. ANZ is a member of the Code of Banking Practice, which specify standards of good banking practice. (ANZ: Corporate Governance). Characteristics of service marketing: Marketing can be of products, services or both. In the case of services, there are some characteristics that make it different from product marketing. They are referred to as the IHIP characteristics namely intangibility, heterogeneity, inseparability and perishability. (Lovelock, 2004, p.3). Services are intangible and unlike a product, a person cannot see or touch them. Heterogeneity means that the same service given to different customers will different from each other. The service experience of customers on a particular service will be

Modern women in modern songs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Modern women in modern songs - Essay Example As it is, the song invites men to become insensitive to women and it gives men the right to treat women badly under the premise that women are liars and that they cannot be trusted. To give us a clear picture of the way the artist sees women, let us take a look at the lyrics of the song, the tempo of the music, the style, the phrasing and the tone. II. The Anatomy of the Song The song â€Å"Superman† is divided into three parts, namely the intro, the verses and the choruses. To put the song in context, the singer tells the listener about his experience with women and how his experience shaped his opinion about the female population. Although the singer did not really expound on what sad or bad experience he had with women, from the tone of his song, one can clearly see that this person does not trust the female specie and that he does not want to be in a serious relationship with any of them. The song starts with a woman’s voice moaning in the background and Eminem rapp ing in multisyllabic rhymes. Eminem rap along the beat of the drum as he delivers his lines in a rhythmic pattern. The voice of the woman moaning gives the intro of the song a sexual context which picture women as creatures who are meant to sexually satisfy the male. This personification of the female is rather disturbing as females are complex creatures and although they may have a sexual side to them, this sexual side does not define them as persons. Note that as complex creatures, women are capable of a lot of things and to box them in as sexually charged creatures moaning with pleasure is demeaning. The rhythm of the background music does not change much as the song graduate from the introduction and move into Chorus A. The voice of the singer goes with the beat of the drum as we move from the intro of the song to Chorus A and the woman moaning in the background fades away. In Chorus A, he describes how he might love the girl and how the girl might love him too so he comes to re scue the girl like superman does. If we take a closer look at the message of Chorus A, the singer implied that women cannot protect themselves and that they need men to save them. The song shows an even more blatant disregard of women’s potentials and capacities while trying to project men as the superior specie. Stereotyping women as â€Å"weak† creatures is not only grossly unfair, it is also demeaning especially when most women are actually more than capable of taking care of themselves. Verse 1 of the song pictures a woman as somebody who wants to trap the man in marriage. In an effort to get away from the grasp of the woman, the man tries to demean the woman by calling her a â€Å"slut† and saying â€Å"I would never let another chick bring me down.† The first few lines of Verse 1 are rather telling about the mental state of the man especially when he said â€Å"save it bitch, babysit†. Aside from fearing commitment, the singer seem to send a message to the listener that he sees women as homemakers who are only fit to do household chores and babysit. Asking a woman to babysit is not so bad but when you put babysitting in the wrong context, it can become quite offensive to the female sensibilities. Note that parenting should be a shared responsibility so both men and women have the duty to take care of the kids. Verse 1 of the

Environment xenoestrogens Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Environment xenoestrogens - Essay Example Until now, the focal area of endocrine disruption has been on the chemicals that mimic oestrogens (xenoestrogens). But, the recent proof suggests that quite a number of abnormalities in the human breast could be interceded by means of the androgen receptor. The main identified risk factor remains lifetime exposure to oestrogen. In view of the involvement of oestrogen in the development, progression and treatment of breast cancer, questions have to be asked concerning potential interactions of the many chemicals in the environment which can be stored in breast tissues and which can mimic the action of oestrogen. The source of such compounds can be dietary, from plants (phytoestrogens) or from environmental contaminants of food/water (xenoestrogens) but I have proposed that an alternative route for exposure may be through the long-term regular application to the underarm of a variety of cosmetic ingredients with oestrogenic activity. The molecular basis of oestrogen action involves the interaction of the oestrogenic ligand with intracellular oestrogen receptors, ER' and ER', which function as ligand-activated transcription factors to alter the expression patterns of hundreds of genes and to regulate growth of human breast cancer cells. This project will compare the ability of different oestrogenic ligands to bind to ER, to regulate gene expression and to increase cell growth. A substantial literature search will be used to identify the oestrogenic potency of the many oestrogenic ligands which can enter the human breast and calculations will be carried out to estimate exposure of the human breast to individual chemicals and to complex mixtures of chemicals. Much of the existing focal point in the field of endocrine disruption is in the backdrop of the oestrogenic action of a variety of artificial chemicals. The capability of a chemical to unite to the oestrogen receptor, either in vitro or in vivo, has been in use as an explanation of oestrogenicity. The concern is that whether exposure to the chemicals which have steroid-like action can disturb the regular endocrine function, which can lead to distorted reproductive capacity, endometriosis, infertility, and cancers of the uterus, breast, and prostate (Colborn 1995, Jensen et al.1995, Safe 1995). The occurrence of a powerful anti-androgen can actually create an 'oestrogenic environment', thereby producing indications which directs to oestrogen exposure. Vertebrates generate steroids through a system which inhabits the chronological degradation of cholesterol to progestins, hence androgens (e.g. testosterone) and finally oestrogens (e.g. 17'-oestradiol). This pathway is available

A critical assessment of 2 pieces of drama around the theme of Space Essay Example for Free

A critical assessment of 2 pieces of drama around the theme of Space Essay In this essay I will be writing about how I performed to pieces of improvised drama based around the subject of space. One of the pieces had to be done in a realistic style and the other an abstract. Initial Reaction to Stimulus When we were first told that are stimulus would be space, we all sat down I and had what could be called a brain storming session. This was to consider how such a broad subject could be perceived in two pieces of drama. First of all we had to consider how space could be identified. There are many kinds of space, which can be made into forms of drama, and we would need to select one that could produce the most gripping. For this we identified just how space could be used, and came up with the following ideas for realistic or abstract piece (we could the ideas into abstract drama later): Space, as in the final frontier, could be used to great effect. Space and the entire notion of the great beyond could be used. Maybe having characters interacting with character not of this planet, maybe contrasting views or morals. Maybe having the outsider coming to earth from space. Using space in this way opens the door to all sorts of personification of space using a science fiction spin. This could be done in some sort of Star Trek, thought provoking scene involving space. Personal space, or the lack of it. For a realistic piece, maybe something to do with the prison system or freedom infringements. If we set it in a cell (an area where there is little space), not only would there be a direct physical relation to space but also the characters will be able to show space in there speech and movements. Taking this idea further, we could show how the lack of space mentally. Instead of the characters talking about space directly, it could be implied indirectly by their psychological flaws. These psychological flaws would have been caused by space, either too much of it or not enough. These are all ideas in their early stages and all need developing. But even at the early stage, the idea of psychological flaws caused by space was very appealing. For the abstract piece of drama, these initial ideas will have to be developed in an entirely different way. It will need other dramatic techniques to fit the criteria A surreal piece would allow us to incorporate more style and personalization in to piece. When thinking about abstract and surrealism in drama, the first thing that comes into my head is to have situation of drama instead of a continuous story. This would allow us to show the subject matter, space, in a number of different ways. Freeze-frames could be used while each character explains information about them and their situation (character monologues). This would show to the audience character depth that could not be seen in just a one short scene. As for the content of this abstract piece, I had some ideas of separate pieces revolving around the subject space. This would allow us to put a lot of imagination in each piece without needing to worry about what would follow it. Groups For the first piece I worked with the following people: Alain Branson Stuart Mulrany Chris Jones Hussian Kerian For the second piece, we decided to split up and work with different. The main reason for this was to keep all the drama fresh with fresh ideas. Although we thought that we were capable of producing another piece drama, tensions were building in the group and we agreed to spilt. For the second piece I worked with: Alain Branson Plot The first piece we worked on had a plot that I think was well structured. It allowed character depth and development. The first two lessons after we formed are group were spent on structuring a plot which could show off are acting talents and incorporate the idea of space. First we decided that it should be based around a main character. An idea that has always interested me was personifying a character subconscious. This might sound a little far fetched but it would give the character more substance and the audience something to relate to. This would not be his conscious or a good or bad angel but a version of himself that is not usually seen. With that starting point we went ahead and considered how the space theme would fit into this idea. We thought a family clash about space would put this character in the right frame to create good drama around him. This could be mirrored with a character that is in a way opposite him. We all thought that it would be a good idea to have a visual conscious for him like with the other character. This would allows us to show the differences in these characters and it would fit in with the number of people in are group. How these conscious would look actually on stage would be greatly influenced by Stuart, who put in a lot to the actual conscious theme. Taking all this we constructed a story which we split up into scenes. This is the first draft of the scenes and what they would contain: Scene 1: This scene would contain an argument between the main character and his Dad. It has to be his Dad because I do not believe any of us could pull of a convincing woman. This argument would be about space, and the childs lack of it. This will end in the character storming out to see his friend. This will show the trouble space has already caused. This will be set in the house. Scene 2: This would be an interlude where the audience gets some in sight into the relationship between him and his conscience. It will be the main character complaining to himself with the conscience talking around him. This will show how the character relates to something, which in essence, him cannot see or hear. This will be set in the walk between his house and the park. Scene 3: This will be conversation between the main character and what appears to be his opposite. This conversation will uncover some back round information about each character and will explain their personality faults. It will also set up the events for the next scene that involves criminal activity brought on by conversation. This will show the parallels between two characters who see and treat space in different ways and how it has effected them. This will be set in a peaceful place, a park Scene 4: In this scene the two main characters will get involved in major arson. This will result in an explosion off stage and the two running off. This shows what space problems can result in. This will be set in the other end of the park. Scene 5: This will be like the first scene, with an argument between the Dad and the main character. This will be a lot fiercer than the first and will increase in tension as it progresses. This is the finale of the drama and will bring out all the aspects of space we have been trying to portray. This will be set back in the house. In terms of evaluating the plot, I am proud of it. I played a big part in crafting it and personally I feel happy with it. Problems with it may be finding enough for the consciences to say and do since they are simply other version of the characters that already present. Casting We found casting very difficult, particularly a part for Hussian. First of all, we thought it would be best if he had the role of the Dad. But we found a stern sort of character wasnt suited for him. We then had the idea of changing the Dad to a Mum. But Hussian playing a woman in my opinion, and on previous acting experience, seems to be type cast and contrary to some people opinion he was cast in a role that would highlight his acting talent. The other characters were relatively easy to cast. Here was the final cast list: Leigh Turner The Dad Alain Branson Gary (the main character) Stuart Mulrany Gary conscience Chris Jones Damien (the character opposite to Gary) Hussian Kerian Damien conscience Set Above is the set we choose to use. It is fairly basic with the stage being split into three sections, one representing the house, one the park and the other the journey in between. The props were also very simple, with a table and chairs representing the house interior and a bench representing the park. Lighting Area of lighting for scenes 1 and 5 Area of lighting for scenes 2, 3, and 4 Costumes The costumes we used were authentic of the parts we played. I played the Dad, so I wore clothes that represented a Dad. I just wore a black T-shirt and jeans, which is what my Dad would wear. Gary wore typical teenage clothes, a bit scurfy to help show the difference between him and Damien. Damien will also were typical teenage clothes, but nothing like Garys. The consciences wore suits. This would show how they different from the other characters and yet still an important part of the drama. We would also be able to visual show aspects of there personality. This means Garys conscious is good, so he wore a white suit and Damiens conscious a black suit. Rehearsals Rehearsal started well with Alain and myself going though the first argument many times. The first argument we thought needed to build in aggression as it went on. We found this hard at the beginning because we found that we got very angry very quickly and needed to take it slower. This was a small problem and was easily overcome. After we had the basic of this scene, we moved on to the bench scene. This scene was hard to rehearse, and certain members of the cast did not help. Small arguments in the group made rehearsing slow and grinding. Out of all scenes, this one was the one that never really was rehearsed to maximum affect. Chris and Stuart, to major parts in this scene, had moments of inspiration that helped give a fuller picture of are story. About half way though the rehearsal time the group came to a discussion that the story needed a more conclusive ending. We needed to change the story and keep the scenes the same so it would not interrupt rehearsals too much. We decided that in scene 4 that Gary would die in the explosion and the final argument would be between Damien and the Dad about the blame. This would show the consequences of space and add to the drama. The explosion would be a red strobe light operated of stage and Damien and Gary would be blown on stage, with only Damien getting up and running any. This means we would have to put in new spin on the final argument so Damien would fit into the ending. We decided that if Damien were to come to see the Dad so it would be Damien trying to explain himself. This would allow Chris to show of his talent (which may not get shown in previous scenes) and allow me to say something different to a different person. The more rehearsal went on, the more we touched up the scene. Stuarts contribution to the way consciences move and talk was a big help. Hussian, Alain and Chriss determination helped finish the scenes kept it all going. Still, I dont think we really got the park scene nailed. Piece 2 After we changed groups, the first thing we did was to decide how to make this piece abstract and surreal. Most of these ideas were covered in the Initial Reaction to the Stimulus. Sam and Alain played a major part in deciding how the play would actually work. We wanted to consider all the ways we could show space in a surreal way so this took quite a bit of time. Instead of just repeating what I said at the beginning the essay, basically we decided to have pieces of drama (with monologues and freeze frames) linked by a tableaux. Admittedly, I would have liked to try something a bit more, well adventurous but this seemed to fit the bill and with the right characterization would create gripping drama. The pieces of drama would involve to 2 conflicting character. The third person in the group would give a monologue while the others are in a freeze frame. After this the characters would return to a platform at the back of the stage and do a tableau reflecting what has just happened. There were 4 pieces if drama and to save confusion, we named the characters with one name, no matter what scene there in. Alain Branson Tony (Gangster, Brother, Teacher) Sam Jordan Harry (Gangster, Dad, Pupil) Leigh Turner Jack (Barman, Brother, Son) Scene 1: Jack is arguing with his Dad (Harry) about space. Jack is child that has had his own way most of his and it is only recently that his Dad had not been allowing him to go out. This sparked the argument. His dad is not over protective, but wants the best for his son. Jack is a typical teenager that is over emotional and arrogant. Sam played the Dad with depth and sternness, just like a real Dad and dominated the scene. I think I played the teenager well, remembering my constant arguing with my folks. The problems with playing a teenager is that in and argument they have limited vocabulary and generally say the same thing over and over. Anyway, I think this was a strong scene that set the standard for the rest of the play. Scene 2: Harry (a schoolboy) is arguing with his teacher (Mr. Tony) about a detention. Harry has been having a few family problems at home and this has crossed over into his schoolwork. This has lead to Mr. Tony having to give him a detention. The argument consisted of Harry trying to explain the situation to the teacher. Sam once again pulled of a very good portrayal of character, but due to the nature of the role was not the dominant character. Alain played an excellent teacher character, really showing talent a presence on stage. Once again, teachers are stubborn so not repeating yourself would have been hard, but Alain was very believable. Scene 3: Tony starts an argument with this brother, Jack. This is over how Jack gets more space and time off of their dad. This is the first time they have had an argument like this one and Tony is unsure how his brother will react. This leads to an argument, which neither of them gain the upper hand until the end, where Jack hits Tony. Alain was very convincing as the somewhat confused Tony, adjusting to the tone of the argument accordingly. I was not so good. I had trouble adapting to the level of aggression I should use in the argument. Scene 4: Two rival gangster have an argument over, wait for it, space and end up shooting each other. The two have a violent history and this is the final straw. The initial meeting takes place in a bar where Tony is enjoy a drink with barman. Harry walks in and the argument between the two eventually leads then to a shot out. Once again Sam and Gary where very convincing drawing on there past experience of gangster roles. I really took a minor part in this scene, letting the gangster create the drama. I did show a friendship with Tony, but this was short lived and explored. This I think was the weakest of the 4 scene and was performed for the wrong reasons (i.e. they were both involved in gangster related drama during the writing stage). Set As you can see, we used a very Brecht set, with very few props to speak of. This minimalist stage meant we had more space for acting and movement. Brecht played a part in designing the stage because we all felt that a performance like this one needed a strong style so it separates it from other abstract pieces. Special lighting was not needed, so full house lights were used. Costumes We all decided to wear suits in all the pieces. This would make it more abstract and they a very versatile to the parts we played (teacher, gangster etc.) Rehearsals We had many rehearsals, which we managed to fit into a very short time space. We went through every scene in order constantly with very little variation. I would like to put a lot more detail into this but there was little else we did. We looked at the tableaux and changed them a few times till they represented each scene perfectly. The monologues were rehearsals a lot till everybody knew what everybody what going to say. Evaluation (of both) Both the performances went very well and very few mistakes. In comparison the two piece are different but with one on going theme. This is that they all show a single characters problem with space. This allowed us to show how different people can react to space. This, however, lead to some of are character sounding the same. I terms of actual work, I think the last group I worked was dedicated than the first and wanted to get the work done more. As is said earlier, some scenes in the first performance I would have liked to go over a few more times. This I think can be related to the size of groups. Think you can get more work done if there is a smaller number in your group. You can concentrate more and work more in a complete group. In terms of plot, I think are first piece was better. This is not that the second piece had no plot, but I think the first performance was more gripping and kept attention better.