Genocide essays

Genocide essays The U.N convention defines genocide as all acts committed with the intent to destroy in whole or in part a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group.1 What are the motives behind genocide? There lies within humans a potential to commit genocide. The dark side of human nature awakens when a combination of economic catastrophes, political disasters and social upheaval makes a segment of a population desperate for change. Then, a regime's propaganda can successfully motivate it's citizens to commit genocide on a certain identifiable group or "victim". There are 4 motives for genocide. Number one: elimination of a threat. Number two: economic gain. Number three: creation of terror amongst surrounding people. Number four: fulfillment of a theory or belief system.2 There are six major early warning signs that indicate a genocide is very near. Number one: hate propaganda, showing the future victim group as a lethal danger to the survival of society. Number two: the preparation of death lists and the killing of the people on the list. Number three: the introduction of restrictions, not allowing journalists to travel freely in the country. Number four: the use of code words to plan killings. Number five: the creation of training of special murder units. Number six: the murder of military or police officers who are against genocide.3 This paper will examine three Genocides committed in the twentieth centuryArmenia, Nazi Germany and Rwanda. Muslim Armenians and Christian Turks lived in peace in the Ottoman Empire for centuries. Things began to slowly change. Nationalism, a new force in the world came to be. The Turks started to love their country so much that they would die to defend it. As well as this time every nationality in Europe wanted their "own" country, not to live under the rulings of an Empire. As a result, the Ottoman Empire began to fall apart. The only thing holding it together was the E...

Understanding SAT Scores What Do They Mean

Understanding SAT Scores What Do They Mean SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips You got your SAT score back, and you're not sure what to think of it. What does your SAT score mean? What does your SAT score measure? Is your SAT score high? Is it low? Will it get you into the college you hope to attend? I'll answer all of these questions below so you can start understanding SAT scores. What Does the SAT Measure? The SAT is supposed to measure your readiness for higher education and be a prediction of future academic success, thoughwhether it does measure so is debatable. There aremany smart, successful people, who don't do very well on the SAT. The SAT began as an Army IQ test, which was slightly altered and given as a college admissions test for the first time in 1926. However, the SAT did not become widespread until 1933, when the Harvard president began using it to judge scholarship applicants because he thought it was an accurate predictor of academic potential. By the 1940s, the SAT was the standard test among college applicants and was given to over 300,000 people in the US. What do SAT scores mean nowadays? Colleges continue to use the SAT because they see it and the ACT as â€Å"equalizers.† While every high school student across the country received a different education, all applicants take the SAT or ACT. Right or wrong, admissions officers see it as a fair way to compare students from across the globe. While what the SAT measures is debatable, the purpose of an SAT score isn’t. The purpose of your SAT score is to get you into college, so you should understand your SAT score in terms of how it can help you do that. How Does Your SAT Score Compare? SAT Score Range To understand your score, you need to know the range of possible SAT scores. If you already took the SAT or are taking the SAT this fall (2015), the composite scores can range from 600 to 2400. If you are taking the new SAT in spring 2016 or later, the composite scores can range from 400 to 1600. The average composite SAT score in the US is typically around 1500 (on the 2400 scale) though it varies slightly from year to year. The worst possible score (old test 600, new test 400) is very rare; only 374 students got this score in 2014, which is fewer than the 583 thatgot perfect scores (old test 2400, new test 1600). What’s a Good SAT Score in That Range? While we would all love a perfect score, it's unnecessary for most applicants. A good score for you depends on what college you hope to attend.To figure out if your score is â€Å"good† in terms of your target schools, search â€Å"[College Name] SAT.† That search should lead you to what's known as the Freshman Admit Profile. The name may vary slightly from school to school, but you should be able to find what's known as the 25th/75th percentile or the average SAT. The 25th percentile SAT score means that 25% of admits scored at or below (in other words, 75% of admitted applicants scored above). The 75th percentile SAT means that 75% of admits scored at or below (or 25% of admits scored above). The average SAT is an average of all of the admits’ SAT scores. A good score for that school is at or above the 75th percentile SAT score. If you reach that score and have a strong transcript and application, you'll have a great chance of getting in. For schools that only give the average SAT, I recommend aiming for a score 100 points higher than the average to ensure you are in the top 25% of students. Why should you aim for a higher score? In writing this, I'm assuming you are a typical applicant with no special qualification (recruited athlete, legacy, child of a significant donor, or a unique talent like a famous painter). Schools often accept students with special qualifications with lower scores. I think you should assume those students may account for as many as 25% of admits. If you're not one of those students, you want a higher SAT score to stand out, so aim for the 75th percentile or above. For further explanation, check out What is a good SAT score? A bad SAT score? An excellent SAT score? Should You Retest? How Many Times? If you did not meet the 75th percentile or above for your school of choice, I recommend retesting.However, you shouldn't take the SAT more than six times. If you haven't achieved your target score after three or four attempts, you're not preparing properly. You need to have a dedicated study plan to reach your goal. Check out one of our guides for sophomores, juniors, and seniors to creating an SAT study plan. Also, consider hiring an SAT tutor, taking an SAT class, or enrolling in an online SAT prep program such as PrepScholar. Created by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program figures out your strengths and weaknesses, then customizes your preparation to your needs, so you get the most effective preparation possible. What’s Next? Need help with preparation? Struggling with the SAT Writing section? SAT Reading? SAT Math? Or just want overall SAT strategies? Remember, that with hard work and dedication you will achieve your desired score! Disappointed with your scores? Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points?We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

To what extent does the fashion industry take part in unethical Essay

To what extent does the fashion industry take part in unethical behaviour to increase retail sales - Essay Example Scholars are therefore concerned on whether these companies meet the expenses that are incurred after robust promotion and advertisement initiatives (Farrell, and Brian 1998, p.589). Another core issue of concern is the similarities of new clothing fashions in the market. The only differences in most of the clothes that are sold in contemporary market are the label of the company as opposed to the design and quality of the product. In addition, by considering the current global financial conditions, scholars are as well concerned on whether global companies make their expected profit on their sales. Therefore, by referring to the accessible literatures, it is clear that, a good number of clothing industries engages in unethical behaviours to increase their sales and profitability (Cory 2005, p. 79). Global clothing industries engage in offering misleading information to customers on the quality and durability of their clothing products to increase their sales. By referring to the available rules and regulations as well as ethical standards, it is ethically and legally inappropriate to offer misleading, false, and deceptive information regarding the quality and nature of products to potential customers. In their promotion and advertising initiative, global clothing industries are commonly known for overrating the quality of their products and services with an aim of attracting more customers to purchasing their products. In addition, based on the available research findings, salespersons in reputable clothing industries exaggerated the prices of their products in order to increase their sales. Under the existing rules and regulations on promotion and advertisement, salesperson and company that provides misleading information should be prosecuted under the court of law (Agresti 2002, p. 91). Some global clothing industries are common known for offering incorrect information regarding their

Agriculture in Europe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Agriculture in Europe - Essay Example Agriculture in Europe Since Europe consists of the world famous country sides, laden with rich and fertile soil as well as a history of popularity in the farming sector, a great portion of the revenue for people also depends on farming. As a continent, Europe is almost as big as the whole of the United States of America and thus the size of the land that they possess is almost the same; however the agricultural production carried out in Europe is much larger as compared to the whole of the United States of America. As compared to other countries in Europe, Spain has a very dry climate thus requiring a great amount of water facilities and irrigation in order to grow crops. Spain and Italy together produce almost half of Europe’s olive oil and wine. Pears are also grown there and exported to other countries. Almost 35% of the area of land in France has been set aside for agriculture depicting the country’s need for and dedication towards the sector. Most of France’s exports including grapes, wines and sunflower seeds go to the United States of America. Germany and Switzerland are countries that need to import their food items from other countries because they focus mainly on the industrial and not the agricultural sector. Thus, more of their workforce is involved in the tertiary sector. Switzerland however has engaged itself a great deal in poultry and dairy farming, being one of the largest producers and exporters of dairy products and rearing of animals like sheep for wool. Iceland undergoes an extreme climate; almost no heat reaches the country and thus it has engaged itself mainly in rearing fish; cod being the largest produce. It exports cod to almost all parts of the world. Countries like Czech Republic and Austria are self-sufficient in terms of producing and consumi ng agriculture due to the large amount of land devoted to farming. Poland on the other hand, produces a great deal of food crops however not enough to feed its own population due to the irregular sizes of farms and the lack of fertile land in a uniform manner. Only about 19% of the people in Poland are engaged in agriculture because the country lacks proper industrial equipment as well as facilities to increase the number in the primary sector. (Utah State University) If there is one country that has significantly reduced its agricultural production, or to rephrase, faced a decline in the amount of agricultural production due to external hazards, it is Belarus. The country suffered the Chernobyl disaster and thus the nuclear fumes spread toxic fumes and wastes to the soil making it thoroughly infertile in this part of Europe. Since the year 1986 when the disaster struck, the arable land in the country faced a decline of almost 10% also contaminating the soil as well as the water pre sent towards the southern part of the country. Yugoslavia is a self-sufficient country but at the same time, the country does not produce anything to be exported elsewhere. Furthermore, it is completely dependent on farming; i.e. its economy is almost fully based in the primary sector because most people are engaged in farming and they tend to produce and consume everything personally, from food to clothing. Macedonia, Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey are some of the largest producers and exporters of agriculture in Europe. Turkey has almost 46% of its workforce engaged in the agricultural sector followed by

Poetry Essay Example for Free

Poetry Essay Understanding and interpreting poetry requires a different method of reading than the method which is generally associated with prose. While a given poem, especially a lyric poem, may be literally read in a matter of minutes, the comprehension of the poem may take a lifetime. This is due to the extraordinary ability of poets to compress meanings and also develop complex and multi-layered associations of language, figurative language, image, rhyme, and even narrative within a very brief literary forms. Contemplating a poem is as much a part of experiencing it as merely reading a poem. In the hands of a talented and inspired poet, the minimal use of words and the seemingly constricted forms offered by poetry are actually platforms to convey thoughts, themes, and emotions that would find no more complete expression even if given the larger platform of a novel, essay, or even memoir. As an example of this multi-tiered expression that is found in good poetry, Anne Sextons poem, Starry Night provides a rich demonstration of how poetry conveys multiple meanings and associations within a minimalist form. To begin with, Sexton’s poem â€Å"The Starry Night† is an exercise in ekphrasis. Ekphrasis is a type of poem written about another art-form. Most often, in poetry, it involves painting. When writing a poems inspired by paintings, poets attempt to make language, image, and meter evoke the same emotional or thematic impact which is delivered by the visual techniques and textures of paintings. In â€Å"The Starry Night,†Anne Sexton was inspired not only by Vincent Van Goght’s painting of the same title, but by a letter the artist wrote to his brother, which contained the epigraph for Sexton’s poem: â€Å"That does not keep me from having a terrible need/of— shall I say the word— religion. Then I go/out at night to paint the stars. † By including the quotation form Van Goght above the body of her poem, Sexton accomplishes a clever bit of compression, in fact: explicating the poem’s theme before a word of the poem, proper, has a chance to even be read by the reader! This sly trick is compatible with Van Gogh’s technique in the painting â€Å"The Starry Night† which discards subtlety in favor of grandeur and obscurity in favor of explicit emotional expression. In the painting we see a night sky crowded with swirling clouds, blazing starts with burning halos and a moon which reflects each of the lunar phases in one image. All of these attributes are exaggerated, pulling the viewer into a setting of epic epiphany and emotional release. Van Goght’s sky is alive and engages the viewer relentlessly. The overall initial experience is one of being overwhelmed by the immensity of cosmic nature. Below a set of rolling hill lies a small town. The focal point of the town is the large church- steeple, which presides over the rest of the buildings. This steeple seems to anchor the town and the rest of the scene beneath the sky, suggesting that it is the religious and spiritual dialogue between humanity and the cosmos which is of the most importance, not the town itself. Similarly, Sexton begins her poem, â€Å"The town does not exist† establishing the primacy of a non-linear mode of perception, as well as setting the stage for the eventual, climactic religious epiphany. Van Gogh painted Starry Night while in an Asylum at Saint-Remy in 1889. According to many sources his behavior was erratic during this period of his life. During his youth, Van Gogh had dedicated his life to the church. Many believe that Genesis 37:9: And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me† greatly influenced Van Gogh’s â€Å"The Starry Night. † Sexton, too, carefully reserves the numerical symbolism of the painting in her lines: â€Å"The night boils with eleven stars. /Oh starry starry night! This is how/I want to die! † By repeating the adjective â€Å"starry,† Sexton gains the â€Å"crowded† feeling of Van Gogh’s canvas in her stanza. She grasps the â€Å"living sky† element in the following lines: â€Å"It moves. They are all alive. /Even the moon bulges in its orange irons. † The key to Sexton’s masterful ekphrasis seems to lie in her use of compressed diction: â€Å"The old unseen serpent swallows up the stars. †This, like Van Gogh’s hurried, thick brush stroked invokes a sense of both urgency and passion. Sexton’s use of the refrain â€Å"This is how I want to die! † encapsulates the theme of Van Gogh’s paining, that of religious ecstacy, by merging the erotic/death urge so common in Elizabethan poetry and here marked by an additional shading of surrealism â€Å"sucked up by that great dragon, to split/from my life with no flag. In so doing, Sexton remains true to her confessional mode, also capturing an element which is perhaps understated in Van Gogh’s original, but present nonetheless, a â€Å"confession† of deep loneliness and alienation, marked by the darker swirls of color on the painting’s peripheries and also by the lone black tree, which Sexton describes as â€Å"a drowned woman† marking for posterity her close identification with the emotional confessional and religious themes of Van Gogh’s painting. Sexton’s poem is a wonderful counterpoint to Van Gogh’s painting, a rich example of the artistic and expressive potential of transposing the themes textures and techniques from one art medium to another.

Abolitionists Essay -- essays papers

Abolitionists Strategies of Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, and John Brown Abolitionist Movement was a reform movement during the 18th and 19th centuries. Often called the antislavery movement, it sought to end the enslavement of Africans and people of African descent in Europe, the Americas, and Africa itself. It also aimed to end the Atlantic slave trade carried out in the Atlantic Ocean between Africa, Europe, and the Americas. Many people participated in trying to end slavery. These people became known as the abolitionists. The three well-known abolitionists are Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, and John Brown. Sojourner Truth (1797-1883), born into slavery as Isabella, was an American abolitionist and an advocate of women's rights. She joined the abolitionist movement and became a travelling preacher. She took her new name-Sojourner Truth-in 1843 and began preaching along the eastern seaboard. Her strategy consisted of walking through Long Island and Connecticut, speaking to people about her life and her relationship with God. She was a powerful speaker and singer. When she rose to speak, wrote one observer, "her commanding figure and dignified manner hushed every trifler to silence." Audiences were "melted into tears by her touching stories". She traveled and spoke widely. Encountering the women's rights movement in 1850, Truth added its causes to hers. She is particularly remembered for the famous "Ain't I a Woman?" speech she gave at the woman's rights convention in 1851. Although Truth never learned to read or write, she dictated her memoirs to Olive Gilbert and they were published in 1850s as The Narrative of Sojourner Truth: A Northern Slave. This book, and her presence as a speaker, made her a sought-after figure on the anti-slavery woman's rights lecture circuit. Harriet Tubman was closely associated with Abolitionist John Brown and was well acquainted with other abolitionists, including Frederick Douglas, Jermain Loguen, and Gerrit Smith. After freeing herself from slavery, Tubman worked at various activities to save to finance her activities as a Conductor of the Underground Railroad. She is believed to have conducted approximately 300 persons to freedom in the North. The tales of her exploits reveal her highly spiritual nature, as well as a grim determination to protect her charges and those who aided t... ... others to do what she needed them to do. Her subjects listed to what she had to say and were encouraged enough by her words not to give up and to continue their journey to freedom. As a result of the abolitionist movement, the institution of slavery ceased to exist in Europe and the Americas by 1888, although it was not completely legally abolished in Africa until the first quarter of the 20th century. While the abolitionist movement's greatest achievement was certainly the liberation of millions of black people from servitude, it also reflected the triumph of modern ideas of freedom and human rights over older social forms based on privileged elites and social stratification. Bibliography: Baines, Rae. Harriet Tubman-The Road to Freedom. New Jersey: Troll Asssociates, 1982. Bernard, Jacqueline. Journey Toward Freedom-The Story of Sojourner Truth. New York: Norton Publishers, 1967. Ripley, Peter C. The Black Abolitionist Papers. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1985. www.askjeeves.com Visited site November 14, 2001 www.encarta.msn.com Visited site November 14, 2001 www.encyclopedia.com Visited site November 14, 2001

Capital Punishment: A Global Perspective Essay

               Capital punishment is also called the death penalty. It refers to the legal process where a criminal is put to death by the state, to act as a punishment for a crime that they have committed. The judgment of the jury that a person should get punished in this manner is known as a death sentence while the enforcement is an execution. Crimes that can lead to capital punishment are referred to as capital crimes or capital offenses and include murder, rape, and treason. Reasons for capital punishment Some of the reasons that support capital punishment include;                      Guilty people should get punished in proportion and magnitude to the severity of the crime they have committed. Real justice in essence requires people to suffer for their wrong doing, in an appropriate manner for their crime. Each criminal obtains what their crime deserves, and a murderer or a rapist deserves death.                         Prisoner parole or escapes can give criminals another chance to kill. Could be that the biggest reason to keep the death penalty is to prevent a crime from repeating itself. As much as a criminal is sentenced to life imprisonment, he or she still has a chance to kill while in prison. He is capable of killing his or her fellow inmates, or even the prison wardens. Worse still, a criminal can escape from prison and go on a murder or crime spree. Capital punishment prevents this process of re-offending. Those executed cannot commit more crimes. Execution removes the danger posed to the public by the criminal.                     Capital punishment promotes deterrence. By execution of criminals, it is possible to deter capable murderers from killing people. Crime would become more common if there were no means of deterring people from committing it.                  In case the death penalty is eliminated, it can contribute to the problem of overpopulation in the prison system. This means that the number of prisoners being housed for life will increase. This only adds to the problem of an overcrowded prison system and the facilities in that particular prison could be greatly overstretched. Reasons against capital punishment                     Mentally ill patients may be put to death. Most of the capital crimes are committed in an emotional state in which the perpetrator doesn’t think about possible outcomes. Some people are born with brain defects that cause them to act in unacceptable ways. It could be unconstitutional to put a mentally ill person to death. However, rules have a chance of being vague, and besides, one still needs to convince a jury that the defendant is of unsound mind.                  The court goes to great lengths before settling on a death sentence. During this period, there are endless appeals and required procedures which cause congestion on the court system. These appeals and hearings consume time of judges and other court employees, as well as use up courtrooms and facilities. This time could have been used to resolve other matters if the criminal were sentenced to life imprisonment.                   The society should move away from the revenge mentality. This is because a revenge philosophy leads to an endless circle of violence. Society should be made aware that attacking one’s enemy for revenge always worsens the situation. Besides, capital punishment is useless because it does not bring the victim back to life. Hate, revenge and anger cannot cure the emptiness of a lost loved one.                  Capital punishment does not rehabilitate the criminal or other potential criminals. Instead, it sends wrong signals to the society. It does not make sense for the state to punish someone who has committed murder through murder. Conclusion                        In conclusion, capital punishment should not be brought back because it violates the Bill of Rights. This is because it involves taking away the life of another person. The bill of rights states that everybody has a right to live. When somebody is executed, the right to life is greatly infringed. Besides, punishment of the death penalty is irrevocable. Once carried out it cannot be reversed. When somebody has been executed, it is impossible to bring them back to life. Capital punishment should thus be avoided at all costs.                     Any punishment must be fair, just, adequate and most of all enforceable. Society still views murder as the greatest crime, and should be met with the most severe punishment, which is capital punishment. Whole life imprisonment could fit punishment for murderers. This is because, in prison, the criminals are isolated from their families and are confined in the walls of a prison for the rest of their lives. However, according to many people, life imprisonment seems to be a soft opinion to punish capital criminals, and this perception needs to be corrected in order to do away with capital punishment.                   Imprisonment, whilst expensive and largely pointless, except as a means of removing criminals from society for a given period, is at least enforceable upon anyone who commits murder. Besides, the jury members will not suffer from a guilty conscience of ever passing a verdict for the death of a person. From the arguments on reasons against capital punishment, I should be done away with because it is an inhumane practice. References Hood, R. (n.d.). Capital Punishment: A Global Perspective. Punishment & Society, 331-354. Melusky, J., & Pesto, K. (2011). Capital punishment. Santa Barbara, Calif.: Greenwood. Source document

My Three Passions

Through my life, I have done many deeds and experienced many different things. I have tried new hobbles, but the three major passions that have guided my life In a positive direction would have to be my love for baseball, my addiction to video games, and my obsession with math. These passions have changed me, and helped me become a better version of myself. I am proud of the person I am today because of this. Baseball has been of my life since I was 6, the second I caught my first ball I fell in love with the game.Even though I'm not particularly amazing at this sport, I have racticed almost every single day. This has led to me being a dedicated individual and a person who will persevere no matter what. Also baseball has increased my reflexes and timing so I feel much safer to live in this world because I am able to retaliate quickly and efficiently. Furthermore, throughout my Journey in baseball I have gotten more social, by meeting new people such as Joseph, one of my close friends , who has kept me right on track even through the rough times In life. Without getting Involved with baseball I wouldVe never met Joseph.Finally and most bviously baseball has kept me active all the time. In gym, I have been easily been able to keep up with exercises because this sport has already trained by body to be fit. Being fit has also helped me because it has gotten me more involved in sport extracurriculars, by giving me the ability to play other sports. Over all, baseball has been an important part of my life and has changed it. Video games have given me many skills that have improved me, such as a higher level of fine motor skills, greater social skills, temper control, and quick decision making skills.My favourite video ame is hands down â€Å"League of Legends†. League is a multiplayer online battle arena game. Basically, with teamwork, skill, experience, and knowledge, I play this game on a daily basis. With League, outstanding hand-eye coordination, fast trigge r fingers and quick reflexes are essential, and for this, my fine motor skills have been Improved. This compare with my passion for baseball, as League helps me become a better player in Baseball and vice versa. League has also added to my social skills. I often play League of Legends with a group of people, talking on Skype.My eambuilding skills, as with my leadership skills are stronger now, because of video games. Additionally, I meet new people all the time, League has a fan base of over 10 million people, so I interact with different people and make friends. For example, when I came to high school I quickly met people with a passion for this video game to, which has extended my list of contacts. Temper control is essential in League, because when you rage, you tend to do worse, which may lead to defeat. League has taught me to be cool, and not sweat over little things, and try harder the next time.Finally, League has given me a fast reaction time, and now I am able to make deci sions faster. This Is because of the declslons you must take, such as choosing to destroy all the turrets, or rushing the nexus. I am a netter tnlnK now, ana Its Decause 0T tnls partlcular v10eo game. 10 conclude, my passion for video games, it has given me skills that have improved my life, and the people around me. Math, as lame as it sounds, has given me the ability to exercise my brain, challenge myself, test my brain power and help keep me entertained during school.These factors have helped me become a knowledgeable person, and this has helped me learn many subjects. Exercising my brain through math is really efficient for me because I can keep challenging myself. The thrill and challenge math gives me is unbelievable, because when I challenge myself, I improve. I learned many ways to memorize and remember things, because math has taught me that through constant drilling I can thoroughly understand more subjects. For example, When I was memorizing champions and their abilities in my video games, I used the same techniques as I did when I was memorizing the times table.Ever since I first learned math in Kindergarten, I was taken with it. It was the subject that gave helped me the most, and the one I found most interesting. Math has given me vital learning tools, which I can use to succeed in anything. In conclusion, my passions in many ways have changed my life in a positive way. I have acquired skills and tool that I can use to become a better person, not only for myself but for the world around me. Many other hobbies of mine have changed me, but these, baseball, video games, and math have to be the ones that have positively affected me the most.

Plato and Machiavelli essays

Plato and Machiavelli essays Platos Republic and Machiavellis The Prince are each hugely important texts in the history of philosophy. Even though they were written approximately 1900 years apart, they represent two of the most valuable commentaries on political philosophy. They are of course, very different in their discussions of philosophy, yet some similarities are evident. Plato writes about philosophy through the mouth of Socrates, illustrating indirectly through a lengthy dialogue his own ideas and opinions. As a contrast to this method of narration, Machiavelli writes The Prince as a letter of personal advice to Lorenzo Medici. Within his work, Machiavelli makes numerous recommendations that have earned him the label of a heartless and cruel man. Plato, on the other hand, makes much of his discussion about the true nature of philosophy and the just treatment of all citizens. Despite numerous differences, Plato and Machiavelli each desire the rule of philosophers in their states, but while Plato approache s this with direct rule and education of philosopher-kings, Machiavelli appeals to manipulation and deceit in order to secure the rule of philosophers. Platos aim in his political state is for the greatest good of all people, through the best balancing of the natural elements on an individual and political scale. According to Plato, the human soul is comprised of the reasoning part, the spirited part and the appetites. The parallel elements within a city are the rulers, warriors and artisans. Only when these are ordered correctly will peace, justice, and long term prosperity prevail. If these are not balanced correctly, than a person will not lead a good and just life, and they will suffer because of it . The correct hierarchy is how it has been dictated, with the rational part controlling the spirit, and the spirit limiting the desires. In order to ensure that these basic parts of the soul are ideally ordered, strong central rule fo...

What Is Financial Aid How To Pay Less For College

What Is Financial Aid How To Pay Less For College SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips As college costs continue to rise, financial aid has become a necessity for most college students. Ideally, the listed cost of attendance won’t deter you from applying to or attending the college of your dreams. Knowing about the process will enable you to maximize the amount of financial aid for college you receive and prevent finances from becoming an impediment to reaching your college goals. In this article, I will define and explain the different types of financial aid that are available for college. Furthermore, I will explain how colleges determine your eligibility for financial aid, and I’ll offer you guidance and resources to make sure you know all the different types of aid available to you. What Is Financial Aid? Simply put, financial aid helps students and their families pay for college. Financial aid can cover all educational expenses including tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, and transportation. Financial aid can consist of grants, scholarships, work-study, and loans. How Do You Get Financial Aid? For the purposes of this article, I’m going to focus primarily on need-based aid. Need-based aid is financial aid that is awarded based on demonstrated financial need. Aid that may not be need-based includes private scholarships, merit scholarships, and athletic scholarships. Generally, the first step for getting need-based financial aid is filling out the FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Also, most states and colleges require the FAFSA to receive state-sponsored and institution-sponsored aid. Additionally, some private scholarships like the Gates Millennium Scholarship require applicants to complete a FAFSA. Check the financial aid requirements for the schools you’re applying to. Some colleges have their own forms or use the CSS/Financial Aid Profile Form for non-federal financial aid. After you fill out the required forms, colleges will determine your eligibility for need-based financial aid. Following notification of your college acceptances, each college will send you a financial aid award letter outlining the amount and types of aid it’s offering you. 401K 2012/flickr How Is Your Eligibility Determined for Financial Aid? Within 3-5 days of filing your FAFSA (slightly longer if you don’t fill it out online), you’ll be able to access your SAR, or Student Aid Report. Your SAR is a summary of the information you provided on your FAFSA and includes an EFC, or Expected Family Contribution. Your EFC determines your eligibility for financial aid. The colleges you listed on your FAFSA will have access to your SAR and EFC. Colleges base your aid eligibility and offer on your EFC. What Are Some of the Specific Types of Financial Aid You Can Receive? Federal Grants Grants are a preferable type of financial aid for college because they don't needto be paid back. Essentially, grants are free money for college. You must submit a FAFSA and meet federal aid eligibility requirements to be eligible to receive federal grants. Pell Grants The Pell Grant is intended to help low-income students finance their post-secondary education. For the 2015-2016 year, the maximum Pell Grant award is $5,775. The amount of your award is based on your demonstrated financial need, which is determined from the information on your FAFSA. You can estimate the amount of your Pell Grant before you submit your FAFSA by using the Pell Grant calculator. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) is a grant for undergraduates with exceptional financial need. Again, need is determined from the information on your FAFSA. Unlike Pell Grants, there is only a limited amount of FSEOG money. Students who receive Pell Grants and have the most need get FSEOGs first. The FSEOG program is administered by the financial aid office at each school. Not every college participates in the program. You can check with a school's financial aid office to find out if it awards the FSEOG. The amount you can receive ranges from between $100 and $4,000 annually. The amount of your grant depends on your financial need, when you apply, the amount of other aid you get, and the availability of funds at your school. Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grants The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant is given to students who plan to pursue a career in teaching. As a condition for receiving a TEACH Grant, you must sign a TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve in which you agree to teach in a high-need field at an elementary school, secondary school, or educational service agency that serves students from low-income families.You must do this for at least four academic years within eight years after completing the course of study for which you received the grant. If you do not fulfill the agreement, your grant will be converted into a loan that has to be paid back with interest. The maximum award for grants disbursed between October 1, 2015, and October 1, 2016, is $3,728. If you're interested in the TEACH Grant, you should contact college financial aid offices to find out if theyparticipate in the TEACH Grant Program and to learn about the programs of study at eachschool that are TEACH Grant-eligible. Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant The Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant is for students whose parents were members of the US armed forces and died as a result of military service performed in Iraq or Afghanistan after 9/11. Here are the other eligibility requirements for this grant: You're NOT eligible for a Pell Grant on the basis of your Expected Family Contribution. You meet the other Pell Grant eligibility requirements. You were under 24 years old or enrolled in college at least part-time at the time of your parent's or guardian's death. The maximum award for Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants disbursed between October 1, 2015, and October 1, 2016, is $5,382.30. Federal Loans Most students can't cover the full cost of attendance with grants and scholarships alone; they have to take out loans to help pay for their college education. Loans have to be paid back with interest. Federal loans are preferable to loans from private lenders because federal loans typically have lower interest rates and cost less to pay back. You must submit a FAFSA to be eligible for most federal loans. Perkins Loan The Perkins Loan is a government-backed, low-interest loan meant for students who demonstrate exceptional financial need. Perkins Loans are unique in that no interest accrues on these loans while you're in school. Also, the grace period for a Perkins Loan is 9 months versus the standard 6 month grace period of most other college loans. The grace period is the period after graduation when you won't be accruing interest on your loan. Direct Stafford Loan A Direct Stafford Loan can be subsidized or unsubsidized. For subsidized loans, the US Department of Education pays the interest on the loan while you're in school, during the 6-month grace period after you graduate, and during a period of deferment. You can only receive a subsidized loan if you demonstrate financial need, but any student whoattends a school that participates in the Direct Loan Program can receive an unsubsidized loan. PLUS Loans PLUS Loans are federal loans that graduate students or professional degree students and parents of dependent undergraduate students can use to help pay education expenses. You must not have an adverse credit history and must attend a school that participates in the Direct PLUS Loan Program to receive a PLUS Loan. The maximum PLUS Loan amount is the cost of attendance minus any other financial assistance received. All PLUS Loans are unsubsidized. Simon Cunningham/flickr Additional Loans and Grants States and individual colleges also award grants and loans. You can look up state financial aid programs or contact college financial aid offices to learn more about state-sponsored and college-sponsored financial aid programs. In general, federal Stafford and PLUS loans are preferable to private loans, but private loans are another option if you don't receive enough federal aid. However, federal loans tend to be cheaper and have a fixed interest rate, which means that the rate you’re quoted will not change for the lifetime of the loan. Work-Study The federal work-study programis a need-based program in which the government will subsidize wages for on-campus jobs. Basically, if you're eligible for work-study, you can get an on-campus job to help finance your education. Certain on-campus jobs are only offered to work-study students, and the wages can be relatively generous. Eligibility for work-study is determined through the FAFSA and the other financial aid forms required by your college. Tuition Benefits Some employers offer tuition benefit programs for employees or their dependents. Employers will pay a designated amount of your college tuition through these programs. Check with your employer or your parents' employers to see if they offer any tuition benefit programs. Tax Credits A tax credit will reduce the amount of income tax you or your parents have to pay to help ease the burden of financing your education. The American Opportunity Credit The American Opportunity Tax Credit allows you or your parent to claim up to $2,500 per student per year for the first four years of school as the student works toward a degree or similar credential. The Lifetime Learning Credit The Lifetime Learning Credit allows you or your parent to claim up to $2,000 per year per student for any college or career school tuition and fees. It can also be usedfor books, supplies, and equipment that were required and had to be purchased from the school. Scholarships Like grants, scholarships are free money that is given to you to help finance your education. Scholarships can be awarded based on financial need, extracurricular activity involvement, or academic achievement. Army Recruiting/Flickr Athletic Scholarships If you're a recruited athlete, you may be given a scholarship to participate in sports for your college. Ivy League and NCAA Division III schools don't award athletic scholarships. Merit Scholarships Many colleges will provide scholarships if you have stellar academic credentials. The most selective colleges are less likely to award merit scholarships because the vast majority of students has excelled academically. Also, some colleges will offer scholarships for an extracurricular activity like cheerleading or the marching band. Private Scholarships There are tons of private scholarships available to help pay for college. Each one has different requirements. Some are based on merit. Some are based on financial need. Some are based on your background, affiliations, or extracurricular activities. Some are very unique. You can search for scholarships at College Board’s Big Future. Also,Fastweb is another good site to find scholarships. Military Scholarships Additionally, there are ROTC scholarships and scholarships sponsored by veteran services organizations. Furthermore, the GI Bill can help finance the educations of military service members and their immediate families. How to Maximize Your Financial Aid for College Make sure you submit your FAFSA and any other required forms by the appropriate deadlines. Search and apply for scholarships. Check with the financial aid departments at the colleges you’re interested in attending to see how scholarship awards can affect your need-based financial aid. If you’re hoping to receive an athletic scholarship, be proactive in the college athletic recruiting process. Contact college coaches, make a highlight video, and if possible, attend camps that allow you to showcase your athletic skills to college coaches. I alsorecommend checking out studentaid.gov to learn more about the different types of federal aid, how to apply for them, and the eligibility criteria for federal student aid programs. What's Next? Now that we've answered the question, "what is financial aid?" learn more about specific ways you can get financial aid. If you're an undocumented immigrant,you can't submit a FAFSA or receive federal financial aid, but you can still get financial assistance for college. Also, find out how to win a National Merit Scholarship or scholarships based on your SAT/ACT scores. Finally, check out this post about how to pay for college without loans. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Prehistoric, Egyptian and Mesopotamian Civilizations Essay

Prehistoric, Egyptian and Mesopotamian Civilizations - Essay Example The essay "Prehistoric, Egyptian and Mesopotamian Civilizations" overviews some of the contributions from the Prehistoric, Egyptian and Mesopotamian Civilizations that still influence the modern world. For instance, the economic, that we practice in the modern times, is majorly influenced by the pre-historic times. Basic pottery and articles used in the homes of people are the contributions of the pre-historic civilizations. There are various contributions that the Egyptian civilization made in terms of humanistic grounds that are widely practiced in the present times. Despite the initial lack of alphabets, Egyptians were able to invent the art of expression through writing. Egyptians also made a groundbreaking contribution to astronomy. They created a calendar on the basis of prediction of an eclipse that was followed by sowing seeds and harvesting the crops. In addition, Egyptian civilization contributed in the field of medical as they were able to preserve the dead bodies by using compounds and mixtures. In this similar manner, they were able to undertake surgery. Mesopotamian civilizations left the tool i.e. art of creating artifacts that are used to represent the ideas and technology of the past for future generations. The irrigation system used in the present times has the base from the Mesopotamian civilization. Through the above assessment of different contributions from the three civilizations, it can be stated that present times are full of comforts and tools that were created in the past by our ancestors.