Indication of a schools capabilities Essay

The current eras education is known to be defined by pupils themselves, including their academic success, the regard as of educators and instructional quality in America, learning standards adopted by each individual state, anxiety, the role played by parents outside of a school setting, and a lot more. Most Americans count that students standardized test scores are the only legitimate indicator of a schools efficiency. Since 1965, when the join States Elementary and Secondary Education Act became a law, standardized exam has been used to evaluate American public schools.The ultimate goal of standardized testing is to examine how well teachers are preparing students and to improve student achievement. Some people would argue that standardized testing accomplishes the goal of examining educators, allowing them to better their skills for the future, while opposites would argue that the psyche of standardized testing damages the educational system altogether. The leading debate that concerns most, but is brushed off by many, is whether the success of standardized testing should be used to indicate a students, teacher, and/or schools capabilities.The key objective of the American educational system is for every student to down from proud school, college and career ready. In 1959, when Everet Lindquist launched the _American College Test_ (ACT), it was designed as a test of students general educational development and could be used with other criteria to predict student success at the college level.After the launching of this well-known assessment, testing was being ready in use in many educational settings. In 1954, as a part of President Lyndon B. Johnsons, _WAR ON POVERTY_ , the _Elementary and Secondary Education Act__(ESEA)_ was introduced. This act was reauthorized in 2001, which is now known as _No Child Left Behind_ _(NCLB)_ . This reauthorized act requires states to develop assessments in basic skills. States must give assessments to all student s at select grade levels in order to befool federal school funding.Race to the Top was introduced by President Barack Obama in 2012, which is a school district competition across the United States. This initiative was govern forth to raise standards, with the goal of college and career readiness. In addition, Race to the Top has lead states to develop rigorous standards and better assessments, support teachers and school leaders to mystify more effective, and provide intervention for low makeing schools. (Whitehouse.gov) Now that Race to the Top has become worldwide, it has become a controversial topic.Civil Rights organizations hurl argued that federal funding should be based on need, non competition. As a result of the Race, teachers will be evaluated in relation to their students test scores. In a Huffington Post, updated in 2011, research professor and author Diane Ravitch stated that it will make the current standardized test of basic skills more important than ever, and until now more time and resources will be devoted to raising scores on these tests. The new era of Race to the Top will cause the splendor of standardized testing to increase, and the demand for privately managed charter schools to increase.In June of 2010, North Carolina adopted the Common Core State Standards in K-12 Mathematics and K-12 English verbiage Arts. Beginning in 2012-13, the course of study was implemented in public schools across the state. In conjunction with these standards, common exams were put into effect. Common exams or Measures of student learning refers to new assessments being developed to measure teacher effectiveness.A teachers effectiveness can reflect on how well a student performs on his or her exams. Since teachers are not told what is on exams or standardized tests such as this, they must prepare their students based on the standards put forth by the state and assume it will be the same(p) material when testing. A common exam is disposed(p) in clas ses where students are not given an end of grade or end of course tests and is created by local educators and the North CarolinaDepartment of Public Instruction to lay down the impact of teacher performance on student learning.The success of these standardized tests provides students with feedback on their knowledge and skills (Astro.Temple.edu). On the other hand, it motivates teachers to identify their areas of strength and weakness in teaching plans so that they can reconstruct them (Astro.Temple.edu). This forms a relationship between teacher performance and student learning.On the other hand, many parents, students, as well as educators believe that standardized testing isnt a great indication on a students knowledge. Standardized testing evaluates a students performance in one day, excluding any external factors. Many teachers are known to teach to the test which can hinder a students overall learning potential (Office of Work/Life Columbia University). There are many student s who are smart and understand the content, but it doesnt show on the test. Many students develop test anxiety which hinders performance (Office of Work/Life Columbia University).For federal funding, schools depend on their students to perform well. Competition among schools can sometimes take place (Office of Work/Life Columbia University). This could be a hard factor to overcome, when schools consume exceptional and finical education students. Special education include individual or small group instruction, curriculum or teaching modifications, assistive technology, transition services and other excessized services such as physical, occupational, and speech therapy (CHADD National Resource Center on ADHD). Students that are considered exceptional are required to take the same standardized test as student without learning restrictions, so how exactly is someone at a lower level given such high standards?The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, enacted in 1990 and reautho rized in 1997 and 2004, was designed to ensure services to electric shaverren with disabilities throughout the nation (idea.ed.gov US Department of Education). This was designed to ensure that all student, ages 3-21, receive charm education regardless of any disability. In addition to this, thedisability they are diagnosed with must affect his or her educational performance and must need special education in order to receive an appropriate education (CHADD National Resource Center on ADHD). Many children in exceptional childrens programs have physical, mental, or social disabilities. In North Carolina, these academically gifted children are classified as EC, because they have different educational needs than the average child (Exceptional Children UNC School of Education).Since No Child Left Behind was passed, students with disabilities must be included in state testing and assessed against the same standard of proficiency as other students to determine whether schools are making the required adequate yearly progress towards goals for academic proficiency. The regular assessment is given to students with special needs, and they are given appropriate accommodations. Appropriate accommodations include extra time to take the test, larger print, a quiet room, Braille, having the instructions repeated periodically, or more breaks than normally allowed (Boehner 10).In addition to the special benefits granted, an Individualized Education Program, (IEP), is designed for each child with a disability. Students under this program have a customized learning plan on how they will be evaluated and not whether they will be evaluated. Results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, also known as a Nations tarradiddle Card, standardized test, which is used and measured the same in all states, provide useful information on the achievement and progress of students with disabilities. The results from the Nations cross Card show progress, as well as gaps, between students with disabilities and nondisabled students (Aron and Loprest 112-113).

Pttls

1. 1 say secern aspects of order, regulatory requirements and codes of pr deportice relating to own role and responsibilities I ladder for Dorset County Council (DCC) as an Area Youth Worker, where I run a Youth Centre in North Dorset. The centre provides a variety of furnish and projects within the local community. As part of DCC we argon goerned by various legislations, regulatory requirements and codes of practice. This could relate in a variety of situations such as the buildings or staff we manage, on the job(p) with teen flock in assemblys or l mavin working or horizontal with the activities and provisions we provide.These guidelines and requirements ar ordinate in grade to supporter protect not full those that we work with just now in any case my staff, visitors and myself. It is consequential to switch a true(p) working understanding of these factors as the below legislation is there to help promote inclusion within the work military position and for tho se that we teach and work with. I pull up stakes endeavour to go over the disclose legislation that affects my work place below. The Children Act 1989 The current child protection system is establish on the Children Act 1989, which was introduced in an effort to reform and clarify the existing plethora of laws affecting children.Hailed at the time as the most comprehensive and re belongd-reaching reform of child law which has come before fan tan in living memory by the then Lord Chancellor Lord Mackay of Clashfern, it enshrined a enumerate of principles. The paramountcy principle means that a childs welf ar is paramount when making each decisions around a childs upbringing. The Children Act 1989 sets out in detail what local authorities and the courts should do to protect the welfare of children. It charges local authorities with the duty to investigate f they lay down reasonable compositors case to suspect that a child who lives, or is tack, in their area is suffering, or is presumable to suffer, signifi posteriort hurt (section 47). Local authorities are also charged with a duty to provide services for children in need, their families and others (section 17). It is section 31 of the Children Act 1989 that sets out the NSPCCs authorised person status which means the NSPCC has the designer to apply directly for a court nightspot if it believes a child is suffering or likely to suffer signifi basint harm.The Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 This makes it unlawful to discriminate against stack in respect of their disabilities in relation to employment, the provision of goods and services, education and transport. It also imposes upon public authorities a positive duty to promote disability compare. This will ensure the inclusion of disabled students within wholly group activities, and also to ensure that their disabilities are richy considered when schemening such activities.They must receive full and equal access to educati on and all associated activities and resources. The Human Rights Act 1998 (also known as the Act or the HRA) came into force in the United Kingdom in October 2000. It is composed of a series of sections that have the burden of codifying the protections in the European Convention on Human Rights into UK law. All public bodies (such as courts, police, local governments, hospitals, publicly funded schools, and others) and other bodies carrying out public functions have to comply with the Convention rights.This means, among other things, that various(prenominal)s can take humanity rights cases in domestic courts they no longer have to go to Strasbourg to argue their case in the European Court of Human Rights. The comparison Act 2010 simplifies the old? laws and puts them all together in one ready of legislation. Also, it makes the law stronger in some areas. So depending on your circumstances, the new Act may protect you more. The comparability Act 2010 protects you from things like racial or religious discrimination, harassment, sexual orientation, gender discrimination or if you have a disability.The Health & Safety at Work Act (1974) Every individual must be mindful of the spare-time activity responsibilities. They must take reasonable care for the health and safety of him/her and of other persons who may be affected by his/her acts or omissions at work. They must Co-operate with employers or other persons so far as is necessary to alter them to perform their duties or requirements under the Act. They must not intentionally or recklessly interfere with or misuse anything provided in the interests of health, safety or welfare.It is clearly vitally important for a teacher/tutor to be vigilant and mindful of health and safety issues. Some hazards and the issues which milieu them will be constant to all milieus. Examples include tripping hazards (laptop cables, bags), and fire safety hazards. Other hazards are going to be very much dependant on the ty pe of environment in which educational activity is taking place and the chooseer group with which the tutor is working. The Education & Skills Act (2008) was introduced and aimed to increase participation in acquire for materialization people and adults.It puts in place a right for adults to basic and intermediate skills, handsome adults a second chance to gain the skills they need to thrive in society and throughout their working lives. As a worker we deal with a number of details regarding the modern people and families we work with DCC have use the below guidelines with regards to data protection. The Data Protection Act 1998 (amended 2003). This act covers the protection of ain data.The most important elements to be witting of are the following data protection principles outlined in the act Data may only be used for the specific usages for which it was collected. Data must not be disclosed to other parties without the consent of the individual whom it is about, unless there is legislation or other prevalent legitimate reason to pct the information. Individuals have a right of access to the information held about them, field of operation to certain exceptions (for warning, information held for the pr level(p)tion or detection of crime).Personal information may be kept for no longer than is necessary and must be kept up to date. Personal information may not be sent outside the European Economic Area unless the individual whom it is about has consented or decent protection is in place. The departments of an organisation that is holding personalized information are required to have decorous security measures in place. Those include technical measures (such as firewalls) and organisational measures (such as staff training). Subjects have the right to have factually incorrect information corrected. . 2 rationalize own responsibilities for promoting equality and valuing diversity As a Youth Worker a core value of our work is not only dealing wit h promoting equality and diversity but also statement others how to understand and work alongside those with differing opinions and value. These values are at the core of the work undertaken within spring chicken work and underpin the standards recognising that at the heart of all youth work is a young person led approach. The National Youth Agency describes the key purpose of youth work is to Enable young people to develop holistically, working with them to facilitate their personal, amicable and educational development, to enable them to develop their voice, influence and place in society and to reach their full potential The following statements, views and vaules are underpinned by the principles of equity, diversity and interdependence, Participation and active involvement Young people choose to be involved, not least because they want to relax, learn friends, make new relationships, to have fun, and to find support.The work resumes from where young people are in relation t o their own values, views and principles, as well as their own personal and social space, It seeks to go beyond where young people start, to widen their horizons, promote participation and invite social commitment, in particular by encouraging them to be critical and creative in their responses to their sire and the solid ground around them, ? Equity, diversity and inclusion Youth workers teach and treat young people with respect, valuing each individual and their differences, and promoting the acceptance and understanding of others, whilst challenging oppressive behavior and ideas.We promote as well as learn to respect values individual differences by supporting and strengthening young peoples spirit in themselves, and their capacity to grow and to change through a supportive group environment. Partnership with young people and others Youth workers actively respond to the wider networks of peers, communities, families and cultures which are important to young people, and throug h these networks seek to help young people to achieve stronger relationships and collective identities, through the promotion of inclusivity.We work in partnership with young people and signposting to other agencies which contribute to young peoples social, educational and personal development. In spring up we are able to recognise the young person as a partner in a learning process, complementing formal education through informal education driveing to, promoting access to learning opportunities, which enable them to fulfil their potential, ? Personal, social and political development How young people feel, and not just with what they know and can do, It is through facilitating and empowering the voice of young people, encouraging and? nabling them to influence the environment in which they live. We help promote and lead on safeguarding issues of young people, and provide them with a safe environment in which to ? explore their values, beliefs, ideas and issues. 1. 3 Explain own r ole and responsibilities in lifelong learning My key role in the LLS will be to help promote youth work and deliver items such as 1st aid training. I will help to provide a set of skills, knowledge, understanding and behaviours necessary for any function that a youth work role is likely to perform.This is also underpinned by a set of agreed values and a key purpose in learning. I would hope to promote good practice for my learners so that they would have transferable skills and the confidence to sell themselves positively to employers, education establishments and their peers, setting a benchmark for the get and competence that is required for them to grow as an individual. 1. 4 Explain own role and responsibilities in identifying and impact the needs of learners How? As a trainer in the LLS we have a key responsibility in educating others.It takes more than just a well typed up lesson plan with all the fancy thrilly bits and bobs. In order to educate others we need to go through several steps as educators ourselves. I have been on courses where the tutor talks the talk but then doesnt follow up or put into practice what they are teaching. They are fixed by timings, curriculums and other pressures faced when teaching and forget the fundamentals of teaching. By apply the above Training Needs Analysis (TNA) as an example of process, it clearly helps us as trainers to identify areas of need and training delivery needed for pupils to succeed.Stage 1 this coiffure allows us to gather the information needed on each learner and class sizes. It also allows us to look into appropriate venues and training aids. It would also allow us to signpost to other agencies if you could not comely their needs. Stage 2 This is for me where the fun begins. As a trainer using stage 1 Im able to explore and think of new and different techniques and delivery entitles, to mix and match activities that I havent tried before using the information to hand. This not only revives me as a trainer but I would hope this would also promote a practical learning environment.Other key areas to consider would be resources need, H&S issues and timings Stage 3 My preferred way of training style is EDIP Explanation, Demo, Imitate and Practice. I find this helps promote learning and evolves repetition. I believe repletion is the key to acquire students to understand what the aims and objectives are We must also make sure that is inclusive to all, that best engages students, ensuring that ground rules are established and maintained that helps to provide a safe, friendly teaching environment that inspires and motivates students to learn and take part.By using ice breakers enables a safe learning enviroment and back up plans/lessons, as each group will be different. Stage 4 This is the area that keeps me up all night. Its not the idea of evaluating, as it is key to get the views and opinions of others peers and students. Its the reflective work I undertake, even when Im go from delivering a great seance. When using evaluating tools (and theres 100s out there) in my experience its only a small majority that give you the information needed to improve. Most will tick boxes quickly at the end and put N/A or great posing or even no lunch provided in boxes for comments.The best form of evaluation is to try and pass away some time at the end or during the course to meet your students and hear what they have to say, this could even happen during a session where you will go off topic or away from your thrilly lesson plan as it meets the current learning needs of the group, but being mindful not to stray to far. The verbal expression work is key to progression as it allows you to work on improvements, you can also help students with modernized areas or even pat yourself on the back once in a while. 2. Explain the boundaries betwixt the teaching role and other professional roles Working alongside other agencies or governing bodies can create professio nal barriers. In my opinion governing bodies are there to help maintain good standards within your profession as well as promote good quality assurance. Its when changes are made/forced upon workers and learners where professional barriers become indistinct. Making sure communication is clear between others is key. another(prenominal) factor which some professionals are unwilling to admit, is the fear of change. Change can be good if managed well.Unfortunately even if the change is managed well if the workers involved are not inclined to accept this, boundaries and relationships can be fragile. 2. 2 Describe points of referral to meet the needs of learners Within our organisation there are various referral points for learners or people that access our centres. These referral points are a valuable part of what we offer as a service to users of the centre. I would also offer extra help and support to those that I work with by outlining at the start and the end that there is additional support and help to suit your needs.We would try and be as tractile as possible and help with further progression if learners would need it. Likewise some learners are unable to see their potential and I would encourage further learning if I deemed this necessary and appropriate. 2. 3 Summarise own responsibilities in relation to other professionals When working within other professional work places, I work to a very professional standard keeping all parties aware of what it happening. I act in a way that I would expect other workers to conduct themselves if they came to my work place.I would strive to meet all needs required by other professional such as contracts or learning agreements made. Having the title professional doesnt mean I or others arent infallible. We all make mistakes, its how we as professionals deal with those mistakes and what learning can be taken from any mistakes made. Likewise it is important to share successes with other professionals. 3. 1 Explain own re sponsibilities in maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment As a trainer you are responsible for a number of key areas as mentioned in from 1. through to this section. Without a safe and supportive environment learning can not take place effectively. To give you an example of this Maslow introduced a Hierarchy of Needs (Below) in 1954 after rejecting the idea that human behaviour was determined by childhood events. He felt that there are five needs which see different levels of motivation which must be met and he also believed that people should be able to move through these needs to the next level provided they are given an education that will promote growth.Self-actualization morality, creativity, trouble solving, etc. Esteem includes confidence, self-esteem, achievement, respect, etc. Belongingness includes love, friendship, intimacy, family, etc. Safety includes security of environment, employment, resources, health, property, etc. Physiological includes air , food, water, sex, sleep, other factors towards homeostasis, etc. 3. 2 Explain ways to promote appropriate behaviour and respect for others This is an important part of any work that I undertake with students of all ages.Im sure that at every training session you go to there will be the ground rules flip map. Now although ground rules are important, this exercise cannot just promote a healthy and safe learning environment, it can act as an ice breaker too. But how many times has the ground rules sheet been referred to again. With adults very rarely as we should all be aware of the boundaries needed with a group situation. With young learners you may need to refer to the ground rules chart on more than one occasion.But with a whole list that the learners came up with at the start of a daunting first session, will they remember what was said? A process that I have found to be highly successful is after the learners have come up with their long list of dos and donts is to summarize th is process with an easy process that is not only practical but effective as well. HARmony For people to get along with one another is just one definition If you take the 1st three letters of harmony you have Honesty if your honest with yourself and othersAwareness If you aware of your feeling or what you say and aware of other thoughts, opinions and beliefs Responsibility take responsibility for yourself and others Just these 3 key words can summarize any ground rules and allow you as a trainer to refer to these key words within any positive or negative situation and also allows others to get on with one another. References NSPCA http//www. nspcc. org. uk/Inform/research/questions/child_protection_legislation_in_the_uk_pdf_wdf48953. pdf The Data Protection Act 1998 (amended 2003) http//www. legislation. gov. k The Equality Act 2010 http//www. homeoffice. gov. uk/equalities/equality-act/ Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 http//www. ukcle. ac. uk/resources/dire ctions/previous/issue4/senda/ Education & Skills Act (2008) http//www. legislation. gov. uk meshing Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003 http//www. legislation. gov. uk The Gender Recognition Act 2004 http//www. legislation. gov. uk Health & Safety at Work Act (1974) http//www. hse. gov. uk/legislation/hswa/ National Youth Agency http//www. learning-theories. com/maslows-hierarchy-of-needs. html

Should Downloading Music Be Illegal.

Response to text- Why You Should Pay For medication by John Sheldrick Dear John, I read your article and I curb some comments most it I would like to ack promptlyledge about it Firstly when you mention that you advocate a culture in which tribe actually want to spend money on medicament, but I actually imagine we should advocate a culture where everybody listens to music and non just the ones who have a computer and and a bank account, I believe that music should be a right and not a liberty and everybody should want to willingly listen to music.Then you argue that people value music but they dont value it in the sense that they will willingly fork over $1 for a song, I have more than 2 thousand songs in my library, that is equal to 2 thousand dollars and I in reality dont have that extra money to spend and people usually dont like to spend their money on things they can get for free. I would much rather use that money to buy something else and if we had to pay for every sin gle song we would like to listen to our music library would be much smaller and we could not enjoy music as much as we enjoy it when we have a large form of it.For the consumer, music is not a product or a service. They pay for physical copies of music such as CDs, they pay for music sheets or for subscriptions to music services, but they dont pay for a song by itself. After that you state that artists now have no money to keep recording music and have to go on tours to get the money. I do agree that some artist that are not yet discovered should get support from their fans so they could keep recording music, but arent musicians supposed to be doing music because its their erotic love?They are not supposed to go into the business because they want money and fame notwithstanding though I dont see the artist at the top of the charts starving to death. Music is about passion and the ones who are recording music are supposed to want to bring their music to all kinds of people so the y can enjoy it and the musician is supposed to be satisfied with that and not be embarrassed because they are not the cover of a magazine. I also imagine that tours are a expectant thing, why listen to a record when you can go out and the real human slowly the voice live and enjoy it more closely.Its clear that everybody thinks music should be free, because its going to sell over else. Why should the music industry care whether the money comes from a tour with $100 in mesh or the exact same amount is brought in from CD purchases? In the end, it doesnt matter, money is still coming in and can be used to record more music. Then you talk about how music labels are closing because the lack of money they are getting but I actually think that record labels are trying to turn music into gold, music recording labels are getting a large cut of the artists money and are overcharging.The artist who are not yet discovered savings bank record a good album because the labels are asking fo r absurd quantities of money which the artist incline pay, so the label closes and the vicious circle starts again elsewhere. I think labels should spend more succession developing the artists because they would have a stake in them that extended beyond their recorded music. There is no possible way anyone could seriously work in music and be looking for money and a the same time state that they truly care about the musicians.In conclusion I think that we do need to support our artists, but that could be done a million ways other than remunerative an overpriced dollar for a song. With the internet now how can we be surprised when people now expect to get their music online for free? The internet file sharing and the advantages we now have in technology I see no way to make the clock turned back and string people to start paying again. So the business has to get creative and evolve away from the change of recorded music and start receiving money in other ways.

Progressive Era Dbq

Charlie Shinske During the Progressive Era, pressure from labor, suffrage, and conservation movements profoundly changed the public life of the Statesn history. Many of the reformers ideas clashed with the male-dominated, capitalist economic structure present at the turn of the century. Some of the mean reforms opposed the current system, but the level of social unrest necessitated change. Businessmen and activists alike initiated the reforms during the Progressive Era.Government, receivable to the intention of calming the common man and quieting the seemingly more and more vocal middleclass, back up them from the socio-economic class 1900 to 1920, Progressive Era reformers were successful in bringing about reform to the United States. Socially, America was gaining strength, with women much(prenominal) as Jane Addams, a womens rights activist, entering the progressive fight. The percent of bailable voters who cast ballots in presidential elections were at a somewhat steady rat e from 1904 to 1916, ranging from 59-65%, but in the 1920 election, only 49% of eligible voters actually cast ballots. Document J) Although some may argue that the percent decrease was due to closely Americans not liking any of the elected Presidential candidates, and therefore not voting this is untrue because this was the first of all election in which women could vote, which threw of the ratio of voters and non-voters. In addition, all four candidates running for the title of President, Debs, Roosevelt, Wilson, and Taft, were all progressives, and precious to reduce the number of trusts. This gave all voters, men or women, some incentive to vote.In the end of the election, Woodrow Wilson won, but not with the majority. During Wilsons presidency, some women spoke out saying that Wilson was oppressing them, and compared themselves to people being oppressed by Kaiser that were living Ger numerous. (Document H) many female rights activists saw the government as putting them down th at is why the passing of the 19th amendment caused such an uproar, women agreed and were excited with their new found power, but men were not happy (mostly because women promoted prohibition).During this thirty year period in American history our country made major strides in working conditions, moral values, and where we stood in the worlds commerce. We now had a wealthy middle class that could sort of grapple for themselves and we were working on making sure that the food we ate and the water we drank was healthy enough for us to drink. The U. S. was starting to boom, then came the depression.

Deception Point Page 104

Wheres Michael? She didnt see him. Her panic belonged only an instant as a raw(a) fear descended. Overhead, the Tritons shredded winch cable let out an ominous whipping noise as the braids unraveled. Then, there was a loud snap, and Rachel felt the cable give way.Momentarily weight little, Rachel hovered above her oceant wrong the cockpit as the sub hurtled discomfitward. The deck disappeared overhead, and the catwalks under the Goya raced by. The soldier trapped in the claws went white with fear, staring at Rachel as the sub accelerated cut anchorward.The fall seemed end slight.When the sub crashed into the sea beneath the Goya, it plunged hard under the surf, ramming Rachel down hard into her seat. Her spine compressed as the illuminated ocean raced up over the dome. She felt a suffocating drag as the sub slowed to a stop underwater and then raced back toward the surface, bobbing up like a cork.The sharks hit instantly. From her former-row seat, Rachel sit frozen in place as the spectacle unfolded only a some feet away.Delta-Two felt the sharks oblong head crash into him with unimaginable force. A razor sharp fasten tightened on his upper arm, slicing to the bone and locking on. A flash of white-hot pain set off as the shark torqued its powerful bole and shook its head violently, tearing Delta-Twos arm off his body. Others sharks go in. Knives stabbing at his legs. Torso. Neck. Delta-Two had no breath to scream in agony as the sharks ripped huge chunks of his body away. The last thing he saw was a crescent-shaped mouth, tilting sideways, a gorge of teeth clamping down across his face.The world went black.Inside the Triton, the thudding of heavy cartilaginous heads ramming into the dome finally subsided. Rachel opened her eye. The macrocosm was gone. The water washing against the window was crimson.Badly battered, Rachel huddled in her chair, knees pulled to her chest. She could feel the sub moving. It was drifting on the current, scraping along t he length of the Goyas lower dive deck. She could feel it moving in a nonher boot as well. Down.Outside, the distinctive gurgling of water into the ballast tanks grew louder. The ocean inched higher on the glass in front of her.Im sinkingA jolt of terror shot through Rachel, and she was suddenly scrambling to her feet. R all(prenominal)ing overhead, she grabbed the hatch mechanism. If she could heighten up on top of the sub, she still had time to jump onto the Goyas dive deck. It was only a few feet away.Ive got to get outThe hatch mechanism was clearly marked which way to turn it to open. She heaved. The hatch did not budge. She tried again. Nothing. The portal was jammed shut. Bent. As the fear rose in her blood like the sea around her, Rachel heaved one last time.The hatch did not move.The Triton sank a few inches deeper, bumping the Goya one last time before drifting out from underneath the mangled hull and into the open sea.126Dont do this, Gabrielle begged the senator as he finished at the copy machine. Youre risking your daughters life sexton blocked out her voice, moving back to his desk now with ten identical stacks of photocopies. Each stack contained copies of the pages Rachel had faxed him, including her handwritten note claiming the meteorite was a bull through and accusing NASA and the White House of trying to kill her.The most shocking media kits ever assembled, sexton thought, as he began carefully inserting each stack into its own large, white linen windbag. Each envelope tire his name, office address, and senatorial seal. There would be no doubt where this incredible information had originated. The semipolitical scandalization of the century, sacristan thought, and I will be the one to reveal itGabrielle was still pleading for Rachels safety, hardly Sexton heard only silence. As he assembled the envelopes, he was in his own private world. Every political career has a defining moment. This is mine.William Pickerings phone message had warned that if Sexton went public, Rachels life would be in danger. unfortunately for Rachel, Sexton also knew if he went public with proof of NASAs fraud, that single act of boldness would land him in the White House with more decisiveness and political drama than ever before witnessed in American politics.Life is filled with difficult decisions, he thought. And winners are those who make them.Gabrielle Ashe had seen this looking at in Sextons eyes before. contrivance ambition. She feared it. And with good reason, she now realized. Sexton was obviously prepared to risk his daughter in order to be the first to announce the NASA fraud.Dont you see youve already won? Gabrielle demanded. Theres no way Zach Herney and NASA will survive this scandal. No matter who makes it public No matter when it comes out Wait until you know Rachel is safe. Wait until you talk to PickeringSexton was clearly no longer listening to her. Opening his desk drawer, he pulled out a foil opinion poll on wh ich were affixed dozens of nickel-sized, self-adhesive get up seals with his initials on them. Gabrielle knew he usually used these for formal invitations, but he apparently thought a crimson wax seal would give each envelope an extra touch of drama. Peeling the circular seals off the foil, Sexton pressed one onto the pleat of each envelope, sealing it like a monogrammed epistle.Gabrielles heart pulsed now with a new anger. She thought of the digitized images of illegal checks in his computer. If she said anything, she knew he would just delete the evidence. Dont do this, she said, or Ill go public about our affair.Sexton laughed out loud as he affixed the wax seals. Really? And you think theyll believe you-a power-hungry aide denied a post in my administration and looking for revenge at any cost? I denied our involvement once, and the world believed me. Ill simply deny it again.The White House has photos, Gabrielle declared.Sexton did not even look up. They dont have photos. And even if they did, theyre meaningless. He affixed the final wax seal. I have immunity. These envelopes out-trump anything anyone could possibly receive at me.Gabrielle knew he was right. She felt utterly helpless as Sexton admired his handiwork. On his desk sat ten elegant, white linen envelopes, each embossed with his name and address and secured with a crimson wax seal bearing his scripted initials. They looked like royal letters. Certainly kings had been crowned on account of less potent information.Sexton picked up the envelopes and prepared to leave. Gabrielle stepped over and blocked his way. Youre making a mistake. This can wait.Sextons eyes bored into her. I made you, Gabrielle, and now Ive unmade you.That fax from Rachel will give you the presidency. You owe her.Ive given up her plenty.What if something happens to herThen shell cement my sympathy vote.Gabrielle could not believe the thought had even crossed his mind, a good deal less his lips. Disgusted, she reached for t he phone. Im calling the White-Sexton spun and slapped her hard across the face.Gabrielle staggered back, feeling her lip split open. She caught herself, grabbing on to the desk, staring up in astonishment at the man she had once worshiped.Sexton gave her a long, hard look. If you so much as think of crossing me on this, I will make you regret it for the rest of your life. He stood unflinching, clutching the stack of sealed envelopes under his arm. A harsh danger burned in his eyes.When Gabrielle exited the office building into the cold night air, her lip was still bleeding. She hailed a taxi and climbed in. Then, for the first time since she had come to Washington, Gabrielle Ashe skint down and cried.

The Byronic Hero

While popular culture is usu all in ally regarded as n proto(prenominal)thing trite, significationless, and superficial, careful and insightful abridgment of certain aspects of popular culture reveals a lot about culture as a whole. For the purposes of this essay, I decided to concentrate on one of the pop idols of the 20th century, namely Jim Morrison. The rationale behind my select is that this figure produced a powerful impact on popular culture, and the cult of Jim Morrison is still appealing to umpteen generations of American.As for the theoretical perspective to be employed in this essay, I will show how the cult of Jim Morrison is a reincarnation of the image of the Byronic gunman that has always been give way in world culture. The Byronic Hero is an extraordinary and apt young man. Tremendous success of Jim Morrison leaves no doubt in his enormous talent, charisma, and energy. I dare appoint him a genius for the ample reason that speaking about the overall history of contemporary music, tidy sum remember exactly two names, the Beatles and the Doors, and the Doors in the first place.Secondly, the Byronic Hero is a rebel who opposes almost all friendly norms and regulations he deliberately distances himself from conventional social institutions. This feature was characteristic of Jim Morrison from the early childhood he used to question the authority, and for that he was dismissed from a scout club. At night, he used to pluck out from his parents house and hang out at overcrowded and disreputable bars. His juvenile misbehaving soon evolved into a consistent social protest expressed trough music and show.Philosophies of Protest used to be his favourite course at Florida State University (Davis, 2004). He denounced traditional social patterns the evidence for that is the fact that he never got matrimonial. Instead, he married Patricia Kennealy in a Celtic pagan ceremony. The Byronic Hero is never impressed by rank and privilege, though he may possess it. Jim Morrison might have become a representative of the elite circles with bully education, stable job, and decent social status. Yet he made a choice in favor of a flamboyant bohemian lifestyle. Another feature of the Byronic Hero is intelligence.The conventional Byronic Hero is well-read and possibly well-bread. Jim Morrison took a keen interest in self-education he devoted a lot of condemnation to reading Nietzsche, Jung, Ginsberg, Joyce, and Balzac. He derived inspiration in the literary heritage of French symbolists, especially Rimbaud. It is worth noting that Arthur Rimbaud himself was an cautionary Byronic Hero, with his dark passions and impressive talents. By the age of fifteen, Jim established himself as a gifted poet and painter some sources argue that Jim Morrison had an IQ of 149 (Davis, 2004).He received solid education and traveled the world. These facts prove that Jim Morrison possessed the majority of features normal for the Byronic Hero. Another ch aracteristic of the Byronic Hero is the exile, usually self-imposed. Exile to Paris is an essential part of Jim Morrisons biography. Morrison escape to Paris with Pamela Courson he did so because he disliked being a celebrity. He was deeply disgruntled with the absence of serious attitude to him as an American poet. Paris seemed to provide an asylum.The conventional Byronic Hero is maladjusted by a terrible thing he committed in the past, like a mystic curse or crime this burden forces him into a voluntary exile. When Morrison escaped to Paris, he faced a tragic dilemma in his life. His two women, Pamela Courson and Patricia Kennealy, some(prenominal) demanded his love. Some researchers believe that his love for Patricia Kennealy was greater, but Pamela allow him continue his experiments with alcohol and drugs (Davis, 2004). He may have always felt guilt and regret for departure Patricia. The Byronic Hero is constantly depressed and melancholic.It is reported that in Paris Mor rison searched for a sense of living as well as for inspiration to write more powerful poetry (Davis, 2004). yet even in the city of great poets Morrison was spiritually void and suffered from depression. The Byronic Hero is unusually handsome and inextricably attractive, often to both sexes. I dare label Jim Morrison as the most prominent male sex-symbol of the 20th century. The Byronic Hero is big than life in his feelings, talents, ambitions, and pride. This type is also self-destructive in the longer run.That is one of the most literal arguments that prove Jim Morrisons connection with the discussed image. His progressing addiction to alcohol and drugs was his curse. Thus, Morrison can be regarded as an spokesperson of the Byronic Hero that has been present in world culture from its creation in early Greek theatre finished classical English literature and 19th-Century Russian literature to the modern times. It is evident that the classical Byronic Heroes is Byrons Childe Ha rold. The Canto I from the Childe Harolds Pilgrimage provides an excessive proof for all the abovementioned images of a Byronic Hero.The following lines can be interpreted as the example of disobedient nature of the Byronic Hero Who ne in virtues ways did take delight/But spent his days in riot most uncouth (Canto I, 2, lines 1-2). Precursors of this typical hero of English love affair can be traced back to Greek theatre. The notion of hamartia, or tragic flaw, is intrinsically linked to the early development of the Byronic Hero. The Byronic Hero is also present in literary Gothicism as one of the literary trends at heart the tradition of Romanticism.In the Romantic literature, two different types of heroes can be found, namely Satanic Hero and Byronic Hero. In fact, Satan is also believed to be an early version of the Byronic Hero. Despite some apparent differences, these two literary types have much in common Like Satan, the Byronic hero is an outsider and an overreacher, thoug h the divine fair play that he violates is not the First Commandment but the Seventh, a sin often involving not only adultery but incest (Polidori, Le Fanu & Stoker, 2002, p. 6). As for the classical period in literature, Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights is another example of Byronic hero.Captain Ahab from Moby Dick is sometimes also cited as a Byronic Hero, although there no broad consensus among critics Captain Ahabs rebellious nature and attitude towards existing norms illustrates his Byronic qualities, as well as the overall dark nature of his reality (Hospelhorn & Nicolson, 2003, Moby Dick). Byronic Hero found new incarnation in classic Russian literature. Such notable writers as Alexander Bestuzhev-Marlinsky, Alexander Pushkin, and Mikhail Lermontov all contributed to the emergence of the phenomenon later referred to as the Russified Byronic Hero. In the modern time, the merriment of the Byronic Hero is often attributed to Albert Camus in his novel The Rebel But it was Ca muss recreation, in modern terms, of the solitary Byronic hero, who resists luck and an alien world by defiant acts, which brought the cult so vividly to life and gave it actual meaning to youth on both sides of the Rhine (Johnson, 2001, p. 575). Therefore, it is possible to conclude that Jim Morrison as an incarnation of the Byronic Hero exemplifies the pervasiveness of archetypes that have been present in world art and literature since ancient times.References Davis, S. Jim Morrison Life, Death, Legend. New York Gotham Books, 2004. Hospelhorn, S. , & Nicolson, A. Byronic Heroes in Russian Literature. 2003. October 8, 2007. Johnson, P. M. Modern times Revised Edition The World from the Twenties to the Nineties, Revised ed. New York Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 2001. Polidori, J. W. , Le Fanu, J. , & Stoker, B. Three Vampire Tales Dracula, Carmilla, and The Vampyre. Boston Houghton Mifflin Company, 2002.

Ottoman and Safavid Empires Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ottoman and Safavid Empires - Essay ExamplePowerbase The substantialness caterbase is an important factor that legitimized the rule of the Ottoman and Safavid empires. They owed much of their power to the empire created by the Mongols previously as surface as the political institutions that allowed for the achievement of the military patronage state wherein government functioned like a grand military family that serve as protector of the country and its culture. The Ottoman Empire is the greater benefactive role of these Mongol legacies. Nonetheless, what can be seen here is that the prevailing political environment was already stable, systematic and influential. every(prenominal) it took was strong leadhip to take advantage of all the policy network available as well as the existence of an effective bureaucracy that has been established long before. This last factor is particularly subservient in the case of weak Sultan who is incapable of protecting his subjects by himself . The bureaucracy assumed great powers and centralized post that a weak leader could rule just effectively, taking authority and power from the many branches of his government (Karpat 2002, 400) Holy Mandate Another important legitimizing force for the powerbase of the Ottoman and the Safavid empires was religion - the Moslem values and laws. ... The Safavids also benefited from religion in this manner. In fact, Islam is their primary claim to authority. The primary authority of the Safavid rulers was ground on the claim that the they were descendants of the seventh imam, and therefore were quasi-divine persons (Lapidus 2002, 445). Unlike the Ottomans, who benefitted in combining religious and blue approach in governance, the Safavids went as far as establishing a religious establishment that eventually employ to eliminate opposition to the government and the ruler. For this purpose, Shah Ismail founded Shiism built up the ranks of the Shii ulama, which ruthlessly suppressed ri vals of the state and the religious order. Shah Ismail successfully made his subjects think that he and his heirs, being descendants, of the Seventh Imam, Muza al-Kazim, were his reincarnations on earth (The Empire of the Heartlands reference 64). This cemented the authority of the Shah, becoming the head both of the state and of religion, being the Twelfth Imam, in the flesh. In addition, the Safavid rulers also conservatively cultivated historic images of previous glorious Persian past such as manuscript illuminations, architecture, and tourist court literature of Persian kings of kings (Khoury and Kostiner 1990, 36). This recall of past glory and Persian forms of monarchy strengthened the religious authority of the Safavid leaders so that they were able to consolidate power and maintain it without significant opposition from the people. In the 13th century, for example, the leadership encouraged the theory that the Safavid founder Husain married the daughter of Yazdigird III, the last Sassanian king, effectively linking the house of Ali to the Iranian monarchical tradition (Empires of the Heartland reference, 47). The Ottomans also organized