Mental Retardation Essays - Rare Diseases, , Term Papers

Mental Retardation In order to be considered mentally retarded, you must have an IQ below 75, have significant limitations in two or more adaptive skill areas, and the condition is present from childhood (defined as age 18 or younger). People can be mentally retarded as all different levels. About 78% of mentally retarded people will only be a little slower than the average person, while in others it is very apparent (Arc of New Jersey). There are many causes of mental retardation. One cause of mental retardation is of genetic conditions. That includes; abnormal gene mixes from parents, errors when genes combine, overexposure to x-rays, and many more reasons. More than 500 genetic diseases are associated with mental retardation. Down Syndrome is an example of a chromosomal disorder (Mental Retardation Issues). Chromosomal disorders occur every once in a while, and are caused by too many or too few chromosomes in the restructure of the chromosomes (The Arc of New Jersey). Another cause is problems during pregnancy. It could happen if the mother drinks or does drugs while pregnant with the baby. Other risks include malnutrition, certain environmental contaminants, and the mother could get ill during the pregnancy. Pregnant women who are infected with HIV may pass it on to their child. Also very stressful and physical pregnancies and births can cause damage to a child's brain (Introduction to Mental Retardation). Mental Retardation also occurs frequently after birth. Childhood diseases such as big coughs, chicken pox, measles, and hip disease, which may lead to meningitis and encephalitis, can damage the brain, as can accidents such as being hit in the head, near drowning situations, and most other accidents involving the head. Another that can be harmful to a child mentally is environmental fumes, lead, mercury, and other dangerous toxins (Introduction to An American History of Mental Retardation). Bibliography Introduction to An American History of Mental Retardation. 3-28-00. http://member.aol.com/MRandDD/introhx.htm. Introduction to Mental Retardation. 2-25-00. http://thearc.org/faqs/mrqa.html Mental Retardation Issues. 2-27-00. http://members.amaonline.com/nrogers/mr.htm The Arc of New Jersey. What is MR. 2-27-00. http://www.arcnj.org/html/what_is_mr.html

Are Neanderthals Human... Or Not essays

Are Neanderthals Human... Or Not essays Over time man has evolved into many different and similar hominids. One of the greatest hominid was probably the Neanderthal. The Neanderthal was an end in its branch of the family tree. The Neanderthal was unique in when and where it lived, its physical characteristics, and life style. Neanderthals lived in many places and lived before Cro-Magnon. They mainly lived in Germany and Europe. They lived in safe caves that were naturally made by eroding cliffs. They lived 200,00- 27,000 years B.P. Neanderthals werent prepped for a beauty show, and if so they wouldnt win. Their nose was very wide because they had to first heat the air before the air goes to their lungs or they would die. The life expectancy was probably 30- 50 years maybe give or takes a couple years. They would probably have long hair and look old at a young age like in the late 20s. Life was usually something that you wouldnt want in a million years. The Neanderthal would probably walk 20 miles a day to forage for food. To stay healthy they would usually have to eat 2000- 3000 calories a day. Hunters would travel hundreds of miles to find food. The Neanderthal was unique in when and where it lived, its physical characteristics, and life style. Neanderthals lived in many places and lived before Cro-Magnon. Neanderthals werent prepped for a beauty show, and if so they wouldnt win. Life was usually something that you wouldnt want in a million years. ...

Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 28

Case Study - Essay Example 3. The amount deducted each year towards depreciation on the machine is the income source from which the cost of lease is recovered. Therefore, the term of lease is equal to the period in which the value of the machine becomes zero. Minimum lease payment made on each due date is inclusive of principal as well as interest. Interest, is calculated, with respect to the diminishing balance of debt, at the same fixed rate as that at which minimum lease payment was discounted. Expenditure incurred under such costs as insurance, maintenance and taxes is shown under appropriate head in accrual or deferral accounts. In the balance sheet, the asset figures as a fixed asset with a title like ‘Leased Equipment under Capital Lease’. An equivalent liability, by way of the amount paid towards lease, is projected with a title like ‘Lease Liability’. Amount paid on the principal in the following year falls under the current part of the liability and the rest under the non-current part. 4. The present value of liability should eventually equal the aggregate of minimum lease payments projected by the lessee in the balance sheets during the following five (or less as the case may be) financial years from the time the lease agreement is enforced. 1. For Breton, the lessor, the lease arrangement is of direct financing nature. In the transaction, there is no mention of any such thing as dealer’s profit or manufacturer’s profit. Discounted present value of minimum lease payment is more than 90 per cent of the asset value at the time of commencement of lease. No problems are predicted in connection with the collectability of minimum lease payments. Nor are there any dead costs deemed to have to be borne by the lessor. 2. It is mandatory for Breton, the lessor, to document a ‘Lease Receivable’. The present value of minimum lease payments as well as the present

Oedipus the King Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Oedipus the King - Essay Example Creon returns with a message from the oracle and insists on delivering the message in private to the king. Oedipus however, insists that he will hear the message in front of his citizens. The message is that the god Apollo through the oracle, demands that, for the curse to be lifted, the murderer of Laius must be found and brought to justice. Laius was the former king of Thebes before Oedipus. He was attacked and killed on a crossroad by thieves when on his way to consult an oracle. All, but one of his travelling companions survived the attack (3). Oedipus’s Innocence In determining whether Oedipus was guilty or not, one has to put into account information that was available to him at the time his alleged crimes were committed. A great portion of Oedipus’s innocence lies in his ignorance of his past and that of Thebes. Oedipus had attacked and killed a group of travellers at a crossroad sometime in the past. At the time, they did not seem significant and never did he th ink that this incidence would ever come up in the future. When he was a child, it was revealed to him, by an old man that he was adopted; furthermore he was told that he would kill his biological father and have carnal relations with his biological mother. What he did not know at the time that these individuals would be king Laius and his wife, Jocasta, respectively. There was some aspect of relief when news reached Thebes that his adoptive father had passed on. The relief was however, short lived since future investigations revealed that the man he killed at the crossroads was king Laius. In this aspect, Oedipus is innocent of both regicide – Killing a king- and patricide – Killing his father- because he had no idea who the man was at the time (30 - 35). Assassinating a leader was and still is a serious offence. Oedipus’s case however has two possible outcomes. First, if Oedipus attacked Laius’s travelling party first without being provoked, then, he is guilty of murder. Secondly, if Oedipus was attacked first By Laius, then this can only be viewed as a classic case of self-defence. Both these theories can be true depending on who among the two survived to tell the story. When Oedipus took over as king following Laius’s death, he also took up his widow, Jocasta, as his wife. Oedipus had a number of children by Jocasta as his wife. Knowing what has been mentioned above; this is an obvious case of incest. Oedipus is however, innocent of incest since neither he nor Jocasta had any idea that they were related in the remotest possible manner. When Oedipus realized that he had been having an incestuous relationship with his own biological mother, he punished himself very harshly by plucking out both his own eyes. His mother or wife consequently killed herself on learning that the son that she thought had been killed long ago, was the man whom she shared a bed with. Oedipus’s Guilt Oedipus’s guilt in one aspect seems to stem from hubris. He had previously gotten his peoples acclaim by saving them from the curse of the sphinx. Seeing a chance to emerge a hero yet again, he completely ignores all advice given to him. First, on lifting the curse of the sphinx, he was specifically warned not to investigate the murder of Laius. Instead he promises his citizens that he will investigate the murder and decrees a steep penalty for whoever is found guilty. Secondly, his pride comes in when he orders Creon to tell him the news from Apollo

Gender inequality in Russia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Gender inequality in Russia - Essay Example It is generally agreed that Russian women are not equal to men and that they undergo oppression. Vovk indicates that in national home interviews carried out in the year 2005 (February 25 to 27) in a hundred residencies in forty-four regions, 24 percent of respondents held the opinion that the world treats women and men in the same way. On the other hand, 61 percent of respondents believed that Russian women’s life is harder compared to men, while 8 percent believed that women live an easier life. Generally, the same is true for promotion and self-actualization. Of the year 2005 respondents 51 percent concur that in the present day, men have more opportunities for the realization of their potential, while in national home interviews carried out in the year 2004 (February 28-29), 58 percent of the respondents concur that the `double standard' that Russian institutions and companies practice provides men with better career opportunities. According to 30 percent and 37 percent, re spectively, though, Russian women have equal chances with men for promotion and self-actualization. Gender inequality in Russia manifests itself in different spheres, the first one being access to education. While the traditionally ‘male’ professions have been free/no-fee, the Russian government-introduced for-fee education has predominantly affected women or the ‘female’ professions making it hard for them to learn. This implies that the expenditure of budget money that the federal government allocates for education has progressively become gender asymmetric, and not in women’s favour. As far as higher education is concerned, the mounting discrimination policy on the part of educational institutions themselves is a crucial factor that makes it difficult for women to access education. In the 1960s, the gender factor only decreased the female applicants’ chances of enrolment in higher educational establishments by 2.4 percent. In the 1980s, it decreased their chances by 6.2 percent while by 1990s, it had reduced them by 12 percent (Mezentseva, 1). Another vital area in which women in Russia are discriminated against has to do with wage levels/material gains from education. Mezentseva notes that although women trail behind men concerning wage levels in all countries, the rise educational levels is narrowing this gap in virtually all countries. However, to date, this trend is the reverse in Russia. A study from the RLMS5 in 1998 revealed that the average wage of a woman varies from 53-66 percent of that of a man for the seven recognized educational levels (from ‘no secondary education’ to ‘higher education’). On the average, females with postgraduate education receive lower wages compared to men with secondary education. Women with university education only earn more compared to men with incomplete university education (Roshchin, 11). The least material return from education was observed in profess ional groups where women are in the majority, while the biggest the biggest material gain from education w

Margaret Thatcher’s Economic Policies: An Evaluation

Margaret Thatcher’s Economic Policies: An Evaluation Abstract Margaret Thatcher inherited an ailing economy, which was the result of several factors inclusive of actions by the previous Labour government, as well as some which were peculiar to Britain. The pivotal focus of her economic policy was reduction in the influence of the public sector, on which she launched a frontal attack by systematically defeating the labour unions, especially in the manufacturing and mining industries, and fall in unemployment and inflation. These were her highest priorities when she assumed office. These were the themes around which her doctrine to tackle these issues, Thatcherism, was predicated. Although the broad term also had some political and cultural connotations,[1] they were essentially economic in nature. The rot that had set in into the economy necessitated major, radical actions on her part; she had to antagonise the labour unions and the public sector, and had to revitalise the ailing economy. The overall results of her policies spread over three terms as prime minister were mixed: while her most resounding success was in rendering the labour unions ineffective and making them defunct in all but name, her other major policy, namely controlling unemployment and inflation, was successful, but not to the same degree, and which too, came about by external, unforeseen favourable factors. Introduction This paper is an assessment of Margaret Thatcher’s economic policies. Since no evaluation is effective when made in a vacuum, in arriving at this evaluation, this paper first makes a narration of her economic inheritance, since this serves as the benchmark for her achievements. After describing the situation the economy was in at the time of her ascension, this paper moves on to describing the major initiatives she undertook to rid the economy of its ills, which are described in detail in the coming paragraphs. In the course of this narration, the major indicators listed are the monetary policies. In this part, her actions in relation to the unions and in taking on unemployment are described; her political and religious philosophy and quantitative analyses are interspersed in the paper in passing, where they fit into this narrative. Finally, this paper offers its conclusion by making an assessment of the sum total of her policies vis-à  -vis the economy, in which its findings are that her policies were neither a startling success nor a miserable failure. It needs mention that this paper takes under its purview only her domestic economic policies, and makes no mention of her actions in relation to economic integration with the EU, because this was at an unfinished stage at the end of her term. Discussion Mrs. Thatcher’s economic policy was derived from the New Right economic philosophy of noted economists, F.A. Von Hayek and Milton Friedman, with its opposition to corporatism, and its belief that the individual and markets performed best when left free of intervention from the state; (Childs Storry, 1999, p. 540) it was grounded in the political and social circumstance of the day. Since her ascension, the cornerstone of her economic policy was the way in which it â€Å"linked the aim of restoring dynamic economic growth with a crusade to revive traditional social values†. The pivot around which it centred was what came to be called â€Å"new realism†. The core theme of this ideal is rooted in drastic economic change; this change implied freeing the industry of crippling state intervention, which she believed was what was depriving capitalism of its innovativeness and vitality. For this, the most important action she had to take was to enervate the trenchant trad e unions, which she saw as the direct and severest obstacle. This was especially so in the manufacturing industry. (Rose, 1991, p. 307) Background to economic policy When the Tories took power by defeating Labour by a margin of 28 seats in the elections of 1979, Thatcher led a Cabinet that inherited an economy in a state of decline, a decline that had been set about three decades earlier, right to almost the end of the war. Thus, her utmost priority was reversing this situation;[2] her most important task was to reduce taxes and more importantly, the overbearing influence of the public sector undertakings, which had turned out to be the economy’s guzzlers, and drastically reducing Public Sector Borrowing Requirement (PSBR) Reversing such entrenched policies needed political conviction and courage. As against the inflation rate of 10.3 percent, the GDP real growth rate was 2.3 percent. The most important tool with which to reach this economic goal was an increase in taxes. When this was introduced, the first effects were results were negative, and only started looking up later. The first and third budgets her Finance Minister, Sir Geoffrey Howe presented, had enormous tax rates. A look at how high Britain’s income tax rate was compared to other industrialised nations gives some idea about the monetary policy: in 1979, Britain had a highest Personal Income Tax Rates of 83 percent, while the same figures were 61.5 percent in Australia, 61.9 in Canada, 73 in Denmark, 60 percent in France, 56 in West Germany, 72 in Italy, 88 in Japan, 72 in Netherlands, 86.5 in Sweden and 70 in the US. This shows that of these 11 countries taken for this comparison, only Japan and Sweden had a higher rate of highest income tax levels. (Canto Laffer, 1990, p. 250) Another critical area that required handling was curbing inflation, whose gravity was spelt out by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Geoffrey Howe, who made an impassioned plea stating his government’s determination to fight this malaise: It will be clear from what I have already said that the Government continue to regard the fight against inflation as the first priority. It is an illusion to suppose that we have any real choice between defeating inflation and some other course. It is quite wrong to suppose that inflation is something with which only Treasury ministers need be concerned. And in the defeat of inflation, monetary policy has an essential role to play [t]he level of spending is planned to fall steadily throughout the next four years. Without these economies, a coherent policy to reduce inflation would be unattainable. . . At the heart of the medium-term strategy is the need to return to a sensible level of public spending and to see government borrowing reduced. In the last 20 years the ratio of public expenditure to GDP has risen by a quarter. It would be all too easy for this ratio to go on rising indefinitely, unless we addressed ourselves to fundamentals†¦This review is crucial to the strategy. Crucial to success in reducing the PSBR, lowering interest rates, and bringing down inflation. And crucial if we are to find room for lightening the tax burden and so to provide scope and encouragement for enterprise and initiative. . .Expenditure in 1983-84 is planned to be about 4 per cent lower in real terms than in 1979-80. The effect will be a marked shift in the burdens imposed by the Government and in the balance between the public and private sectors. Above all we shall have set the volume of public spending on the right course. We shall be creating a climate much more favourable to economic growth. (Holmes, 1985, p. 55) [3] For sure, this method was to turn out to sow the seeds for bearing fruit in later years: the economy had a real growth rate of 3.64 percent in 1985, 3.4 percent in 1986, and 4.21 and 2.59 in the next couple of years. (Canto Laffer, 1990, p. 250) These details are spelt out in later sections of this paper. Thatcher’s policies had the effect of increasing inflation initially, before turning it around: in February 1980, inflation had touched a high of 18.4 percent, a rate that was double the rate of what it was just over half a year ago. (Holmes, 1985, p. 52) In addition, in the first year, PSBR and the money supply indicator, the M3, did not meet their targets, falling short substantially. Another factor impeded successful implementation of reducing inflation in this critical first year of her governance –rise in public expenditure caused by the government’s commitment to increase spending on health, defence, law and order and other social benefit schemes. Added to all this, the government raised public sector pay, as recommended by the Clegg Commission set up during the previous Labour government, which the Conservatives had agreed to. All these resulted initially in fall in employment, the exact opposite of what the government had pledged to achieve. (Tomlinson, 1 990, p. 333) To this, her response was that â€Å"basic economic laws (cannot) somehow be suspended because we are British. . . For government, facing our national problems entails keeping the growth of the amount of money in line with the growth in the amount of goods and services. After years of printing too much money, to which the economy has become addicted, this will take time, but it must be done† (Holmes, 1985, p. 52) During the first three years of Thatcher’ rule, tax revenues rose by 4.7 percent from 25.3 to 30 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), but its budget deficit rose by a whopping 43 percent, to over  £13 billion. (Canto Laffer, 1990, p. 245) Thatcherism[4] Thatcherism was constructed under the guidance of her mentor, Sir Keith Joseph. Its belief was rooted in the Victorian tenets of hard work, independence and self esteem. This perhaps explains why she was so aversive to parasitic public sector industries, in whose reform she believed lay the solution to the economy’s ills. (Cooper, Kornberg, Mishler, 1988, p. 261) The firm and unshakable belief she had in industry were the result of her middle class upbringing. A historian, Paul Johnson, had this to say about her beliefs: [ Margaret Thatcher] has never been able, or wished, to separate her strong religious convictions from her equally strong political ones. In her mind, they are indivisible, springing as they do from the teachings of her father, a storekeeper and local councillor in the small town of Grantham. Her fathers code was simplicity itself: there are real and absolute distinctions between good and evil. Everyone has a personal responsibility to choose the good. This applies equally to public and private life. Choosing the good means working hard to better ourselves and our families and to serve the community. Deal honestly and keep the spirit as well as the letter of the law. Borrow only when absolutely necessary and repay promptly. Save systematically for the future. Give generously. In public life, apply the same high standards as in your private dealings. Remember at all times that you are accountable not only to the voter in this life but to Almighty God in the nextand God sees into our s ecret hearts and judges our motives as well as our actions. (Geelhoed Hobbs, 1992, p. xvii) [5] She believed in the better side of capitalism, which allowed the individual the maximum scope for growth. The route to wealth creation, in the ideal of Thatcherism, was not in creating or pampering the white elephants of the public sector; rather, it was in introducing healthy competition, calculated risk taking and smart marketing, to all of which the public sector was the antithesis. The small capitalist, in her vision, was the microcosm of the bigger enterprise on which the economy was built. The public sector was becoming one of the biggest sources of public expenditure, whose power had to be cut only by emasculating the trade unions, which were hampering productivity and free enterprise. Her idea of free enterprise was one that aimed at creating financial stability that was borne out of curbing public expenses; the greatest barrier to productivity and competition in her perception, the trade unions, were to be targeted forcefully. Her monetary policy was thus aimed at unchaining the economy by introducing capitalism. The role of the government was specific and clear –pulling out of the economy while strengthening its hold and role over other areas. (Cooper, Kornberg, Mishler, 1988, pp. 261-263) Thatcherism was thus â€Å"a package of fiscal and monetary austerity with tight restraint on government spending and borrowing intended to curb inflation and reduce interest rates, thereby overcoming the electoral burden of an unemployment rate that had more than doubled during Thatchers first term.† (Alt Alt, 1988, p. 217) In the pursuit of her clearly defined objectives, Thatcher had not really differed fundamentally from Conservative ideology; the area in which she differed was in the statecraft used to achieve her political and economic aims. The basic fabric of the Tory philosophy of governance, of an increase in the state’s autonomy, did not undergo a major change. In this sense, there was a similarity between Conservative ideology unde r Winston Churchill and Harold Macmillan on the one side, and Thatcher on the other. (Bevir Rhodes, 2003, p. 110) Dealing with the unions Owing to policies by both Labour and the Tories from about 1962, successive governments, in their efforts towards controlling prices, had pampered labour unions and had involved them in major economic decisions, in an era also characterised by growing nationalisation of vital industries. As a result, their numbers had grown from 40 percent of the employees to 55 in this period; this had had the effect of making them aggressive, recalcitrant and militant in their outlook, having grown on the diet of indispensability for the government. They had reneged on most of the promises they had made of their conduct. The role of the government in the affairs of administration almost resembled a socialist state –the government had held not only owned corporations dealing with coal, steel, rail, transport, natural gas, it also had been handling most public utilities. It was a departure from these established Keynesian norms that Thatcherism was conceived and enacted. Because as a result of all these policies, by the time she came to power, the economy had been left in tatters –inflation stood at 10 percent, although this itself was far better compared to the 25 percent of 1975, unemployment had risen to six percent, national income had risen in the six years leading to 1979 at half the rate at which it had in the preceding 13 years, and public sector deficit had multiplied by 400 percent to four percent of the economy. To cap it all, strikes by one or another union were becoming almost a quotidian occurrence. In addition, the labour unions refused to cooperate with the Labour government for wage control below inflation rate. All these added to constitute the notorious â€Å"Winter of Discontent†[6] in the year in which Thatcher took office. Thus, the enormity of the situation was quite high at the time of her ascension. (Alt, 1994, p. 61) There were some important legal actions she took in relation to trade unions to curb their clout. Among her first re gulations was a legal ban on secondary picketing by the unions. In the same breath, she also curtailed the power of the unions by removing their immunity to pay fines they had been imposed by courts for violations of industrial relations laws. (Alt Alt, 1988, pp. 218-219) One more important legislation, perhaps the most radical one she promulgated, was in 1982. Called the Employment Act, it forcefully restricted the ambit of strikes to only the issue of pay and working conditions; the same legislation also tightened procedures on closed shops, and reduced unions’ other immunities, and more importantly, followed up in subsequent legislations by making strike ballots more stringent, and made it compulsory for unions to give seven days’ notice when going on strike. Perhaps the most important part of this legislation was that it deprived workers the automatic right of becoming union members. (Childs Storry, 1999, p. 540) Yet another important step she took in this direct ion was to separate their loyalty to the Labour Party. This she did by making public and mandatory the periodic secret ballots that were being held to some trade establishments such as shops, their members’ right to elect leaders to their association, and finally, their allegiance to the Labour Party. She reduced their importance by deliberately snubbing them by not consulting them over important economic policy,[7] and not seeking their opinion or cooperation over implementation of several economic measures. She also sought to wean the youth away from unions by generating some employment schemes targeted at them. (Alt Alt, 1988, pp. 218-.223) As a result of the systematic attack on the unions, the most important success she achieved, perhaps the most notable one of all her entire economic policy was the dismemberment and break up of the nation’s most powerful union, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM). When this union went on strike for a whole year protesting pi t closures, the government simply refused to buckle down; rather, the union, apart from ending its strike in April 1985, also had to face the mortification of getting split, almost rendering it impotent. Subsequently, figures of strikes and working days lost to them fell to post-war lows. (Kavanagh, 1997, p. 129) The effect of all this was that these acts debilitated the unions like no other legislation had in the past. Membership was no longer an enticing or lucrative proposition in unions sapped of their vitals; by 1994, total union membership of the workforce had fallen to nine million from 13 million in 1979. Unionism did continue, but with a vastly diluted character. Unions were no longer truculent or militant; instead, they had toned down to becoming business-oriented, strike rates fell down drastically, and were, in their watered down form, almost solely restricted to the public sector, almost totally deserted the private sector. (Childs Storry, 1999, p. 540) Curbing inflation Along with the unions, she had another task that required equal attention –high inflation, which was a major challenge to the economy. Controlling inflation was no easy task, again given the nexus that existed between managements and labour unions; in the words of Sir Walter Salomon, â€Å"both sides of industry were in unholy alliance: management thought a little bit of inflation would increase profits, while labour was persuaded that a little bit of inflation would maintain employment. It was as though a little bit of pregnancy need not lead on to bigger things!† (Holmes, 1985, p. 50) By 1980, inflation was easily among the most important problems for the nation; the government of the day had to take some very stringent, even harsh measures that would cause other problems, if only to control galloping prices. In the immediate months of assuming office, she introduced the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS). In a sense, it was a takeoff from the policy undertaken by the previous Chancellor of the Exchequer from the Labour Party, Healey as part of an agreement with the IMF. Thatcher’s aim was to stringently divert targets to narrowed down goals like money and borrowing, and an absence of clearly stated goals for prices and economic output. (Alt Alt, 1988, p. 224) Raising taxes and cutting public spending were identified as the mantras with which to tackle inflation, even if it meant administering the economy a mild shock to jolt it out of its situation, akin to using one thorn to remove another. The immediate shocks the nation was administered had immediate effects that were extremely damaging –in 1980-81, industrial production in manufacturing fell by a whopping 14 percent, GNP contracted by over three percent, and unemployment rose by close to three million. This was the steepest rise in Britain’s history since the Great Depression of half a century ago. The slump in manufacturing was so great in terms in gravity that the nation lost a quarter of its manufacturing capacity in 1979-81. Just when a really potent crisis, a seemingly insoluble one, seemed to have gripped Britain, as if out of nowhere, two events turned the tide –the sudden spurt in prices of North Sea oil and gas, over which Britain had access, by an extrem ely pleasant high of 70 percent, (Evans, 2004, p. 21) which balanced the trade account and cushioned the violent swings in the economy, and the Falklands War, which completely diverted the internal turmoil and infused a sudden spurt of nationalism into the country, (Geelhoed Hobbs, 1992, p. xii) making people look to Thatcher as a kind of messiah who had delivered. The truth was that both these were events whose timing could not have been more appropriate for the nation in a morass. Conclusion One of the major charges levelled against Thatcher[8] is that Thatcherism was built on a highly simplified, yet rather cynical view of human nature,[9] and of its subservience to authority. She was extremely stern in her dealings with everyone, and believed that she had to use force to make people accept what she believed in. She was aptly described as â€Å"a Royal Marine drill sergeant inside a classic English matron†. (Champy Nohria, 1999, p. 191) Authors such as Gilmour are unsparing in their criticism of Thatcher’s assumption that every human action is driven by selfish motives, and that unless a leviathan-like government oversaw and strictly regulated it, it would be left to its primeval, selfish interests. Also coming in for severe criticism by this author is the view that Thatcher was less than positive in her perception of how and why people conform to authority, which is she is believed to have used to coerce people into her way of thinking. In the view of th is author, if the One Nation Toryism was not to people’s liking, which they had no compelling reason to like, then, people had no reason to automatically have an interest in the state. (Bevir Rhodes, 2003, p. 110) The whole range of her achievements needs to be seen in the pathetic situation the economy was in when she was appointed Prime Minister. She had come to power inheriting a largely sluggish economy. During this time, in 1978-79, the economy had all it took to take the country towards disaster –high inflation, trade union hooliganism and social problems had eaten into British politics. All this had earned it the dubious epithet, Europe’s â€Å"sick man† at the time; this condition was dubbed the â€Å"British Disease†. So deep had Britain’s image sunk in the eyes of the world that when he was elected to his first term as the president of the US, one of the foremost advices Ronald Reagan received was to strictly avoid taking up any economic policy that resembled Britain’s. The reasons for this were partly to be laid on the previous government, and mostly on the worldwide economic recession that had hit industrialised economies very badly. In fac t, Europe and the US were going through the worst recession they had witnessed since World War II. By the time she had been elected for a record third term in 1987, the economy had seen its sixth consecutive year of good performance; most barometers of the economy –production, foreign trade balance, establishment of new businesses, investment and economic growth, had all looked up. The economy had quietly been put back on its rails, with a consistent three percent growth rate since coming out of the recession. This was by all accounts a remarkable turnaround for an economy that was teetering on the brink less than a decade ago. (Geelhoed Hobbs, 1992, pp. xii- xiv) At the end of her reign, some perceptible changes were indeed seen in the economy: the shifting of the tax burden from individuals to corporations, increase in allocation to defence compared to social welfare, and a significantly lower spending on public investment compared to consumption. One of her apparent successes, reduction in unemployment, was not a uniquely British or Thatcherite phenomenon; it was more in tune with changes wrought about by the international markets attendant on exchange rates. (Alt Alt, 1988, p. 218) As we have seen, her attempted cure of the terminally ill â€Å"British Disease†[10] that she inherited could have actually been worse than the disease, but a streak of fortuity somehow saw the economy making lost ground, when it had been pushed to the brink in the initial years of her office. It is difficult to imagine to what further level the economy would have sunk had it not been for these events. But once this impetus was given, the recovery was quick –inflation was down to single figures by the spring of 1982. From even this dismal scenario, inflation was nipped, during 1982, it had come down to half its rate in 1979, and by the beginning of 1983, it stood at 5.4 percent, its lowest level since 1970. Yet, even this was not very real. The now-oil rich country caused an appreciation in the pound, because of which it was becoming extremely difficult to export manufactured goods. Low price of imports were aggravated by huge rises in unemployment levels, because of which reduced bargaining power by employees was also reducing the rate of wage increase. Added to all these, the government’s best efforts to reduce public spending were making no dent on institutionalised heavy public spending –it continued unabated to 44.5 percent of the GDP even in 1982, and the total tax burden was put at 34 percent of the GDP in the first year of office, and 40 percent in 1982 -83. Thus, whatever successes her policies had in tackling inflation had been more due to luck than anything else. (Evans, 2004, pp. 21-30) Yet, she could not find the same luck or effectiveness when it came to containing unemployment, which continued to be the enemy she could never really defeat till the end. Despite all her policies, although it was her topmost priority, in the period between 1979 and 1988, the cream of her Prime Ministership, UK’s unemployment rate, which was five percent in 1979, the year in when she took office, rose to 6.4 percent in 1980, and was 9.8 in 1981, 11.3 percent in 1982, 12.5 percent in 1983, 11.7 percent in 1984, 11.3 in 1985, 11.5 percent in1986, and10.2 percent in 1987 before finally falling to 8.2 percent the following year. With very few occasional exceptions, no other leading country in the OECD had this rate during this period. (Tomlinson, 1990, p. 334) Again, like the North Sea oil[11] which came as a godsend to her at a most critical time, another factor, though not quite so great a paroxysm, bailed her out of the unemployment morass –the transition of the economy from manufacturing to service and knowledge. Again, this was due in part to the global changes in the mode of industry, than to anything to which she could claim any singular credit. (Geelhoed Hobbs, 1992, p. xv) Thus, in assessing the most crucial parameters of the success of her economic policies, on two major counts, she was blessed to be the right person at the right time. It cannot be denied that Thatcherism brought about some very important changes. In effect, there was a pendulous effect of her economic policies –at first, when she introduced reforms aimed at curbing inflation, they boomeranged, then showed some very perceptible signs of having worked, and then, towards the end of her reign, had brought back the economy to a healthy state. One area over which she could claim total success was in dealing firmly with trade unions. There can be no doubt that this was an unequivocal stamp of her assertiveness. However, assessing her ability to deliver in other crunch areas does not bring the same decisiveness. Seen in this prism, her overall economic policies were a success, but were a qualified one. Considering the onus she inherited, it was commendable that she was able to implement so many changes. Thus, in finally evaluating Thatcher’ economic policy, it needs to be said that they indeed were successes, but a good part of this was due to events over which she had little control. References Alt, J. E., (1994), 3. â€Å"Thatchers Ideology: Economic Cures for English Diseases†, in Margaret Thatcher: Prime Minister Indomitable, Thompson, J. S. Thompson, W. C., (Eds.), (pp. 55-72), Westview Press, Boulder, CO. Alt, J. E., Alt, J. E., (1988), 8. â€Å"New Wine in Old Bottles: Thatchers Conservative Economic Policy†, in The Resurgence of Conservatism in Anglo-American Democracies, Cooper, B., Kornberg, A., Mishler, W., (Eds.), (pp. 217-257), Duke University Press, Durham, NC. Bevir, M., Rhodes, R. A., (2003), Interpreting British Governance, Routledge, New York. Canto, V. A. Laffer, A. B. (Eds.), (1990), Monetary Policy, Taxation, and International Investment Strategy, Quorum Books, New York. Champy, J., Nohria, N., (1999), The Arc of Ambition: Defining the Leadership Journey, Perseus Publishing, Cambridge, MA. Childs, P. Storry, M., (Eds.), (1999), Encyclopedia of Contemporary British Culture, Routledge, London. Cooper, B., Kornberg, A., Mishler, W., (Eds.), (1988), Little Bee, by Chris Cleave: Analysis Little Bee, by Chris Cleave: Analysis Little Bee, by Chris Cleave, is a novel that explores both the frailty of the human condition and the endurance of the human spirit. It delves into unthinkable evil, but simultaneously celebrates its characters in their ability to transcend all that weighs them down, including their pasts, their secrets, and their flaws. The book is about the bond formed between two women and how the relationship that has arisen from the most tragic of circumstances functions to resurrect both of them. For the character of Little Bee, identity is inescapably tied to ethnicity, nationality, gender, race, and class. She is hampered by the weight of her past; yet she also rises above these distinctions in her continued hopefulness, as evidenced in her dreams and active imagination. A representative passage of the book that explores Little Bees point of view (both its unceasing optimism and stark realism) occurs in the books final chapter. Little Bee is on the beach, awaking from a dream. The dream was of her ideal life going forward: Living in a beautiful home in her native Nigeria, working as a journalist who collects stories like her own, Sarah and Charlie with her as family. Little Bee is peaceful, thinking about the noise that has awoken her and, by extension, her place in the world. After the passage are the last few pages of the novel, in which Little Bee separates from Sarah and Charlie because the armed men (presumably soldiers) are searching for her. Ultimately Little Bee, prompted by the men shooting at Charlie, sacrifices herself by revealing her identity to them. The passage is ominous. Structurally, the reader is aware by this point that they are mere pages away from the end of the story. The pages prior have seen several good developments after the turn of Little Bees deportation to Nigeria. Sarah and Charlie have returned with her and they are setting about collecting stories from other native people in order to expose the truths of the oil companies cruelty to the world. They are relaxing in the sun, on the beach near where Little Bees sister Nkiruka was killed. Little Bee is awoken from a good dream, but immediately the reader gets the sense that something bad is about to happen. This comes as a result of the first sentence of the passage, There is a moment when you wake up from dreaming in the hot sun, a moment outside time when you do not know what you are (Cleave 258). The sentence shows that Little Bee is questioning her identity at just the moment when she should be most sure of it. Because Little Bee has been seeking a home, a fami ly, and belonging, and has seemingly found it, the reader realizes that it is still uncertain. It is significant to point out that the reader knows that the thesis of the book is that it is a sad story. We are told early on, Sad words are just another beauty. A sad story means, this storyteller is alive (Cleave 9). Thus we know that the story can not have a happy ending, but nor is the ending ultimately tragic. It is clear that Little Bee has survived merely in the telling of the story, but also that something bad will happen to her in the end. So the passage on the beach is situated at the exact moment between Little Bee at her happiest and the awful events that will make this a sad story. The book as alternates between the points of view of Sarah and Little Bee, though this section is told in Little Bees voice. It is critical that the final chapter be her perspective, given that the so much of the book deals with the lack of western knowledge of people like Little Bee, the silence regarding their stories, and the healing power of storytelling. The most significant element of voice in this passage is the tonal shift between its two paragraphs. In the first paragraph, Little Bee is coming out of her dream and the narration is reminiscent of that half-awake state. The second paragraph is Little Bee, eyes open, in the fog of remembering who and where she is, when she says, a white woman was sitting next to me on the beach in the thing called shade (Cleave 259). This paragraph also hints at the return of Little Bees Africanness in its wording. The implication is that shade, a relatively simple word with her advanced level of English, is again foreign to her. Then she says, regarding Sarah, I searched for the name of her expression in your language frightened, again struggling for easy language. Given that in the previous paragraph she has discussed transformation at length, it is as if the reader is seeing Little Bee regress to the self she was before England and Sarahs influence. Another important element of voice is the use of the second person point of view in the first paragraph. This technique is also used throughout the book, as filtered through Little Bee. The second person is an affecting way of getting the reader to empathize with its speaker. While Little Bees circumstances may be hard for many readers (particularly the audience that might have access and motivation to read the novel) to understand, the second person forces the reader to imagine herself in her stead. The use of second person as a tool ties in with one of the central themes of the book: what it takes for one person to understand the plight of another. This theme is evident at many points: Sarah and Andrew choose to vacation in Nigeria despite its war; Andrew refuses to cut off his finger though it may mean the girls will die; Sarah dismisses Andrews depression. Thus when Little Bee realizes you are a creature with skin she is realizing it not only for herself, but for all the readers (Cleave 259). Being human, they are subject to all the same agonies and ecstasies that she is and are similarly mortal. The passage explores the idea of identity, specifically who one is in relationship to the world and how one knows she is human. The idea is reinforced through the use of several extended metaphors. Repetition of these metaphors gives them heft. The first is you must be money (Cleave 258). This alludes to the previous section, in which she says that the noise that woke her up is the sound of the surf pounding on the beachCrash, like the drawer of a cash register springing open and all the coins inside it smashing against the edge of their compartments (Cleave 258). That the you character is money is ironic, given that prior the reader is told you feel absolutely free (Cleave 258). Money in the book represents evil. It is the main motivation for the oil companies that have corrupted Nigeria and divided its people. Additionally, Sarahs finger is taken as a kind of payment for Little Bees life and as such, she is resentful of her own commodification. Next Little Bee compares herself to environmental elements of the beach itself. The beach represents the very best and worst parts of Little Bees life: It is where her sister was murdered, but also where she met Sarah and Andrew. In the moment of the passage, it is where she is relaxing and dreaming of a better life, but also where she is about to be recaptured. Cleave writes that Little Bee is that hot breeze, (258) but even as breeze she is burdened, as he describes the heaviness you feel in your limbs is the weight of the salt in the wind and the sweet sleepiness that bewitches you is simply the weariness that comes from the day-and-night pushing of waves across the ocean (259). It is as ironic as the monetary comparison: Just as we consider money to be the opposite of free, so is breeze the opposite of heavy. The passage tells us that identity is mutable, at least in ones own imagination. Just as Little Bee has made herself English, she can be African again. She can imagine herself as free as the breeze or as inconsequential as a grain of sand. In the mind, it is as if you could transform yourself into anything at all (Cleave 258). After she is the breeze, she is the sand that the breeze blows up the beach, just one grain of sand among the billions of blown grains (Cleave 259). Again she is a natural element of the beach, but this time one that is inconsequential and one that can simply to go back to sleep, as the sand does, until the wind thinks to awaken it again (Cleave 259). With this comparison, Cleave is exploring Little Bees as an entity that is not burdened (as the wind is) by responsibility, but instead is burdened by others acting upon her. This parallels with Little Bees tragedy, as she had no agency over her own fate or that of her village, or any ability to protect her sister . Next Little Bee realizes her own corporeal presence and its inherent mortality. She says, this skin is your own and a billion fishes have slipped away like this, flapping on the blinding white sand, and what difference will one more make? (Cleave 259). Just as she has realized her inability to control her own destiny, she is realizing her insignificance. This is all the more noteworthy as next she realizes, I am a girl, then, an African girl (Cleave 259). She is subject to the oppression that her gender and her nationality carry with them. As a girl, she has less power than a man, and men in this novel are agents of destruction. The reader is told this earlier in the story when Little Bee says, The men came and theyThat was how all of our stories started (Cleave 79). Her Africanness, as well, leaves her open to danger, as Sarah can return to England and be guaranteed safety but she can not. This realization does not leave Little Bee so much depressed as resigned. She will stay hersel f, as the shape-changing magic of dreams whispers back into the roar of the ocean (Cleave 259). It is a foreshadowing of her final decision. She does not choose to flee or fight, but instead to surrender herself for the sake of Charlie, because he is young and will continue the dream for her. The reader takes from Little Bee the idea that identity is fluid and ones own self-perception can be a tool of transcendence. Little Bees circumstances require that she reinvents herself from village girl, to refugee, to member of an upper-class British family. Because of her brain, her language, and her imagination, she cannot be marginalized, even though she must succumb to evil. To the reader, Little Bee will remain as free as the wind and as peaceful as the undisturbed sand, because she has offered her voice and her story as testimony.

Schone Madonna :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Schone Madonna is a German term meaning â€Å"Beautiful Madonna†. This image possibly originated as a response to new ways to practice religion, and in particular, worship of the Virgin in a more personal manner. Three examples of this representation include the Roudnice Madonna, the Madonna of Krumau, and the Jihlava Pieta.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Roudnice Madonna, a 35 1/2† x 26 1/4† panel constructed in approximately 1400, effectively shows the focus on amore soft and attractive Mary than seen in previous depictions. Using chiaroscuro, the artist modeled a beautiful face for the Virgin. The Christ child is more at ease than ever, relaxing comfortably with his mother. The drapery of the Virgin’s gown, similarly seen on the statues of this type, are full and rhythmic, extending to the wrist. This image of Mary is considered to be the finest image developed by the Bohemian sculptors, likely created for South Bohemian courts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This new Madonna developed roots from the intense level of worship for the Virgin Mary at this time in history in Europe. There was a new desire to show this idol as a beautiful princess, not as a humble servant or out-of-reach queen. The Schone Madonna became the Bohemian feminine ideal.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The three basic prototypes for the â€Å"Beautiful Madonna†, Krumau, Thorn, and Breslau, are all very similar, with graceful postures, made of the same material, approximately the same height, and around the same time period. Of these, the Madonna of Krumau is considered the best and most famous. A stone sculpture, 4’3†, dating to approximately 1390-1400, it was created by a Bohemian artist who focused on Schone Madonna figures. This piece â€Å"embodies the beau ideal as the chaste princess of the Late Gothic age.† (p.31 textbook) Mary has a poised head on a long neck emerging from narrow shoulders, with a charming face and high forehead. Her long fingers gently, but firmly grasp her young son, while he makes eye contact with the viewer. The Madonna’s drapery is poetic in abstraction, a Schone Madonna style characteristic. The gentle â€Å"S† curve of her body allows for elegant cascades of draped cloth. (p. 31 textbook)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Jihlava Pieta was sculpted of stone by a Bohemian artist around 1400-1410. This composition is formed by a seated Madonna, and the diagonal is marked by a rigid Christ. (p. 32 textbook) Mary almost looks happy to see her once suffering son dead, and this is somewhat disturbing. Schone Madonna :: essays research papers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Schone Madonna is a German term meaning â€Å"Beautiful Madonna†. This image possibly originated as a response to new ways to practice religion, and in particular, worship of the Virgin in a more personal manner. Three examples of this representation include the Roudnice Madonna, the Madonna of Krumau, and the Jihlava Pieta.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Roudnice Madonna, a 35 1/2† x 26 1/4† panel constructed in approximately 1400, effectively shows the focus on amore soft and attractive Mary than seen in previous depictions. Using chiaroscuro, the artist modeled a beautiful face for the Virgin. The Christ child is more at ease than ever, relaxing comfortably with his mother. The drapery of the Virgin’s gown, similarly seen on the statues of this type, are full and rhythmic, extending to the wrist. This image of Mary is considered to be the finest image developed by the Bohemian sculptors, likely created for South Bohemian courts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This new Madonna developed roots from the intense level of worship for the Virgin Mary at this time in history in Europe. There was a new desire to show this idol as a beautiful princess, not as a humble servant or out-of-reach queen. The Schone Madonna became the Bohemian feminine ideal.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The three basic prototypes for the â€Å"Beautiful Madonna†, Krumau, Thorn, and Breslau, are all very similar, with graceful postures, made of the same material, approximately the same height, and around the same time period. Of these, the Madonna of Krumau is considered the best and most famous. A stone sculpture, 4’3†, dating to approximately 1390-1400, it was created by a Bohemian artist who focused on Schone Madonna figures. This piece â€Å"embodies the beau ideal as the chaste princess of the Late Gothic age.† (p.31 textbook) Mary has a poised head on a long neck emerging from narrow shoulders, with a charming face and high forehead. Her long fingers gently, but firmly grasp her young son, while he makes eye contact with the viewer. The Madonna’s drapery is poetic in abstraction, a Schone Madonna style characteristic. The gentle â€Å"S† curve of her body allows for elegant cascades of draped cloth. (p. 31 textbook)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Jihlava Pieta was sculpted of stone by a Bohemian artist around 1400-1410. This composition is formed by a seated Madonna, and the diagonal is marked by a rigid Christ. (p. 32 textbook) Mary almost looks happy to see her once suffering son dead, and this is somewhat disturbing.

Home School vs Public School Essay

Although both can provide a good quality education to their students, there are many differences between home school and public school. Home school, (No comma needed) students do not have to answer to anyone, public school other are () teaching their children. This has been the biggest debate with parents, whether they want the socialization that comes from public school or the protection that comes from home school. (What about the individualized attention?) â€Å"In a recent study done by the U.S Department of Education, 85 percent of homeschooled students were being done so, in part, because of their parents’ concern about the environment of public school.† (Move the period after the citation, so the citation becomes part of the sentence.) (Public school vs, 2008) (When you have a direct quote, you need to provide the page number where the quote appeared, as well as the last name of the author if it is known, or the source title if the author’s name is not kno wn. If it is an electronic source without a page number, provide the paragraph number by counting paragraphs from the top of the page.) With so many options, many parents have chosen to home school their students either for safety or to have more control. With home school, there are the same options as public school, meaning for academics. Home school seems like the best option when it comes to (concerning) their children, yet we (We is first-person plural. The preferred perspective is third-person – he, she, one, they, etc.) need to look at every detail. With home school there is a problem sometimes with the fact that (because) it does not offer materials for chemistry. With both home school and public school(,) they have the basics of subjects, for example science, history, math, and English. Now with home school there is a choice on how much a person can learn. Meaning that a child can take their (child is singular, â€Å"their† is plural. Use his or her.) time with their education, or they can work ahead. There is even a new study that suggests that home school students are more advanced than public school students. (Citation for this source.) With options for a student to take their time with their education, this can help students with learning disabilities to be able to complete  their school work without worry of falling behind With any school, safety is always the first priority to all parents. With all the school shootings that have been reported, there needs to be some sort of comfort for parents to want to keep their kids (Technically, kids are baby goats. Children is a better word.) in public school. There have been new laws to control how people buy guns, with background checks; this law is called the Brady Law, yet there are those who can buy from private sellers; the threat is still out there. The schools now have started to do their own back ground checks, and making only one entrance into the buildings. They have even put in metal detectors that the children and visitors have to walk through. There are still other worries about safety, like bullying, and how bad that has gotten. This has made kids afraid to go to school; they have to try to fit in, with how they look and how they dress. With all that, it seems like parents would make the decision very easy to home school, yet there is the other question of socialization. Almost all children need some form of socialization with kids their own age, yet with home schooling they are only with their parents, or only communicating with their online teachers. Then there are single parents who do not have a choice but public school. Both online offer some sort of extra curriculum activities. There are different languages, like French, Spanish, German, and a lot more. Having the option to learn other languages leaves so much open, like traveling to foreign countries and getting a good job later down the line. There is also a saying (A saying is like a witty quote. I think â€Å"belief† is a better word in this context.) that learning other languages can help with a child’s reading skills. They can also learn music. They can learn how to read music and play music, for example a musical instrument, which they can later turn in to (into) a career. Art is another thing they can learn, which can help with hand-eye coordination. With most children it is hard for them to use their hands and heads at the same time. When one thinks of home school, there is never a thought that there still should be arts and crafts to help with handwriting, yet public schools usually still have art as something to help a student along the way. (Are you suggesting that home-schooled children do not do art? Let me suggest that general statements are taboo. My sister is an artist, and she home-schooled her children, both of whom entered college at the age of 16, and both are gifted artists because of the  training they received from their mother.) Healthy nutrition is important to everyone. Almost everyone wants to be able to eat right, and make sure that we (We is first-person plural. The preferred perspective is third-person – he, she, one, they, etc.) put the right nutrients in our bodies. When parents home school their children(,) they get to choose what they eat and how healthy it should be. With public school(s) they try to offer healthy choices, yet some school, (Remove the comma and add an s to scho ol.) have vending machines that do not offer a lot of healthy choices or their children do not pick the healthy snacks that they find. Most vending machines have soda, chips and even energy drinks, which have shown damaged to (can hurt) children if they drink too much of it. With public schools(,) they feed the children on their own schedules, which for some kids can be a problem(;) when at home they eat at different times. When it comes to having healthy children, most parents say that doing home school is best for preventing illness. With home school, parents can control the atmosphere their children live in, meaning how clean they can keep their home so their children do not get sick as often. They also control who can come over, if the visitor is sick they will tell them to come a different day when they are better. When it comes to public school, there is not much you can do. With public school, children have a higher chance of getting sick, yet their immune systems are usually a lot better that a home school child. When it comes to being healthy, physical activity always comes in to (into) play. Most children need to stay active, and with video games and television, there is so much distraction for kids that physical activity is something that they do not do. Now this is where a lot of parents like public school. With public school they have physical education as classes where they have to meet ce rtain standards to make sure the students are able to stay fit. There is also recess where the kids can go out and play with their friends, which in turn is another form of physical activity. With home school they usually do not make sure that they have physical education. (Do you have documentation to support that accusation? Remember, critical thinkers take nothing at face value.) They do let them play, but it is usually not enough for the child to make a difference. There are some sports that a parent can put their children in, yet the cost is so much more than it would in public school. Now with public school they do have sports for  kids, and if you meet a certain financial situation they can offer sports at a discounted rate. With the decline of physical activity there has been a rise of childhood diabetes, and children gaining too much weight. When a parent decides to do home school they need to make sure there is still some sort of physical activity. With every public school there is the problem of politics. It seems everywhere a parent looks there is politics. When it comes to their children, this is something that most parents thought should stay out of our schools. Most children that go to public schools are also low income and due to that the government thinks it needs to intervene. â€Å"As if families aren’t facing enough difficulties, right now, the State of Tennessee is currently considering two bills that will reduce welfare assistance for needy families whose children are not doing well in school, according to an article on ThinkProgress.† (Bills in Tennessee, 2013) With the government looking in to what we are doing, it makes parents want to home school seem a better choice. (Here is the problem with that logic. When kids are at school, they eat at least one and sometimes two meals while there. Home school children eat all their meals at home, so I doubt that people who need food stamps will choose home schooling, because then they are on the hook for all the chi ldren’s nutritional needs.) With having public school as an option for any one education needs, it seems like there are both good and bad things that need to be addresses, yet when it comes to their children, there should always be some investigation into what is best. With home school they also have good and bad, yet the decision any parent makes, needs to be based on what is best for your family. The choice of socialization of public school sounds great, yet does the freedom of the control of teaching their own children also sounds goods as well.

Thesis Statment

Thesis Statement: Definition: the thesis statement is the most important sentence in your essay. It is the main idea for the whole essay; it is frequently shows (directly, indirectly) the number and the content of the body paragraphs of the essay. Clear thesis statement are essential for good writing. Parts of a thesis statement: A thesis statement has two main parts: the topic and the controlling and additional one not necessary predictor. A- Topic: the subject of the essay, what the essay is about. Ex: Frank McCourt faced two obstacles.B- Controlling: what you are going to say about the topic. Ex. Frank McCourt faced two obstacles. C- Predictor: it is a third component in a thesis statement. It tells the reader how many body paragraphs there will be in the essay and what their content will be. Ex. Frank McCourt faced two obstacles lack of education and poverty. Activity 1: predict the content of the body paragraphs of the following statements circle the topic, underline the control ling: 1- As we human beings shape our environment by building and producing, we are increasingly polluting our air, water and our soil. – The main advantages of urban planning are that we can control a city's appearance, we can organize transportation effectively, and we can make sure there are enough open spaces. 3- With its winding paths, lake, and small forests, Central Park in New York City is the most important example of the romantic style of landscape architecture in the United States. Rules for Thesis Statement: 1- Thesis statement must be a complete sentence with a subject and a verb. City living hazardous to your health. (not a thesis) City living is hazardous to your health. – Thesis statement must be a statement not a question. Are dogs good companions? Dogs are good companions. 3- Thesis statement is an opinion it can't be a simple statement of fact (doesn’t need any support) I have an older brother and a younger brother. I have much in common with my younger brother than I do with my older brother. 4- Thesis statement is a statement not announcement and must state the controlling idea. This essay I'm going to talk about air pollution. Recent methods of reducing air pollution are showing some positive results 5- Thesis statement should have only one controlling idea.Public transportation in my hometown is too expensive, and it is slower than that in Tokyo. Public transportation in my hometown is too expensive. Activity: 2 state if the following sentences is a good thesis statement or not and state the rule it violates. 1- Japanese car are better than American cars. 2- A Mitsubishi is a Japanese car. 3- I'm going to show you why seat belts are necessary. 4- Are seat belts necessary? 5- Wearing a seat belt can save your life. 6- Students who work while they are studying meet a lot of people, and their professors also work hard. 7- Work-study programs an analysis. – In this essay, I will compare working on campus and worki ng off campus. Activity 3: choose 4 topics to write 4 thesis statements. 2 must have a predictor: 1- __________________________________________________________________________ 2- __________________________________________________________________________ 3- __________________________________________________________________________ 4- __________________________________________________________________________ ———————– Wild animalsendangered speciestransportationocean/ water Climate changeworld's food productioneducationforest/ vegetation

About Glenn Murcutt, an Australian Way of Architecture

About Glenn Murcutt, an Australian Way of Architecture Glenn Murcutt (born July 25, 1936) is arguably Australias most famous architect, although he was born in England. He has influenced generations of working architects and has won every major architecture award of the profession, including the 2002 Pritzker. Yet he remains obscure to many of his Australian countrymen, even as he is revered by architects worldwide. Murcutt is said to work alone, yet he opens his farm to professionals and students of architecture every year, giving master classes and promoting his vision:  Architects thinking locally acting globally. Murcutt was born in London, England, but grew up in the Morobe district of Papua New Guinea and in Sydney, Australia, where he learned to value simple, primitive architecture. From his father, Murcutt learned the philosophies of Henry David Thoreau, who believed that we should live simply and in harmony with natures laws. Murcutts father, a self-sufficient man of many talents, also introduced him to the streamlined modernist architecture of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Murcutts early work strongly reflects Mies van der Rohes ideals. One of Murcutts favorite quotations is a phrase he often heard his father say. The words, he believes, are from Thoreau: â€Å"Since most of us spend our lives doing ordinary tasks, the most important thing is to carry them out extraordinarily well.† Murcutt is also fond of quoting the Aboriginal proverb  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Touch the earth lightly.† From 1956 to 1961, Murcutt studied architecture at the University of New South Wales. After graduation, Murcutt traveled widely in 1962 and was impressed by the works of Jà ¸rn Utzon. On a later trip in 1973, he remembers the modernist 1932 Maison de Verre in Paris, France, as being influential. He was inspired by the Californian architecture of Richard Neutra and Craig Ellwood, and the crisp, uncomplicated work of Scandinavian architect Alvar Aalto. However, Murcutts designs quickly took on a distinctively Australian flavor. The Pritzker Prize-winning architect Glenn Murcutt is not a builder of skyscrapers. He doesnt design grand, showy structures or use flashy, luxurious materials. Instead, the principled designer pours his creativity into smaller projects that let him work alone and design economical buildings that will conserve energy and blend with the environment. All of his buildings (mostly rural houses) are in Australia. Murcutt chooses materials that can be produced easily and economically: glass, stone, brick, concrete, and corrugated metal. He pays close attention to the movement of the sun, moon, and seasons, and designs his buildings to harmonize with the movement of light and wind. Many of Murcutts buildings are not air-conditioned. Resembling open verandas, Murchutts houses suggest the simplicity of Farnsworth House of Mies van der Rohe, yet have the pragmatism of a sheepherders hut. Murcutt takes on few new projects but is intensely devoted to what he does, often spending many years working with his clients. At times he collaborates with his partner, architect Wendy Lewin. Glenn Murcutt is a master teacher;  Oz.e.tecture is the offical website of the Architecture Foundation Australia and the Glenn Murcutt Master Classes. Murcutt is proud to be the father of the Australian architect Nick Murcutt (1964–2011), whose own firm with partner Rachel Neeson flourishes as Neeson Murcutt Architects.   Murcutts Important Buildings The Marie Short House (1975) is one of Murcutts first homes to combine modern Miesian aesthetics with Australian wool shed practicality. With skylights that track the overhead sun and a galvanized corrugated steel roof, this elongated farmhouse on stilts takes advantage of the environment without harming it. The National Park Visitors Centre at Kempsey (1982) and the Berowra Waters Inn (1983) are two of Murcutts early nonresidential projects, but he worked on these while honing his residential designs. The Ball-Eastaway House (1983) was built as a retreat for the artists Sydney Ball and Lynne Eastaway. Nestled in an arid forest, the main structure of the building is supported on steel columns and steel I-beams.  By raising the house above the earth, Murcutt protected the dry soil and surrounding trees. The curved roof prevents dry leaves from settling on top.  An exterior fire extinguishing system provides emergency protection from forest blazes. Architect Murcutt thoughtfully placed the windows and meditation decks to create a sense of seclusion while still providing scenic views of the Australian landscape.   The Magney House (1984) is often called Glenn Murcutts most famous house as it integrates Murcutts elements of function and design. Also known as Bingie Farm, the architectural masterpiece is now part of the Airbnb program. The Marika-Alderton House (1994) was built for the Aboriginal artist Marmburra Wananumba Banduk Marika and her English husband, Mark Alderton. The house was prefabricated near Sydney and shipped to its location in the unforgiving Northern Territory of Australia. While being built, Murcutt was also working on the Bowali Visitors Centre at Kakadu National Park (1994), also in the Northern Territory, and the Simpson-Lee House (1994) located near Sydney. Glenn Murcutts more recent homes from the 21st century are often bought and sold, somewhat like investments or collectors items. The Walsh House (2005) and the Donaldson House (2016) fall into this category, not that Murcutts care in design is ever diminished. The Australian Islamic Centre (2016) near Melbourne may be the last worldly statement of an 80-year-old architect. Knowing little about mosque architecture, Murcutt studied, sketched, and planned for years before the modern design was approved and built. The traditional minaret is gone, yet the orientation toward Mecca remains. Colorful rooftop lanterns bathe interiors with colored sunlight, yet men and women have different access to those interiors. Like all of Glenn Murcutts work, this Australian mosque is not the first, but it is architecture that- through a thoughtful, iterative process of design- may be the best. I have always believed in the act of discovery rather than creativity, Murcutt said in his 2002 Pritzker acceptance speech. Any work that exists, or which has the potential to exist, is related to discovery. We do not create the work. I believe we, in fact, are discoverers. Murcutts Pritzker Architecture Prize Upon learning of his Pritzker award, Murcutt told reporters, Life is not about maximizing everything, its about giving something back- like light, space, form, serenity, joy. You have to give something back. Why did he become a Pritzker Laureate in 2002? In the words of the Pritzker jury: In an age obsessed with celebrity, the glitz of our starchitects, backed by large staffs and copious public relations support, dominates the headlines. As a total contrast,  our laureate works in a one-person office on the other side of the world...yet has a waiting list of clients, so intent is he to give each project his personal best. He is an innovative architectural technician who is capable of turning his sensitivity to the environment and to locality into forthright, totally honest, non-showy works of art. Bravo! - J. Carter Brown, Pritzker Prize jury chairman Fast Facts: The Glenn Murcutt Library Touch This Earth Lightly: Glenn Murcutt in His Own Words.  In an interview with Philp Drew, Glenn Murcutt talks about his life and describes how he developed the philosophies that shape his architecture. This thin paperback is not a lavish coffee table-book, but provides excellent insight into the thinking behind the designs. Glenn Murcutt: A Singular Architectural Practice.  Murcutts design philosophy presented in his own words is combined with commentary from architecture editors Haig Beck and Jackie Cooper. Through concept sketches, working drawings, photographs, and finished drawings, Murcutts ideas are explored in depth. Glenn Murcutt: Thinking Drawing / Working Drawing by Glenn Murcutt.  The architects solitary process is described by the solitary architect himself. Glenn Murcutt: University of Washington Master Studios and Lectures.  Murcutt has consistently conducted master classes at his farm in Australia, but hes also been forging a relationship with Seattle. This slim book by the University of Washington Press provided edited transcripts of conversations, lectures, and studios. The Architecture of Glenn Murcutt.  In a format large enough to display 13 of Murcutts most successful projects, this is the go-to book of photos, sketches, and descriptions that will introduce any neophyte to what the unwavering Glenn Murcutt is all about. Sources Glenn Murcutt 2002 Pritzker Laureate Acceptance Speech, The Hyatt Foundation, PDF at pritzkerprize.com/sites/default/files/file_fields/field_files_inline/2002_Acceptance_Speech_0.pdfAustralian Architect Becomes the 2002 Laureate of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, The Hyatt Foundation, https://www.pritzkerprize.com/laureates/2002

Chile Earthquake Of 1960 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Chile Earthquake Of 1960 - Research Paper Example The resulting tsunami affected Southern Chile, Japan, Hawaii, southeast Australia, the Philippines, the Aleutian Islands and eastern New Zealand (U.S. Geological Survey 4). The earthquake struck at 7.11 PM around 160 kilometers off the Chile’s coast and paralleled to Valdivia city. It agrees that, the shock had up to 9.5 magnitudes, though some researchers say that it may have been 9.6 or 9.4. The previous day, a series of foreshocks warned for incipient disaster. The major demolition in Concepcion was; as a result of magnitude 7.9. The source of fault-displacement of the earthquake covered over approximately 560-520miles (900-1,000km) area of Nazca Plate subducted underneath South American Plate. The epicenter was around 570 kilometers near Lumaco, south of Santiago, making Valdivia the most affected city. The immensity of the shifts of the seafloor that influenced the tsunamis big. Such that, nearly 15 hours later, the waves that arrived in the islands of Hawaiian, that is 6,200miles away, crested about 35feet at landfall in particular places (Thompson, 34). Most of the Chilean cities, including Puerto Montt, a noticeable subsidence happened. In Valdivia, almost half of the buildings were declared uninhabitable due to great damage they sustained. Even though the havoc caused by the shaking was not minor, most casualties resulted from 15 minutes later descent that rose up to 25 meters (80 feet) high on the Chilean coastline expanse. Puerto Aisen and Lebu cities bound it. The cities are also parallel to the subducting plate. The number of casualties and monetary losses that rose from the widespread disaster is not accurate.

The story about my friend Ali Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The story about my friend Ali - Essay Example Soon though, my family, including myself, relocated to the United States of America, and at that time, I was apprehensive of the relationship that shared with Ali. Until the time that we were together, things were good for us however, we had never given any thought to what life would be like without the other person around. We did not realise that we had grown so close to each other that it was impossible to spend some time apart. As Ali and I both entered our teens, we used to spend nights talking to each other on the phone, and our parents and friends knew that there was something special between us. I, however, remained naive to that fact and would take all my problems to Ali. He would answer patiently, â€Å"Look inside yourself, you’ll find the answer soon.† So when it was time to move, I asked him, â€Å"What will happen to us?† and I recall that he said the same thing, in the calmest manner possible. Fortunately, Ali and I did not have to grow apart becaus e he soon followed me to America, but to fulfil his dreams of becoming a medical surgeon. I was overjoyed that Ali would once again be by my side, but despite the closeness being reinstated, I always felt that Ali thought of me as his little sister. That was what I told myself when he was always nice to me. This was probably because I felt this way about all my other male friends too and did not know how to think differently of him even though I always knew that he and I shared something completely out of the ordinary with each other.... Till the time that we were together, things were good for us however, we had never given any thought to what life would be like without the other person around. We did not realise that we had grown so close to each other that it was impossible to spend some time apart. As Ali and I both entered our teens, we used to spend nights talking to each other on the phone, and our parents and friends knew that there was something special between us. I however, remained naive to that fact and would take all my problems to Ali. He would answer patiently, â€Å"Look inside yourself, you’ll find the answer soon.† So when it was time to move, I asked him, â€Å"What will happen to us?† and I recall that he said the same thing, in the calmest manner possible. Fortunately, Ali and I did not have to grow apart because he soon followed me to America, but to fulfil his dreams of becoming a medical surgeon. I was overjoyed that Ali would once again be by my side, but despite the clo seness being reinstated, I always felt that Ali thought of me as his little sister. That was what I told myself when he was always nice to me. This was probably because I felt this way about all my other male friends too and did not know how to think differently of him even though I always knew that he and I shared something completely out of the ordinary with each other. I never bothered to segregate the relationship that I shared with Ali into something different than what I had for everyone else around me. Soon, the time came for Ali to express himself to my friends by telling them the inevitable – the fact that he had feelings for me. My friends, Natasha and Rustam, however always knew this to be true because they knew about our history together and how he was