Analysis Of Battle Royal Story The Plot Styles, Themes And Setting - 275 Words

Analysis Of The Battle Royal Story: The Plot Styles, Themes And Setting (Essay Sample) Content: NameProfessorCourseDateBattle Royal by Ralph EllisonThe plot of the story starts with the narrators grandfather giving him a piece of advice. He was told to always pretend to be servile, and meek whenever he was with the white men, so that one day he would undermine the social class. He is then invited to party where he happens to be blindfolded, and thrown in a boxing ring with American boys. In the ring hes is beaten up badly. Later after the battle, he collected some coins in form of reward that turned out to be brass (Armengol 29-46). After the fight, he managed to give a speech about the importance of education to the black boys and how they should defer from the white boys. The speech enabled the narrator to get a college scholarship.The principle characters in the story were both the narrator and his grandfather who were trying to defer with the white men. The setting of the story was in the second half of the 20th century when the Americans were still fighting racism, equality, and oppression from the white. The setting of a hotel is also incorporated when the narrator and the other boys are invited to a hotel after fighting in the ring.The point of view of the narrator was triggered by the suffering and tribulations faced by the young black boys in the hand of the whites. The invisible narrator faced many hardships during his youth which made him emerge strong.The style used in the story is that of surrealism, realism, improvisational changing style. Themes such racism. Social class, equality, and western culture are well articulated by the story. Having chosen the Marxism philosophy which focusses on the social, economic and political aspects of a society, I find the story having some aspects that are socialist in nature (Habib 48). Economically the whites were better than the blacks, a situation that made them despise the blacks. Most black could...

The Current Corporate Strategy Of The Business - 3322 Words

The current corporate strategy of the business had some positive changes to the organization and hence, restructured the entire organization accordingly. The corporate strategy is based on ONE Plan that had the following four priorities: †¢ Restructuring enough to operate the business profitability in context to changing model mix and customer demands. †¢ Offering customer the best developedcustomer demanded products in terms of efficiency, high quality, safety that could create value for the company. †¢ Improve Ford’s finances. †¢ Work together as one team that has one goal. Hence, in order to make this current strategy work, Ford made some functional changes, to the organization that helped Ford to create value. The†¦show more content†¦3. In order to make the infrastructure efficient, Ford implemented the strategy to promote one goal throughout the entire organization and hence, this helped to restore the company commitment to efficiency. Plus, the strategy helped co-operation among functions as they lacked transperancy as one function would not disclose all the data to the other function. 4. In order to make the information system efficient, Ford heavily invested on premium technology to better serve its customers and hence, created Ford Work Solutions that provided and served all affordable solutions making processes more efficient with high speed internet and wireless accessories. 5. In order to gain efficiency in supply chain management, Ford discussed its strategies with suppliers, letting them know what they require in detail, that helped create long term relationships and later, which was sealed with long- term contracts. Ford maintained a positive relationship with suppliers, giving them the idea that the suppliers works with them rather creating the idea that the suppliers work for them. 6. In order to gain efficiency in the

The CSI Effect Essay - 1905 Words

In 2006, over 100 million people in the United States tuned in to watch either CSI or any if the other forensic and criminal investigation related television show each week (CJSG). Since then, the number of viewers has increased rapidly, as well as the amount of television shows with the same type of theme. As a result of the increase of these television programs, researchers are discovering a new phenomenon called the ‘CSI Effect’ that seems to be fueling an interest in forensic science and criminal investigations nationwide. This effect is actually the ability of criminal justice themed television shows to influence and increase victims’, jurors’ and criminals’ ideas about forensics, DNA testing and methods, and criminal investigations†¦show more content†¦In the past, the jury learned from the forensic scientists’ testimony; but now, they’re learning from television and a lot of reality shows. Consequently, what they’ re learning is not necessarily what is actually done (Honeycutt). However, those jurors who watch criminal investigation television shows do believe that what they’re seeing on TV is what does go on in real life and they expect to see it in court. This is because, according to Shelton, â€Å"the more frequently jurors watched a given program, the more accurate they perceived it to be.† Unfortunately, these shows also create a false expectation that clear and definite evidence can be shown for any case, which is not true. Jurors expect every case to have thorough scientific evidence from the best and most modern technology and to look exactly as it does on a television show (Shelton). Radford said, â€Å"Science does not operate on certainties.† During an investigation, scientists don’t ever say that the DNA being tested is a â€Å"match† to the suspect because nothing can ever be a definite match. Instead, their vocabulary consists of phrases such asShow MoreRelatedCsi Effect Essay1231 Words   |  5 PagesCSI Effect Abstract Crime in America is increasing rapidly and many techniques have been created over the years in order to solve major crimes. Forensics science is one of the many techniques that have been created. Forensics is the use of science and technology to investigate and establish facts in criminal courts of law (free-dictionary, n.d). But there is an upcoming issue which involves the exaggerated details of forensics science. This paper explores the CSI Effect, compares and contrastsRead MoreThe Csi Effect On The Minds Of Jurors909 Words   |  4 Pages The CSI Effect is becoming to take it’s place in courtrooms and the prosecutors aren t liking it. Prosecutors are feeling there is no hope for getting a conviction when it’s come to the CSI Effect because they believe that it has control over the juror’s applying justice to criminal. The CSI Effect is being criticized for not allowing prosecutors a fair chance at a conviction in a jury trial for the belief that Jurors are influenced by what they see on T.V shows and how they believe that theRead MoreThe CSI Effect and its Implications in Forensic Science Essay1769 Words   |  8 Pagesknown as the CSI effect, or the process through which devoted fans of popular crime dramas develop unrealistic notions of forensic science methods, practices, and their applications in real life cases (Mancini 544; Stevens 37; Ley, Jankowski, and Brewer 52). The CSI effect has had more negative impacts on forensic science and society than positive impacts, especially in regards to what goes on in the minds of jurors who frequently watch television programs about crime. Studying the CSI effect also leadsRead MorePresentation At The 2010 Cooley Law School Symposium On The Csi Effect1113 Words   |  5 Pagespresentation at the 2010 Cooley Law School Symposium on the CSI Effect. It reviews the results of two empirical studies of Michigan jurors in various jurisdictions, which previously concluded that the prosecutor version of the so-called CSI effect cannot be substantiated empirically. The article then describes merged data from the two studies and the analysis of that merged data. The data supports the earlier suggestion of a tech effect based on cultural changes, rather than any direct impactRead MoreThe Csi Effect1178 Words   |  5 Pagesthat the things that take place on these shows are real. There is Law in Order SVU, 24, Bones and our favorite CSI that make people think that countless cases are open and close do to outrageous finding of DA traces. Th e CSI Effect is a theory that criminals are getting smarter. These shows give out numerous tactics on how many cases are cracked and suspects are arrested. The CSI Effect also results in various hang juries and miss trials due to lack of evidence. The jury is starting to need moreRead MoreCsi Effect1164 Words   |  5 Pagesorder to accurately depict how the CSI Effect strongly influences our society’s view on crime and courtroom proceedings, I will be comparing different CSI episodes to those methods and theories which apply. Throughout the paper, I will be explaining how CSI has shaped peoples’ minds in believing false claims and investigation beliefs. Watching and comparing episodes of CSI to the CSI Effect will be a prime reference in explaining how the media is placing a spin on CSI television shows. According toRead MoreForensic Science And The Scientific Examination Of Evidence1644 Words   |  7 Pagesunique details. In the article The Real CSI from Frontline talks about the technology and science behind examining bite marks is not reliable. Bite marks is similar to fingerprinting analysis, the assumption behind bite marks is that dental characteristics is unique, therefore the technology used to identify bite marks is scrutinized even though bite marks can change over time and be distorted due to factors like swelling and healing (Frontline, The Real CSI). In the NOVA episode â€Å"Forensics On Trial†Read MoreCsi Miami vs Csi Real Life1051 Words   |  5 Pagesassignment I chose Double Jeopardy from CSI Miami, season four episode eighteen. In this episode a husband is found innocent of his wifes murder just as her missing body is being pulled from the ocean by a fisherman. March 26 Mr. Rowe discovered his wife’s racial status and she disappeared on October 5th but the husband waited 3 days to report her death. During this time he practiced killing Terisa Matherdy. Losing four twe nty lb weight set in the process. The CSI team must try to find new evidenceRead MoreThe Csi Effect On Crime1657 Words   |  7 PagesThe CSI Effect Introduction Have you ever watched a crime scene drama on television and now believe you are a forensic science expert? This is what you call the â€Å"Crime Scene Investigation Effect (CSI)†. It came into light in the early 2000’s. In 2008, Monica Robbers, an American criminologist, defined the CSI Effect as, â€Å"the phenomenon in which jurors hold unrealistic expectations of forensic evidence and investigation techniques, and have an increased interest in the discipline of forensic science†Read MoreForensic Science in the 21st Century1765 Words   |  8 Pagesinto forensic science’s contributions to policing and criminal investigations, court processes, and security efforts. Also it explores the media’s representation of forensic science, influence on popular opinion for justice-related issues, and â€Å"CSI† effect on the judicial process. Forensic Science Contributions to Policing and Criminal Investigations The geneses of criminalistics or forensic science are mainly European. Forensic science is an amalgamation of various disciplines, such as

International Health Care Policies Example For Students

International Health Care Policies Of the countries that were made available, the three countries health care policies I found most interesting were United Kingdom, Japan and Taiwan. These three countries all had a very different take on how to provide healthcare to the public but they also all managed to do so with a low government GDP. The United Kingdom is a capitalist democracy with a health care system that tries to support it’s views of an economic, political and social economy. There system is referred to as the National Health Service (NHS), it is government funded and the main source of income is through taxation. The Brits call this process â€Å"socialized medicine,† where the government is in charge of providing and funding for their health care program. Once the high taxes are collected the government then goes and distributes them throughout the (NHS) to health care providers. Doctors have set salaries determined by the government, but before you can get to your doctor you have to see a General Practitioner (GP) or also known as the gatekeeper. These people run their own private practices and their pay is based upon how many patients they have and the health of their patients. This system may sound all tied together but some of the negatives that go along with the (NHS) are long waiting li sts, and a limited choice on your health care provider. Some of the changes that the UK has managed to change over the years is how â€Å"Hospitals now compete for NHS funds distributed by local Primary Care Trusts, and starting in April 2008 patients are able to choose where they want to be treated for many procedures.† This has allowed for the market based economy to open up more, leaving patients with a wider choice for health services. Japan’s health care system differs from the UK in several ways, there GDP averages about 8% which is even less than the UK. Everyone in Japan has to sign up for Health Care Insurance or as they call it (Social Insurance). A families average premium totals out to be about $280 a month, and if you can’t pay a premium then you have a net to fall on, there is public assistance available. Japan pays all but about 30% of the cost, leaving co-payments minimal, but they base the total amount off of your income at the end of the month. Japan isn’t completely government based they found that having most health insurance agencies, doctors and nearly all hospitals in private sectors allowed competition leaving the GDP at a low 8%. The Japanese are known for being some of the longest lived humans due to their cultures diet and lifestyle, but many argue it has much to do with the stability of their health care plan. It was created with the intent to provide health care to all individuals in their society, singling no one out because of inability to pay for the system. The Japanese have also made it easier to get service to their citizens, they eliminated the idea of gate keepers, allowing the Japanese to go to any specialist as often as they wish. The Ministry of Health determines the price of every procedure every two years. This is the main factor in keeping costs low, but keeping costs so low has been the soul cause of their hospital deficit. Their government is not spending enough on health care so hospitals are the ones suffering, not the citizens. Taiwans system is merely a combination of all the systems. They analyzed other countries and looked at their flaws and then tried to build a health care system around them. They have what is called a â€Å"National Health Insurance.† All of their citizens are required to obtain health insurance, but the difference between Taiwan and many other capitalist democracies is their system has made it where they only have one government- run insurer, which cuts competition and gets strait to the point. Families on average pay a premium of $650 per fiscal year. â€Å" Working people pay premiums split with their employers; others pay flat rates with government help; and some groups like the poor and veterans, are fully subsidized.† The Taiwanese system allows for citizens to see any doctor at anytime. Every citizen is allotted a card when receiving health insurance, it is called the ‘smart card.’ It contains medical history; how many visits the patient has had; and a bill history. It is a system that has much thought put into it, and a system that wouldnt exist without the technological advancements we have today. Taiwan is currently leading in having the lowest health care plan, their GDP is only 6.3%, but from that statistic you can easily tell that the government spends very little on the up keep of their medical system. Taiwan is so concerned about providing health care to all of their citizens that that tend to forget about the hospitals that are actually providing this care and the money they need to stay active. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND EXPANSION OF THE EUROPE EssayTaiwan’s health care system is unique in the way they analyzed other countries from around the world pointed out their flaws and tried to create a new health care plan in 1995, that avoided all of those problems, and they did a very good job, increasing health care availability to the 40% who did not have access to it prior to their reform. Taiwans system is one that I believe the U.S could learn a thing or two from. Here in the U.S we have private sectors for our Insurance agencies, each in competition with one another for business, always fluctuating cost and stats about being the most reliable agency to choose. In Taiwan they eliminated that whole controversy, they only allowed one government insurer, and everyone has access to it, because if you can’t pay the insurance premium then there is accommodations to fully subsidize your cost. In Taiwan they use a system called a ‘smart card,’ that has all the patients medical history, bill reports, visits to the doctor and so on. Every citizen is allotted a card and it is the only way they can receive service. In the U.S we don’t exactly have what they call a ‘smart card,’ but we do have our insurance cards, which play a similar role. Our Insurance cards contain our personal information that any health care provider can look up with the correct data base. I believe the Taiwanese saw our system of long paperwork a flaw in their new health care system and created what I would like to call the Ultimate insurance card, or what they call the Smart Card. The Taiwanese do have a great system they created and one that is seeming to work quite well for them, but when adjusting their health care system they did not seek to increase government spending. They simply just don’t have enough money in their government to pay for all of their services. This flaw in health care is one that may not have a solution, in government systems across the world, these countries are either spending too little or too much on health care, leaving a string loose in the system. For years now, the world has been trying to come up with the most ideal health care system, one that works for EVERYONE. But in some countries, the single flaw of having too low of a GDP to support their hospitals is one they just look past because finding a health care cost that works for everyone including the government is merely unrealistic in their eyes. But it’s the struggle that the U.S has not given up on yet. After analyzing these three health care systems in other capitalist democracies, it has helped broaden my views on the health care regime of the U.S. We currently have one of the most expensive health care plans in the world with Switzerland a far step behind us. But I believe the reason as to why we have not converted to plans similar to the U.K, Japan and Taiwan is because they all share one main flaw, each of their governments has a system that provides health care to all citizens at an extremely low cost leaving an extremely low GDP in comparison to the U.S, but each of these countries gives minimal support to their hospitals which when it comes down to it, they are our main resource in this whole process. Without Hospitals we have no services, I believe the U.S could learn a few things from each of these countries to help lower our cost to something more reasonable, but not completely convert our plan until we can tackle the flaw that no country has managed to do so yet. WORK CITED * FRONTLINE. â€Å"Five Capitalist Democracies.† www.pbs.org. 15 April. 2008. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sickaroundtheworld/countries/ * â€Å"Sick around the World.† Frontline News. PBS. 15 April. 2008. Televison *Discussions from Class with Dr. Arwin

The Ambitions of Napoleon Essay Example For Students

The Ambitions of Napoleon Essay From 1799 to 1814, France was in the hands of a keen military dictator of unheard of ability. Napoleon was one of historys greatest leaders. He realized he was the only one to end civil dispute in France, in order to create unity. Napoleon saw himself as a man of destiny. The glory of war and the empire he wanted to create was irresistible. For years he went from victory to victory, but in the end of his reign he was destroyed by his own restless ambition to take over Europe. Napoleon Bonaparte was born on August 15th, 1769. He started school at the age of ten at the College dAutun. But that didnt last too long. Four months later he entered the Brienne Military School. Napoleon excelled in this school and he was later recommended to the Military School at Paris.Napoleon as a boy was hot tempered, combative, and aggressive. He was made out to be a military leader. At the Academy of Brienne, when the other students played soldier, he usually became the commander. We will write a custom essay on The Ambitions of Napoleon specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Tragically in 1784, his father died, leaving Napoleon at the age of fifteen without a role model and a guide. But Napoleon was a hard worker and he became self-motivated. After only of one year in the Military School of Paris he graduated instead of the normal two or three years. Napoleon was then assigned as a second lieutenant to an artillery regiment. A year later he returned home for the first time in eight years. His visit would last two years, leaving him from his regiment in France. While home in Corsica he wrote a reply to the Corsican aristocrats who had attacked the Revolution. He organized a local pro-Revolutionary militia. Then Napoleon got himself elected as second in command of a battalion of Corsican volunteers. The Revolution changed the status of Corsica, giving Corsicans all the rights of Frenchman. This change helped Napoleon think more like a Frenchman. In 1791, Napoleon was promoted to first lieutenant and sent to another regiment. But he took leave and returned home once more. At home Napoleons former hero, Paoli, became idolized by the Corsicans when he was exiled to England. But when he returned from England he got into politics and the public looked at him like any other politician. The French did not like him from the start because he was conservative. So when war broke out between France and England in 1793, Paoli, who had been warmly accepted in England during his exile, could not even be relied on to side with the country he was now a citizen of. In 1792 and 1793 a series of events heated relations between the French government and Paoli and Napoleon and Paoli. And when the French government ordered for Paolis arrest, the Corsicans against went against their French masters, and Paoli became leader and hero again. Corsican houses were attacked and Napoleon and his family had to go to hiding in France. Napoleon at the age of 24 became a Frenchman. He spoke, thought, lived, and wore a uniform just as a normal Frenchman. Napoleon was changing in many ways. His allegiance to France was growing stronger and he was more ambitious than ever. He was growing to realize people for who they really were and after watching the Revolutionary bloodshed in Paris in 1792 he made this comment: The people are not worth the trouble taken in winning their favor.In 1796 Napoleon was named the general of the French army in Italy. With this upgrade in rank he devised the Italian Campaign. This plan proved to be spectacular. Napoleon had twelve victo ries in only a span of one year. Before these battles he promised the soldiers everything and he fulfilled these promises: Soldiers! You are ill fed and almost naked. I shall lead you into the most fertile plains on earth. There you shall find great cities and rich provinces. There you shall find honor, glory, and riches.After defeating the Austrians, Napoleon turned to other things. He changed Venice into a French style republic. He was becoming very strong in politics and the Directory of France was starting to dislike Napoleon. He was casting a shadow over the Directory through his growing popularity and his no fear attitude towards them. .ud175d0d1fa6de66a59a054abe6fac67f , .ud175d0d1fa6de66a59a054abe6fac67f .postImageUrl , .ud175d0d1fa6de66a59a054abe6fac67f .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ud175d0d1fa6de66a59a054abe6fac67f , .ud175d0d1fa6de66a59a054abe6fac67f:hover , .ud175d0d1fa6de66a59a054abe6fac67f:visited , .ud175d0d1fa6de66a59a054abe6fac67f:active { border:0!important; } .ud175d0d1fa6de66a59a054abe6fac67f .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ud175d0d1fa6de66a59a054abe6fac67f { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ud175d0d1fa6de66a59a054abe6fac67f:active , .ud175d0d1fa6de66a59a054abe6fac67f:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ud175d0d1fa6de66a59a054abe6fac67f .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ud175d0d1fa6de66a59a054abe6fac67f .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ud175d0d1fa6de66a59a054abe6fac67f .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ud175d0d1fa6de66a59a054abe6fac67f .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ud175d0d1fa6de66a59a054abe6fac67f:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ud175d0d1fa6de66a59a054abe6fac67f .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ud175d0d1fa6de66a59a054abe6fac67f .ud175d0d1fa6de66a59a054abe6fac67f-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ud175d0d1fa6de66a59a054abe6fac67f:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Robinson Crusoe Essay IntroductionThe Egyptian Campaign, in which Napoleon captured the British ship Alexandria and won at the Battle of the Pyramids, was looked at as a failure. Napoleon was becoming more cut off from the Directory and he was being looked upon as a romantic figure. He decided to leave Egypt on a ship back to Paris. When he arrived in Paris, the country was in despair. It was in need of new leaders. Napoleon had arrived at the right moment. Soon Napoleon was the first Counsel and then later named Emperor of France. Napoleon revised everything once he had these powers. He established the Rhine River as the eastern border of France, he ended the dispute with the Roman Catholic Church, the court system was simplified, and all schools were under centralized control. Napoleon started to get himself into more trouble with his aggressive behavior. Russia, Austria, and the British became one against Napoleon, but Napoleon wanted to stretch his kingdom farther by going into Russia. His attempt at Russia ended in an embarrassing retreat. Napoleon was losing his army. They refused to fight on. Napoleons reign as emperor was diminishing very quickly. He was exiled to an island named Elba but he made an escape back to France. He won over the troops that were supposed to capture him. Napoleon gathered his army and struck first against his allies. But to his dismay he would lose at the Battle of Waterloo and Napoleon was forced to surrender. He was exiled to an island in the south Atlantic Ocean, where he remained until his death from stomach cancer on May 5th, 1821. Napoleons influence on France still lives on today. The countrys basic law is still the Code Napoleon, and the administrative and judicial systems are mostly Napoleons. The most obvious reminder of Napoleon is the centerpiece of Paris, the Arc de Triomphe. This was built to honor all of his victories. Napoleon was a driven man that was never satisfied. He was very ambitious and sadly his ambition is what brought him down. He once said, Power is my mistress. Maybe thats why he was a military genius. At St. Helena, he said, Waterloo will erase the memory of all my victories. He was wrong. He will always be remembered for his loyalty to France, to end its civil dispute, and revision of a government that still lives on today, not for his loss at Waterloo. Napoleon is one of the best generals the world has ever seen, whichs why he is Napoleon the Great.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad - Profile

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad - Profile Why Bashar al-Assad Matters: Syrias Hafez al-Assad, in power since June 10, 2000, is one of the Middle Easts most ruthless, autocratic, minority rulers in one of the worlds most closed societies. Assad also maintains Syrias pivotal role on the Middle Easts strategic map: He is an ally of Irans Shiite theocracy, he supports and arms Hamas in the Gaza Strip, as well as Hezbollah in Lebanon, thus maintaining a level of enmity toward Israel that so far has precluded peace: Israel has occupied Syrias Golan Heights since the 1967 war. Presumed a reformer when he took Power, Bashar al-Assad has proved no less repressive than his father. Bashar al-Assads Early Life: Bashar al-Assad was born on Sept. 11, 1965, in Damascus, the Syrian capital, the second son of Hafez al-Assad (1930-2000), who had tyrannically ruled Syria since 1971, and Anisa Makhlouf Bashar. He had three brothers and a sister. He spent years training as an eye doctor, first at a military hospital in Damascus then in London, at St. Marys Hospital. He was not being groomed for the presidency: his oldest brother Basil was. In January 1994, Basil, who led Syrias presidential guard, died in a car crash in Damascus. Bashar was immediately and unexpectedly thrust into the limelightand the succession line. Bashar al-Assads Personality: Bashar al-Assad was not groomed to be a leader. Where his brother Basil was gregarious, outgoing, charismatic, arrogant, Dr. Assad, as he was referred to for a while, was retiring, shy, and appearing to have few of his fathers wiles or will to poweror ruthlessness. Friends admit, The Economist wrote in June 2000, that he cuts a rather meek and awkward figure, unlikely to inspire the same terror and admiration as his handsome, athletic, outgoing and ruthless brother. Basil was the gangster type, says one Syrian. Bashar is much more quiet and thoughtful. Early Years of Power: Bashar al-Assad had been running a private medical practice. But when his brother died, his father summoned him from London, sent him to a military academy north of Damascus, and started preparing him for the reins of power- which he took when Hafez al-Assad died on June 10, 2000. Bashar has gradually turned into a younger version of his father. I have a lot of respect for experience, Bashar al-Assad said just as he was taking power, and I am going to try always to acquire it. Hes lived up to that pledge. He suggested that hd relax Syrias repressive police state, even explore political reforms. He barely did. Toying With the United States and Israel: Almost from the beginning of Bashar al-Assad reign, theres been a yo-yo effect in his relations with the United States and Israelimplying engagement during one phase only to retreat into intransigence and extremism the next. Whether its a strategy or a lack of self-confidence might seem unclear until the approach is seen in the context of how Bashars father maintained power: not by innovating, not by daring, but by keeping the opposition off balance, by undermining expectations rather than living up to them. Theres been a see-saw effect on two fronts since 2000, without as yet producing lasting results. Bashar al-Assads See-Saw: Cooperation With the U.S.: Shortly after the 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, Assad proved to be a relatively reliable ally in the fight against al-Qaeda, cooperating with U.S. intelligence and, in more sinister ways, lending his prisons to the Bush administrations rendition program. It was in Assads prisons that Canadian national Maher Arar was tortured, at the administrations behest, even after Mahar was found to be innocent of any ties to terrorism. Assads cooperation, like Muammar el-Qaddafis,was not out of appreciation for the west but out of fear that al-Qaeda would undermine his regime. Bashar al-Assads See-Saw: Talks With Israel: Assad has similarly see-sawed with Israel over peace talks and the resolution of the Golan Heights occupation. In late 2003, Assad, in an interview with The New York Times, appeared ready to negotiate: Some people say there are Syrian conditions, and my answer is no; we dont have Syrian conditions. What Syria says is this: negotiations should be resumed from the point at which they had stopped simply because we have achieved a great deal in these negotiations. If we dont say this, it means we want to go back to point zero in the peace process. But similar suggestions were made over subsequent years, to no end. Syrias Nuclear Reactor: In September 2007, Israel bombed a remote area of northeast Syria, along the Euphrates River, where, Israel and the United States alleged, North Korea was helping Syria build a plutonium-based nuclear plant that would have been capable of producing nuclear weapons. Syria denied the allegations. Writing in The New Yorker in February 2008, investigative reporter Seymour Hersh said the evidence was circumstantial but seemingly damning. But Hersh raised serious doubt about the certainty that it was a nuclear reactor, even though he conceded that Syria was cooperating with North Korea on something military. Bashar al-Assad and Reform: As with his stance toward Israel and the United States, Bashar al-Assads promises of reform have been many, but his retreats from those promises have been just as frequent. Theres been a few Syrian springs where dissenters and human rights advocates were given a longer leash. But those brief springs never lasted. Assads promises of local elections have not been followed through, though financial restrictions on the economy were lifted early in his reign and helped the Syrian economy grow faster. In 2007, Assad held a sham referendum extending his presidency seven years. Bashar al-Assad and Arab Revolutions: As of early 2011, Bashar al-Assad was firmly planted on Middle Eastern soil as one of the regions most ruthless tyrants. He brought Syrias 29-year occupation of Lebanon to an end in 2005, but only after the likely Syrian- and Hezbollah-backed assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri triggered the Cedar Revolution on Lebanons streets and drove the Syrian army out. Syria has since reasserted its power over Lebanon, re-infiltrating the countrys intelligence services and, ultimately, reasserting Syrian hegemony when Hezbollah brought the government down and brokered its re-institution, with Hezbollah at the helm. Assad is not merely a tyrant. Like Bahrains Al Khalifa ruling family, which is Sunni and ruling, illegitimately, over a majority of Shiites, Assad is an Alawite, a break-away Shiite sect. Barely 6 percent of Syrias population is Alawite. The majority is Sunni, with Kurds, Shiites and Christians forming minorities of their own. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal in January 2011, Assad said downplayed the risks of revolution in his country: I am not talking here on behalf of the Tunisians or the Egyptians. I am talking on behalf of the Syrians, he said. It is something we always adopt. We have more difficult circumstances than most of the Arab countries but in spite of that Syria is stable. Why? Because you have to be very closely linked to the beliefs of the people. This is the core issue. When there is divergence between your policy and the peoples beliefs and interests, you will have this vacuum that creates disturbance. Assads certainties were soon proven wrong as disturbances erupted in various parts of the countryand Assad assaulted them with his police and military, murdering many protesters, arresting hundreds, and silencing Internet communications that have helped organize protests across the Middle East. In short, Assad is a flirt, not a statesman, a tease, not a visionary. Its worked so far. Its not likely to work for ever.

A Lies Poison As Illustrated In Billy Collins The History Teacher

A Lie's Poison As Illustrated In Billy Collin's The History Teacher What if you found out that everything you learned in school was a lie? The entire time you sat learning math, in vein, all of the facts about the government only a softened truth, the wars that were fought to make America a great country all lies. Well in this poem â€Å"The History Teacher† by Billy Collins, he shows what the consequences would be in sugar coating a serious subjects, not just in school but in daily life. Even though you’d want to spare someone the hard truth it would be best to tell them the truth. In this story the main character is a teacher, this teacher doesn’t want to introduce his students to the hard truth of History therefore he finds different ways to making things friendlier for kids as to not desensitize them, or traumatize them yet still teaching them about history. The outcome of him softening the truth, his kids go out into the playground area and pick on the kids that actually knew the real story because, they thought that the other kids were wrong, which the teacher had to deal with because he couldn’t tell the kids other wise and ruin their â€Å"innocence†. I understand how the teacher wants to preserve the kids innocence but their education isn’t something to compromise. Collins poem brings to light the harm that not telling people the whole truth, and /or keeping others in the dark can pose. I can empathize with the teacher because, as a teacher it is your job to teach kids about life, the past, present, this is also basic skills so if you don’t teach them correctly then it’ll be hard for them to learn the truth later in life. After that I realized that even though he was sparing the children their child hood he was also creating a problem for other kids that knew that what he was teaching wasn’t true because his kids would â€Å"torment the weak and the smart, messing up their hair and breaking their glasses†(Collins). These kids are now posing a threat to the other kids at the school due to their oblivious ignorance. In the end of the poem the teacher walks home thinking of new ways to lie to the kids tomorrow. The fact that astonishes me the most is that he sees that the kids aren’t learning anything, and their ignorance is indirectly harming other kids yet he doesn’t make any effort to stop it or rethink his methods. The meaning of this story is that it would be better to reveal the truth to someone rather than lying to them and letting them roam this cruel, uncompassionate world oblivious to the truth. Not telling people the truth, yea it can be sometimes for their own good, or maybe just to keep your conscience clear but eventually someone is going to tell them the truth or they are going to have to experience the hard truth and all your effort of preserving their â€Å"innocence† would be in vein there for in order to spare yourself the embarrassment and spare them the hard realization because, let’s be really real no one can stay innocent forever. Everyone has to eventually face the truth in life therefore let not one moment of truth be spared because it could be vital to their growth as a human being, to sum it all up Just tell people the truth and save others trauma and drama.