Personal Narrative My Personal Story - 1932 Words

It was 3 am in the morning. I woke up to a chilling phone call. I grabbed my phone and it was from Veronica. I was so confused, so I answered it. â€Å"Hello... â€Å" I said as I heard screaming and crying coming out of her voice. â€Å"Mike, I need you to come to my house, something happen to Jessica.† I snatched my things and ran to my car. It was pouring rain. I put my keys in the ignition as fast as I possibly could, and hit the gas pedal with all the force in my body. Jessica is my 17 year old daughter, she is a senior in high school and captain of the cheer team. She is my life. Veronica is my ex wife of 22 years. We had a chaotic divorce last year. Veronica and I went to marriage counseling but we just were not feeling it anymore. It was a†¦show more content†¦The drunk driver also had died and I did not know how to feel. I could not wrap my brain around it. The police told me that she experienced little to no as her body flew out the car. Veronica was uncontrollably crying and I was just speechless. Both of our jaws were just dropped. They could literally touch the ground. The officer told Veronica that Jessica is in the hospital and she on life support. I wanted to go see my daughter for the last time, so V and I got in the ambulance car that was still outside the house and drove to the hospital. As I arrived to the hospital my mind was spinning. The lady at the front desk walked us to Jessica s room. I saw her and my stomach dropped to the floor. I lost it. I lost her. She was laying on the white, raggy scary looking hospital bed. The only girl in my life. My beautiful young, caring and perfect daughter was ripped away from me by an idiotic 45 year old drunk driver. Just awful. I felt like the world stopped spinning and time was just ticking away. I felt like there was nothing left in this world for me to do. I looked over at Veronica and she was wrapped in a ball sitting alone in the corner of the room. I walked over to her and we both just sat there and cried. There was nothing to do but sit and sob. It is now 11AM and Veronica and I were standing by Jessica s bed as they unplug her from her breathing tube and unhook her from the machines. I was holdingShow MoreRelatedPersonal Narrative : My Story1141 Words   |  5 Pagestrouble, or when my mother simply wanted to avoid me. This was mostly twelve consecutive hours a day. It was dreadful in there. I was never brought water or food. If I did, mum would make me beg for it. The closet had an eerie feeling to it, I never felt safe, and it was very cold. I heard a voice in that closet when I was there. She never got mad at me unless I was bad, I didn’t often do much, just the typical child play. I still hear her, seven years later, whispering, calling my name, telling meRead MorePersonal Narrative Story Of My School1000 Words   |  4 PagesMy supposed friends ascended from the depths of hell, managing to reside in my school out of all the possible choices in this treacherous city. I went to this seventh circle of hell every day and stared at the lifeless bars of the prison. Grand, pitch black, iron gates stared back at me. They enclosed the so-called campus. I walked past the gates into the open courtyard that had this one water fountain looming in the middle of all the depressing, lifeless landscape. I always walked to my most dreadedRead MorePersonal Narrative : My Love Story1034 Words   |  5 PagesMy love story is full of sweet, bitter, sour, and salty feeling, but, in my mind, memories of the day that my husband left me alone in Viet Nam still engraved in my mind. The fear of losing someone I have treasured created a storm in my chest. Struggling with many obstacles, misunderstanding in communication, a storm in my husband’s chest appeared too. Or to go back: My husband immigrated to the United States with his family 7 years ago. It was the hard time for him when he faced many obstaclesRead MorePersonal Narrative : My Life Story1043 Words   |  5 PagesMy love story is full of feelings of sweetness, bitterness, sourness, and saltiness, but, in my mind, memories of the day that my husband left me alone in Viet Nam still engraved in my mind. The fear of losing someone I have treasured created a storm in my chest. Struggling with many obstacles, choosing in many options, preparing for a new future lead my life to my situation at this time. I also made a storm in my husband’s chest too. Or to go back: My husband immigrated to the United States withRead MorePersonal Narrative Story In My School1096 Words   |  5 Pageshow’s seventh grade?† I exploded into my friend’s conversation. I don’t know why, but boy, was I in the spirit today. â€Å"Pretty good, but I miss last year. We’re so separated this year, I really miss the fun we had together. Toronto was the best!† my friend recalled. â€Å"Yeah, not only that, but every day brought new adventures and excitement. When we left the classroom for the last time, my heart skipped a beat. I was surprised that the year went that fast,† my other friend added. â€Å"I’m thankfulRead MorePersonal Narrative Story : My Nephew1173 Words   |  5 Pages My Nephew. M Robbins I remember waking up to a commotion in the living room around 3 am. My parents were talking excitedly, and overly loud for that early in the morning. I was confused as to why they were awake, considering it was a work night for my mother, and she usually took advantage of getting as much sleep as possible. Quietly I arose from my bed, and made my way over towards my bedroom door, andRead MorePersonal Narrative Story In My Life968 Words   |  4 Pagesan incredibly normal summer day. The sunlight on my skin was a euphoric distraction from the everyday stress of my life, the sound of the waves coming off Norway Lake a rhythm that nearly had me sleeping. The sand stinging my back and legs was a cruel reminder that the nirvana I was experiencing only came from forgetting what was really going on around me. My best friend Justin was going to be showing up soon. I had to work later that night, and my mother had a court date early in the morning theRead MorePersonal Narrative : The Story Of My Life935 Words   |  4 PagesI woke up on a cold, torn up mattress. I try to stand up, struggling since I was tied to the wall behind me. My head was throbbing and my wrists and ankles burned from the rope. That s when I heard you walking down the stairs. My heart was pounding out of my chest. You th en slowly unlocked the cage. For the first time I couldn’t save myself. You leaned over me, you stunk of stale cigarettes and booze. I knew I could survive the things you would do to me, I just didn’t know if I could ever get outRead MorePersonal Narrative : My Faith Story1152 Words   |  5 PagesMy â€Å"faith story† begin in the year 1999, when I became involved in automobile accident that nearly left me paralyzed. I was transport by ambulance to the emergency room. I had lost the mobility in both of my legs at the time. However, after praying to God. When I arrived at the hospital and regain conscience; I had feeling back in the left leg, but not the right. The doctor came in and begin to do tests, still no reaction out of the right leg. The doctor left the room and I begin to pray to God onceRead MorePersonal Narrative : My Immigrant Story1148 Words   |  5 PagesMy Immigrant Story Welcome. A single word on the carpet by the door greets me whenever I come home. There had been times where that one word made my heart beat and cry with joy. But not now, for many things changed through the years. Now when I look at this carpet, I instead question back: ‘Do you really mean that?’ A little more than three years ago, I was in Korea. I was a normal middle schooler, and a daughter of a middle class reporter father. Everyday was a competition for students, trying

How Does Humor Use Humor - 1186 Words

For as long as I have been in school, there has been a negative stigma around laughing and making jokes in the classroom. As a potential psychology major, I am quite fascinated with why our brains work the way they do, and how they grow, develop, and learn. That is why I was so intrigued when research came out claiming that appropriate humor can be used as a tool in the classroom by alleviating anxiety, stress, and helping relate the content by using funny, real world examples. When an instructor successfully uses humor, the learning environment that is created can be a catalyst for success. Humor can alleviate anxiety, especially in second language classrooms. â€Å"First, Young (1991) argues that when students are asked to deliver their thoughts or idea in a foreign language in which they have limited competence, their performance can be very threatening to their self-image† (Deb 2). If you have taken a foreign language class, in which speaking in front of the class is required, you may have experienced the anxiety that comes along. â€Å"Will I slur my words, pronounce something wrong, or choke under the pressure and not say anything at all?† Are all thoughts that come into many second-language learners’ minds. When humor is utilized correctly and gets a positive reaction from students, such as smiling and laughing, it creates a light, non judgmental learning environment. In such environment, mistakes can be taken for what they are, instead of the person speaking thinking thatShow MoreRelatedGender, Gender And Gender Stereotypes1582 Words   |  7 Pagesstereotypes. These types of jokes seem to take center stage at any comedy performance or routine, and the audience loves it. Gender in association with humor brings up a great deal of questions. Do males and females see humor differently? Are there any similarities in the way the sexes view humor? And is there any truth to the thought that humans enjoy crass humor more than other types of jokes? These questions have been popping up in the scientific world, and researchers are trying to answer them. Even thoughRead MoreHumor And How Does It Affect Brand Imaging, Interpersonal Communication, And Overall Perceptions Of A Image Essay1221 Words   |  5 PagesSection One: Humor is an interesting and diverse topic, especially when applied to the subject of persuasion. How it affects brand imaging, interpersonal communication, and overall perceptions of persuaders. Humor is unique in the sense that it is highly subjective. This subjectivity makes it a very tricky tactic to use in either advertisements or interpersonal persuasion. Humor has a very fluid definition that can vary by culture, gender, age, and religion. This essay will look into the historyRead MoreThe Superiority Theory Of Humor917 Words   |  4 PagesThere are many ways that people use humor. It has been used both in positive and negative ways. The negative, or more aggressive, view of humor is â€Å"evident in ancient writings† and â€Å"in the merciless teasing that children inflict on one another.†, However, in modern times, humor is now commonly seen as a positive aspect and that the laughter that arises is the â€Å"expression [an] incongruity.† Because of thes e two conflicting view of humor, there have been multiple theories proposed to explain it. ThereRead MoreAnalysis Of Cyrano De Bergerac By Edmond Rostand1179 Words   |  5 PagesEdmond Rostand s Cyrano de Bergerac is considered to be a Chivalric Romance but it also contains humor throughout. The play uses comedy throughout all of the acts for a variety of reasons. Cyrano who is the main character of the play is also the largest comic influence. With Cyrano, we see him develop through comedy and learn more about his character with it, and it is not only used by Cyrano but also many other characters. Comedy is used in a variety of ways throughout Cyrano de Bergerac such asRead MoreThe Use of Humor in Richard Iii by Shakespeare1327 Words   |  6 PagesThe Use of Humor in Richard III There is no doubt that Shakespeare was the author of great pieces of literature during an interesting time period. Given the circumstances, he was indeed mastering his craft during a very tumultuous juncture in British history. When one reads Richard III, they don’t necessarily have to know a great deal about the War of Roses to understand that there is some serious strife going on. However, if the reader takes some time to understand this fascinating string ofRead MoreHumor And Its Effects On American Society946 Words   |  4 Pages Humor can be regarded as an enjoyable experience of a mismatch between what people expect and what people experience (Stambor 1). Charlie Chaplin once said, â€Å"Laughter is the tonic, the relief, the surcease for pain.† Is laughter a remedy for one s emotional well-being when encountering devastations and social injustice? The epitome test of this would be living in concentration camps where millions of people were enslaved during the Second World War. How can they survive mental and physical agonyRead MoreHow Humor Heals647 Words   |  3 PagesHow humor heals Introduction grabber: Charlie Chaplin once said, â€Å"To truly laugh, you must be able to take your pain and play with it.† credibility: Through lots of research and experience I have came up with this conclusion, and when I did a research on this, I discover it is true. why: Have you ever need to cheer up, combat fear, feel more comfortable, relax, reduces pain or reduce stress? Well I have the solution. central idea: Laughter can make a person feel better, it’s truly the best medicineRead MoreThe Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, by Sherman Alexie1475 Words   |  6 PagesHeaven, author Sherman Alexie uses humor to reflect the life on the Spokane Reservation. In â€Å"A Drug Called Tradition,† the story starts with a joke by having Thomas sit down inside a refrigerator in response to Junior’s comment as to why the refrigerator is empty. The Indians are having a party hosted by Thomas, who gets a lot of money from a corporation for leasing some of his land. Alexie’s three second selves, Victor, Junior, and Thomas, later go to the Benjamin Lake and use the drug that Victor bringsRead MoreNeat People Vs Sloppy People By Suzanne Britt And Batting Clean Up And Striking Out1361 Words   |  6 Pageshumorist and reporter, David Barry take a whole new look on the dreaded aspects of cleaning. Britt and Barry chose to utilize humor in order to convey to the audience that everyone has a different way of living. Britt expresses the different lifestyles of sloppy people to the notorious neat people. Oppositely, Barry compares gender roles in order to see the differences between how males and females view the definition of â€Å"clean†. Britt and Barry strengthen their humorous tone by employing exaggerationRead MoreAmusement in â€Å"The Ransom of Red Chief†.600 Words   |  3 PagesRansom of Red Chief†. Dictionary.com defines humor as a comic and absurd quality causing amusement. O.Henry adds amusement in the short historical fiction story, â€Å"The Ransom of Red Chief†. O.Henry adds humor to his story through the use of literary devices. O.Henry uses allusion, word play, and irony to create levity in his story. All of these create levity but one that especially creates levity is allusion. First, Allusion is good for creating humor because by using prior knowledge it helps to

Vegetation Dynamics In Gravel Bed Rivers Environmental Sciences Essay Free Essays

Background Gravel-bed rivers support a complex mosaic of both tellurian and aquatic home grounds of singular value for the whole river ecosystem. However, many fluvial system of the universe have been crucially affected by assorted human intercessions such as landuse alterations, torrent-control work and dike edifice, and crushed rock excavation ( Surian A ; Rinaldi, 2003 ) . These recent alterations led to the break of the really complex channel morphology typical of braided systems, which in bend strongly affects their ecological position and their ability to incorporate inundation flows. We will write a custom essay sample on Vegetation Dynamics In Gravel Bed Rivers Environmental Sciences Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now Different human intercessions ( deposit excavation, channelisation, dikes, re-afforestation and downpour control works ) have been identified as the causes of channel accommodations in Italian rivers ( Surian and Rinaldi, 2003 ; Surian et al. , 2009 ) . For an overview on the causal factors such river development, see besides Liebault and Piegay ( 2002 ) . Human impacts on river systems normally cause rapid and widespread channel incision/narrowing or aggradation/widening as a effect of fluctuations in flows, deposit government, and boundary conditions ( Surian et al. , 2009 ) . Overall, few surveies ( e.g. Surian et al. , 2009 ) confirmed a complex recent stage of accommodation that took topographic point over the last 15-20 old ages. Channel broadening has become the dominant procedure in most of the survey reaches but channel narrowing is still ongoing in some ranges. Channel broadening has taken placed without important bed-level fluctuations in some ranges of the Brenta river, in Italy ( Surian A ; Cisotto, 2007 ) . Besides, it is still an unfastened inquiry if all the rivers underwent this recent stage of accommodation or, as proposed for rivers in France ( Piegay et al. , 2004 ) , recent channel alterations may be considered short-run fluctuations related to specific inundation events, instead than existent long-run accommodati ons. Overall, an effectual river Restoration is now recognized to be desperately needed for most of the affected Alpine rivers, and the actions must be based on reconstructing fluvial procedures and their natural kineticss. Such an attack ( which is besides enforced by the EU Water Framework Directive ) must be therefore based on a scientifically sound cognition of sediment conveyance and morphodynamics procedures undergoing on human-impacted crushed rock bed rivers ( Dufour A ; Piegay, 2009 ) . The overall purpose of the proposed undertaking is to research the recent morphodynamic tendencies of two Italian gravel-bed rivers characterized by different grades of human impacts, placing and measuring the synergistic effects of flora kineticss and morphological alterations evaluated utilizing fresh geoinformatics techniques. Aims The chief aims of the proposed survey is to measure the recent ( lt ; 20 old ages ) evolutionary tendency of the Brenta and Piave river in northeasterly portion of Italy in order to: To develop an apprehension of the morphodynamics of the both rivers with regard to selected parametric quantities such as channel width, lift, lacing index, island tenancy, and active channel country ; To measure the yesteryear and present morphological alterations of the two rivers based on natural and human induced alteration ; To measure the interlinked relationship between the active channel and flora kineticss ; To develop direction options for Restoration and preservation for the both rivers towards resilient river home ground every bit good as next bio-diversity ( riparian flora ) . Material and methods The research will be carried out in the intermediate crushed rock bed sections of the Piave and Brenta rivers ( North Eastern Italy, Fig. 1 ) . The two basins are comparable in footings of size, clime, geological scenes, and flora ; likewise, the two rivers in the survey reaches present a historically similar braided/wandering channel form with interspersed vegetated islands. However, the two rivers differ sing the degree of human impacts. To carry through the chief aims of the undertaking, three sets of variables of the both rivers will be studied like ( 1 ) chief drive variables ( 2 ) boundary conditions and ( 3 ) adjusting variables or channel signifier. The methodological analysiss range from distant feeling to field measurings, harmonizing to the spacial and temporal graduated tables under probe. Three spacial graduated tables will be considered, runing from big ( i.e. , 25-30 kilometer ) , intermediate ( i.e, 1-2 kilometer ) and little ( i.e. , 10-100 m ) . Related to these, two temporal graduated tables will be addressed, embracing medium-term channel development ( lt ; 20 years, related to channel-forming discharges ) and shorter-term alterations ( related to individual events ) . The techniques deployed comprise reading of oblique and perpendicular ( aerial ) exposure, analysis LiDAR information by GIS package, flora field studies, structural studies of river channels, topographic surveying by DGPS, photograp hic and sieve analysis of deposit grain size, and statistical analysis of hydrological and land usage clip series. Figure 1: Location of the survey sites. In order to transport out the proposed research, the undermentioned undertakings will be considered every bit good as carried out: To place morphological characteristics: Geomorphic procedure of the both rivers will be identified every bit good as quantified utilizing temporal high declaration orbiter image, aerial exposure and LiDAR imagination. Present and possible position of eroding and accumulation point in assorted locations of the both river will be analyzed every bit good. To place riverine flora: Vegetation is an of import constituent in the proposed survey. From the proposed datasets, flora coverage along the rivers will be identified utilizing appropriate flora algorithms. Damaged flora will place and quantify from a set of temporal satellite datasets. Topographical analysis: Digital lift theoretical account ( DEM ) , Digital terrain theoretical account ( DTM ) from LiDAR and tellurian informations will be used to mensurate incline and analyses the plumbing of the rivers in this undertaking. Furthermore, cross-section and longitudinal profile of the rivers will be analyzed by direct field with DGPS and hand-held instruments. Field study: Significant field study will be carried out throughout the project- Sedimentlogical study in both surface and sub-surface majority samples Geomorphological study for image informations proof along with observation of channel alterations Expected results and strategic impacts of the undertaking The chief expected end products of the research will be as follows: To analyse recent tendencies of channel narrowing and scratch, every bit good as channel constellation, of both rivers, associating different morphodynamic tendencies to different human impacts ; To associate alterations of flora countries along the both rivers to different morphodynamic development tendencies ; To measure tendencies of sediment conveyance and morphological development on both rivers ; To developed action programs for long-run Restoration and direction in the both rivers. Gravel-bed river systems are under force per unit area worldwide. Considerable dismay has been expressed about the environmental direct and indirect impacts of human activities, and great attempts are presently employed to develop a new array of sustainable direction schemes for gravel-bed ecosystems. Since anthropogenetic influences have impacted the morphodynamics of river systems, one of the major boundary conditions found in fluvial systems has been changed significantly, viz. the deposit budget ( Habersack A ; Schober, 2005 ) . Retention of deposits in the upper portion of the basin ( dikes and reservoirs ) and gravel extraction from the average portion of the rivers have increased the disagreement between sediment supply and conveyance capacity, with terrible jobs of bed debasement and ecological impacts. In order to accomplish a good river ecological position by the 2015, harmonizing to the European Water Framework Directive ( WFD ) , the deposit budget has to be restored in the long term. This creates a strong demand to better the apprehension and direction of deposits kineticss. Besides, the high spatio-temporal variableness of deposit and flora kineticss in gravel-bed rivers is non sufficiently considered in inundation hazard appraisal, besides because there are still considerable scientific uncertainnesss due to the deficiency of long-run incorporate field measurings of such fluvial procedures. For this ground, the proposed undertaking is focused on a subject where the demand for farther research is really relevant for the direction of gravel-bed rivers environments and the efficient and well-directed usage of the limited H2O resource. Essential mentions Dufour, S. , Piegay, H. , 2009. From the myth of a lost Eden to targeted river Restoration: bury natural mentions and concentrate on human benefits. River Research and Applications 25 ( 5 ) , 568-581. Liebault, F. , Piegay, H. , 2002. Causes of twentieth century channel contracting in mountain and Piedmont Rivers of Southeastern France. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 27, 425-444. Piegay, H. , Walling, D.E. , Landon, N. , He, Q. , Liebault, F. , Petiot, R. , 2004. Contemporary alterations in sediment output in an alpine mountain basin due to afforestation ( the upper Drome in France ) . Catena 55, 183-212. Surian N, Rinaldi M. 2003. Morphologic response to river technology and direction in alluvial channels in Italy. Geomorphology, 50, 307-326. Surian, N. , Cisotto A. , 2007. Channel accommodations, bedload conveyance and deposit beginnings in a gravel-bed river, Brenta River, Italy. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 32, 1641:1656. Surian, N. , Ziliani, L. , Comiti, F. , Lenzi, M.A. , Mao, L. 2009b. Channel accommodations and change of deposit fluxes in gravel-bed rivers of Northeastern Italy: potencies and restrictions for channel recovery. River Research and Applications 25, 551- 567. 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Describe one of the first scenes in the visual text Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare and directed by Baz Luhrmann Essay Example For Students

Describe one of the first scenes in the visual text Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare and directed by Baz Luhrmann Essay Describe the first ONE or TWO scenes in the text. Explain how verbal and/or visual features were used in this scene or scenes to suggest what the text would be about. I will be writing about one of the first scenes in the visual text Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare and directed by Baz Luhrmann. One of the first scenes in Romeo and Juliet was the fight between the Montagues and Capulets at a gas station in Verona. A foolish Montague bites his thumb at a Capulet and a fight is about to break out when Benvolio another Montague tries to keep the peace and orders everyone to put up their guns or swords as they are called in the film. However, when Tybalt arrives and Benvolio tells him that he wants to make peace I do but keep the peaceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦, Tybalt just sneers at him and replies, Peace? I hate the word as I hate hell all Montagues and thee. This then leads to the long awaited fight, which not only affects the Montagues and Capulets, but also causes a lot of destruction to the city of Verona. This scene then finally ends when the Prince arrests Benvolio and Tybalt à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ put your mistempered weapons to the group! and warns the two families that if ever they cause any more civil disruption, then they will pay with their lives. There were a number of visual techniques that were used during this scene to suggest that this visual text would be about the hatred between the Montagues and Capulets and how this hatred would eventually affect these two families. A visual technique used to show the hatred between the families during the scene was the use of close ups, including the close up of the Add Fuel to Fire sign, and the fearful faces of the Montagues, which led up to the arrival of Tybalt and created a lot of tension and apprehension. The use of close ups for this purpose made me think about how greatly Tybalt was feared because of his volatile, violent personality. Another visual technique used was how the Montagues and Capulets were made to contrast with each other through the use of costume and music. For example, the Montagues wore brightly coloured clothing which showed their laidback, careless personality, while the Capulets wore dark, sophisticated clothing to show that they were more serious, violent and more fearful. Loud, rock music had also been used to introduce the Montagues as careless and laidback while the Capulets were introduced through the use of soft, Latino guitar music to depict them as darker, more serious people. The use of music and costumes to contrast the two families helped me to understand how they were completely different to each other and that these differences would continue to cause a lot of conflict throughout this film. In conclusion, the visual techniques used during this scene made me think about how destructive hatred between people can be and that instead of being so stubborn and filled with pride, they should give up and make peace such as Benvolio. However, after watching the opening scene, one can come to the realisation that some are willing to hate and hurt enemies at the expense of innocent people.

Lincoln And Emancipation Essays - Presidency Of Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln And Emancipation He comes to us in the mists of legend as a kind of homespun Socrates, brimming with prarie wit and folk wisdom. There is a counterlegend of Lincoln, one shared ironically enough by many white Southerners and certain black Americans of our time. Neither of these views, of course, reveals much about the man who really lived--legend and political interpretations seldom do. As a man, Lincoln was complex, many-sided, and richly human. He was an intense, brooding person, he was plagued with chronic depression most of his life. At the time he even doubted his ability to please or even care about his wife. Lincoln remained a moody, melancholy man, given to long introspection about things like death and mortality. Preoccupied with death, he was also afraid to insanity. Lincoln was a teetotaler because liquor left him "flabby and undone", blurring his mind and threatening his self-control. One side of Lincoln was always Supremely logical and analytical, he was intrigued by the clarity of mathematics. As a self-made man, Lincoln felt embarrassed about his log-cabin origins and never liked to talk about them. By the 1850s, Lincoln was one of the most sought after attorney in Illinois, with a reputation as a lawyer's lawyer. Though a man of status and influence, Lincoln was as honest in real life as in legend. Politically, Lincoln was always a nationalist in outlook , an outlook that began when he was an Indiana farm boy tilling his farther mundane wheat field. Lincoln always maintained that he had always hated human bondage, as much as any abolitionist. He realized how wrong it was that slavery should exist at all in a self-proclaimed free Republic. He opposed slavery, too, because he had witnessed some of it's evils firsthand. What could be done? So went Lincoln's argument before 1854. To solve the ensuing problem of racial adjustment, Lincoln insisted that the federal government should colonize all blacks in Africa, an idea he got from his political idol, Whig national leader Henry Clay. Then came 1854 and the momentous Kansas-Nebraska Act , brainchild of Lincoln's archrival Stephen A. Douglas. At once a storm of free-soil protest broke across the North, and scores of political leaders branded the Kansas-Nebraska Act as part of a sinister Southern plot to extend slavery and augment Southern political power in Washington. The train of ominous events from Kansas-Nebraska to Dred Scott shook Lincoln to his foundations. Lincoln waded into the middle of the antiextension fight. By 1858, Lincoln, like a lot of other Republicans, began to see a grim proslavery conspiracy at work in the United States. The next step in the conspiracy would be to nationalize slavery: the Taney Court, Lincoln feared, would hand down another decision, one declaring that states could not prohibit slavery. For Lincoln and his Republican colleagues, it was imperative that the conspiracy be blocked in its initial stage - the expansion of slavery into the West. Douglas fighting for his political life in free-soil Illinois, lashed back at Lincoln with unadulterated racebaiting. Forced to take a stand against Douglas ruin him with his allegations, Lincoln conceded that he was not for Negro political or social equality. Exasperated with Douglas and white Negrophobia in general, Lincoln begged American whites "to discard all this quibbling about this man and the other man---this race and that race and the other race as being inferior. Lincoln lost the 1857 Senate contest to Douglas. Yet for the benefit of the Southerners, he repeated that he and his party would nor hurt slavery in the South. But Southerns refused to believe anything Lincoln said. At the outset of the war, Lincoln strove to be consistent with all that he and his party had said about slavery: his purpose in the struggle was strictly to save the Union. There were other reasons for Lincoln's hands-off policy about slavery. He was also waging a bipartisan war effort, with Northern Democrats and Republicans alike enlisting in his armies to save the Union. But the pressures and problems of civil war caused Lincoln to change his mind and abandon his hands policy about slavery and hurl an executive fist at slavery in the rebel states. Sumner, Lincoln's personal friend was especially persistent in advocating the freeing of the slaves. Sumner, as a major Lincoln adviser on foreign affairs, also linked emancipation to foreign policy. Black and White abolitionists belabored that point too. The pressure on Lincoln to strike at slavery was unrelenting. On that score slaves themselves were contributing to the pressures on Lincoln to

Nike is one of the leaders of sport footwear essayEssay Writing Service

Nike is one of the leaders of sport footwear essayEssay Writing Service Nike is one of the leaders of sport footwear essay Nike is one of the leaders of sport footwear essayNike is one of the largest sport footwear manufacturers in the world. The company holds a strong position in the market and currently Nike is one of the leaders of the world sport footwear industry. The rise of the company as the world leader dates back to the 1990s when the company has just started its international market expansion becoming a sponsor of World Cup of 1994. From that moment on, Nike conducted the aggressive international market expansion policy oriented on the fast entrance of new markets and taking the lead at the local level.At the same time, there were several factors contributing to the overall marketing success of the company. First of all, one of the main conditions of the overall success of Nike’s marketing strategy was the focus on the company on the development and introduction of innovations. At this point, it is worth mentioning the fact that the company invested into the research and development as a strategic direction in its business development. As a result, the company has managed to introduce innovations and outpaced its major rivals taking the lead in the market. In such a situation, the major rivals of Nike, such as Adidas had to keep pace with the progress of Nike and introduce their own innovations to enhance their competitive position in the market. Today, the company continues its marketing strategy oriented on the wider introduction of innovations as the major drivers of sales of the company.Furthermore, the company’s marketing strategy focuses on the sustainability of its products and product development (Ofek Johnson 511). In actuality, sustainability is very important today as a part of the marketing strategy of the company because customers grow more and more concerned about their environment and minimization of the negative impact of human activities on the environment. In addition, the sustainable development of Nike makes its sport footwear more endu rable and environment friendly. As a result, customers prefer safe and environment-friendly products. In such a way, Nike can take a strategic advantage over its rivals offering endurable and environment-friendly products.Furthermore, another important trend in the development of Nike is the growing trend to outsourcing and removal of the production from the US and other well-developed countries to countries of the third world, where the production costs are cheaper due to the available resources and low costs of the labor force in the market. The move of production to developing countries allows Nike to decrease the costs of production and, therefore, the price of its products. Lower price makes products of Nike more competitive and provide customers with the possibility to purchase Nike footwear more frequently and in larger amounts (Riezebos 183). In addition such strategy brings the company considerable savings due to the lower costs of production. As a result, the company can i ncrease its revenues and invest them into the further development of the production and international market expansion.Finally, the company takes the strategic advantage over its rivals due to the marketing strategy applied at the moment. Nike attempts to take the leading position in the marketing conducting aggressive promotional campaign and sponsoring the major sport events, like World Cups.Thus, at the moment, Nike is one of the leaders of sport footwear industry and it can enhance its position in the future even more.

Features of the Aircraft Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Features of the Aircraft Design - Essay Example Although composite materials weigh less than aluminum and have more corrosion resistance, which will lower maintenance, composite materials also have more failure characteristics in high-energy crashes (Langevin, 2003). Composite materials are brittle, and lack plasticity following an impact, so that a change in configuration may be needed in an aircraft design to ensure that crashworthiness criteria are met. There are load-limiting devices that can be implemented so that the loads transmitted to passengers during a crash will be minimized. The structural assembly can also be modified to decrease transmitted loads. Aircraft subfloor systems can be developed with high-strength materials that hold the passenger seats during impact, and also contain a crushable layer that will absorb energy. The crushable layer is most important in the vertical direction, for improving human tolerance of the impact. This subfloor platform will also distribute loads across the fuselage evenly. Energy absorbing seats are also effective at reducing loads transmitted to passengers. A comparison of two similar real-life crash events shows that energy absorbing seats and restraint systems can mean the difference between walking away and not surviving (Langevin, 2003). Another aspect of an aircraft design’s crashworthiness is its ditchability, or its ability to emergency land in water. There is usually a great loss of life in ditching however; statistics show a 60% survivability during ditching (Kebabjian, 2006) - some sources list a much higher survivability rate. Intentional ditching of commercial aircraft is rare and often occurs after fuel exhaustion; small aircraft ditching is much more common. As far as aircraft design considerations go, large underwing turbofans have been seen as having problematic ditchability ("Fall-back System...", 1999). In our aircraft design, engines mount above or on the wing, and there shouldn’t be the same ditchability problem.

Evolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Evolution - Essay Example Although Scientists are convinced that macroevolution occurs resulting in emergence of new species, this is a misconception. This paper argues that macroevolution has never and will never occur. The reasons given by scientists to support occurrence of evolution are controversial and disputable. Irrespective of there being no observable evidence to show occurrence of macroevolution, scientist continue to defend the notion that the existing species evolved from primitive species through gradual stages. There is not recorded evidence that any distinct organism ever evolved into a different kind of organism. This shows that evolution of any significant scale has never occurred and will never occur (Camp, 2006). If the process of evolution ever occurred, then someone must have observed it. On the contrary no one has ever witnessed an organism undergo evolution. Additionally, there are no transitional forms of organism in existence. If evolution does occur, then different organisms of different species would at least be seen in their transitional stages (Denton, 2010). On the contrary, organisms belonging to same species are almost indistinguishable in terms of the traits they possess. Although a single species may have different varieties, there are no organisms in the transition stages that show characteristics such as shared features between two different species. For example, if human evolved from the apes, there should be some existing ape like human in the process of evolving into humans. On the contrary, contemporary apes are different from humans with no entities in the transitional stages (Camp, 2006). Another reason why macroevolution is an invention by scientists is failure of experiments in the lab. Scientists have carried out experiments using rapidly reproducing organisms such as fruit flies in an attempt to produce better species. Such experiments have failed even with use of

Diversity and Inclusion in Organizations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Diversity and Inclusion in Organizations - Essay Example Include your personal definition of inclusion and diversity.  Describe what diversity encompasses, and explain the intersections of multiple forms of diversity in organizations. Diversity and inclusion is many things. In its most superficial definition, D&I is a legal mandate, a requirement for organizations to comply with, and which may open a firm to sanctions and penalties if found in violation of its provisions. However, diversity and inclusion should be more than mere compliance with a requirement. It should entail a change of heart and perspective. The core to D&I’s goals and aspirations is social reform, the eradication of barriers between perceived majority and minority groups which creates unjustified advantages for some and disadvantages for others on the basis of their affiliations. Diversity encompasses the treatment of people as people. Inclusion does not mean the elimination of difference so that all people are the same; it means treating people in the same man ner despite their differences, and even with the acknowledgement and celebration of these differences. Several of the readings in this course described diversity as a source of competitive advantage for organizations, where multifaceted skills and perspectives can be brought to the workplace in support of the company goals. While that is perfectly true, and companies should look to this advantage, it is not the essence of diversity and inclusion. Had it been, then D&I would have just been a means of taking advantage of people’s differences. In an organization, the application of diversity and inclusion may be so diffuse and ambiguous that it is difficult to notice at times whether an issue has D&I implications or not. For instance, assigning people to subsidiaries in certain geographical areas (specially for a multinational organization) on the basis of their ethnicity may be a sensible thing to do from the viewpoint of the organization, but it may be judgmental from the view point of the individual who may not want to be designated there. The very fact that makes people subjects of D&I also in a way reinforces differences among groups and works against their full inclusion. Discuss the impact of diversity on individual and organizational effectiveness.   Discuss some of the tools necessary to lead, direct, and build inclusive organizations. Diversity and inclusion is a source of strategic advantage for an organization; this has been mentioned in all the readings and finds no strong opposition in any of the opinions and reactions discussed in this forum. As to whether or not the advantage is properly optimized or explored is another matter. The inclusion of diverse people in an organization does not automatically ensure individual and organizational effectiveness. As has been voiced in this forum, some organizations merely pay lip service to D&I without imbibing the essence of it. As is true for all individuals, if the organization capably harmonizes p ersonal goals with organizational goals, then the creativity and industry possessed by the individuals in the workforce shall be engaged, and the benefits of diversity realized. Diversity in this case, however, need not be along racial, gender, cultural, or any category identified as being D&I. It may be the skills and knowledge possessed by individuals because of their education, personal interests,

The African Continent

The African Continent Introduction As the African continent gained its independence, countries hoped for booming growth and expected rapid changes. This however did not happen. So after the independence, economists, journalists and researchers started examining the causes of those failures. They have been doing so for over four decades and the situation on the continent does not seem to be much better than it was. Since it is a complex and definitely the most urgent issue of the region, I consider this paper as an opportunity to analyze and discuss possibilities for improvement. In order to limit my scope to a reasonable size, I would like to focus on one particular country Zambia, as the country was a subject to similar, but much briefer analysis I have done and therefore I already have some background information. Since the country is generally underdeveloped, this condition affects all areas of life. That is why it is necessary to work on social, economic, political, environmental and other policies to foster development. Even though these fields are interconnected, I would like to focus on Zambian local governance system in this paper. According to my topic, I assume that the state may be having troubles to fulfill its role since its institutions and ways of governing were created from the elites downward; its system should be adjusted to find more links between itself and its citizens. The hypothesis is that Zambian local governance institutions are not effective as they could be, it would be favorable to use their potential better. My goal is to find out improvements or adjustments for the present system into a more efficient scheme, more suitable to the society and its customs. For this I will start with examining how the society used to regulate its own members, predominantly in small units, throughout the centuries, how it evolved and what were the contributing factors that shaped its present form. For this I would like to start as early as possible in the pre-colonial period. It may seem just too long ago, but that was the longest period with fewest outer influences building foundations that last until now. Later it is indispensable to see how the western civilization attempted to shape the people to the western image, what marks it left and how the states coped with these two ways of life for the last few decades to bring about growth and stability. If there is any viable way of the traditional type of governance I would like to use it as a building brick. In this part, I will rely mostly on Alex Thomsons Introduction to African Politics. Subsequently I will have to come up with a way to incorporate those traditional elements into the present network. To be particular, I would like to focus mainly on the issue of local chiefs and the incorporation of their authorities into administrative system. Resources supporting my conclusions and helping me understand the African reality better are among others blog platforms Zambian Economist, House of Chiefs, and Fareed Zakarias book Future of Freedom. I. Traits of the society Present African society is a blend of two different realities a traditional way of life that had been evolving throughout the centuries of its pre-colonial existence and a modern way of life brought first by the colonization and impacting the continent from the outside more intensely as driven by the globalization process. It is not only a melting pot of different entities, but it is a place where two different lifestyles mix and to some extent clash. Therefore to understand the structure and traits of this society we need to know those two currents that form its foundations. Pre-colonial period The continent has ever been diverse just as it is right now, but there are some general characteristics that applied to the most of the region. Africa had been spotted with so-called non-hegemonic states. Their nature was fundamentally different from that time Europe. Pre-colonial African states were not led by all-powerful governments that administered a part of delineated territory. The abundance of land allowed people to move away, further from the unfavorable authority, splitting, merging, and creating new polities. This type of governance is also way different from todays perception of a state that has, after all, evolved from a European model. As Alex Thomson notes in the Introduction to African Politics that is one of the explanations, why some of the African states did not succeed in building a governing state authority (Thomson: 10). Other trait he mentions is the importance of lineage groups. An individual is always a member of a larger community (e.g. extended family) and as this member adopts the scheme of customs and rules that determine his or her life. Identity of a person is therefore determined as identity of the group. In return this scheme provides welfare and security to its members (Thomson: 10). With these rules, the chief has a significant deal of power over his clan, because the individuals will generally behave as they are expected to. Clans or extended families are able of self-containment. These facts add up to the conclusion that this is a model of society that is able to manage itself well in small units. Colonial Period The above mentioned structures were something different from the European perception of a state and state power. Therefore with the colonization, the Europeans were trying to civilize the African people. In their meaning it was to categorize them into some predefined and clear categories so they became nations just like the European ones were. Repeatedly criticized arbitrary boundaries have split nations apart and left various different nations closed in one state. This division put barriers to earlier loose transition of an individual from one community to another and lay foundations of hostility towards each other. The impact of modernity As the decolonization process has brought the independence to the continent, the new countries and their leaders attempted to catch up with the developed world within few decades (or a single one). The simplest way of doing that was to adopt modern ways of governing the state. Longing for the developed state, the countries wanted to hurry up, so what got adopted the quickest were the most visible signs of the modern world, without adjusting them to the African society. Constitutions, parliaments, voting rights, all of that was included without having people understand them, or without having even the leaders understand the principles of these systems. There was industrialization without considering economic capabilities. George Ayittey calls that development by imitation (Ayittey: 87). Nowadays Africa is a melting pot of clans, families, tribes, and nations that fully realize their identity. Compared to the pre-colonial period however, the changes and overlaps are not as loose anymore. Needless to count how many times in Africa has the group solidarity been abused as a means to escalate a conflict. It is very easy to divide people on the basis of something that does not really impact their everyday life such as race or ethnicity. Current conditions In the previous parts of this work I have described the pre-colonial inheritance of the society. Extended families (or other entities) in which individuals behave according to customs and their social status, gives the entities ability to rule themselves effectively. This creates an informal structure and makes the unit of family or a similar community a suitable building brick for the wider structure and allows for a bottom-up strategy. In spite of some conditions that formed African society and left a mark on it until the present times, certain conditions have changed. What has changed has not only been people and their minds (as a result of colonial rule or modernization), but there have been changes also in the outer conditions. What has once been a continent with abundant land and low population density is now a bit different. The number of people inhabiting the continent has multiplied over the past few decades. The land has shrunk relatively; with growing density of population the land is becoming more important. Apart from the higher density there are now rigid borders that do not allow people to move freely wherever they want. Boundaries that are known to be artificial and illogical have existed for about half a century so nowadays they are starting to work. Despite any border conflicts, irredentist movements and spillovers they cannot be adjusted or removed. II. Zambia overview This landlocked country in the south of the African continent is not much of an exception from other African countries considering its GDP, HDI (or respectively HPI) rates. It is one of the poorest countries in the world; ranking 164th out of total 182 included in the UN HDI statistics.[1] Political system: It is a presidential republic (the president is both head of state and head of government). The cabinet is chosen from the members of the National Assembly and is appointed by president. Tthat gives the president quite strong power over the country. Ethnicity: Major ethnic groups include Bemba, Tonga, Chewa, Lozi, Nsenga, Tumbuka, Ngoni, Lala, Kaonde and Lunda.[2] Nine largest groups add up to approximately 90 percent of the population. Apart from these, many people, predominantly in towns and cities see themselves as Zambians.[3] Speaking of ethnicity, the country has avoided serious ethnic conflict issues yet. Administration: The country is divided into 9 administrative provinces. Further there areis 72 local authorities which will be described in the next chapter. III. Proposals As I have mentioned before, people in remote rural areas do not identify themselves with the administrative system and have maintained a parallel system of managing their communities. To advocate the importance of traditional authorities, it is necessary to gain the inside look. Since it is hard to acquire from the Czech Republic, I would like to use the words of Chola Mukanga, a Zambian economist, posted on his blog. As he writes about majority of people living in rural areas where they do not rely on the government system maintaining social order, he describes the role of the customary governance: The chieftaincy therefore serves a critical function in promoting economic development, when it fills this critical gap in maintaining social order. Although he admits a weakness: Equally the chieftaincy may be seen to stand in the way of economic development where its system of administration appears to restrict the expansion of stronger reforms of social order e.g. expansion of formal s tate structures with greater accountability, all things being equal.[4] The biggest challenge therefore is to make one system out of the two of them. If the existing system is perceived as an alien element it is a reason why it should be abolished. Administrative System Western way of governance counts on clearly delineated boundaries. Border inviolability and territorial integrity are two of the conditions that define a sovereign state nowadays. The same principle is projected inward to the country, since it is subdivided into the smaller units. To have the administrative system working properly, it is necessary to ensure the balance of the geographical division. There are three factors that might influence balance among administrative units: ethnicity not to repeat the disaster of African boundaries, ethnic conflicts and subsequent civil wars population density and its demographic estimate to the future to keep the system viable and balanced in long term resources, wealth and overall economic level to prevent conflicts emerging from regional disparities However, for any adjustments of the administrative division, it is necessary to have thorough statistical information. For any successful plan that is to be implemented, it is necessary to know the starting conditions perfectly. The trouble with creating a picture of a Sub-Saharan country is a dismal state of any statistical data to base plans and proposals on. There is either lack of information or the researchers warn against inaccurate and misleading data that often poorly reflects reality. Apart from the geographical adjustments, there is more that can be changed in the division of power and overall structure. Bornwell Chikulo offers a comprehensive description of the present system and the following analysis is based on his review: [5] There are 72 local authorities countrywide: 4 are designated as City Councils 12 are Municipal Councils 56 are District Councils (comprised of smaller rural-based local authorities). The composition of councils is as follows: All elected councillors in the district All members of parliament in the district Two representatives appointed by all chiefs in the district as a means of involving traditional rulers in local governance. The weakness in this scheme is lack of participation of the locals the councilors that are elected to hold quite large powers, moreover they are not responsible to any of the local powers, but solely to the government. Two chief representatives that are members of the council representing something like voice of the people however cannot be chiefs themselves, as chiefs are prohibited by constitution to hold any public office. Moreover, the evidence shows, the way they are able to discuss and solve the local issues is to talk and cooperate with their members of parliament. This is exactly where the problem is, either the chiefs or their representatives have troubles cooperating with the MPs. Chieftaincy The issue of chieftaincy is lively discussed in Zambia, also in the wider regional level, since the situation in surrounding countries is similar. Although the traditional center of local power National Authorities were bequeathed soon after the independence, president Mwanawasa brought these authorities back in 1996 when the House of Chiefs was established. It consists of local chiefs that are respected within certain areas, some of them called kingdoms. By the constitution they are forbidden to hold any elected office while holding their functions as chiefs. The main issue can be comprised into the question: To what extent should the chiefs be considered and subsequently incorporated as political authorities? It is important to add that Zambian Chola Mukanga sees chiefs as not only a tradition that has prevailed until now, but as an element that is demanded: It goes without saying that the existence of traditional authorities is essentially a function of history and current demand for their services. That chiefs exist is clearly because their existence is demanded. But it was in the area of court administration where significant problems emerged which has continued to fuel significant demand for customary justice as mediated through traditional courts. This demand has principally emerged from two critical sources: insufficient capacity by central government to provide appropriate court capacity and necessarily expertise to adjudicate cases. This is despite the fact that traditional courts (and customary laws) have no formal status and exist parallel to the formal legal system.[6] This view clearly indicates that two representatives for the districts are just not enough. It is not about the number, but also about their power. Even if they are respected by the people and often serve as the judiciary system, they cannot promote much development in their district. It is always the parliament members that vote for the budget and decide on the amount and structure of the transfer money they receive from the government. The MPs also vote on the legislation and their vote is not subjected to any feedback from the chiefs (or currently their representatives) other than a friendly discussion. If the MPs do not reflect the local demands for the love of the people, the chiefs have practically no ability to change it. Appointing special chief representatives is another factor that hinders the process of change and development. Not only it means extra costs, but it also is an extra element in the chain of decisions. The decisions travel from the people to the chief from the chief to the chief representative from the representative to the MP and finally to the parliament. This contains too many members and therefore leaves gaps for possible conflicts. If the structure existed in order to provide, what can be called checks and balances, than it would have an advantage of being stable. However, the power is not distributed evenly among all the agents, but it is still concentrated in the top the parliament and centralized. From Chikulos review as well as from other articles it seems that even though local council exist, they lack decision-making autonomy and are dependent on the central budget. Some opinions indicate that often the politicians from the central apparatus are corrupt and therefore afraid of the power the chiefs have. That is why the politicians want to prevent them from the official power.[7] So even if the traditional ways of governance prevail in the society and are popular it should be clear that it is favorable to use it as a means to make the administrative system more effective and comprehensive. It would be the act of bringing the power closer to the people, just like the motto of the reforms that had been done in the early years of independence. With this act the motto would finally apply. However, the problem does not lie in the obsolete or primitive structure of the society, but in the unwillingness of those that have the power and the means of changing it. Conclusions This paper definitely discusses a complex topic. Although I lack direct experience as I have never been to Africa, I wanted to gain a deeper look into the problems of the Sub-Saharan countries. My conclusions might omit some important factors that otherwise are a part of the reality in Africa. Having read some amount of literature, attempting to present Sub-Saharan Africa however precisely and accurately, still does not make up for the real experience from the region. Therefore I stress that any of the presumptions I have made are based solely on someone elses observations. For people that are not familiar with the topic the root of all the problems often seems very simple. It is easy to put all the blame either on the colonialists for having exploited their colonies during their rule, or the present political leaders for exploiting their countries now, or even the people of those countries for their supposedly insufficient education, inertia, intolerance, or anything else. Even though that my work criticizes few elements of the state and its governance, I hope I have stayed away from prejudices in my work. I have found out that a fair deal of promoting development depends on few people. It might be a challenge for those that have that power to change the system which is beneficial for themselves. American political scientist Fareed Zakaria concludes, in a very general, but very point-blank way Africa needs good governance more urgently than democracy (Zakaria: 120). I have whatsoever no sympathy for any autocratic governments and I have no intention of taking democracy away from the countries that have it. My point is that no one has found a system of government with perfect balance of powers that does not leave a slightest gap for corrupt intentions. Until Zambia gets closer to this model, at least on track to catch up with the western world, it needs a leadership that will not abuse its power; a leadership that will take responsibility for its actions done on purpose as well as those unintended and one that will be able to face the consequences; a leadership that will show every cit izen that the things just work smoother when everyone plays by rules. But these wishes are perhaps utopian for most of the developed countries as well. References AYITTEY, George: Africa Unchained, New York, Palgrave Macmillan, 2005, Chapter 3, The Postcolonial Elite Development Model CHIKULO, Bornwell: Local Government Reforms in Zambia, 2009, retrieved: Dec 18, 2009, http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/ComJlLocGov/2009/7.html THOMSON, Alex: An Introduction to African Politics, Abingdon, Oxon, Routledge, 2004, Chapter 2 History ZAKARIA, Fareed: Budoucnost svobody, Prague, Academia, 2004, 1st edition CIA World Factbook, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/za.html MWANANGOMBE Lewis: ZAMBIA: Let our Chiefs Govern, Lusaka, published Dec 21, 2009, retrieved: Jan 12, 2010, http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=49771 MUKANGA, Chola: Zambian Economist, http://www.zambian-economist.com/2010/01/chiefs-and-economy-economic-institution.html, published Jan 3, 2010, retrieved Jan 12, 2010 United Nations: Human Development Reports: retrieved on Jan 14, 2010, http://hdr.undp.org/en/statistics/ CIA World Factbook, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/za.html KVà CA, Vladimà ­r: Africa in International Relations, class handout MUKANGA, Chola: Zambian Economist blog, retrieved: Jan 12, 2010, http://www.zambian-economist.com/2010/01/chiefs-and-economy-economic-institution.html CHIKULO, Bornwell: Local Government Reforms in Zambia, 2009, retrieved: Dec 18, 2009, http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/ComJlLocGov/2009/7.html MUKANGA, Chola: Zambian Economist blog, retrieved: Jan 12, 2010, http://www.zambian-economist.com/2010/01/chiefs-and-economy-economic-institution.html The complaints are not difficult to find in the internet. Web platforms like Zambian House of Chiefs (http://www.houseofchiefs.com/) or Zambian Economist (http://www.zambian-economist.com/2010/01/chiefs-and-economy-economic-institution.html) contain a number of articles discussing this problem. African Inter Press Agency brings related articles every once in a while as well. Recent publishing dates indicate that similar complaints are quite frequent.

Aristophanes Agathon in Women at the Thesmophoria Essay -- Aristophan

Aristophanes' Agathon in Women at the Thesmophoria Aristophanes and Agathon were peers in Ancient Greece. Aristophanes was the master of comedy, and Agathon was the master of tragedy. They traveled in the same circles and are present in the same works. In looking through the comic lens at Agathon in Aristophanes’ Women at the Thesmophoria, the reader is presented with a portrayal of an effeminate man with a flair for the dramatic and a queenly attitude. Aristophanes’ Agathon is a comic character to be laughed at, a man that is more female than male. In looking at this view of Agathon, Greek views of homoeroticism are brought up and Agathon’s reputation and character in the world of Ancient Greece is brought into question. How much of this portrayal is actual, and how much is Aristophanes use of comedy? More importantly, what is exposed in viewing Agathon in this light? In order to answer these questions, an alternate, non-comic view of Agathon must be looked at, which Plato’s Symposium offers. By comparing Agathon’s portrayal in both works, views on Agathon and on Greek homoeroticism can be inferred. Aristophanes’ portrait of Agathon is not true to Agathon’s actual self, but rather uses cultural stereotypes and bigotry to gain laughs. Looking at Aristophanes’ portrayal of Agathon in both Symposium and Women at the Thesmophoria and in looking at the general treatment given to Agathon in Symposium, a basis for this interpretation is created, allowing the modern reader a clearer look at Greek life. Three lenses are presented- Aristophones’ comic lens in his famous comedy, Aristophanes’ personal lens through his speech in Symposium, and Plato’s non-comic lens in Symposium, providing a wide range of views to be explored. Arist... ...ng the most cultured, the stereotypes of the masses were ignored. Through combining all three lenses, it is clear that Aristophanes’ portrait of Agathon is not true to Agathon’s actual self, but rather uses cultural stereotypes and bigotry to gain laughs. Though Agathon was a womanly man in a long-term homo-sexual relationship, Women at the Thesmophoria plays on stereotypes, exposing the common Greek ideals of masculinity and homoeroticism. Through further exploration of Symposium, both with Aristophanes’ tint and without, it is apparent that Agathon was no one to be lampooned, but was rather an intelligent, well-respected member of the highest social circles. Women at the Thesmophoria serves as more of a lens into common Greek beliefs then a lens into Agathon’s character, showing that the comic lens of Aristophanes goes deeper culturally then it does personally.