Famous Quotations from Medea by Euripides

Famous Quotations from Medea by Euripides Medea is the famous play by the Greek, Euripides. To what extent would a mother go? Here are a few quotes from the Greek drama. Flow backward to your sources, sacred rivers,And let the worlds great order be reversed.It is the thoughts of men that are deceitful,Their pledges that are loose.- Euripides, Medea I am afraid of you...You are a clever woman, versed in evil artsAnd are angry at having lost your husbands love.I hear that you are threatening, so they tell me,To do something against my daughter and JasonAnd me too.- Euripides, Medea I have often been the loser.Even now I know that I am making a mistake.- Euripides, Medea Do you think that I would ever have fawned on that manUnless I had some end to gain or profit in it?- Euripides, Medea And when I have ruined the whole of Jasons house,I shall leave the land and flee from the murder of myDear children, and I shall have done a dreadful deed.For it is not bearable to be mocked by enemies.So it must happen. What profit have I in life?I have no land, no home, no refuge from my pain.- Euripides, Medea

Heres Why Your College GPA Matters

Here's Why Your College GPA Matters In high school, you likely focused on getting good grades- and, consequently, having a high grade point average (GPA)- because you wanted to get into to college. But now that youve done that, you may be wondering, Does GPA matter in college? While this may seem like a simple question, it doesnt have a straightforward answer. In some situations, your college GPA can matter quite a bit; on the other hand, a GPA can mean nothing beyond whether or not you can graduate. Why Your GPA Matters in College There are many reasons you will want to maintain a good GPA in college. Ultimately, you will need to pass your classes in order to get your degree, which is the point of going to college in the first place. From that perspective, the answer is clear: Your GPA matters. If your GPA drops below a certain threshold, your school will send you a notice youve been  placed on academic probation  and tell you what steps to take in order to recover from it. Along the same lines, you may need to keep it at or above a certain level to keep your scholarships, other financial awards or loan eligibility. Additionally, things like academic honors, research opportunities, internships, and some classes have GPA requirements. Its always a good idea to ask your academic adviser about any GPA requirements you should be aware of, so you dont find out youre in trouble after its too late to fix it.   Do College Grades Matter for Jobs? Your GPA may or may not play an important role in your life after college- it depends on your post-graduate plans. For example, Graduate school admissions are very competitive, and youre required to put your GPA on an application. If youre interested in furthering your education but the damage to your GPA is already done, dont fret: Good scores on the GRE, GMAT, MCAT or LSAT could make up for a sub-par GPA. (Of course, getting into grad school will be a lot easier if you focus on maintaining a good GPA from the start of college.) Even if youre not thinking about more school, you should know some employers will ask you for your GPA when you apply for a job. In fact, there are companies- generally, large companies- who require applicants to meet the basic GPA requirement.   Beyond the aforementioned situations, theres a good chance your GPA may never again come up after graduation. In general, employers focus more on your level of education, not the grades that got you there, and theres no rule that says you  need  to put your GPA on your resume. The bottom line: Your college GPA is only as important as it is for your future plans. While you may not feel pressure to focus on maintaining a high GPA as you did in high school, theres no reason why you shouldnt work hard in your classes and succeed as best you can academically. You never know, after all, what jobs or graduate school programs you might end up applying for years after you graduate.

International trade theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

International trade theory - Essay Example Therefore, a country should only specialize in the production of its efficient commodity. Interpreting this account to the illustration on chart 4-10, Ghana specializes in the production of cocoa for commercial purposes than Korea who takes its advantage based on rice. Ghana being 4 times more efficient in cocoa productivity than Korea who specializes in rice gives absolute advantage of each other in trade negotiations. Besides, the theory of comparative advantage illustrates that country’s exports should not be measured by quantity but efficiency to avoid market dominancy. For instance, if 4tones of cocoa were exchanged by 4tones of, rice from Korea then Ghana would be susceptible compared to Korea (Pomfret 107). Clusters or networks of similar companies in the same industry are always encouraged as this harmonizes competitive advantage of the countries involved by creating room for innovations otherwise improving productivity. Cluster is also very essential for the promotion f a particular good or service believed to be efficiently located (Pomfret

Blog proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Blog proposal - Essay Example In addition, media has allowed increased educational gains for the audiences. Increased research has allowed mediums of communications to serve better than ever (Ward). However, in the recent times, the impact of media has been adverse on the political economy. It is being proposed here that the story that will be written within the field of journalism will be about media terrorism. The concept of media terrorism will be introduced in the blog post as an English expression where it will be studied in the context of news mediums being used for terrorists’ information. The best example that can be taken in order to study the aspect of news terrorism can be Al-Jazeera channel through which the information regarding terrorists’ activities and protocols are broadcasted. Some of the news agencies believe that giving out such information to the general public is extremely dangerous because it is more likely to increase panic within the civic life. Also, it is more likely to ma ke the defensive operations halting or prone to have loopholes. However, at the same time, there are arguments which are posed against keeping secrecy from general audiences. It is stated that nation needs to understand and get informed about problems that may occur in the longer run. It is mainly because anything terrorist activity that is more likely to happen within a country would directly impact the lives of people. Therefore, they must be educated about such issues and aspects (Ward). It should be noted that there are different dimensions to this subject matter. As mentioned above, there are two schools of thought when it comes to the subject of news terrorism. At one point, there can be people who are against the aspect of informing about terrorists threats while on the other hand, there are people who claim that one must be aware of such threats because it can allow respective authorities to take relevant actions to stay alert

Nine Planets Essay Example for Free

Nine Planets Essay A Multimedia Tour of the Solar System: one star, eight planets, and more| | This website is an overview of the history, mythology, and current scientific knowledge of the planets, moons and other objects in our solar system. Each page has our text and NASAs images, some have sounds and movies, most provide references to additional related information. In association with our friends at Solar System Scope we now have an interactive tour of the solar system (takes a while to load and opens in a new window)All eight planets can be seen with a small telescope; or binoculars. And large observatories continue to provide much useful information. But the possibility of getting up close with interplanetary spacecraft has revolutionized planetary science. Very little of this site would have been possible without the space program. Nevertheless, theres a lot that you can see with very modest equipment or even with just your own eyes. Past generations of people found beauty and a sense of wonder contemplating the night sky. Todays scientific knowledge further enhances and deepens that experience. And you can share in it by simply going out in the evening and looking up. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The IAU has changed the definition of planet so that Pluto no longer qualifies. There are now officially only eight planets in our solar system. Of course this change in terminology does not affect whats actually out there. In the end, its not very important how we classify the various objects in our solar system. What is important is to learn about their physical nature and their histories.

Power of Knowledge Essays -- Education

The Power of Knowledge "Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of every progress." This quote from Kofi Annan, a diplomat of Ghana involved with the United Nations, directly correlates with an overall theme found in Up from Slavery by Booker T. Washington. This autobiography clearly depicts trials and tribulations that confronted Washington, but not one of them is ever noted as anything less than a learning experience. Washington's passion for learning enabled him to surpass boundaries perceived by those who allowed themselves to merely become victims of their circumstances. He looked at the struggles that faced him as opportunities to become a stronger and more confident person. Success did not come easily for this man, but through a series of events and obstacles he was able to create a success all his own. Having an education that is furthered by schooling is important, but Washington's life is proof that the power of knowledge can also be notably attained through makin g the most out of life and all that it has to offer, good or bad. Booker T. Washington's views on education enlighten viewpoints surrounding the controversial topic of placing a higher value on education or experience. As today's society heavily focuses on schooling, it is important to remember that lives are not solely based upon that aspect. A combination of both education and experience are necessary to achieve the highest level of success. Education is a good foundation, but without experience limits are placed on how much a person can achieve. Likewise, without the foundation of education a life full of experiences can be unstable. A common consensus has yet to be agreed upon for this ongoing debate over whether educa... ...s as a testament to how pivotal both schooling and experience are. With a balance of the two, he could best shape all that he knew and all that he had into usable material that would best benefit his life. Works Cited Baym, Nina, Wayne Franklin, Philip F. Gura, and Arnold Krupat. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. 7th ed. Vol. C. New York: W. W. Norton &, 2007. Print. Boud, David, and Ruth Cohen. "Experience-based Learning." Understanding Adult Education and Training. By Lee Andresen. 2nd ed. Sydney: Allen and Unwin. 225-239. Web. 22 Apr. 2012. Savery, John R., and Thomas M. Duffy. RLT. Tech. no. 16-01. Indiana University, June 2001. Web. 22 Apr. 2012. . "What Is Experience-based Learning?" Starting Point. Carleton College, 11 Apr. 2012. Web. 22 Apr. 2012. .

The Return: Shadow Souls Chapter 36

â€Å"What?† shouted Damon over the music, while adding: Run – go! telepathically to Elena. If it had merely been Elena's life, she would have been glad enough to die here with the thunderous beauty of Firebird all around her, rathr than facing those steep, invisible steps alone. But it wasn't just her life. It was Stefan's life, too. Still, the flower maiden didn't look particularly menacing, and Elena couldn't summon up enough adrenaline to try making it down that hidous stairway. Damon, let's both go. We have to search the Great Ballroom outside. Only you're strong enough†¦. A hesitation. Damon would rather fight than face that enormous, impossible green field outside, Elena thought. But Bloddeuwedd, despite her words, was now spinning the room around them again, so that she, at the edge of some invisible walkway, could find the exact orb she wanted. Damon lifted Elena in his arms and said: Shut your eyes. Elena not only shut her eyes, but put her hands over them as well. If Damon was going to drop her, she wasn't going to help matters by shouting â€Å"Look out!† as he did it. The sensations themselves were sickening enough. Damon leaped from step to step like an ibex. He seemed barely to touch the steps in going down and Elena wondered – quite suddenly – if anything were after them. If so, it was information she needed to know. She began to lift her hands and heard Damon whisper-snarl â€Å"Keep them shut!† in a voice that few people liked to argue with. Elena peeked out between her hands, met Damon's exasperated eyes, and saw nothing following them. She clamped her hands back together and prayed. If you were really a slave, you wouldn't last a day here, you know, Damon informed her, taking a final leap into space and then setting her down on invisible – but at least level – ground. I wouldn't want to, Elena sent coldly. I swear, I'd rather die. Be careful what you promise, Damon flashed his splendid smile down at her suddenly. You may end up in other dimensions trying to fulfill your word. Elena didn't even try to one-up him. They were out, free, and racing through the glass house down to the stairs to the lower floor – a little tricky in her state of mind, but bearable – and finally out the door. On the grass of the Great Ballroom they found Meredith and Bonnie†¦and Sage. He was actually in white tie as well, although his jacket strained at his shoulders. In addition, Talon was sitting on one – so the problem might be taken care of fairly soon, as she was ripping the material and drawing blood. Sage didn't seem aware of it. Saber was at his master's side, looking at Elena with eyes too thoughtful to be mere animal eyes, but without malice. â€Å"Thank God you came back!† Bonnie cried, running to them. â€Å"Sage came and he has a marvelous idea.† Even Meredith was excited. â€Å"You remember how Damon said we should have brought a diviner? Well, we have two now.† She turned to Sage. â€Å"Please tell them.† â€Å"As a rule, I don't take these two to parties.† Sage reached down to scratch under Saber's throat. â€Å"But a little bird told me that you might be in trouble.† His hand moved up to stroke Talon, ruffling the falcon's feathers slightly. â€Å"So, dites-moi, please: Just how much have you two been handling the half-key you do possess?† â€Å"I touched it tonight and in the beginning, the night we found it,† said Elena. â€Å"But Lady Ulma handled it and Lucen made a chest for it and we've all handled that.† â€Å"But outside the box?† â€Å"I've held it and looked at it once or twice,† said Damon. â€Å"Eh bien! The kitsune smells should be much stronger on it. And kitsune have very distinctive smells.† â€Å"So you mean that Saber – † Elena's voice gave out for pure faintness. â€Å"Can sniff out anything with the smell of kitsune on it. Meanwhile, Talon has very good eyesight. She can fly overhead and look for the glint of gold in case it's in plain sight somewhere. Now show them what they will be searching for.† Elena obligingly held out the crescent shaped half-key for Saber to sniff. â€Å"Voil! And Talon, now you take a good look.† Sage backed away to what was, Elena supposed, Talon's optimal seeing distance. Then when he came back, he said, † Commen;ons!† and the black dog exploded away, nose to ground, while the falcon took off in grand, high, sweeping circles. â€Å"So you think the kitsune were on this grass?† Elena asked Sage, as Saber began racing back and forth, nose still just above the grass – and then suddenly veered out onto the middle of the marble steps. â€Å"But assuredly, they were here. You see how Saber runs, like a black panther, with his head low, and his tail straight? He has business in hand, him! He is hot on the scent.† I know someone else who gives off the same feeling, Elena thought as she glanced back at Damon, who stood with his arms folded, motionless, coiled like a spring, waiting for whatever news the animals would bring. She happened to glance at Sage at the same moment, and she saw an expression on his face that – well, it was probably the same expression she'd been wearing a minute ago. He glanced at her and she blushed. â€Å"Pardonnez-moi, Monsieur,† she said, looking away quickly. â€Å"Parlez-vous fran;ais, Madame?† â€Å"Un peu,† Elena said humbly – an unusual condition for her. â€Å"I can't really keep up a serious conversation. But I loved going to France.† She was about to say something else, when Saber barked once, sharply, to attract attention and then sat bolt upright at the curb. â€Å"They came or left in a carriage or litter,† Sage translated. â€Å"But what did they do in the house? I need a trail going the other way,† Damon said, looking up at Sage with something like raw desperation. â€Å"All right, all right. Saber! Contremarche!† The black dog instantly turned around, put its nose to the ground as if it afforded him the greatest delight, and began running back and forth across the stairs and the lawn that formed the â€Å"Great Ballroom† – now becoming pitted with holes as people took shovels, pickaxes, and even large spoons to it. â€Å"Kitsune are hard to catch,† Elena murmured into Damon's ear. He nodded, glancing at his watch. â€Å"I hope we are, too,† he murmured back. There was a sharp bark from Saber. Elena's heart leaped in her chest. â€Å"What?† she cried. â€Å"What is it?† Damon passed her, grabbed her hand, and dragged her in his wake. â€Å"What has he found?† Elena gasped as they all reached the same point simultaneously. â€Å"I don't know. It's not part of the Great Ballroom,† replied Meredith. Saber was sitting up proudly in front of a bed of tall, clustering pale lavender (deep violet) hydrangeas. â€Å"They don't look like they're doing too well,† said Bonnie. â€Å"And it's not below any of the upper ballrooms, either,† Meredith said, stooping to get at Saber's height and then look up. â€Å"There's just the library.† â€Å"Well, I know one thing without a question,† Damon said. â€Å"We're going to have to dig up this flower patch and I don't fancy asking Ms. Larkspur-eyes-Now-I-have-to-kill-you for her permission.† â€Å"Oh, did you think they were larkspur, her eyes? Because I thought of bluebells, rahthah,† said a guest behind Bonnie. â€Å"Did she really say she had to kill you? But why?† another guest, nearer to Elena asked nervously. Elena ignored them. â€Å"Well, let's put it this way, she's certainly not going to like it. But it's the only clue we've got.† Except, I suppose, if the kitsune meant to leave it here, but then took off in a coach, she added voicelessly to Damon. â€Å"So that means the show can commence,† cried one of the young vampire fans, stepping toward Elena. â€Å"But I don't have my amulet back,† Damon said flatly, moving in front of Elena like an impenetrable wall. â€Å"But you will in minutes, surely. Look, couldn't some fellows backtrack with the dog to wherever the bad guys came from – came to the estate from, if you get me? And meanwhile we can be getting on with the show?† â€Å"Can Saber do that?† Damon asked. â€Å"Follow a carriage?† â€Å"With a fox in it? But of course. Actually, I could go with them,† Sage said quietly. â€Å"I could make sure that these two enemies are caught if they are on the other end of the trail. Show them to me.† â€Å"These are the only shapes I know.† Damon reached out two fingers and touched Sage's temple. â€Å"But, of course, they'll have more forms, possibly infinite ones.† â€Å"Well, they are not our priority, I assume. The, ah, amulet is.† â€Å"Yes,† Damon said. â€Å"Even if you don't land a blow on them, get the key half and race back.† â€Å"So? Even more important than revenge,† Sage said softly, shaking his head in wonder. Then he added quickly. â€Å"Well, I will wish us good luck. Any adventurous types who want to go with me? Ah, good, four – very well, five, Madame – is enough.† And he was gone. Elena looked at Damon, who was looking back with blank, black eyes. â€Å"You really expect me to do – that – again?† â€Å"All you need to do is stand there. I'll make sure you lose as little blood as possible. And if you ever want to stop we can have a signal.† â€Å"Yes, but now I understand. And I can't handle it.† His face went cold suddenly. Shutting her out. â€Å"You're not required to handle anything. Besides, isn't it enough if I say it's a fair bargain for Stefan?† Stefan! Elena's entire body went through some sort of elemental change. â€Å"Let me share it,† she begged, and knew that she was begging and knew what Damon was going to say. â€Å"Stefan is going to need you when we get out. Just make sure you can handle that.† Stop. Think. Don't bash his head in, Elena's brain told her. He's pushing your buttons. He knows how to do it. Don't let him push your buttons. â€Å"I can handle both,† she said. â€Å"Please, Damon. Don't treat me as if I were – one of your one-nighters, or even your Princess of Darkness. Talk to me as if I were Sage.† â€Å"Sage? Sage is the most frustrating, cunning – â€Å" â€Å"I know. But you talk to him. And you used to talk to me, and now you're not. Listen to me. I can't bear to go through this scenario again. I'll scream.† â€Å"Now you're threatening – â€Å" â€Å"No! I'm telling you what will happen. Unless you gag me, I'll scream. And scream. As I would scream for Stefan. I can't help it. Maybe I'm breaking down†¦.† â€Å"But don't you see?† Suddenly he had whirled around and taken hold of her hands. â€Å"We're almost at the end. You, who've been the strongest all along – you can't break down now.† â€Å"The strongest†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Elena was shaking her head. â€Å"I thought we were right there, on the verge of understanding each other.† â€Å"All right.† His words came as hard chips of marble now. â€Å"What if we do five?† â€Å"Five?† â€Å"Five strokes instead of ten. We'll promise to do the other five when the ‘amulet' is found, but we'll run when we do find it.† â€Å"You would have to break your word.† â€Å"If it takes that – â€Å" â€Å"No,† she said flatly. â€Å"You say nothing. I'll tell them. I'm a liar and a cheat and I've always played with men. We'll see if I can't finally put my talents to good use. And there's no point in trying any of the other girls,† she added, glancing up. â€Å"Bonnie and Meredith are wearing gowns that would fall right off if you slashed them. Only I have a bare back.† She pirouetted in place to show off how her dress met only very high at the neck in a halter and very low in the back in a V. â€Å"Then we're agreed.† Damon had a slave refill his goblet and Elena thought: we're going to be the tipsiest act in history, if nothing else. She couldn't help but shiver. The last time she had felt an inner trembling was from Damon's warm hand on her bare back as they danced. Now, she felt something much icier, just a draft of cold air perhaps. But it drew her mind to the feeling of her own blood running down her sides. Suddenly Bonnie and Meredith were there beside her, forming a barricade between her and the increasingly curious and excited crowd. â€Å"Elena, what's happened? They said a barbarian human girl was to be whipped – † began Meredith. â€Å"And you just knew it had to be me,† completed Elena. â€Å"Well, it's true. I don't see how I can get out of it.† â€Å"But what have you done?† Bonnie asked frantically. â€Å"Been an idiot. Let some fraternity-type vampire boys think that it was a sort of magic act,† Damon put in. His face was still grim. â€Å"That's a little unfair, isn't it?† Meredith asked. â€Å"Elena told us about the first time. It sounded as if they jumped to the conclusion that it was an act all by themselves.† â€Å"We should have denied it then. Now, we're stuck with it,† Damon said flatly. Then, as if he were making an effort, â€Å"Oh, well, maybe we'll get what we came for, anyway.† â€Å"That was how we found out – some idiot came running down the steps yelling about an amulet with two green stones.† â€Å"It was all we could think of,† Elena explained wearily. â€Å"It's worth it for Damon and I to do this if only we can find the other half of the key.† â€Å"You don't have to do it,† Meredith said. â€Å"We can just leave.† Bonnie stared at her. â€Å"Without the fox key?† Elena shook her head. â€Å"We've already been through all that. The unanimous decision was to do it this way. She looked around. â€Å"Now where are the guys that wanted to see it so much?† â€Å"Looking in the field – that used to be a ballroom,† Bonnie replied. â€Å"Or getting shovels – lots of 'em – from Bloddeuwedd's gardening compound. Ow! Why'd you pinch me, Meredith?† â€Å"Oh, my, did that pinch? I meant to do this – â€Å" But Elena was already striding away, as eager now as Damon was to get it over with. Half over with. I just hope he remembers to change into his leather jacket and black jeans, she thought. In white tie – the blood – I won't let there be any blood. The thought was sudden and Elena didn't know where it came from. But in the deepest reaches of her being, she thought: he's been punished enough. He was trembling in the litter. He thought about another person's well-being from minute to minute. It's enough now. Stefan wouldn't want him to be hurt any more. She glanced up to see one of the Dark Dimension's small, misshapen moons moving visibly above her. This time the surrender she made to it was bright red, a feather shining in sullen crimson light. But she gave herself up to it unreservedly, body and soul, and it rested on the hallowed spring of eternal blood that was her womanhood. And then she knew what she had to do. â€Å"Bonnie, Meredith, look: we're a triumvirate. We have to try to share this with Damon.† No one looked enthusiastic. Elena, whose pride had been entirely broken from the moment she first saw Stefan in his cell, knelt down in front of them on the hard marble step. â€Å"I'm begging you – â€Å" â€Å"Elena! Stop that!† Meredith gasped. â€Å"Please get up! Oh, Elena – † Bonnie was a breath away from tears. And so, it was small, softhearted Bonnie who turned the tide. â€Å"I'll try to teach Meredith how. But anyway, we'll at least share it between the three of us.† Hug. Kiss. A murmur into strawberry hair, â€Å"I know what you see in the dark. You're the bravest person I know.† And then, leaving a stunned Bonnie behind, Elena went to collect spectators for her own whipping.

Reforms by the United Kingdom

The delivery of public services has always been directly connected with the stability of a country’s economy. The more stable the economy, the better the public services. In recent years, as the world slowly adjusted to the rise of global markets, many countries began transforming their public sector management (Hughes 2003).Today, management of public services is more flexible and market-based. It has moved from public administration to New Public Management (Hughes 2003). With this paradigm shift comes a shift in the role of government in society. It also redefines the relationship between government and its citizenry.Together with this new orientation of public service management is the need for reforms in the whole structure. These reforms are required to strengthen services in protection, education, recreation and care (Flynn 2002). The stronger economies of the world have taken steps towards these reforms. The United Kingdom is one of these stronger economies that have p rogressively taken the initiative for public service reforms.Major public service reforms began in the United Kingdom (UK) in the 1980’s under the Thatcher government (Hughes 2003). The following pages will try to explain the different reforms in UK’s public service management. It will address the bigger issues that surround it. It will identify the unique qualities of the UK reform programme and present the advantages they may achieve. Through these inferences, a more objective and balanced view of UK’s reform programme will be achieved.Response to the UK Public Sector ReformsThe United Kingdom’s initiative to reform their public service programme is mainly due to fitting of the services with the changing demands of the times. The rise of living standards, coupled with the growing diversity of citizenry calls for the change in public services (Prime Minister’s Office 2002).In the 1980’s, under the leadership of then PM Margaret Thatcher, th e first major steps to public reforms were taken. At the center of these reforms is the wide-spread initiative to privatize services (Flynn 2002). Towards the end of the decade, management of basic services, gas, water and electricity, were transferred under private control (Flynn 2002). Apart from these, four other major government controlled corporations also were given up to private enterprises.Privatization was not the only way to reform public service management. Soon after the turn-over of basic services to private control the central government and the National Health Services began outsourcing many of their functions and services.In 1997 however, under the leadership of PM Tony Blair, a new campaign was launched to further reform the public service management. Public services were believed to have been suffering from under-funding (Prime Minister’s Office 2002).However a strong economy is essential for the reforms. The Blair administration then began working on buildi ng a stronger, more stable economy.The ultimate objective of the 1997 reforms is to provide everyone with real opportunity and security (Prime Minister’s Office 2002). In three years time, the UK finally experienced a sort of rebirth within the public services. In 2000, health services and education have never been better. Reform plans did not end here. Long-term goals to uplift standards in the areas of transport, education, criminal justice system and health were designed.The road to these reforms has been tough. The setbacks and controversies are inevitable. There needs to be a genuine partnership between the government and people in the front line. The desire for reforms has propelled public service in the forefront of many political and social debates (Darwall 2005).One of the biggest concerns with the current reform programme lies in policy and communication confusion (Wintour, 2007). The government is clear with its vision for reforms. However, it does not provide a co herent framework for action (Darwall 2005). While the reforms are meant to increase efficiency, the citizens do not feel this happening.Modernized civil service is actually the consistent delivery of better services and getting the best value for public funds (Darwall 2005). The question lies on accountability for the use of these public funds. The UK’s public service history shows that bad decisions made create obligations and consequences across generations.Debates arise because of this very reason. While one group sees the necessity of spending to provide better public services, the other fears that much spending may not necessarily increase the level of efficiency in delivering these services (Douglas, Richardson, and Dobson 2003).The reforms brought about the founding of different agencies (Armstrong and Ford, 2000) to handle such use of public funds. However there is growing concern about the qualifications of people managing these agencies. Public servants are not nece ssarily managers. Improvement of efficiency requires a great deal of management (Darwall 2005). Even the best policies can easily crumble in the hands of those who are not fit to handle them.The growing impression about these newly established agencies then is that they do not do not speed up delivery of services. On the contrary, these agencies, while under the supervision of less experienced managers, slow down the process of public service.In fact the popular notion about these agencies is that they rather make collaboration and cooperation more difficult. The formation of these agencies is one of the most debated issues concerning the reforms.Ethical issues are also being raised against the reforms. The shift of public service towards a market based orientation makes the definition of boundaries between what is public and what is private more difficult (Public Administration Select Committee 2002).Interface between public sector and private enterprise is becoming more evident. P rivate businesses are becoming more involved in providing public services. More and more then, ethical concerns are raised.There is growing clamor to cultivate and strengthen the ethical considerations in public service management. It is important to ensure that ethics are not lost or put aside, especially at a time when services are being delivered in new ways by new providers (Public Administration Select Committee 2002).In public service there should always be a way to check impartiality, accountability, trust, equity and probity. This is the key to keeping the ethical considerations in public service management whilst implementing its reforms.From the time of PM Thatcher in the 1980’s to the reform programme of PM Blair in 1997, the UK public sector has underwent alterations both in policy and implementation. However caution has been taken. Reforms have been worked on reforms slowly. Unrestrained expansion usually results in policy failure (Lane 1993). Both the government and its citizenry agree.There is no doubt that reforms are a welcome idea for everyone. The promise of better services being delivered more efficiently and consistently can be actualized (Public Administration Select Committee 2002). The government is confident about their plan. The have laid down the strategies to achieve them. Even then, the citizenry is skeptical. There are many issues surrounding these reforms.The government admits there are hurdles along the way of reforms. The journey towards better services is long and hard. But the government has a strategy. It addresses the questions of improving national standards, devolution of responsibility, increasing flexibility and providing better choices (Prime Minister’s Office 2002).The citizens are waiting patiently. So far, reforms have been implemented but the issues still remain. Somehow the general impression is that the strategies set by government are not being translated into actual action (Public Administration S elect Committee 2002).Some improvement in the areas of education and health has been achieved. The question is, is it enough to address the growing demands of society?The citizenry of UK sees very little results from the reforms. They seem to pale in comparison with the growing demands of an ever evolving society. Successful reforms are transformational. This only means that the impact of these reforms should be strong enough to affect all areas of life.Unique Qualities of UK Public Sector Reforms  While the UK’s reforms remains heavily debated and scrutinized, there is no doubt that it is one of the most dynamic. In public service history, the UK programme has been one of the most studied. Many parallelisms have been made on the reforms. Many other similar programmes have been initiated based on its working history.The reforms are based on the three important E’s in public service management. They are economy, efficiency, and effectiveness. This is one unique charac teristic of the UK programme.The wide-spread privatization instituted by the Thatcher administration applied this premise (Flynn 2002) in all the transactions. Before the Cable and Wireless turn-over in 1981, a comprehensive study on its advantages was conducted to prove its viability under these three considerations.Apart from this unique way of assessing possible changes in servicing, the programme has proven to be very resilient. It has withstood challenge in the past. And it continues to withstand challenges today. Even the strongest challenge against its agenda control and policy review (Parsons 1995) could not deter the progression of its reforms.In fact it is this very same resiliency that brought about a big improvement in health care. The persistence in the area of health reforms provided increase in health care workers by at least 40,000 in seven years.There are two working concepts of the UK Public Sector Reform Programme, the â€Å"best value review† and â€Å"co mprehensive performance assessment† (Harris, 2003). These two working concepts provide a basis for check and balance of the reforms.This is unique to the programme. It also sets the tone on how reforms should be made. The UK government works very closely with organizations like Reform to objectively assess the veracity of the reforms. It is through studies conducted by organizations like Reform that insures that equity and environmental impact are not overlooked in the formulation of reforms.

Free Essays on “The Reader“ By Wallace Stevens

Why Writing is Important To inform, share, present facts, persuade, record, and learn; these are all reasons that we write. These reasons lead us to the conclusion that we write out of a profound need to communicate. In fact the thesaurus states that â€Å"communicate† and â€Å"write† are synonymous. According to James Kinneavy, there are four basic purposes for writing: to express yourself, to inform a reader, to persuade a reader, and to create a literary work. Expressive writing allows you to express your thoughts and feelings. An example of expressive writing would be keeping a diary. Writing of this type is an outlet for expression of deep personal feelings. Expressive writing is meant only for the author to read. As soon as it is intended for public reading it evolves into more of a literary work. Informative writings’ purpose is to provide information. This type of writing is most commonly found in textbooks, encyclopedias, newspapers, ect. Expository writing is one of the more basic purposes for writing. The aim of informative writing is relay information to the reader with a minimum of bias. The goal is not to persuade but to teach. Persuasive writing seeks to change a person’s opinion on a subject. This is done through presenting a logical argument to combat that person’s known opinion through the use of examples and reasons that back up your point of view. Some examples of this type of writing are newspaper editorials, letters to the editor, reviews, and even sermons. Literary work, our final purpose, has many uses. It is meant to entertain, evoke feeling, and in some cases persuade. There are so many different genres in this type of writing that it would take years to explain all of them. This type of writing is the one most of us are most familiar with. All of these basic purposes for writing, although so overwhelmingly different are still used for one purpose, communication. Without communica... Free Essays on â€Å"The Readerâ€Å" By Wallace Stevens Free Essays on â€Å"The Readerâ€Å" By Wallace Stevens Why Writing is Important To inform, share, present facts, persuade, record, and learn; these are all reasons that we write. These reasons lead us to the conclusion that we write out of a profound need to communicate. In fact the thesaurus states that â€Å"communicate† and â€Å"write† are synonymous. According to James Kinneavy, there are four basic purposes for writing: to express yourself, to inform a reader, to persuade a reader, and to create a literary work. Expressive writing allows you to express your thoughts and feelings. An example of expressive writing would be keeping a diary. Writing of this type is an outlet for expression of deep personal feelings. Expressive writing is meant only for the author to read. As soon as it is intended for public reading it evolves into more of a literary work. Informative writings’ purpose is to provide information. This type of writing is most commonly found in textbooks, encyclopedias, newspapers, ect. Expository writing is one of the more basic purposes for writing. The aim of informative writing is relay information to the reader with a minimum of bias. The goal is not to persuade but to teach. Persuasive writing seeks to change a person’s opinion on a subject. This is done through presenting a logical argument to combat that person’s known opinion through the use of examples and reasons that back up your point of view. Some examples of this type of writing are newspaper editorials, letters to the editor, reviews, and even sermons. Literary work, our final purpose, has many uses. It is meant to entertain, evoke feeling, and in some cases persuade. There are so many different genres in this type of writing that it would take years to explain all of them. This type of writing is the one most of us are most familiar with. All of these basic purposes for writing, although so overwhelmingly different are still used for one purpose, communication. Without communica... Free Essays on â€Å"The Readerâ€Å" By Wallace Stevens Why Writing is Important To inform, share, present facts, persuade, record, and learn; these are all reasons that we write. These reasons lead us to the conclusion that we write out of a profound need to communicate. In fact the thesaurus states that â€Å"communicate† and â€Å"write† are synonymous. According to James Kinneavy, there are four basic purposes for writing: to express yourself, to inform a reader, to persuade a reader, and to create a literary work. Expressive writing allows you to express your thoughts and feelings. An example of expressive writing would be keeping a diary. Writing of this type is an outlet for expression of deep personal feelings. Expressive writing is meant only for the author to read. As soon as it is intended for public reading it evolves into more of a literary work. Informative writings’ purpose is to provide information. This type of writing is most commonly found in textbooks, encyclopedias, newspapers, ect. Expository writing is one of the more basic purposes for writing. The aim of informative writing is relay information to the reader with a minimum of bias. The goal is not to persuade but to teach. Persuasive writing seeks to change a person’s opinion on a subject. This is done through presenting a logical argument to combat that person’s known opinion through the use of examples and reasons that back up your point of view. Some examples of this type of writing are newspaper editorials, letters to the editor, reviews, and even sermons. Literary work, our final purpose, has many uses. It is meant to entertain, evoke feeling, and in some cases persuade. There are so many different genres in this type of writing that it would take years to explain all of them. This type of writing is the one most of us are most familiar with. All of these basic purposes for writing, although so overwhelmingly different are still used for one purpose, communication. Without communi...

Quantum Gravity Definition and Explanation

Quantum Gravity Definition and Explanation Quantum gravity is an overall term for theories that attempt to unify gravity with the other fundamental forces of physics (which are already unified together). It generally posits a theoretical entity, a graviton, which is a virtual particle that mediates the gravitational force. This is what distinguishes quantum gravity from certain other unified field theories   although, in fairness, some theories that are typically classified as quantum gravity dont necessarily require a graviton. Whats a Graviton? The standard model of quantum mechanics (developed between 1970 and  1973) postulates that the other three fundamental forces of physics are mediated by virtual bosons. Photons mediate the electromagnetic force, W and Z bosons mediate the weak nuclear force, and gluons (such as quarks) mediate the strong nuclear force. The graviton, therefore, would mediate the gravitational force. If found, the graviton is expected to be massless (because it acts instantaneously at long distances) and have spin 2 (because gravity is a second-rank tensor field). Is Quantum Gravity Proven? The major problem in experimentally testing any theory of quantum gravity is that the energy levels required to observe the conjectures are unattainable in current laboratory experiments. Even theoretically, quantum gravity runs into serious problems. Gravitation is currently explained through the theory of general relativity, which makes very different assumptions about the universe at the macroscopic scale than those made by quantum mechanics at the microscopic scale. Attempts to combine them generally run into the renormalization problem, in which the sum of all of the forces do not cancel out and result in an infinite value. In quantum electrodynamics, this happened occasionally, but one could renormalize the mathematics to remove these issues. Such renormalization does not work in a quantum interpretation of gravity. The assumptions of quantum gravity are generally that such a theory will prove to be both simple and elegant, so many physicists attempt to work backward, predicting a theory that they feel might account for the symmetries observed in current physics and then seeing if those theories work. Some unified field theories that are classified as quantum gravity theories include: String theory / Superstring theory / M-theorySupergravityLoop quantum gravityTwistor theoryNoncommutative geometryEuclidean quantum gravityWheeler-deWitt equation Of course, its fully possible that if quantum gravity does exist, it will be neither simple nor elegant, in which case these attempts are being approached with faulty assumptions and, likely, would be inaccurate. Only time and experimentation will tell for sure. It is also possible, as some of the above theories predict, that an understanding of quantum gravity will not merely consolidate the theories, but will rather introduce a fundamentally new understanding of space and time. Edited by Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.

Human resources ( Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Human resources ( - Essay Example In my opinion, more emphasis should be place on tax reforms and on the redistribution of funds between the rich and poor district schools. This will help improve the quality of education in public schools in different states. In general, states decide on the amount of funding received by schools and in some instances, there is inequality in the distribution of tax dollars between privileged and poor district schools (Hohenberg, 2010). Poor performing public schools lack the necessary resources and facilities to ensure high education performance thus effective distribution to poor schools will ensure that they have the appropriate funding to acquire the resources and put in place appropriate facilities. The K-12 system in the modern times dictates that funding is tied to performance and this system of tax distribution is unfair. Increasing competition in the K-12 system ensures an improvement in the quality of education (Hohenberg, 2010). This is because the schools in various states will work hard to beat each other. On the other hand, increasing competition is unfair, as it will benefit the schools that have the appropriate resources. Increasing equality in tax distribution among the poor public schools is beneficial, as it will help these institutions acquire the necessary resources needed to improve the quality and access of education. On the other hand, tax redistribution in the poor schools promotes laxity in these institutions. There is need to attain greater equalization in the education system in the US. In public schools, the distribution of funds between schools is clear leading to an inequality in access to benefits and funds. Benefits refer to the educational opportunities present in the system (Kozol, 2012). However, the benefits received argument does not refer to equalization in society, as too much tax burden would be placed on the poor without the ability to pay taxes

An American painting. Winslow Homer Research Paper

An American painting. Winslow Homer - Research Paper Example The artist had done this painting during the last 10 years of his life, when he was 63 years old. The painting of ‘The Gulf Stream’ was created in 1899 and it was a sort of synopsis of the artist’s own lifetime experiences which were steeped in adversity and combined with the memories and reflections of his life. This was not the only painting of ‘The Gulf Stream’ but he had created two other variants of the same with watercolors. In addition to this he also made a few sketches on the same subject. The artist drew inspiration for this painting from different sources. Since he frequently visited Nassau and Florida, his journey took him through the Gulf Stream and this could have been a source of inspiration to him. Studies show that the painting was based on the two winter trips made by the artist to the Bahamas3 in 1884 – 85 and 1898 – 99. Another source of the artist’s inspiration is believed to have come from ‘Mc Cabe†™s Curse’4 which is a Bahamian story that tells of how a British Captain had been robbed and had to survive a terrible storm. Homer also drew inspiration from his father’s death as he was left lonely and abandoned. Painting Description 4 The painting of ‘The Gulf Stream’ was an oil on canvas painting whose dimensions are 28.1 inches by 49.1 inches (71.5 cm x 124.8 cm) Presently, this painting is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.5 The background of the painting shows a rough and violent seascape and a partially lit sky. The center of the painting shows a small rudderless boat, devoid of mast and sails, bobbing up and down on its dark waters. The solitary figure of a man, battling the waves, with huge hungry sharks all around him stands out against the dark background of water. On the right of the boat in the distance a water spout can be seen rising up into the clouded sky. The actual painting of the rough sea is done with brush strokes of blue an d gray that occurs alternating with scant brush strokes of reddish brown. The entire scene is bathed in a creamy white light depicting either dawn or dusk. In the far away distance is the ghostly outline of a ship, very vague in its form and shape, but unfortunately the ship is not noticed by the man in the boat. There is a sort of aesthetic realism6 that is portrayed in this composition. In as much as the author consciously separates the good and evil elements he portrays them together, showing that both good and evil exists in our midst. The helpless man symbolizes vulnerability and abandonment on one hand, but on the other hand he is shown to be calm and at ease among the sharks in the water. Homer’s 5 underlying meaning could have been one of hope with nothing much to fear and suggests strength of character. There is another area of possible symbolism and that is the ebony cross located on the bow of the boat suggesting impending death and a funeral to follow. The open ha tch also could suggest a sort of tomb or a grave. The ethereal ship shown in the distance could symbolize redemption by making peace with ones self. The artist’s use of line and color is so mature showing his experience on oil and canvas. The lines are smooth and the colors such as the shades of grey, blues and creams blend well against each other giving the whole scene an ominous appearance. The color and contours of the figures gives it a dark mood filled with impending danger. From the exquisiteness of the painting it is clearly understood that Winslow Homer was a highly skilled artist of his time. I really liked the painting for its