Juvenile Delinquency essays

Juvenile Delinquency essays I felt this was a good place to start, considering I feel that most criminal activity starts at a young age. There are very few criminals who have picked up the trade in their adult life. Just as manners and norms are developed at an early age, delinquency and defiant behavior is also. There are certain factors that wage deviance that I think are important to explain. Heredity is an important factor, a lot of characteristics come from this. How one may react to certain situations is not genetic, but can be developed early in life by home situations. The way one is treated and disciplined as a young child directly affects how he or she will perceive and treat those around them in life. The environment a child grows up in plays a key role in determining the childs view on life, which may have a direct effect on his or her proneness to delinquency. There are certain characteristics that I feel we inherit and certain characteristics that we develop at a young age. Some genes may cause a child to have a short temper or a limited attention span. Other genes may make it difficult for the child to learn in school. He or she may turn to other means and other children to feel part of the group. Often these other children are more defiant. Without proper discipline a lot of these characteristics can become repeated and condoned behavior. By generalizing traits we can distinguish inherited traits from learned behavior. I believe that when children are young they learn the norms of society from their parents, but they learn social roles from their peers. They learn how to be accepted and what behavior will get them the appropriate response. First and foremost certain things need to be noted. A delinquent child is one that has little or no respect for authority. This causes them to act out against authority and any formal institution constraining him or her. A delinquent child is often characteri...

Brief History of the Declaration of Independence

Brief History of the Declaration of Independence Since April 1775, loosely organized groups of American colonists had been fighting British soldiers in an attempt to secure their rights as loyal British subjects. By the summer of 1776, however, a majority of Americans were pushing – and fighting for full independence from Britain. In reality, the Revolutionary War had already begun with the Battles of Lexington and Concord  and the Siege of Boston  in 1775.  The American Continental Congress turned a five-man committee including Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin to pen a formal statement of the colonists’ expectation and demands to be sent to King George III. In Philadelphia on July 4, 1776, Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. The Declaration of Independence. The following is a brief chronicle of events leading up to the official adoption of the Declaration of Independence. May 1775 The Second Continental Congress convenes in Philadelphia. A petition for redress of grievances, sent to King George III of England by the First Continental Congress in 1774, remains unanswered. June - July 1775 Congress establishes the Continental Army, a first national monetary currency and a post office to serve the United Colonies. August 1775 King George declares his American subjects to be engaged in open and avowed rebellion against the Crown. The English Parliament passes the American Prohibitory Act, declaring all American sea-going vessels and their cargo the property of England. January 1776 Colonists by the thousands buy copies of Thomas Paines Common Sense, stating the cause of American independence. March 1776 Congress passes the Privateering (piracy) Resolution, allowing colonists to arm vessels in order to cruize [sic] on the enemies of these United Colonies. April 6, 1776 American seaports were opened to trade and cargo from other nations for the first time. May 1776 Germany, through a treaty negotiated with King George, agrees to hire mercenary soldiers to help put down any potential uprising by American colonists. May 10, 1776 Congress passes the Resolution for the Formation of Local Governments, allowing colonists to establish their own local governments. Eight colonies agreed to support American independence. May 15, 1776 The Virginia Convention passes a resolution that the delegates appointed to represent this colony in General Congress be instructed to propose to that respectable body to declare the United Colonies free and independent states. June 7, 1776 Richard Henry Lee, Virginias delegate to the Continental Congress, presents the Lee Resolution reading in part: Resolved: That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved. June 11, 1776 Congress postpones consideration of the Lee Resolution and appoints the Committee of Five to draft a final statement declaring the case for Americas independence. The Committee of Five is composed of: John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Robert R. Livingston of New York and Thomas Jefferson of Virginia. July 2, 1776 By the votes of 12 of the 13 colonies, with New York not voting, Congress adopts the Lee Resolutions and begins consideration of the Declaration of Independence, written by the Committee of Five. July 4, 1776 Late in the afternoon, church bells ring out over Philadelphia heralding the final adoption of the Declaration of Independence. August 2, 1776 The delegates of the Continental Congress sign the clearly printed or engrossed version of the Declaration. Today Faded but still legible, the Declaration of Independence, along with the Constitution and Bill of Rights, is enshrined for public display in the rotunda of the National Archives and Records Building in Washington, D.C. The priceless documents are stored in an underground vault at night and are constantly monitored for any degradation in their condition.

International Relation- PED Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International Relation- PED - Essay Example growth of the political economy of development enables the exposure of the interconnected topics, ideas and the role played by such ideas towards shaping a country’s development aspects. The assignment is put together in order to provide an understanding platform of the existing literature on economic development studies. The work is organised in a way that will elaborate more on the Post-war consensus that took place from 1950s and in the 1960s. During this period, the ideas portrayed in the literature indicate that they were focused on the theory of classical dualism. This particular theory led to the development of policies that were concentrated more on the creation of the suitable pre-conditions to facilitate development. The study will shed light on the event of increasing awareness, and the role played by advancing ideas. The ideas were resulting from the reducing reliance on the state of developmental and the increasing dependence on structural adjustment lending that will be assayed. In reference to Ranis (2004), the previously ignored sub-field of development economics was reinvented between the 1950s and the 1960s. During the time, the current models of the economy were deemed only to offer insights that were rather limited towards solving the challenges facing the third world. The Keynesian, Solow, and Harrod-Domar were the dominant economic models at the time. However, the ideas in these theories have little relevance for most societies. In accordance with Cairney (2012), the ideas incorporated in this literature are more of connected to the business cycles and other steady-state properties. In a more specific tone, the contemporary development models are viewed as related to the advanced countries. The Keynesian theory, for instance, has an abstract theoretical construct that abides by the abundant assumptions portrayed by the macro- theory of neo-classics. Contemporary development ideas also focused on full employment, perfect competition, and

Corporation Tax, Income Taxes, and Capital Gains Tax at the United Essay

Corporation Tax, Income Taxes, and Capital Gains Tax at the United Kingdom - Essay Example A limited amount of companies must pay corporation tax. The self-employed do not. However, in almost all circumstances, cooperatives, housing associations, members' clubs, and trade associations must pay corporation tax (Wikipedia, 2007). Companies that are obligated to pay corporation taxes on their profits are required to perform certain activities. First of all, they are required to notify HM Revenue and Customs that they indeed are in operation at that they are among those required to pay corporate taxes. Then, the company must file a self-assessment Company Tax Return without being assessed by the HMRC, similar to individuals who are required to file their own income taxes without first being assessed by the IRS. Lastly, this requires that accurate records of all financial dealings that contribute to the information submitted to the HMRC be kept at all times. In order for corporations that must pay corporation tax to avoid fines, they must know their statutory filing date and their normal due date. Each company must hold full responsibility for calculating its own corporation taxes and paying the amount due before the deadline. If a company fails to do so, they will owe a penalty. According to Business Link, "A company can send in its Company Tax Return at any time after the end of its accounting period but must do so no later than the statutory filing date. This is later of (a) 12 months after the end of your company's accounting period [or] (b) three months after your company receives a "notice to deliver a Company Tax Return form CT600" from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC)" (2007). Companies who do not send their returns on time receive penalties. Companies who regularly submit their returns late enjoy increasingly higher penalties. Penalties can also be assessed for returns that are incorrect or for companies who fail to tell HMRC that they are liable to pay corporate taxes. Business Link claims that "Payment of the corporation tax itself is due exactly nine months and one day after what is called your normal due date. For most companies, the normal due date is the last day of the accounting period. So if a company's tax return covers the accounting period 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2004, then the corporation tax should be paid no later than 1 October 2005" (2007).

Drama Part 1 Essay Example for Free

Drama Part 1 Essay The piece of Drama we have created is called The Fear of the Unknown. We looked at various ways of interpreting the title before agreeing on a suitable theme. Our story covers the death of a character and studies the reactions of characters in different situations. The actual cause of death is left to the imagination and is never actually mentioned. This links in with the title we were given. I am going to compare The fear of the unknown with the play The Woman in Black by Susan Hill and adapted by Steven Mallatratt. I will also use the Crucible text by Arthur Miller and Blue Remembered Hills text. In the Woman in Black as the actor approaches the house a gobo is shown to show Eel marsh house in the background. The house seems large and foreboding. This helps create an air of suspense with the audience who already have heard about the woman in black. This happens again when the actor approaches the door to the playroom whilst the music plays. Similarly, the actors in The Fear of the unknown create tension whilst approaching the house by talking quietly and discuss the house in their ghost story. The curse of the Woman in Black is similar to the curse placed on the house where a girl died many years ago. Many other people tell the story of the woman in black. The actor isnt superstitious so ignores them. He is lucky to escape with his life. In the fear of the unknown Stacey warns Sadie about the curse in the house where the girl died, Sadie believes the story but then still goes in the house, and doesnt return. This could also be compared to in the Crucible where the suspicion of witchcraft underlies everything. In the beginning of the play many people didnt even have suspicion of witches. Though the idea there were witches living within a community ate away at the people until people died. Many innocent people ended up hanging for witchcraft. The imagination of characters in the play we performed added to the tension created. This occurred frequently during the piece, for example when Charlie and Sadie appear at the door to Staceys party Stacey looks Sadie up and down. Sadie is instantly terrified of Stacey even though this is normal behaviour in her characters case. The same thing happens in Blue Remembered Hills when the siren goes to signal that a prisoner of war has escaped. Every noise sounds like the war prisoner approaching them and all the children believe the prisoner of war would kill them. You can also compare it to the Crucible where everyone suspects everyone else to be witches, and everyone turns on everybody else causing more havoc. To some extent this also happens in The Woman in Black as the actor is met by suspicious and hostile reactions when he attends the ladies funeral. Also everybody in the village believes in The Woman in Black and her terrible curse, this means all the characters would be on edge. In conclusion, I think our drama performance went well, our preparation could have been better but we all had different school activities on, which made it hard to rehearse. Near to the end of our rehearsals we threw one member of our cast out. This put us at a disadvantage but meant we worked better as a group in the end as we were all striving for a common goal. Our original ideas included; Bullying and the consequences of bullying, Relationships, and problems that could never be solved. We decided to work on the events leading up to an unnecessary death.

Killer Angels - Chamberlain: A True Leader :: American America History

Killer Angels - Chamberlain: A True Leader Michael Shaara presented Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain in his The Killer Angels not only as a courageous, heroic soldier with outstanding integrity, but depicted him using tremendous leadership skills in a large variety of situations. When we were first introduced to Chamberlain he gave a remarkably motivating speech to over one hundred starved and angry soldiers. With his passionate and honest plea he was able to break through their barriers of hate and betrayal and inspire them to fight for a belief even they could relate to. This act alone convinced me that this man was a talented leader and would have an impressive impact on The Battle of Gettysburg. After each confrontation where casualties occurred Chamberlain was sure to visit with each individual soldier or group of soldiers and be certain they didnt need the attention of a doctor. He also took time to get to know his men and build relationships with them. Through this act Chamberlain gained more respect, even, than Lee because his soldiers not only knew who they were fighting for, but also knew that if they died fighting for him they would die in honor under the command of a caring and passionate man. To be a good soldier you must love the army. But to be a good officer you must be willing to order the death of the thing you love. This is a very hard thing to do. ~Robert E. Lee (The Killer Angels Pg. 191) Chamberlain showed what a good officer he was during the battle on Little Round Top. When he knew his troops were in trouble he had to order his own brother to help fill a spot, risking his life. Throughout the novel Shaara mentions how closely-knit the relationship between the two brothers was yet Chamberlain knew his duty to protect the Union armys flank and was willing to sacrifice both himself and his beloved brother Tom in order to fulfill it.

Grear Rafting Analysis

Introduction Grear Rafting Company, owned by Peggy Grear is a company that provides rafting services to rafters. Grear Rafting Company, henceforth referred to as Grear Rafting, has just gone through its first season in business on which it provided rafting services to 1,048 rafters for seven (7) days. During these seven (7) days, Grear Rafting also provided meals to the rafters three times a day, it also provides the rafts used during the season. During its first season, however, Grear Rafting experienced a loss.Peggy Grear has enough savings to get Grear Rafting through another season or two of business, but Grear Rafting would have to shut its business down if it does not make a profit (Houston Baptist University, 2012). In this paper, I would show what Grear Rafting requires to break-even and make a profit. Grear Rafting’s income statement from its first season is shown below on Table 1. Table 1. Grear Rafting CompanyIncome StatementYear Ended December 31, 2012| Revenue | | $1,048,000| Rental Expense| (208,600)| |Meals Expense| (314,400)| | Advertising Expense| (50,000)| | Compensation to Guides| (471,600)| | Salary Expense| (16,500)| | T-shirts and Hats Expense| (31,440)| | Office Utility Expense| (3,850)| | Gross Income (Loss)| | $(48,390)| Variable and Fixed Costs There are different types of costs associated with the running of Grear Rafting. In order to develop a plan for Grear Rafting to make a profit, it is necessary to identify those costs that can be changed, and those that cannot be changed. 1. Variable Cost:A variable cost is a cost that increases in total as output increases and decreases in total as output decreases. (Rich et al, 2010). For example, cotton used in making cotton shirts is a variable cost. As a company makes more cotton shirts, it needs more cotton to produce the shirts. The variable costs incurred by Grear Rafting are: * Meals provided to rafters ($314,400): the rafting trip is for seven (7) days, so as more rafters use G rear Rafting’s services, Grear Rafting would incur more costs in providing meals to the rafters for the time period of seven (7) days.If less rafters use Grear Rafting, the cost of providing meals would decrease. * Compensation paid to guides ($471,600): the compensation paid to the guides is paid on commission basis. Therefore, if more rafters use Grear Rafting’s services, the commission to the guides would increase, causing the compensation cost to increase as well, and if less rafters use Grear Rafting’s services, the compensation cost would also decrease. * T-shirts and hats provided to rafters ($31,440): the number of rafters that used Grear Rafting this season was 1,048.This incurred the cost of t-shirts and hats of $31,440. If more rafters come in the next season, the cost of providing t-shirts and hats would also increase. So also, if fewer rafters come in the next season, the cost of providing t-shirts and hats would decrease. 2. Fixed Cost: A fixed cos t is a cost that does not increase as total output increases and does not decrease as total output decreases. For example, the cost of property taxes on a factory stays the same no matter how much the factory produces.The quantity produced does not have an effect on the cost of property taxes; they only change because the city or county government raises taxes (Rich et al, 2010). Fixed costs incurred by Grear Rafting in its first season include: * Rental cost of rafts and camping equipment ($208,600): the rafts and equipment are rented on an annual basis, and additional rafts and equipment are not available to Grear Rafting. Since the rafts and equipment are rented annually, the number of rafters does not affect the cost of the rafts and equipment because these are rented not based on the number of rafters expected, but based on what is available. Advertising expense ($50,000): the cost for advertising Grear Rafting does not depend on how many rafters use Grear Rafting. Advertising is a way to introduce the company to the public, and whatever advertising means Peggy Grear decides to use is billed to Grear Rafting no matter how many rafters it serves. * Salary of office manager ($16,500): the salary paid to the office manager is a fixed cost because no matter how many rafters come for the season, the salary is an established amount that is agreed upon by the manager and Peggy Grear.Therefore, the cost of paying salary to the manager is fixed and is not based on how many rafters there are in the season. * Office utility expense ($3,850): this expense is a fixed cost because it is based on the utility that is used in the office and not on the number of rafters there are. Product and Period Costs 1. Product Cost: Product costs are costs, both direct and indirect, of producing a product in a manufacturing firm or of acquiring a product in a merchandising firm and preparing it for sale (Rich et al, 2010).For example, the metal used in making a car, the hours put int o making that car, and depreciation on equipment are product costs. The product costs incurred by Grear Rafting include: * Rental cost of rafts and camping equipment ($208,600): this is a product cost because the rafts and camping equipment are rented for the current season. These would be used during the rafting season at Grear Rafting. * Meals provided to rafters ($314,400): this is a product cost because the meals are provided for the rafters during the seven (7) days they are rafting.The meals are not prepared for the long-run, but only for the space of time for the rafting season for Grear Rafting. * Compensation paid to guides ($471,600): the compensation paid to the guides is a product cost because the compensation is paid for the specific rafting season concerned; it is not a long term payment to the guides. * T-shirts and Hats provided to rafters ($31,440): this is a product cost because the t-shirts and hats provided to the rafters are purchased for the specific season bas ed on how many rafters available. They are not purchased on a long-term basis. . Period Cost: Period costs are costs that are not carried in inventory; all costs that are not product costs. That is, all areas of the value chain except for production (Rich et al, 2010). For example, costs of advertising, salaries to the CEO, and research and development activities are not added to inventory, thereby making them period costs (Rich et al, 2010). The period costs incurred by Grear Rafting include: * Advertising expense ($50,000): the advertising cost is only incurred when Grear Rafting advertises the company for rafting services. Salary of office manager ($16,500): the salary of the office manager is a cost that does not deal with production, or in this case, with the activities of Grear Rafting during this season. * Office utility expense ($3,850): this is a period cost because the cost is expensed in the period it occurs. Break-Even Based on the information provided earlier, there are several changes Peggy Grear can make that would affect Grear Rafting’s ability to break-even or even make a profit. A breakeven point is the point where total revenues equal total cost, and net income is zero (0).Break-even can be calculated in sales dollars and in units. Break-even is calculated by dividing total fixed cost by the price minus the variable cost per unit; and break-even in sales dollars is calculated by dividing total fixed expenses by the contribution margin ratio. The contribution margin ratio is the percentage of sales dollars remaining after variable costs are covered (Rich et al, 761). The table below is a contribution margin income statement from which we can understand how to calculate break-even. Table 2.Grear Rafting CompanyContribution Margin Income StatementYear Ended December 31, 2012| Sales ($1,000 X 1,048)Total variable expenses Total contribution marginTotal fixed expenses Operating Income| Total$1,048,000 817,440 230,560 278,950 (48,390)| Per Unit$1,000 780 220 | Contribution Margin Income Statement Contribution margin is the difference between sales and variable expenses. It is the amount of sales revenue left over after all the variable expenses are covered that can be used to contribute to fixed expense and operating income (Rich et al, 758).To calculate break-even, the Cost-volume-profit (CVP) analysis is needed. CVP analysis estimates how changes in costs, both variable and fixed, sales, volume, and price affect a company’s profit. CVP, an important tool used by managerial accountants, is used to reach important benchmarks such as a company’s break-even point. It is useful to organize costs into variable and fixed components for a CVP analysis. The contribution margin income statement format is based on the separation of costs into variable and fixed components. Table two (2) above shows the format for the contribution margin income statement.When recast as an equation, the contribution margin income s tatement becomes more useful for solving CVP problems. The operating income equation can be expanded by expressing sales revenues and variable expenses in terms of unit dollar amounts and the number of units sold. So, the operating income equation becomes: Operating income = (Price x number of units sold) – (Variable cost per unit x Number of units sold) – Total fixed cost (Rich et al, 758). For a company to break-even, its operating income should equal zero (0). Grear Rafting’s break-even point will be calculated in units and in sales dollars.For Grear Rafting to break-even, we need to consider the number of rafters that came for the past rafting season. Grear Rafting had 1,048 rafters in the past season; to be able to reach break-even, Grear Rafting needs approximately 1,268 rafters. This was determined by dividing the total fixed cost ($278,950) by the price per rafter ($1,000) minus the variable cost per unit ($780). To calculate the break-even point in sale s dollars, total variable costs are defined as a percentage of sales rather than as an amount per unit sold. The break-even point in sales dollars for Grear Rafting is $1,268,000).This was calculated by dividing the total fixed cost ($278,950) by the contribution margin ratio (22%) which was calculated by dividing the contribution margin per unit ($220) by the price per rafter ($1,000). The contribution margin per unit was calculated by subtracting the variable cost per unit ($780) from the price per rafter ($1,000). To determine how Grear Rafting can make a profit, there are several costs that need to be reduced. First, however, it is necessary to determine the number of rafters Grear Rafting needs to achieve a target income that would yield a profit.If Grear Rafting’s target income is $49,000, then the number of units it needs to earn it can be calculated by adding the total fixed cost ($278,950) to the target income ($49,000) and dividing it by the price ($1,000) minus the variable cost per unit ($780). The number of units Grear Rafting needs to earn its target income is $1,490. 68 or approximately $1,491 rafters. Therefore, Grear Rafting’s margin of safety in units, which is calculated by subtracting break-even units (1,268) from sales (1,491), is 223 units, and ts margin of safety in sales dollars, which is calculated by subtracting the break-even volume ($1,268,000) from the revenue ($1,491,000), is $223,000. Recommendations Meals: The first cost that needs to be tackled is the cost of meals to the rafters. The cost of meals provided to the rafters in Grear Rafting’s first season cost $314,000. It can be deduced that Grear Rafting is spending a lot of money on meals for the rafters. To reduce the amount of money spent on meals, Grear Rafting could look for cheaper means of providing meals to the rafters. Impact of Recommendations Conclusion References

Oedipus by Thomas Blackburn Essay

There are many levels of pain, some of which are discomfort, grief, and agony. In his poem â€Å"Oedipus†, Thomas Blackburn uses diction, imagery, and organization to create a tone of suffering that truly exemplifies pain at its greatest, as well as a tone of feebleness and impotence. From the beginning of the poem, Blackburn’s diction suggests Oedipus’s immorality and wretchedness. For example, Oedipus’s shadow is â€Å"monstrous†, representing his horrific past and future as a monster. However, Oedipus is soon transformed into a powerless and blind being. The poem describes Oedipus as he â€Å"gropes† and â€Å"stumbles†, signifying his weakness and the effects of his self-inflicted blindness and handicap. The diction is very significant, as it provides insight on the actual story. Near the conclusion of the play, Oedipus is weak and blind not only to the physical world, but to the truth as well, resulting in his mother hanging herself, as seen in the poem in, â€Å"and let this woman on the strangling cord†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . In the second to last line of the poem, Blackburn symbolizes Oedipus’s degeneration into death by discussing an ape’s â€Å"carcass†. The dead body of the animal shows Oedipus’s final stage in life, from his powerful position in the â€Å"palace† to the carrion of the â€Å"desert†, and supports the tone of suffering and impotence. The many stages of Oedipus’s nature, from his wickedness to his gloom, are effectively portrayed through Blackburn’s use of imagery. Blackburn quickly introduces the depravity of Oedipus, who has â€Å"the odour of her body on his palms.† This image refers to Oedipus, who sleeps with his mother and wife, Jocasta. Yet, without knowing the story, the image created is sinful itself in nature by the mood created by the â€Å"odor of her body†, which appears both sexual and sensual. In the next stanza, Blackburn depicts Oedipus as he â€Å"gropes for the sage’s lips.† This symbolizes Oedipus’s realization of the truth, which Teresias, the â€Å"sage† has told Oedipus. Upon piecing all the clues and knowledge together, Oedipus knows that he has been ignorant and avoiding his inevitable fate. With Oedipus acknowledging the truth, Blackburn leads to the dominant image of Oedipus as he suffers the consequences of his unwise actions. After Oedipus is banishes from the land, he is seen as a â€Å"newly born† with his daughters â€Å"leading him with childish  hands.† The reader can instantly envision Oedipus as a child crawling through the desert, with his daughters ironically portrayed as his guardians. Oedipus loses the sense of sight and turns into a powerless creature with no spirit, represented by a child that is associated with a figure that is new to the world and knows nothing, including the truth, in Oedipus’s case. Thus, the usage of imagery develops Blackburn’s tone of suffering as Oedipus progresses toward what his fate has decreed. Organization throughout the poem helps to portray and lay emphasis upon certain areas where Blackburn’s message about the fall of Oedipus and fate is evident. Analysis of the overall poem shows a decrease in Oedipus’s character. He is first portrayed as a monster in the palace walls, but as the poem progresses, Oedipus’s fall into destruction progresses as well. He begins to desperately seek the truth and when it is found, Oedipus becomes a helpless and weak creature. Similarly, the beginning to the poem depicts Oedipus as he indulges himself in his desires. However the ending of the poem shows â€Å"prophetic birds† flying overhead, symbolizing fate and how Oedipus eventually falls into submission and lowers himself as a person. The chronology also adds to the tone by allowing readers to slowly develop an understanding of Oedipus’s suffering and pain. The placement of Oedipus’s demise at the end also adds emphasis to the message, since it is the last stanza that the reader reads and will remain in the reader’s mind the longest. It is clearly evident that the special organization of the poem helps to support the tone and message conveyed to the readers throughout the writing. From the introduction to the end, Blackburn constantly provides support for the tones of suffering and weakness. Through diction such as â€Å"helpless†, imagery of Oedipus’s demise in the desert, and organization that created emphasis on certain clues, the tone and message is easily identified. Oedipus was truly a tragic story involving the fall of a king to a blind and powerless child, with the sad, horrific, and painful understanding of truth and fate integrated to create a dramatic play.

Sophie Tucker Biography

Sophie Tucker Biography Dates:  January 13, 1884 -  February 9, 1966 Occupation:  vaudeville entertainerAlso known as:  Last of the Red Hot Mamas Sophie Tucker was born while her mother was emigrating from the Ukraine, then part of the Russian Empire,  to America to join her husband, also a Russian Jew. Her birth name was Sophia Kalish, but the family soon took the last name Abuza and moved to Connecticut, where Sophie grew up working in her familys restaurant. She discovered that singing at the restaurant brought in tips from customers. Playing piano to accompany her sister at amateur shows, Sophie Tucker quickly became an audience favorite; they called for the fat girl. At age 13, she already weighed 145 pounds. She married Louis Tuck, a beer driver, in 1903, and they had a son, Albert, called Bert. She left Tuck in 1906, and left her son Bert with her parents, going to New York alone. Her sister Annie raised Albert. She changed her name to Tucker, and began singing at amateur shows to support herself.   Her divorce from Tuck was completed in 1913. Sophie Tucker was required to wear blackface by managers who felt that she would not otherwise be accepted, since she was so big and ugly as one manager put it. She joined a burlesque show in 1908, and, when she found herself without her makeup or any of her luggage one night, she went on without her blackface, was a hit with the audience, and never wore the blackface again. Sophie Tucker briefly appeared with the Ziegfield Follies, but her popularity with audiences made her unpopular with the female stars, who refused to go on stage with her. Sophie Tuckers stage image emphasized her fat girl image but also a humorous suggestiveness. She sang songs like I Dont Want to Be Thin, Nobody Loves a Fat Girl, But Oh How a Fat Girl Can Love. She introduced in 1911 the song which would become her trademark: Some of These Days. She added Jack Yellens My Yiddishe Momme to her standard repertoire about 1925 the song was later banned in Germany under Hitler. Sophie Tucker added jazz and sentimental ballads to her ragtime repertoire, and, in the 1930s, when she could see that American vaudeville was dying, she took to playing England. George V attended one of her musical performances in London. She made eight movies and appeared on radio and, as it became popular, appeared on television.   Her first movie was  Honky Tonk  in 1929. She had her own radio show in 1938 and 1939, broadcasting for CBS three times a week for 15 minutes each. On television, she was a regular on variety shows and talk shows including  The Tonight Show  and  The Ed Sullivan Show.   Sophie Tucker became involved in union organizing with the American Federation of Actors, and was elected president of the organization in 1938. The AFA was eventually absorbed into its rival Actors Equita as the American Guild of Variety Artists. With her financial success, she was able to be generous to others, starting the Sophie Tucker foundation in 1945 and endowing in 1955 a theater arts chair at Brandeis University. She married twice more: Frank Westphal, her pianist, in 1914, divorced in 1919, and Al Lackey, her fan-turned-personal-manager, in 1928, divorced in 1933.   Neither marriage produced children. She later credited her reliance on financial independence for the failure of her marriages. Her fame and popularity lasted more than fifty years; Sophie Tucker never retired, playing the Latin Quarter in New York only months before she died in 1966 of a lung ailment accompanied by kidney failure. Always partly self-parody, the core of her act remained vaudeville: earthy, suggestive songs, whether jazzy or sentimental, taking advantage of her enormous voice.   She is credited as an influence on such later women entertainers as Mae West, Carol Channing, Joan Rivers and Roseanne Barr.   Bette Midler more explicitly credited her, using Soph as the name of one of her on-stage personas, and naming her daughter Sophie. Sophie Tucker on this site Sophie Tucker Quotations

The Root Causes of the American Revolution

The Root Causes of the American Revolution The American Revolution began in 1775 as an open conflict between the United Thirteen Colonies  and Great Britain. Many factors played a role in the colonists desires to fight for their independence. Not only did these issues lead to war, but they also shaped the foundation of the United States of America. The Cause of the American Revolution No single  event caused the revolution. It was, instead, a series of events that led to the war. Essentially, it began as a disagreement over the way Great Britain governed the colonies and the way the colonies thought they should be treated. Americans felt they deserved all the rights of Englishmen. The British, on the other hand, thought that the colonies were created to be used in ways that best suited the Crown and Parliament. This conflict is embodied in one of the rallying cries of the ​American Revolution: No Taxation Without Representation. Americas Independent Way of Thinking In order to understand what led to the rebellion, its important to look at the mindset of the founding fathers. It should also be noted that this mindset was not that of the majority of colonists: Only about one-third of the colonists supported the rebellion. One-third of the population supported Great Britain, and the other third were neutral. The 18th century is known historically  as the age of Enlightenment. It was a period when thinkers, philosophers, statesman, and artists began to question the politics of government, the role of the church, and other fundamental and ethical questions of society as a whole. The period was also known as the Age of Reason, and many colonists followed this new way of thinking. A number of the revolutionary leaders had studied major writings of the Enlightenment including those of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and the Baron de Montesquieu. From these thinkers, the founders gleaned such new political concepts as the social contract, limited government, the consent of the governed, and the  separation of powers. Lockes writings, in particular, struck a chord. His books helped to raise questions about the rights of the governed and the overreach of the British government. They spurred the republican ideology that stood up in opposition to those viewed as tyrants. Men such as Benjamin Franklin and John Adams were also influenced by the teachings of the Puritans and Presbyterians. These teachings included such new radical ideas as the principle that all men are created equal and the belief that a king has no divine rights. Together, these innovative ways of thinking led many in this era to consider it their duty to rebel against laws they viewed as unjust. The Freedoms and Restrictions of Location The geography of the colonies also contributed to the revolution. Their distance from Great Britain naturally created a sense of independence that was hard to overcome. Those willing to colonize the new world generally had a strong independent streak with a profound desire for new opportunities and more freedom. The Proclamation of 1763 played its own role. After the French and Indian War, King George III issued the royal decree that prevented further colonization west of the Appalachian Mountains. The intent was to normalize relations with the Native Americans, many of whom fought with the French. A number of settlers had purchased land in the now forbidden area or had received land grants. The crowns proclamation was largely ignored as settlers moved anyway and the Proclamation Line eventually moved after much lobbying. Despite this concession, the affair left another stain on the relationship between the colonies and Britain. The Control of Government The existence of colonial legislatures meant that the colonies were in many ways independent of the crown. The legislatures were allowed to levy taxes, muster troops, and pass laws. Over time, these powers became rights in the eyes of many colonists. The British government had different ideas and attempted to curtail the powers of these newly elected bodies. There were numerous measures designed to ensure the colonial legislatures did not achieve autonomy, although many had nothing to do with the larger British Empire. In the minds of colonists, they were a matter of local concern. From these small, rebellious legislative bodies that represented the colonists, the future leaders of the United States were born. The Economic Troubles Even though the British believed in mercantilism, Prime Minister Robert Walpole espoused a view of salutary neglect. This system was in place from 1607 through 1763, during which the British were lax on enforcement of external trade relations. Walpole believed this enhanced freedom would stimulate commerce. The French and Indian War led to considerable economic trouble for the British government. Its cost was significant, and the British were determined to make up for the lack of funds. They levied new taxes on the colonists and increased trade regulations. These actions were not well received by the colonists. New taxes were enforced, including the Sugar Act and the Currency Act, both in 1764. The Sugar Act increased already considerable taxes on molasses and restricted certain export goods to Britain alone. The Currency Act prohibited the printing of money in the colonies, making businesses rely more on the crippled British economy.   Feeling underrepresented, overtaxed, and unable to engage in free trade, the colonists rallied to the slogan, No Taxation Without Representation. This discontent became very apparent in 1773 with the events that later became known as the Boston Tea Party. The Corruption and Control The British governments presence became increasingly more visible in the years leading to the revolution. British officials and soldiers were given more control over the colonists and this led to widespread corruption. Among the most glaring of these issues were the Writs of Assistance. These were general search warrants that gave British soldiers the right to search and seize any property they deemed to be smuggled or illegal goods. Designed to assist the British in enforcing trade laws, these documents allowed British soldiers to enter, search, and seize warehouses, private homes, and ships whenever necessary. However, many abused the power. In 1761, the Boston lawyer James Otis fought for the constitutional rights of the colonists in this matter but lost. The defeat only inflamed the level of defiance and ultimately led to the Fourth Amendment in the U.S. Constitution. The Third Amendment was also inspired by the overreach of the British government. Forcing colonists to house British soldiers in their homes infuriated the population. It was inconvenient and costly to the colonists, and many also found it a traumatic experience after events like  the Boston Massacre in 1770. The Criminal Justice System Trade and commerce were overly controlled, the British army made its presence known, and the local colonial government was limited by a power far across the Atlantic Ocean. If these affronts to the colonists dignity were not enough to ignite the fires of rebellion, American colonists also had to endure a corrupt justice system. Political protests became a regular occurrence as these realities set in. In 1769, Alexander McDougall was imprisoned for libel when his work To the Betrayed Inhabitants of the City and Colony of New York was published. His imprisonment and the Boston Massacre were just two infamous examples of the measures the British took to crack down on protesters.   After six British soldiers were acquitted and two dishonorably discharged for the Boston Massacre- ironically enough, defended by John Adams- the British government changed the rules. From then on, officers accused of any offense in the colonies would be sent to England for trial. This meant that fewer witnesses would be on hand to give their accounts of events and it led to even fewer convictions. To make matters even worse, jury trials were replaced with verdicts and punishments handed down directly by colonial judges. Over time, the colonial authorities lost power over this as well because the judges were known to be chosen, paid, and supervised by the British government. The right to a fair trial by a jury of their peers was no longer possible for many colonists. Grievances That Led to Revolution and the Constitution All of these grievances that colonists had with the British government led to the events of the American Revolution. And many of these grievances directly affected what the founding fathers wrote into the U.S. Constitution. These constitutional rights and principles reflect the hopes of the framers that the new American government would not subject their citizens to the same loss of freedoms that the colonists had experienced under Britains rule.

Why Did the Axis Powers Form During World War II Essay

Why Did the Axis Powers Form During World War II - Essay Example The Axis Powers were formed on the basis of three countries – Germany, Italy, and Japan. The powers later expanded to include the states that fell victims to fascist violence and surrendered themselves to the military superiority of the Axis Powers. Reasons behind the creation of the Axis Powers were numerous, but the most important was the desire of Germany, Italy and Japan to expand their territorial possessions. The territorial ambitions of the Axis states had been explicit even before the beginning of WWII, and the creation of the Axis Powers made it easier for Germany, Italy and Japan to expand their territorial presence in Europe and beyond. The Second World War is fairly considered as one of the most complicated military conflicts in the history of humanity. Just a hundred years after Karl von Clausewitz created his landmark paper on strategic planning in military operations, the entire world engaged in one of the most terrible and destructive military conflicts.1 Befor e World War II, all military conflicts, including international ones, had been fairly simple: one country would attack another one, defeat or retreat it to occupy a new position.2 During the Second World War, even the simplest things became extremely complicated, and the creation of the Axis Powers reflected the discussed complexity. The formation of the Axis Powers marked a new stage in the development of the international military conflict and had the goal of fulfilling the desires and ambitions of its members. During WWII, enemies fought as members of one of the two alliances: the Allies and the Axis. The Axis Powers based on Germany, Italy, and Japan.3 German hegemony within the Axis Powers was undeniable; Italy and Japan followed German orders without any opposition. Simultaneously, the Axis Powers were formed in ways that distributed the weight of political and military influence among its members: while Germany controlled most of continental Europe, Italy controlled the Medit erranean Sea and Japan was given the fullest control over the Pacific and East Asia.4 Apparently, territorial ambitions were the main reason why Italy and Japan joined the Axis Powers. The latter also had the goal of destroying the communist regime and weakening the unprecedented political and military strength of the Soviet Union.5 However, territorial expansion was still the major element of cooperation uniting Germany, Italy, and Japan. The Axis Powers fought hard to expand their territorial presence and create several large empires, based on conquering other states and overthrowing their political regimes.6 Among the Allies, the Axis Powers were considered as states that exhausted all honorable means to create peace and were willing to bargain even for a half of the loaf when they could not get the whole – this is what Mr. Myron Taylor said upon his visit to Rome in 1942.7 It should be noted, that the territorial ambitions of the Axis Powers had become visible even before the beginning of the Second World War. On November 1, 1936, Italy and Germany formed a Rome-Berlin Axis with the interest of destabilizing the peace and order in continental Europe.8 The Rome-Berlin Axis relied on friendship between the two countries and exemplified a productive attempt to expand the power of influence on other states in Europe and beyond. Just a month later, Japan and Germany signed the Anti-Comintern Pact against the Soviet Union; the Pact was joined by Italy on November 6, 1937.9 By the end of 1938, the territorial a

SOCIAL EFFECTS OF HURRICANE KATRINA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

SOCIAL EFFECTS OF HURRICANE KATRINA - Essay Example After some days of disaster, the flood water gradually went down so that officials could identify the losses caused by the Katrina. Although the deaths had been estimated as 10,000 in New Orleans, the actual numbers were much more than that. Dead bodies were found even after six months from the disaster. Louisiana lost 1,080 people out of the confirmed deaths whereas it was more than 200 in the case of Mississippi. The elderly people had been mainly struck by the disaster and 75% of them lost their life out of 15% elderly population of New Orleans (66-67). In addition to the massive deaths, there were countless people who got seriously injured. At the same time, many people missed their family members and they did not get any information about their loved ones. Similarly, huge numbers of animals, birds and other pets also perished. Although the rescue volunteers had saved number of animals from the damaged building parts, they could not properly handover these animals to their master s. The intensity of the disaster was immeasurable for it destroyed acres of land and trees and thereby a wide range of mammals and reptiles lost their habitats. The violent attack of Katrina shattered a large number of people who had mainly depended on fishing and forestry. Gallons of oil spilled across various parts of the country including Gulf coast and neighborhoods of St. Bernard Parish (Palser). The oil components and other chemicals were mixed together and formed different toxic compounds. Scientists reported that this mixture compounds would affect the ecosystem for decades. The remnants of the buildings caused many allergic reactions and breathing problems. Similarly, large amounts of sludge formed across the affected parts of the United States; it dried later thereby the dust mixed with air, which caused adverse health problems. The Hurricane Katrina produced heaps of dirt in the cities, which would result in sequences of immunity problems. Although officials had declared that the city was safe enough to live, some scientists disagreed with the argument since they could find some poisoning substances in the soil (Palser). The Hurricane Katrina was the most ‘expensive’ natural disaster in the US history. The government spent billions of dollars for the rescue operations, financial assistance, and rehabilitation activities. There are no accurate data available on indirect financial losses such as job losses, impact on fishing and forestry, and other soil related consequences. The disaster also raised some political problems in US due to the delayed governmental response; and it led to the resignation of Michael brown, the head of FEMA. Likewise, great dilemma prevailed regarding the renovation of the city, New Orleans. The FEMA took considerable efforts in structuring schooling facilities in the city. Part II Rehabilitation After the flames of the disaster had been removed, there arose a cumbersome task of rebuilding the cities and providi ng rehabilitation to people. Since the Katrina completely swept away the whole and soul of the affected cities, the government had to take huge efforts to rebuild the town from ‘vacuum’. As we described above different politicians had different views on the matter. Similarly, some people argued that New Orleans should not be rebuilt (Palser, 2007, p.79). They pointed out that