The Arab Spring Uprising free essay sample

While each country fights for individual basic rights, which are usually area specific, there are a few rights every country is protesting against including government corruption, economic decline, unemployment and abject poverty. Role of Technology Many have speculated on the role of technology and the use of social media in the uprisings of the ‘Arab Spring’, with some going so far as to conjecture the role of technology in the revolutions’ communication and collaboration is unprecedented. West, 2011) The mostly educated and unemployed youth of these countries were at the heart of many of these conflicts and actively used social media sites like Twitter and Facebook to coordinate with fellow protestors in a quick and efficient fashion. (Democratist, 2011) The use of these social networks gave the protestors the ability to share times amp; locations with large groups instantly and allowed them to present a much more organized front than was previously imagined po ssible. We will write a custom essay sample on The Arab Spring Uprising or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page International news sites like Al-Jazeera and Wikileaks provided protestors with the ability to acquire much needed outside news from media not owned by the country’s government and gave protestors the ability to communicate with the world about their trials and triumphs. Internet usage was not always freely allowed by these countries and in the midst of their revolution, President Mubarak’s government cut off internet accessibility throughout most of Egypt for a period of time. Tunisia After what is believed to have been the catalyst for the uprising known as ‘Arab Spring’, Tunisia’s own uprising began in December, 2010 after merchant, Mohamed Bouazizi, caught himself on fire in the middle of Sidi Bouzid to protest police corruption in the country. Not long after that, thousands of civilians began to take to the streets calling for the resignation of then-President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and democratic reform. According to Tunisian government records, approximately 223 people were killed as a direct result of the protests. After 28 days of protests and international media attention, President Ben Ali abdicated his power, fled the country to Saudi Arabia, and his government was removed from power shortly afterward. Since the revolution, the county has had its share of continued protests, held its first semi-democratic elections in over 20 years and has put an interim government into power. Egypt Formed shortly after the Tunisian uprising, Egypt’s own upheaval began on January 25th, 2011 and lasted a full 18 days before wrenching the autocratic President Mubarak and his government from power. During these 18 days, Egypt saw a flood of protests take place around the country and most notably within Cairo’s Tahrir Square; these protests quickly took a turn for the violent with protestors frequently ramping up between Mubarak supporters and the oppositions. Though Mubarak at first refused to step down from the presidency, after international pressure and an escalation of violent protests, he announced on February 10th that he would step down and hand over his presidency to the vice president. In the last year however, protests have continued at the perceived sluggishness of the new governing forces to bring much needed economic and social reforms to the country. Yemen Initially started as a protest over changes to the constitution, corruption and prevalent unemployment, Yemen’s revolution brought with it the ousting of President Saleh. Embattled President Saleh long faced opposition from his inner cabinet from as early as 2009 over governmental corruption, as well as poor social and economic conditions in the country. Protests started on January 27, 2011 and raged for over a year before, after an attempt on his life in June, 2011, President Saleh fled the country and Vice-President al-Hadi took over the governing of Yemen. In February of 2012, Saleh stepped aside and allowed the newly elected President Abd al-Rab Mansur al-Hadi to maintain governance within the country. Amid the recent firings of the deposed President’s inner circle, Ali Abdullah Saleh denounced the revolutions taking place around the Arab world and suggested that peace may not be found easily in Yemen. (Associated Press, 2012) Libya What began as a protest over the conditions for civilian living and corruption, quickly gained steam and formed in a civil bloody war, pitting so-called rebels against those loyal to the current President Qaddafi. After more than 40 years of power, Qaddafi found himself at the helm of a battle for his very Presidency and the nation’s government. Citizens of Libya gained hope from the outcome of Tunisian revolution and six months after the first protests, Colonel Qaddafi was killed by rebel forces; the country was declared liberated from his reign not long after. The revolution in Libya was supported in part by a United States backed coalition which provided air support to the Libyan rebel forces and helped bring an end to the bloodshed and oppression. (The New York Times, 2012) Libya’s fight for independence and liberty, one of the bloodiest in recent memories, has not ended in peace for the Libyan people yet. In 2012, a solid and unifying government has yet to gain control and the country has been broken up into semi-autonomous states with militias governing individual areas. Similar Timing, Different Solutions While there are some similar themes which flow through each revolution, including the timing and as the prevalence of educated, yet unemployed youth protestors, the systems of governments being protested against and the solutions for change vary widely from country to country, as author Lisa Anderson reminds readers in Demystifying the Arab Spring (2011). Since Tunisia’s government, before the revolution, was made up, in large part, by relatives to ousted-President Ben Ali, the country has seen continued unrest as demands for a total change in regime continue and the new government will face virtually starting from scratch in terms of government officials. Egypt, while also carrying a tradition of familial government, in contrast to Tunisia has a powerful military which aided in the circumvention of power from Hosni Mubarak. In direct contrast to Tunisia and Egypt’s relatively smooth transitions from power, Libya became a country at the heart of a civil war with a leader who was determined not to lose power. After Qaddafi’s death, the country’s rebel led coalition has had to begin the process of rebuilding a country torn apart by a bloody war. In the past two year, the world has seen a string of uprisings, dubbed the ‘Arab Spring’, which are really unrelated as a whole and yet contingent upon one another. Without the success of Tunisia’s revolution would Libya, Egypt, or Yemen’s citizens risen up? Personally, I think so. But I also believe the revolutions have fueled one another and the successes and failures of some are felt by the many. While the ‘Arab Spring’ carries on, with countries like Bahrain and Syria still fighting for their freedom and for governmental change, it is easy to see there is a long road of recovery ahead for this region of the world. References Anderson, L. (2011, June).

Spain, England, France, German States, And Russian during the 1700s

Spain, England, France, German States, And Russian during the 1700s Section 1: Spain- The Spanish Empire reached its height during the reign of Charles's son, Philip II, who became king in 1556.- In 1580, Philip II of Spain enforced his claim to the Portuguese throne by invading and conquering the country.- Spain gained control of the Philippine Islands during the late 1500's.- Spain also fought to defend western Europe from the expanding Ottoman Empire. Philip's rule brought the beginning of the Golden Age of Spanish art, a time when writers and painters created some of Spain's greatest artistic works.- Although Philip ruled a worldwide empire and Spain was the strongest nation in Europe, signs of strain began to appear.- Wars, inflation, and poor economic management weakened the country's economy. Philip's attempts to slow or stop the advance of Protestantism in Europe met serious opposition from the Netherlands and England. In the 1560's, the Netherlands rebelled against Spain.English: Coat of arms illustration from a grant of...In 1588, Philip II launched a great Spanish Armada of about 130 ships in an unsuccessful attempt to conquer England. English ships repelled the armada, and storms destroyed many of the Spanish ships during the retreat.- Only about two-thirds of the armada made it back to Spain.- In the 1600's, Spain was weakened by wars, rebellions, economic crises, and weak rulers.- Fighting in the Netherlands continued into the early 1600's. Spain heavily financed the Roman Catholic cause in the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648).- It also fought wars with France and faced rebellions in Portugal and the region of Catalonia in northern Spain.- The last Spanish Habsburg, Charles II, had no children of his own.- In 1700, he named a French duke, Philip of Anjou, as heir to the Spanish throne. Philip was a grandson of France's King Louis XIV, who reigned...

Definition of a Learning-Rich Environment

Definition of a Learning-Rich Environment Homeschoolers have a language of their own that may sometime be confusing to outsiders or newbies. One such term is a learning-rich environment. For some, the term may seem self-explanatory. For others, it may sound intimidating. They may wonder, if I don’t create the perfect environment for my kids, am I going to be a homeschool failure? Fortunately, the definition of a learning-rich environment may vary from family to family, but all definitions will probably encompass a setting in which children are encouraged to learn through natural curiosity and exploration and in which the tools for doing so are provided. Some common components of a learning-rich environment may include some of the following: Books in Relation to Homeschooling There probably isn’t a homeschooling family on the planet for whom a learning-rich environment will not include access to books. To create a setting in which natural learning can take place, children of all ages should have easy access to a variety of reading materials. Easy access may mean bookshelves placed low where young children can reach them. Rain gutter bookshelves provide a highly visual storage idea, which often encourages young readers to explore. Easy access also means placing books in high traffic areas of your home. You may have bookshelves in bedrooms or  your living room (or even your dining room) or you may use your coffee table to strategically place books you think will interest your children. A variety of reading materials may include books, magazines, graphic novels, or comics. It may include biographies, historical fiction, non-fiction, and books of poetry. A learning-rich environment will include ready access to the written word and the freedom to use the materials at will. Its important to teach children how to properly care for books, so you may wish to start with providing free access to sturdier reading material such as cloth or board books if you have young children. Tools for Expressing Creativity A learning-rich environment will typically include ready-access to tools for kids to express their creativity. Depending on the age of your children, these tools may include: Play-doh or modeling clayArt supplies such as paints, brushes, or chalksMusical instrumentsCameras digital or videoCraft supplies such as glue, pipe cleaners, pom-poms, or construction paperHandicraft supplies such as knitting needles or crochet hooks, yarn, sewing notionsBlocks or LEGOsBlank paper and crayonsOld magazines and greeting cards In order to encourage self-directed creativity, it is best to allow open access to art supplies and tools for creative expression. To offset the potential for disaster, you may wish to consider having a specific area in your home for art or leaving only water-based and washable art supplies openly accessible  (just skip the glitter). You might also consider teaching your children to cover their work surface with a plastic tablecloth and provide smocks (over-sized t-shirts work well) for art projects. Tools for Open-Ended Play and Exploration A learning-rich environment will also have the tools necessary for open-ended play and exploration. Dry beans can make the perfect math manipulatives, but can also double as the substrate for a sensory box. Old boxes of varying sizes can be used for building a fort or creating a stage for an impromptu puppet show. Preschool and elementary-aged children can enjoy self-directed learning and play with items like dress-up clothes; old dishes and cookware; or small notepads for playing restaurant or store. Children of a variety of ages will enjoy having access to items such as: Binoculars or a magnifying glassA microscope and/or telescopeField guidesA child-friendly computer or laptop with safe-search options Older kids may enjoy taking apart non-working electronics and appliances. Just be sure to take the proper safety precautions first. The idea is to provide the tools to let your children’s imaginations and natural curiosity take over and direct their playtime. The Value of Learning Stations Learning stations are not necessary for a learning-rich environment particularly if all the elements of the stations are readily accessible to children but they can be a lot of fun. Learning stations or learning centers need not be elaborate. For example, a math station may consist of clear, plastic box filled with items such as: RulersA plastic clock for learning to tell timeCounting bearsRegular playing cards (adaptable for a variety of math games)Buttons for countingTangram piecesA set of plastic shapesA set of diePlay money We had a writing center that was made up of a tri-fold presentation  board with a variety of writing helps (such as a word wall of common words and a printout of a hand with the 5W  questions, â€Å"Who, what, when, where,  and why?†). The board was set up on a table which held a dictionary, thesaurus, a variety of paper, journals, pens, and pencils. You might also consider creating learning centers such as: A reading nookA kitchen centerA science/nature study centerA geography center Again, learning centers don’t have to be elaborate. They can be stored in cabinets; boxes or baskets; on top of a bookshelf; or on a wide windowsill. The key is to make the elements of the learning station visible and easily accessible so that students understand that they are free to explore with the items. Creating a learning-rich environment can also be as simple as a purposeful use of your home and materials. For example, if you have an interest in astronomy and would love to share that with your children, pull out all your astronomy books and place  them around your home. Let your children see you studying the stars through your telescope, and point out to them some of your favorite constellations. It also may mean simply capitalizing on the everyday learning moments and demonstrating through your actions that learning never stops and isnt confined to the 4.5 hour/180 day school year (for example) that your state requires. It may mean simply being okay with the potential mess and with the kids using all those great math manipulatives that you purchased at the homeschool convention for something other than their originally intended purpose. And with any luck, you may discover that creating a learning-rich environment is more about your attitude than the articles in your home.

Drinking and Driving Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Drinking and Driving - Essay Example As a result, we have lost many lives of people through accidents that are caused by drunk drivers (Stearn 49). It is this increased accidents caused by drivers who drink and drive that have left us with many question in regard to what we should do to stop it hence leading to this study. In order to ensure credibility of this study, researchers will use accurate and real time data that will be collected from different departments of traffic across the world (Stearn 77). Decent methods of data collection will also be used so as to enhance credibility and accuracy of the data collected. If we manage to stop people from drinking and driving, we will reduce road accidents by about 50%, and improve transport systems all over the world. Therefore, it is responsibility of everybody to come up and help address this issue (Grosshandler & Grosshandler-Smith 42). Currently, there are many orphans and children with single parents who lost their parents through road accidents that were caused by drinking and driving. Hence, these orphans have become burden to society and government (Grosshandler & Grosshandler-Smith 60). Many families have also lost their breadwinners via drinking and driving hence they live in poverty. Since drinking and driving has proved to be a global problem, all governments are supposed to come together and address it thoroughly. They should use all means possible to ensure that this problem has come to an end (Mendralla & Grosshandler 54). Strict laws and penalties will reduce significantly the problem of drinking and driving. This is because in most countries, traffic laws are not strict thus people do not fear fines which in turn encourage drinking and driving (Mendralla & Grosshandler 63). Drinking and driving is one of the major factors which cause many problems in the by societies and governments all over the world

Doctrine of consideration Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Doctrine of consideration - Article Example As a matter of positive law, the doctrine of consideration crystallized in the reign of Elizabeth I into a number of rules which are still clearly recognizable by the modern common lawyer. First, if a person received a benefit at the hands of the 11romise for which he promised to pay, the benefit was a sufficient consideration: in effect, the promise here was bought and paid for. Second, if the 11romise acted to his detriment in reliance on the promise, so that the non-fulfilment of the promise would cause him actual pecuniary loss, the detriment was a sufficient consideration. ... ions that created debts; In popular etymology this was the very essence of the idea of contract, actus contra actum; With the shift towards liability based on promises, at least on the surface, it was by no means obvious that the same theory should apply, and there developed an alternative formulation of the criteria that marked off binding promises from non-binding ones; by the second half of the sixteenth century this had come to be known as 'consideration' (Ibbetson, 1999, 141). In order to understand its nature and development, it is essential to look at it on two levels, the formal and the substantial. In formal terms, 'it is difficult to talk of any doctrine of 'consideration' before about 1560; While it seems clear that lawyers before this time had the idea that there was some additional factor that was needed to make promises binding, there was no consistent way of describing it; The sources reveal a variety of terms: consideration, causa, recompense, quid pro quo. As the act ion of assumpsit became established, consideration emerged as the term that described the necessary feature. At a straightforward linguistic level, 'consideration' meant little more than 'reason' or 'motive', so that the consideration for a promise can be seen as the reason for which it was made while the standard definition of it found by the early seventeenth century underlines this: 'A cause or occasion meritorious requiring mutual recompense, in fact or in law. Substantively speaking, though, such a definition of consideration seriously misrepresents its meaning' (Ibbetson, 1999, 142) The earliest example of a case in which there is an express averment of consideration is Newman v. Gylbert (1549). The plaintiff declared on a payment of five shillings and also averred that the defendant

Symbols and Symbolism - Pearl as Living Symbol in The Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter essays

Pearl as Living Symbol in The Scarlet Letter      Ã‚  Ã‚   Pearl.   A child born of sin.   Conceived by lust.   Created by impurity.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As the result of her parents fall from grace, she represents the sinfulness of their act, and is a continual tool for the recollection of their dubious deed.   Sent, was she, from the Almighty God as a gift, and a burden of the heart.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "'God gave me the child?' cried she.   'He gave her in requital of all things else, which ye had taken from me.   She is my happiness!- she is my torture, none the less!   See ye not, she is the scarlet letter, only capable of being loved, and so endowed with a million fold the power of retribution for my sin?   Ye shall not take her!   I will die first!'"(109)      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "'There is truth in what she says,' began the minister, with a voice sweet, tremulous, but powerful, insomuch that the hall reechoed, and the hollow armor rang with it - 'truth in what Hester says, and in the feeling which inspires her!'"(110)...      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "'I must be even so,' resumed the minister.'" " 'This child of its father's guilt and its mother's shame hath come from the hand of God, to work in many ways upon her heart, who pleads so earnestly, and with such bitterness of spirit, the right to keep her.   It was meant, doubtless, as the mother herself hath told us, for a retribution too; a torture to be felt at many an unthought-of moment; a pang, a sting, an ever-recurring agony, in the midst of a troubled joy!   Hath she not expressed this thought with the garb of the poor child, so forcibly reminding us of that red symbol which sears her bosom?'"(110-111).      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Pearls gestures, and the essence which her presence pours forth, insinuate to the child's evil roots and the effect there of.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "the child could not be made amenable to rules.   In giving her existence, a great law had been broken, and the result was a being whose elements where perhaps beautiful and brilliant, but all in disorder."... "Above all, the warfare of Hester's spirit, at that epoch, was perpetuated in Pearl.   She could recognize her wild, desperate, defiant mood, the

With whom does responsibility for the Holocaust ultimately lie?

The Holocaust was a shameful display of the exploitation of power to cause great pain and suffering to many. An operation of that magnitude could not have been controlled and implemented by one individual. There are many parties which were involved with Germany and need to be considered when determining where ultimate responsibility lies. Hitler did as early as 1935 make his feelings about the Jewish race clear by making his anti-Semitism public policy in the Nuremburg Race laws. But aside from in â€Å"Mein Kampf†, Hitler made little indication until the last minute that he had given approval for the extermination program, ( even Mein Kampf is not that reliable, because it was written by a young man imprisoned for his beliefs, and he was bound to exaggerate to get his message across and to raise sales profits ). He seems to have kept out of the actual planning and implementation of the killing process, leaving that in the more than capable hands of the Nazi officials, including Himmler, Frank and Heydrich. Many of the ideas such as Ghettos and mass transportation were left under their control, for them to act on their own innitiative. Although he was seen by the public as heavily involved with politics and decision making for Germany, it has since been revealed that Hitler spent a large part of his day relaxing at home, and was often happy to sign papers after only a brief glance. After the virulence shown in â€Å"Operation Barbarossa† towards the Russian Jews, Hitler in speeches tried to convince the public that a good solution had been found to ‘the jewish problem' and should be continued throughout the rest of Europe, hiding the intensity of the mass genocide going on in the country next door to them. He also reffered to the transits as ‘resettlements' for â€Å"appropriate labour duties†, which made the program seem more civilised. Amongst the Nazi leaders, talk was rarely directly about the actual business of the â€Å"final solution† agenda, reffering as Hitler did to program as of â€Å"legalised removal† and â€Å"resettlement†. But it was reported at the trial of Eichmann in 1960 that within private meetings the â€Å"talk was of killing, elimination and liquidation†. Obviously the top officials like Himmler and Heydrich didn't want to give the public the impression that they were intently malicious, but it is clear that they did not have reservations about ordering the police, Wehrmacht and S. S. to carry out there instructions. Himmler was able to directly comit the 800 000 strong S. S. to the tasks of operating the death camps, and so needed no other authority. Most of them believed that they were just doing their duty for Germany and could contently do their tasks without moral objections. Other leaders like Goebbels were passionately anti-semitic and outright about it, but Goebbels with all of his propaganda experience probably conveyed it tactfully. At the Nuremburg trials, many leaders tried to claim ignorance of the program however preposterous that may seem after looking at the evidence, but there is little actual proof of their actions, so there is not much firm indication to support the claims of their responsibility. The earlier T-4 ( euthanasia program ) had been in effect a development program for the search for efficient means of large and refined killings. Some officials such as Bouhler and Brack had been largely involved with T-4 and were able to pass on their extensive knowledge, and implement it in death camps like Treblinka and Belzec. T-4 also demonstrated that mass killings could be carried out by ordinary individuals without hesitation. Having said this, it would be eminently hard to prove that anyone involved with T-4 could have known that their methods would be used to wipeout a race, a process significantly larger and more important (to them) than what they were originally doing. The German army and police were undoubtedly involved to some extent in the program because of the logistics of the operation, but it would be unfair to try to blame them entirely for what they were doing. Some tried to keep a clear conscience by thinking of their victims as â€Å"not men but monkeys in human form†. But on the whole they were just following their orders and doing their jobs. A lot of the German people had, before Hitler came to power in 1933, been Anti-Semitic in varying degrees. Hitler only had to play on their feelings, making his policies reflect what the people wanted to hear. High ranking people, in the civil service, Army and churches, were among the Anti-Semitic thinkers. Prostestants in Germany had for a long time been Anti-Semitic since the time of Martin Luther and the Reformation in Europe. Some policies were frowned upon and met limited opposition, the Catholic church against euthanasia for example, but the actual ‘Holocaust' was affected very little by public protest. The public were often made aware of what was happening to the Jews by allied radio broadcasts, leaflet drops and stories brought home by soldiers who had been on the Russian front. But to many these were just rumours and not taken seriously. Everyone involved with the holocaust was each partly to blame. Hitler was the driving force behind most Nazi policies, but not many were his own. He was blamed by the German people, to forget their own responsibility. Himmler and Heydrich came up with and implemented many plans themselves, and were valuable to Hitler to keep his regime going. There was not enough opposition to earlier programs such as T-4 to stem the violence then, and it spiralled out of control. General public opinion, and even whole national organisations opinions, were too well established in their dislike of Jews to be changed even by mass violence. If it had been changed against Hitler's regime, there would not have been sufficient power to do what the regime achieved.