Succubus Revealed Epilogue

We were married at sunset. Some might not consider that an auspicious time, but for me, it was a perfect compromise. I had wanted to be married in the daytime, outdoors, with sunlight streaming everywhere. Seeing as Cody and Peter wanted to attend, however, the sun presented a little difficulty. And since Peter had essentially acted as wedding coordinator for me, it seemed kind of mean to exclude him. So, we held the ceremony at sunset, and the vampires were able to show up for the reception the instant the sun sank below the horizon. The wedding was held on the grounds of a beachfront resort on Puget Sound. We stood on a grassy hill, facing west toward the water. It was high summer, and everything was bathed in orange and gold. The bridesmaids (all Mortensen girls) wore red dresses that looked as though they'd been designed with the sunset in mind and carried white clusters of stephanotis. Our only nod to decorations was an ivy-strewn arch that the officiant stood in front of. With so much beauty around us, nothing else had seemed necessary. I repeated my vows while holding Seth's hands. Each word I spoke was infinitely powerful, and yet I wouldn't really remember any of them until later. For those minutes, my whole world was focused on his face, on the amber gold of his eyes and the way the light played off his hair. Love burned within me and between us, making everything else a fog of indistinct details. There was only Seth and me. Me and Seth. There was a dreamlike quality to it all. The moments seemed suspended in time. And yet, afterward, when I looked back, it was as though the entire ceremony had taken place in the blink of an eye. We had a couple hundred people who had gathered to watch us. They all rose from their folding chairs and clapped when we kissed, and I found myself unable to stop grinning when I looked out into that sea of happy faces. The reception was held on the same grounds, just a little ways from the ceremony. We'd gone to a bit more work with the decorations here. The tables were draped with white linens and bedecked with flowers and candles that created little twinkles of light in the evening shadows. Large torches were set up along the boundaries as well, their flames flicking rapidly as wind picked up from the water. A jazz band set up nearby and began to play, providing background music for dinner. They had a space for dancing afterward too, though I didn't dance nearly as much as I'd expected to at my wedding. There were too many people to see, too many people to thank for their support. So Seth and I walked around hand in hand, going from group to group of those we loved. â€Å"I knew those Asiatic lilies would be a good call,† Peter told us conspiratorially, admiring one of the table arrangements. â€Å"The Oriental ones are bigger, but I feel like these complement the roses so much better.† â€Å"You're a regular flower whisperer,† said Hugh, knocking back a drink. He held up his glass to Seth and me in a mock toast. â€Å"Honestly, your best bit of planning was the open bar.† â€Å"Because it certainly wasn't the band,† remarked Doug, strolling over to where my little group was standing. â€Å"Geez, Kincaid – † He paused and reconsidered. â€Å"Geez, Mortensens, why didn't you hire me? Nocturnal Admission could've totally rocked this place out.† I smiled, happy that Doug had come. I honestly hadn't been sure if he would. â€Å"Because I wouldn't want to burden you guys with the strain of playing family-friendly music for three hours.† â€Å"Very considerate,† he said. He glanced around, nodding grudgingly. â€Å"Aside from that – and the fact that the bridesmaids are all under eighteen – I gotta admit, you put on a pretty good spread.† â€Å"Thank you,† Peter and I said in unison. â€Å"I kind of agree with Doug about the band,† said Cody. â€Å"I asked them if they'd play ‘The Chicken Dance,' and they said no.† â€Å"I could've done a bitchin' cover of that,† said Doug solemnly. â€Å"It's not so much a failing on the band's part as it was a request of ours to not play it,† said Seth. â€Å"Sad,† said Doug. He slung an arm around Cody. â€Å"Want to go make a bar run with me?† When Cody nodded, Doug glanced at the rest of us. â€Å"Refill anyone?† â€Å"No, thanks,† I said. Doug shook his head. â€Å"Married for an hour, and you're already picking up his good habits.† He and Cody walked off, having an intense discussion about â€Å"The Chicken Dance,† judging from their pantomimes. I leaned my head against Seth, content with everything and everyone in the world. â€Å"You did a beautiful job, Peter,† I said. â€Å"Seriously. It all turned out great.† Considering how underappreciated Peter always felt, I would've expected him to revel in the praise, but he actually turned modest. â€Å"Ah, well. You guys are the main attraction. I just provided the – â€Å" He stopped speaking, and as one, he and Hugh glanced off beyond the edge of the torches, into the darkness. â€Å"What is it?† I asked. They exchanged looks. â€Å"Carter,† said Peter. I followed their gaze, unable to see anything beyond the lit perimeter. It had been very easy to become human again, but there were still a few things I had trouble shaking. The loss of my immortal senses was one. Even now, it was weird to be standing with Peter and Hugh and not feel them. Their night vision was no better than mine – well, actually, I supposed Peter's was – but it wasn't their eyes that had alerted them to Carter's presence. â€Å"I think he wants to see you,† said Hugh gently. I stared off at where they indicated, uncertain what should I do. â€Å"Go,† said Seth softly. â€Å"You should talk to him.† I looked up at him, into those eyes so full of love, and forgot about Carter for the space of heartbeat. It was still too unbelievable to accept sometimes that this was my life, that Seth was my husband. I pressed my lips to his in a quick kiss. â€Å"I'll be right back,† I said. I picked my way through my guests, finding it difficult not to stop and talk to the many well-wishers. When I was out of the safety of the tents and tables, the wind hit me, whipping my hair and veil around and playing with my skirts. My dress had a sweetheart neckline and full skirt with many tiers and layers. I'd wanted a princess dress for my wedding day and had gotten one, though it made this walk a little awkward. I soon spotted Carter, standing so perfectly still among some trees that he might have been one. â€Å"Mrs. Mortensen,† he greeted me, when I reached him. â€Å"Congratulations.† He wore worn gray suit pants, a longsleeved white shirt with the first couple buttons open, and loosely knotted gray and pink silk tie. A jacket matched the pants and looked like it was two sizes too big. I nodded in approval. â€Å"Nice of you to dress up,† I said. â€Å"I don't think I've ever seen you in anything so formal.† â€Å"I should've checked with Peter to find out your colors,† said Carter, running a hand through his hair. It didn't look like it had been brushed for the occasion. â€Å"Sorry if I clash.† I smiled. â€Å"You look great. Thank you for coming.† â€Å"Well,† he said. â€Å"We left off kind of abruptly.† â€Å"That we did,† I murmured. This was the first time I'd seen him since the trial. â€Å"Jerome's not with you?† â€Å"No. You won't be seeing him anymore. Well.† Carter paused a moment. â€Å"Let's just say, I hope you won't be seeing him anymore.† â€Å"I plan on staying off Hell's radar,† I said honestly. He nodded, turning serious. â€Å"That's good. That's kind of why I'm here. I've got two gifts for you. Gifts of information.† â€Å"You were checking my registry,† I said. â€Å"How sweet.† We didn't have much light, but I swore, I could see his gray eyes twinkle. â€Å"You said you'll stay off their radar, but believe me, they're going to still have their eyes on you. Hell doesn't lose many souls the way they lost yours. If they can get it back, they will. They'll try. I know how close you are to them. . . .† His gaze drifted back toward the reception. â€Å"To Hugh, Peter, and Cody. But it'd be better for you – and for them – if you stayed away from them. If you moved away from them, to someplace where you don't know any of the local immortals.† I stared in astonishment. â€Å"Are you saying one of them might try to get my soul? They're my friends.† â€Å"I know, I know. And I don't think they would, exactly, but it's an ugly position for them to be in. You should really think about leaving Seattle. You'll make it easier on everyone if you just remove that temptation.† â€Å"I love Seattle,† I said, turning back to look across the dark water. â€Å"But I love Seth more. I'll talk to him. Andrea's been doing better, so we can go. I don't know where, but we'll figure it out.† I sighed and looked back at him. â€Å"Is your other piece of information less depressing?† The smile reappeared on his lips. â€Å"Yes. It's a big secret.† He leaned toward me and said in a stage whisper, â€Å"You're going to have a baby in December.† A matching smile came over me. â€Å"That's no secret. Not to me, at least.† Seth and I had known for a little while and had decided to keep it under wraps until after the wedding. We weren't going to be able to hide it much longer. I was three months pregnant, and without shape-shifting, I was subject to the rules of nature. It was a wonder I still fit in this dress. â€Å"Okay,† said Carter. â€Å"Then try this: it's a girl.† I felt my smile grow. â€Å"That I didn't know.† Or did I? A sudden flashback to the dream Nyx had shown me played through my mind. I hadn't thought about it in a very long time. Why did I need to? I was living my own dream. But in a flash, I saw it again, me holding a small girl as we waited outside for her father to come home. And it was snowing†¦. You should really think about leaving Seattle. â€Å"What are you thinking?† asked Carter, studying me. â€Å"I'm thinking there might be a short list of places I'll be moving to.† I shivered, both from the cold and the memories, and he draped his worn suit jacket over my bare shoulders. â€Å"I'm moving too,† he told me. I blinked away from my memories. â€Å"You are? Where? Why?† He chose to answer the last one. â€Å"Because my job here is done. Time to go on to another.† It took me a moment to follow. â€Å"You don't mean . . . I was your assignment? I'm why you came to Seattle?† He answered with a shrug. â€Å"But . . . no,† I protested. â€Å"There must be other things you do here, right? Other angelic tasks?† â€Å"Weren't you enough?† he teased. I was still in disbelief. Carter had been in Seattle for as many years as me. Surely there must have been more to it. Admittedly, no one in Hell ever really understood how the angels worked on their assignments. They didn't have the same level of micromanaging as my former employees. â€Å"I'm just one person. One soul. All your work and energy . . . I mean, it can't all have been just for one soul. An angel can't be solely dedicated to that.† â€Å"Well,† he said, clearly enjoying my confusion. â€Å"It was actually for two souls, since you and Seth were both saved. But even if it wasn't, it still would've been worth it. Do you know the price of one soul, Georgina? It's beyond rubies and diamonds, beyond any mortal reckoning. If it had taken me centuries, if it had taken a dozen more angels to help me, it all would have been worth it.† I lowered my head, feeling tears come to my eyes. I thought about how often I'd disparaged Carter, how many times I'd scoffed at the silly, hard-drinking persona he put on. Yet, no matter how much I dismissed him, Carter had always been there in the background, always showing interest in Seth and me. He'd protected me and given me advice, and I spent most of my time mocking him. â€Å"I'm not worthy of that,† I said. I might be human now, but I understood how powerful a heavenly creature Carter was. â€Å"I don't deserve that much regard.† He reached out and tipped my chin up. â€Å"You do, Georgina. And if you don't believe me now, then strive to be. Live your life. Be kind. Love those you know. Love those you don't know. Be worthy of your soul.† A tear escaped, rolling down my cheek and probably messing up my mortal mascara. â€Å"Thank you, Carter. Thank you for everything.† â€Å"There's nothing to thank me for,† he replied. With a sigh, he glanced up at the starry night. â€Å"I should be going. And your guests are probably looking for you. I'm sure they've been banging on glasses with their spoons this entire time.† â€Å"Wait – before you go . . .† I hesitated. Carter had already told me so much, but I had to know one other thing. â€Å"What happened to Roman? Is he dead?† Carter's amused expression faded. â€Å"Ah. I don't know.† â€Å"Carter – â€Å" â€Å"I mean it,† he said. â€Å"That's the straightest answer you'll ever get from an angel. I don't know. I don't think his outcome was good, but I don't know for sure.† I swallowed back more tears. â€Å"He shouldn't have gone.† â€Å"It was his choice, Georgina. He wanted to make a point to Heaven and Hell . . . that, and well, there's more. He did it out of love, and that's no small thing. A sacrifice born of love is almost as powerful a thing as a redeemed soul. Both of them are blows to Hell.† â€Å"I wish . . . I wish I could've said good-bye. Told him how grateful I am.† â€Å"I think he knows,† said Carter. â€Å"I think he knew exactly what he was getting into and deemed it worthwhile. The best way to thank him now is to do what I said. Live your life to its fullest. Take care of your husband and daughter, and let your soul shine.† I nodded. â€Å"I will. Thank you.† I almost asked about Yasmine too but had a feeling the answer would be the same: she'd made her decision. I could only be responsible for my fate, not everyone else's. â€Å"Bless you, daughter of man,† Carter said, his eyes luminous and almost silver now. He leaned down and kissed my forehead. I closed my eyes and caught my breath. His lips were both burning hot and icy cold. A sense of peace and power flooded me, and for a moment, it was as though I were right on the edge of comprehending all the beauty in the world. I opened my eyes. He was gone. I stood alone on the windswept hill, with the moon starting to shine on the water. In the distance, I heard the laughter and chatter of those I loved and sensed the warmth they held. Picking up my skirts, still wearing Carter's jacket over my shoulders, I headed off toward my husband and the rest of my life, off to be worthy of my soul.

14 Points Woodrow Wilson

President Woodrow Wilson’s Fourteen Points On January 8, 1918 President Woodrow Wilson gave a proposal to Congress which outlined the post World War I peace treaty later negotiated at the Paris Peace Conference, and in the Treaty of Versailles. The fourteen points were intended to generate support for Wilson’s vision of the postwar world, both home & also among allies in Europe. The president hoped that the promise of a just peace would be embraced by the populations in enemy nations and generates momentum for ending the war. When comparing Avalon Project ( primary) & History World (secondary) documents for Woodrow Wilson’s Fourteen Points, I found that the primary document is the actually proposal. There is nothing creative about it. It is just what Wilson stated. When reading the primary I had no understanding of what was being presented to both houses of Congress. In Wilson perspective it was for the Congress, to discuss the objects of the war and the possible basis of a general peace. As, I read the secondary source document, I fully understood the proposal. The writer generated this version for the people. He shortened and paraphrased it but, I was able to understand the document. Indeed the Avalon Project (primary) version was more information then what was needed because he was presenting it to Congress so it had to be in a certain form & most important professionally presented. That document is more of the original. So it is supposed to be more into details. With the History World (secondary) version the information w

History of public administration Essay

Glossary Bibliography Biographical Sketch Summary Historical accounts of African public administration often highlight the colonial setting and usually overlook pre-colonial Africa. The African civil service has its roots in precolonial institutions on which European powers relied to build the colonial state and consolidate their administration. Thus, this chapter analyzes the development of African administration from the pre-colonial era up to the present. The first section discusses the pre-colonial period. The colonial system constitutes the second section. The third section deals with the post-colonial period and discusses some problems associated with African administration. 1. The Pre-Colonial Period: From the Ashes of Pharaohs to the Berlin Conference At the end of the prehistoric period (10 000 BC), some African nomadic bands began to settle more permanently in villages along the Nile River to develop the political foundation of ancient Egypt. As these early farmers increased their mastery over soil and animal life, irrigation became a key development strategy to increase food production, which in turn multiplied their populations. Eventually, different villages came to recognize their common interests, to coordinate their efforts and broaden community linkages. People from different communities joined together through confederation or conquest for purposes of commerce or defense, and developed African  ©Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS) PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND PUBLIC POLICY – Vol. I – Development of African Administration: Pre-Colonial Times and since – Emizet F. Kisangani empires, kingdoms, and chieftaincies. Two types of systems, hierarchical political systems and horizontal or acephalous societies, developed to help generate stable communities and foster prosperity. U SA NE M SC PL O E – C EO H AP LS TE S R S Stateless societies were small political entities and had no bureaucracies as they were mostly based on kinship. Hierarchical societies, however, had bureaucracies to carry out certain functions such as collecting taxes, supervising ceremonies, entertaining dignitaries, and compelling people to do the rulers’ bidding. These polities, which evolved before the arrival of Europeans in Africa, were either centralized or decentralized political entities presided over by emperors, kings, chiefs, or military commanders. The following analysis covers the first hierarchical form of rule that emerged some three millennia BC in ancient Egypt, followed by a brief overview of Medieval Africa. The final sub-section discusses the African administration up to the Berlin Conference in 1884-1885. 1. 1. Ancient Civilization of Africa: The Case of Egypt Around 3300 BC, farming lineages along the Nile Valley joined together as villages to increase production of food and to defend themselves against outsiders. From these villages regional confederations of Upper and Lower Egypt developed. By 3100 BC, a central authority emerged and unified these confederations under the rule of divine pharaohs. From 2700 to 2181, six dynasties succeeded each other to form the Old Kingdom. A century and a half of civil war and provincial rivalries gave rise to the First Intermediate Period and the Middle Kingdoms that ruled Egypt from 2080 to 1640 BC. The Middle Kingdom was replaced by the Second Intermediate Period and the New Kingdom from 1570 to 1090 BC. Three dynasties (18th through 20th) ruled in the New Kingdom and the Third Intermediate Period began around 1089 BC with the Kushite Kings. The Egyptian empire was multinational consequent to the conquest of foreign nations. The Old and Middle Kingdoms were highly centralized and ruled by â€Å"god-kings† or pharaohs. With its capital at Memphis, the Old Kingdom was divided into provinces. Next to the king was the vizier, the administrative hand of the king, who was also in charge of day to day administrative, fiscal, and judicial matters. Although very few administrative documents have survived, court documents provide a glimpse of the Egyptian bureaucracy. Three basic administrative divisions existed: the Department of the Head of the South, the Office of Government Labor, and the Treasury. The Palermo Stone provides further evidence of administrative structure in the collection of revenue and in the assessment of Egyptian wealth. On the Stone was documented a biennial administrative census that left nothing unaccounted for, so that taxes could be assessed even on the basis of canals, lakes, wells, and trees of an estate. The system consisted of a hierarchical structure with diverse administrative agencies spreading throughout the kingdom for effective management. Another governmental task was the administration of justice, on which was founded the concept of ma‘at (or justice), whereby some high priests bore the title of priest of Ma‘at. In addition to the capital city of Memphis, there were other towns of importance that  ©Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS) PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND PUBLIC POLICY – Vol. I – Development of African Administration: Pre-Colonial Times and since – Emizet F. Kisangani made up provinces headed by town governors, who were also chief priests in charge of temple revenue in many parts of Ancient Egypt. Provincial temples were the subject of central government regulations to avoid any strong power at the provincial level. However, during the first intermediate period, the office of governor in charge of civil affairs became the office of chief priest. U SA NE M SC PL O E – C EO H AP LS TE S R S The role of bureaucracy in these early kingdoms was to facilitate the transfer of resources from different provinces to the king’s court. If early administrations were in charge of maintaining irrigation and agricultural output, later administrations seemed to be more involved in supervising construction work and wealth transfer. The proliferation of these later types of bureaucracies, at the expense of those that used to maintain the agricultural system, would probably have produced pressures on the agricultural output and might have been the first sign of political decay in Ancient Egypt. The centralized system itself between the king, court officers, and ambitious governors may also have led to the same result. The New Kingdom and the Third Intermediate Period generated a great mass of documentation about Egyptian political and administrative life. The form of government remained the same, based on divine kingship. The government always stressed the religious function of the political system. Under the auspices of Gods, the government was expected to maintain the integrity of Egyptian territory and expand its frontiers. The most important function of the government was to create civic and individual security, and the vizier carried out the duty of ensuring that law and regulations were obeyed throughout the bureaucracy. The society was divided into hierarchical stratifications with the king at the top, a small group of high-ranking and wealthy officials next, and a much larger group of bureaucrats (scribes), priests, soldiers, stable masters, citizens, cultivators, and herdsmen filling the bottom layer. The Egyptian political system under the New Kingdom and the Third Intermediate Period was divided into an internal government and a government of conquests. Internally, the civil government was run by two viziers (northern and southern), overseer of the granaries of upper and lower Egypt, and the chief taxing master. The two viziers also supervised the overseer of the treasury and lower level officials in charge of bureaucracy, judiciary, and the police. At the lowest level of the administrative hierarchy were the chiefs, town mayors, and councils. The government of conquests had several governors who supervised vassal kings and their battalion commanders. Most of the Northern Lands were small and scattered, and under the direct control of various battalion commanders. The goal of this decentralization scheme was to obstruct anyone from controlling a large estate and challenging the king’s power. The governor of the Southern Lands was the Viceroy of Kush and his role became important internally at the end of the Twentieth Dynasty. He also supervised two deputies and a battalion commander. Military forces were all centralized under one commander. In addition to these administrative entities, there existed a religious government hierarchy, with the â€Å"overseer of prophets† at the top, a position held at various times by a vizier who was the head of two high priests. Below them was the priesthood bureaucracy. The corps of the centralized system was maintained by a small group of powerful officials. They headed each department and reported directly to the king who appointed  ©Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS) PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND PUBLIC POLICY – Vol. I – Development of African Administration: Pre-Colonial Times and since – Emizet F. Kisangani and removed them. The bureaucracy consisted of a group of educated scribes whose role consisted of collecting taxes, conducting censuses, regulating agriculture, and administering justice and law with a small police force. A professional army was divided into various units, each with its own hierarchy of officers. U SA NE M SC PL O E – C EO H AP LS TE S R S Pressures on land and rising inflation may have been politically significant in later days of the New Kingdom, though bureaucratic inefficiency and abuse of power were probably the main causes of economic collapse. Besides the deterioration of administrative integrity, another major cause that weakened the kingship was the changing relationship between the king, civil government, army, and a few powerful families. Some families came to control major economic resources of the state, and the civil service became less susceptible to royal control. In addition, the kings’ tours of their provinces became less frequent, and royal princes and other deputies carried out religious rites formerly performed by the kings. During the ensuing Third Intermediate Period (1069 – 664 BC), Egypt was in perpetual crisis and the Egyptian civilization disappeared after the Roman conquest around 30 BC. In summary, the evolution of Ancient Egypt is characterized by the rise and fall of large scale governments that reflect alternating periods of unification and fragmentation. 1. 2. Medieval Africa Medieval Africa was different from the Ancient in several respects. First, Medieval leaders attempted to balance local traditions and regional autonomy in response to their people’s needs by developing and consolidating large-scale kingdoms and empires for purposes of trade or defense. A second difference was the impact of Islam on African societies. Muslims believed that one God (Allah) called on them to undertake jihads (commonly known as holy war against non-believers) when necessary. The most renowned of Africa’s medieval empires of Mali, Songhay and Morocco rose to the highest stages of their international influence with Islam as the imperial religion. Other medieval African kingdoms and empires developed indigenous political ideologies based on regional customs and beliefs, while Coptic Christianity remained the official state religion in the Abyssinian kingdom of medieval Ethiopia. In 969 A. D. , Muslims from the Maghreb conquered Egypt and established the Fatimid Dynasty in Cairo (c. 970-1170 A. D. ), which was highly hierarchical and whose military was highly professionalized. This strict hierarchy of officials, and the controlling powers of the vizier, left room neither for the autonomous tendencies of provincial governors nor for the growth of widespread corruption. Tolerant of other religions, the system let Copts and Jews occupy prestigious positions in the administration. The centralized administration controlled tax revenues, the payment of troops, and the allocation of military fiefs. The Fatimid administration was in charge of regulating and distributing the waters of the Nile River. Dams and canals were regularly repaired and improved; even an occasional period of low water did not greatly damage the general economic situation. When the Fatimid rule in Egypt was threatened by European Christian Crusaders (c. 1170), it was Egypt’s professional soldiers, or Mamluks (slave-soldier), who rallied behind Saladin to defeat the Crusaders. He then established a new Mamluk Dynasty in  ©Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS) PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND PUBLIC POLICY – Vol. I – Development of African Administration: Pre-Colonial Times and since – Emizet F. Kisangani Cairo from 1171 to1517. By the thirteenth century, the institution of the slave-soldiers became an integral part of the political and social system in many Muslim countries. The Mamluk oligarchy never accepted in its ranks someone who was not a slave soldier, so that the military establishment not only remained hierarchical, but also continued to be a caste dominated by slave soldiers. U SA NE M SC PL O E – C EO H AP LS TE S R S Most Mamluk caliphates were divided into military fiefs centralized under one single Caliph. The basic administrative entity was the village because the Mamluk dynasty obtained most of its revenues from landed estates. A major innovation to ensure payment was that the peasants were prohibited from leaving their villages without permission. In addition to land taxes, the Mamluk caliphates drew their revenues from customs duties, based on ad valorem and the religion of the merchants, so that Christian importers had to pay taxes as high as 30%, whereas Muslim importers paid only 10%. This canonical tax was abolished under the reform of 1316. Several other kingdoms, such as Ghana and Mali, developed in Medieval Western Sudan. But the best known was the Kingdom of Songhay founded around the trading town of Gao (c. 1000 A. D. ). The Songhay Kingdom broke away from Mali and subsequently arose to become the third great empire in the medieval western Sudan (c. 1460-1590). Songhay’s founding emperor, Sunni Ali, established imperial authority northward into the Sahara in order to control international trade routes and valuable deposits of rock salt (which was mined and cut into large blocks to be traded for gold). Following Ali’s death, one of his generals, Muhammad Toure, overthrew the legitimate heir, and embarked on a hajj to Mecca. In 1496 he returned to wage jihad against nonMuslims. He conquered new territories and ruled over Songhay’s expanded empire as Caliph of West Africa. Under Muhammad’s authority (1493-1528), Songhay, especially the towns of Timbuktu and Jenne, rose to become one of the medieval world’s largest multinational empires. The administrative system was open enough to provide lower level citizens some type of upward social mobility. The empire was highly decentralized and Islam was used as a tool to assimilate different communities. Different categories of slaves cultivated fields, constructed adobe buildings and mosques, acted as porters, or served as soldiers and officials in the imperial government. Some of the latter rose through government and military bureaucracies by virtue of meritorious work to achieve high positions of administrative responsibility, as did soldier Muhammad Toure, when he rose by military merit to become a general and then became the emperor of Songhay. As emperor of Songhay, Muhammad established effective central supervision over provincial governors. He also reformed Songhay’s imperial government so that merit (rather than birth) became the principal criterion for advancement in bureaucracy. Eventually, after Muhammad became blind and was deposed in 1528, Songhay’s trans-Saharan trade declined. This was also partly due to competition from European sea traders along the West African Atlantic coast, which undercut the trans-Saharan gold trade. After severe political crises of succession disputes, rebellions and civil war that Songhay emperors faced during the 1580s, their imperial army was decisively defeated by Morocco’s elite musketeers at the Battle of Tondibi in 1591. Other kingdoms and chieftaincies came up throughout Central, Eastern and Southern  ©Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS) PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND PUBLIC POLICY – Vol. I – Development of African Administration: Pre-Colonial Times and since – Emizet F. Kisangani Africa. Although some of these polities were decentralized or confederated, most of them developed as centralized systems where the king or the chief represented the top, followed by the house of the king or an inner circle of advisors, and finally the Council of Elders as the legislative branch. The army and bureaucrats were in charge of maintaining security and law, collecting taxes, and conducting censuses. In most polities, age was a major social feature of stratification, while in other areas the system was meritocractic. 1. 3. Beyond the Medieval Era to the Nineteenth Century U SA NE M SC PL O E – C EO H AP LS TE S R S In the late 1500s and through the 1700s, Europeans and Arabs introduced new weapons and made new demands for captives of war throughout Africa to meet the demands of a growing international slave trade. Consequently, many of Africa’s previous patterns of political and economic growth were disrupted, even though many of the great traditions of medieval African politics and administration continued to guide their evolution. As African kingdoms and empires continued to develop, and trade between coastal cities and interior regions expanded throughout the continent, various African peoples established political confederations based on religious ideology, commercial linkages and/or military authority. Such confederations were committed to establishing broader nationalist ideologies, promoting literacy and advancement by merit, expanding both regional and international commerce, and undertaking significant administrative and military reforms. The first great reformer and leader in North Africa was an Ottoman military commander, Muhammad Ali (1805-1848). He established the first secular schools, engineering and medical colleges, modern factories, modern printing presses, and stateowned textile and munitions factories. His successors continued his policies of borrowing foreign capital and building projects, such as the Suez Canal that was completed in 1869. In the west, the original Asante confederation, established by seven clans near the city of Kumasi (in modern day Ghana), united around the symbolic Golden Stool of their ruler Asante-Hene. This confederation built roads and promoted agriculture, commerce, industry and education through self-help and self-reliance. The Asante emperors implemented several modernization policies in administration that included promoting advancement by merit and the development of state enterprise through public investment. By 1874, the British imperial army defeated the Asante army and annexed the Fante territories into their Gold Coast colony. In East Africa (c. 1800-1885), there was also a movement toward centralization of authority and broadened commercial linkages throughout the region, from Ethiopia’s Highlands to the Limpopo River in Southern Africa. In the first half of the nineteenth century, however, Africa continued to be significantly disrupted by international trade in slaves, even as new Euro-American markets began to demand large imports of such African-based commodities as palm oil, cotton, peanuts, and ivory. By mid-century, European merchants realized that Africans could produce such valuable exports more efficiently and humanely by working in their own countries than by working as slaves in the Americas. Many other nineteenth century African nations were consciously modernizing their various political economies and shifting to regional confederacies,

Constitution High School Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Constitution High School - Essay Example a) The overall structure of the executive body is that of a lobbying group, that also acts as an associational interest group. There must be a broad representation of all student clubs, and so each of the members will run according to their party group. This will require each candidate to submit his or her name and their class. b) All members will be voted in with a plurality vote, wherein each candidate must submit his party name and not first name to avoid any discrimination. A photograph of each student will also be included in the ballot. c) Each member of the Legislative branch must adhere to his or her duties, which include: - Putting forth issues of the community and translating them to the executive branch; - Proposing prospective groups for funding from student government, or the university; and - Oversee the finances of the student groups d) all members of the legislative branch will be voted in the second semester of the year to ensure comprehensive understanding of student life and government structure. ARTICLE IV - OFFICE REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENTS a) Any member of office may be brought up on Impeachment charges. If charges are made by another member, a separate judicial court session will be held a week from the date of accusation. b) The judicial court will consist of a prosecutor, defendant, and a judge. Advisors are advised to sit second chair to the prosecutor and defense attorney, who may also be an advisor. c) The judge for the organization will be selected prior to the allegation by a majority vote of the members. d) If the member is deemed guilty, they will then be removed and replaced by the second runner up during elections. ARTICLE V - CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS a) Constitutional Amendments may be added to the Constitution on need basis by the president or vice-president in the president's

Business strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 2

Business strategy - Essay Example Disruptors also play a major role for gaining competitive advantages. Disruptors break old boundaries of business and implements new things into business. This case study describe about the rhetoric structure and disruptors of Ford Company. By managing knowledge effectively the Ford implemented a disruptor which created a competitive advantage for the company. The company’s different rhetoric structure contributed a lot to enhance its products and business process. Ford invented a very innovative technology which helped the company to design its one of best selling truck. The company used aluminium in a high quantity to make the body of truck. It became an important feature for the company for saving its cost. The competitor of Ford does not have such features in its product. It helped the company in many ways to gain its market. The case study chosen revolves around best-selling pick-up truck of Ford. Ford F-150 contributed majorly towards global profit margins of the company. The company gained competitive advantage through designing a vehicle of aluminium. This was a rare concept and helped in reducing fuel consumption rate to desirable extent. Automobile industry is a part of oligopoly market structure. This industry is dominated by big five players such as General Motors, Ford, Honda, Toyota and Chrysler. There are certain key objectives of Ford’s competitors which can be stated as acquiring maximum profit share, technological leadership, growth of market share and service leadership. Ford comprises of 8 brands – Ford, Volvo, Land Rover, Jaguar, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercury and Aston Martin. Differentiation techniques have been adopted by the organization in order to stay competitive in the market place. Safety, advanced technology and innovative designs are the basis of their competency set. P orter’s five forces model can be applied on Ford in order

Analyze Lucy in Disgrace by comparing her to Lucy in William Research Paper

Analyze Lucy in Disgrace by comparing her to Lucy in William Wordsworth's The Lucy Poems. Explain at least three signi - Research Paper Example The work also dwells on themes of violence and exploitation and the indelible and tormenting lacerations they leave on the victims as well as the perpetrators. David, a professor, teaching communication in a technical university in South Africa, makes sexual advances on a vulnerable female student. He refuses to apologize and is sacked by the college authorities and he comes to his daughter Lucy’s farm to live with her. As he begins to adapt to the farming life, a gang of three black men launch an attack on the farm, beats him up and rapes his daughter. Ironically, the same callous treatment that he metes out on the women in his life rebounds on his daughter and he remains helpless, unable even to protect his daughter’s honor. The story, through the depiction of the lead character Lucy, thus portrays women as hapless subjects of male prowess and domination, which reduce them to the status of emotional wrecks. On the other hand, â€Å"Lucy,† a set of five poems wr itten by Wordsworth, an acclaimed English poet, tells the story of an unrequited love of an anonymous narrator for Lucy, an anonymous and undefined character. Contrary to the Lucy in the novel, the poems view Lucy in an entirely different perspective by objectifying her as a symbol of beauty and innocence. She represents the deep yearning and longing of the young male narrator’s unquenched heart. ... On the other hand, in â€Å"Disgrace,† Coetzee clearly provides the idea as to who Lucy is, what her conflict is and how she perceives herself as a part of the South African society and the perspectives from which that society will view her problem. Similarly, in the novel, the audience gets to know Lucy and her feelings from her perspective, through her actions and dialogs, which renders it a certain form of emotional intensity to the character. On the other hand, in Lucy poems, the audience never sees or hears Lucy in person. Whatever information the author chooses to share with the readers derives from the narrator’s perspective and the perception that this anonymous person conceives and reveals about her. Thus, the author wraps his female character in a shroud of mystery and alludes to her traits by way of using distinct and vivid imageries but ambiguous attributes to her existence such as every day she looked â€Å"Fresh as a rose in June† and the narrator l amenting, â€Å"O mercy!† on the event that she is dead (Wordsworth Poem I Lines 6, 27). From these allusions, the audience is not able to make out whether Lucy is a person who actually has lived and died, or whether she just symbolizes some aspect of nature. In contrast, Coetzee’s Lucy comes alive on the pages through the straightforward narration of the stark realities of her existence and the depiction of her vivid emotions as can be evidenced from her denial of her father’s offer to send her to Holland saying that â€Å"There is nothing you can suggest that I haven’t been through a hundred times† (Coetzee 157). This dialog illustrates the emotional trauma of the character and the conflict she undergoes, through her own narration of it.

Gay rights Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Gay rights - Research Paper Example In their defense, the supporters of the Florida Marriage Amendment emphasize the benefits of dual-gender childbearing and also point towards the role of dual-gender marriage in procreation. A major moral argument has been thrust upon the United States in attempting to justify such state laws as the Florida Marriage Protection Amendment. Not surprisingly, the main backers of the amendment include state churches and pro-family organizations. Florida Marriage Protection Amendment should be repealed because it violates the very basic principles on which this country was built such as the right to liberty and the right for the pursuit of happiness. The law in Florida implies one can choose his or her life partner only from the opposite sex if he or she wants the union to be officially sanctioned by the state. Same-sex couples are experiencing the unfortunate hindrance of their own natural rights as a basis for the state to place a moral compass upon its citizens. By effectively eliminatin g a same-sex couple’s right to marriage, this amendment to state law deprives the same-sex couples numerous financial and non-financial benefits that come with marriage such as joint tax filings, savings on various types of insurance, support payments, and numerous promotional offers offered by commercial enterprises to married couples. This has produced an environment conducive to state-sanctioned discrimination against same-sex couples by denying them the financial and legal rights available to their dual-gender counterparts. The law gives support to the notion that homosexuality is a lifestyle as argued by religious institutions and not a natural phenomenon as argued by the scientific establishment. In other words, gay individuals are believed by the Florida state establishment to be engaging in a lifestyle by choice as opposed to by a fixed destiny based on genetics from birth. The laws are usually intended to protect society from the harmful consequences of one personâ⠂¬â„¢s actions. Human beings are reasonable creatures and thus, perfectly capable of evaluating the potential consequences of their actions. Therefore, it makes sense to hold one person responsible for the harm done to the society as a consequence of his or her own risky behavior. However, the laws attempt to draw a delicate line between individual freedom and one’s rights towards the society. This may explain why not all risky behaviors are regulated in truly democratic societies. While the goal is typically to protect every person within a society, it must also be to provide each person with the natural inalienable rights as set forth by that society’s government and its people. Its people must determine which rights are necessary. As an example, excessive alcoholic consumption can be fatal but there are no laws dictating how many drinks one can drink in a certain period of time but laws do discourage irresponsible behaviors such as drunk driving. Even though both ar e risky behaviors, in the first case, the risk is born by the same person performing the action while in the second case, the risk is involuntarily transferred to the society. The same reasoning could be applied to smoking laws, traffic laws, and numerous other health regulations. By the same logic, same sex marriage is a private matter that does no direct harm to the safety or security of society.

Louke Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Louke - Essay Example at, albeit men are naturally born free and equal, they cannot regarded as equal until they have acquired freedom, that is reaching adulthood and maturity and being reasonable enough to understand what freedom is to become an equal. The modern mind can grasp the essense of Locke’s reasoning in his treatise about Paternal Power (except for his language which is quite tenacious) because it relates how a modern family works. Everybody is born free but the child, even born as a free person, still cannot take care of himself and therefore, has to be under the custody of parents to be nourished, care, support and educate until the child reaches maturity and capable of living his or her own life. Meanwhile, the child owe respect and honor to his or her parents. It has to be understood that for Locke, the ultimate good is reason and therefore, man and society should strive to become reasonable. The treatise of John Locke’s Paternal Power began by first arguing that children are born into this state of natural freedom and equality but have not yet developed their faculties to become rationale and thus, cannot effectively dispense or practice such freedom and equality. For Locke, children can only exercise their natural freedom, that is to the freedom to choose without the restraint or imposition of another and to reasonably exercise freedom, when they reach their adulthood and maturity of which he suggested the age of 21. Until then, the child has to be under the parents custody where parents can exercise parental power over the child until the child can take care of his or her own. Such that when children have not yet reach this maturity to become rational to exercise freedom, they have to be under the care, guidance and protection of their parents. They may have been born as equals but until they have acquire their freedom, they cannot be an equal. In is important to stress that for Locke, the mother and father holds equal responsibility in parenting and

Reliance on EC Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Reliance on EC Law - Essay Example The state will be held liable if it fails to implement the provisions of the EC Directives properly and within the date prescribed for such implementation. Individuals can seek the Court’s intervention, if their rights are breached, due to the non – implementation or improper implementation of Directives, on the basis of the doctrine of state liability. However, in such cases, the violation committed by the state should be of a serious nature2. For instance,the ECJ held in the Angonese case that Article 39 EC is directly effective. This Article deals with the free movement of workers3. The European Court of Justice, through its case law, had established that certain Treaty Articles would have direct effect. However, not all Treaty Articles have that characteristic, and some Articles do not provide rights to individuals. Such Articles, under no circumstances, can have direct effect. The prominent case in this regard was that of Van Duyn v. Home Office4. The principles relating to direct effect were discussed threadbare in this case. The Van Duyn case was chiefly based on Article 39 EC Treaty, which provides for the freedom of movement of workers throughout the community. This Article was designed to have direct effect. In order to have direct effect, a provision must be legally justifiable, or the provision should be deemed to be appropriate, for a court to enforce it. Such provisions should be free of ambiguity for the purpose of enforcement by a Member State5. In Defrenne v Sabena6, the ECJ held that Treaty Articles would have direct effect between individual and the state as well as between two private individuals7. Dev, a school teacher, applied for seven days paid leave in March 2008, which was refused on the grounds that he was eligible for only three days, in accordance with the Study and Training Act. Dev can take recourse to EU law for claiming seven days paid leave. He can file a case in the national courts against the

Bus 303 Practice Midterm Essay Example for Free

Bus 303 Practice Midterm Essay Characters: Cathy and Dave, a well-to-do professional couple Al, a real estate salesman Cathy and Dave are young, upwardly mobile. They hold good professional jobs in downtown Chicago. One day Cathy received an invitation in-the mail, from a resort called Green Acres (GA), which was located near the mountains, about eight hour driving time from Chicago. The mailer invited the young couple to spend two nights free of cost and receive $50 for expenses. All they had to do in return was to listen to a presentation, see a video, and take a tour of the resort for about two hours. Additional conditions included 24 hour advance booking of the room with 24 hour notice for cancellations, and a valid credit card. Green Acres would charge $50 for a no show. Although the letter made no mention of it, Cathy and Dave knew the invitation was a real estate promotion and guessed that the two hours with the GA staff meant a hard sell for a condo or a timeshare near a lake or a golf course, something they did not want. They decided to take the offer anyway in order to get a free vacation and arranged to visit GA the following weekend. Cathy and Dave had a good time at GA. The only sour point of the trip was the last exchange they had with Al the salesman. At the end of the two hour presentation when Cathy and Dave had refused to buy any GA properties, Al looked at Dave in frustration and said, â€Å"If you knew you weren’t going to buy any property here, why did you come? Our company spent $300 to get you down here, and you have taken food off my family’s table. What you did is immoral. Please don’t do it again. At this Dave retorted, â€Å"Your letter was clear, there was nothing in it that said a purchase of real estate was involved, and we had no obligation to buy anything from you. Your invitation was unconditional, I don’t owe you or your family anything and I resent what you just said.† At the end of this uncomfortable exchange, Cathy and Dave left the room with an unpleasant feeling. But the unpleasant feelings did not last long because the drive back through the mountain s was truly spectacular. After a few days Cathy said to Dave, â€Å"You know, Im still mad about what Al said to us at Green Acres. Should we write to his boss, or to the real estate board or to some government agency? You know, if we don’t do something, some poor unsuspecting people might fall for their gimmicks!† Dave replied, â€Å"No, I dont think we should waste any time on this. Most people know, or should know what they are getting into-there are no free lunches! Besides if we complain, Al may lose his job and when we’ll be really taking the food from his family’s table!† What Are the Relevant Facts? 1. Cathy and Dave are educated and well paid. 2. They received an unsolicited invitation from Green Acres (GA). 3. The invitation had nothing in it that said they had to buy anything from GA. 4. They correctly guessed that the GA sales staff would put pressure on them to buy real estate. 5. GA was eight hours driving time from Chicago. 6. Al made a sales presentation. 7. Cathy and Dave listened to the presentation. 8. Al said Cathy and Dave had acted immorally and had deprived him of a chance of earning a sales commission. 9. Dave said that they had fulfilled their obligation, as outlined in the invitation, and had not acted incorrectly. What Are the Ethical Issues? 1. What is the role of inducements in marketing? 2. What is the responsibility of individuals who accept inducements? Do they have any moral obligations to purchase goods if they accept free gifts from merchants? 3. Is giving attractive gifts to potential buyers an ethical practice? Does the size of the gift or the inducement matter? 4. Cathy and Dave were sophisticated, educated city folk and did not feel pressured to buy from GA. Do less educated or less sophisticated consumers feel pressured to buy merchandise under enticements of gifts? Would such business practice be considered ethical? 5. Should Cathy and Dave complain so that other vulnerable people may not be pressured into buying expensive property they do not want? Who Are the Primary Stakeholders? †¢ Cathy and Dave †¢ Al †¢ GA †¢ GA’s stockholders †¢ Other potential consumers, especially the vulnerable ones What Are the Possible Alternatives? 1. Cathy and Dave can forget the incident and do nothing. 2. They can file a complaint with GA. 3. They can file a complaint with the appropriate authorities. 4. They can write to Al. What Are the Ethics of the Alternatives? 1. What is the best course of action for Cathy and Dave from the moral standpoint? What is the best course of action that Cathy and Dave take that will provide the greatest benefit to the greatest number? 2. Do Cathy and Dave and other potential customers have rights not to be pressured or induced into actions they may not wish to take? Do GA and Al have rights to pursue their business and personal interests? Were any rights violated? 3. What is the just thing to do in this case? Which alternative distributes the burdens and responsibilities fairly? If Cathy and Dave act and if GA improves its practices everyone except Al may benefit. Not complaining may mean Al will continue his tactics and undermine GA’s goals assuming that word would get around and additional customers will be offended. What Are the Practical Constraints? None. What Actions Should Be Taken? 1. What should Cathy and Dave do? 2. Which alternative would you choose? 3. Which approach (utilitarian, rights, or justice) makes the most sense to you in this situation? Clearly, no action could mean unsuspecting people may be lured into buying expensive real estate with potentially severe consequences. Complaints could lead to improved practice and better performance but could lead to the loss of Al’s job. 4. What is the right thing to do?

Tumour Supressor Genes and Retinoblastoma

Tumour Supressor Genes and Retinoblastoma Throughout our life time growth is constant. Barring a few cells, most cells continue to grow, divide and replace themselves. Such processes require a strict regulation and this is brought about by cell cycle processes. These processes are carried out by proteins which control the growth and development. Proteins are coded by the genes and when the genetic information is altered or is mutated, it leads to a protein which is dysfunctional and the cell might lose its restraint on growth processes. This in turn leads to an uncontrolled growth of the cells which then causes cancer. Cancer is a disease of the genes. At a molecular level, there are two major reasons which have been attributed for cancer induction. The first one is the gain of function in genes and the other one is loss of function of genes. The genes which gain function, that is, get activated after certain specific events are known as proto-oncogenes. They are typically activated in cancer cells conferring new properties, such as hyperactive growth and division, protection against programmed cell death, loss of contact inhibition between cells, and the ability to become established in diverse and adverse environments. Those genes which lose their functions due to specific events are termed tumor suppressor genes (Eeles et al 2004). Tumor suppressor genes are inactivated in cancer cells, resulting in loss of normal functions, such as accurate DNA replication, cell cycle control, adhesion within tissues. Tumor suppressor genes are named such because when they are expressed in a normal cell they maintain the cell in a differentiated state and do not allow unchecked proliferation of cells. Therefore, at least one functional copy is required to prevent tumor initiation. That there are tumor suppressor genes was proposed when it was experimentally found by Harris et al. (1969) in cell fusion experiments wherein a fusion between a normal and a tumor cell rendered the cell non-cancerous and therefore, it was proposed there must be tumor suppressor genes which suppress cell growth in a dominant fashion (Skapek et al, 1997). As long as the normal copy is functional, the protein expressed maintains normal functioning of the cells. Many tumor suppressors have been identified and extensively characterized. TP53, WT1, NF1, BRCA, VHL, APC, MEN1 are a few examples of tumor suppressor genes. Tumor suppressor genes are divided into three categories- the gatekeepers, the caretakers and the landscapers. Gatekeepers are genes that directly regulate the growth of tumors by inhibiting their growth or by promoting apoptosis. In contrast, inactivation of caretakers does not directly promote growth of tumors. Rather, inactivation of caretakers leads to genetic instability that only indirectly promotes growth by causing an increased mutation rate. Landscaper genes do not directly affect cancer cell growth but contribute to an abnormal stromal environment that contributes to neoplastic transformation of the overlying epithelium. This project deals with one gatekeeper gene, known as retinoblastoma susceptibility gene (RB1). RB1 is the first tumor suppressor gene to be identified and cloned (Lee at al., Eeles et al, 2004; Andrade et al, 2006). It is the gene which when mutated predisposes a person to a common malignancy of the eye, retinoblastoma. Retinoblastoma is the most common intraocular cancer in children. It generally manifests in children before the age of five years with a majority of the tumors occurring by the age of 2 years (Lee et al., Eeles et al, 2004). Clinical features of retinoblastoma: As the name implies, retinoblastoma is one of the rare embryonic neoplasms originating in the retina. It is the most common intraocular tumor in children (Valverde et al, 2005). It was first described as a specific entity by James Wardrop. In majority of cases, the first sign at presentation is the characteristic cats eye reflex, which is usually noted by direct visualization. This white, pink-white, or yellow-white pupillary reflex, termed leukocoria, results from replacement of vitreous by the tumor or by a tumor growing in the macula. Another common symptom, strabismus or squint (exotropia or esotropia) can occur alone when small macular tumors interfere with the vision, or can be associated with leukocoria. Uncommon presenting signs for retinoblastoma are red, painful eye with secondary glaucoma, orbital cellulitis (infection of the soft tissues of the eyelids), unilateral mydriasis (excessive dilation of the pupil due to disease or due to trauma), and heterochromia (the iris of the two eyes show different color). In rare cases, presenting symptoms include hypopyon (pus in the anterior chamber of eye), hyphema (blood in the anterior eye chamber), keratitis, and vitreous hemorrhage (Vogelstein and Kinzler, 2002). A complete evaluation for retinoblastoma includes ophthalmologic examination, radiographic evaluation (skull X-ray, CT scan, MRI), and more recently, genetic testing. Fundus examination of first degree relatives is also done to look for the presence of retinoma or a regressed tumor which may indicate a hereditary component of the disease. Retinoblastoma can be exophytic or endophytic. It is exophytic when tumor occurs between the choroid and the retina and it is endophytic when it extends from retina towards the vitreous chamber. Therapy depends on the stage at which it is discovered. Based on that, treatment is given which includes enucleation, external beam radiotherapy, cryotherapy, episcleral plaques, xenon and argon laser photocoagulation, and chemotherapy. The choice of treatment depends on the factors such as: Multifocal or unifocal disease, Site and dimensions of the tumor, Diffused or focal vitreous seeding, Age of the individual, Histopathological finding. Therefore, staging and grouping of the disease is very important. Retinoblastoma can manifest in one of the eyes, both eyes and / or pineal body of the brain. When it is observed in one eye, it is referred to as unilateral retinoblastoma. When it is present in both the eyes, it is referred to as bilateral retinoblastoma. It is called trilateral retinoblastoma when the pineal gland is also involved. Why should retinoblastoma occur in one eye in some individuals and both the eyes in others? One more observation was that most of the individuals who came with retinoblastoma in both the eyes were diagnosed at an age earlier than those who presented with unilateral retinoblastoma. What is different in the genotypes of these two types of individuals that warrant a delayed onset of disease in the unilateral retinoblastoma cases? This was explained by Knudson in his study. Genetics in retinoblastoma: Retinoblastoma occurs with a frequency of 1 in 13,500 (Mateu et al., 1997) to1 in 20,000 (Di Commo et al., 2000). It is seen in both hereditary and nonhereditary forms (Knudson, Lee et al.) and shows no significant variation between races, countries, or level of industrialization (Mateu et al., 1997). However, contradictory views have been expressed by Mastrangelo as he questions the credibility of the data. Previous studies indicated that a gene predisposing to retinoblastoma manifests in young children was localized to chromosome 13. The gene was probably at band q14, since several retinoblastoma patients had shown to carry constitutional deletions of this region of chromosome 13. Retinoblastoma can be hereditary as well as sporadic. Those who have a mutation at one of the alleles of RB1 in germline cells are said to be predisposed to the disease. Such cases are categorized under hereditary retinoblastoma. Both hereditary as well as non-hereditary forms of retinoblastoma may show tumors in one or both the eyes. In the hereditary form of retinoblastoma, a germline mutation is transmitted as high penetrance (90%) autosomal dominant trait (Martinez et al). Most reported cases are sporadic (Knudson, 1971; Mateu et al, 1997). Retinoblastoma is caused by two mutational events at the retinoblastoma (RB1) locus (Knudson, 1971). That is, biallelic inactivation of RB1 due to mutations is a crucial event in the development of retinoblastoma (Andrade et al, 2006). Knudsons hypothesis: Alfred Knudson realized the implications of the fact that individuals with hereditary bilateral retinoblastoma were diagnosed at a younger age than those children with non-heritable disease, mostly unilateral retinoblastoma. The mean age of individuals on diagnosis was found to be 19 months in unilateral retinoblastoma cases whereas it was found to be 5 months in bilateral retinoblastoma cases. Also, in most cases of familial retinoblastoma, tumor develops in both the eyes. To explain these two important phenomena, age of onset and tumor development (unifocal or multifocal) in one or both eyes, Knudson proposed the two hit hypothesis. The hypothesis seeks to explain the occurrence of hereditary and nonhereditary retinoblastoma and its correlation with the age of onset of the disease. According to Knudson, the first mutational hit can be inherited through the germline or can be somatically acquired, whereas the second occurs somatically in both cases and leads to tumor in cells that is double defective at the RB1 locus (Knudson, 1971; Mateu et al., 1997). Thus in case of hereditary retinoblastoma, the individual must have inherited the mutation through the germline and hence, during the course of development may show the second mutational hit leading to tumorigenesis. As this individual already has a mutation in germline, it shows the second hit early in the life time. Statistical analyses indicated that as few as two mutational hits were rate limiting for the development of retinoblastoma tumors. The occurrence of the first mutation (M1) in the germline and all developing retinal cells gives retinoblastoma tumor a head start in hereditary cases (only M2 must arise in a retinal cell), compared to non-hereditary tumors where both M1 and M2 must arise in a single retinal cell. On the other hand, in unilateral retinoblastoma cases, the individual has not inherited a germline mutation at the RB1 locus. During the course of development, the cells of such patients gather both the mutations in somatic cells with some exceptions. Thus these tumors arise later than the hereditary forms of retinoblastoma. Knudson performed a statistical analysis of some patients presenting with retinoblastoma. The number of tumors in each eye was calculated and he devised a distribution keeping number of tumors in one eye, m= 3. Each tumor which is seen originates from a single cell. Thus, a mutation rate can be roughly calculated. If the total number retinal cells are n, m/n is the probability of a cell undergoing mutation at one of the alleles. Now, retinoblastoma is derived from the inner and outer neuroblastic layer. The order of magnitude of retinoblasts is reflected by the magnitude of the number of ganglion cells which are derived from the early differentiated inner nuclear layer of the retina. The estimated number of ganglion cells has been put at 2 x 106 per retina. Thus, using this as an approximation for the total number of cells, the probability that a cell will inherit one mutation is 0.75 x 10-6. Since a majority of hereditary cases occur in the first two years of life, the probability expressed per year at either member of the autosomal gene pair would be one fourth of this value, or approximately 2x 10-7 per year. This estimates the rate of second mutation in mutated cells (Knudson, 1971). It is seen that the rate at which the second mutation occurs is relatively lower than the first mutational hit. Retinoblastoma in hereditary cases which present themselves as bilateral retinoblastoma show high penetrance. In such cases, the vast majority of high penetrance mutations are null alleles where the mutations abrogates which destabilizes RB mRNA, presumably due to pre mature truncation of translation, so that no pRb is detected. However, some mutations show low penetrance. The low penetrance phenotype can result from several different types of RB alleles. Germline deletion of the whole RB gene often results in unilateral retinoblastoma, presumably because an unknown adjacent critical gene is also deleted, without which the RB-/- cell cannot survive. Only cells in which M2 is a different intragenic RB mutation on an allele with the adjacent critical gene still intact can survive to form retinoblastoma. Some mutations reduce expression of wild type pRB by targeting the promoter or splice sites. In-frame mutations result in a stable pRB with some aberrant functions. THE RB1 GENE: The RB gene family includes at least three members- RB1, RBL1, and p130. The RBL1 and p130 also show similar protein binding characteristics as RB1 and therefore they come under one gene family (Mulligan and Jacks, 1998). All three genes code for pocket proteins because their main sequence similarity resides in the pocket domain, which mediates interactions with the cellular and viral proteins to exert biological functions of this family (Pogoriler et al., 2006). The RB1 gene has been localized on chromosome 13 of humans on the long arm with locus 14.2 (Cavenee et al, 1971). The RB1 gene codes for a protein which is 928 amino acids long. There are 27 exons in RB1 and occupies nearly 200 kb of the genome. The gene transcribes a 4.7 kb mRNA. The exon size varies across the gene. The largest is exon 27 which is 1892bp long while exon 24 has only 30bp in its exonic region (NCBI database: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/). Comings et al. suggested that RB1 is a tumor suppressor gene which is recessive at cellular level (Comings, 1971; Di Commo et al., 2000). The RB1 promoter present upstream of the exons does not show the typical TATA box binding domain. The promoter sequence of RB1 reveals that the sequence between -300 and +400 is GC rich (Hong et al, 1989). As the promoter lacks a TATA element, it might explain the presence of three transcriptional initiation sites. Deletion analysis of the promoter by Hong et al demonstrated that the sequence stretching from +13 to +83 suffices the promoter activity. Another characteristic of the promoter region is that the G+C rich region shows similarity with many housekeeping genes (Hong et al, 1989). This outlines the fact that the RB1 gene is expressed constitutively in almost all tissues of our body. The Leiden Open source Variation Database (LOVD) maintains the reported mutations in the RB1 gene. Almost 940 mutations and polymorphisms have been reported in RB1 by many scientists (www.rb1-lsdb.d-lohmann.de/). Single base pair mutations are the most frequent M1 mutations and account for nearly 40% of the confirmed mutations, followed by short and large mutations. The second hit might be associated with loss of heterozygosity (LOH) mutations, promoter hypermethylation, or even a second independent base substitution (Andrade et al, 2006; Lohmann et al., 1996). The most common point mutation found in the studies is the change from C>T at the CGA sites which codes for amino acid arginine. This change leads to premature termination of the protein (Lohmann et al., 1996). Expression of Rb protein: Initially, RB gene was considered to be expressed ubiquitously in all tissues of the body considering its role in maintaining cell differentiation (Karantza et al, 1993). However, later studies revealed differential expression of Rb protein. In situ Hybridization studies done with Rb expression during embryogenesis show, that the Rb family of proteins is differentially expressed in only certain specific cell lineages. According to studies, Rb1 mRNA transcripts were detected not only during in the ganglionic cell layer of retina but also during neurogenesis, hematopoiesis, myogenesis, lens development prior to and during differentiation. In the liver and the CNS, RB1 is co-expressed along with p107 protein. Consequently, RB-/-, p107-/- cells undergo cell apoptosis. RB1 transcripts were also detected throughout myogenesis. pRB has also been found to be expressed during spermatogenesis (Yan et al, 2001). Since RB1 mutations specifically arise in the human eye, analysis has been performed for the developing eye. The results suggested that RB1 transcripts were detected in the ganglion cell layer of the developing retina from embryonic day 14 through 18 (Jiang et al, 1997). Preliminary studies had indicated that Rb expression in developing retina initiates as the cells commit to differentiation, but pRb has been detected only in certain subsets of retinal cells (Di Commo et al, 2000). In conclusion, pRb expression is important for terminal mitosis in peripheral nervous system, keratinocytes, and skeletal muscles (Di Commo et al, 2000). THE RETINOBLASTOMA SUSCEPTIBILITY PROTEIN: The RB1 gene transcribes a 4.7 kb mRNA which encodes a phosphoprotein which is 928 amino acids long. It is an example of a pocket protein as there are sites or pockets which interact with other proteins. The protein is a negative regulator of the cell cycle. The pRb migrates in SDS PAGE as a multiple, closely spaced bands with molecular weights between 110 and 114 kDa (Skapek et al, 1997). The pRb can be divided into three domains protease resistant, protease soluble and structural domains comprising of the N terminal, R motif, and A/B pocket (Di Commo et al, 2000). The N Terminal: The N terminal region extends from amino acid 1-379. Although the N terminal is well conserved among Rb orthologs and paralogs, it has been studied far less. However, a significant number of mutations in this region occur in retinoblastomas, strongly implicating it in tumor suppression. Another study by Goodrich et al, 2003, suggested that integrity of the domain is necessary for rescue from both developmental defects as well as tumor susceptibility. The crystal structure of the domain reveals a globular entity formed by two rigidly connected cyclin folds similar to the pocket domains which suggests that Rb evolved through domain duplication. A coherent conformation of the Rb holoprotein has been suggested in which the N terminal domain and the pocket domains interact directly (Hassler et al). The A/B domain: The pocket domain consists of two non consecutive stretches of amino acids, A (amino acids 380-577) and B (amino acids 645-785) (Xiao et al, 2003). It is coded by the exons 12 through 22 of the RB1 gene (Brichard et al, 2006). This region has been shown to interact with many proteins. This domain has been shown to be critical for many interactions of pRb including interaction with a variety of cellular proteins like E2F transcription factor (extensively characterized), tethering of pRb to nuclear structures (Skapek et al., 1997), phosphorylation during the G1 phase of cell cycle. Between the A and B domain is a small stretch of 75 amino acids, the spacer region. A small deletion within the spacer region or replacement of the spacer region with a random sequence has no effect on the function of pRb. However, deletion of entire spacer affects the physical interaction between the two domains. There is another pocket referred to as the C pocket domain in the large A/B domain of the pRb protein. This C pocket lies within the minimal functional domain of RB (Rb amino acids 395 to 876) (Whitaker et al, 1998). The C terminal: The C terminal stretches from amino acid 786 to 928. Of the sixteen sites for phosphorylation by cdks identified, six lie in the C terminal. It has been demonstrated that phosphorylation of S788 and S795 destabilizes the E2F complex interaction directly while phosphorylation of T821 and T826 induces an intramolecular interaction with Rb pocket that destabilizes the remaining interactions indirectly (Rubin et al.). The C terminal also contains a Nuclear Localization Signal (NLS) as well as cyclin binding motif [R/K]XL that are important for Rb phosphorylation (Di Commo et al, 2000). RB AND CELL CYCLE: pRB is a negative regulator of the cell cycle. The cell cycle consists of DNA synthesis (S phase) and mitosis (M phase) separated by two gap intervals, G1 and G2. When they are not cycling, cells are in a quiescent phase, G0, and extra- and intracellular signals are required to re-enter the cell cycle. Serum-starved cells in G0 will enter G1upon growth factor stimulation, and will return to G0 if mitogens are removed prior to a point in late G1. Beyond this restriction point (R) cells traverse through S, G2 and M, and will not stop even if serum is removed. There are two checkpoint controls which ensure proper cell cycle progression. The first one is referred to as the G1S checkpoint that ensures that there are proper environmental conditions for cell division. Importantly, many of the extracellular and intracellular signals that regulate passage through R point converge on the pRB pathway (Di Commo et al.) The second one is called as the G2M checkpoint which ensures that all the req uirements for cell division are fulfilled. Fig: Schematic diagram showing RB phosphorylation pathway. (1) E2F activity repressed in G0 phase imparting cell cycle inhibition. (2) Mitogens trigger a signaling pathway leading to activation of cdk 4/6- cyclin D, cdk 2-cyclin E complexes which in turn phosphorylate RB sequentially rendering it inactive. (3) E2F mediated gene expression allows progression through S phase. (4) During transition to mitosis, the action of mitosis reactivates RB to hypophosphorylated form. The regulation of pRB is by phosphorylation. Hypophosphorylated pRb is in its active form whereas on phosphorylation it loses its activity. The protein contains 16 CDK recognition motifs (S/TP) for phosphorylation, six of which are located in the C-terminus (Rubin et al, 2005). Hypophosphorylated pRB binds target proteins and arrests cells in G1. This block is relieved by a crescendo of CDK-mediated phosphorylation that begins as cells in G1 approach R, and is abruptly reversed at the end of M phase. The major targets for hypophosphorylated pRB are E2F and co repressors such as Histone Deacetylases (HDACs). E2F belongs to a family of transcription factors who have evolutionarily conserved domains including the one for DNA binding and a dimerization domain. E2F is found as a heterodimer with another class of proteins- Differentiation Regulated Transcription Factors (DRTF-b). E2F-pRB co repressor complexes maintain the gene repression (Lees et al, 1993) that is required for progression through R, such as cyclin E. To pass this checkpoint, these repressor complexes are disrupted in two stages by the sequential action of cyclin D and cyclin E activated CDKs. As cells exit G0, cyclin D levels rise, causing activation of CDK4/6 and phosphorylation of multiple C-terminal sites on pRB (Gorges et al, 2008). The C-terminal region of pRB contains a series of (R/K)XL cyclin docking motifs. Ser 795 is the first site to be phosphorylated, and is critical for inactivating growth suppression by pRB. Following D-CDK4/6 phosphorylation, the increase in negative charge promotes an intramolecular interaction between the C-terminus and a series of positively charged lysine residues (the lysine patch) that surround the LXCXE binding groove in the B domain of the pocket. Associated LXCXE proteins, such as HDACs, are also dislodged. However, E2F which does not use LXCXE motif to interact with the pRB does not dislodge. Removing HDACs is thought to relieve active repression of certain target genes such as cyclin E. The genes which are required for DNA replication like gene for thymidine kinase, DNA polymerase and dihydrofolate synthase are also activated as a result of phosphorylation of RB1 and subsequent loss of interaction with E2F protein which now recruits other transcription factors. The cell thus enters the S phase. In the S phase of cell cycle, DNA gets replicated and synthesized. Histone synthesis also occurs during the S phase. Once DNA replication is complete, the cell enters another gap, G2 ÂÂ ­where the cell continues to grow till the cell enters the M phase or mitosis phase. Significant protein synthesis takes place during the G2 phase. Proteins like microtubules involved in mitosis stage are synthesized. At the end of the G2 is the G2/M checkpoint. Once it overcomes the second checkpoint, the cell enters actual cell division- mitosis. RB1 PROTEIN INTERACTIONS IN CELL: Cell cycle control at the G1 S checkpoint and growth suppression as well as differentiation into a particular subset of cell is considered the major function of RB1 protein. Transcription regulation is a control mechanism that is critical for fundamental processes such as cell growth and differentiation. Proteins involved in transcription regulation either bind to DNA sequences or act as co-activators or co-repressors. pRb is one such transcription regulator. In accordance with its role as a tumor suppressor, introduction of Rb into Rb-/- cells diminishes their capacity for malignant transformation which underlines the fact that pRb plays a critical role in DNA replication, cellular senescence, differentiation, and apoptosis, placing pRb at the center of cellular proliferation and tumorigenesis through its interaction with various proteins. At least three distinct protein binding activities have been identified and extensively studied: the large A/B pocket binds E2F (Benevolenskaya et al, 2005), the A/B pocket binds the LXCXE peptide motif, and the C pocket binds the nuclear c-Abl tyrosine kinase (Whitaker et al, 1998). Also, the protein also stabilizes the heterochromatin to maintain the overall chromatin structure. The C pocket is distinct from the A/B pocket domain as pRb can simultaneously bind to c-Abl as well as E2F (Whitaker et al, 1998). The A/B domains are sufficient for E2F subunit binding to Rb. However, the E2F-DP1 heterodimer requires the presence of C terminal. The retinoblastoma protein inhibits E2F mediated transcription via two distinct mechanisms- 1.) pRb binds to E2F transactivation membrane and inhibits E2Fs ability to promote transcriptional activation of E2F dependent genes. 2.) pRb actively represses expression of certain genes by recruiting HDACs and other chromatin remodeling factors (Gorges et al, 2008). The C terminal has also been shown to bind to MDM2. MDM2 interaction with the extreme C terminal region has therefore been shown to contribute towards regulation of apoptosis (Janicke et al., 1996; Sdek et al, 2004). MDM 2 has been known to stimulate E2F transactivation activity and promote S phase entry of cells, independent of p53 (Sdek et al., 2004). The retinoblastoma tumor suppressor protein has been known to bind directly and inhibit a transcriptionally important amino terminal kinase domain of TATA- binding protein associated factor TAFII250 (Siegert et al., 2000). TAF II250 is the largest of approximately 10 TAF subunits of Pol II specific human TFIID. It directly binds to TBP and is believed to be a central scaffold for assembly of TAFs and TBP into a stable TFIID complex (Siegert et al., 2000). The retinoblastoma protein interacts even with transcription factors ATF2. ATF2 enhances the activity of TGF ÃŽÂ ² promoter. The retinoblastoma protein also enhances the stimulatory effects of ATF 2. The site on Rb required for its effect alone and in combination with ATFs has been mapped mainly to A/B products and the C pocket (Li and Wicks, 2001). It has been also reported that the amino terminal of BRCA 1 can efficiently bind to the ABC region (from amino acids 379-928) of the Rb protein. It has been shown that growth suppressor activity of BRCA1 takes place only in presence of a functional Rb protein (Aprelikova et al., 1999). pRb has been known to interact with proto-oncogene c-jun. One of the transcriptional modulator target sites of pRB is the AP-1 binding site within the c-jun and collagenase promoters. c-Jun also physical interacts with pRb where the C terminal site of leucine zipper interacts with pRb (Nishitani et al., 1998). pRb also represses the expression of c-Fos gene the gene product of which , Fos, is one component of the heterodimeric transcription factor, AP-1. Thus, pRb can be functionally linked to c-jun for transcriptional regulation. pRB when recruited to DNA via E2F is a potent transcriptional repressor due to its ability to recruit HDACs (Kennedy et al., 2001) and histone methylases. Again, one pRB binding protein, EID1 is a potent inhibitor of histone acetylases, p300 and CBP and blocks differentiation (Benevolenskaya et al.). HDACs interact directly with pRB by means of a LXCXE motif (Kennedy et al., 2001; Gorges et al., 2008). p53 controls phosphorylation of pRB in a cell indirectly. On DNA damage induces the transcription of its target gene p21WAF1/CIP1. The p21 protein thus formed binds to two different proteins. First, it inhibits the activity of CDKs in cell which in turn keeps pRB in active state. Thus, p53 helps in negative regulationof cell cycle. Second, the p21 protein interacts with the PCNA which then leads to inhibition of cell cycle (Hsieh et al, 1999). Androgen receptors show a unique interaction with pRb at the N terminal. Over expression of pRb leads to increased transcription activity of androgen receptor, AR. pRb also potentiates the activity of glucocorticoid recptors, GR. However, loss of pRb activity inhibits AR but not GR activity (Lu and Danielsen, 1998). MUTATIONS IN RB GENE: After RB1 gene was first cloned by Friend et al in 1986, mutations have been identified in the gene ranging from single base pair deletions, to small length insertions and deletions (Lohmann et al. 1996, Andrade et al. 2006). The mutations do not show any hotspots and they are widely distributed over the 27 exons of RB1 as well as the promoter region (Dalamon et al. 2003). The most common mutation found to result in predisposition to retinoblastoma is the point mutation from C>T. At times the mutation at this point changes the codon from CGA to TGA, from Arginine to stop codon. This premature truncation of protein leads to abrogated expression of pRb in cells. Hypermethylation of RB1 promoter has been also observed as a common epigenetic event in certain tumors (Gonzalez- Gomez et al., 2003). Retinoblastoma Gene Mutation database (RBGMdb) maintains a comprehensive list of all mutations in the RB1 gene. Till now, 932 mutations have been reported in the RBGMdb. Most of the mutations are nonsense mutations (42%). However, if recurrent nonsense mutations are not considered, the percentage comes down to 18%. RB1 mutations are scattered all along the genomic sequence. However, there are a few hotspots which show high recurrence. Most of the recurrences correspond to C>T changes in the sequence. Out of 351 nonsense mutations 271 (79%) are C>T transitions in eleven CGA (arginine) codons, in exon 8, 10, 11, 14, 17, 18, and 23. No mutations have been found in the three other CGA codons in exon 1 and 27. In four of the mutated CGA codons, R251and R255 in exon 8, R451 and R455 of exon 14, a high frequency of constitutive hypermethylation has been demonstrated. In addition to hot spots, frameshift and point mutations leading to translational changes or splice site mutations are scattered along the retinoblastoma coding region and non-coding adjacent splicing sites. With the exception of exons 5, 14, 15, 24, 25 and the non-mutated exons 26 and 27, frameshift mutations are randomly distributed through the RB1 coding sequence. Splicing mutations are also evenly distributed, but show preference for intronic sequences adjacent to exons 6, 12, 16, 17, 19 and 24. It is worth to mention that most missense substitutions (60 %) are located in cyclin box B, underlined by exons 19 to 21.

What Ideas Would You Bring To Classroom?

What Ideas Would You Bring To Classroom? To make the learning of vocabulary more interesting, a variety of activities can be conducted. Students can have a board race in class, to practice the language use. The class is divided into two groups. The board is divided into two parts. One student from each group goes to the board. The teacher gives them a sentence to write. For example: write the word in the middle of the board, and the prefix and suffix at the right and left hand side of the root word. Students are to race to the board to indicate whether the word has a prefix or suffix. All students are allowed to help the person at the board but they are not allowed to refer to any books or reference materials. No points will be awarded if any one of the teams uses a book or any reference materials. This enables the students to review a lot of material and identifies common problem areas. Furthermore, it fosters cooperation and unifies the students as a group. The next activity is the dictagloss. The dictagloss has originally been devised as a technique for learning vocabulary in a foreign language. It is also a useful technique to encourage students to work together to extract meaning from complex text. The dictagloss is a very useful activity that helps students to use language in order to learn. Students will have to listen to a text being read and reconstruct it. As students can also construct written summaries, a dictagloss also requires the students to consciously focus on their knowledge of the content and the relationship between ideas and words. Another activity is the use of a short text. A selected short text is read to the class at normal pace. The students listen for meaning. The text is read again and as it is being read, students are to jot down key words and phrases. Working in small groups the students pool their words and phrases and attempt to reconstruct the text from their shared resources. Their version should contain the main ideas of the text and approximate the language choices of the passage. Each group of students produces their own reconstructed version, aiming at grammatical accuracy and textual cohesion but not at replicating the original text. Each group presents their finished version to the class and each text is analysed and compared and the students should then refine their own texts in the light of the shared scrutiny and discussion. Next, a library can be set up within the classroom. The library can be graded. This encourage the student to read as they can have access to library books easily. Through reading, students pick up new words and thus widen their vocabulary. The student who read the most number of books will be rewarded. To make learning of vocabulary more enjoyable, students can also act out or have a pantomime where they are given cards with instructions like Open the parcel noiselessly, or Walk across the room cautiously, and perform the actions without speaking. The other students will try to guess the word or expression that the student is pantomiming. Each time, a student guess correctly, points will be awarded. To teach synonyms and antonyms, the teacher hands out a list of words to each student. There should be two columns next to each word, label the heading of each column, synonym and antonym. The teacher then read out the synonyms and antonyms of those words. The students have to write these words next to the word they are the same or the opposite of. It can be presented as such:- At the end of the lesson, the teacher goes through the lists with the class using a board. When reading a passage, students can be taught different meanings of familiar vocabulary so long as the words are not out of context, recognizing definitions, guessing cause and effect, opposite or contrasting words or phrases, focus on Subject-Verb-Order, where students guess what the general sense of the word it is. If it is a noun, specify whether it is a person, place, thing, abstract idea. If it is a verb, state whether it is an action, or a feeling or emotion.. If it is an adjective, state what the adjective is describing- Good or bad, Size, Colour, Shape or Emotion? To enable students to learn vocabulary in a fun way, a game called Password can be introduced. In this game, the class is divided into two teams. One person from each team sits in a chair in front of the class. Those two people receive a card with a vocabulary card. The first person gives a one-word clue to his/her team. If no one from the team can guess, the second person gives a clue to his/her team. This alternates back and forth until someone from one of the team guesses the word, or until a specified number of clues has been given. Points will be given to each team with the correct answer. The winning team will be awarded. Bibliography: http://eca.state.gov/forum/vols/vol42/no2/p16.htm http://www.collaborativelearning.org/howearthwasformed.pdf http://www.learnenglish.de/Teachers/synonymantonym.html The TESOL textbook Using what you have read in this introduction to TESOL and your own knowledge, what do you consider to be the blocks which may prevent language learning? One block of language learning is language learning style, as students learn differently from others. Getting to know the students learning style will help to match the kind of activities carried out in class to ensure effective learning. Teachers can also be more versatile and adopt a variety of teaching styles to suit the different learnings styles of the students. Fossilization and false learners can hinder the student from learning the new language. Fossilization often means that certain aspects of the language were learned incompletely or incorrectly, such as grammatical features like conjugating verbs in the wrong fashion or using the wrong vocabulary, in such a manner that they cannot be unlearned and replaced with correct usage. Fossilization may also consist of a sort of subconscious clinging to aspects of the learners mother tongue, for instance, with syntax and phonology. This may reflect an inability to similarly unlearn characteristics of a mother language for the purpose of learning another; the native language so deeply hardwired into the brain that its paradigms cannot be replaced when attempting to learn a new and foreign language. Another block to language learning is language prejudice. Stereotypes and cultural bias, the teachers accent are factors that may affect the learning of the language. For example, foreign accents are everywhere and are here to stay; nevertheless, accented English, for example, is looked down upon, generally quite sternly. In addition, within what is refer to as a language, certain ways of speaking that language (AAE, for example) meet with great prejudice, social and racial in nature. Thus, all language teachers must work to overcome language prejudice, as it generally serves as a mask over class and racial prejudice should be tolerated too. One of the biggest challenge ESL teachers face is that one ESL class may consist of students from many nations, even if, for example, they are all Spanish-speaking countries. The cultures of Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, Columbia, and Mexico , for instance, are very much different, so teachers should not assume that students who share a common native language will share similar cultural backgrounds. Even students from different regions of the same country will have different cultural beliefs and traditions that should be honored and preserved. Being more conscious of the different cultures will help to make a better teacher. Extensive research has already been done in the area of native language interference on the target language. Dulay et al (1982) define interference as the automatic transfer, due to habit, of the surface structure of the first language onto the surface of the target language. Lott (1983: 256) defines interference as errors in the learners use of the foreign language that can be traced back to the mother tongue. Ellis (1997: 51) refers to interference as transfer, which he says is the influence that the learners L1 exerts over the acquisition of an L2. He argues that transfer is governed by learners perceptions about what is transferable and by their stage of development in L2 learning. In learning a target language, learners construct their own interim rules (Selinker, 1971, Seligar, 1988 and Ellis, 1997) with the use of their L1 knowledge, but only when they believe it will help them in the learning task or when they have become sufficiently proficient in the L2 for transfer to be possible. Other factors that may prevent language learning is being overly self-conscious about their use of language, and a fear of being misunderstood. Not having enough exposure within the class and outside will also prevent language learning, as students will not have enough opportunities to use the language. Generally, the difficulties adults face include the following: 1. Self conscious 2. no respect for teacher 3. fossilized errors 4. personal issues / politics 5. intrusions 6. different levels / abilities However, the difficulties teachers face include 1. lack of interest 2. time management 3. body language 4. Teacher Talk Time 5. ensuring participation Bibliography http://hufs.davidboesch.com/GSE_YLDownloads/Reid.Joy.LearningStylePreferenesESLLearners.pdf http://www.brighthub.com/education/languages/articles/63102.aspx http://www.asian-efl-journal.com/interviews_W-ONeil.php http://www.yourdictionary.com/esl/ESL_Classroom-and-Cultural_Sensitivity.html http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/English_as_an_additional_language_-_Difficulties_for_learners/id/5023415 It seems reasonable to suggest that the motivation that students bring to class is the biggest single factor affecting their success. Comment (500-750 words) Students of all ages, all around the world, are learning to speak English. Some students want to learn English because it is on the curriculum in school, but for others, it reflects a kind of choice. Like an instrument, students may learn it for a practical purpose. They may have moved into a target-language community and they need to operate successfully within the community. Students could also learn English for a Specific Purpose, where they may need to learn the language for legal purposes, business, tourism, banking or nursing. For those who are studying at an English speaking University, they may need to take English for Academic Purposes. Some learn English as it will be useful for travel. A variety of factors can create a desire to learn. Perhaps the learners love the subject, some are motivated for a practical reason, like being able to acquire a skill or knowledge. The desire to achieve some goal is the bedrock of motivation and if it is strong enough, provokes a decision to act. For an adult, it may involve enrolling in an English class. This kind of motivation which comes from outside the classroom and may be influenced by a number of external factors such as the attitude of society, family and peers, to the subject in question, is referred to as extrinsic motivation, that is, the motivation that is generated outside the classroom. Intrinsic motivation, on the other hand, is the kind of motivation that is generated by what happens inside the classroom; this could be the teachers methods, the activities that students can take part in, or their perception of success or failure. Students may be both extrinsically and intrinsically motivated. However, the danger of being extrinsically motivated is that it is harder to sustain than intrinsic. As the subject gets harder, students may give up or get bored with it. As adult learners, they may have a wider range of life experiences to draw on, both as individuals and as learners, than younger students do. They are more discipline, and have a clear understanding of why they are learning things, and can sustain their motivation. However, they come with a lot of previous learning experience which can hamper their progress. Students who had negative learning experiences in the past may be nervous of new learning. Students used to failure may be consciously or subconsciously prepared for failure. The task of the teacher would be to sustain their motivation. This could be done through the activities the teachers ask the students to take part in, will, excite their curiosity or provoke their participation help them to stay interested in the subject. The teacher needs to select an appropriate level of challenge so that things are neither too difficult nor too easy. Appropriate teacher qualities need to be displayed so that students can have confidence in their abilities. Students feedback is important as it shows how students feel about the learning process. Students need to feel that the teacher really cares about them; if students feel supported and valued, they are more likely to be motivated to learn. Encourage the students to make decisions in class over the choice of activities. This make the students feel they have some influence over what is happening, rather than always being told exactly what to do. In this way, they are often more motivated to take part in the lesso n. Nevertheless, however much the teacher does to foster the motivation of the student, we can only offer our support and assistance by word and deed. Real motivation comes from within each student themselves. Without motivation, the students are unlikely to succeed. Bibliography: How to Teach English by Jeremy Harmer. Knowing a language is not just a matter of having grammatical competenceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ We have seen that we also need to add to communicative competence that is the understanding of what language is appropriate within certain situations The Practice of Language Teaching Harmer. Is there any place for teaching grammar in a formal manner? Give reasons for you answer and include a formal discussion of what you mean by a formal manner. One of the main reasons that people need to pick up a language is for the purpose of communication. Lessons hence ought to facilitate language use where it is not just bits and pieces of vocabulary slotted in, but also involves language functions such as inviting, agreeing and disagreeing, suggesting and so on which students need to learn using a variety of language components. As teachers of communication, we have to facilitate the communication built in by personalized and imaginative exercises where the student can use the structure for himself. (Harmer). Teaching grammar in the formal manner refers to teaching grammar by translating grammar, where students would look at the word, dictionary and change it into their own language; in other words, using meta-language. Another method of teaching grammar is the direct approach forming sentences around new words. For example, students are given 10 sentences in aà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (achieving grammatical competence?). Grammar translation still has relevance today, though it is not practiced in the same way. Nevertheless, most language learners translate in their heads in very much the same way by comparing it to their mother tongue. However, a total concentration on grammar translation stops students from getting the kind of natural language input that will help them acquire language and it fails to give them opportunities to activate their own language knowledge. Translation and mindless repetition of grammatical structure that is taught in formal grammar will be avoided as students need to k now not only the correct grammar, but also where and how to use it. Audiolingualism capitalized on the suggestion that if we describe the grammatical patterns of English, we have students repeat and learn them. Grammatical structures were presented in simple situations which exemplified their usage. Crucially too, the structures were hence graded so that students learnt the easy ones first before moving onto things that were more complex. Audiolingualism argued that learning is the result of habit formation, where performing the correct response to a stimulus means that a reward is given; constant repetition of this reward makes the automatic response.Audio-linguak classes hence made extensive use of drilling in which students produced the same grammatical pattern, but were prompted to use the different words within the grammatical pattern, in the hope that they would acquire good language habits. Nevertheless, audiolingualism does not expose students to real or realistic language, and were therefore unlike to produce natural sounding language themse lves. Language is not just patterns of grammar with vocabulary items slotted in, but also involves language functions such as inviting, agreeing and disagreeing, suggesting which students should learn how to perform using a variety of language components. Students also need to know about the appropriacy of the when talking and writing to people in terms of the kind of language they use (formal, informal, tentative, technical). Hence communicative competence is not just about the language but also about language use. The second principle of Communicative Language Teaching in gaining communicative competence is that so long as the students get enough exposure to language and opportunities for language use the language learning will take care of itself. As a result, has been teaching students to communicate real messages, and not just grammatically controlled language. Giving students different kinds of language, pointing them towards aspects of style and appropriacy, and above all giving th em opportunities to try out real language within the classroom humanized what had sometimes been rigidly controlled. Another approach to teaching English, which Berlitz adopts is the Lexical approach, which teaches learners to be fluent in the language in a short 6 months. The last method used today in teaching grammar is characterized as postmodern; where there is a return to grammar and blended learning. Learning to communicate alone might not be sufficient in effectively conveying themselves, as spoken grammar differs from written grammar, and some phrases appear in spoken English that we would not necessarily write; spoken grammar moreover is more informal than written grammar. Nevertheless, classroom technique is important to good effective communication, and for the right application of grammar for students to convey themselves meaningfully.