The Day of Surprise Essay Example For Students

The Day of Surprise Essay Thats so cool! I exclaimed. In my hand was a Valentines Day card which folded to make a spaceship. I was in a Hallmark card shop with my father, looking at cards for the upcoming holiday. If I got you that card now, then it wouldnt be a surprise later, my father logically stated. But its neat! See, it folds into a spaceship. Ill get it for you but just act surprised for your mother when you open the card. Okay dad, I answered as we walked up to the counter. My father paid for the card and we left the store. It was a week before Valentines Day in 1987. I was nine years old and intensely anxious. Expectation for February 14 had overcome every other thought I previously had. It might seem funny to some that I held that one day with such great esteem, but to me it was unlike any other holiday. On Valentines Day I felt loved by everyone. On that day, I would obtain the card that I had picked out from my father. We will write a custom essay on The Day of Surprise specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Classmates would give everyone Valentine cards. Some extremely generous kids would even attach candy to the cards. It didnt matter if you hated each other, on Valentines Day everyone put aside their differences and even presented cards to the children nobody liked. That one day of love seemed to unify the worst of foes through love and forgiveness. I could hardly wait for that day to come. As the night before Valentines Day had rolled around, anticipation had escalated to an all time peak. Nevertheless, it was all set aside as my parents once again started to fight. My brother and I were sent to the car in the garage so that we would not witness them fighting. We knew the routine. I was scared and I could still hear angry voices dueling back and forth. My brother was a senior in high school and even he seemed frightened when they fought. Although he tried to hide his fear, I knew he was afraid when my father would go on a rampage. An hour passed by and my brother and I decided to go back inside. The house was still. A pin could have dropped and we would of heard it. My father had gone to lay down in his bed. This action was suggested by the marriage counselor that my parents had been visiting. Whenever my father got angry, he was supposed to rest until he calmed down. The problem was that he would lay down after he had let out all his anger, verbally or physically. My mother came downstairs. She had gathered some stuff together. Come on, get your jackets and get in the car. After we went to our rooms to get our coats, we went outside and got into our old station wagon that my brother used to drive to school. My brother put the car in neutral and coasted out of our driveway and down the hill. At the bottom of the hill he turned the ignition and drove to a friends house to stay for the evening. My mother called my father from there. I was down in the basement with the two children of the family, talking to them. I mentioned that my parents might get divorced, but in my stomach I knew they wouldnt. How could my parents even discuss such a thing on Valentines Day? Besides, we were talking about my mother and my father. Divorcing only happens to other kids parents. I felt comforted as I drifted off to sleep. The next morning when I woke up, I was sick to my stomach. My allergies to the familys two Siamese cats must have acted up. My mother told me we were going home so to get dressed. We arrived home shortly. As we drove into the driveway I noticed all of the curtains were shut. .u1c04d1d6e3780ae4fa643a15fce2ca94 , .u1c04d1d6e3780ae4fa643a15fce2ca94 .postImageUrl , .u1c04d1d6e3780ae4fa643a15fce2ca94 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u1c04d1d6e3780ae4fa643a15fce2ca94 , .u1c04d1d6e3780ae4fa643a15fce2ca94:hover , .u1c04d1d6e3780ae4fa643a15fce2ca94:visited , .u1c04d1d6e3780ae4fa643a15fce2ca94:active { border:0!important; } .u1c04d1d6e3780ae4fa643a15fce2ca94 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u1c04d1d6e3780ae4fa643a15fce2ca94 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u1c04d1d6e3780ae4fa643a15fce2ca94:active , .u1c04d1d6e3780ae4fa643a15fce2ca94:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u1c04d1d6e3780ae4fa643a15fce2ca94 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u1c04d1d6e3780ae4fa643a15fce2ca94 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u1c04d1d6e3780ae4fa643a15fce2ca94 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u1c04d1d6e3780ae4fa643a15fce2ca94 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u1c04d1d6e3780ae4fa643a15fce2ca94:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u1c04d1d6e3780ae4fa643a15fce2ca94 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u1c04d1d6e3780ae4fa643a15fce2ca94 .u1c04d1d6e3780ae4fa643a15fce2ca94-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u1c04d1d6e3780ae4fa643a15fce2ca94:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: 12 Angry Men Essay We opened the door and stepped into the dark house. I looked around for my father but he wasnt there. I had learned that my father went to stay with a coworker. Where did Valentines Day go? Had I missed it? The whole idea of Valentines Day is to celebrate love and togetherness. Yet the decision to separate had come on this day of unity. I felt nauseous. My mother comforted me and told me my fathers move was temporary. However I now knew what was happening; this .

australias war essays

australias war essays Australias economic and military contribution to the World War 1 allied victory. England entered the First World War on August the 4th 1914, after Germany refused their demands to respect Belgiums neutrality in the war. Australia also entered the war in 1914 for the simple reason it was a British colony, not a sovereign state and it had no choice but to be1 involved in the war. According to Beaumont (1995), Australians felt a deep attachment to England and the outbreak of the war was greeted and embraced in Australia, with great public enthusiasm2. This enthusiasm was due among other reasons to the fact that many of the Australian immigrants and culture had originated from Britain. This deep attachment to the mother country motivated Australia to contribute to and become involved in the allied war effort on many different levels. One of the main contributions Australia made to the allied war effort was its military involvement. Australias first military contribution was its rapid recruitment, formation and dispatch of a military contingent, shortly after the outbreak of the war. Within weeks a force of 20,000 troops, which had previously been promised to the British, was formed, by a flood of volunteers (many thousands of who were rejected because they did not fit the standards of fitness).3 Three months later on the 1st November, 20,000 members of the Australian Imperial Forces (AIF) and two NZ brigades where sailed to Egypt for training. The troops spent four and a half months training in Egypt, until they were sent to the Gallipoli peninsula on the 25th of April 1915, to fight the Turkish. Due to a navigational error the Australian troops landed one mile off course of their intended landing zone, and where faced with unexpectedly perilous and steep terrain. The Australian troops dug in to the steep beach slopes, establishing a tenuous foothold and despite attempts by both sides to overrun...

Congressional Oversight and the U.S. Government

Congressional Oversight and the U.S. Government Congressional oversight refers to the power of the United States Congress to monitor and, if necessary, change the actions of the executive branch, including the many federal agencies. The primary goals of congressional oversight are to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse, and to protect civil liberties and individual rights by ensuring that the executive branch complies with the laws and the Constitution. Derived from its â€Å"implied† powers in the U.S. Constitution, public laws, and House and Senate rules, congressional oversight is one of the key elements of the American system of checks and balances of power.   Key Takeaways: Congressional Oversight Congressional oversight refers to the power of the U.S. Congress to monitor and change, if necessary, the actions of the executive branch, including the many federal agencies.The main goals of congressional oversight are preventing waste, fraud, and abuse, and protecting rights and civil liberties.Congressional oversight is one of the â€Å"implied† powers granted to Congress by the â€Å"necessary and proper† clause of the Constitution.In empowering the legislative branch of government to oversee the executive branch, congressional oversight forms a key element of the system of checks and balances of power. The scope of Congress’ powers of oversight extends to virtually all programs, activities, regulations, and polices implemented by the presidential cabinet departments, independent executive agencies, regulatory boards and commissions, and the President of the United States. Should Congress find evidence that an agency has incorrectly applied or exceeded its powers, Congress can pass a law overruling the action or narrowing the agency’s regulatory authority. Congress can also limit an agency’s power by reducing its funding in the annual federal budget process.   Oversight Definition Dictionaries define â€Å"oversight† as â€Å"watchful and responsible care.† In the context of congressional oversight, this â€Å"watchful and responsible care† is applied through a wide variety of congressional activities, including detailed investigations of program spending appropriations and re-authorizations requests. Oversight may be conducted by standing and select congressional committees, and through reviews and studies conducted by congressional support agencies and staff.   In Congress, oversight comes in many forms including: Hearings and investigations conducted by the standing or special congressional committees;Consulting with or getting reports directly from the president;Giving its advice and consent for certain high-level presidential nominations and for treaties;Impeachment proceedings conducted in the House and tried in the Senate;House and Senate proceedings under the 25th Amendment should the president become disabled, or the office of the vice president becomes vacant;Senators and Representatives serving on presidentially-appointed commissions; andSpecial studies conducted by congressional committees and support agencies such as the Congressional Budget Office, the General Accountability Office, the Office of Technology Assessment, and the Congressional Research Service. Powers of Congress: When ‘Necessary and Proper’ While the Constitution does not formally grant Congress the authority to oversee the actions of the executive branch, oversight is clearly implied in the many enumerated powers of Congress. The power of congressional oversight is further reinforced by the â€Å"necessary and proper† clause (Article I, Section 8, Clause 18) of the Constitution, which grants Congress the power, â€Å"To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.† The necessary and proper clause further implies that Congress has the power to investigate the actions of the executive branch. It would be impossible for Congress to apply its oversight powers without knowing whether federal programs are being administered properly and within their budgets and whether executive branch officials are obeying the law and complying with the legislative intent of the laws.   The U.S. Supreme Court has confirmed the investigative powers of Congress, subject to constitutional safeguards for civil liberties. In the 1927 case of McGrain v. Daugherty, the Court specifically found that, in investigating actions taken by the Department of Justice, Congress had constitutionally considered a subject â€Å"on which legislation could be had or would be materially aided by the information which the investigation was calculated to elicit.† Statutory Mandated for Congressional Oversight Along with the necessary and proper clause of the Constitution, several important laws provide broad mandates for the power of congressional oversight. For example, the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 requires the executive agencies to consult Congress when developing their strategic plans and report on their plans, goals, and results at least annually to the Government Accountability Office (GAO).   Perhaps the most impactful, the Inspectors General Act of 1978 created within each executive branch agency an independent watchdog Office of Inspector General (OIG) assigned to investigate and report on problems of waste, fraud, and abuse to Congress. The Reports Consolidation Act of 2000 requires the OIGs to identify and report the most serious management and performance problems within the agencies they monitor.   Indeed, one of the first laws passed by the First Congress in 1789 established the Treasury Department and required the Secretary and the Treasurer to report directly to Congress on public expenditures and all accounts. Congressional Oversight Committees Today, as in the earliest days of the Republic, Congress exercises its power of oversight largely through its congressional committee system. The rules of both the House and Senate allow their committees and subcommittees to practice â€Å"special oversight† or â€Å"comprehensive policy oversight,† on issues relating to legislation under their jurisdiction. At the highest level, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, have oversight jurisdiction over virtually every area of the federal government.   In addition to these and other standing committees, Congress has the power to appoint temporary â€Å"select† oversight committees to investigate major problems or scandals within the executive branch. Examples of inquiries conducted by select committees include the Watergate scandal in 1973-1974; Iran-Contra affair in 1987; and the suspected acquisition of U.S. nuclear weapons by China in 1999.  Ã‚   Famous Examples of Congressional Oversight Over the years, government officials have been exposed and ousted, major policies have been changed, and the degree of statutory control over the executive branch has been increased as a result of Congress’ oversight powers. In 1949, a select Senate subcommittee discovered corruption within the administration of President Harry S. Truman. As a result, several agencies were reorganized and a special White House commission was appointed to investigate evidence of corruption in all areas of government.In the late 1960s, televised hearings of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on the so-called Pentagon Papers solidified public opposition to continued U.S. participation in the Vietnam War, hastening the end of the conflict.Less than a year after details of the 1973 Watergate scandal were exposed, the House Judiciary Committees impeachment proceedings against President Richard Nixon resulted in his resignation from office.  More recently, during 1996 and 1997, the Senate Finance Committee investigated and confirmed whistleblower reports from Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax collection agents that they had been pressured by their supervisors to harass citizens who claimed they had been wrongly accused o f owing unpaid taxes. As a result, Congress, in 1998, passed legislation to reform the IRS by creating a new independent oversight board within the agency, extending the rights and protections of taxpayers, and shifting the burden of proof in tax disputes from taxpayers to the IRS. In these and countless other cases, the power of congressional oversight has been essential in monitoring and checking the powers of the executive branch and helping improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of federal government operations in general. Sources Halchin LE (2012). â€Å"Congressional Oversight.† CRS report to Congressâ€Å"Congressional Oversight of the Executive.† Joint Committee on the Organization of Congress. US House of Representativesâ€Å"McGrain v. Daugherty.† Oyez.org

Muslims in America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Muslims in America - Essay Example This discovery was monumental because it revealed that Muslims had inhabited America from the beginning. The third contributor, Alexander Webb, is believed to be the first American to convert to Islam. This was recorded in 1888 and then five years later he was appointed as the first Muslim in British Parliament. 2. From the 1970s to the 1990s, the number of mosques established in America increased considerably, partly due to conversion for which the dominant number of converts are African-Americans, but also due to the influence of settlement patterns resulting from immigration. As Muslim families grew in size so did their needs for places to worship. There are now more than 1500 mosques, compared to 600 in 1980, 230 in 1960 and 19 in 1930. One of the major factors that helped the emergence of Muslim Ethnic Mosques was the article written soon after the race riots of 1967 and 1967 in Newark, NJ. The East Orange Record also reported that the East Orange Deputy Police Chief praised the Muslim population as a 'stabilizing influence' in the area, and noted 'an almost zero percent crime rate within the Islamic community. While crime rates were lower in Muslim communities, many citizens still struggled with the cultural ignorance of most Americans. They fought to make their religion understandabl e and accepted by the mainstream society. 3. 3. The initial introduction of Islam in Africa occurred in 639 A.D. when the Arabs began exploring North Africa. As the religion grew across the continent, many Africans were being brought to America. In America, for many African Americans their first exposure to Islam was because of their slave ancestry and history. Today, The African-American Muslim community is diverse and complex in its theological beliefs and the way in which Islam became a mainstay in the lives of many African Americans can be traced back to the Great Depression of the 1920s and 1930s. During this time, many African Americans migrated out of the southern states to the east in search of a better life. The eastern United States had the highest populations of Muslims at the time, and they reached out to help the African American travelers in their time of need. By recognizing African American's poor housing and economic conditions, Islamic followers in the eastern United States fought to improve the lives of the A frican Americans and their influence was lasting, with many converting to the faith and passing it on to their future generations. 4. There are several different factors influencing the race relations between African Americans and the immigrant community. African Americans have struggled and have revealed that in their living experience of Islam, it is not always singularly a manifestation of culture. Often traditional Muslims are at odd with African-American Muslims who are not binded by a singular cultural expression or see that Islam is culture itself. Many believe that the tensions also arise because African-Americans are very aware of racism and discrimination. Many African American's feel that traditional Muslims treat them as inferior due to the fact that they were not the original Muslim race. These tensions can be seen in acts of violence specifically n the San Francisco Bay area of California. Here a string of liquor store robberies have been aimed at stored owned by traditional Muslim citizens. It was soon discovered that the criminals were African American

Write 2 page essay Bring Your Own Technology(BYOT) Educational

Write 2 page Bring Your Own Technology(BYOT) Educational Technology - Essay Example Thus personalized learning tools, empower students and teachers for better learning environment and better understanding. At one hand the technology displays positive aspects encompassing- better indulgence of 21st Century learning skills, fostering a greater commitment with learning as it seems to be more environment friendly and tasks could be accomplished at faster pace. Educationalists believe that augmentation in education technology should empower students to make use of high tech gazettes and therefore they advocate for the implementation â€Å"Bring Your Own Technology† or â€Å"Device† initiatives (popularly known as BYOT, or BYOD). Under this program students are encouraged to fetch their own portable gadgets, tablets, and laptops to make their use in the classroom. Students should be accustomed to use the technology to successfully accomplish the targets and for better understanding. The technology displays disparity as there is a difference in equity and status, for some students it is not possible to afford personal devices for learning. Uniformity of devices- All the students as well as teachers must possess similar kind of equipments- Smart Phones, Pads, Tablets, Laptops, or Nintendo DS. Moreover infrastructure of the school must also support the devices. In some schools, mobile devices are banned as they intensify behaviour issues, distraction from studies and it becomes troublesome for the teachers also to design the lessons appropriately to teach through the portable devices. Students on the other hand must be sincere and dedicated to use portable devices for studies only in school and not for amusement or entertainment. Security reasons also a point of concern what sites students are accessing, is it permissible to their age or not? Thus the goals and motives of the BYOT technology should have a vision and outlook to cover-up

Why IT doesnt matter Essay Example for Free

Why IT doesnt matter Essay 1.Explain the difference between a proprietary technology and an infrastructural technology. a.Proprietary technology is confidential information that is taken and used to gain a competitive advantage. Small businesses can own proprietary technologies and can be used to maintain a long term advantage; gaining higher profits than rival companies. Infrastructure technology is computer hardware, software, data, storage technology, and networks providing a portfolio of shared IT resources for the organizations. Infrastructure technology is greatly valued when shared among companies versus kept in seclusion. 2.Name two circumstance where an infrastructural technology provides a distinct competitive advantage. a.One example of the advantage of having infrastructural technology is having a product or service before it is invented or offered by someone else. A second example would be companies offering a unique corporate culture and offering extensive benefits or perks to keep employees motivated. In turn this will increase not only productivity but also will allow their employees to maintain motivated and achieve satisfaction. 3.Why is the competitive advantage of infrastructural technologies relatively short lived? a.The competitive advantage of infrastructural technologies is short lived due to the constant desire to better a product. Companies who come out with the newer or advancement of a particular product will have competitors fighting to come out with the next newer or advanced product and so on. Therefore, innovations only remain new for a certain time frame before another company precedes them. 4.What arguments does the author provide that IT is an infrastructural technology? a.IT is an infrastructural technology due to the extensive advancements that are constantly being produced by multiple companies and businesses. Infrastructural technology is a constantly changing field as IT is constantly being advanced and the use of IT has also been adapted by many organizations and industries as common practice. 5.To what does the author attribute the success of companies who appear to have used technology to their long-tern competitive advantage, such as Walmart and Dell? a.Dell and Walmart waited to make IT advancements until experimental technologies proved beneficial. By waiting to invest in IT, the fore running companies had spent more and in the end resulted in a financial loss due to outdated technology.

Enigmatic Quirigua :: essays research papers

One of the last lowland Mayan cities to collapse, existing well into the 9th century, Quirigua, lies today in the still grasses of the Motagua Basin. This 1,200 years old Mayan city is the focus of the article. The ruins of Quirigua are found amidst a banana plantation established at the turn of the century by the United Fruit Company. Some of the executives of the United Fruit Co. were interested in archaeology and decided to keep the central plaza from being plowed over. The surrounding smaller buildings are now part of the banana plantation. Nine monolithic sandstone monuments, called stelae, with dated texts of hieroglyphs, defining the beginnings and the end of the Classic Period of Maya Civilization, from about 300 to 900 AD, is what makes Quirigua an attraction to archeologists. The stelae remain the principal written chronicles of this lost civilization, as well as the key to their highly advanced calendric system. Other Mayan centers erected stelae much earlier and in greater profusion, but the stelae at Quirigua are unsurpassed in their style and technique. Like most Mayan monuments, they were erected to commemorate the passage of time, significant historic events, and also served as â€Å"billboards advertising the kings‘ standings with the Maya godsâ€Å" (as the author of the article points out). During its brief period of erecting stelae, from the early 8th century until 810 AD, Quirigua was one of only two cities to regularly erect monuments marking the end of five-year periods (the quarter-katun, or hotun). The enormously heavy material needed for the construction of the stelae had to be transported from large distances and there is no evidence to show the usage of wheels or animals. These huge monolithic sculptures, weighing up to 65 tons, were artfully carved without the benefit of metal tools. Stone chisels, driven by other stones or wooden mallets, were the only tools available; and yet the Mayan sculptors achieved such a high level of artistry; the carvings, apparently, were done before the stones were lifted up to their vertical positions. This fine collection of gigantic stone sculptures is arranged in a regular pattern on the main plaza at Quirigua, the Great Plaza. The city is believed to have served as an important way station between Copan and Tikal. The greatest leader of Quirigua, during whose reign seven of the nine stelae were erected, was Cauac Sky (or Kawak Sky) founder of the Sky Dynasty, who ruled the city for sixty years. Enigmatic Quirigua :: essays research papers One of the last lowland Mayan cities to collapse, existing well into the 9th century, Quirigua, lies today in the still grasses of the Motagua Basin. This 1,200 years old Mayan city is the focus of the article. The ruins of Quirigua are found amidst a banana plantation established at the turn of the century by the United Fruit Company. Some of the executives of the United Fruit Co. were interested in archaeology and decided to keep the central plaza from being plowed over. The surrounding smaller buildings are now part of the banana plantation. Nine monolithic sandstone monuments, called stelae, with dated texts of hieroglyphs, defining the beginnings and the end of the Classic Period of Maya Civilization, from about 300 to 900 AD, is what makes Quirigua an attraction to archeologists. The stelae remain the principal written chronicles of this lost civilization, as well as the key to their highly advanced calendric system. Other Mayan centers erected stelae much earlier and in greater profusion, but the stelae at Quirigua are unsurpassed in their style and technique. Like most Mayan monuments, they were erected to commemorate the passage of time, significant historic events, and also served as â€Å"billboards advertising the kings‘ standings with the Maya godsâ€Å" (as the author of the article points out). During its brief period of erecting stelae, from the early 8th century until 810 AD, Quirigua was one of only two cities to regularly erect monuments marking the end of five-year periods (the quarter-katun, or hotun). The enormously heavy material needed for the construction of the stelae had to be transported from large distances and there is no evidence to show the usage of wheels or animals. These huge monolithic sculptures, weighing up to 65 tons, were artfully carved without the benefit of metal tools. Stone chisels, driven by other stones or wooden mallets, were the only tools available; and yet the Mayan sculptors achieved such a high level of artistry; the carvings, apparently, were done before the stones were lifted up to their vertical positions. This fine collection of gigantic stone sculptures is arranged in a regular pattern on the main plaza at Quirigua, the Great Plaza. The city is believed to have served as an important way station between Copan and Tikal. The greatest leader of Quirigua, during whose reign seven of the nine stelae were erected, was Cauac Sky (or Kawak Sky) founder of the Sky Dynasty, who ruled the city for sixty years.