Why was democracy facing collapse in the wake of the Great War Research Paper

Why was democracy facing collapse in the wake of the Great War - Research Paper Example Although it was meant to make the world safe for democracy from the destruction that millions of civilians recruited for the war experienced and lost their lives, some empires collapsed and some civilians were left homeless from the civil war, the western economies, trade patterns and flow of goods were interfered in the regions.1 In the long run, the democracy struggled for, faced numerous obstacles in operation and seemed unsafe in application with the consequences of the war. The introduction of democracy in most nations involved in the First World War had not strongly been established, and their effectiveness was not appreciated by the people being governed within the short period. Instead, they opted for the former autocratic leadership, which between the WW1 and WW2 some forms of government that exercised full control of the people, the society, and state affairs were formed in some states that failed to retain democracy. According to Brym and Lie, the aftermath of the war, within 1922 to 1942 under the totalitarian rule, 2/3 of the world’s democracies failed because of the communists, fascists and military movements. 2The rule suppressed the rights and will of the people to express themselves in all activities, including occupational, social, and political affairs. Germans, Italians, and Russians democracies were overthrown by the totalitarian or authoritarian rules that imposed dictatorship in the states. In Germany, where the political leadership has a long history of shifts between democracy and dictatorship, the social democratic party that had led to the establishment of the first democratic constitution and government was undermined by the existing legislative house, the reaction of the people due its signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919, and further by the rebellions from the communists. 3 The national socialists (Nazis) later got the opportunity

House Hold Chores Essay Example for Free

House Hold Chores Essay Children should not have to work or help with household tasks; their only responsibility should be to study Helping family with household tasks causes no harm to either adult members or children. On the other hand, housework enables children to learn a number of important life skills and to avoid social evils. After school time, children are able to assist their parents with simple household routines such as tidying their own rooms, cooking simple dishes amp;washing clothes. Such activities teach children essential knowledge and practical experience for their life. During a holiday cooking competition, the winners are the children who are used to doing household tasks in their families. Another example is involvement in daily chores providing children with numerous lessons learnt: time management, awareness of needs, limitations, responsibilities, encouragement them to recognize dos and don’ts. Requesting/ instructing a child to clean his or her dirty shoes after coming from school or to clear up the table after meal doesn’t mean demand him or her to do a hard business, but instead these need to be done. It is obvious that children attributed their knowledge and fundamental skills to housework aiding and implementing. Furthermore, social evils are completely avoidable by assigning housework to children in their free time. Idle children are an underlying cause of easily engaging in harmful activities such as: online games, violent games, fighting and even gambling without any consideration. In a family, simple responsibility allocations do not only maintain them occupied but also raise their consciousness. For instances, children spend most of their spare time taking care of flowers around their house leaving them no opportunities to involve in internet games instead educate them to appreciate and protect nature. The more homework assignments to children, the more knowledge they gain and the less social evils to be addressed. In conclusion, studying is necessary during childhood but participations in household tasks are not bad ideas. Parents give children household chore means giving them valuable chances to experience and protecting them from evils.

Short Story Example | Extreme Kidnap

Short Story Example | Extreme Kidnap Something clicked and my senses turned on; heart pounding, mind wide awake, fists ready for action as I started to hear the rush of wind and a propeller outside, a 12 seater Cessna Caravan. I could see two of my best friends with duct tape around their feet and seated at the back of the cabin next to the luggage compartment. I turned around towards the front of the plane. I could see blood on the ground; I felt the back of my head, and it was wet, sticky wet. I looked further past the blood. My eyes stung from the concentration, but I saw a man lounging on a red seat next to the aisle with a pistol pointed at me. I wiped my eyes to lessen the sting; it helped a little bit. I thought this was all a dream as I attempted to stand. I dragged a knee up, levering myself into vertical. I swayed as I looked at the mans face. It was dirty with red rings under his eyelids. His black hair was lank and greasy. He stood up and waved his gun towards the back of the plane. I continued to stagger to wards him, but something stopped me as I tried to take another step. I looked down to see my friend prostrate on the ground with his hand on my ankle. Tears were forming in his eyes. What was I doing? Im in a plane with people who have guns and two friends who have duct tape around their feet and I am walking towards my death? As I turned around, someone grabbed me from behind and forced me towards the back of the plane. Pain snaked across my upper arm and shoulder. My body was screaming out in agony as I tried to twist away, but all that happened was more pain. A blond haired man with a huge freckle of his chin forced me to sit with my back against the cargo door. Not too far away was the door that was used for exiting the plane. It had a simple red handled lever that was used to open the door. I glanced outside to see if there were any houses down on the ground but no, there was still only the Australian desert. From what I could see there were only small shrub bushes with occasional gum trees. There was no hope of escape. Another man appeared from the cabin carrying three items of baggage; they were a backpack of a sort. He approached us and calmly stated Thank you for being our experiment. We have some clients that want some fun with guns. They are placed on the ground and if they find you or see you they will shoot you. I began to panic. My heart was beating faster. As I looked across at my friends and they were trembling I began to realise what the backpacks were. They were parachutes. I told myself to remain strong and I gave my friends a reassuring pat on the shoulder. The blond haired freckle man spoke this time, Simple as this, you put on these backpacks and jump. I was shoved out the plane with barley enough time to put my parachute on. . It felt nice to be outside putting aside the fact that I was falling towards the ground at an astonishing rate. My lungs lurched out of their normal place right into my mouth, or so it felt like it. It was the biggest whoopsy I have ever had. I pulled the straps tight around me, and then I pulled the rip cord at the front. A small chute about the size of a kids plastic swimming pool opened up. My heart sank and I had the worst feeling in my life. I heard a tearing sound. I looked up and thought the mini-chute was tearing apart, but no, something forced its way out of the bag and pushed against my back. I saw a huge black object about the size of an Olympic swimming pool open up. I slowed down to a steady pace and all was calm, surprisingly. I scanned the sky for my friends, there was nothing except for the wispy white clouds and WHOA!! I exclaimed out aloud, as a large dark object whistled in front of me. It was Jake. I realised he didnt know how to open the chute. I screamed out, Pull the strings! It appeared that he didnt hear me, but after what seemed an eternity a parachute opened. I breathed a sigh of relief. I looked around, beneath, above and beside me. There was no one else, other than Jake, to be found. Could Frankie have fallen past me and crashed on the carpet of brown and green spots? I refused to belief that, and squinted my eyes to look across the sky where the plane was. I focused harder and thought I could see my friend. To confirm my thoughts a mushroom blew up in the sky. How on earth are Jake and I going to find Frankie now? Jake and I had levelled with each other in flight. As we neared the ground, which was about 50metres away, I tensed up for a hard landing. Jake glanced across at me, a nervous look on his face. I shouted out Aim for the clear patch and run when you hit the ground! Jake held up his hand and put his thumbs up. I looked up at the inside of the parachute to see if everything was fine, landing spot was okay, head still pounding but okay, legs sore and stiff; I was ready. In the last few seconds as I came down I started to run in mid air, Jake was doing the same. 4 metres, 3 metres, 2, 1, 0, SMASH, pain shot up my legs, but I continued to run. I slowed down, my parachute folding in on itself, scratches starting to bleed, dust blowing everywhere and legs collapsing under me. I lay there for a moment thinking over what had happened today or yesterday. Bike riding with my friends, kidnapped, drugged, woke up in a plane, forced to jump and now, apparently, prey in the middle of the Australian desert. I dragged myself up and dropped the parachute on the ground. I limped over to Jake who was lying face down on the dark red ground. Checking his breathing, I rolled him over. He had blood dripping out of a cut, just under his chin, but otherwise was okay. I went over to the parachute and tore a strip of fabric of it. As I wrapped the cloth under his chin and over his head, I had to chuckle a little bit. He looked a little like red riding hood. Jake sat up and said, I dont think I will ever do parachuting again in my life. Same here, I replied. I continued in a more serious manner, Okay lets move out, we have no idea how many people are trying to kill us and we have to find Frankie. We got up and began to walk away from the landing site, towards Frankie. The terrain was flat but it was not desirable. There were small knee height bushes covering every bit of land, we couldnt see the ground and I was afraid of being bitten by a snake. There were a few taller shrubs that were my height, but were sparsely spaced out. There were also a few gum trees that I could see in the distance and nothing else of importance. There was an eerie silence; there were no birds, cars engines, horns or people yelling. The silence was totally opposite to the sound of Perth, where I live. We continued our journey towards Frankies landing spot. Both of us had walked 2miles all ready. We came upon a gum tree, it was a large tree and it provided a lot of shade. We stopped and sat for a rest, my throat was dry as parchment and it hurt. My legs were also shaky from lack of food. The sun was getting hotter. It must be near midday I thought. All of a sudden we heard leaves rustling, Jake and I jumped into the nearest bush, because we thought it was someone with a gun. My heart pounded, and prickles went all over my body and started pressing into my skin. Out of the surrounding a voice yelled. Oi! up here. Sweat was pouring out of all my sweat glands, I lay down as flat as I could, it was uncomfortable and I was really scared. I couldnt see my friend and wished the best for him. Then the voice yelled out again, Help me Im stuck in this tree. I looked up without getting out of my hiding spot. In the gum tree I saw Frankie dangling with his parachute snagged on the higher branches. I crawled out of the bush, being careful not to cut myself again. I hoped to my feet and yelled in a happy voice, Frankie! Frankie yelled back, Of all the open shrub land I landed in a tree. I began to laugh and say, Well we landed in the only spot where it has clear ground. Jake came across to where I was standing and glared up and said, How are you going to get down? You are about 2 stories high, dangling in the air with no branches nearby. Frankie shouted back, Ill jump, but first Ill drop this down to you. He reached around and grabbed the zip on his bag and yanked it down, he pulled out a grey plastic shopping bag. He carefully dropped it to the ground; it went clunk and a crackle. I went over and picked the bag up, I glanced inside and there was three one litre mount Franklin bottles. I moved the bottles around and saw a flash of bright red; I reached in more and pulled out three big mars bars. About time I got some good news, I said aloud. Look at below said Frankie as he released the strap and jumped. He landed on the heavy side but was okay. We all sat down and pulled out the water bottles and had a drink. It felt nice, clean crisp cold water running down my dry throat. I had already drunk more than half of the water, but I stopped because we had to ration the water. We got up and walked west. According to Frankies watch by lining the hour hand with the sun, and halfway between the minute hand and the hour hand was north. Head for the ocean was our thinking. We walked for ages, my legs are sore and sweat is pouring out of my back. The terrain was changing there were more mounds in the dirt and uneven ground. There were more trees with greener leaves. While we were walking along taking sips of our water we came across a small gravel cliff. We all began to climb down, however I slipped on the gravel and tried to grab the nearest plants, but I ripped them out as I fell. I clawed my hands against the edge of the rock face, but I couldnt grab anything. I was increasing my speed; it was a 3 story building drop and I was approaching the bottom. I looked down it rounded of a little bit. It flashed through my head as if it were less than a second. I hit the bottom, my legs skidded out from the soft sloping gravel and I hit my head after my hands tried to lessen the impact. I cried out in pain as I yelled for my friends to help me. I lay on the ground with pain coming from my leg, ankle and head. I felt giddy and the world spun around me. Then a supporting hand lifted my head and propped me against a tree nearby. My friends came into view; there were tears in their eyes. I reached over to touch my leg which I couldnt feel. I couldnt see that well so I was going by touch. I ran my hand from my hip down to my knee, over the knee cap, halfway down my lower leg then I reached a bump in my leg, I continued to run my hand down but it wasnt just bent it was broken. It was lucky that I couldnt feel much pain because I would be crying out if I did.

Microphytic Soil Crusts and Desert Ecosystems Essay -- Soil Soils Agri

Microphytic Soil Crusts and Desert Ecosystems Communities of micro-organisms create crusts on soils throughout semi-arid and arid regions of the world. These microphytic (also called cryptogamic) crusts are formed when all or some of a diverse array of photosynthetic cyanobacteria (blue-green algae), fungi, bacteria, lichens and mosses, bind together with inorganic particles in the first few millimeters of a soil. Microphytic crusts are dominant feature in desert soils; they are estimated to represent approximately 70% of desert soil biomass world wide (Belnap 1993). Un-restricted human activity (farming, livestock grazing, recreation) results in the denigration or destruction these prominent crusts. Many claim that soils and soil mechanisms are at the base of other ecosystem functions (Vitousek, Walker, Syers in Gillis 1994). In order to better understand and manage desert ecosystems, it is important to begin to understand how cryptogamic crusts form, what role crusts play in shaping desert soil properties, and further, how crust removal might effect soil quality and ecosystem stability. Crust Formation It is generally thought that the formation of microphytic crusts begins with the establishment of cyanobacteria or agal communities on the soil surface (Campbell et. al. 1989). There are many different types of algae and cyanobacteria which exist in the new crusts, however it is difficult to ascertain which types of organisms are responsible for which processes of early crust formation. Johansen postulates that crusts begin to form when filamentous cyanobacteria (as opposed to diatomic and nonfilamentous cyanobacteria or other algae) colonize the surface of soils in a period of moist weather (1993). As cyanobacter... ...ation and Dehydration. Soil Biology and Biochemistry v. 24:1101-1105. Johansen, J.R. (1993). Cryptogamic Crusts of Semi-arid and Arid Lands of North America. Journal of hycology v. 29:141-147. Loope, W. L., Gifford, G. F. (1972). Influence of a Soil Microfloral Crust on Select Properties of Soils Under Pinyon-Juniper in Southeastern Utah. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation v. July-August:164-165. Metting, B. (1991). Biological Surface Features of Semiarid Lands and Deserts. In Semiarid Lands and Deserts: Soil Resource and Reclamation , Skujins, J.(edt.). Marcel Dekker, Inc, New York. pp. 257-293. Skujins, J. Microbial Ecology of Desert Soils. :62-85. West, N. E. (1991). Nutrient Cycling in Soils of Semiarid and Arid Regions. In Semiarid Lands and Deserts: Soil Resource and Reclamation , Skujins, J.(edt.)Marcel Dekker, Inc, New York. pp. 295-327

Persuasive Bullying Speech Essay

Are you tired of being bullied in school or at work? Are you angry or frustrated because of being bullied, or have you been accused of bullying? Bullying became a personal issue for me about two years ago. My oldest daughter came home from school in tears. The children that had been her closest friends and playmates turned on her while she spent time in the hospital undergoing testing for her epilepsy. They told her that they killed a beloved pet, cut its head off and ran it up a flagpole. Next, they wrote in the bathroom â€Å"We hate you and want you gone†, and signed their names. She had belongings destroyed, and was treated horribly. She also received text messages from the kids who were bullying her, the first two seemed innocent, â€Å"hello†, â€Å"are you Rebecca†, then came â€Å"are we going out tonight†, and â€Å"are you my f†¦ lover. † The school did nothing, using the excuse â€Å"Kids will be kids†, and the police department refused to enforce anti bullying laws. The officer that we spoke to was the same officer that had given a cyber-bullying lecture to the kids just the week before. He told them to come to him anytime with this problem and he would help them, yet when our daughter spoke with him, his response (as well as the Juvenile Prosecutors office) was what do you want us to do. see more:anti bullying speech Unfortunately, this is not an uncommon scenario in today’s schools. According to Lexlee’s Kids. com statics show that every 7 minutes a child is bullied, and 85% of the time no one intervenes. I would like to take a few minutes of your time to speak about anti bullying laws and some of their flaws, the definition and types of bullying, and what drives some children to commit suicide because of the problem and some resources where you can get support on bullying. It is time that we all take a stand, and protect our children. First, anti-bullying legislation has been in the forefront since 1999 beginning with the massacre in Columbine which killed 13 people, wounded 24, and the suicide of the two shooters, yet it is only getting worse. A year later the US Secret Service released an analysis showing that in 37 premeditated school shootings bullying that reached â€Å"torment† was the root cause. They estimate that 60-80 percent of children are bullied at school. Also 1 in 3 young people have experienced cyber threats. Over 25 percent adolescents and teens have been bullied repeatedly through cell phones and internet, and over half of these young people do not tell their parents and one in 5 is reported to the police. According to the United States Dept of Justice, it is reaching â€Å"Pandemic† levels. 49 states have anti bullying laws, with Montana being the only one not having passed legislation. One of the problems is that there are too many gaps in the laws, and the laws are not clear. In Georgia, a boy named Jaheem was being bullied in school, and he committed suicide. The authorities refused to act because in Georgia, anti-bullying laws are only for children in grades 6-12, the reason, Jaheem was in 5th grade. In the Tyler Clementi suicide case in New Jersey the people who bullied him were charged with 15 offences including intimidation and bias, making this a hate crime against a gay man. According to campusprogress. org New Jersey has introduced legislation named in honor of Tyler that prohibits harassment of students for such reasons as race, sex, religion, sexual orientation, ect, and makes cyber-bullying a form of harassment. Second, according to bullyonline. com bullying is the persistent unwelcome behavior, mostly using unwarranted or invalid criticism, nitpicking, fault finding, exclusion, isolation, being singled out and treated differently, being shouted at, humiliated, excessive monitoring, verbal and written warnings imposed, or in the workplace distorted allegations of underperformance. Bullying can come in many shapes and forms, from name calling, physical contact, gang, road rage, cell phones, text messages, email, and social websites. We can all agree that bullying is wrong, and that we all know someone who it has happened to. However, what have you done to help someone who is being bullied? If the answer is nothing, then you are just as guilty as the person/ people actually committing the act. What is the solution to stop this growing epidemic? States can pass laws, but it will take courage from both the victims and bystanders to make sure that the laws are enforced. After all isn’t a student’s safety just as important as test scores?

Definition and Examples of Epigrams in English

Definition and Examples of Epigrams in English An epigram is a concise, clever, and sometimes paradoxical statement or line of verse. Adjective: epigrammatic. Also called, simply, a saying. A person who composes or uses epigrams is an  epigrammatist. Benjamin Franklin, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Oscar Wilde are all known for their highly epigrammatic writing styles.  Irish poet Jane Wilde (who wrote under the pen name Speranza) observed that epigram is always better than an argument in conversation. Examples and Observations The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws.(Tacitus)There are no gains without pains.(Benjamin Franklin, The Way to Wealth)If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead and rotten, either write things worth reading or do things worth the writing.(Benjamin Franklin)The Child is father of the Man.(William Wordsworth, My Heart Leaps Up)The only way to have a friend is to be one.(Ralph Waldo Emerson, On Friendship)A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines.(Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance)In Wildness is the preservation of the world.(Henry David Thoreau, Walking)The old believe everything: the middle-aged suspect everything: the young know everything.(Oscar Wilde, Phrases and Philosophies for the Use of the Young)All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. Thats his.(Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest)No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best fr iend.(Groucho Marx) The only ism Hollywood believes in is plagiarism.(Dorothy Parker)Great people talk about  ideas, average people talk about things, and small people talk about other peopleGreat people talk about ideas, average people talk about things, and small people talk about wine.(Fran Lebowitz)Asked for his  favorite epigram, Karl Marx responded, de omnibus disputandum, i.e., doubt everything.†(Dan Subotnik, Toxic Diversity. NYU Press, 2005)Audiences are always better pleased with a smart retort, some joke or epigram, than with any amount of reasoning.(Charlotte Perkins Gilman)What is an epigram? A dwarfish whole, its body brevity, and wit its soul.(Samuel Coleridge)The art of newspaper paragraphing is to stroke a platitude until it purrs like an epigram.(Don Marquis)A brilliant epigram is a solemn platitude gone to a masquerade ball.(Lionel Strachey)Three things must epigrams, like bees, have all:A sting and honey and a body small.(Latin verse, quoted by J. Symonds, Studies of the Gr eek Poets, 1877) Renaissance Epigrams: Gall, Vinegar, Salt, and Honey In the Renaissance, George Puttenham remarked that the epigram is a short and sweete form in which every mery conceited man might without any long studie or tedious ambage, make his friend sport, and anger his foe, and give a prettie nip, or shew a sharpe conceit [i.e., idea] in few verses (The Art of English Poesy, 1589). Epigrams of both praise and blame were a popular Renaissance genre, notably in the poetry of Ben Jonson. The critic J.C. Scaliger in his Poetics (1560) divided epigrams into four kinds: gall, vinegar, salt, and honey (that is, an epigram could be bitterly angry, sour, salacious, or sweet).(David Mikics, A New Handbook of Literary Terms. Yale University Press, 2007) Types of Epigrams The Epigram is expressed in various ways: A. In the Epigrammatic style. It now refers to a style marked by point and brevity. It does not necessarily involve contrast.B. Emphatic assertion. What I have written, I have written.C. Indirect or concealed statement. A kind of mingling of literal and figurative.D. PunningE. Paradox (T. Hunt, Principles of Written Discourse, 1884) The Lighter Side of Epigrams Jeremy Usborne: Oh come on, mate. How am I going to see Nancy again if you dont give me a pass? She clearly hates me. Mark Corrigan: Well, maybe you should take that as a sign. Jeremy Usborne: Im not giving up that easily. Faint heart never won fair maid. Mark Corrigan: Right. The epigram that starts the stalkers manifesto.(Robert Webb and David Mitchell in Gym. Peep Show, 2007) Pronunciation: EP-i-gram EtymologyFrom the Greek,  epigramma,  inscription