What Makes a Good Villain Heres Your 15-Item Checklist

What Makes a Good Villain Heres Your 15-Item Checklist What Makes a Great Villain? Your Checklist for Writing a Good Bad Guy Nothing makes your hero more heroic than a worthy opponent. So don’t shortchange your villain. Spend every bit as much time crafting him as you do your lead character, if you want your story to work. (Though I will use male pronouns throughout, this applies equally if your main character is a heroine or your villain is female.) Too many novelists give plenty of care to every other element of their story, then create what they consider a deliciously evil villain and wonder why the package seems to fall flat. Often it’s because the bad guy is only that: bad. He’s from Central Casting and might as well be starring in a melodrama, complete with black top hat, cape, and handlebar moustache so we readers can boo and hiss his every entrance. Every other character is real and nuanced and believable, but the second-most important lead spoils the reader’s whole experience. Need help writing your novel?Click here to download my ultimate 12-step guide. Motivation: The Secret Sauce for Creating a Great Villain Don’t let the word scare you. Motivation doesn’t have to be some nebulous theatrical concept tossed about by method actors trying to get into character. It simply means your bad guy needs a reason for being the person he has become. If he isn’t working, it’s because you’ve made him the villain only because he’s a bad person. He does evil things because he’s evil. That’s too easy. Change your thinking. Try something revolutionary. If you just can’t understand truly villainous people, try this: Put yourself in their place. â€Å"Wait!† you say. â€Å"I’d rather see myself as the hero, doing the right thing because it’s the right thing, rising to the challenge, saving the day.† Wouldn’t we all? Well, don’t knock this till you’ve tried it. You’re writing along, and you’ve come to the place where your villain needs to act in some evil way. Your virtual online writing coach has urged you to be sure he has proper motivation. What does this mean? He can’t be bad, do bad, cause trouble just because he’s the bad guy, so what’s made him this way? What’s behind it? You have to know before you have him do whatever it is he’s about to do. Take His Place â€Å"But I’m not a villain!† you say. â€Å"I’m no Dr. Moriarty or Dracula or Simon Legree.† Yes, you are. You have your days. You’ve learned to control yourself, or maybe you’re a person of faith and have found control outside yourself. But you know your true nature, your old nature. We novelists need to become our characters, from young to old, male to female, blue-collar worker to executive, and illiterate to educated. That’s part of the fun of it. Now take that further. When a friend takes credit for something you accomplished, what’s your first private thought? You get over it, I know. You probably say nothing and let it pass for the sake of the relationship, and that’s great. But dwell on that initial visceral reaction a moment. Someone you know well and love and trust lies to you, and there’s no question about it. You’re offended, hurt- crushed really. In fact, you’re infuriated. You bite your tongue because you’re a mature adult. Maybe when you cool down you’ll rationally confront the lie and get to the bottom of it. But for now, entertain that immediate first reaction. Where was your heart and mind then? I’m not telling you to become mean, rotten, and nasty when we’re all supposed to have grown out of that kind of thing by now. But I am telling you to tap into your dark side long enough to know what makes a good villain tick. What Makes a Good Villain? Villains are real people to whom terrible things have happened. Maybe in childhood, maybe in adolescence, maybe later. At some point, rather than learning and growing, their maturation process stunted and stalled. Roots of bitterness and anger sprang up in them. On the surface they may have many, if not most, of the same attractive qualities of your hero. But just beneath the surface fester the qualities you can access in yourself if you allow yourself to. While this may explain the reasons for your villain’s actions, it doesn’t excuse or forgive them. He’s still evil, and he must still be brought to justice. But giving him motivation will make him more than a cardboard cutout. So conjure a backstory for your villain. Make him real and believable and credible- even attractive in many ways. And while you’re writing your story, see how many boxes you can check off on this list of characteristics that pertain to your villain. The more that apply, the more successful your novel is likely to be. Because the more worthy his opponent, the more heroic your hero will appear. Villain Characteristics Checklist: He’s convinced he’s the good guy He has many likeable qualities He’s a worthy enough opponent to make your hero look good You (and your reader) like when he’s on stage He’s clever and accomplished enough that people must lend him begrudging respect He can’t be a fool or a bumbler He has many of the same characteristics of the hero, but they’re misdirected He should occasionally be kind, and not just for show He can be merciless, even to the innocent He’s persuasive He’ll stop at nothing to get what he wants He’s proud He’s deceitful He’s jealous, especially of the hero He’s vengeful Need help writing your novel?Click here to download my ultimate 12-step guide. What would you add to this list of what makes a good villain? Tell me in Comments below.

Why Ming China Ended the Treasure Fleet Voyages

Why Ming China Ended the Treasure Fleet Voyages Between 1405 and 1433, Ming China sent out seven gigantic naval expeditions under the command of Zheng He the great eunuch admiral. These expeditions traveled along the Indian Ocean trade routes as far as Arabia and the coast of East Africa, but in 1433, the government suddenly called them off. What Prompted the End of the Treasure Fleet? In part, the sense of surprise and even bewilderment that the Ming governments decision elicits in western observers arises from a misunderstanding about the original purpose of Zheng Hes voyages. Less than a century later, in 1497, the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama traveled to some of the same places from the west; he also called in at the ports of East Africa, and then headed to India, the reverse of the Chinese itinerary. Da Gama went in search of adventure and trade, so many westerners assume that the same motives inspired Zheng Hes trips. However, the Ming admiral and his treasure fleet were not engaged in a voyage of exploration, for one simple reason: the Chinese already knew about the ports and countries around the Indian Ocean. Indeed, both Zheng Hes father and grandfather used the honorific hajji, an indication that they had performed their ritual pilgrimage to Mecca, on the Arabian Peninsula. Zheng He was not sailing off into the unknown. Likewise, the Ming admiral was not sailing out in search of trade. For one thing, in the fifteenth century, all the world coveted Chinese silks and porcelain; China had no need to seek out customers - Chinas customers came to them. For another, in the Confucian world order, merchants were considered to be among the lowliest members of society. Confucius saw merchants and other middlemen as parasites, profiting on the work of the farmers and artisans who actually produced trade goods. An imperial fleet would not sully itself with such a lowly matter as trade. If not trade or new horizons, then, what was Zheng He seeking? The seven voyages of the Treasure Fleet were meant to display Chinese might to all the kingdoms and trade ports of the Indian Ocean world and to bring back exotic toys and novelties for the emperor. In other words, Zheng Hes enormous junks were intended to shock and awe other Asian principalities into offering tribute to the Ming. So then, why did the Ming halt these voyages in 1433, and either burn the great fleet in its moorings or allow it to rot (depending upon the source)? Ming Reasoning There were three principal reasons for this decision. First, the Yongle Emperor who sponsored Zheng Hes first six voyages died in 1424. His son, the Hongxi Emperor, was much more conservative and Confucianist in his thought, so he ordered the voyages stopped. (There was one last voyage under Yongles grandson, Xuande, in 1430-33.) In addition to political motivation, the new emperor had financial motivation. The treasure fleet voyages cost Ming China enormous amounts of money; since they were not trade excursions, the government recovered little of the cost. The Hongxi Emperor inherited a treasury that was much emptier than it might have been, if not for his fathers Indian Ocean adventures. China was self-sufficient; it didnt need anything from the Indian Ocean world, so why send out these huge fleets? Finally, during the reigns of the Hongxi and Xuande Emperors, Ming China faced a growing threat to its land borders in the west. The Mongols and other Central Asian peoples made increasingly bold raids on western China, forcing the Ming rulers to concentrate their attention and their resources on securing the countrys inland borders. For all of these reasons, Ming China stopped sending out the magnificent Treasure Fleet. However, it is still tempting to muse on the what if questions. What if the Chinese had continued to patrol the Indian Ocean? What if Vasco da Gamas four little Portuguese caravels had run into a stupendous fleet of more than 250 Chinese junks of various sizes, but all of them larger than the Portuguese flagship? How would world history have been different, if Ming China had ruled the waves in 1497-98?

It has been said that the UK supermarket sector is an oligopoly Essay

It has been said that the UK supermarket sector is an oligopoly - Essay Example ...................................... Conclusion............................................................................................................ References It has been said that the UK supermarket sector is an oligopoly Introduction The UK supermarket sector is most definitely properly defined as an oligopoly based on the market structure that guides its business principles, the relevance of the consumer in building business strategy, the level of interdependence between competing supermarket companies, and the sector’s influence in pricing and supply within its market. An oligopoly is defined as â€Å"a market dominated by a small number of participants who are able to collectively exert control over supply and market prices† (investorwords.com, 2011, p.1). It is the interdependency between the few firms, such as Morrison’s and Aldi, that makes this market sector an oligopoly in relation to marketing efforts and pricing structures that drive strateg ic intentions. This paper describes the market characteristics of the supermarket sector in the UK that label these businesses as part of an oligopoly. The market structure All of the major supermarket competitors in the UK maintain a high degree of market share in the foods industry and are affected little by smaller competitors in terms of profitability. An oligopoly is able to affect the market by maintaining this high market share and control by being able to influence pricing negotiations with suppliers who rely on their continued successes in order to, themselves, remain profitable. This is what characterizes an oligopoly when a market is dominated by only a handful of large-scale competitors. In this structure, firms can have either differentiated or non-differentiated products offered to consumers where advertising and marketing objectives characterize one of the most important features related to business strategy and competitive behaviours (Boyes & Melvin, 2005). Why is th is? Supermarkets rely on consumer attitudes and behaviours to ensure they remain profitable which are always subject to fluctuating demand schedules and eating habits. Also based on price, consumers will choose one competitor over another in this market structure which drives the necessity for more innovation in marketing and the routine environmental and competitive analyses required to remain successful and profitable. Under macroeconomic theory, an oligopoly is considered to be the most realistic market structure since there are a diverse range of externalities and internal business behaviours that impact whether the firms gain higher volumes of market share in a local or international region (Boyes & Melvin). These supermarkets in their oligopoly maintain a downward-sloping demand curve where the shape of the curve is directly related to consumer behaviour patterns and the behaviours of competition in relation to strategy, marketing and advertising. This is why the supermarket s ector in the UK is considered the most realistic of market structures as the importance of competitive behaviours and marketing are in-line with contemporary business practices with most non-supermarket organisations. Because of their dominance in this market sector, suppliers are made weak when considering consumer-based commodity products (quickmba.com, 2011) as they rely directly on the purchasing power of the supermarkets to maintain their production levels, adequate staffing and overall operational strategies related to the intent of building higher profitability. This gives

The effects of achol on the health,mental power, and relations of Essay

The effects of achol on the health,mental power, and relations of users - Essay Example se among the teenagers, children, pregnant women and elderly people is considered to have enormous health effects on both genders in the modern community. Specificity, this study explores the health effects of alcohol abuse and alcoholism on the modern teenagers and how these health effects influences their lifestyle., It is significant to study the health effect of alcohol and alcoholism of teenagers because the modern society relates alcohol to current lifestyle and believes drinking alcohol is a way of relieving stress. Moreover, there has been a rapid increase in the number of teenagers drinking and abusing alcohol. The aim of the paper is also to discuss the health issues related to alcoholism and alcohol abuse (Healey and Justin pg.23). †¢ Effects of alcohol on the brain. Such brain functions as memory, coordination, and motor skills are disturbed. Besides, researchers’ show that alcohol may have long-lasting effects as the brain continues to develop by age 20.Thus, alcohol is particularly hazardous for young users (Smart and Lesley, pg.43). In conclusion, alcohol abuse is a serious social problem which requires particular attention. It may ruin a person’s life. Therefore, timely assistance from the specialist is needed to help them manage the situation and find the solution to their issues. Occasionally, moderate drinking is usually healthy. It may help a person relax, both mentally and physically (Healey and Justin, pg.6). Thus, moderate consumption of alcohol may be healthy or at least not harmful. Its effects depend on the

How Technology Helps in Communication Essay Example for Free

How Technology Helps in Communication Essay If we talk about what are the tools that we can use in developing communication, than I say that â€Å"technology is one of the tools that we can use for communication†. Worlds are globalizing, we cannot depend on only one medium. We are lucky to have science gift that is technology. Communicating involves giving, receiving and making sense of information. Children do this by using non-verbal means of communication, talking, listening, thinking, and understanding. In time, the skills of reading and writing enrich this experience. Communicating is a two-way activity; as well as learning to share their experiences with others children also learn to interpret what others are sharing with them. They communicate in many different ways including facial expressions, gestures, body movements, sounds, language and for some children, through assistive technology. Children’s language is more than words, phrases and sentences. It includes art, Braille, dance, drama, music, poetry, pictures, sculpture, signing, and stories. While most children eventually master spoken and written language as their key means of communicating, they continue to speak through their gestures, body movements and expressions to a greater or lesser extent. Some children with special educational needs may need additional and consistent support throughout their lifetime to practise, learn and perfect the art of non-verbal communication. Language technologies are information technologies that are specialized for dealing with the most complex information medium in our world: human language. Therefore these technologies are also often subsumed under the term Human Language Technology. Human language occurs in spoken and written form. Whereas speech is the oldest and most natural mode of language communication, complex information and most of human knowledge is maintained and transmitted in written texts. Speech and text technologies process or produce language in these two modes of realization. But language also has aspects that are shared between speech and text such as dictionaries, most of grammar and the meaning of sentences. Thus large parts of language technology cannot be subsumed under speech and text technologies. Among those are technologies that link language to knowledge. We do not know how language, knowledge and thought are represented in the human brain. Nevertheless, language technology had to create formal representation systems that link language to concepts and tasks in the real world. This provides the interface to the fast growing area of knowledge technologies. In our communication we mix language with other modes of communication and other information media. We combine speech with gesture and facial expressions. Digital texts are combined with pictures and sounds. Movies may contain language and spoken and written form. Thus speech and text technologies overlap and interact with many other technologies that facilitate processing of multimodal communication and multimedia documents. Although existing LT systems are far from achieving human ability, they have numerous possible applications. The goal is to create software products that have some knowledge of human language. Such products are going to change our lives. They are urgently needed for improving human-machine interaction since the main obstacle in the interaction between human and computer is merely a communication problem. Todays computers do not understand our language but computer languages are difficult to learn and do not correspond to the structure of human thought. Even if the language the machine understands and its domain of discourse are very restricted, the use of human language can increase the acceptance of software and the productivity of its users. Language technologies helps in developing listening and speaking skills Being a good communicator is crucial to children’s development. The adult encourages children to communicate by listening to them, interpreting what they are saying, responding to them, and by modeling good communication. The adult also provides an environment which motivates children to interact with each other and the adult, and with the objects and places in it. By capturing children’s interest and curiosity and challenging them to explore and to share their adventures and discoveries with others, this environment can fuel their thinking, imagination and creativity, thereby enriching communication. These early experiences support children in becoming confident and competent communicators Natural language interfaces enable the user to communicate with the computer in French, English, German, or another human language. Some applications of such interfaces are database queries, information retrieval from texts, so-called expert systems, and robot control. Current advances in the recognition of spoken language improve the usability of many types of natural language systems. Communication with computers using spoken language will have a lasting impact upon the work environment; completely new areas of application for information technology will open up. However, spoken language needs to be combined with other modes of communication such as pointing with mouse or finger. If such multimodal communication is finally embedded in an effective general model of cooperation, we have succeeded in turning the machine into a partner. The ultimate goal of research is the omnipresent access to all kinds of technology and to the global information structure by natural interaction. In an ambitious but not too far-fetched scenario, language technology provides the interface to an ambient intelligence providing assistance at work and in many situations of daily life. Language technologies can also help people communicate with each other. Much older than communication problems between human beings and machines are those between people with different mother tongues. One of the original aims of language technology has always been fully automatic translation between human languages. From bitter experience scientists have realized that they are still far away from achieving the ambitious goal of translating unrestricted texts. Nevertheless, they have been able to create software systems that simplify the work of human translators and clearly improve their productivity. Less than perfect automatic translations can also be of great help to information seekers who have to search through large amounts of texts in foreign languages. The most serious bottleneck for e-commerce is the volume of communication between business and customers or among businesses. Language technology can help to sort, filter and route incoming email. It can also assist the customer relationship agent to look up information and to compose a response. In cases where questions have been answered before, language Technology can find appropriate earlier replies and automatically respond.

An Analysis Of The Lord Of The Flies :: essays research papers

An Analysis of The Lord of the Flies   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The novel Lord of the Flies, written by William Gerald Golding, is a remarkable piece of literature that discusses many important topics while remaining an enjoyable read. One of the important topics that is discussed in the novel is human nature. Many aspects of human nature is depicted in the book, but one major is the development of a man's personality and character. This aspect of human idiosyncrasy is portrayed through the development of Ralph, the main character and protagonist of the novel. Ralph's development from innocent, irresponsible, playful adolescent to a tough, self-reliant man shows how the hardships and turmoil of life can greatly effect a person's character.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story takes place on a deserted island after a plane crash strands a group of adolescent boys. The boys are forced to learn how to live on the land without any resources or adult assistance. The group chooses Ralph as their leader and gives him the responsibility of guiding the group. Ralph's main enemy and adversary is Jack, the appointed leader of the savage hunters. The boys go through many trials and hardships while on the island including the dangers of the jungle, finding food, and remaining a functional group.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The novel's main focus is on Ralph and his experiences on the island. As leader of the group, Ralph has a great deal of responsibility and must learn how to work with this responsibility. Through the course of the story, Ralph changes from an adolescent child to a mature person, but ends up breaking down at the end of the novel. This aspect of Ralph's character is a way that Golding depicts human behavior in society, which is the main theme of the book.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As the novel begins, Ralph is portrayed as being a normal adolescent who is irresponsible and negligent. Even when he is chosen as leader, he still is depicted as an inexperience boy. One example of this childish action is seen at the beginning of the novel when Ralph plays games while doing serious work. By doing things like this Ralph tries to show the freedom the boys have without any adult supervision. These are not the acts of a responsible leader and is something that Ralph soon comes to regret.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With progression of the story, Ralph's attitudes change as he becomes more responsible and mature. He realizes the importance of being a responsible leader and begins to guide the other boys more. Ralph begins to try to convince the others that they act with the groups best interest at hand and tells them to

Chapter 7 Mcgraw Hill Pertinent Questions Answers

Pertinent Questions Chapter 7 31. How did the Embargo affect the election of 1808, and what was the response of the new president to diplomatic problems that the Embargo had addressed? The Embargo created a depression on the nation and gave merchants the impression that Jefferson was acting unconstitutionally. Therefore, in the election of 1808, the Federalists ran stronger than before. Even though the Republicans won the presidency, Madison understood that the Embargo was a political liability and eventually removed it. Instead, he passed the Non-Intercourse Act, which told Britain and France that if either of them were to violate the United State’s rights as a neutral country, they would immediately oppose that country until they agreed. 33. What was Tecumseh's attitude toward the treaties previously negotiated between the United States and various Indian tribes? How did he plan to prevent the expansion of white settlements? Tecumseh believed that the negotiations were all void since the land belonged to all of the tribes. He thought that in order for the United States to actually gain the land, they would have to consult all of the tribes. Tecumseh knew that in order to prevent the Americans from expanding, the Indian leaders would have to unite their cause. 35. Why did Americans want to wrest control of Florida from the Spanish? What attempts were made to do this before 1812? Which attempts were successful, and which failed? The South wanted to gain control of Florida in order to gain valuable ports. Florida also ran through rivers, making it suitable for transportation and agriculture. In 1810, some settlers obtained the fort at Baton Rouge. Madison annexed the territory and then planned to gain more Floridian land. The attempt to gain more land from Florida was unsuccessful until later in time. 40. Why did New England oppose the War of 1812? Prior to 1814, what did the New England states do to hinder the war effort? The Federalist mainly occupied New England, though the party was diminishing. They opposed the war because gaining new land would increase the Republican Party’s power. Their opposition resulted in hopes of secession and even the Hartford Convention. At times, Federalists even celebrated British victories. 41. What caused the leaders of New England to regard the War of 1812 as a threat to their future as a meaningful force in the United States? What did they propose to remedy this situation? If the Republicans won the War of 1812, they would then expand their country, showing their power in the position of the government. The Federalists, now a diminishing power, were afraid of their loss in the force of government, thus planning the Hartford Convention. The convention served to ‘protest’ against the Republican’s gaining of power and discussed the right of nullification and even hinted at secession. However, it was to no avail. 42. What effect did the Hartford Convention have on the Federalist Party? The Convention brought together the Federalist Party in sharing ideas. Their plans to go against the Republican Party and their demands were planned in the Hartford Convention. The unsuccessfulness of the war almost improved the Federalists’ chances at power. However, when the news came of Jackson’s victory, their plans at the convention seemed futile, showing the defeat of the Federalist Party. 43. What was the background to peace negotiations at Ghent? What did both sides initially demand, and why did they finally agree on the terms they did? Both sides were tired from the war and gave up their previous strong demands. The United States, realizing that Britain had little reason to interfere with the commerce because of Napoleon’s defeat, did not push Britain to give up impressments or Canada territory. Britain, exhausted and in debt from the wars, did not push to have an Indian buffer state in the Northwest Territory. Negotiations were weak and hastily drawn up.

Should Black Men Around the World Be Placed

We have conceptualized the multiplex railway telegraph, which allowed messages to be sent from moving trains to railway stations. We have assisted in leading Thomas A. Edition's research team in the development of the electric light bulb. We constructed a device that allowed machines to be lubricated while they are in operations. We have been some of the most noble kings and queens in history (Michael, PI). We have survived slavery, mass genocides, civil wars, theorized and actual government plots.From slave cuffs to presidential cuffs, the strength and abilities presented by black individuals around he world is astounding. Despite all odd, statistics and stereo types here in the United States and around the globe African Americans continue to prove as a people, no matter the circumstance they have the ability to overcome any issue. Its Just a theory but, in order to protect the male African American populations should black men around the world be placed on the endangered species li st? Although it is clear that African Americans have great success, as with any culture there are great failures.In the United States African American Males make up 13. 5 cities in 2007 where African Americans. Within the subset of African American violence 93. 1 percent of document deaths were males. Between the age ranges of 15 to 24, African American Men have been victims of violent crimes that include, robbery, self destructive acts, simple to aggravated assault, gang violence, and police brutality (AP, POP). Could these issues be connected to the root cause of the extinction of black men around the world? Some believe that African American men are on a self destructive path.While others think we are being killed in this notorious ricer of retrogression into slaver. What is an endangered species? A species population of organisms with the risk of becoming extinct of falling birth rates and growing death rates, or being threatened by the changing environmental or predation parame ters. Only few Although at this time currently The International Union of Conservation of Nature (ICON) does not have any human subsets listed on the endangered species list, the concept of the JINN is to protect species from potentially becoming extinct without gaining public notice.Many factors are reviewed when accessing the conservation tutus of the list, Just because the numbers of remaining are high isn't Just a key indicator. The overall increase and decreases in population overtime, known threats and so forth. Internationally, over one hundred countries have agreed to create biodiversity action plans to protect threatened and endangered species (David, Pl 5). The endangered species list however does include a policy on species maintaining and captive breeding programs.This area of the program would need to be modified, captive breeding program does not apply to humans as they have free will. Arguments have been made that self destructive acts are the primary reason for the d own fall of the African American community. At Finger High School located in Chicago, student Daring Albert a 16 year old black honor student was knocked to the grown by a blow to the head with a railroad tie. He was kicked, punched and stomped. His cries went unanswered, and by the time someone was able to help Daring it was to late, he died lying in the middle of the street.The background on Daring's story isn't very uncommon for this area of Chicago (Morocco, Pl). Daring alkyd into the middle of two rival black gains, in his attempt to help one of the victims he was mistaken to be part of the rival gang. According to Derby Morocco who is also an African American, this is another tragedy where African American civil rights leaders remained silent. Mr.. Morocco believes that if this story would have been a white gang attacking a black gang every self-appointed African American leader would be in front of some form of media preaching about some form of social injustice.Mr.. Morocco references the President Beam's statement about the police arresting Proof. Henry Louis Gates, Jar. In contacts to the President comments and setting up meetings between the professor and the arresting police office, no media coverage was giving to the malicious homicide in the brutal killing of this honor student (Morocco, PI). Mr.. Morocco is not saying that the president is reasonable for Daring's death, he states the fact the he is disappointed young man's killer. According to New York Times There are more black men in prison than college.Only 5% of black men are in college. 70 percent of black men have experienced long- term unemployment (AP, POP) The African-American males comprise over fifty-five percent of the nation's prison population, one out of every fourteen black men is incarcerated for an crime. Between the ages of 20 to 29, one out of every 4 black males is in prison, on parole, or on probation for an alcohol or drug-related crime (AP, POP). Over the last decade ther e were more than 1. 4 million sentenced inmates at the end of 2003, an estimated 403,165 were Black men between ages 20 and 39.Compared with 12. 3 percent of young Latino men and 6. 7 percent of young white men, 76 percent of young black men are behind bars (AP, POP). . When compared to other races. What is the real issue of what's going on when it comes to black men in America? Is this a from of self-destruction? Although it is clear that black on black crimes exist, in the United States we have a long history of white on black crimes. November 25, 2006, Sean Bell was hot and killed on the morning after his bachelor party, and two of his friends where severely wounded.Mr.. Bell was holding his bachelor party at Club Koala in Jamaica section of Queens, New York. This night club was under investigated by seven undercover police detectives, as a result of accusations that the owners of the club had been steering prostitution (Baker, POP).. According to Report Karen Zaire of the New Yo rk Times, Gunman had an argument inside the club with a woman and threatened to get a gun. One of Bell's friends was though to have said â€Å"you, get my gun† as they left the scene.Fearing that a shooting might occur, one of the plain-clothed African American officer Scared Sonora followed the men to their vehicle while alerting his backup team, prompting the team to confront Bell and his companions before they could leave the scene. Sonora held out his badge, and identified himself as a police officer, and told the car to stop. However, Bell accelerated the vehicle and hit Sonora, then striking the unmarked police minivan. Scared Sonora believed he saw Gunman reaching for a gun while in the car, yelled â€Å"gun† to other police at the scene, and opened fire on the car.All officers and detectives at that point Joined him in shooting at the car, firing 50 bullets in a few seconds (Zaire, POP). On March 16, 2007, three of the five police officers involved in the shoot ing were grand Jury indictment. Officer Michael Oliver, who fired thirty one of the fifty shots ND Officer Scared Sonora, who fired the first shot, faced charges of manslaughter, reckless endangerment and assault, while Detective Marc Cooper faced charge of two counts of reckless endangerment. The three detectives pleaded not guilty at the arraignment hearing on March 19, 2007.Detectives Sonora and Oliver were released on bail and Detective Cooper on his own recognize. On April 25, 2008, all three of the police officers indicted were acquitted on all counts (Baker, Pl 7). On June 7, 1998, James Byrd Jar, accepted a ride from Shawn Allen Berry, Lawrence sat ride of his live. Instead of taking James home, the three men took James behind a convenience store, beating him unconscious, stripped him naked, chained him by the ankles to their pickup truck, and dragged him for three miles.Forensic evidence suggests that James attempted to keep his head up while being dragged behind the truck, an autopsy suggested James was alive during much of the dragging, and he only died after his right arm and head were severed after his body hit a culvert, although the men claimed that Bard's throat had been slashed before he was ragged (National News Briefs, 23). Finally the arguably the most infamous biomedical research study the United States.The Tuskegee syphilis experiment was the clinical trial study conducted between 1932 and 1972 in Tuskegee, Alabama, by the United States Public Health Service. Investigators recruited 399 impoverished African-American men with syphilis for research related to the natural progression of the untreated disease. This experiment can be compared to mass genocides (Prater, 2007). On May 16, 1997, President Bill Clinton formally apologized and held a ceremony for the Tuskegee duty participants. In his speech, President Clinton Stated â€Å"What was done cannot be undone.But we can end the silence. We can stop turning our heads away. We can look at you in the eye and finally say on behalf of the American people, what the United States government did was shameful, and I am sorry'( Washington Post News Feed. PI) . As a people, African American are often the underdogs. Brought here by slave ships, then sold and beaten. Although there is the need for the United States to progress, we should not have to pass affirmative actions laws Just to be able to moment. Some might say we are living in the past, that this is self-distraction.

Student Relationship Essays

Teacher/Student Relationship Essays Teacher/Student Relationship Essay Teacher/Student Relationship Essay Name: Instructor: Course: Date: Teacher/Student Relationship Education has always been considered as the key to success. It is however becoming more evident that the education system is increasingly becoming irrelevant. The irrelevance of the system is because of the pedagogical approaches that are aimed at forcing information on students in a manner that undermines the process of education. The banking concept of education by Paulo Freire depicts education as one that is keen on enhancing memorization rather than enhancing understanding. This system is teacher centered as opposed to learner centered. Many have agreed with this analysis and have advocated for a complete overhaul of the education system to one that takes into account students passions and interests to make learning a fulfilling experience. The movie â€Å"School of Rock† is an American musical comedy that depicts the kind f pedagogical experience that Paolo Freire is proposing where the teacher and the learner share a bond in the learning process that translates into tr ue knowledge. Freire contends that students and teachers have to become partners in the learning process. Dewey Finn is a struggling rock artist who has taken up a job as a teacher (Rudin). However, his teaching methods are not effective (Rudin). His teaching skills at this point are determined by his ability to deliver content. This depicts the traditional methods of education where the teacher is expected to act as a narrator (Freire 71). The concept o the narrator by Paolo Freire proposes that a teacher is the sole holder of information and that the students are expected to listen to what he teacher is saying without question. The teacher is deemed as being superior and that students have knowledge gaps that only the teacher can fill. In this sense, students’ brains are receptacles waiting to be filled. This in turn undermines critical thinking by learners where they are allowed to analyze and review the content being taught by the teacher (Freire 73). The situation Dewey Finn is faced with clearly illustrates the problem with the education system. The problem is that if the teacher is limited in their ability to be a ‘narrator’ then learning cannot take place. The education system as stipulated by Freire is one that requires the teacher to be versed with vast amount of knowledge, without which, the learning process stalls. The process of education according to Freire should be one that enhances communication between the teacher and the student. Freire argues that goals outlined in traditional or banking educational systems must be done away with and should be replaced â€Å"with the posing of the problems of human beings in their relations with the world† (Freire 75). Traditional teaching methods are better when they are used together with active teaching-learning strategies. Dewey Finn in teaching his class employs the use of traditional teaching methods while at the same time actively involving the class in the learning process. Dewey Finn, the substitute teacher realizes that his class is interested in music, especially pop and hip-hop (Rudin). He dedicates his time to improve his learners’ skills and assisting them to get ready for a competition dubbed â€Å"battle of the bans†. In the process, he reveals t his class the development of rock through history so that they can understand what it is they are learning. This is an aspect of traditional teaching process where teacher assumes the role of knowledge bearer. However, Dewey Finn as a teacher allows the class to practice music allowing them to be creative and produce their own material. Here, an integration of the traditional teaching approach and encouraging learner participa tion allows the student to develop a better appreciation of course content. In essence, this approach reduces learners need to memorize while at the same time improves the relationship between the learner and tutor. Problem posing education is a concept that focuses on practical or realistic application of concepts and theories that have been learned through education (Freire 81). The problem posing approach is effective in situation where learners need to use their cognitive ability and become creative during the learning process. In this sense, children must understand that what they learn in the classroom can help in shaping the world in which hey live. Freire proposes that when students are presented with problems rather than just information, then the education process is less alienated and becomes more practical. The teacher in this sense is â€Å"always cognitive† (Freire 80). The teacher engages the students in dialogue and conducts project that enhance the learners critical thinking. The movie shows that Dewey Finn is thinking critically when teaching his students. He is aware of his students’ musical interests in pop and hip-hop. He ensures that he is able to integrate all these interest into creating a class rock band. Music in itself is a process of critical thinking. Musical compositions require the composer to analyze musical choices to ensure that a composition constitutes harmony. Dewey Finn in the movie â€Å"School of Rock† in which his students were to perform during the battle of the bands competition. One important aspect of Dewey Finn as a teacher is that he is motivated to make his learners share the same passion he has for music. There is evidence in the movie that the learners are thinking critically. Music is inherently a creative process where critical thinking is vital. While the Dewey Finn was teaching his class a song for them to perform for the battle of the bands, the class finally performs a song â€Å"School of Rock† a song that as written by their lead guitarist Zack Mooneyham (Rudin). This is the embodiment of Freire’s position when he says that he teachers thought process achieves authenticity by the authenticity of his student’s thinking (Freire 77). In this sense, Dewey Finn managed to develop Zack Mooneyham’s ability to be creative without his help thus, qualifying Dewey Finns’ teaching methods. Oppression through education is the process through which the teacher inhibits the learner’s ability to think critically by using teaching methods that aim to store information in the learner’s brain rather than enhancing understanding. In this regard, the movie exhibits how Dewey Finn exercised educational freedom where learners have the ability to express opinions and ideas creating an interactive learning process and improving the teacher-learner relationship. The freedom of education has been expressed through the ability of students to come up with heir own musical compositions. The teacher in this sense does not oppress the learner’s creative mind by insisting on his knowledge. It is evident that the movie â€Å"School of Rock† ensures that learners enjoy the ability to explore their critical thinking capabilities. The movie has revealed that traditional teaching methods enhanced by banking of information are not effective in the learning process. The movie shows that traditional teaching methods make learning seem useless. This can be seen in when Dewey Finn is forced tom teach the actual content of the class assigned to him. The class is not as lively as when they are discussing music. In the music class, the students are lively and it is evident that the students are eager to learn since they ask questions and give opinions about what the teacher is saying. This is evidence that the class is actually thinking about what is taught during the lesson. This process allows the teacher and his students to cooperate in the learning process as partners (Freire 80). Freire, Paulo. Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York: Continuum, 1992. Print. Rudin, Scott, Mike White, Richard Linklater, Jack Black, Joan Cusack, Sarah Silverman, Lee Wilkof, Kate McGregor-Stewart, Adam Pascal, Suzzanne Douglass, Joey Gaydos, Miranda Cosgrove, Kevin Clark, Robert Tsai, Maryam Hassan, Rebecca Brown, Caitlin Hale, Rogier Stoffers, Sandra Adair, Craig Wedren, and Karen Patch. The School of Rock. Hollywood, Calif: Paramount, 2003.

Hera - Queen of the Gods in Greek Mythology

Hera - Queen of the Gods in Greek Mythology In Greek mythology, the beautiful goddess Hera was queen of the Greek gods and the wife of Zeus, the king. Hera was goddess of marriage and childbirth. Since Heras husband was Zeus, king not only of gods, but of philanderers, Hera spent a lot of time in Greek mythology angry with Zeus. So Hera is described as jealous and quarrelsome. Hera's Jealousy Among the more famous victims of Heras jealousy is Hercules (aka Heracles, whose name means the glory of Hera). Hera persecuted the famous hero from before the time he could walk for the simple reason that Zeus was his father, but another woman Alcmene was his mother. Despite the fact that Hera was not Hercules mother, and despite her hostile actions such as sending snakes to kill him when he was a newborn baby, she served as his nurse when he was an infant. Hera persecuted many of the other women Zeus seduced, in one way or another. The anger of Hera, who murmured terrible against all child-bearing women that bare children to Zeus....Theoi Hera: Callimachus, Hymn 4 to Delos 51 ff (trans. Mair)Leto had relations with Zeus, for which she was hounded by Hera all over the earth.Theoi Hera: Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 1. 21 (trans. Aldrich) Hera's Children Hera is usually counted single parent mother of Hephaestus and the normal biological mother of Hebe and Ares. Their father is usually said to be her husband, Zeus, although Clark [Who Was the Wife of Zeus? by Arthur Bernard Clark; The Classical Review, (1906), pp. 365-378] explains the identities and births of Hebe, Ares, and Eiletheiya, goddess of childbirth, and sometimes named child of the divine couple, otherwise. Clark argues that the king and queen of the gods had no children together. Hebe may have been fathered by a lettuce. The association between Hebe and Zeus may have been sexual rather than familial.Ares might have been conceived via a special flower from the fields of Olenus. Zeus free admission of his paternity of Ares, Clark hints, may be only to avoid the scandal of being a cuckold.On her own, Hera gave birth to Hephaestus. Parents of Hera Like brother Zeus, Heras parents were Cronos and Rhea, who were Titans. Roman Hera In Roman mythology, the goddess Hera is known as Juno.

Organisational Learning and Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Organisational Learning and Development - Essay Example These new practices rely upon the idea that performance depends not only on hard and attenuating work of the personnel, but also on such essential characteristics as competence and ability to learn and develop. Despite seeming simplicity, the problem of effective learning and development of employees is exceptionally complex, and if a company fails to properly, effectively and continuously train and educate its human resources in the right areas of the business, at the right time and at the right cost, serious inefficiencies are likely to arise. This will inevitably result in considerable operational difficulties and sometimes may even lead to failure of the organisation (Buckle & Caple, 2004). Information, knowledge, and skills have already become the key aspects of new economic environment (Guest, 1987). As a result, modern organizational studies place increasingly distinct emphasis on issues associated with learning and development of personnel. An effective HRD programme should be built around three basic theoretical concepts: organizational development change, leadership development, and individual, group and organizational learning (Reid, Barrington & Brown, 2004). ... In the past, learning focused primarily on individuals: people worked in large bureaucracies or assembly lines and, consequently, the goal of learning under such circumstances was training of the skills required for their functioning. However, since approximately three decades ago the focus of learning in organisations started to shift from individuals to groups and, what was even more important, the meaning underlying the concepts of 'learning', 'training' and 'development' transformed dramatically. Scholars began to perceive these constructs as continuous rather than occasional while the purpose and the process of learning were also reformulated and recognised as vital for effective organizational performance (Harrison, 2005). The existing research in organizational learning available up to date demonstrates that there are at least three major things adult learners need to know: - What will be learned; - How the learning will be conducted; - Why the new knowledge will be of any value (Knowles, 1984). The need to know about these three aspects strongly affects employees' motivation to learn, outcomes of learning, and motivation to use new knowledge. Normally, five phases of organizational learning are identified in the literature: 1. Analysis The first phase involves full analysis of the organizational needs, identification of the goals which, when reached, will equip employees with knowledge and skills to meet the organization's needs (Buckley & Caple, 2004). The first questions to be asked in the analysis phase are "Is there a need for training" and "If something is wrong, is it caused by a performance problem that training will fix" In the analysis phase the responsibilities/duties required at a certain position are identified and

In what ways does an understanding of history and changing Essay

In what ways does an understanding of history and changing museological ideas help to explain the foundation and early development the British Museum and The National Gallery - Essay Example hosts princely art collections, the British Museum and the National Gallery offer phenomenal cultural industries that form the pride and identity of the people of the United Kingdom. Given that museums reflect cultural ideologies, these institutions have undergone changes that to some amounts to distortion of what should have been held so dear, and to others, the changes have resulted in better safekeeping avenues for the kind of artifacts that they harbour. In order to have rationally informed understanding of contextual relevance of these two iconic institutions, an in depth analysis of the impacts of history and changing museological ideas have had on them is necessary. The British Museum owes its inception to the will and determination of Sir Hans Sloane, a physician, naturalist and collector, whose ambition of seeing his collections preserved, according to Edwards (2011), formed the basis for the foundation of the museum. The initial collections of this museum consisted of manuscripts, books and natural specimens. In addition, other relics such as coins, medals, paintings and drawings were also available among the collections. Housed at Montagu House, it became accessible to the public in 1759, majorly drawing attention from curious individuals, and entry was free to all persons. During the period covering the 19th century, the museum received enormous expansion, both in space and in the array of collections, with such artifacts as ethnological and archeological materials from Europe and as far as Syria being incorporated. To this present moment, the museum has continually expanded its antiquities and currently includes artifacts from all round t he world, from Chinese ceramics to Egyptian Tomb-Chapel of Nebamun. Currently, the museum is looking forward to building the World Contemporary Exhibition Centre that will offer an additional temporary display space (The British Museum, 2015). On the other hand, The National Gallery came into existence when the