Meredith Kirkland Essays - Religion, Book Of Exodus, Theology

Meredith Kirkland 4-9-99 The concept of God, or any god, is one that has definite boundaries. There are many questions that arise concerning the nature of God, or even whether or not there really is one. The most common god in today's society is God, the Supreme Being worshipped by Muslims as Allah, by Jews as Yahweh, and by popular Christianity simply as God. Generally, He is thought to be in the image of humans, and in most cases of worshipping this particular deity, He is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. These beliefs, although they may be canon, are not the beliefs of every person that follows this god. There are many different ways to see and worship Him whom we will refer to simply as God. There are varied points of view on God expressed in Gloria Naylor's Mama Day, the book of Exodus in the Hebrew Bible, and St. Augustine's Confessions. Through these works, one may see several viewpoints on the same deity, prompting the question, Who is God? There is no definite answer to this query. Instead, as we will see, there are many definitions and assumptions that describe God, giving us a complicated and sometimes contradicting view of God. In Mama Day, a novel detailing the lives of a closely-knit family on the island of Willow Springs, we can see God through the eyes of Mama Day, one of the main characters. Mama Day, whose real name is Miranda, views God as a passive deity. She does not feel that God intervenes with humans as punishment or rewards humans for things that they do. This conviction is clear in the story when a hurricane is coming and Miranda's sister, Abigail, feels that she has done something to make God send a hurricane. To this Miranda responds, Abigail, stop your foolishness. All God got in mind is to send you a hurricane? It ain't got nothing to do with us, we just bystanders on this earth. Sometimes I think we was only a second thought-and a poor second thought at that (228). Even though Miranda and Abigail are sisters and were probably raised similarly, they view God in two very different ways. While Miranda's philosophy on God's lack of intervention holds strong, she does believe God to be all-powerful. This is evident when she states, The past was gone, just as gone as it could be. And only God could change the future (138). Although Miranda does not think that what people are doing on Earth will affect what God does, she does believe that in the end God will hold each person accountable for what he or she has done. This can be seen on the Island of Willow Springs where Miranda's thoughts are, That'll be her defense at Judgement: Lord, I called out three times. Miranda thinks this after she knocks on Ruby's house three times before setting her house up to get struck by lightning. This is a prime example of her theology. By preparing the house for lightning, she is controlling where the lightning goes, a feat that some people, such as her sister, would attribute to God. Had Augustine, the author of Confessions, been there he would have likely believed that God caused the lightening. Augustine, in contrast to Miranda, believed that God had a purpose in mind for everything that happens on Earth. This is apparent when Augustine proclaims, It was, then by your guidance that I was persuaded to go to Rome and teach there the subjects which I taught at Carthage (Book V, Chapter 8). Augustine goes on to state his belief that God has sent him to Rome to convert him to Christianity. This is indicative of Augustine's belief that everything that happens on Earth is God's will. This is directly contradictory to Miranda's view that is that God does not intervene with people while they are still on Earth. Augustine also depicts God as being merciful. This is clear when he refers to God as God of mercy (Book V, Chapter 9) and again when he proclaims, God, let me acknowledge your mercy from the deepest depths of my soul (Book VII, Chapter 6). Augustine sees God as h aving a purpose for everyone on Earth

The Amistad essays

The Amistad essays What major conclusions can you derive in regard to the significance of the Amistad Case? In 1839, in waters off the coast of Cuba, a group of forty-nine Africans ensnared in the Atlantic slave trade struck out for freedom. They had been captured, sold into slavery, carried across the ocean, sold again, and they were being transported on what was, for millions of Africans, the last leg of the slave trade when they found the chance to seize the initiative. One of them, a man the world would come to know as "Cinque," worked free of his chains and led a shipboard revolt. The vessel they won was a schooner that had been named, in a grim bit of irony, the Amistad ("Friendship"). The Africans tried to force two Cuban survivors to sail them back to Africa, but the Amistad wound up instead in U.S. waters, just past Long Island Sound, where the Africans were again taken into custody. Spain promptly demanded their extradition to face trial in Cuba for piracy and murder, but their plight caught the attention of American abolitionists, who mounted a legal defense on the Africa ns' behalf. The case went through the American judicial system all the way up to the Supreme Court. The Amistad Case became one of the most important slavery cases that the nation had ever seen. A case that would not only bring different anti-slavery groups together, but a case that would prove to be a corner stone in the fight against slavery. It would prove to be a case that would have many influential people step in or try to, including the president of the U.S., martin Van Buren, and a former president, John Quincy Adams. Both cases were strong and provable, but it would be the Supreme Court that would have the final decision to free the slaves. The Amistad Case was one of the only times when three main groups of abolitionists came together to form one group in the fight against slavery. Moral Suasion, was one of the main groups that used graphi...

Compartir Conjugation in Spanish, Translation, Examples

Compartir Conjugation in Spanish, Translation, Examples The Spanish verb compartir  means to share. It is a regular  -ir  verb like  vivir  and  escribir.  Ã‚   The tables below include  compartir  conjugations in the indicative mood (present, preterite, imperfect, future, periphrastic future, and conditional), subjunctive mood (present and past), and imperative mood, as well as other verb forms such as the present and past participles. Compartir Present Indicative Yo comparto I share Yo comparto la comida con mi amiga. T compartes You share T compartes tu habitacin con tu hermano. Usted/l/ella comparte You/he/she shares Ella comparte el carro con su esposo. Nosotros compartimos We share Nosotros compartimos el almuerzo. Vosotros comparts You share Vosotros comparts la ropa. Ustedes/ellos/ellas comparten You/they share Ellos comparten las responsabilidades. Compartir Preterite  Indicative The preterite tense is used to talk about actions that were completed  in the past. It can be translated as the English simple past tense. Yo compart I shared Yo compart la comida con mi amiga. T compartiste You shared T compartiste tu habitacin con tu hermano. Usted/l/ella comparti You/he/she shared Ella comparti el carro con su esposo. Nosotros compartimos We shared Nosotros compartimos el almuerzo. Vosotros compartisteis You shared Vosotros compartisteis la ropa. Ustedes/ellos/ellas compartieron You/they shared Ellos compartieron las responsabilidades. Compartir Imperfect  Indicative The imperfect tense is used to talk about ongoing or habitual actions in the past. It can be translated to English as was sharing or used to share. Yo comparta I used to share Yo comparta la comida con mi amiga. T compartas You used to share T compartas tu habitacin con tu hermano. Usted/l/ella comparta You/he/she used to share Ella comparta el carro con su esposo. Nosotros compartamos We used to share Nosotros compartamos el almuerzo. Vosotros compartais You used to share Vosotros compartais la ropa. Ustedes/ellos/ellas compartan You/they used to share Ellos compartan las responsabilidades. Compartir Future  Indicative Yo compartir I will share Yo compartir la comida con mi amiga. T compartirs You will share T compartirs tu habitacin con tu hermano. Usted/l/ella compartir You/he/she will share Ella compartir el carro con su esposo. Nosotros compartiremos We will share Nosotros compartiremos el almuerzo. Vosotros compartiris You will share Vosotros compartiris la ropa. Ustedes/ellos/ellas compartirn You/they will share Ellos compartirn las responsabilidades. Compartir Periphrastic Future  Indicative The periphrastic future tense is formed with the present indicative conjugation of the verb  ir  (to go) followed by the preposition  a,  and then the infinitive of the verb. Yo voy a compartir I am going to share Yo voy a compartir la comida con mi amiga. T vas a compartir You are going to share T vas a compartir tu habitacin con tu hermano. Usted/l/ella va a compartir You/he/she is going to share Ella va a compartir el carro con su esposo. Nosotros vamos a compartir We are going to share Nosotros vamos a compartir el almuerzo. Vosotros vais a compartir You are going to share Vosotros vais a compartir la ropa. Ustedes/ellos/ellas van a compartir You/they are going to share Ellos van a compartir las responsabilidades. Compartir Conditional  Indicative Yo compartira I would share Yo compartira la comida con mi amiga. T compartiras You would share T compartiras tu habitacin con tu hermano. Usted/l/ella compartira You/he/she would share Ella compartira el carro con su esposo. Nosotros compartiramos We would share Nosotros compartiramos el almuerzo. Vosotros compartirais You would share Vosotros compartirais la ropa. Ustedes/ellos/ellas compartiran You/they would share Ellos compartiran las responsabilidades. Compartir Present Progressive/Gerund Form The present progressive tense is formed with the  present tense conjugation of the verb estar, followed by the  present participle (gerundio  in Spanish). To form the present participle for -ir verbs, you need to add the ending  -iendo. Present Progressive of  Compartir est compartiendo  She is sharing Ella est compartiendo  el carro con su esposo. Compartir Past Participle To form the past participle of -ir verbs, you need to add the ending -ido. The past participle can be used to form compound tenses such as the present perfect.   Present Perfect of  Compartir   ha compartido she has shared   Ella ha compartido el carro con su esposo.   Compartir Present Subjunctive The subjunctive mood is used when a sentence has two different clauses- a main clause and a subordinate clause- where each clause has a different subject. The subjunctive mood is used in the subordinate clause.  To conjugate the subjunctive form, start with the first person singular (yo) present indicative conjugation, drop the ending, and add the subjunctive ending, which for -er and -ir verbs are a, as, a, amos, is, an. Que yo comparta That I share Hctor quiere que yo comparta la comida con mi amiga. Que t compartas That you share Pap quiere que t compartas tu habitacin con tu hermano. Que usted/l/ella comparta That you/he/she share Liliana quiere que ella comparta el carro con su esposo. Que nosotros compartamos That we share Lisette quiere que nosotros compartamos el almuerzo. Que vosotros compartis That you share Denise quiere que vosotros compartis la ropa. Que ustedes/ellos/ellas compartan That you/they share Mam quiere que ellos compartan las responsabilidades. Compartir Imperfect  Subjunctive There are two forms of the imperfect subjunctive. They are both equally valid. Option 1 Que yo compartiera That I shared Hctor quera que yo compartiera la comida con mi amiga. Que t compartieras That you shared Pap quera que t compartieras tu habitacin con tu hermano. Que usted/l/ella compartiera That you/he/she shared Liliana quera que ella compartiera el carro con su esposo. Que nosotros compartiramos That we shared Lisette quera que nosotros compartiramos el almuerzo. Que vosotros compartierais That you shared Denise quera que vosotros compartierais la ropa. Que ustedes/ellos/ellas compartieran That you/they shared Mam quera que ellos compartieran las responsabilidades. Option 2 Que yo compartiese That I shared Hctor quera que yo compartiese la comida con mi amiga. Que t compartieses That you shared Pap quera que t compartieses tu habitacin con tu hermano. Que usted/l/ella compartiese That you/he/she shared Liliana quera que ella compartiese el carro con su esposo. Que nosotros compartisemos That we shared Lisette quera que nosotros compartisemos el almuerzo. Que vosotros compartieseis That you shared Denise quera que vosotros compartieseis la ropa. Que ustedes/ellos/ellas compartiese That you/they shared Mam quera que ellos compartiesen las responsabilidades. Compartir Imperative   The imperative mood is used to give direct commands. There are both positive and negative commands, and they have slightly different forms. Remember that there are no imperative forms for  yo,  Ãƒ ©l/ella, or ellos/ellas.   Positive Commands T comparte Share! Comparte tu habitacin con tu hermano! Usted comparta Share! Comparta el carro con su esposo! Nosotros compartamos Lets share! Compartamos el almuerzo! Vosotros compartid Share! Compartid la ropa! Ustedes compartan Share! Compartan las responsabilidades! Negative Commands T no compartas Dont share! No compartas tu habitacin con tu hermano! Usted no comparta Dont share! No comparta el carro con su esposo! Nosotros no compartamos Lets not share! No compartamos el almuerzo! Vosotros no compartis Dont share! No compartis la ropa! Ustedes no compartan Dont share! No compartan las responsabilidades!

Team Building 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Team Building 2 - Essay Example m must get into the process of making individual assignments so that everyone knows exactly what they are supposed to do and how it contributes to the team goals (Bennis, 2003). Using an effective decision making process: Making effective decisions that have the commitment of all the team members is another key competency. They must make a wide range of decision related to goals, programs, schedule, assignments and so forth. Establishing open Communication channels: this competency involves some risk if the norm is to keep quiet and say only what the boss wants to hear. So, it would be helpful if the leader initiates a team-oriented exercise which would allow them to open up, make decisions, test trust levels and observe the leader’s behavior (Bennis, 2003). Running effective meetings: the team must have a clear purpose and goal of each meeting, develop and agenda before the meetings, structure the items on the agenda to follow a logical sequence, summarize and record actions, decisions and assignments made at the meeting and make it clear that all team members have the responsibility to call for a meeting, if required. These steps are likely to make the team more productive (W.G. Dyer, W.G. Dyer Jr. & J.H. Dyer, 2007). Establishing Accountability for High performance: High-performance teams ensure high performance standards and team members hold each other accountable for performance. Once individual assignments are done, the team members periodically check the same and hold each other accountable for fulfilling them as the way that is required. Giving credit to all the team members increases the productivity of the team and makes it more effective. Teams which are effective know to give and receive constructive feedback without being defensive or combative. This helps in continuous improvement in the team. Managing conflicts effectively is a critical competency because every team has conflicts, but unresolved conflicts reduce the efficiency of the

Essay Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Assignment - Essay Example Therefore, the government and private sector must work hand in hand in order to enhance cyber security. The government is justified in telling the private sector how to enhance or improve cyber security because there is urgent need to protect and secure our processors/computers , financial institutions, confidential information on national security and other significant aspects of the governments infrastructure (Kirby n.p). The government is calling on a tough government regulation of what is posted in the cyber space. The government understands that the computer systems needs to be secure because of the ever increasing function of information and the rapid growth in e-commerce area have made cyber security significant to the economy. In addition, cyber security is important to the functioning of safety essential systems like response to an emergency and to the guard of government’s infrastructure systems. The private sector have been opposing governments efforts to impose stricter regulation of cyber security but it is of great significance to protect the telecommunication sector and electric grid that is in the hands of the private sector. If a United States of America enemy attacked the computer system or networks that control these sectors, private organizations that own them would have to handle these network themselves without government’s aid. Such a situation will leave the United States of America infrastructure exposed and vulnerable in case of cyber war with its enemies (Kirby n.p). Private sectors should understand that the world has changed and that we are in an information society where data or information matters, therefore, as organizations, this makes them the front line not the support system in influencing and determining what is exposed or disseminated. The government released that private industry has been lacking behind in cyber security and that

Ethics, Euthanasia and Canadian Law. Utilitarianism Theory, Morality Essay Example for Free

Ethics, Euthanasia and Canadian Law. Utilitarianism Theory, Morality Essay Utilitarianism Theory Introduction v. Latimer Summary   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The case study is about Mr. Latimer and the actions he did in the name of ending the pain and torture that Tracy, his twelve-year daughter, was going through. Tracy suffered from Cerebral Palsy; it was due to this that Tracy was quadriplegic. She was not able to do anything on her own and therefore used to rely on other people for assistance. Feeding herself was difficult; hence, it was the family’s responsibility to ensure that their daughter did not sleep hungry. Ever since she was born, Tracy had undergone two surgeries, which according to Mr. Latimer had caused more pain to her than before. When Mr. Latimer was told that His daughter was to undergo another surgery, he was not comfortable with this idea since it meant even more pain for Tracy. It was because of this that Mr. Latimer decided to end his daughter’s life by exposing her to carbon monoxide. Later on Mr. Latimer confessed to killing his daughter and it was because of this that he was accused of second degree murder and issued a 10-year jail term, which was in accordance with the Criminal code. Morality   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In my opinion, Mr. Latimer was morally right when he decided to end his daughter’s life. Since he was the parent, he knew exactly the pain that Tracy was going through. Latimer knew that the surgeries that his daughter was being subjected to were doing her more harm than good. This is because she was only a twelve-year old and such pains were unbearable. It is obvious that Latimer loved his daughter; this is because he allowed two surgeries to be performed on her. Mr. Latimer had the perception that the surgeries would improve Tracy’s life but this never happened, instead, it made her life unbearable. Due to this, Mr. Latimer was against another surgery since it meant additional pain and suffering. Hence, in my opinion, ending his daughter’s life was the moral thing to do as a parent.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The verdict made on Mr. Latimer was morally wrong. This is because the jury never stopped for a while to consider the pain that this girl used to undergo on a daily basis. According to Bauslaugh (2014), it would be wrong to equate Latimer to a murderer. This is because unlike other murderers who are malicious, Latimer ended his daughter’s life out of love and mot malice. By deciding to end his daughter’s life, which was always painful, Latimer was morally right. Ending a person’s life in order to end the pain that one is going through has always been referred to as euthanasia. Medical practitioners have practiced euthanasia for decades and it is still active to date. In order to embrace morality, the jury would not have paid much attention to the fact that Latimer committed murder but on the main reason that prompted him commit the act. Utilitarianism and Formalism   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to Perez and Moore (2012), whereas utilitarianism is the process where one does an act that he or she beliefs is morally right, Formalism is the act where one’s actions are either right or wrong. The main difference between utilitarianism and Formalism is that whereas Utilitarianism first considers the reasons behind certain actions, it is different with formalism. This is because unlike utilitarianism, Formalism never considers morality or the reasons why one committed a certain actions. This is because in formalism, one’s actions are either right or wrong. Utilitarianism Theory   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In my opinion, instead of formalism, the Court would have embraced the utilitarianism theory before making the final rulings. According to Perez and Moore (2012), utilitarianism always puts into consideration the happiness of the majority. Happiness is usually a byproduct of one’s action and not a defensible principle. According to studies, before making any conclusions, it is usually vital that one acts in a manner that creates happiness to many people (Perez Moore, 2012).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to Perez and Moore (2012), people are often distinguished on their level of morality, when faced with a moral dilemma; a moral person usually calculates the amount of happiness that his or her actions will cause. For instance, had the jury been moral, it would have stopped to consider the consequences of the rulings before accusing Latimer of second degree murder and finally sentencing him to prison. Latimer’s sentence received a lot of uproar from the public; this is because many people were not happy with the manner in which the ruling was made (Bauslaugh, 2014). Since utilitarianism puts into consideration the happiness of the majority, it becomes evident that one does not consider the repercussions that he or she might face because of the actions made (Perez Moore, 2012). References Bauslaugh, G. (2014). Ethics, Euthanasia and Canadian Law. Retrieved on 26 October 2014 from file:///C:/Users/David/AppData/Local/Temp/Ethics,%20Euthanasia%20%20Canadian%20Law%20%20%20%20Robert%20Latimer.html Perez, D. W., Moore, J. A. (2013). Police Ethics: A Matter of Character. Clifton Park, NY: Delmar/Cengage Learning. Source document

Help My Computer :: essays research papers

Help my Computer In today’s world the personal computer is as common as a toaster. Almost every household has at least one computer. According to a 2001 survey over 65% of the population in the United States uses a computer. We use the computer to surf the Internet, keep track of our finances, email friends and relatives and play games. There are limitless possibilities for the use of computers. They have made typewriters and filing cabinets and thing of the past. However like any other parts of our society the pc is not safe from being harmed. There are computer viruses and spyware applications that can attack your computer. If your computer has been freezing up, giving you strange illegal operation error messages, or just not working properly it may be time to rebuild it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rebuilding your computer isn’t as difficult as you may think. Most anyone who has some basic computer skills and who isn’t afraid of taking a risk is capable of rebuilding a pc. You need to allow three to five hours of your time. Rebuilding your computer involves formatting your local hard disk first, and then reinstalling your operating system again. You will lose any personal folders and files you have on the hard disk, and programs not included in the operating system will have to be reinstalled. You will need to copy off the data you created. This is the information that you created in Word, Excel or Powerpoint. You should also backup your email messages along with your Internet favorites. You may choose to copy the data onto a CD or if your computer is networked, then copy it onto another computer or a network drive.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Next you need to verify that you have legal copies of the computer operating system. A legal copy allows you the ability to get the most up to date computer patches. You need to get the most current software drivers for devices such as printers and scanners. The drivers are usually found on the CDs or disks that came with your computer and accessories. If you no longer have these disks, then you will need to download the latest drivers from the appropriate website. However, the newer operating systems like Windows XP and Windows 2000 usually contain the drivers needed to make these devices work. The next step to take is to reinstall the operating system. You will need the Windows CD and serial number that came with your computer for this.

Global war on terrorism Essay

Serving my country is one of the bravest and greatest things I have done in my life. I was the first sergeant of Bravo 796 of the 14 military police brigade. Being the first sergeant was one of the most exciting jobs I have ever done, yet tough and hard, with a lot of personal responsibilities. The position is a bit challenging and demanding, so I had to be tough too. On a single day, the things that you I had to do were many, with many people complaining that they cannot get a hold of you. This might have been true, because of all the jobs that had to be done. My job was people. Dealing with people’s problems every day, starting from their health, welfare, discipline, and morale to mention but a few was the order of the day. From the time that I started my day, sometimes as early as one o’clock in the morning, having to deal with people’s problems and at the same time complete my duties at the end of the day, was so tiring. Most of the time, I had little or no time to do the paper work, as most of the duties involved outdoor activities. There was also no enough time spend with my family. The job requires that the needs of the country and the service be put before the personal needs. By doing this, I was able to enjoy the rewards of my military career. I also had to be skilled enough in matters concerning the army, because the position requires a person that is knowledgeable enough. Therefore, a lot of learning was necessary, for me to meet the demands of the position. I was mobilized for Global war on terrorism on the July of 2006 up to January 2009. Our mission was to train and to provide disciplined, physically fit, motivated, tactically and technically fit military police soldiers. The soldiers had to be familiar with the values of the army, and their character and conduct had to be pleasant, and reflecting the values of the military. In my experience as a first sergeant, one of my duties was to over see the smooth training of the soldiers in law enforcement duties. Some of the subjects that were taught were basic law enforcement tasks, reports and reforms, responding to incidents, unarmed self defense, maneuver and mobility support operations and enemy prisoner of war operations. I had to ensure that the soldiers were familiar to and fully understood the concepts that these subjects taught. Since the first sergeant’s position is the one at which all units merge, there are several key duties that are attached to this position, including holding formations, instructing the platoon sergeants, advising the commander and assisting in the training of the enlisted members. Relationship with the soldiers When the young soldiers to be first arrive at the training grounds, many of them are not aware of the reality of military training. They are not used to being shouted at and to obey orders, even when they do not feel like. They are also not used to being woken up so early in the morning by an officer shouting so loud at them. For many of them, it is their first time to leave home, or to be away from home alone for the first time to stay on their own. Despite these difficulties, they have to be treated in a manner that will harden them. As a sergeant, I had to treat the soldiers in such a way that they will able be to survive, even at the worst conditions. They have to live where they are asked to live, even when the situation is uncomfortable. However, these difficulties are imposed on purpose, to adjust the soldier’s attitude to the military way of thinking. Furthermore, it makes it easier to impose self discipline, obedience, loyalty, military rules, military policies, etiquette and sacrifice among other values and customs of the military to them. Some people say that the military officers gain pleasure in making the lives of the soldiers difficult. However, from my experience, I would not say that this is true. They only adhere to the rules of the military, to train the soldiers both physically and psychologically, in order to tear apart the civilians, and build from scratch a dedicated, physically fit and a proud member of the United States Armed Forces. Being in direct contact with the soldiers, and at the same time able to influence them for the better using your power is the key to earning their respect and to understand them. This is one of the most importance things that the first sergeant has to do. Your influence is so important that it determines whether a company will fail or deteriorate. As the first sergeant, I had to take all the knowledge I had and effectively pass it to the commanders of the units to teach it to the soldiers effectively, and at times training them myself. Being the first sergeant, you can only know if your efforts in training the soldiers have been effective through the behavior and the work of the soldiers. Normally, I had to make sure that my behavior, especially when around the soldiers is at its best. If a sergeant’s behavior is rotten, then the company will definitely copy that, and the results will be rotten soldiers. I also had to be completely involved and aware of every thing that goes on in the army, especially with the soldiers. This is why the position is so important, that most people refer to it as the livelihood or the blood of the army. A sergeant is required to act as an exhibitionist, to display his impressive character to all the other members. Sometimes, it may be said or thought that he is boasting; such a behavior is not egotistical, but it is required and can be viewed as a way of setting the example. Therefore, I had to ensure that my behavior is exceptional and outstanding. By doing this, it is assumed that the members of the unit will want to be exceptional too, putting aside their differences involved at a personal level, and work or live as brothers. As the duty of the first sergeant, I had to train the members of the units to the best of my interests, and be proud of them and their achievements. This entails praising the soldiers and talking proudly of all their success and positive attitudes to different people. In my experience, I learnt that a first sergeant’s role is important, in that he should act as the leader for the soldier’s success, and should he fail, the unit members may fail too. To attain the best of the soldiers, he needs to discipline them and be tough, to ensure their behavior is pleasant and acceptable in the military. He should also be a wise counselor, giving them advice whenever they need it. Being a provider is also a major duty of the first sergeant to ensure that they are comfortable. I also had to be a confidant to the soldiers of my company, listening to them and also being a friend in general. These are some of the aspects that bring the sergeant and the soldiers closer, to establish a close relationship comprising respect and concern to them. Relationship with the captain A unique relationship comprising of respect and confidence should exist between the sergeant and the commander. This relationship should not be the buddy to buddy kind of relationship, but one based on the work values. In most cases, such a relationship with the captain is not so common with officers of other ranks within the military. Being the first sergeant, I had to ensure that the will of the captain is carried out. When the first sergeant is given the title during his appointment, then he is automatically given authority to pass his ideas to the captain, to ensure the learning of the soldiers is as effective as it can be. While advising the captain, I sometimes found myself arguing or disagreeing with him on several matters. This is where there the authority, professional relationship, past experiences, and loyalty with the captain was required. At times, there are situations when the captain is not as experienced as the first sergeant. This may lead him to disregard the advice given to him by the sergeants. There can also be times when the sergeant’s reasoning has saved the captain’s reputation, which signifies the important role of the sergeant as the advisor to the captain; that failing to take the sergeant’s advice may lead them to making blunders that may cost them their jobs. In conclusion, I would say that the role of a sergeant is very important in the military training ground. Being a good leader, showing all the desirable characteristics, and above all things being able to interact with people of all kinds were some of the characters that guided me. Otherwise, I would not have been able to execute the position’s duties, and my job would have been a lot harder. Training the soldiers to the best of my knowledge for the sake of the countries safety was my priority, and today, I am proud of the service I gave my country. References 1) Military, Global security. org, 2009, retrieved on 2/9/2009 from http://www. globalsecurity. org/military/intro/enlist. htm

Constitution Dbq

A few hundred years ago, a large group of men gathered in one big room to establish a Constitution that would lay down the basic set up of the United States of America. This new constitution covered everything from government to the rights of all the citizens of America. Thomas Jefferson, who was not part of the creation of the Constitution, said that all the good that is in the new Constitution was accomplished by amending the Articles of Confederation. Shortly after the Articles of Confederation was created, the creators of the document realized that the newly found country was running as smoothly as planned.The Articles did not cover everything necessary to ensure a well balanced country. With thirteen states independent, rebellion started to break out. So when they got together to write the Constitution, they had to look at the faults in the Articles and determine what needed to change. Whether it was giving Congress more power, establishing a military, or having the states only hold enough power to deal with local matter, if this country wanted to prosper, the Articles of Confederation had to be amended.The writers of the Constitution didn't want too much power to go to a single group in the government, so they set up a three branch system to ensure that not one branch had to much power. After the Articles were written, states were using their power to try to gain more and the balance was broken, so by amending the Articles, the balance could be restored. The first branch was the Legislative branch, which was made of of the Congress. The problem was that congress had been set up with proportional representation and the smaller states weren't happy about that.So it was decided that Congress be split into two branches, House of Representatives (which was based on proportion) and the Senate (which every state had representatives in) and this satisfied all the states, big and small. The reason that all these compromises had to be made was because the Articles did not give everyone equal share so the states were not happy and therefore they rebelled. With the Constitution being written to help every state equally, a well balanced government was put into play. The second branch of the government that they set up was the Executive ranch, which was made up of the newly founded President and Vice President. This was different from the Articles because originally there was no figurehead in government, but the Constitution out in play the role of a man who would control one branch of the government and balance out the shaky governmental issues. The role of the President is to veto laws made by the legislative branch of the government, he appoints other positions in the government and also deals with foreign treaties. This was an amendment to the Articles that would not strike rebellion or unsettle the states.The final branch of government that was set up by the constitution was the Judicial branch. This was the branch that interprets the law up on those in the country who break them. It was a court system set up by smaller courts that dealt with minor or local crimes and then the supreme court that dealt with crimes to the government, or serious affairs. The reason that this was a good thing to change from the Articles, was now that there are laws set, there is also a system in which to punish those who feel the need to break them.With this three branch system, the government would be very strong, and would not anger the United States. The writers of the Constitution knew that, like the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution would not be a perfect document and that problem with the way it is set up might appear in the future so they wrote it very loosely. The Constitution was set up so that amendments could be made, the same way they were made to the Articles. If something in the constitution needed to be amended, the Legislative branch would create the amendment, then if the Executive branch didn't agree, they would veto it.If all went well then the amendment would be made and the Judicial branch would interpret the amendment to the country. The Constitution was well thought out when being written. The last thing that was added to the constitution was the Bill of Rights, which ten of the most important rights given to Americans. Whether it was the freedoms of speech, press, or religion, the writers of the Constitution wanted all men to have their rights to living in freedom. Giving set rights of Americans was never established in the original Articles of Confederation.The Articles of Confederation were created very loosely and with many flaws. It was not well thought out and had many issues that would bring the citizens of America to unrest. When writing the Constitution, the writers had to look back on the Articles of Confederation and review the problems in the construction of the document, and assessed the issues in it. The Constitution was such a success because it amended the unsuccessful Articles of Confederation. Constitution Dbq DBQ: How Did the Constitution Guard Against Tyranny? Americans desperately fought against tyranny with the best weapon they had, the Constitution. During the colonial times, King George III demanded many things from the colonists that were living in the Americas. This was caused by the aftermath of the French and Indian War. This caused increasing debts for the King and England; therefore the King was forced to raise the taxes of America and England. This increase in tax made the Americans angry which caused more events to unravel.After many different battles between King George III and America, America declared its independence on July 4, 1776. After this declaration, many things began to heat up over the representation in government. Tyranny was mentioned many times during the course of these events, causing the creation of the Constitution. The Constitution guarded against tyranny in four ways: federalism, separation of powers, checks and balances, and big states versus small stat es/The Great Compromise. One part of the Constitution that helped the Americas was federalism.Document A shows that the first step the framers of the Constitution took to protect the Americas from tyranny was using a form of government called Federalism. James Madison’s idea for division of power between central and state governments is known as Federalism. (Doc A). From the chart in Document A, you will notice that this clearly prevents tyranny from happening. The powers that are needed to run a country are given to the federal government such as declaring war, coining money, and conducting foreign relations. (Doc A).Also, powers that are needed for a state are given, such as holding election and regulating in-state businesses. (Doc A). Powers that are needed by both state and federal law are shared. This prevents tyranny from happening because the states can’t take control of federal powers, and the federal government can’t take control of state powers. They c an only take the power shared and the powers that each of them own. The second step the framers took to protect us from tyranny was to divide the central government into three branches.The section in Document B taken from the Constitution shows the three branches of government and their powers. James Madison said, â€Å" The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elected, may be justly pronounced the very definition of tyranny. † (Doc B). The Constitution clearly does not put the powers of legislative, executive, and judiciary in one or many hands.All branches have split power. The legislative branch can only have the powers of Congress. (Doc B). The executive branch has powers vested within the president. (Doc B). Lastly, the judicial branch has its powers vested in the highest court of the nation, the Supreme Court. As you can see, the Constitution preve nts any branch to gain power from other branches. The framers of the Constitution created a clever way to prevent tyranny of one branch over other branches, with a system of check and balances.James Madison said, â€Å"The constant aim is to divide and arrange the several offices in such a manner as that they may be a check on the other. † (Doc C). The diagram shows the branches have checks on each other. If the president tries to take power of another branch, the legislative branch can then impeach the president. (Doc C). This is the check of the legislative branch on the executive branch. Each branch has a check of every other branch, so if one branch is doing something wrong, another branch can check the wronged branch, and fix the problem.This explains how another branch can’t take full control and there is always going to be equal checks and balances. One of the last things the framers of the Constitution did to make sure no tyranny would arise was to make sure th e smaller states got a fair vote in Congress. In the Constitutional Convention, two plans were proposed called the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan. The Virginia Plan was favored by the large states and was based on population. The New Jersey Plan favored the small states and gave each state an equal amount of votes.Eventually after all the arguing, they came up with something called the Great Compromise. This proposed Congress would be composed of the Senate and The House of Representatives. The House of Representatives is based on population, which provides fairness to large states. (Doc D). On the other hand, the Senate has two representatives from each state, which provides fairness to the smaller states. (Doc D). Unquestionably, this provides fairness among both large and small states, taking a closer step to ridding tyranny.To sum it up, the framers of the Constitution protected us from the evil of tyranny using the four methods, Federalism, dividing the government into t hree branches, a system of checks and balances, and preventing large states from creating tyranny over the small states in Congress. James Madison said, â€Å"The accumulation of power in the same hands whether of one, a few, or many, is the very definition of tyranny,† and the Constitution does a great job of preventing that. The framers succeeded in creating a strong built Constitution because all four methods have created security that no tyrant or tyranny would arise.

Short Analysis of Tim Wintons, Cloudstreet

Short Analysis of Tim Wintons, Cloudstreet Analysis of Tim Winton's Cloud Street.Tim Winton's television miniseries, Cloud Street, is about finding one's place in the world, and the search for the meaning of life. It displays the theme of belonging in terms of an individual belonging to; family, community, groups and acceptance and rejection from these communities and groups. It also expresses place as a source of belonging. This relates to identity, alienation and as a result to those things, self-chosen progression. Tim Winton conveys these forms of belonging by using camera techniques, special effects and also conveys these themes through the actions and the purposes of the characters. In the last 3 chapters of the miniseries, Winton begins to unfold the characters, and who they really are. This gives a sense of realization to the audience, but also to the characters themselves, for they have found a place. A character that this story focuses explicitly on is Fish Lamb.Fishing Trip AlbumFish nearly drowned when he was quit e young and that resulted in Fish having brain damage. Form that day, Fish always had a connection to the water that no one else could understand. This connection to the water, gave the audience a sense that the water is another character itself, or, that Fish and the water are the same character. It is evident at the very end of the series, that Fish returns to where he always belonged, the inviting, ever flowing water. A technique used to show Fish's connection with the water, is evident when Fish is in a row boat with Quick. The water seems to surround him, flowing into the sky and reflecting the stars. Fish lifts his hand to the sky and moves it as if through water. The stars move with his fingers, as if they are floating...

Biography of Gilles de Rais 1404 - 1440

Biography of Gilles de Rais 1404 - 1440 Gilles de Rais was a French noblemen and noted soldier of the fourteenth century who was tried and executed for the murder and torture of numerous children. He is now remembered chiefly as a historical serial killer, but may have been innocent. Gilles de Rais as Noble and Commander Gilles de Laval, Lord of Rais (thus known as Gilles de (of) Rais), was born in 1404 at Champtocà © castle, Anjou, France. His parents were heirs to wealthy land holdings: the lordship of Rais and part of the Laval family possessions on his father’s side and lands belonging to a branch of the Craon family through his mother’s side. He also married into a wealthy line in 1420, uniting with Catherine de Thouars. Consequently Gilles was once of the richest men in the whole of Europe by his teens. He has been described as keeping a more lavish court than even the French king, and he was a great patron of the arts. By 1420 Gilles was fighting in the wars over the succession rights to the Duchy of Brittany, before being involved in the Hundred Years War, fighting against the English in 1427. Having proved himself an able, if brutal and low level, commander, Gilles found himself alongside Joan of Arc, taking part in several battles with her, including the famed rescue of Orlà ©ans in 1429. Thanks to his success, and the crucial influence of Gilles’ cousin, Georges de Ka Trà ©moille, Gilles became a favorite of King Charles VII, who appointed Gilles Marshall of France in 1429; Gilles was only 24 years old. He spent more time with Jeanne’s forces until her capture. The scene was set for Gilles to go on and have a major career, after all, the French were beginning their victory in the Hundred Years War. Gilles de Rais as Serial Killer By 1432 Gilles de Rais had largely retreated to his estates, and we dont really know why. At some stage his interests turned to alchemy and the occult, perhaps after an order, sought by his family in 1435, barred him from selling or mortgaging anymore of his lands and he needed money to continue his lifestyle. He also, possibly, began the kidnap, torture, rape and murder of children, with the number of victims ranging from 30 to upwards of 150 given by different commentators. Some accounts claim this ended up costing GIlles more money as he invested in occult practices which didnt work but cost regardless. We have avoided giving too much detail on Gilles crimes here, but if youre interested a search on the web will bring up the accounts. With one eye on these infractions, and possibly another on seizing Gilles’ land and possessions, the Duke of Brittany and the Bishop of Nantes moved to arrest and prosecute him. He was seized in September 1440 and tried by both ecclesiastical and civil courts. At first he claimed to be not guilty, but â€Å"confessed† under threat of torture, which is no confession at all; the ecclesiastical court found him guilty of heresy, the civil court guilty of murder. He was sentenced to death and hanged on October 26th 1440, being held up as a model of penitence for recanting and apparently accepting his fate. There is an alternative school of thought, one which argues that Gilles de Rais was set-up by the authorities, who had an interest in taking what remained of his wealth, and was actually innocent. The fact his confession was extracted through threat of torture is cited as evidence of severe doubt. Gilles wouldnt be the first European who was set up so people could take wealth, and remove power, by jealous rivals, and the Knights Templar are a very famous example, while Countess Bathory is in much the same position as Gilles, only in her case it looks very likely she was set up instead of just possible. Bluebeard The character of Bluebeard, recorded in a seventeenth century collection of fairy tales called Contes de ma mà ¨re l’oye (Tales of Mother Goose), is believed to be partly based on Breton folk tales which are, in turn, partly based on Gilles de Rais, although the murders have become of wives rather than children.

Enhancing Literature for students of English as second Language Research Paper

Enhancing Literature for students of English as second Language - Research Paper Example Research shows that education is a long prescription and a short on description and this statement holds true for literacy instructions given for English language learners or students who use English as a second language (ESL). ESL students will represent a wide range of cultures and language skills and are the easiest to take note of in schools as they are enter into classrooms without knowing how to have a conversation with other students in English. These students will remain silent in class as they are trying to adjust in the new environment and culture and this silent period presents a time of great discomfort for the students as they feel as if they do not belong. Teachers working with these students will require theories and conceptual models and frameworks that are aimed at ensuring that the students easily adapt in the new environment and that their learning goes on smoothly without language barriers affecting their success in education (Jimenez and Gersten, 1994). Teachers will require to incorporate comprehensive input, cognitive academic language proficiency and the natural language approach in the effort of making ESL students learn without language barriers interfering with their success. Research reveals that there needs to be a considerable amount of guidance and innovative ideas that will enable ESL students to adapt in the new environment and learn English, and this will make the classroom conducive for learning. (Jimenez and Gersten, 1994). Teachers are required to enhance the approach they use to educate ESL students so as to make their classrooms conducive for the great numbers of ESL students. There is a general increase in the number of ESL students in the United States classrooms, and this means that there are cases when teachers without training on how to teach them attend to these students. Teachers can be asked to teach students of Non-English backgrounds , and this presents a milestone as the students may not be able to read and writ e well in their native language or in English hence the need for special attention and programs aimed at improving the literacy learning skills (Jimenez and Gersten, 1994). Thus, teachers are faced with the task of building literacy, develop writing expression ability and enhance the growth of the English language for the student at the same time. This is extremely challenging for teachers, and even the most experienced ones may have problems in simultaneously building these capabilities. Factors Affecting Second Language Acquisition There are various factors that will affect students’ ability to acquire a second language despite the fact that students will have varying patterns, speed and acquiring styles. Some students will easily take off and become quickly conversant without much effort and for others this will present a huge challenge. Some students will continue to struggle with learning English despite being engaged in constant and lengthy periods of being exposed to t he language being learnt (English). Learner characteristics or personal traits affect the ESL students in their effort to acquire literal efficiency. These are the characteristics that are specific to an individual and they will include attitude, motivation, personality, learning styles and attitudes. Research shows that self confident students and those that have sociable personalities will have the courage to attempt verbal communication with other students and these interactions will make them to adapt easily to the new environment (Reid, 2002). Learner characteristics will affect how the student responds to instructions, which will influence the student’s ability to learn. Situational or environmental factors are concerned with issues that are external to the