Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Attention has been focused on the emergence of radical groups associated with Islam in Indonesia. Discuss if this is a new phenomenon in Indonesia.

Attention has been focused on the emergence of radical groups associated with Islam in Indonesia. Discuss if this is a new phenomenon in Indonesia. IntroductionIn recent years, there has been a lot of attention focussed on the emergence and activities of radical or extremists groups associated with Islam in Indonesia. But such radicalism is not a new phenomenon in Indonesia. Indonesia has gone through many changes beginning with the occupation of the Dutch, then the Japanese during World War 2 and later when Indonesia became an independent nation. These changes were attributed to the politics and identity struggle. In the years after 1908, liberalism, nationalism, socialism and communism combined with Islamic influence gave rise to many political organisations and anti-colonial movements (Aspinall and Berger 2001: 1005). The place of Islam played an important role in Indonesias politics and identity struggle, bringing about independence, reformation and extremism. However, the name of Islam has too often been used to promote an agenda as in the case of Indonesian politics bringing with it death, destruction and deception in orde r to establish an Islamic state with Sharia as the state law.Dutch Consul-General Teppema, Madame Teppema and R...It is uncertain if these agendas were sincerely to establish an Islamic state, or it is a propaganda tool used by governments to influence its people to respond in a certain way, or it is a bit of both. The Bali and Jakarta bombings are examples of death, destruction and deception where only time will reveal the truth.Pre-independenceThe Bali and Jakarta bombings may have been the largest, but it is by no means the first. Indonesia has seen many terrorist attacks post independence, many of which used the Islamic agenda to promote their cause, but have shown to have Indonesian military involvement (Bruinessen 2002). Indonesia has a history of struggle with radical groups pushing forward their goals and changing the face of Indonesias politics and identity. Since the occupation of the Dutch, such groups whether it...

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Perfect Blackjack Strategy 15 Charts to Help You Master the Game

Perfect Blackjack Strategy 15 Charts to Help You Master the Game SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Blackjack is the most popular casino table game in the United States, and it's one of the most popular casino games in the world. You probably know how to play blackjack, but do you know how to play blackjack well? Do you want to win more money at the casino by learning blackjack strategy? If you play your cards right, you may be able to make enough money to see Cirque Du Soleil. Blackjack strategy lets you know the right play to make to maximize your winnings. It tells you what to do based on your hand and the card that the dealer is showing. If you perfectly follow the strategies outlined in this guide, you can reduce the casino’s advantage to less than .5%, making blackjack the most advantageous game to the player in a casino. Perfect blackjack strategy has been determined using probability theory and computer simulations which have figured out the best play in each situation. In this article, I'll explain perfect blackjack strategy and how to use it to your advantage. I've focused on playing at a casino, but the same strategies apply if you're playing online or at a home game. The Basic Rules of Blackjack The goal of blackjack is to beat the dealer’s hand without going over 21. Before cards are dealt, players place their bets. Each player starts with two cards that are face up. Face cards are worth 10. Aces are worth 1 or 11; whichever makes a better hand. One of the dealer’s two cards is face down until the very end after every player completes his hand. You can ask for another card (hit) or stick with your current hand (stand). You have the option to keep hitting until you’re satisfied with your hand, or you go over 21 (bust). If you bust, the dealer wins regardless of the dealer’s eventual hand. The dealer must hit until her cards total 17 or higher. Blackjack! (banspy/Flickr) Defining Blackjack Terms These are the blackjack terms you must know to determine the right play to make in each situation. I put the terms in alphabetical order. Blackjack: The best possible hand in blackjack. It consists of an ace and a card with a value of 10. At most casinos, blackjack plays 3:2. So for example, if you bet $10, getting blackjack pays $15. Bust: Busting is going over 21. As mentioned previously, if you bust, you automatically lose. Double Down/Doubling: Doubling down or doubling is when a player places an additional bet equal to his original bet and then receives just one additional card. You can only double down with your first two cards. For example, if you bet $5 and get dealt an 11, you can place an additional $5 bet and receive one more card. Regardless of whether you get a 2 or a 10, you can’t hit again. Hard/Hard Hand: Any hand that doesn’t contain an ace that can count as an 11. A 10 and a 7 is a hard 17. Hit: Hitting is asking for another card. Insurance: When the dealer shows an ace, the player can place a side bet of up to half of his original bet. If the dealer has blackjack, the insurance bet pays 2 to 1. If the dealer doesn’t have blackjack, the insurance bet loses. Based on probability, you should never take insurance. Push: When you push, your hand ties with the dealer and you keep your original bet. For instance, if you and the dealer both have 19, you push. Soft/Soft Hand: A soft hand is a hand that includes an ace valued at 11 instead of 1. For example, an ace and a 6 is a soft 17. You can be more aggressive with soft hands because there’s no risk of busting. If you hit on a soft 17 and get a 5, the ace will be valued at 1 and you’ll have a 12. Split: If a player is dealt two equal cards, he can split them into two separate hands by placing an additional bet equal to his original bet. For example, if you bet $10 and are dealt two 8’s, for another $10, you can split your hand into two separate hands, each with one 8. Stand/Stay: Standing or staying is sticking with your hand and no longer asking for more cards. Surrender: Surrendering is basically giving up before seeing what the dealer gets. If you surrender, you abandon your hand and recover half of your initial bet. Surrendering is the best option when it’s extremely likely that you’ll lose given your hand and the card the dealer is showing. Unfortunately, many casinos don’t offer the surrender option. A casino blackjack table (Thomas Hawk/Flickr) Blackjack Basic Strategy To perfect your blackjack game and completely minimize the house advantage, there’s quite a bit to remember. However, if you can just memorize the basic blackjack strategy rules, then you’ll be well ahead of the novice player. Following these rules won’t always be the 100% perfect play, but it almost always will be, and again, these rules are much easier to remember than perfect blackjack strategy. Compared to absolute perfect blackjack play, following these rules will only cost you about one hand in 12 hours of play. Basic Blackjack Strategy Chart Here are the charts outlining basic strategy. They tell you what to do given the value of your hand (left column) and the card the dealer is showing (right two columns). HARD 2 to 6 7 to A 4 to 8 HIT HIT 9 DOUBLE HIT 10 or 11 DOUBLE DOUBLE if more than dealer* 12 to 16 STAND HIT 17 to 21 STAND STAND *This means that if you have a 10 and the dealer is showing 9 or less, you should double. If the dealer is showing 10 or an ace, just hit. Similarly, if you have 11, double if the dealer is showing 10 or less. If the dealer is showing an ace, just hit. SOFT 2 to 6 7 to A 13 to 15 HIT HIT 16 to 18 DOUBLE HIT 19 to 21 STAND STAND SPLITS (Yes or No)* 2 to 6 7 to A 2/2, 3/3, 6/6, 7/7, 9/9 YES NO 8/8, A/A YES YES 4/4, 5/5, 10/10 NO NO *If you don’t split, treat your hand like a hard hand. For example, if you don’t split with two 7’s, make the appropriate play for a hard 14. Additional Rules On top of the blackjack strategy charts above, here are a few additional rules to remember: Surrender if you have a 16 and the dealer is showing a 10. If the table doesn’t allow surrendering, then hit. If the strategy says to double but you’re not allowed, then hit, except you should stand with a soft 18. Never take insurance. When the dealer shows an ace, the player can place a side bet of up to half of his original bet. If the dealer has blackjack, the insurance bet pays 2 to 1. If the dealer doesn’t have blackjack, the insurance bet loses. Similarly, never take even money when you get blackjack. If you’re dealt blackjack and the dealer is showing an ace, you’ll be offered an even money payout in case the dealer has blackjack. For example, if you bet $10, if you take even money you’ll win $10 instead of the $15 for a 3:2 payout. If you decline the even money and the dealer has blackjack, you’ll push and you’ll just get your original bet back. Perfect Blackjack Strategy While following the basic blackjack strategy will almost always have you make the right play, there are occasions when it won’t. If you’re really trying to master blackjack, then just following the basic strategy won’t quite cut it. The perfect blackjack strategy charts are based on the slightly different versions of the game. Blackjack can be played with a single deck or 4-8 decks. Most casinos I’ve been to have single deck or use six decks. Also, some casinos require the dealer to stand with a soft 17, and some mandate the dealer to hit with a soft 17. If the dealer has to stand with a soft 17, that will give you better odds. Perfect Blackjack Strategy Charts Here are the charts you need to memorize to get your blackjack strategy perfect. The numbers going horizontally at the top of the chart represent the card that the dealer is showing, and the numbers in the left most column are the value of your hand. This is the key to to the abbreviations used in the charts: H= Hit S= Stand Dh= Double down if allowed, if not hit Ds= Double down if allowed, if not stand Rh= Surrender if allowed, if not hit Rs= Surrender if allowed, if not stand Rp= Surrender if allowed, if not split P= Split Ph= Split if double after hit is allowed, if not hit Pd= Split if double after hit is allowed, if not double Ps= Split if double after hit is allowed, if not stand Single Deck Blackjack Charts These are the perfect strategy charts for single deck blackjack. The first set covers what to do if the dealer is required to stand on a soft 17 and the second set covers the strategy if the dealer is expected to hit on a soft 17. Each includes three charts that you can use depending on whether your hand is hard, soft, or split. Single Deck, Dealer Stands on Soft 17 Hard 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 5-7 H H H H H H H H H H 8 H H H Dh Dh H H H H H 9 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 10 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh H H 11 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh 12 H H S S S H H H H H 13 S S S S S H H H H H 14 S S S S S H H H H H 15 S S S S S H H H H H 16 S S S S S H H H Rh Rh 17 + S S S S S S S S S S Soft 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 13 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 14 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 15 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 16 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 17 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 18 S Ds Ds Ds Ds S S H H S 19 S S S S Ds S S S S S 20 S S S S S S S S S S Splits 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 2, 2 Ph P P P P P H H H H 3, 3 Ph Ph P P P P Ph H H H 4, 4 H H Ph Pd Pd H H H H H 6, 6 P P P P P Ph H H H H 7, 7 P P P P P P Ph H Rs H 8, 8 P P P P P P P P P P 9, 9 P P P P P S P P S S A, A P P P P P P P P P P Single Deck, Dealer Hits on Hard 17 Hard 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 4-7 H H H H H H H H H H 8 H H H Dh Dh H H H H H 9 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 10 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh H H 11 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh 12 H H S S S H H H H H 13 S S S S S H H H H H 14 S S S S S H H H H H 15 S S S S S H H H H Rh 16 S S S S S H H H Rh Rh 17 S S S S S S S S S Rs 18+ S S S S S S S S S S Soft 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 13 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 14 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 15 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 16 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 17 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 18 S Ds Ds Ds Ds S S H H S 19 S S S S Ds S S S S S 20 S S S S S S S S S S Splits 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 2, 2 Ph P P P P P H H H H 3, 3 Ph Ph P P P P Ph H H H 4, 4 H H Ph Pd Pd H H H H H 6, 6 P P P P P Ph H H H H 7, 7 P P P P P P Ph H Rs Rh 8, 8 P P P P P P P P P P 9, 9 P P P P P S P P S Ps A, A P P P P P P P P P P Do you think these fellows are following perfect blackjack strategy? 4- to 8-Deck Blackjack Charts The most common multi-deck blackjack I’ve seen is six-deck, but the same strategies apply for 4-8 decks. You’ll see that the charts are extremely similar to those for single deck. Again, the first set is for tables where the dealer is required to stand on a soft 17 and the second set is for tables where the dealer is expected to hit on a soft 17. Each includes three charts for hard, soft, and split hands. 4-8 Decks, Dealer Stands on Soft 17 Hard 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 4-8 H H H H H H H H H H 9 H Dh Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 10 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh H H 11 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh H 12 H H S S S H H H H H 13 S S S S S H H H H H 14 S S S S S H H H H H 15 S S S S S H H H Rh H 16 S S S S S H H Rh Rh Rh 17+ S S S S S S S S S S Soft 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 13 H H H Dh Dh H H H H H 14 H H H Dh Dh H H H H H 15 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 16 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 17 H Dh Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 18 S Ds Ds Ds Ds S S H H S 19+ S S S S S S S S S S Splits 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 2, 2 Ph Ph P P P P H H H H 3, 3 Ph Ph P P P P H H H H 4, 4 H H H Ph Ph H H H H H 6, 6 Ph P P P P H H H H H 7, 7 P P P P P P H H H H 8, 8 P P P P P P P P P P 9, 9 P P P P P S P P S S A, A P P P P P P P P P P 4-8 Decks, Dealer Hits on Soft 17 Hard 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 4-8 H H H H H H H H H H 9 H Dh Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 10 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh H H 11 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh 12 H H S S S H H H H H 13 S S S S S H H H H H 14 S S S S S H H H H H 15 S S S S S H H H Rh Rh 16 S S S S S H H Rh Rh Rh 17 S S S S S S S S S Rs 18+ S S S S S S S S S S Soft 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 13 H H H Dh Dh H H H H H 14 H H H Dh Dh H H H H H 15 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 16 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 17 H Dh Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 18 Ds Ds Ds Ds Ds S S H H H 19 S S S S Ds S S S S S 20+ S S S S S S S S S S Splits 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 2, 2 Ph Ph P P P P H H H H 3, 3 Ph Ph P P P P H H H H 4, 4 H H H Ph Ph H H H H H 6, 6 Ph P P P P H H H H H 7, 7 P P P P P P H H H H 8, 8 P P P P P P P P P Rp 9, 9 P P P P P S P P S S A, A P P P P P P P P P P How to Learn These Blackjack Strategies You may be overwhelmed by the amount of charts and the information you have to remember to perfect your blackjack play. Start with learning basic blackjack strategy! Then, if you want, you can move on to perfect strategy. If you don’t have much time to learn, I recommend sticking with basic blackjack strategy. Remember that you’ll almost always make the right play with basic strategy, and the few mistakes you may make won’t cost you much. Some casinos will allow you to refer to blackjack charts while you’re playing, so you can also print them out and refer to them while playing. But the other players may get annoyed with you if you keep looking at your charts. If you want to learn perfect blackjack strategy, I advise you to learn one chart at a time. Also, if you know you’ll be playing a specific type of blackjack (e.g. 6 decks, dealer hits on soft 17) at a casino, just focus on the charts that are applicable to the game you'll be playing. Furthermore, once you think you’ve learned the blackjack charts, you’ll remember your perfect strategy by drilling it into your head by playing tons of hands and testing your knowledge. If you ever forget your perfect strategy while playing, just use basic strategy. Play the Best Game for You Finally, always remember that you want to play the blackjack games that offer you the best odds. There are many variations of blackjack at casinos that will impact your odds of winning. The ideal version of blackjack will allow doubling, doubling after splitting, splitting, and surrendering. If any of these aren’t allowed, your odds of winning will be lowered. Most are normally offered, but I haven’t found many casinos that allow surrendering. Additionally, your odds will improve if the dealer has to stand on a soft 17 instead of hitting on a soft 17. Finally, you want a table that will pay blackjack 3:2 as opposed to a lower payout (sometimes 6:5) or even money.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Judicial Activism and Constitutional Interpretation Assignment

Judicial Activism and Constitutional Interpretation - Assignment Example The United States of America has a checking system of judicial activism to ensure that it is minimal and public interests are mostly protected. According to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, judicial activism is "the practice in the judiciary of protecting or expanding individual rights through decisions that depart from established precedent or are independent of or in opposition to supposed constitutional or legislative intent". The supporters of judicial interpretations have different philosophies and the most debated among them are strict constructionists and those who believe in the living constitution.   A strict constructionist is one who believes that the words and phrases used in the law and constitution are static and hence there are limited instances of interpretations. U.S. Supreme Court nominee John Roberts has been dubbed a "strict constructionist" -- someone who believes the U.S. Constitution should be interpreted exactly as its original authors intended† (Chadwick Alex).   The main outcome of this philosophy is that judgment is based on what is written in the law and not on what it should be. Some of the popular supporters of this argument include the Supreme Court of the United States Justice Hugo Black and former U.S. Chief Justice William Rehnquist, and Chief Justice of Australia, Owen Dixon. In contrast to the strict constructionism, living constitutionalists are of the view that the law words and phrases are not static and should be treated as living and dynamic and they must be interpreted in such a manner that they are useful for the changing societal needs. As opined by David Dieteman on a living constitution, it is â€Å"one of the most nefarious influences in the minds of Americans is the notion that the federal constitution of 1787 (the "U.S. Constitution") is a "living" document† (Dieteman David). Therefore, the words and phrases in the law and constitution framed by Congress do not mean the same thing at different time points.  

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Newly Established Nations in World Wars Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Newly Established Nations in World Wars - Essay Example At the beginning of the XX century, Asian and African countries were occupied and controlled by European states and the USA. For instance, British Empire controlled population of 458 million people. Belgium had only one colony, the Belgian Congo, but its territory was 76 times larger than Belgium. Germany, France, the USA and Russia controlled countries Asian and African continent. For these colonies World War I opened the door to a revolution in world politics in which several perspectives on international relations competed for attention in the period of intellectual ferment (King 23). Speaking about the establishment of the new states, historians speak about policy of countries involved in a conflict. For instance, German aggression was fueled by Pan-Slavic policy provided in Sarajevo. Usually, the common sense of war concerns the questions of national safety, and usually accepted and accomplished not on the basis of choice, but on the bases of force connected with the bureaucrati c system. The main consequence of the WWI was new division of power and new world order. New states emerged in Eastern Europe and after the collapse of the Habsburg Empire and Turkish Revolution. The large-scale death and destruction exacted by World War 1 destroyed the security that had made current history a comfortable approach to international politics. That catastrophic global war, begun in 1914, was a painful learning experience that stimulated the search for knowledge that could address contemporary policy problems-notably war-in a theoretical context (King 45). After the war, Great Britain became one of the biggest debtors; the USA, and Woodrow Wilson, followed policy of isolationism; France occupied the Republic of Alsace-Lorraine but suffered from destructions caused by the war. Many of its colonial solders returned to native lands and began anti-imperial movements; Russia suffered from the civil war and the revolution (1917); Germany was subjected with obligations and rep arations under the Treaty of Versailles. Bending to French pressure, the Peace of Paris (the Versailles treaty) insisted on the destruction of Germany's armed forces, the loss of territory, and the imposition of heavy reparations to compensate the Allies for the damage that German militarism had exacted (King 76-77). The World War II created new opportunities for colonies to preserve their self-identity and national spirit. Domestically, nationalism inflamed forceful recovery of lost territory and rationalized the expansion of German borders to regain provinces ceded to others and to absorb Germans living in Austria, Czechoslovakia, and Poland (LaFeber 22). The rise of fascism animated this renewed imperialistic push. German aggression was fueled further by resentment of the punitive terms imposed at the 1919 Paris peace conference by the victorious World War I powers (France, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, and the United States). A key cause the WWII was the failure of the British hope for Anglo-American collaboration to maintain world order. That hope vanished when the United States, in a fit of anger, repudiated the Versailles peace treaty and retreated

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Troy Historical Accuracy Essay Example for Free

Troy Historical Accuracy Essay The epic poem the â€Å"Iliad† is arguably one of mans most well known novel or book behind the Bible and the Odyssey (sequel to Iliad). The Iliad, and Odyssey for this matter where ancient texts written by Homer. The Iliad is a story set approximately 1194-1184 BC about the Trojan War and the ten year siege of Troy. This battle has many famous mythical figures such as Achilles the leader of the Myrmidons, Helen the princess that ran off with Paris which sparked the battle. Helen was the wife of King Menelaus ruler of the Spartans. Paris is a prince of Troy and brother to Hector the air to the throne. The movie adaptation is focused less on the adventures the Spartans had while sailing to Troy and more on the short stint of pre battle and end battle. The movie suggests the battle of Troy was over the course of a few weeks when per the Iliad it latest ten years. Now this battle has never been proven for accuracy and may have never happened. However the movie has a very direct sense of what and how the war was. It shows the layout of the city of Troy, the characters mentality and fondness or lack there of, of the characters. The way battles started seems quite accurate. Before a battle the opposing armies would taunt each other. After this the major warriors, or best of the army would duel each other. Depending on the outcome of this the battle would ensue. This is shown a few times in the movie. Once between Paris and Menelaus, which started the war. Paris surrendered and went to his brothers ankles. Hector protected Paris from being slaughtered. It shows the ships, blood, and garb the persons would wear in this time frame. Or does it? The dates this war happened of approximately 1194-1185 (10 years) is during the bronze age. This plays a key role in the historical accuracy of it. The weapons, shields, and clothing for battle is all wrong. These items shown are closer to the dark ages. The uniforms or garb of the ancient Greeks and Trojans where slightly less than what is shown in the movie. The movie depicted a very if not identical uniform for every soldier. In reality only the middle and upper class soldiers would have these. Even at that, the uniforms were not identical like in the movie. They where typically handed down from generation to generation due to cost. The armor and shields where made of Bronze breastplates in a muscled style, a helmet that covered most of their head and shin protection made of bronze. This is the uniform of the very well off soldiers. The common man would have even less. They would use a linen reinforced with bronze plating or animal skin, this was called â€Å"Linothorax armor† which was priced much lower then the fully bronze uniforms for the wealthy. The Greeks also found range weapons to be cowardly and would avoid use of them. In the movie both the Trojans and Spartans (Greeks, who thinks range weapons are cowardly) had many bows and used them often. The weapons other than long range used by both armies where typically Doru, which were long spears. These Doru like in the movie were 7-9 feet in length and where the primary weapon. In the movie the swords were primary, which in reality these where secondary weapons. These swords, or Xiphos where for use after the Doru were snapped or lost in combat. The xiphos were 2 feet for the Trojans and a bit shorter for the Spartans. The Spartans blades were typically 1-1. 5 feet long. This was more advantageous for the Spartans when the lines got much closer. The movie depicts both blades to be equal size on either side of the war. The ships where also dated much later in time. The ships of the bronze age would not have the very large and ornate front (Stem, Bow, or Head) and the stern would be higher. In the movie it seems to be the opposite. Most of the ships had much larger and obvious heads than sterns. The bow and stern would also be more angled and arched up. The movie depicts the ships bow to be flat on many ships. The movie Troy is a great story about the war between Troy and the Spartans. It depicts Achilles as a great warrior and in a strange way kind man. It has the beauty of Helen and the Anger of Menelaus. Much of this movie has been done historically correct however there are major flaws in its accuracy. I highly suggest one to watch this movie as it is quite enjoyable and the epic it is based on should be read as that is quite great itself.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Quest for Nirvana in Siddhartha Essay -- Hesse Siddhartha Essays

The Quest for Nirvana in Siddhartha    In Siddhartha, by Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha and his friend, Govinda, leave their sheltered lives as Brahmins, Hindu priests, to be Samanas, ascetics who deny themselves all pleasure. Some years after, they meet the Buddha, whom Govinda stays with to be a monk while Siddhartha leaves to continue on his own adventures. Toward the end of their lives, they meet again at a river bank and discover if they have truly achieved inner peace. Hesse uses Govinda as a contrast to Siddhartha. As displayed in excursions with the Samanas, with the Buddha, and on other adventures, Siddhartha is a character who is more independent and must learn on his own while Govinda is more dependent and feels he must be taught.    Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia      According to Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia, Hesse was born in Germany in 1877. After rebelling from traditional education and being expelled from the seminary in which he was enrolled, he educated himself mostly through books. In his earlier years, he became a bookseller and journalist, which may have inspired his first book, Peter Carmenzind. Being a pacifist, Hesse moved to Switzerland during World War I. He came in contact there with renowned psychologist Carl Jung who inspired some of his better-known works.    Frank McLynn   Edwin F. Casebeer   Joseph Mileck   New Standard Encyclopedia   Ernst Pawel   Felix Anselm      Frank McLynn, a biographer of Carl Jung, states that Hermann Hesse, following a breakdown, began psychoanalysis with one of Jung's pupils. It was through this pupil that Hesse eventually came in contact with Jung in 1916. According to noted Hesse... ...dhartha and learn from what he sees without being taught. Theodore Ziolkowski notes that characters of Hesse have transformed from trying to escape their problems more toward trying to resolve their inner vision. Siddhartha and Govinda are both. The two characters try to escape their suffering by trying to learn how to deal with pain by exposing themselves to immense amounts of it while they are with the Samanas. However, they realize that this approach will not help the problem: human suffering exists as emotional as well as physical pain. They must learn how to separate themselves from this suffering, not hide from it; that is Nirvana. Their paths separate because Siddhartha's adventures are based on those of an independent man who will try to teach himself, whereas Govinda's are based on those of a dependent man who prefers to learn by example.   

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Great Gatsby Novel vs Film Essay

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is an iconic novel of American literature. It is seen as a definitive novel that highlights aspects of life and thinking in 1920’s America. Due to its cultural significance and popularity, numerous attempts have been made to translate The Great Gatsby from novel to film. The most notable presence of the film portrayed on screen, was the 1974 film, The Great Gatsby. The film starred big name celebrities such as Robert Redford as Gatsby, Mia Farrow as Daisy, and Sam Waterston as Nick. The movie also featured a script written by Francis Ford Coppola. While overall being considered a good film which stayed true to the novel, many thought it lacked heart and emotion. While Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby is the fifth time, the novel has been filmed, it is only the second time a film adaptation of the novel will see a widespread general release. The Great Gatsby (2013) comes from Australian director Baz Luhrmann, and stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Gatsby and Tobey Maguire as Nick Carraway. The film like the book, is told through the narration of Nick Carraway. Carraway lives next to the mysterious Gatsby who has numerous large and extravagant parties. Gatsby is rarely seen by the public, and it is unknown to people how Gatsby became wealthy. The film follows Nick’s interactions with Gatsby and most notably the relationships between Gatsby, and the girl he loves Daisy Buchanan, as well as Daisy’s husband Tom. Much of the tension in the film stems from the class differences between New Money, and Old Money. People who belong to the class of Old Money are generally old aristocratic families, specifically highlighted by Tom and Daisy Buchanan. People who belong to the class of New Money are people who have recently acquired there fortune through various entrepreneurial ventures and jobs such as stock brokers. The main characters in the film who are part of New Money are Gatsby and Nick. The film is set against the backdrop of the wealthy society during the roaring twenties in and around New York and Long Island. Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby tries to express the same themes as are found in the book. One of the main themes is the differences in the various classes in the United States. Gatsby has a very different outlook on life compared to that of Tom Buchanan. Gatsby is considered new money meaning his fortune is recent and self-made, while Tom is from old money, where legacy and familiarity with the wealthy lifestyle are more apparent. Tom tends to believe in class and education and finds Gatsby essentially a crude bootlegger. Gatsby while not having the sophistication or education of Tom believes he can win over Daisy’s heart with extravagant parties and money. The film also demonstrates the apparent dismissal of the new money as equals. Tom is seen as a bully and someone with less morals than that of Gatsby, highlighted through Tom’s affair with another woman. The film also highlights the recklessness of the 1920’s. The 1920’s are shown as a period where money was plentiful and people were not afraid to spend it. People were frequently spending money they did not have on things they did not need. Gatsby is shown to be a very flashy person with a pink suit and expensive cars. Historically speaking it is now known compared to when the book was written the consequences of the recklessness. (i. e. the great depression) It is clear that the main relationship that Luhrmann wanted to emphasize was the relationship between Gatsby and Nick. Throughout the course of the film there are various differences from the novel that highlight the emotional relationship that Gatsby and Nick share with one another. For example the film has Nick telling the story to a doctor at a centre for rehabilitation, while the novel does not specify who Nick is narrating the story too. Nick is apparently here for Alcoholism which demonstrates that his experiences with Gatsby and ultimately Gatsby’s death took a more traumatic toll on Nick’s life. Also in the film Nick’s relationship with other women, specifically Jordan in the novel, is virtually non-existent. In the film there is no evidence to show that Nick maintains or has a romantic relationship with anyone. This once again highlights the strength of his relationship with Gatsby. Perhaps the most interesting difference is the lack of anyone who shows up for Gatsby’s funeral in the film. Nick is the only one who attends the funeral and he is seen as heartbroken. In the novel however, people do attend Gatsby’s funeral specifically Gatsby’s father. The special relationship that Luhrmann creates for Gatsby and Nick may be suggesting that Nick is in fact in love with Gatsby. Being directed by Baz Luhrmann, anyone familiar with his previous work will know what to expect from The Great Gatsby. People who enjoyed the general story of the book will enjoy this particular film version, but as for getting a point across or inciting emotion the film tends to be very shallow. While Luhrmann likes to create a visual spectacle, one can only be distracted by pretty colours and lights for so long. The actors in the film, while all good, are clearly not the directors primary focus. Luhrmann is able to bring the spectacular parties and beautiful landscapes to life, he is not able to really create distinct relationships between the characters and actors of the film. The two most standout performances are that of Tobey Maguire and Leonardo DiCaprio, the relationship between Gatsby and Carraway is by far the most interesting part of the film. Carraway’s obsession and defence of Gatsby may lead one to believe that he wants to be more than just friends with Gatsby.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

False Advertising Essay

What they regret to inform you in the big print is that the only way to acquire these results is with diet and exercise, therefore they are misleading you. Recently, the Federal Trade Commission fined certain weight loss products for false advertising. These companies claimed that their product ranged from rapid weight loss to reducing the risk of cancer. Although these products were not pulled off shelves, they were advised to stop making false claims or prove their claims with scientific research proving that these products undoubtedly carry out the actions they claim to do. That’s just to show you that you can’t and shouldn’t believe everything you see. False advertising is also found widely in the food industry. There are many food companies that advertise their products on TV via commercials, such as Burger King, Quiznos, McDonald’s, and even supermarkets. These companies want you to visit their establishment by pulling you in with advertisements of their delicious products such as juicy burgers or bright red strawberries. The products look so good on TV, but when you arrive at the establishment and place your order, you receive something that doesn’t look as good as it did on TV. These companies falsely advertise what their products look like to draw you in so they can make money. If you have ever seen a Quiznos commercial, their sandwiches are advertised with an abundant amount of meat and vegetables, but when you go to purchase one, they are nothing close to what was advertised. The foods in the advertisements you see are not exactly edible. The agencies that are hired to create these products use cosmetic chemicals to enhance colors so the products appear to be fresh. They do this so they can boost its virtual appeal, concluding the point of not everything you see in advertising is necessarily true. Consumers are greatly affected by these deceptions. People who purchase a product and later realize that they did not receive what they thought they were paying for are dissatisfied. Dissatisfaction will eventually lead consumers to never purchase that product again, which will cause sales to drop for that company. By word of mouth, internet, and other means of communication these companies’ profits will plunge due to consumer discontent. Also, if companies are falsely advertising and fail to mention a certain aspect of their product to consumers and that consumer happens to be allergic to that certain aspect of the product, it may lead to a potential lawsuit. For example, the food label known as Spikes all purpose food seasoning declared their product had â€Å"no MSG added. † Further reading of the ingredients in this product, it contained hydrolyzed protein. This protein contains MSG; therefore this food label was false and misleading. Anyone who is allergic to MSG that consumes this product will get violently ill. Due to the lack of information the company failed to mention on the label, there is no way a consumer would have known the product contained MSG. To avoid situations like these, companies must be clear in stating every ingredient in their product. Not only in food products, but companies must also be sure to include every feature of their merchandise, so no one is being mislead.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens.

Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens. Many characters face imprisonment in the novel Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens. This essay explores those imprisonments, be they literal or figurative."'Keep still you little devil or I'll cut your throat!'A fearful man, all in coarse grey, with a great iron on his leg."Early on in the novel Great Expectations, Dickens introduces the concept of imprisonment, a theme that is subtly intertwined throughout the story. In this first part, the man who is speaking is imprisoned by his leg iron. The person being spoken to is imprisoned by the threats of the other.Pip, the protagonist of Great Expectations, and also the person being threatened in the above quote, suffers from imprisonment on a day to day basis. As a child, he has a frightening encounter with an escaped convict. He carries the imprisonment of the many lies and secrets he must keep to himself as a result of this experience.English: Miss Havisham and Pip, in an illustration...As an adolescent, he has to suffer the impriso nment of his social class. He routinely laments about his chosen career as a blacksmith, since Estella looks down upon his for it. Pip's "prisons" are the ones that affect the tone of the book the most.Estella suffers from various "prisons" as well. Miss Havisham is an obvious one. Miss Havisham totally controls all the thought processes in Esteem's head. Estella is brainwashed to have "no heart." In this way, Estella is also her own prison. Her inability to feel emotions ultimately leads to her downfall. She marries Bentley Drummle because he does not expect her to feel anything towards him. Unfortunately, the marriage is an unpleasant and abusive one.Miss Havisham is in the most torturous prison of all, because it eventually ends up taking her life. Ever since she received that fated...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Battle of Paardeberg in the Second Boer War Battle

Battle of Paardeberg in the Second Boer War Battle Battle of Paardeberg - Conflict and Dates: The Battle of Paardeberg was fought between February 18-27, 1900, and was part of the Second Boer War (1899-1902). Armies Commanders: British Field Marshal Frederick RobertsLieutenant General Herbert Kitchener15,000 men Boers General Piet CronjeGeneral Christiaan de Wet7,000 men Battle of Paardeberg - Background: In the wake of Field Marshal Lord Roberts relief of Kimberley on February 15, 1900, the Boer commander in the area, General Piet Cronje began retreating east with his forces. His progress was slowed due to the presence of a large number on noncombatants that had joined his ranks during the siege. On the night of February 15/16, Cronje successfully slipped between Major General John Frenchs cavalry near Kimberley and Lieutenant General Thomas Kelly-Kennys British infantry at the Modder River fords. Battle of Paardeberg - Boers Trapped: Detected by mounted infantry the next day, Cronje was able to prevent elements from Kelly-Kennys 6th Division from overtaking them. Late that day, French was dispatched with approximately 1,200 cavalry to locate Cronjes main force. Around 11:00 AM on February 17, the Boers reached the Modder River at Paardeberg. Believing that his men had escaped, Cronje paused to allow them to rest. Shortly thereafter, Frenchs troopers appeared from the north and began firing on the Boer camp. Rather than attack the smaller British force, Cronje inadvisably decided to form a laager and dig in along the banks of the river. As Frenchs men pinned the Boers in place, Roberts chief of staff, Lieutenant General Horatio Kitchener, began rushing troops to Paardeberg. The next day, Kelly-Kenny began planning to bombard the Boer position into submission, but was overruled by Kitchener. Though Kelly-Kenny outranked Kitchener, the latters authority on the scene was confirmed by Roberts who was in bed ill. Possibly concerned about the approach of Boer reinforcements under General Christiaan De Wet, Kitchener ordered a series of frontal attacks on Cronjes position (Maps). Battle of Paardeberg - The British Attack: Ill-conceived and uncoordinated, these assaults were beaten back with heavy casualties. When the days fighting ended, the British has suffered 320 dead and 942 wounded, making it the single costliest action of the war. In addition, to make the attack, Kitchener had effectively abandoned a kopje (small hill) to the southeast that was occupied by De Wets approaching men. While the Boers suffered lighter casualties in the fighting, their mobility had been further reduced by the death of much of their livestock and horses from British shelling. That night, Kitchener reported the days events to Roberts and indicated that he planned to resume attacks the next day. This roused the commander from his bed, and Kitchener was dispatched to oversee the repair of the railroad. In the morning, Roberts arrived on the scene and initially desired to recommence assaulting Cronjes position. This approach was resisted by his senior officers who were able to convince him to lay siege to the Boers. On the third day of the siege, Roberts began to contemplate withdrawing due to De Wets position to the southeast. Battle of Paardeberg - Victory: This blunder was prevented by De Wet losing his nerve and retreating, leaving Cronje to deal with the British alone. Over the next several days, the Boer lines were subjected to an increasingly heavy bombardment. When he learned that women and children were in the Boer camp, Roberts offered them safe passage through the lines, but this was refused by Cronje. As the shelling continued, nearly every animal in the Boer lines was killed and the Modder became filled with the dead carcasses of horses and oxen. On the night of February 26/27, elements of the Royal Canadian Regiment, with assistance from the Royal Engineers, were able to construct trenches on high ground approximately 65 yards from the Boer lines. The following morning, with the Canadian rifles overlooking his lines and his position hopeless, Cronje surrendered his command to Roberts. Battle of Paardeberg - Aftermath: The fighting at Paardeberg cost the British 1,270 casualties, the majority of which were incurred during the February 18 attacks. For the Boers, casualties in the fighting were relatively light, but Cronje was forced to surrender the remaining 4,019 men in his lines. The defeat of Cronjes force opened the road to Bloemfontein and severely damaged Boer morale. Pressing towards the city, Roberts routed a Boer force at Poplar Grove on March 7, before taking the city six days later.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

The Human Rights Act 1998 was a constitutional mistake. Discuss Essay

The Human Rights Act 1998 was a constitutional mistake. Discuss - Essay Example Thus, HRA has altered the style in which the UK courts would approach the domestic legislation. Further, the opponents of the HRA vociferously argue that since the rights violation is already covered under the common law, there is no need to legislate separate law namely HRA. The critics argue that the Human Rights Act 1998 was a constitutional mistake." This essay will discuss why there is a need to repeal the current form HRA in an analytical way and arrive at a conclusion. Whether the Human Rights Act 1998 was a constitutional mistake? Two main allegations charged against HRA is that it politicises the judiciary and take away the legitimate authority enjoyed by the elected representatives, and it advocates a blame or compensation acculturation whereby society turns to be progressively more contentious5. One of the serious allegations against the Human Rights Act 1998 is that it remains as a hazard to public safety and rights. For instance, immediately after 9/11 attack in USA, the then British Home Secretary made an open warning to the judiciary to cease applying the HRA in ways, which frustrated the UK government plans. The leader of the conservative party is of the opinion that suitable amendments should be made in the HRA to deport those who were encouraging terrorism in UK soil as the HRA was demonstrating to be a barrier to safeguard the lives of UK citizens. Conservative party is of the opinion that HRA has created a culture that has hampered law enforcement machinery and the control of convicted criminal and obstructed the deportation of terrorist suspects. Conservative is also of the opinion that HRA has not succeeded in safeguarding the corrosion of the traditional liberties and may have even offered a facade of respectability. Lord Chancellor during March 2009 viewed his anguish that HRA has been commoditised which was corroborated by those who stressed their privileges in a selfish way without having concerned with the privileges of others. Critic s are of the view that HRA is more concerned with rights thereby totally neglecting responsibilities from UK citizens. Further, there has been ongoing discussion, whether or not the HRA has clouted the exact balance between the courts, Parliament and the executive. Critics have come against the provision in the Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and deportation of terrorists which have placed the safety of the public at peril. Some critics vehemently argue that there should be a referendum, whether to retrench the Human Rights Act 1998 or not. Some critics have argued that there should be a referendum on any scheme to withdraw the HRA or to introduce the Bill of Rights which would basically cement some freedoms of individuals6. HRA will extremely impact statutory interpretation. HRA offers the court with the power and obligation to interpret and apply the law in a style that caters the ECHR obligations. It is alleged that HRA falls short of authorising UK co urts to annul legislation, which is not compatible with the ECHR. Clause 3 demands the UK court