The Diffusion and Adaptation of Public Achievement in Northern Ireland †An Activist’s Perspective. :: Politics Political

The Diffusion and Adaptation of Public Achievement in Northern Ireland – An Activist’s Perspective Acknowledgements – This paper and its presentation was made possible by funding from the European Programme for Peace and Reconciliation, Measure 4.1, from the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister, Stormont, Belfast. The author would also like to acknowledge the assistance of his Northern Ireland based and international colleagues, and the patience beyond reason of his family, Kim, Raffy and Evie. ‘For years I would not let the dark gods of politics and religion possess me. Unlike many of my age and background, I had made that mythic leap and crossed the Jordan. My Protestant working-class background and all its shibboleths would not contain me. I chose to ask questions and not accept ready made answers. We discover our own answers if we have the will to do so; and if we are not afraid of the confrontation with ourselves that such a journey might entail. †¦Those who ‘cross the Jordan’ and seek out truth through a different experience from the one they are born to, ... theirs is the greatest struggle. To move from one cultural ethos into another, as I did, and emerge embracing them both demands more of a man than any armed struggle. For here is the real conflict by which we move into manhood and maturity. For unless we know how to embrace the other we are not men and our nationhood is wilful and adolescent. Those who struggle through turbulent Jordan waters have gone beyond the glib definitions of politics or religion. The rest remain standing on either bank firing guns at one another. I had had enough of gun-fire, the rhetoric of hate and redundant ideologies.’ Brian Keenan – An Evil Cradling (p16) Introduction In telling the story of Public Achievement in Northern Ireland, I want to employ 3 interweaving narratives – personal, organisational and societal. The organisational spans the period from May 1998 to the present (November 2003), as does much of the societal - though I will touch on some historical and more recent events and developments to illustrate this story. I approach the subject as a participant, a practitioner and one who has invested large chunks of my life in pursuit of more humane, democratic and life-enhancing ways of living in what has been a brutal and stunting place.

Ernest Hemingway Legend Essay

Ernest Hemingway is the ideal of an American legend, rugged, no-nonsense, with personal adventures rivaled only by those in his groundbreaking fiction.   His sparse newspaper style created a literary furor and his success came early and grew until the day he died.   In addition to his canonical novels, Hemingway was also adept at short fiction, including one only six-words long.   Besides, his male bravado, he also managed to capture the alienating effects of modern life in his fiction.   The modern themes of abortion, feminism, and alienation are expressed simply and eloquently in â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants.† In the short story â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants,† Hemingway explores modern alienation in a tense discussion between a couple waiting for a train.   Two Americans in Spain, the man is trying to pressure the woman into some operation, though it is never revealed what this operation is.   Throughout the tense, yet sparse conversation, the man insists she have the operation, yet the woman resists.   It becomes increasingly clear that the operation they discuss may be an abortion, and the tension between the two symbolizes something uniquely modern.   Though abortions have been performed for centuries, it remained taboo until the twentieth century. Hemingway, though never specifically citing abortion as the subject in the story, displays the alienating effect it has on relationships and couples:   â€Å"‘It’s really an awfully simple operation, Jig,’ the man said. ‘It’s not really an operation at all.’   The girl looked at the ground the table legs rested on. ‘I know you wouldn’t mind it, Jig. It’s really not anything. It’s just to let the air in’† (Hemingway).   The man refuses to completely acknowledge the significance of the situation, perhaps suggesting either his refusal or dismissal of Jig’s role as a woman worthy of making her own decision. According to critic Paul Lankin, â€Å"as the man persists in opposing the continuance of Jig’s maternity, he grossly oversimplifies the issue, even to the point of self-contradiction, calling abortion first ‘an awfully simple operation’ and then ‘not really an operation at all’† (234).   His dismissive attitude speaks of a former socially acceptable condescension by men towards women during a time when women were often treated as second class citizens.   This frank discussion between the man and the woman seems only possible in modern literature and seems unimaginable during Victorian times. The tension between the man and the girl is palpable in the short story.   Though they are travelers, imbibing alcohol and waiting for the train to their next destination, the conversation is filled with underlying themes of male dominance and female perseverance.   The man continuously belittles the girl’s feelings towards the pregnancy, and his argument includes many attempts at downplaying the importance.   The man persistently tries to convince her, even though he seems to feign sincerity in much of his words: â€Å"‘Well,’ the man said, ‘if you don’t want to you don’t have to.   I wouldn’t have you do it if you didn’t want to.   But I know it’s perfectly simple’† (Hemingway).    The girl does her best to contend with the man, believing that if she listens to him the relationship will be back to normal.   She hides her worry with levity, including her comment about the hills looking like white elephants.   It becomes apparent that more than fear over the procedure, the girl is coming to the realization that her relationship with the man is not what she thought it was: â€Å"the girl clings to a dream of family and togetherness until the last minute, and finally decides to give it all up as the requisite price of staying with the man-not knowing, as the reader does, from the many hints provided by Hemingway, that the man is likely to leave her, even if she goes through with the abortion† (Hashmi 3). Her final declaration that she is fine is the affirmation that a man cannot dictate her womanhood and her life decisions.   In the end, she becomes the one with the strength and wisdom, understanding that the relationship is forever changed.   The newfound disconnect between the man and the girl will be permanent after this episode, exemplifying the theme of alienation brought by many modern decisions. Though the man believes that the only way to preserve the comfortable relationship is to maintain the status quo, even if it means aborting their baby, the woman disagrees.   The American tries to make himself sound perfectly reasonable and rational, but as the dialogue continues, it becomes clear that he is both selfish and hypocritical (â€Å"Overview: Hills Like White Elephants†). The couple’s disagreement, about something as monumental as creating human life, is a clear sign that they have little that bonds them other than their superficiality.   The girl even comments in the beginning of the story how, â€Å"That’s all we do, isn’t it – look at things and try new drinks?’† The man responds, â€Å"I guess so† (Hemingway).   Later, when the man claims that everything will be the same after the abortion and the baby is the only thing that made them unhappy, it seems like a statement lacking all truth. The very fact that keeping or aborting a baby is a choice, is a uniquely modern issue.   The reality of having to even consider it completely destroys their carefree lifestyle as travelers in Europe, and underlines their existences as solitary beings alienated from each other.   Ironically, the man claims that he only wants her and no one else, but his statements seem insincere. The girl realizes their alienation from each other and the happiness they once knew with the â€Å"claim that Europe ‘isn’t ours anymore,’ which expresses her knowledge that such an innocent return to a secularized American-in-Europe experience of time is impossible† (Grant 3).   Europe is not theirs to share, seemingly as if enjoyment is also no longer theirs to share.   The complexity of their modern dilemma illustrates the true distance between them. Hemingway’s story is one that could only be written during modern times.   Though not many years removed from the Victorian Age, the themes of abortion, feminine independence, and modern alienation have continued to echo throughout the literature of modernity.   While short and devoid of lengthy descriptions, the dialogue and significant themes give â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants† a lasting power that only continues to grow as time goes by. Works Cited: Grant, David. â€Å"Hemingway’s ‘Hills Like White Elephants’ and the tradition of the American in Europe.† Studies in Short Fiction. Summer, 1998. 25 July 2008. . Hashmi, Nilofer. â€Å"‘Hills Like White Elephants’: The Jilting Of Jig.† The Hemingway Review.   Fall 2003. 25 July 2008. . Hemingway, Ernest. â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants.† The Heath Anthology of American Literature.   Lauter, Paul.   3rd Ed.   Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1998. â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants.† Short Stories for Students, Vol. 6. The Gale Group, 1999. Lankin, Paul. â€Å"Hemingway’s Hills Like White Elephants.† The Explicator. Summer 2005; v63.

Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla

Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla was born on May 8th, 1753 to Cristobal Hidalgo y Costilla and Ana Maria Gallaga near Penjamo, Guanajuato. He was considered a Criollo or Mexican of Spanish descent that had been born in the New World. He was a very intelligent man who knew several languages, read French literature and wrote texts in Aztec. In 1773 Hidalgo y Castillo received his bachelor’s degree in theology from the Colegia San Nicolas in Valltolid. He was ordained in 1778 and became the priest for the village of Dolores, Guanajuato in 1803. Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla was an unusual priest. Contrary to Church doctrine, Hidalgo y Costilla was known to gamble, dance, challenge the papacy of Rome and keep a mistress. He was also known to speak out against the king of Spain. In 1803, when Hidalgo y Costilla was the priest of Dolores, his house was a well known gathering place. It was the equality in the house that drew people, with poor Indians and castes socializing with Spanish and criollos.  Ã‚   Current events and literary topics were frequently debated, but Hidalgo's orientation grew more scientific as time passed. He was not so interested in literary cultural enlightenment, and was more concerned with the development of social consciousness and economic awareness.   (Hamill 82) Hidalgo y Costilla was very interested in developing Dolores’s ability to be economically self sufficient. Colonists were prohibited from producing many different types of commodities and this made its difficult, if not impossible, for the colonists to become self supporting. Two of these were wine and silkworms, both of which Hidalgo y Costilla encouraged. With the French seizure of Spain in 1808, the imposition of Joseph Bonaparte on the throne, and the creation of the Cà ¡diz junta, Mexico exploded into crisis. The instability revealed acute  social divisions within Mexico. The upper classes sought to establish an autonomous government that would represent their interests, and the lower classes struggled against the dominance of the local elites.†Ã‚   (Kirkwood 75) There were many groups and each had their own list of grievances but they did have a few issues in common. One major criticism was Spain’s inability to govern Mexico properly. Another was the social identity change going on with the Mexicans. They were becoming proud of themselves as a people and changing the attitude that anything European was possibly superior. In 1810, the audiencia in Mexico City took power from Francisco Javier de Lizana y Beaumont. The audiencia was not any better at maintaing stability than any of the others and fearful of weak government leadership, semi-secret groups began meeting to discuss the nations future. To avoid detection, they disguised themselves as debate clubs or literary discussion groups. One such group was the Literary and Social Club of Querà ©taro, of which Father Hidalgo y Costilla was a member. â€Å"Noted as a defender of the downtrodden, well read, and with a capacity to forcibly express his ideas, he emerged as an important participant in the literary club in Querà ©taro.† (Kirkwood 79) It was due to these qualities and the encouragement he had shown the people regarding the creation of their own industries that Hidalgo y Costilla had become the leader of a revolution. Tired of the oppression of Spanish rule, he began planning for Mexico to gain its independence. â€Å"By 1810 Hidalgo's main energies were devoted to conspiring for an uprising that he hoped would lead to Mexican independence. The center of the conspiracy was the city of Querà ©taro, some fifty miles southeast of Dolores on the road to Mexico City. His fellow conspirators, also  criollos, planned to organize an insurrection and seize power from the peninsulares and their al lies. Initially, as a ruse, they would declare their fealty to King Ferdinand VII, but their clear final purpose was independence† (Smith 12,13) The government got word of the uprising and start arresting people who were suspected of participating. Hidalgo y Costilla was informed that this was happening and decided to take action. Racing to the church, he used the bells to call all the parishioners to him and proceeded to make a stirring speech against bad government known as the Grito de Dolores (Shout from Dolores). This speech described the situation and feeling in Mexico so aptly that it is considered the beginning moment of Mexico’s independence and made Hidalgo y Costilla a historical icon. Inspired by the Grito de Dolores, an army of 700 followed Hidalgo y Costilla on a march towards Guanajuato, by the time they were nearly there, the army had grown to almost 20,000 men. Despite his stirring speeches and large crowd of followers, Hidalgo y Costilla soon found he was in charge of an unruly mob rather than a trained army. They overtook the granary at Guanajuato and defeated the royalist soldiers but soon after Hidalgo y Costilla’s mob began destroying property, burning and pillaging and killing landowners and their families. â€Å"These excesses redoubled the resolve of the viceroy in Mexico City to put down the rebellion. Hidalgo and his military commanders were excommunicated, and royalist forces were raised to march north and engage Hidalgo's troops   (Smith 13) It was at this point that Hidalgo y Costilla made his biggest military mistake. He did not realize the forces guarding Mexico City were weak and unprepared. If he had marched on Mexico City and taken it, the war for independence would have been over at that point. Instead he and his mob headed to Queretaro, but when they were defeated, they retreated back to Guanajuato. Hidalgo y Costilla and his army tried to escape to the United States when a large, well trained royalist army appeared outside of Guanajuato, but they were captured before they could cross the border. Hidalgo was arrested, charged and found guilt of heresy and treason. He was also excommunicated by an ecclesiastical court. Now he was no longer considered a priest and was a traitor to the Spanish. â€Å"On the morning of July 30, 1811, the day after his degradation from th   priesthood, Hidalgo went before a firing squad in the courtyard of the former Jesuit College which had been his prison since April.† (Hamill 216) Despite the charges and his execution, Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla remains a hero to the people of Mexico. In Dolores, the Casa de Don Miguel Hidalgo, where he lived from 1804 to 1810, is full of furniture and document exhibits from that time. The Museo de la Independencia, or Independence Museum, has been converted from the old prison into a historical arts center. A larger than life bronze statue of Miguel Hidalgo graces the center of the park and all around Dolores are opportunities to purchase Talavera, a type of porcelain introduced by Father Hidalgo. Matamoros, Mexico boasts a main square featuring monuments to Hidalgo and others who lost their lives in the Mexican War of Independence. More tributes and monuments are found throughout Mexico, Texas and surrounding areas. Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla may not have been a war savvy general but his genuine concern for the plight of his people and his encouragement to fight for an independent Mexico has truly made him the â€Å"Father of Mexican Independence.† Works Cited Anderson, Geri. Dolores Hidalgo: Mexico’s Cradle of Independence. 2007. 7 Mar. 2007 Hamill, Hugh M. The Hidalgo Revolt: Prelude to Mexican Independence. Gainesville, FL: University of Florida Press, 1966. Questia. 5 Mar. 2007 . Kirkwood, Burton. The History of Mexico. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Questia. 5 Mar. 2007 . Smith, Clint E. Inevitable Partnership:   Understanding Mexico-U.S. Relations. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner, 2000. Questia. 6 Mar. 2007 .                                             

Average ACT Scores What They Mean For You

Average ACT Scores What They Mean For You SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The average ACT score for US students is a 21. The middle 50% of students score between a 16 and a 24. The following chart breaks down the nationwide average by section: English Math Reading Science 20.3 20.9 21.3 20.8 However, when you’re thinking about college admissions the nationwide average isn’t important: what really matters is the average score of the students you’re being compared with. If you’re a high achieving student applying to very selective schools you’ll need a score much higher than the national average. If, on the other hand, you’re applying to certain state schools, a 20 is a totally acceptable score. Really, the National Average Doesn't Matter If you're worrying about your ACT scores, it's probably because you want to use them to apply to college. But the national average includes every student who takes the ACT (a grand total of 59% of students who graduatedin 2015), including many who don't intend to go to college butare required to take the test as part of a statewide assessment program. When you’re applying to college or for scholarships you aren’t competing against all of these students, you’re only competing against the other students applying for that school or scholarship. The key isto have an average or higher score compared to the students you’re competing against- the national average is thus pretty much meaningless for your purposes. Let's talk about some numbers that might be more helpful in terms of setting a goal for yourself. How to Compare Yourself to Your Peers If you're still curious about how you compare to other students in a general sense, you might want to check outhow your ACTscores compare to those of other students like you, i.e. those with similar grades and backgrounds. Generally speaking, the easiest way to understand where you fall in this range is to find out the average ACT score at your high school. If you're a high-achievingstudent looking at competitive colleges, you mayalso want to consider how you stack up with other honor students. Keep in mind, though, that when it comes to college applications, these numbers are only marginally more meaningful than the national average. Average ACT Score for Your High School If you want to knowthe average ACT score at your high school, just google â€Å"[your school] ACT scores.† This approachwill be most effective if you attend a public school in a state with mandated ACT testing, though many private schools list these scores on their websites. If the SAT is generally more common where you live, you can try looking for the average SAT score and then converting it to an ACT score. Average ACT Score for Honor Students Students with high GPAs also tend to have high ACT scores. For students in the top â…“ of their class, the average ACT score is 27. For those in the top 1/10, it’s 30. These numbers shouldn’t stress you out, however, since as we’ll go over below, what’s really important is how you compare to the other students applying to the same school as you. The Key Number: the Average ACTScore for Your Ideal College As I explained above, the value of an ACT score lies in whether it can get you into the school of your dreams, not in how it compares to other student's scores. Thus, you'llneed to look up the average ACT scores for admitted students at the schools you want to apply to, in order to determine your score goal. Most schools list a range of ACT scores (the 25th-75th percentile) rather than a single number. You can look this info up by googling "[college name] ACT scores" or"[college name] ACT scores Prepscholar."Then use this worksheet to calculate your exact target score based on all the schools you’re interested in. Keep in mind that there's a considerablerange inwhat kind of scores colleges expect: the most selective schools generally have average ACT scores between 32 and 35, somewhat selective schools have average ACT scores in the mid to high twenties, and less selective schools have average ACT scores in the high teens and low twenties. You don't need to panic just because you don't have a 36. What's Next? If you haven't reached your score goal just yet, givesome of our freeACTprep resources a try. Start with the 5 general strategies you must know and then break yourprep down by section with our ultimate guides to reading, English, science, and math (coming soon). Or perhaps you'd fare better with the SAT? Usethese guides to decide whether you might prefer to focus on the other test, whether its current incarnation or the redesigned version that arrives March 2016:the ACT vs. the current SAT and the ACT vs. the new SAT. What ifyou're already scoring well on the ACT, but are struggling with a low GPA?Try these suggestions for how to work around your low grades. Disappointed with your ACT scores? Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically. Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article! Tweet Alex Heimbach About the Author Alex is an experienced tutor and writer. Over the past five years, she has worked with almost a hundred students and written about pop culture for a wide range of publications. She graduated with honors from University of Chicago, receiving a BA in English and Anthropology, and then went on to earn an MA at NYU in Cultural Reporting and Criticism. In high school, she was a National Merit Scholar, took 12 AP tests and scored 99 percentile scores on the SAT and ACT. 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TOK Essay Writing Guide For 2017

TOK Essay Writing Guide For 2017 What is a Tok Essay TOK stands for Theory of Knowledge. The TOK essay was conceptualized by the International Baccalaureate. The essay is to be between 1200 and 1600 total words, and is written on one of the topics that the IB has established. These are also known as titles. If you are in an International Baccalaureate program at your school, achieving a good grade on the TOK essay is imperative if you wish to graduate with this endorsement on your diploma. The paragraphs that follow will help you to select the best title, master the TOK essay format, do your research, take notes and create an working outline, and even guide you to some useful writing samples. We hope these guidelines will help to answer any questions you have, and that you will be able to formulate a plan for success. You know that IB students have advantages that include being highly sought after by colleges and universities and having a greater chance at becoming successful during and after the college years. By mastering the TOK essay format, you will truly be helping yourself. TOK Essay Title Selection Unlike other essays, you cannot simply choose from an unlimited number of topics. Your essay must be selected from one of the prescribed titles created by the International Baccalaureate Organization for 2017. Then, your essay must meet additional criteria. Specifically, it must be related to one of the eight areas of knowledge that have been defined by the IB. Selecting TOK Essay Titles: Areas of Knowledge Here are the eight areas of knowledge that a student in an IB program must master: History Mathematics The Arts Ethics Religious Knowledge Systems Human Science Indigenous Knowledge Systems Natural Science Choosing TOK Essay Titles 2017: Understanding The Questions Each year, a new set of questions are created for students to cover in their essays. These can be easily found online as the IB makes these public. What’s more important is to understand exactly what you need to do when writing about these topics. These aren’t the same as your standard custom writings. Understanding The Purpose of TOK Essay Topics Let’s Take a Look at Some TOK Essay Topics From Previous Years Here are some sample essay topics that are loosely based on some of the titles established for 2017. We’ll discuss exactly what information is being sought in each of these examples. Remember that each essay should in some way establish your understanding of knowledge and the learning process itself. This gives your instructor the opportunity to conduct a thorough assessment of your critical thinking skills. 1.Explore The Human Nature of Pattern Seeking a.Suggested Areas of Knowledge: There’s a lot that could be explored here with regard to perception and expectations. Science and religious knowledge systems could be two potentially interesting areas to dig into further. b.What to Cover: The dangers of relying on perception instead of examination. The ways in which pattern seeking impacts our ability to obtain new knowledge and to vet information we receive. 2.Explore Knowledge Traditions And Various Methods of Correcting Knowledge a.Suggested Areas of Knowledge: Ethics and natural science are definitely two areas where tradition and developing means of correcting the knowledge that informs or is informed by traditions. b.What to Cover: Traditions are difficult for people to let go of, especially when they are associated with religion or culture. How do you encourage corrective action without insulting traditions. 3.Write About Facts And Theories And How They Relate a.Suggested Areas of Knowledge: Human or natural science combined with indigenous or religious knowledge systems really seem to fit here. However, History would be an excellent addition to this. b.What to Cover: Theories are ideally based in fact, however many people using correlation rather than causation to draw conclusions. The result is faulty theories. Then there is the problem with poorly vetted facts. Explain how outdated or incorrect information impacts the development of theories. 4.What Happens When Subject Matter Experts Don’t Agree With Each Other? a.Suggested Areas of Knowledge: With this topic, any of the areas of knowledge could be excellent for potential exploration. b.What to Cover: When building their own knowledge, people turn to experts. How do they discern what to believe when the experts themselves disagree on important matters? Can external influences change the way that experts view or spin the truth? Climate change would be a great topic to use as an example for this question. 5.Looking at Historic Events With The Benefit of Hindsight a.Suggested Areas of Knowledge: History, Indigenous Knowledge Systems, Religious Knowledge Systems, and Ethics are all very good topics for an essay on this subject. b.What to Cover: It’s easy to judge the actions and behaviors of citizens, religious leaders, and political leaders when we have the benefit of historical perspective. However, by doing so we can prevent ourselves from gaining full insight into the way that situations impact   human behavior. Maybe explore how to write historical text in a more sympathetic way. 6.Write About The Knowledge And The Difficulty of Producing Knowledge a.Suggested Areas of Knowledge: Because this is such a broad question, once again all areas of knowledge could be subject to exploration here. b.What to Cover: The idea here is that the harder you have to work to obtain knowledge the more you will value it. Do you agree or disagree? You might address the topic of privilege here. How to Know Which TOK Essay Topics Are Best For You So, how do you pick the right topic? Look at each extended example above. As an IB student, you are familiar with all of the areas of knowledge. You might also consider looking at an exemplar online for each question that you are considering. Just google tipstok essay example, and you will likely find something. Mostly, you should pick a question that speaks to you, and apply the areas of knowledge that you can best show your academic and personal development. Planning Your Essay First and foremost, study the rubric that your teacher provides for you. This will be an amazing guide. Unfortunately, it is not complete. You may have to follow up and get more information on the standards for marking your essay. Here are the criteria by which your essay will be assessed. You must show that you have developed the ability to think critically. Focus on demonstrating self-awareness, and consider multiple perspectives on the issues you are addressing. Use concrete examples. The structure that you use is very important. It must have a logical flow. References must be cited. Factual accuracy is of utmost importance. Don’t make a declaration on any page without backing it up. Show the mastery that you have developed with regard to the knowledge issues. Your format is important. However, it is even more important that you demonstrate an adequate depth of knowledge and insight. Starting Your Essay As you begin writing your introduction, keep in mind that you have a limit of 1200 to 1600 words. Your thesis and introductory paragraph will really drive the length of your essay. If your focus is too narrow, you will struggle to meet the word count that you need. If your focus is too broad, you will go over the limit. You should probably spend at least 50 percent of your essay writing on creating your thesis statement. It is truly the foundation of what you are going to present to your instructor. Be sure that it is very well thought out, and that you can back up your thesis with plenty of evidence as well. Tips For Success Here are some tips that can help you to succeed: While you need to backup your statements of fact with sources, remember that this is a reflective essay. Here, you can share your thoughts and opinions. Don’t be afraid to use examples that are meaningful to you. Remember that MLA is the preferred citation format. Remember that The Phrase ‘How do You Know’ Should be Your Guide Run your essay through a text to speech translator. That will show you how it reads. Essay and punctuation are still important. Self Care During The Essay Writing Process You have worked very hard, and accomplished a lot to get to this point. The theory of knowledge essay is very important. You will need to put in many   hours of hard work. This will be intense, so remember to take good care of yourself. Don’t make the essay the center of your life. Enjoy your friends and keep other academic priorities in mind. Find a physical activity. Walking is amazing. Eat healthy foods and get enough rest. Ask for TOK Essay help when you need it. Connect with students who have already written their TOK essay. Conclusion You can do this! All you have to do is consider which question is best for you, follow the instructions, and know the standards that will be used to evaluate your writing. Take good care of yourself, and you are certain to do well.    Author: Amanda Sparks   huffingtonpost.ca/amanda-sparks/

Quotes From the Film Boondock Saints

Quotes From the Film 'Boondock Saints' Two Irish brothers, Murphy and Connor, feel that theyve been authorized by God to clean up the underworld. Predictably a lot of blood, gore, and swear words follow. Each Boondock Saints quote given below is representative of the colorful dialogue that abounds in the film. Connor Well, a penny saved is worth two in the bush, isnt it? Connor You look like Mush-mouth from Fat Albert. Il Duce The question is not how far. The question is, do you possess the constitution, the depth of faith, to go as far as is needed? Monsignor And I am reminded, on this holy day, of the sad story of Kitty Genovese. As you all may remember, a long time ago, almost thirty years ago, this poor soul cried out for help time and time again, but no person answered her calls. Though many saw, no one so much as called the police. They all just watched as Kitty was being stabbed to death in broad daylight. They watched as her assailant walked away. Now, we must all fear evil men. But there is another kind of evil which we must fear most, and that is the indifference of good men. Murphy Were sorta like 7-Eleven. Were not always doing business, but were always open. Murphy Do not kill. Do not rape. Do not steal. These are principles which every man of every faith can embrace. Murphy [to a Russian gangster] So youre Chekov, huh? Well, this heres McCoy. Find a Spock, we got us an away team. Paul Smecker First of all, Id like to thank whichever one of you donut-munching, barrel-assed, pud-pulling sissies leaked this to the press. Thats all we need now: some sensational story in the papers making these guys out to be superheroes, triumphing over evil. Paul Smecker So Duffy, have any theories to go with that tie? Paul Smecker You know, you Irish cops are perking up. Thats two sound theories in one day, neither of which deal with abnormally-sized men. Kind of makes me feel like Riverdancing. Rocco Ill catch you on the flip side. Yakavetta The 90s are killing me. I shouldnt have done that. Youre not supposed to tell a guy youre gonna kill him no more.

Rites of Passage for Mesai and Nubian culture Research Paper

Rites of Passage for Mesai and Nubian culture - Research Paper Example In the Maasai culture, ceremonies are used as a way of expressing their culture and self-determination. All the ceremonies form a part of their lives because they are rites of passage. The younger Maasai boys and girls get very anxious to reach the right age and qualify to go through these rites of passage. The pre-circumcision ceremony referred to as Enkipaata is the first boy’s initiation. It is arranged by the fathers of the new age-set group. The ceremony is carried out only when the senior warriors have been settled. Boys aged between 14-16 years later move all around their land in a period of about five months giving information that they will be forming their new age-set. The boys going through initiation are offered a house which has been built in their respect. The Maasai prophet, known as Oloiboni, is responsible for choosing the location of the houses where all the boys of the whole community will be initiated. During this process, the chief of the boys, known as Olopolosi, is chosen, although this position is considered by the community as unfortunate. This is because the chief of the boys is the person supposed to carry all the sins committed by members of his age-group. The boys to be initiated are supposed to sleep in the forest, and at dawn they run towards the homestead and go in with a raider’s attitude. They dance throughout the day of the ceremony dressed in loose clothes. It is after this ceremony that the boys are ready for circumcision. The circumcision ceremony is the most important rite of passage in the Maasai community, for men and women. It is the process that develops young girls and boys from childhood to adulthood. However, due to upcoming challenges of civilization and the 21st century, circumcision for Maasai women has been fading over the years. Once a Maasai boy has been circumcised, they become warriors. After becoming warriors, they fully take the responsibility