The Hunter Trials Essay Example

The Hunter Trials Paper Hunter Trials is a humorous poem written by renowned author John Betjemen. The poem captures the thoughts and feelings of a young girl who is competing in a gymkhana. The overall structure and vocabulary of the poem is uncomplicated and therefore adds interest and comedy to the text. The poem contains eight verses, each of which contain four lines. There is an apparent rhyming scheme of lines two and four, and one and three. The poem is in first person and allows the writer to portray his ideas more clearly. During the poem, John Betjemen stereotypes posh people and reflects on their accents and way of speech such as: Do, lend her some bits, Mummy, do. This therefore ties in with the subject and makes the poem humorous. The writer also includes several bizarre and unusual names such as Geyser and Blewitt These names are positioned at the end of the lines and makes the poem more humorous. As well as that, the last verse finishes off the poem well. The sentence: And my silly old collar bones bust Represents the spoiled child that John tried to capture throughout this poem. Yet the main factor that contributes to the comedy of the poem is the sequence of the events. For instance, the idea of fishing down the horses throat with a spanner is in itself amusing. Overall, the poem uses several techniques and use of words to portray the bright and amusing side of a gymkhana. We will write a custom essay sample on The Hunter Trials specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Hunter Trials specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Hunter Trials specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

Death penalty misc14 essays

Death penalty misc14 essays December 12, 1984, the first jolt failed to kill Alpha Otis Stephens, he struggled for eight minutes before a second jolt finished the job. The first jolt took two minutes, and then there was a six-minute pause. During this six-minute pause body could cool before physicians could examine him and declare that another jolt was needed. Stephens took 23 breaths, during that six-minute interval. Such incidents prove that the death penalty constitutes cruel and unusual punishment and should be replaced by life in prison. The following reasons prove that the death penalty harms rather than helps any quest for a just, humane society. The Bible requires the death penalty for a wide variety of crimes, including sex before marriage, adultery, and homosexual behavior, doing work on Saturday and murder.Somehow people became more tolerant; they eliminated the death penalty for several sins. Sins such as the following: People might as well eliminate the death penalty for murder as well. In fact, according to the Bible an individual who dies without being "saved" (during an execution) will go to Hell for eternal punishment. By killing the person, we are eliminating some individuals' chance for salvation. Human life has intrinsic value, even if a person has murdered another. Nobody should ever be killed, even by the state. Moreover, human beings such as the poor, males, and racial minorities are over-represented among those executed. A study of over 2 dozen convicted criminals on death row found that all had been so seriously abused during childhood that they probably all suffered from brain damage. To further this subject, women convicted of murder are almost never executed. For instance, in March 1998 Judy Beenano aged 54 in Florida, was called the "Black Widow" for poisoning her husband, drowning her son and trying to blow up her fianc ...

What Is a Republic vs a Democracy Understanding the Difference

What Is a Republic vs a Democracy Understanding the Difference SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you look closely at the United States Pledge of Allegiance, you’ll see that it calls the United States a republic. It reads: "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.† So what does that mean, exactly? Can the United States be both a democracy and a republic? And what is the difference between a democracy and republic, anyway? As it turns out, there are subtle, but important, differences between a democracy and a republic, and that the definitions aren’t mutually exclusive. In other words, it’s complicated. But don’t worry! Knowing the differences between a republic vs a democracy is important for tons of AP exams, including both history tests (U.S. and world) and both government and politics tests (U.S. and comparative). That’s why we’ve put this guide together for you. By the end of this article, you’ll know the definitions of a democracy and a republic, how they operate, the differences between them, and where the United States fits into the discussion. So let’s get started! What Is a Democracy? The term â€Å"democracy† comes from the combination of two Greek words: â€Å"demos,† meaning â€Å"the people,† and â€Å"kratia,† which means â€Å"power or authority.† Thus, a democracy refers to a type of government where the power to govern rests with a country’s people rather than a ruling family (a monarchy) or a single individual (totalitarianism). That means that citizens control how their government operates, usually through voting. The Origins of Democracy The term â€Å"democracy† first pops up in the 5th century BCE to refer to the government in Athens, Greece. Between 508 BCE and 322 BCE, Athenians governed themselves in what is now referred to as a pure democracy. (Don’t worry...we’ll go into that a little later.) Ancient Athenians didn’t have anyone to represent them in government; instead, everyone had a voice- literally. Debates on topics of governance were held publicly in what was referred to as The Athenian Assembly, and every male Athenian citizen had individual voting rights. Not only that, but qualified citizens were given time off of work and a stipend to help make sure every voice was heard! Through the Assembly, every voice could weigh in on every issue, and all laws and rules of governance were established based on majority rule. While this type of democracy would eventually be replaced by a more representative form of government, the underlying idea- that government works best when it's run by its citizens- would go on to influence the governance of most of the Western world, including the United States. The 3 Major Types of Democracies With growing populations and more complex systems of government, the Athenian method of one voice, one vote doesn’t always work. So as the world has changed, democracy has changed with it. Here are the three major types of democracies seen in the world today. Direct Democracy Also known as pure democracy, direct democracy is democracy in its most basic form. Just like the Athenians at the Assembly, direct democracy lets each qualified individual shape policy by casting a direct vote. In other words, citizens are directly involved in the political process! In this system, political decisions are made based on what the majority of voters decide. Each qualified person casts a vote, and the category with the most number of votes wins. The benefits to a direct democracy are that it lets each person, regardless of class, race, or economic position have a voice. However, in practice, direct democracies often exclude certain groups. For instance, in ancient Athens, only male citizens had the right to participate in direct democracy. Women, criminals, and slaves- even though they were subject to Athens’ laws and policies- were denied a voice. Additionally, direct democracy doesn’t always work well on a large scale. That’s because there are an overwhelming number of decisions that need to be made to keep governments running. Examples of Direct Democracy in Action Because direct democracy can be unwieldy on the national level, there are few countries that use it as a primary governmental system. But that doesn’t mean direct democracy doesn’t exist anymore! Here are some examples of where you can see direct democracy in action. Switzerland: Switzerland, a country of roughly 8.2 million people, uses direct democracy to run its local, regional, and federal governments. Every citizen over the age of 18 weighs in on how the country should be run, and because votes are so important, they are held four times a year and scheduled decades in advance. Also, as a direct democracy Switzerland lacks an elected Head of State. Instead, the country has a Federal Council which is elected by the Federal Assembly (which works like the Athenian Assembly) every four years. Each year, a new person from the Federal Council is elected to serve as president! Local Elections in the U.S.: Because the populations are much smaller, local, municipal, and county elections often rely on direct democracy to make sure government is serving the will of the people. Local laws and referendums are often put up for a majority vote where every vote counts. State Elections in the U.S.: Fourteen states allow citizens to design legislation and put it up for a vote through what are called ballot initiatives. Each state lets an individual citizen create a ballot initiative, and if it gets enough signatures via petition, it gets put on a statewide ballot where it passes by majority vote. The catch? In order to go on the ballot, each initiative must be ruled constitutional by the state courts, too! Representative Democracy The second type of democracy is a representative democracy (sometimes called indirect democracy). In this system of government, certain individuals are elected to represent the will of the people. These people, often referred to as elected officials, are chosen to vote on behalf of a specific group of citizens. These groups can be defined in many ways. Sometimes people are grouped by neighborhood, by city, by county, or even by province or state. The idea behind a representative democracy is to streamline the process of government. Because elections where everyone weighs in are logistically difficult, having a small number of people representing the desires of the majority allow for much faster decision making. This is especially important when governments are representing a large number of people, and it’s one of the reasons why many federal governments use indirect democracy to operate. But representative democracy comes with drawbacks, too. One of the biggest problems is that in most cases, representatives aren’t required (by law, constitution, etc.) to actually represent the will of their constituents. They’re able to make their own decisions, which can mean that elected officials are more prone to corruption. Additionally, there’s the problem of the vocal minority. Have you ever heard the term, â€Å"the squeaky wheel gets the grease†? It just means that the people who complain the loudest are often the ones who get the most attention. So sometimes a few people who complain loudly are mistaken for representing the majority of their community. Examples of Representational Democracy in Action Because representational democracy works best on a larger scale, most Western governments operate this way (if the country is democratic, of course). Here are a few examples of representational democracy in action. The U.S. Legislature: The U.S. Legislature is a federal representational government, meaning that the representatives who serve create laws that apply to the entirety of the United States. The legislative branch is split into two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives. In the Senate, each state elects two people to represent their interests on the national level. In the House of Representatives, the number of representatives from each state is determined by population, so bigger states have more representatives. In both cases, all the representatives are elected by majority vote in their respective states. (Note: this is different than other representative democracies, like the United Kingdom parliament, where one house is elected and the other house is appointed by the Prime Minister or President.) U.S. State Legislatures: U.S. state legislatures work exactly like the federal legislature, only on a smaller scale. Each state has both a senate and a house of representatives, and the state’s residents elect representatives based on the districts they live in. This allows each state’s residents to have a say in how their state is governed. The Canadian Government: Like the United States, Canada holds popular elections where a handful of representatives are chosen to represent the citizenry at both the provincial and the national level. The elected officials serve in The House of Commons, which is similar to Congress in the United States. Each of Canada’s 10 provinces are also representative democracies where elected officials represent the will of their province’s citizens. Constitutional Democracy A constitutional democracy is the third major type of democracy in operation today. Constitutional democracies are characterized by having structures in place that limit the power of the majority. Put another way, constitutional democracies have constitutions or other governing documents that help regulate the power of those elected to office. To do this, constitutional democracies function based on a combination of democratic principles and the rule of law. The nation’s constitution serves as the highest form of law and outlines people’s rights as well as what the government can and can’t do. (You might say that the constitution puts limits on the government’s power in order to protect citizens freedom.) As a result, a constitutional democracy government must both uphold the constitution and still represent the will of its people. The benefit of a constitutional democracy is that it gives a country a set of principles to use as a guide for all other decisions. It also protects the citizens by guaranteeing them a certain set of rights. (For the United States, that’s â€Å"Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.†) However, a constitutional democracy also limits an individual citizen’s ability to participate in government since there are strict legal parameters around what people can and can’t do. Additionally, constitutions are very hard to change. In the United States, it takes a two-thirds majority vote in Congress or a constitutional convention (or joint meeting) called for by two-thirds of the states’ governments in order to amend the Constitution! That can be a big problem, especially when aspects of the Constitution are out of date. (Check out the 13th Amendment, which prohibits slavery, or the 19th Amendment, which gives women the right to vote, to see this in action.) Examples of Constitutional Democracy in Action Constitutional democracies are a popular form of democracy around the world. We’ll talk about a few countries that use constitutional democracy below, but if you’re interested in a full list, you can find that here. The United States: Of course, the United States relies on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights to create all new legislation. It’s the job of the judicial branch- including the Supreme Court- to determine whether new laws violate the Constitution or Americans’ constitutional rights. In fact, did you know can go to school to study constitutional law? You can! Check out the Constitutional Law Reporter to learn more about how constitutional law is practiced in America today. Germany: After World War II, Germany was split into essentially two different countries, East Germany and West Germany. When West Germany was set up by the Allies, it was formed as a constitutional democracy. It wasn’t until the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1991 that Germany was unified under a single constitution. Mexico: The United States’ southern neighbor is also a constitutional democracy. The Constitution of Mexico, which was ratified in 1917, was the first constitution in the world to create guidelines for social rights for its citizens, like a right to an education. (Remember: the United States initially did this through the Bill of Rights, which are the first ten amendments to the Constitution.) But Wait...Can a Country Be More Than One Type of Democracy? As you were reading through this section, you probably realized that the United States, along with many other countries, fall into more than one democratic category. That’s because a democratic country can use more than one type of democracy to run its government. For instance, a city can use direct democracy to vote in new laws and select state and federal representatives. Those representatives then participate in representative democracy, where they speak- and vote!- on behalf of their constituents. And finally, all of these actions- policy decisions, government structure, citizens’ rights, and the creation of new laws- are governed by the constitution. That means the United States is a constitutional democracy as well. This is possible because all democracies, regardless of their organizational structure, operate on a shared set of principles. Let’s take a closer look at those now. Voting is a key component of democracy Characteristics of Democracies Beyond just structure, democracies are also characterized by a shared ideology, or system of beliefs. According to Larry Diamond, a professor at Stanford and one of the foremost scholars in democracy studies, democracies have four foundational characteristics. We’ll talk about each principle in more depth below. #1: Free and Fair Elections In order to make sure that people’s voices are being heard accurately, democracies have to ensure that all voting processes are â€Å"free and fair.† But what does that mean? In order for an election to be â€Å"free and fair,† it has to be administered in a way that allows its citizens to vote and treats all political parties and candidates equally. That means the process 1) needs to be accessible to everyone who meets voting qualifications and 2) as unbiased as possible. Furthermore, in order to be as fair, these elections need to occur at a regular interval. If elections are only happening every two decades, that denies people the ability to make their voices heard! Free and fair elections are important to democracy because the voting process is the way that citizens voice their opinions and, in representative forms of government, choose the people who will represent them in higher levels of government. It also puts an important check on power. If representatives are coming up for reelection regularly, it puts pressure on them to vote in line with their constituents. Otherwise they could lose their position during the next voting cycle. #2: Citizen Participation In order for democracy to function, its citizens have to participate in the process of government. That means people have to run for office, create ballot initiatives, petition for laws and causes they believe in, and vote. Remember that the term â€Å"democracy† means that the power to rule belongs to the people. Only by exercising that power can a nation’s citizens ensure that their will is reflected in the country’s laws and structures. It’s also important that in a democracy, all citizens are given an equal right to participate regardless of where they live, what they do for work, or what culture they come from. If civic participation is limited to a certain class or race, the system becomes an oligarchy instead. (In oligarchies, a small group of unelected people hold all the governing power.) When everyone has a chance to participate, it ensures that the government accurately reflects the populace, that minority populations have a voice, and that new laws are fair for everyone. #3: Protection of Citizens’ Human Rights Perhaps most notably, democracies believe in freedom. Citizens should have the right to express their opinions and participate in democracy without fear or intimidation. Not only do democratic societies believe that creates a better life for its citizens, it also helps keep governmental power in check. If people can freely- but peacefully- express their opinions, it makes it clear when elected representatives aren’t listening to the will of the people. Even more importantly, democracies believe in the protection of people’s basic human rights. In the United States, these are outlined in the Bill of Rights, and they include the right to free speech, the right to bear arms, protection from the illegal seizure of property, and the right to a trial by jury. (Not familiar with the Bill of Rights? The Bill of Rights Institute breaks it down for you!) In other words, democracies guarantee fundamental protections to individual citizens which allows them to live in safety, freedom, and peace. #4: Equal Rule of Law Finally, the last thing all systems of democracy have in common is the rule of law. According to Dr. Diamond, the rule of law is fundamentally important to democracy because it protects the rights of citizens, maintains order, and limits the power of government. In other words, if elections are how citizens make their voices heard, then laws are the ways that citizens’ desires are enforced. It’s pretty clear how laws work in a constitutional or representative form of democracy. In a constitutional democracy, the constitution itself lays out some fundamental laws, and no other legislation can violate them. In a representational democracy, laws are created by the elected officials in order to make sure that their constituents’ concerns are being addressed. But what about a direct democracy where everyone has a voice? Well, even in ancient Athens, the oldest direct democracy, had laws to help govern the city-state. The whole point of The Assembly was to create new policies and laws that the majority of people could agree on, and those policies would govern the entire populace! Laws, then, are a tool people can use to make sure the ideals of democracy- like freedom and basic human rights- are maintained. Nick Youngson/Alpha Stock Images What Is a Republic? Whew! Now you know a lot about how democracies function and their core ideals. Now it’s time to look at a republic vs. a democracy. How are they different? Well, the answer is a little bit complicated. The term â€Å"republic† comes from theGreek word politeia, which means the â€Å"rights of citizens.† (It also comes from the Latin res publica, which means â€Å"public affair.†) In modern English, a republic is a government system where the power rests with a nation’s citizens. To do this, republics use elected officials to represent the will of their citizens within the government. In other words, republics rely on a representational form of government, just like the representational democracies we talked about earlier! Additionally, in order for a country to qualify as a republic, its head of state has to be an elected official. That means that while countries like France and Germany- which have elected presidents as heads of state- are republics. Countries with a monarch as the head of state, like Canada and the United Kingdom, are not. So to summarize: a republic is a form of government where the power a) rests with the people, b) is exercised through representative government, and c) has an elected head of state. The Origins of Republics While many ancient states were republics, one of the most notable was the Roman Republic that existed between 500 BCE and 27 BCE. During this time, Rome had expanded to encompass most of modern-day Europe along with parts of Asia and Africa. That meant that Rome was home to many different cultures, and its citizens spoke 21 different languages! This time period also marked Rome’s switch from a monarchy- where a king ruled the nation- to a constitutional government. In 509 BCE, the last Roman King, Lucius Tarquinius Superbus was overthrown and sent into exile. The Roman Senate, which was comprised of Rome’s noble families, decided to institute a new type of government. The country would now be led by two elected consuls who had equal power and would serve one-year terms. These consuls were elected by legislative assemblies made up of male citizens of Rome. These assemblies also voted on laws developed by the Roman Senate. The Roman Senate was comprised of Patricians, which were members of Rome’s noble class. The Senators were appointed by the Roman consuls, and they served as senators for life. The Senate’s job was to draft new laws that would be voted on by the Assembly. Over the next few centuries, the government of Rome would develop a set of guidelines and principles to govern the expanding country, which would coalesce into the Roman Constitution. The Constitution would remain one of the foundational governing documents of the Roman Empire up until its collapse in the 5th century CE. The countries in blue, orange, yellow, and green are all classified as republics. Types of Republics Today Remember that a republic is a nation where governmental power rests with its citizens, uses a representational government, and has an elected head of state. These are pretty general criteria, so that means there are quite a few republics today. In fact, as of 2017, 159 of the world’s 206 countries use the word â€Å"republic† as part of their official names! Additionally, the loose definition of a republic means there many different types of republics functioning today. We’ll briefly discuss the major types of republics here, but you can find more in-depth information about each one by following the links in each description. Constitutional Republic In a constitutional republic, the government is limited by laws established by a formal constitution, which is generally secular in nature. Additionally, the government is run by elected officials who are voted on by the population, and those officials are required to follow the rules of government laid out by that country’s constitution. (For more information about republics based on religion, see the section on â€Å"theological republics.†) Examples of modern constitutional republics include the countries like India and South Africa. Parliamentary Republic A parliamentary republic uses a parliamentary form of government in which the head of state runs the executive branch of government and the head of parliament runs the legislature. The legislature itself is comprised of elected officials that are voted into office by the country’s citizens. Examples of parliamentary republics include Greece, Hungary, and Malta. Presidential Republic A presidential republic allows its citizens to elect a president to serve as the country’s head of state. However, in a presidential republic, the president also serves as the head of the government, too! This is different from a monarchy, where the king or queen serves as the head of state while a prime minister or president runs the day-to-day operations of the government. Examples of presidential republics today include Brazil, Mexico, and Indonesia. Federal Republic Federal republics are countries that are actually a union of states, all of which operate on a republican form of government. In order to qualify as a federal republic, states have to have independence to make their own laws and decisions, as long as those laws don’t conflict with policies established for the entire country on the federal level. (In this way, states function as a mini-republic, complete with elected officials and an elected head of state, like a governor!) Examples of federal republics include the United States, Germany, and Switzerland. Theocratic Republic These types of republics are governed primarily by religious law. In this case, religious texts become the backbone of the nation’s governing structure and are often drafted into a religious governing constitution. That means that additional laws and policies developed by the government must also be in line with religious law. Additionally, in order to qualify as a republic, these theocracies must have an elected head of state rather than a monarchy. Examples of modern theocratic republics include Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Can a Country Be More Than One Type of Republic? Just like a country can be more than one type of democracy, a country can also be more than one type of republic! For example, Iran has a parliament- making it a parliamentary republic- but it also bases its governing structure on religious law, making it a theocratic republic. The same is true for a country like Germany, which operates on the principles of both a parliamentary republic and a federal republic. In other words, much like democracies, the types of republics we discussed above are not mutually exclusive. In fact, in order for a government to run efficiently, it must often combine governing structures. Russia is a republic but is notdemocratic Republic Vs. Democracy: What’s the Difference? You’ve probably already noticed that republics and democracies have a lot in common, namely that they both are systems where the power to govern rests with the people. So what’s the difference in a republic vs. a democracy? The major difference between a democracy and a republic is that a republic is a form of government whereas a democracy is an ideology that helps shape how a government is run. Put another way: a republic is the system of government that allows a country to be democratic! So while people tend to use the terms â€Å"democracy† and â€Å"republic† interchangeably, they aren’t exactly the same thing. The best way to understand this difference is to look at examples where a republic style of government isn’t democratic. To do this, let’s talk about two non-democratic republics: Russia and North Korea. Russia The Russian government, like many other nations, is set up like a republic. According to the Russian Constitution, the Russian president- which is elected by the Russian populace- is the head of state and runs the executive branch of government. It’s the president’s job to appoint a prime minister, whose job it is to run the government on a day-to-day basis. But in reality, Russia has operated more like a dictatorship than a democracy under current President Vladimir Putin. Although the president and other government officials are elected by popular vote, the Russian government also limits Russian citizens’ freedom, including suppressing free speech and controlling access to objective information. North Korea North Korea’s government is set up much like the United States’ and is split into three branches: the executive branch, the judicial branch, and the legislative branch. By law, the citizens in North Korea elect officials to the legislative branch through popular vote, and the legislative branch passes laws on behalf of the people. (That’s why North Korea’s full name is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.) In actuality, North Korea is classified as a dictatorship. The current president, Kim Jong-Un, inherited his position from his father. Additionally, elections in North Korea are largely for show- only one candidate runs for each position, so people really have no choice in their representation. Beyond that, the government severely limits people’s ability to travel, so much so that many North Koreans have to pay people to smuggle them out of the country. So despite having a republican government structure- and having the term â€Å"democratic† in their country’s name- North Korea doesn’t function like a democracy on a day-to-day basis. The United States: A Democratic Republic So that leaves us with one final question: what type of government is the United States? Where does the U.S. fall in the republic vs. democracy debate? The answer is that the United States is both a democracy and a republic! The U.S. as a Republic When the founding fathers were writing the U.S. Constitution, they envisioned the United States as a republic. Alexander Hamilton and James Madison made this clear in The Federalist Papers, where they make it clear that the federal government will be made up of elected officials who represent the will of the people. In fact, many of the United States’ founders believed that a direct democracy would result in nothing more than â€Å"...instability, injustice, and confusion.† As a result, the U.S. Constitution outlines a system of government that allows people to fairly vote on representatives, and those representatives make laws in accordance to the people’s will. Each of the states’ governments are set up in the same way, which means that the states are mini-republics, too! Additionally, in order to be a republic, people must elect the person who will serve as the head of state. This is certainly true in the U.S., where citizens vote on who will serve as president of the country every four years (though whether this is a direct or indirect vote is a subject of debate thanks to the electoral college). Considering all of this, the United States works as a combination of a constitutional, presidential, and federal republic! The U.S as a Democracy Remember that the difference between a republic and a democracy comes in how each of those ideas functions in government. So if the United States is a republic because of how the government operates, it’s a democracy because of why it operates. In other words, the U.S. runs its government like a republic, but it bases its government on democratic ideals. In order to operate as a democracy, the United States has to have free and fair elections, citizen participation in government, protect citizens’ human rights, and honor the rule of law. The United States meets all four the criteria to qualify as a democracy. In terms of elections, the U.S. holds regular elections for its elected officials at regular intervals, and any qualified U.S. citizen is allowed to cast their vote for their representatives. Additionally, these representatives are other U.S. citizens. Roles in government aren’t passed down from family to family- all citizens in good standing are welcome to run for office regardless of class, gender, or culture. But what about guaranteeing human rights? One look at the Bill of Rights makes this clear. Not only do the amendments to the U.S. Constitution make guarantees about equality and freedom, they also serve as a set of protections for all U.S. citizens from the overreach of government power. And finally, the U.S Constitution serves as the country’s guiding legal document. All other laws must first uphold the laws and rights outlined in the Constitution first! So Now What? Are you reading this post in preparation for the U.S. History AP Exam? If so, you should also check out some of our other resources! We have subject-specific posts like our NATO overview (coming soon!) and a complete guide to AP U.S. History books. If you’re a freshman, sophomore, or junior, you might consider adding a few more AP classes to your schedule. Here’s a complete list of AP courses and tests to help you choose classes that are perfect for you. Are you also considering taking the SAT subject tests in addition to- or instead of!- an AP exam? Make sure you get the inside information on both before you make your decision.

Writing a paper about a "TED TALK" Essay

Writing a paper about a "TED TALK" - Essay Example Professor Amy Cuddy said that some power poses don’t only change the way people are perceived by others but also change their body’s chemistry immediately. Body language judgments will predict life outcomes that are meaningful like who people are, who they will promote or hire and how they will ask out for a date. This research will focus on how body language shapes who people are. Amy Cuddy argues that nonverbal expressions of dominance and power in the animal kingdom is about stretching out, expanding, and making you big. It is not limited to primates alone but also to animals which also do this whenever they feel chronically powerful and also the moment they feel powerful. Both people, born blind or with sight expand their bodies and throw hands in the air after winning in competitions. When people feel powerless, they wrap themselves up, close up, make themselves smaller and can’t pump into others. It is possible for people to fake it until they make it. Nonverbal communications can govern both how people feel and think about themselves and also how other people feel and think about them. People smile when they are excited but also feel happy when forced to smile thru holding a pen amid their teeth. A power pose is likely struck by people feeling powerful, but when they pretend to have a powerful feeling they are likely to feel more powerful. People know that their minds can change their bodies (Amy). They should know that their bodies can also change their minds. The minds of the powerful tend to be more optimistic, assertive and confident. They will take more risks as they reason abstractedly (Amy). Difference in physiology is there too, on both the stress hormone and the dominance hormone, cortisol and testosterone respectively. Therefore, when people think of power they should not think on testosterone only but also cortisol as

Administrative Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Administrative Law - Essay Example ts. Consequently, there has been an urgent need to tackle and overcome such activities of prostitution which are in most communities considered as unacceptable. However, many countries in the light of the stated problem have legalized prostitution through brothels with the imposition of certain restriction so as to minimize criminal offences, simultaneously preserving social interests. For instance, even though an increasing percentage of population worldwide deciphers a strong believe that legalization of prostitution or brothels can de-motivate the performing of such offences, communities still perceive that such acts are immoral and should never be legalised as it might harm the social environment and the following generations by a large extent. Based on this understanding, in the light of Brothel Licensing Act 2011 (Cth), the case scenario of Alice will be assessed. Alice is an adult citizen of Sydney and runs a number of art galleries. Deciding that she would become a brothel â €˜madam’, Alice renovates a dilapidated youth hostel into a high class brothel. Correspondingly, she applies for a brothel license pursuant to the Brothel Licensing Act 2011 (Cth). Although she is granted with a brothel license, two conditions were mentioned rigidly in the agreement which she feels to be inhibiting her business growth prospects. Accordingly, many issues are observed to emerge opposing the license granted to the brothel. Concentrating on these issues, the report will intend to evaluate the specifications of such acts and its justness to be enacted. Decision or Decisions That Alice Can Seek Judicial Review Of The Minister decides to grant Alice a brothel license based on two rigid conditions. The first condition restricts that there be a maximum of four people on the premises at any one time. Correspondingly, the second condition deliberates that the brothel shall provide prostitution services only within the hours of 9am to 5pm and from Monday to Friday onl y. It is worth mentioning in this regard that prostitution has been found as one of the oldest professional practices performed by people even after being strongly opposed in the orthodox period of human civilisation. In the current day perspective, many countries including United Kingdom, Canada, France, and Germany among others have made prostitution and brothel legal with the intention to reduce the rate of sex crimes bringing-in various legal restrictions. Laws that prohibit prostitution and brothels have often been opposed by feminists accusing it to act as sex discrimination. Therefore, in a free and independent society, such laws are regarded as inappropriate as these legal implications tend to violate the basic rights and individual liberties unnecessarily. Prostitution services do not harm any of the party engaged in the prostitution due to mutual agreements; rather it does de-motivate people to forcefully indulge in such activities. People who agree to pay value for the pr ostitution services rendered to them at their own will and interest are the likely clients of the brothels. It has often been mentioned that it is appropriate to enact strict laws against trafficking defining it to be a category of sex crime, rather than on brothels which focuses on agreed sexual activities1. Thus, with reference to Alice’

The Global Economic Crisis Essay Example for Free

The Global Economic Crisis Essay The current global financial has spawned a renewed interest among economists and policymakers to identify its causes and to come up with possible solutions. There were a number of financial crises that have taken place in the 20th century, a considerable number of which elicited panic that the whole economy was at the verge of collapse (Karabell). Countries previously affected by economic crises seem to be rebounding, with improvements in credit ratings and returns of foreign capital. Despite the lessons learned from the past crises, it is inevitable for history to repeat itself. Moreover, not even the world’s strongest economy is immune from this terrible fate. The meltdown in the US mortgage industry started the series of unfortunate events that led to the massive economic crisis. The perception that real estate prices would rise encouraged financial institutions to loosen their standards to borrowers (Shiller 29). However, this economic slowdown was not contained in the mortgage industry. Months after the initial signs of such slowdown, bigger financial institutions have been hit of what has become a global financial crisis. It was like dominoes falling one right after another: The demise of Lehman Brothers tipped to the rush sale of Merrill Lynch to Bank of America, followed by the federal takeover of AIG (Duffy). Now that the U. S. government has granted a $7-billion bailout, the U. S. financial market shows promising potentials of recovery. Yet, none can be of infallible certainty as to its sustainability (Sahadi). It is impossible to account at this early point of time the effectiveness of the bailout. What is possible is to recognize what is happening and to take basic steps in the restructuring of the institutional foundations of the financial economy. These include taking short-run remedies to put a halt at least to the continuing detriments of the crisis and to employ long-term changes that would reduce, if not totally eradicate, the risk of another global financial crisis. Works Cited Duffy, Michael. â€Å"After the Financial Crisis, a Cleanup That Changes Everything. † Time Magazine. 22 September 2008. 28 October 2008 http://www. time. com/time/business/article/ 0,8599,1843213,00.html. . Karabell, Zachary. â€Å"In A Few Fateful Days. † Newsweek. 18 October 2008. 28 October 2008 http://www. newsweek. com/id/164593. Sahadi, Jeanne. â€Å"Bailout is law: President Bush signs historic $700 billion plan aimed at stemming credit crisis. † CNNMoney. 4 October 2008. 28 October 2008 http://money. cnn. com/2008/10/03/news/economy/house_friday_bailout/index. htm? postversion=2008100309 Shiller, Robert J. The Subprime Solution: How Todays Global Financial Crisis Happened, and What to Do about It. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2008.

Minimum Wage - The Dubious Policy :: essays papers

Minimum Wage The Questionable Policy As early as 6.00 am in a dark and cold morning of Midwest winter, a few people walking on an icy sidewalk. Under chilling wind, those people walk to a large, old building. Inside the building, the people work for repetitive, backbreaking low waged jobs. In the same day, late at night, you can see similar scene: some people walking out of the building under heavy snowstorm. Being one of those people, I know the feeling of a minimum waged worker. Like all of those workers, I feel exhausted after finishing my job. Everyday, I wait with impatience to hear my supervisor say â€Å"That is it, turn off the belt.† After put off my safety gloves and sweep my sweat, I can only think to return to my room and sleep. I lost most of my time and energy just for a few dollars. There are a lot of people that work harder and earn less than me. The poor, especially less-skilled workers, has access only to â€Å"bad jobs at bad wages† (Blank 64). Those workers always face bad situation. They are poor. They are struggling to sustain the life of their families. On the contrary, the owners of the company where they work have a high standard of living. Bad wage is advantageous for the group of people known as traditional elites who own labor-intensive firms because it lowers production cost, thus increase the competitiveness of the product. For that reason, it is natural for the traditional elites to keep wage as low as possible. This action creates what Karl Marx wrote in The Communist Manifesto as †naked, shameless, direct, brutal exploitation† (82). The minimum wage seems to be an appealing solution against these abusive exploitations. Applying a minimum wage law, government can force a wealth distribution among the owners and their lowest level workers. On Saturday, June 25, 1938, The U.S. Congress first instituted a minimum wage with the Fair Labor Standard Act. The minimum wage was set at 25 cents per working hour (US Department of Labor). The federal minimum wage is increase overtime, adjusted for higher living cost due to accumulated inflation. The minimum wage level is currently set at $5.15 per working hour (2001). An increase in minimum wage can help the poor by substantial amount. A 75-cent per hour increase in the minimum wage means an additional $1,500 for a minimum wage earner who works full-time, year round – â€Å"as much as the average family spends on groceries in 6 months† (Bureau of Labor Statistics).

The Importance of Business Communication

When you think about these two quotes you will find a lot of meanings, something happens in your life around you, about the relations and communication and how to deal with others not just on business also in your general life, so it is too important to learn how to communicate. Communication is the process of transmitting ideas, thoughts, information, opinions, and plans between various parts of an organization or sometimes to those on the outside of an organization who are interest in the business and need to know the information.Communication is one of the most basic functions of management in any organization. Its importance can never be over emphasized. The presence of business communication ensures that there is a sense of professionalism in the business. Good communication means your message is being sent and those receiving it clearly understand it in it’s entirely. Because of this, the receiver will more likely respond to it in a positive manner.When this occurs, it m eans the message was communicated effectively. A customer who receives poor communication from an employee will most likely have an unfavorable response to a company. The reason for this could be because the person listening does not possess a clear understanding of what the person doing the talking is actually saying. Perhaps the request is unclear, or maybe the person listening did not pay close enough attention. Human relations cannot be present without communication.Good and effective communication is required for both personal relationships and successful business relationships. You can use business software and other popular applications for writing communications, or you can utilize the telephone and in-person methods for the spoken part. No matter how you communicate, make sure there is both talking and listening going on and that you take the time to carefully consider what is being said to you. All three forms of communication are important to a business.The written  com munications can serve as a record of sorts while the phone conversations can facilitate the beginning of a great business relationship. The in-person communication will also help to further promote the business principles as well as the products. Face-to-face communication is especially important between companies and their customers. This is what keeps them coming back time and time again and what can place the business in the forefront of many situations that are perfect for acquiring and maintaining customers.Effective communication in business helps better understand a person or situation, enables us to resolve important differences, and builds trust and respect. Effective communication is also about exchanging information and it requires you to understand the emotion behind the information. Effective communication can also improve relationships at work, home, and in social situations by deepening your connections to others and improving teamwork, decision making, caring, and pr oblem solving. It is also stated that effective communication in a business is a learned skill.

Socrates Understanding

| Socrates Understanding| Beverly Melcher| Ethics and Moral Reasoning: PHI 208 Dione Johnson| | 3/3/2013| Socrates Understanding The concept of holiness emerges into the dialogue when Socrates is trying to find out how to address the gods in a proper way. He is also trying to find out the definition of piety and impiety from the gods point of view. The reason for this is so that the man, Meletus, who feels that he is bring justified charges against Socrates to the gods, because he is bringing charges against his father of murder.Meletus feels that Socrates is being impiety or impious to his father in not showing him respect for what he has done. Socrates feels that he is justified in the charges because his father was wrong in not providing the serf with provisions until just could be properly done. In Socrates eyes, his father committed murder, and should be tried for his wrong doings. Piety is doing as I am doing: that is to say, prosecuting anyone who is guilty of murder, sacrileg e, or of any similar crime—whether he be your father or mother, or whoever he may be—that makes no difference; and not to prosecute them is impiety.The next definition, ‘Piety is that which is lived of the gods,’ is shipwrecked on a refined distinction between the state and the act, corresponding respectively to the adjective and the participle, or rather perhaps to the participle and the verb. The third and last definition, ‘Piety is a part of justice’ and â€Å"Piety is what is dear to the gods, and impiety is what is not dear to them. ’ Socrates hardly sees the first explanation as a true definition. The second appears to him as to be part of justice which attends to the gods, as there is the other part of justice which attends to men.Piety or holiness is preceded by the act of being pious, not by the act of being loves; and therefore piety and the state of being loved are different. Euthyphro is simply saying that piety and holines s is learning how to please the gods in word and deed, by prayers and sacrifice (Plato). This type of piety is considered a salvation to the families and states, as to impious or impiety is unpleasing to the gods and brings upon them ruin and destruction. Socrates goal is in placing religion on a moral foundation.He is seeking on how to realize the harmony of religion and morality, in which is universal wanted of all men (Plato). He describes piety as being an affair to business, a science of giving and asking the true service of the gods of the spirit and is in co-operation with them in all things true and good and which everyone must learn for himself (Plato). The features of dialogue that aligns with the interpretation of his goals are all the questions that Socrates asked of Euthyphro before he has to be seen in the courts of the gods.Piety is the  virtue  that can mean a  religious devotion,  spirituality, or a combination of both. A showing of respect to one’s p eers, parents, or the judges of one’s actions whether right or wrong. A man with  piety is  respected by his responsibilities to gods, country, parents, and kin. It is Socrates strictest sense on what sort of love a son ought to have for his father. References http://www. gutenberg. org/files/1642-h. htm Release Date: November 23, 2008 [EBook #1642] Last Updated: January 15, 2013

Intrinsic vs. Inherent

Intrinsic vs. Inherent Intrinsic vs. Inherent Intrinsic vs. Inherent By Maeve Maddox A reader wants guidelines for the use of these two words: I’ve read every explanation I can find but I’m still trying to clarify how to best choose the appropriate context in which to use the word intrinsic versus inherent.† The adjectives inherent and intrinsic are synonyms. Both convey the idea of an inborn, essential aspect of something, an element that exists within a person or thing because of its very nature. A web search indicates that inherent is used more frequently than intrinsic, bringing up twice as many hits for inherent (79,500,000) as for intrinsic (40,800,000). Both words are found in discussions of rights, but â€Å"inherent rights† is more common with 415,000 search results than â€Å"intrinsic rights† with 35,300. Here are typical uses: The Government of Canada recognizes the inherent right of self-government as an existing Aboriginal right under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.   Many promoters of health-care reform believe that people have an intrinsic ethical right to health care. There is no such thing as an inherent right to health care. Today, family planning is almost universally recognized as an intrinsic right. Students must recognize that nobody has an inherent right to an advanced education. Inherent comes from a Latin verb that means, â€Å"to stick in† or â€Å"adhere to.† â€Å"An inherent characteristic† is one that is embedded in the thing that possesses it. Intrinsic comes from a Latin word meaning â€Å"inwards.† â€Å"An intrinsic characteristic† is something that belongs to the thing itself. Like the reader who posed the question, I feel that there is a subtle difference between the two, but cannot postulate a clear distinction. In many contexts they do seem to be interchangeable, but not in all. I’m more likely to talk about the â€Å"intrinsic value† of a thing than its â€Å"inherent value,† but I’d say with the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights that â€Å"Every human being has the inherent right to life.† This pair of words may have more precise meanings in a scientific context, but in general usage, the choice seems to rest with the speaker. If in doubt, perhaps you’d find one of the following a better choice for your purpose than either intrinsic or inherent: innate immanent built-in in-dwelling inborn ingrained deep-rooted essential fundamental basic structural organic natural instinctive instinctual congenital native inbred connate deep-seated indelible ineradicable integral Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Computer Terms You Should KnowThe Difference Between "will" and "shall"Proverb vs. Adage

Clam system Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Clam system - Term Paper Example A clan is an extensive type of lineage that is characterized by blood relations whereby all relatives from either the mother’s or father’s lineage, together with all the ancestors and their offspring in that lineage are considered as members. The main features of a clan include being an exogamous group, having a common ancestor and being unilateral. Being unilateral means that a clan was/is made up families from the father’s or the mother’s side (Middleton and David 38). Clans were and are not made up of a combination of lineages of both the mother and the father. Almost all communities had unilateral clan systems which was either patrilineal or matrilineal lineage. Clans were also exogamous groups because all members of a clan were believed to be descendants of a common ancestor, hence most communities discouraged intra-clan marriages. Some clans had ancestors that some scholars term as mythical, while others had real ancestors. They were also small and they were led by elders who were in charge of making all crucial decisions affecting their clans and that of the community at large, but in conjunction with other clan elders from a community. Unlike the modern type of state governance whereby government officials make decisions purported to be representing the will of the citizens, clans were based on the â€Å"we feeling,† an aspect that made decisions made to be more representative. Almost all clans across the globe had teams of elders or the so-called council of elders who were in charge of making decisions affecting the clan and the community (Hudson, Thomas and Robbie 42). Councils of elders from different clans, but who are from the same tribe or community could come together and make decisions affecting the community at large. In case two or more communities were involved in disputes, clan leaders would select the best representatives to negotiate with leaders from the other communities in order to come up

An analysis of three women from three works by edith wharton Essay

An analysis of three women from three works by edith wharton - Essay Example Her works display her inborn wit and are characterized for their humor, incisiveness and uneventfulness (Wikipedia). As a child, Wharton lived overseas until the age of six when her family settled in New York. She was not formally schooled, but she educated herself by receiving instruction from her governess and by reading through her father's collection of books (Dwight and Winner). In 1885, aged 23, she married Edward Robbins Wharton, but the marriage was tumultuous and unhappy. The marriage ended in divorce in 1913, on grounds of her husband's public infidelity and degrading health. Wharton's first work published, The Decoration of Houses, is not a work of fiction, but a work on architecture and landscaping. In the course of her life, Wharton has traveled extensively through Continental Europe, eventually settling in France. From France, she observed the battles of World War I from the frontlines and wrote Fighting France: From Dunkerque to Belfort, a series of articles about the fighting. She was involved actively in the Red Cross and with the refugees, and was given the French Legion of Honor award for her efforts. In a writing career spanning forty years, Wharton would produce more than forty volumes of work. Her first work published, The Decoration of Houses, is not a work of fiction, but a book on architecture and landscaping. ... r work, responding particularly to the elegance and precision of her prose and the sharpness of her wit; others don't like her at all, finding it hard to "get into" her fiction because she seems so cold, the prose seems so detailed and self-conscious, and the subject matter is so elite" ("Edith Wharton"). Said Dwight and Winner, Edith Wharton "was a born storyteller, whose novels are justly celebrated for their vivid settings, satiric wit, ironic style, and moral seriousness," whose works contain characters are "[o]ften portrayed as tragic victims of cruel social conventions, they are trapped in bad relationships or confining circumstances." The three works chosen for this paper, The Other Two, The Muse's Tragedy and The Pomegranate Seed, are works of Wharton that provide examples to this statement. One such character trapped by conventions is Mrs. Alice Waythorn from The Other Two. The story is told from the point of view by Alice's third husband Mr. Waythorn, whose glowing fascination for his charming bride then turned to doubt about her personality and the fact that she was married twice before him. It is a doubt that grew each time he encountered her former husbands, to wane into numbness with familiarity with them, and to be resolved in the most humorous and unexpected of turns. The Muse's Tragedy, aptly named, is the story of a woman named Mary Anerton, who was seen by the society she moves in as the muse of the renowned poet Vincent Rendle, and immortalized in his "Sonnets to Silvia." While the public whispered of the great love affair between poet and muse, which lent fame - and after the poet's death, authority on his works - to Mrs. Anerton, the truth is that the love affair existed only in Mrs. Anerton's mind, the fruit of her unspoken longing for the