Downfall of Russia essays

Downfall of Russia essays Tzar Nicholas II - downfall of Russia It was Tzar Nicholas 2 political naivete and extreme obstinance that led to the downfall of the Russia Certain aspects of Tsar Nicholas 2s behaviour definitely contributed to bringing about the fall of the Russian Empire, however most of these qualities were not weaknesses in character as such, they were qualities we would associate with poor leadership. When we say weakness in character we mean being easily influenced/controlled by others. Nicholas himself was a firm believer in autocracy; he was virtually unmovable in this belief. And this obstinant belief clearly illustrates he stuck to his beliefs, although in his early years as tsar his uncles had huge influence. That said, the fall of the Russian Empire was not all a result of Nicholas character and poor leadership qualities, we must also see that the huge socio-economic changes happening as well as the outbreak WW1 hugely influenced the coming about of and the timing of the revolution. These changes would be hard for any government to manage. Nicholas 2s firm and obstinant belief of his commitment to autocracy can be clearly seen in a letter of reply he sent to a liberal zemstvo head before his coronation. I shall maintain the principal of autocracy just as firmly and unflinchingly as it was preserved by my unforgettable dead father (Alexandra 3)(Nicholas belief in autocracy they would have been put to rest. Pobenonstev was once called The Highest Priest of Social Stagnation. He once declared, Among the falsest of political principles is the principle of sovereignty of the people. In his early manhood Nicholas lived th...

Political Party Ads - Who Pays for Them

Political Party Ads - Who Pays for Them Finding out who pays for political party ads in election season can be tricky. Candidates and committees who purchase political party ads on television and in print are required to disclose their identities. But often times those committees have vague names such as Americans for Prosperity or Americans for a Better Future. Understanding who contributes money to those committees so they can buy political ads is an important function of democracy because the ads play such a large role in elections. Are they conservative or liberal in political philosophy? Do they have a special interest or issue they are trying to influence? It is sometimes difficult to discern what a committees motives are just by watching or reading political ads. Who Pays for Political Party Ads Generally speaking, there are several types of groups that pay for political advertising. They are individual candidate election campaigns such as those for President Barack Obama or 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney; political parties such as the Democratic National Committee and Republican National Committee; and political action committees or super PACs funded by industries and special interests. Some of the largest special interests in American politics are abortion and gun-control opponents, energy companies and senior citizens. In recent years, though, super PACs have emerged has powerhouses in the electoral process. So have 527 groups and other organizations who seek to exploit weak disclosure laws and spend so-called dark money. How to Tell Who Pays for Political Ads It is easy to tell when an individual political candidate or political party buys airtime for ads. They will disclose their identities, often at the end of the ad. Typically, the wording is This ad was paid for by the committee to re-elect Barack Obama or I am Mitt Romney and I approved this message. Political action committees and super PACs are required to do the same, but they are not required to provide a list of major contributors or identify their special interests on the air. Such information is available only through the committees own websites or through Federal Election Commission records. Those records, called campaign finance reports, include details about how much a political candidate or political party is spending on political ads. Disclosure Controversy Political action committees and super PACs are required by law to list their contributors in disclosures filed regularly in Washington, D.C. Such information can shed light on whether those super PACs are conservative or liberal in nature. But some super PACs exploit a loophole in reporting laws not addressed in the legal case that led to their creation, Citizens United v. the FEC. Super PACs are permitted to accept contributions from nonprofit groups classified as 501[c][4] or social welfare organizations under the Internal Revenue Service tax code. The problem is that under that tax code, 501[c][4] groups are not required to disclose their own contributors. That means they can make contributions to super PACs in the name of the social welfare entity without having to disclose where they themselves got the money. Attempts to close that loophole in Congress have failed. Greater Transparency The Federal Communications Commission requires television stations that get paid to broadcast political ads to keep a record of who bought airtime. Those records are required to be made available for inspection to the public at the stations. The contracts show the which candidates, political committees or special interests are buying political ads, the length and target audience, how much they paid, and when the ads aired. Beginning in August 2012, the FCC also required television stations to post online all contracts with candidates, super PACs and other committees buying airtime for political ads. Those contracts are available at https://stations.fcc.gov.

Family Issue Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Family Issue Report - Essay Example Using Erickon's Psychological Stages of Development, we will compare negative effects pageants have on girls from ages zero to five; and briefly take into account the damage it does to the development of the other children of the family. Young girls are taught from birth that it is more important to be dressed like a Barbie dolls with perfect artificial blond hair and glitzy clothes and show off their bodies and childlike voices than be children and good students. Parents, screaming in the audience, show that they have devoted their lives to their children. Many are overweight and demand utter perfection from their children. In the HBO documentary (1999), the little girl says "But Mommy, all I need is a hug. Her mother says, Not until you get it right." Does the child feel inferior? She is only 5 years old. Parents seem to want to fulfill their own fantasy that they did not fulfill as children. They want their children to be perfect beauty queens, perfect performers, and perfectly dr essed. They spend thousands of dollars on each designer dress. They hire coaches and makeup artists. When a child is interviewed, she never speaks of her education. Her one goal in life is to become a model or an actress. With over three million participants a year, how many actually make it? (Maliakal, 2010) 1. 1rst Stage of Development: 0 - 1 The Building of Trust and Confidence A baby from zero to 12 months only depends on the people in her own circle. If the people with her are stressed, she will realize that her world is not that safe place. it used to be. She doesn't want to have to be changing into complicated dresses and having funny creams put on her face. She doesn't want to be handled by strange people. Her most important trait is confidence in her mother. She does not to be in competition with her mother. A pageant at any age is stressful for the parent. The first year of life is the most important in developing a sense of trust that life does work out. There is no compe tition or stress beyond feeding and getting diapers changed. The mother who creates a different environment does it because of her own needs. If the baby does not have the comfort of this confident building, she will caring a sense of mistrust with her for her whole life. 2. Second Stage of Development: 2-3 The Building of Autonomy and Pride In Living Dolls Part 1- Part 6 HBO "1998" (HB0 1999), the viewer sees the progression of one young girl who started at 3 years old. The mother, who was an army brat, spent 4 years as a sergeant in the army. She had four children with her two marriages. Her life was devoted to her 'beauty baby'. She expected her other children to follow and not doubt any of her choices. At three, Shaw took the initiative to do everything right at each pageant. Her perfectionism became obsessive because her mother ran her like a boot camp. She would cry when she forgot her songs on stage or a dance step. She would search for her mother's approval after each perfor mance. When she didn't perform properly, she was shamed by her mother and avoided looking into her mother's eyes or would hide.. Her performances were to get her mother's approval. Her obsessive desire to win forced her to work harder and harder, she only practiced so she would become an actress or a model. In the update program, she turned into a normal adolescent. 3. Third Stage of Development: 4-5 The desire to have a real purpose in life She took

Multiple Linear Regression Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Multiple Linear Regression - Assignment Example del is linear in the sense that every predictor variable is either a constant or the product of a parameter (ÃŽ ²Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s) and a predictor variable (x’s). The researchers further investigated whether the multiple linear regression models provided a better description of the relationship between the wave modes than would a linear regression model with only a linear predictor. In the model, y (the response) is the ISOw (westward moving intraseasonal modes) and x (the predictor variable) is the ISOe (eastward moving intraseasonal modes). ISOe is further broken down to into more variables by applying power functions of the predictor variable to create a polynomial. Higher power terms are included in the model in order to seek evidence of any improvements in how they increase the accuracy of how wave modes are displayed. This selection is arbitrary and purely based on the assumption that it may lead to the development of a better model for depicting the relationship between the independent and dependent variables. Each of the introduced independent variables is then evaluated for significance (at the 5% level of significance) in order to establish its relevance to the entire model. Each item with a coefficient whose p-value falls below the 0.05 (5%) threshold is considered as being statistically significant. Such variables are retained in the model. The test of significance was repeated several times using the bootstrapping technique. A^sub s, T^ = (X^sup T^^sub t^X^sub t^)^sup -1^X^sup T^^sub t^Y^sub s,t+T^ by solving for a specified lag for the regression coefficients. In this equation, â€Å"T† is the matrix transpose, â€Å"a† the coefficients, and s the grid points (more easily interpreted as the lags). The regression equation involving the nonlinear terms is then tested for suitability against the ordinary linear regression. The model that appears to explain more variance in the response is deemed better.

Rise of Two Operas Essay Example for Free

Rise of Two Operas Essay The Italians and the French have been two prominent figures in the world of opera music. Their music in the field of tragedy has been flourished by history and emerged from different social context and background. Opera traced its roots from Italy. Opera, in its earliest form can be traced from various types of Italian literature. The themes, moods, and subjects of opera can be associated with Italian poetry, drama, and allegory (Kimbell, 1991. p. 19-21). More importantly, opera particularly the opera seria, has originated at the height of the Renaissance period. The Renaissance art were centered on man. It revolved around man’s greatness, man as passionate, and as virtuous. The themes of opera described the life of the Italians as a whole, which is according to Luigi Barzini: The pleasure of Italy comes from living in a world made by man, for man and on man’s measurement (cited in p. 3). A theme deeply embedded in reality. Revolving around this theme, opera became for the sole purpose of entertainment. However as Renaissance became a period for the flow of rising ideologies, the face of opera changed into a moving art combined with philosophy and moral teaching. This aim served the purpose of educating its audience and not just by mere entertainment (Kimbell, 1991. p. 182). It was Apostolo Zeno and Silvio Stampiglia who created operas that were historical in nature. Stampiglia wrote a series of operas relating early Italian history and Zeno’s works have long been distinguished as a combination of moral and scholarship significance (p. 183). The Italian opera seria had not been completely tragic but became more serious. Metastasio offered ‘suspense’ or in Italian ‘sospensione’ in place of tragedy, in which the audience were presented the internal conflicts of the protagonist. Seeing this kind of progression, the French opera scene has its trend going on as well. However, as mentioned from the beginning, opera had its roots originating from Italy. There were no French composers at that time. It was an Italian national who moved to France, named Jean-Baptiste Lully who was said to have popularized opera to the French people (Edwards, 1862. . 14). Origins of French opera may have come from other form of arts such as ballet. Ballet has incorporated music with dramatic dance routines thus making as a basis into recreating a dance that has dramatic dialogues in the form of music (Grouts Williams, 2003. p. 22). Lully gained full monopoly when spreading his music due to his friendship with King Louis XIV. He collaborated with the likes of Quinault to create operas which they called tragedie en musique (Anderson, 2003. p. 3). It is important to note that though it was the time of Rennaisance in Italy, it had been a slow progress for France to grasp the music from other countries. Since Lully gained monopoly for production of operas, the monarchy controlled the flow of music from outside in accordance to Lully’s advice (p. 1). Basing it from here, the themes of the operas that were being played within King Louis XIV’s court still centered on mythical themes rather than on humanism. The plot of tragedy focused on mythical characters and fictional conflicts (Easterling, 1997. p. 136).

Black Sox Trial Essay -- essays research papers

The Black Sox Trial – 1921   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Black Sox scandal was a baseball betting scheme involving a group of baseball players and gamblers which led to the Chicago White Sox intentionally losing in the 1919 World Series. As a result this scandal led to the banning of eight players from the 1919 Chicago White Sox team, Joe Jackson (better known as Shoeless Joe Jackson), Eddie Cicotte, Chick Gandil, Oscar Felsch, Fred McMullin, Swede Risberg, Buck Weaver, and Claude Williams. This event also introduced a new commissioner and strict rules prohibiting gambling in baseball.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This conspiracy was the innovation of the White Sox’s first baseman Chick Gandil and Joseph â€Å"Sport† Sullivan, who was a professional gambler among his friend circle. During the 1919 baseball season, the Chicago White Sox had proven themselves to the world that they were the best team in the baseball league and, having clinched the American League pennant, were installed as the bookmarker’s favorites to defeat the Cincinnati Reds in the Series. At the time, gambling on baseball games was widespread and there were numerous stories about rigged ball games during the regular season but they were generally ignored by the team managers and owners.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gandil, the first baseman, recruited seven of his teammates, to instigate â€Å"the fix,† all which was motivated by the mixed feelings of the dislike of the club owner Charles Comiskey along with greed. The seven players were the starting pitchers Eddie Cicotte and Cluade â€Å"Lefty† Williams, outfielders Shoeless Joe Jackson and Oscar â€Å"Happy† Felsch, and infielders Swede Risberg, Buck Weaver, and Fred McMullin. Sullivan and his two acquaintances Bill Burns and Billy Maharg contacted a wealthy New York gambler by the name of Arnold Rothstein to supply the money for the 8 players, who were told that they would get a total of $100,000. Even before the infamous Series started on October 1st there were whispers all over amongst the gambling population that things were a little weird, and the flood of money showed the odds of Cincinnati decline rapidly. These rumors also reached the press box where a number of reporters, including Hugh Fulle rton from the Chicago Herald along with Examiner and ex-player and manager Christy Mathewson, got down to compare notes on any plays and or players... ...ear. As it turned out the 1917 win in the World Series was the last championship the Chicago White Sox ever came across; changing the American pastime history forever! This Black Sox Scandal trial was a very interesting trial I had wanted to know about for the longest time. In writing this paper I mainly referred to the site,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/blacksox/blacksox.html This site consisted of many useful links and was very informative and broke down the events leading up to the trial and gave the entire sequence of events in a brief. Furthermore, to my surprise this site provided the court documents like the confessions of Joe Jackson, which seemed to be lost for a while and then mysteriously surfaced out of the blues later on, the trial testimonies, and many more. What really helped me out was the chronology of events along with the diagram of â€Å"the fix†. It was a lot easier to follow the diagram in my opinion. Another link on the website I found quite useful was â€Å"The Eight Men Out† link. It appropriately gives the ages, positions, salaries, and comments Gandil made for the eight players which were accused of the scandal.

Polk Jefferson Expansion Essay

There have only been a few presidents that have expanded on the size of America. None have done it like Jefferson and Polk. Though they had different views on the world they had many of the same policies of expansion. Both technically bought the land. At the times both of their practice's were considered shady. Jefferson and Polk both also were afraid of foreign powers swooping down and taking the land. When you are a president it is always good to appear fair and diplomatic. This is why the presidents wanted to buy the land. Thomas Jefferson bought his land from France in the famous Louisiana purchase. It was a bargain brought on the table by France for many differing reasons. Polk on the other hand fought Mexico in a war. Then once he owned the land gave them only a portion of what it was worth. He had leverage over the Mexicans because he had crushed their armies in the Mexican war. Its hard to escape the presidency without some scandal. Polk and Jefferson both could not accomplish this. Jefferson bought the Louisiana purchase from France. Even though he believes and, at the time it was widely believe he shouldn’t have that power. Polk’s on the other hand was more substantial. He sent troops into either America, Mexico or, the disputed territory and they were ambushed prompting the war. If the troops were in the disputed territory then they might declare war. If they were in Mexico what Polk did was illegal. IF the troops were in Texas then it is all out war. Polk never clarified where the troop were to we may never know. During Jefferson’s and Polk’s presidencies America wasn’t really a world power. So when America got the chance to take land they took it quickly. Jefferson when offered the Louisiana purchase acted quickly so the French might not change their minds or some other country would take the weakly guarded land. Polk also was afraid that the Russians or the British might swoop down and take California. Something Polk couldn’t afford. Both Jefferson and Polk are regarded as fantastic presidents in today’s light. Both had to make the expansion legal by buying the land. Both had their fair share of scandal and, both had to beat out other nations for the prize. This just goes to show according to history expansionism is usually a good thing.

Impressionist’s Gender Roles Essay

Manet’s Olympia (circa 1863) is a classic example of the reclining nude. This appears to be a private space as there is an attending woman included in the painting. In contrast to this Berthe Morisot’s landscape painting is a public piece, depicting people on a promenade. For Manet’s painting, the viewer relates in a blatant voyeuristic way, gazing upon the nude just as the nude gazes back at the viewer in a poised repose. Morisot’s painting is striking because she depicts women out and about, not confined to a garden persey, but out in the open (two women and a small female child). In both paintings, the women depicted appear to be of high class, since the woman in Manet’s painting has a servant and the two women in Morisot’s painting have parasols indicating that they have enough money for accoutrements. Manet’s painting is a classic gaze painting, meaning there are tones of voyeurism but that the subject gazes back at the viewer with her head held high as though she were not indeed naked. In Morisot’s painting, there is a marked distance between the subjects and the viewer allowing the viewer more freedom to gaze upon these women and their stares do not penetrate the canvas back toward the viewer. It is interesting to note that Manet’s painting depicts a nude woman who stares blatantly back at the viewer while Morisot’s painting depicts clothed women who do note even recognize the viewer’s presence into their world. Thus, the difference between and male and female painters is taken note of in this instance: The female painter does not allow her subjects to look back while the male painter has a fully nude woman strongly gaze upon the viewer.

Free Essays on Greek Myths

Greek Mythology In order to explain certain natural events, such as earthquakes, windstorms, and thunder and lightning storms, The Greeks invented a collection of myths and characters. Just as with most modern religions, Greek Mythology bases most of it’s myths on morality and ethics issues. Unlike Egyptian Mythology, the Greeks did not focus on what was going to happen in their afterlife. They were more concerned with the here and now. There was no written special commandments in Greek Mythology. The Greeks did, however, base most of their moral and ethical ideals on the Iliad and the Odyssey, both written by Homer. In his work, Homer says that man holds his own fate in his hands. He portrays that wrath will cause much suffering, pain, and even death. Homer formed the fundamental attitude of the Greek mind. He established the foundation of excellence for all aspects of life, and the Greeks put these into their reality. Nothing was known about Homer or any part of his life, so the question ar ises as to whether Homer was a single individual or was he, in actuality, a collection of authors. The Greeks had a polytheistic culture. Unlike the religions of other ancient civilizations, the Greeks created the gods in their own image. They were holy deities that could make contact with humans, often in a disguise. The gods had the same desires and weaknesses as human beings and the myths often portrayed them as lustful, greedy and vengeful. There was no holy place that the Greeks went and prayed to the gods. Instead, the temples that were erected, were for the gods to come and visit. Festivals were often held to praise the gods. During these festivals, no war could be fought. The gods spoke to humans through oracles and people often went to these oracles for advise on what the gods wanted. The gods were used to explain whether humans would have great fortune or hardships. They lived at the highest point of Greece, Mount Olympus. According t... Free Essays on Greek Myths Free Essays on Greek Myths Greek Mythology In order to explain certain natural events, such as earthquakes, windstorms, and thunder and lightning storms, The Greeks invented a collection of myths and characters. Just as with most modern religions, Greek Mythology bases most of it’s myths on morality and ethics issues. Unlike Egyptian Mythology, the Greeks did not focus on what was going to happen in their afterlife. They were more concerned with the here and now. There was no written special commandments in Greek Mythology. The Greeks did, however, base most of their moral and ethical ideals on the Iliad and the Odyssey, both written by Homer. In his work, Homer says that man holds his own fate in his hands. He portrays that wrath will cause much suffering, pain, and even death. Homer formed the fundamental attitude of the Greek mind. He established the foundation of excellence for all aspects of life, and the Greeks put these into their reality. Nothing was known about Homer or any part of his life, so the question ar ises as to whether Homer was a single individual or was he, in actuality, a collection of authors. The Greeks had a polytheistic culture. Unlike the religions of other ancient civilizations, the Greeks created the gods in their own image. They were holy deities that could make contact with humans, often in a disguise. The gods had the same desires and weaknesses as human beings and the myths often portrayed them as lustful, greedy and vengeful. There was no holy place that the Greeks went and prayed to the gods. Instead, the temples that were erected, were for the gods to come and visit. Festivals were often held to praise the gods. During these festivals, no war could be fought. The gods spoke to humans through oracles and people often went to these oracles for advise on what the gods wanted. The gods were used to explain whether humans would have great fortune or hardships. They lived at the highest point of Greece, Mount Olympus. According t...

Overview of Night by Elie Wiesel

Overview of Night by Elie Wiesel Night, by Elie Wiesel, is a concise and intense account of the authors experience in Nazi concentration camps during the Holocaust. The memoir provides a good starting point for discussions about the Holocaust, as well as suffering and human rights. The book is short- just 116 pages- but those pages are rich and challenging and they lend themselves to exploration. Wiesel won the 1986 Nobel Prize. Use these 10 questions to keep your book club or class discussion of ​Night  challenging and interesting. Spoiler Warning Some of these questions reveal important details from the story. Be sure to finish the book before reading further.   10 Key Questions About Night   These 10  questions should start some good conversation, and most of them include mention of a few pivotal points that your club or class might want to explore as well.   At the beginning of the book,  Wiesel tells the story of Moishe the Beadle. Why do you think none of the people in the village, including Wiesel, believed Moishe when he returned?What is the significance of the yellow star?  One of the few things Wiesel describes is his childhood, and life before the Holocaust and is his faith. How does his faith change? Does this book change your view of God?How do the people Wiesel interacts with strengthen or diminish his hope and desire to live? Talk about his father, Madame Schachter, Juliek (the violin player), the French girl, Rabbi Eliahou and  his son, and the Nazis. Which of their actions touched you the most?What was the significance of the Jews being separated into right and left lines upon their arrival in camp?Was any section of the book particularly striking to you? Which one and why?At the end of the book, Wiesel describes himself in the mirror as a corpse gazing back at himself. In what ways did Wiesel die during the Holocaust? Does the memoir give you any hope that Wiesel ever started living again? Why do you think Wiesel titled the book Night? What are the literal and symbolic meanings of night in the book?How does Wiesels writing style strengthen his account?Could something like the Holocaust happen today? Discuss more recent genocides, such as the situation in Rwanda in the 1990s and the conflict in Sudan. Does Night teach us anything about how we can react to these atrocities? A Word of Caution   This is a difficult book to read in several ways, and you might find that it prompts some very provocative conversation. Wiesel was taken by the Nazis when he was just a teenager. You might find that some members of your club or your classmates are reluctant to wade into this, or conversely, that they get pretty fired up about issues of genocide and faith. Its important that everyones feelings and opinions be respected, and that the conversation prompts growth and understanding, not hard feelings. Youll want to handle this book discussion with care.

Alice in Wonderland is a book that appeals to children and adults Essay

Alice in Wonderland is a book that appeals to children and adults alike - Essay Example The first element that will appeal to children is the fact that the main character in the book is a child. Children appreciate being told stories in which a girl or boy of their age-group are the protagonist. Also, while few children today will completely understand the situation of a Victorian school-girl, they will appreciate and perhaps even empathize with feeling bored when there is nothing else to do. Every child would love for the games they play within their imagination to magically come to life as they do when she hears a rabbit say "oh dear, oh dear, I shall be late" and then its action in taking "a watch out of its waistcoat pocket" (Carroll, 1992). There is an immediacy and vivid nature to the Carroll's descriptions of both animals and events within the story that appeals to children. While what occurs in the story can seem quite complicated at times, especially compared to many more modern children's stories, they are also recounted in a concrete and memorable manner. The various animals that appear in the pool of tears, the Cheshire Cat, the animals at the tea-party and the various creatures in the game of cards are all described in a way that will appeal to children. ... Thus the shrinking and enlarging that she undergoes, together with her various other adventures, introduce the children to the constant changes that occur in the book In many ways the children may be attracted to the story because it reflects their own experiences while dreaming and day-dreaming. The manner in which the story develops with the insane croquet game and the rather violent Queen who wants to execute all and sundry for the smallest of supposed transgressions appeals to children because they appreciate stories that may disturb them if not outright frighten them. Children do not appreciate being talked down to, or being presented with a sugar-coated view of the world that is not realistic. Carroll does neither. He presents a strange and exotic fantasy-world in which Alice can play croquet (or at least try to) with a flamingo and a hedgehog. This is a "fun" idea which nevertheless presents a rather bizarre view of the world. One of the most remarkable features of this world is the manner in which there is apparently no sense of morality within the book. The Queen states "off with his head" at the slightest provocation, even to the Cheshire Cat who is, of course, only a head when he appears at the croquet game. Carroll does not fall into the tendency of many children's books to moralize, he rather presents an amoral world in which things occur at random. The Cheshire Cat appears and disappears for no apparent reason, and refuses to play into the supposed social order of this world. So when the King says "it may kiss my hand, if it likes", the Cheshire Cat replies "I'd rather not" (Carroll, 1992). This exchange might be seen as a microcosm of