The legal status of the Gaza Strip - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 9 Words: 2674 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Law Essay Level High school Did you like this example? Background The Gaza Strip came into existence following the 1948 war and the establishment of Israel. It absorbed dozens of thousands of Palestinian refugees who were expelled from their homes and lands inside Israel. As two thirds of its population were refugees, the Gaza Strip became one huge refugee camp. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The legal status of the Gaza Strip" essay for you Create order The then Israeli Prime Minister David Ben Gurion offered annexing the Gaza Strip to Israel believing that it would resolve the problem of having such concentration of Palestinian refugees in the northwest of the Negev. However, this offer was rejected by Egypt in the Lausanne conference of 1949.[1] Following the 1948 war, Egypt administered the Gaza Strip, but did not annex it. Egyptian military forces ruled over the Gaza Strip and managed all public and civil affairs.[2] During that period, Israel launched military incursions into the Gaza Strip to intimidate Palestinians and carried out indiscriminate air strikes. It eventually occupied the territory following the 1956 war against Egypt, but it was compelled under international pressure to withdraw from the territory in 1957.[3] The situation in the Gaza Strip remained as such until the six-day war in 1967 between Israel and neighboring Arab countries, following which Israel occupied the Gaza Strip; the West Bank, including E ast Jerusalem, which was under the Jordanian administration; the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula; and the Syrian Golan Heights. On 22 November 1967, the UN Security Council issued resolution 242, which is also known as land for peace resolution, calling for withdrawal of Israels armed forces from territories occupied in theà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ conflict.[4] However, the resolution has not been implemented. Israel ruled the Gaza Strip according to military orders issued by the military commander of the area with no consideration to the laws that were in force before the occupation. It refused to recognize that it was an occupying power in the Gaza Strip and insisted that it was only administering the area. During its occupation, Israel established 21 settlements on Palestinian lands throughout the Gaza Strip, where thousands of Israeli settlers lived. Palestinian resistance of the occupation in the Gaza Strip took the form of sporadic armed struggle led by the Palestine Liberation Organizat ion (PLO), especially in the 1970s. In the early 1980s the Palestinian struggle took the form of popular resistance with Palestinians, especially students, organizing mass demonstrations protesting against the Israeli occupation. This Palestinian movement matured with the outbreak of the first Intifada in December 1987, which marked a new stage of the history of the Gaza Strip that highlighted the reality of the Israeli occupation and the need for ending it. During the Intifada, Israeli forces killed hundreds of Palestinian civilians and wounded thousands of others. In the early 1990s, the situation witnessed a major development with some Palestinian armed groups attacking Israeli military targets inside the Gaza Strip, so Israel began to seek a solution to stop the losses of its soldiers. Therefore, it initiated secret negotiations with the PLO in Oslo which were concluded by the Declaration of Principles, under which the two parties agreed that an autonomous Palestinian authority would be established and the peace process between them would be based on the land for peace principle. In May 1994, the two sides signed Gaza-Jericho Agreement, according to which Israeli forces were redeployed in the Gaza Strip and in Jericho in the West Bank. They also agreed that a final settlement would be reached by the end of a five-year interim arrangements. In Summer 2000, US President Bill Clinton invited the late chairman of the Palestinian Authority Yasser Arafat and the then Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak to Camp David to negotiate a final solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflicts, but the negotiations failed. Soon after, in September 2000, the second Palestinian Intifada broke out and it was different from the first one in that it involved the use of heavy weapons by Israeli forces against Palestinians, while Palestinian armed groups attacked Israeli military objectives and settlements in the Gaza Strip and West Bank. In September 2005 Israel completed it s unilateral disengagement plan and declared an end of its martial law in the Gaza Strip. Under the plan, Israeli forces redeployed outside the Gaza Strip and Israeli settlements were evacuated. By the implementation of the disengagement plan Israel claimed that the occupation of Gaza ended. However, in spite of withdrawing its troops and settlers from the Gaza Strip, Israel has continued to influence the life in the Gaza Strip: the Israeli military has continued to control the airspace and territorial water of Gaza, and the passage of persons and goods into Gaza; and Israel has not delivered to the Palestinian Authority the population registration records and has not agreed to the opening of Gazas seaport and airport.[5] In June 2007, following short internal fighting with Fatah movement, Hamas, which won the majority of seats in the elections of the Palestinian Legislative Council in January 2006, took over the Gaza Strip and expelled the Palestinian Authority security services and officials. Since 2005, Israeli has carried out a series of incursions and air strikes against the Gaza Strip, and even wide-scale military offensives, the most prominent of which were Operation Cast Lead (2008-2009), Operation Pillar of Defense in November 2012, and the latest one, Operation Protective Edge, which is addressed by this essay. Current Legal status of the Gaza Strip In order to categorize the latest conflict, Operation Protective Edge, under international law it is necessary to examine the current legal status of the Gaza Strip. Israels position In September 2005, Israel implemented its unilateral disengagement plan from the Gaza Strip, under which Israeli troops were redeployed outside the area and took positions at the border, and Israeli settlements were evacuated. Israel declared an end of its military rule of the Gaza Strip. It claimed that as it took these measures, its position as an occupying power in Gaza ended.[6] Brigadier General Aviv Kochavi, the departing Israeli military Gaza Region Commander, stated: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"the responsibility for whatever takes place inside befalls upon the [Palestinian] Authorityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢.[7] On that same day the former Israeli military Chief of Southern Command, Major-General Dan Harel, issued an official decree claiming the end of military rule in the Gaza Strip.[8] The states position, as detailed before the Israeli Supreme Court in a case challenging the practice of sonic booms over the Gaza Strip, is that the laws of occupation, according to which an occupying powe r owes legal obligations towards pro ­tected persons living in occupied territory, apply when the territory is under the authority of the enemy and such authority is stablished and capable of being exercised.[9] At the legal level, the Israeli Supreme Court rejected a petition by human rights organizations against the restriction of electricity supplies to Gaza. It ruled that Israel is no longer responsible for public order in the Gaza Strip, nor for the well-being of the Gaza Strips population under the laws of occupation.[10] International Law and International Humanitarian Law In spite of unilaterally evacuating 8,000 settlers and removing military installments from the Gaza Strip in September 2005, Israel have maintained effective control of the Gaza Strip, so it remains the occupying power as defined by article 42 of the Hague Regulations 1907,[11] which stipulates: Territory is considered occupied when it is actually placed under the authority of the hostile ar my. The occupation extends only to the territory where such authority has been established and can be exercised. According to article 43, Israel as the occupying power of the Gaza Strip must take all the measures in [its] power to restore, and ensure, as far as possible, public order and safety, while respecting, unless absolutely prevented, the laws in force in the country. In fact, Israel have maintained control over the Gaza Strip through: Effective control of border crossings of the Gaza Strip into Israel; Control on the ground through repeated incursions and an imposing access-restricted areas along the eastern and northern border of the Gaza Strip; Control of the Gaza Stripà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s airspace; Control of the Gaza Stripà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s territorial waters and limiting the fishing areas; Control of the registry of the Palestinian population of the Gaza Strip; Control of tax policies and transfer of tax revenues; Control of the of the Palestinian Authoritys ability to exercise governmen ­tal functions.[12] Under the current situation, the powers Israel exercises from the borders enable it to control the life within the Gaza Strip. As shown in the case of Denmark during the Second World War, the occupier may leave in place an existing local administration or allow a new authority to be established for as long as it preserves the ultimate authority. Under the Oslo Accords and other related agreements, Israel has transferred to the Palestinian Authority some powers and functions within the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, but kept for itself the ultimate authority, especially with regards to security. When Israel implemented the unilateral disengagement and evacuated its troops and settlers from the Gaza Strip, it left in place a Palestinian local administration, but there is no local governing body to which full authority was transferred.[13] Israels justification for its offensive on Gaza In a statement to the international community, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu s aid:[14] Hamas and other terrorist groups in Gaza are firing rockets on cities throughout the State of Israelà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ No country on earth would remain passive in the face of hundreds of rockets fired on its cities and Israel is no exceptionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ I spoke with several world leaders. I appreciated their expressions of strong support for our right and our duty to defend ourselves, and this is what we will continue to do. Israel claimed that it was acting in self-defense in Gaza, and attempted to portray itself as the victim in the conflict. The United States endorsed this justification for the use of force. However, Gaza is not an independent state and Israel accepts this but instead sees Gaza as a hostile entity, a concept that is unknown to international law and one that Israel has never explained. The status of Gaza is clear à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" it is an occupied territory and part of the occupied Palestinian territory. Effective control is the test of occupation as recently confirmed by the International Court of Justice in dispute between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. Concerning the case of Gaza, Israeli physical presence in the territory is not necessary as Israel retains effective control over the territory by other means. It uses modern technology to control all aspects of life in Gaza.[15] Israel argues that it can invoke the right to self-defense under international law. It has attempted to frame rocket fire from Gaza as an armed attack within the meaning of Article 51 of the UN Charter to justify its offensive on Gaza. However, the International Court of Justice rejected this faulty legal interpretation in its 2004 Advisory Opinion. The ICJ pointed out that an armed attack that would trigger Article 51 of the UN Charter must be carried out by a sovereign state, but the attacks by Palestinians emerge from a territory that is under Israels jurisdiction. [16] The ICJs Opinion is complementary to the UN General Assembl y Resolution 2694 adopted on 30 November 1970, which affirms the legitimacy of the struggle of peoples under colonial and alien domination recognized as being entitled to the right of self-determination to restore to themselves that right by any means at their disposal. The Resolution also considers that the acquisition and retention of territory in contravention of the right of the people of that territory to self-determination is inadmissible and a gross violation of the Charter and condemns those governments that deny the right to self-determination of peoples recognized as being entitled to it, especially of the peoples of southern Africa and Palestine. The rejection of Israel argument concerning Article 51 of the UN Charter leaves Israel at risk of prosecution for the crime of aggression.[17] Military or belligerent occupation is a status recognized by IHL. According to the Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons (Fourth Geneva Convention) of 1949, t o which Israel is a party, a state is allowed to occupy a territory acquired in an armed conflict, but such occupation must be temporary pending a peace settlement. Israel as the occupying power has obligations to protect and ensure the welfare of the Palestinian civilian population in Gaza, but it has breached its obligations, and has perpetrated violations of the Fourth Geneva Convention by launching a series of military campaigns against Gaza and imposing an illegal siege on the densely populated area as a form of collective punishment prohibited by Article 33 of the Convention. Before 2005, Palestinian resistance of the occupation was directed against Israeli forces present in the Gaza Strip, but following the imposition of the total siege and launching a series of military attacks on Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian armed groups began to fire rockets into Israeli territory in an attempt to lift the siege and end the belligerent occupation. Occupation in itself is an act of aggression and it is a self-evident legal and moral principle that an aggressor can never rely upon self-defense to justify using force against resistance to its own aggression. This principle is demonstrated in the judgments of the Nuremberg tribunals. A Nuremburg judge put it as follows: One of the most amazing phenomena of this case which does not lack in startling features is the manner in which the aggressive war conducted by Germany against Russia has been treated by the defense as if it were the other way around. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦If it is assumed that some of the resistance units in Russia or members of the population did commit acts which were in themselves unlawful under the rules of war, it would still have to be shown that these acts were not in legitimate defense against wrongs perpetrated upon them by the invader. Under International Law, as in Domestic Law, there can be no reprisal against reprisal. The assassin who is being repulsed by his intended victim m ay not slay him and then, in turn, plead self- defense. (Trial of Otto Ohlendorf and others, Military Tribunal II-A, April 8, 1948) [18] [1] J.P. Filiu, Gaza: A History, UK, Oxford University Press, 2014, p. 311. [2]Legal Status in Palestine, Information Center, Institute of Law, Bir Zeit University, Ramallah, https://lawcenter.birzeit.edu/iol/en/index.php?action_id=210, (accessed 24 October 2014) [3] Filiu, supra note 1. [4] UN Security Council Resolution 242/1967, S/RES/242 (22 November 1967), available from undoc.org/S/RES/242. [5] Y. Shany, Faraway, So Close: The Legal Status of Gaza after Israels Disengagement, International Law Forum, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, August 2006, p. 7. [6] Gaza Strip, BTselem à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, https://www.btselem.org/gaza_strip, (accessed 25 October 2014). [7] IDF Spokesperson Office, Mission Completed, 12 September 2005, cited in Y. Shany, Faraway, So Close: The Legal Status of Gaza after Israels Disengagement, International Law Forum, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Augus t 2006, p. 3. [8] Ibid. [9] Israeli Supreme Court, 10265/05 Physicians for Human Rights v. Defense Minister, States submission of July 11, 2006, cited in Disengaged Occupiers: The Legal Status of Gaza, position paper, Gisha à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" Legal Center for Freedom of Movement, January 2007, p. 23 (all translations of court documents into English are by Gisha). [10] BTselem, supra note 1. [11] N. Erakat, Humanitarian law and Operation Protective Edge: a survey of violations and remedies, expert analysis, Norwegian Peacebuilding Resource Centre, August 2014, p. 2. [12] Disengaged Occupiers: The Legal Status of Gaza, position paper, Gisha à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" Legal Center for Freedom of Movement, January 2007, p. 10. [13] Report of the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict, A/HRC/12/48, September 2009, para. 278 and 279. [14] A Statement from PM Netanyahu to the International Community, the Yeshiva World News, 10 July 2014, https://www.theyeshiv aworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/246114/a-statement-from-pm-netanyahu-to-the-international-community.html (accessed on 1 November 2014). [15] J. Dugard, Debunking Israels self-defense argument, Opinion, Al-Jazeera America, 31 July 2014, https://america.aljazeera.com/opinions/2014/7/gaza-israel-internationalpoliticsunicc.html (accessed on 1 November 2014). [16] N. Erakat, Humanitarian law and Operation Protective Edge: a survey of violations and remedies, Expert Analysis, Norwegian Peacebuilding Resource Center, August 2014. [17] J. M. Leas, Why the Self-Defense Doctrine Doesnt Legitimize Israel Assaults on Gaza, Counter Punch, 27 December 2012, https://www.counterpunch.org/2012/12/27/why-the-self-defense-doctrine-doesnt-legitimize-israels-assault-on-gaza/ (accessed on 1 November 2014). [18] M. Mandel, Israels Unjust War on Gaza, Self-Defense against Peace, Global Search à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" Center for Research on Globalization, 7 August 2014, https://www.globalre search.ca/israels-unjust-war-on-gaza-self-defense-against-peace/5395084 (accessed on 1 November 2014).

The Impact Of Media On Social And Political Decisions

The information is very important for people in communities. Citizens can receive the information from a variety of mass media such as televisions, radios, and newspapers, and also get from new media such as the Internet. This information has affected to people who use data for making social and political decisions (Ederstone, 2011, p. 140). Media ownerships play an important role as man in the middle by collected facts from their journalists and spread to general public. Also the same information can disseminate to worldwide through new media. The purpose of this assignment is to illustrate the benefits of concentrated media ownership, including news to become international and a variety of services and products. It will then go on to describe the disadvantages, which involve diversity of content and lack of neutrality. Convergence technology is breaking down walls of the media and allows news to become international that means local news can spread to global audiences. In fact, the Internet has created an extraordinary of information and entertainment via data broadcasting, Internet technologies and traditional home video replacement. People around the world can access the content that media owners provide, so the same contents are spreading to global viewers. In addition, research in industry trends from PricewaterhouseCoopers shows that advertising revenue on the Internet is predicted that it will sharply rise from 6,000 billion in 2008 to 15,000 billion in 2017,Show MoreRelatedThe Black Lives Matter Movement972 Words   |  4 PagesWhen looking at current social movements it is important to understand how race, class, and the current political sphere intersect with current social environments. Because we have movements that are focused on systemic/longstanding social issues it is important to understand how decisions are made in reaction to these systemic problems and how public opinion is effected by them. 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Insomnia Cookies Free Essays

Organization Structure and Design at Insomnia Cookies What do you think the current organization chart at Insomnia Cookies looks like? Is this structure appropriate for its needs? Explain. What forces have most influenced the structure of Insomnia Cookies? Describe CEO and founder Seth Berkowitz’s span of management. The organization chart is quite confusing because employees of Insomnia Cookies perform beyond their role of duty that they are supposed to. We will write a custom essay sample on Insomnia Cookies or any similar topic only for you Order Now An organization structure should reflect the company’s management chart and the roles and responsibilities of the employees (Lehmann, 1998). In this case, the structure is disorientated. Now, the organizational chart at Insomnia Cookie is divided in three parts, which consists of the top management, middle management, and the lower management. The Chief Executive Officer come founder sits at the part of the top management. The Marketing Director, Chief Operation Officer, Finance Director and the Operations Coordinator in the middle part of management, while the lower management includes the marketing team, managers, bakers and delivery staffs. At Insomnia Cookies, the Manager force influenced most of the structure in the company. Every manager thinks in a different way. As factors such as experience, knowledge and values shape the person’s way of thinking and perception, some issues could occur when running a company. The executive staffs at Insomnia Cookies are lean, which consists of the Chief Executive Officer (also the founder), a Marketing Director, a Chief Operating Officer, and an Operations Coordinator. When Insomnia Cookies first formed its company, all managers were new and nobody have tried managing a company, thus solution for every issue were made and done only when something serious came up. The task force influenced the change of the activities in Insomnia Cookies. According to Certo and Certo (2012), task includes the degree of technology in performing a task. When issues about managing labour costs, food costs and inventory management came up, the Chief Operating Director began with a system and database to manage costs. He multitasked as he went down to store to work with the bakers while he need to manage the operation of local store marketing to ensure the local store growth to be seen as a whole to the global standard. Using the factors that were stated by Koontz (1966), the similarity of functions factor explains that the activities performed by individuals that are under the supervision of Seth Berkowitz are dissimilar. The complexity of functions factor is hard to achieve because the subordinates each have their own complex tasks. Lastly, the coordination factor and the planning factor has negative tendency when the work done needs much coordination and especially when the manager spends much time sorting out plans. With all of these, it is concluded that Seth Berkowitz’s span of management is narrow. How to cite Insomnia Cookies, Papers

Shakespeares use of minor characters in Macbeth and Othello Essay Example

Shakespeares use of minor characters in Macbeth and Othello Paper Shakespeare tends to use his minor characters to allow a brief interlude of comic relief in his tragedies. However, these minor characters are also pivotal characters through which Shakespeare can convey much deeper and darker meanings to the audience whilst using black humour. The minor characters of the Porter in Macbeth and the Clown in Othello are both seen as comic characters whose main purpose would initially be expected as bringing comedy to the stage, yet the scenes in which they are involved and the characters themselves are much more significant than may first appear. Shakespeare is using these minor characters to contrast the element of dark comedy with tragedy enabling the two to become indistinguishable, allowing a sense of movement between the comedy, which creates the feeling of relief, therefore heightening the dramatic tension and the tragedy. The Porter in Macbeth enters the stage immediately following the murder of King Duncan. The Porters use of prose as opposed to verse and his frequent crude jokes and poor style of language, coupled with his short appearance and lack of stage space, resulted in him generally being ignored by much earlier critics. However there is layered meanings to this scene, enabling it to be interpreted in a number of ways, for technicality purposes or to further establish the character of Macbeth, and without it, the themes of the play do not hold as much significance. Although the scene is a mere 40 lines long, it is a dividing point of Macbeth, and one of the most debatable scenes in the entire play. The Porter Scene occurs at the start of Act II, and is multi-functional serving both practical technicalities and hidden meanings in the more sinister elements of the play. We will write a custom essay sample on Shakespeares use of minor characters in Macbeth and Othello specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Shakespeares use of minor characters in Macbeth and Othello specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Shakespeares use of minor characters in Macbeth and Othello specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Shakespeare includes these comic scenes in his plays for a variety of reasons, and they are much more purposeful than merely adding some humour and lightening the mood. The location of this scene adds to the peculiarity of it and defamiliarizes the situation to the audience making events feel out of time and in the wrong space, resulting in possibility for its many interpretations. The scene immediately follows Macbeths offstage killing of Duncan and therefore, in terms of technicalities, without this scene Macbeths dress cannot be shifted nor his hands washed (Capell, 13). This is a very practical reason for the inclusion of the Porter yet minor characters were often included to enable the major characters to fulfil something or to support the actions of the major characters. This also delays the audiences as well as the other characters discovering the murder of King Duncan and therefore enables Macbeth to change his clothes; not only hidden from the audience but also to disguise and prolong the fact that he has committed the murder. However, if these are the solo reasons for the scenes existence a character who causes delay need not to be a drunken porter, (Muir). Therefore there must be a deeper meaning for such a comical character in a drunken state, which despite performing a series of comical actions could be considered as anti-comic. The fact that Macbeths brutal slaying of Duncan immediately precedes his entrance locates the Porter as the true test of comedy that shall awaken thoughtful laughter. (Meredith, 994). Whilst providing comic relief, the scene is also as a transition period for the audience as the action moves from the intensity of the murders to the drama that follows, acting as a paradox to add to the tension not only on stage between the characters but also with the audience. The use of light humour in the porters soliloquy intensifies the suspense as opposed to merely creating humour and increases the effectiveness of the transition which would not have as much meaning if every minute of the play contained violence and intense drama. Although the Porter initially appears as a drunken fool who is nothing more than an idiot, Shakespeare is actually providing the audience with a much deeper understanding of the themes of the play through some of the Porters comments. One reading of the Porter is to take his comments literally and to read him as a porter of Hell Gate (II. i. 3), not just a porter of the gates of Inverness Castle. This then links to the meaning of Hell and whether it is the place he is referring to or Macbeths state of mind. If the purpose of the Porter is to represent the state of Macbeths mind at this vulnerable time, then the Porter can also be seen as taking on the role of Macbeths interrogator. (Chahidi) Macbeth is under a lot of pressu re from both Lady Macbeth and his own guilt and conscience after having killed King Duncan, therefore the Porters talk of hell and damnation are things that will be at the forefront of his mind. The fact that the Porter immediately converts to the role of a regular, drunken porter at Macduff and Lennoxs arrival, may be representative of the dual personality that Macbeth is going to require; the public Macbeth and the private, murderous Macbeth; who has given himself up to the devil due to the amount of evil within him. This representation of the Porter as Macbeths disorderly state of mind may be why he regards his job as a porter of hell-gate. The house has become a house of hell due to it being owned by Macbeth. The Porters drunken stupor, coupled with the fact that the conversation turns to talk of drink and sex upon the arrival of Macduff and Lennox, enables Shakespeare to contrast the Porter with the other characters, including Macbeth, and declaring him to as a character who is of a lower social class and an uneducated member of society. The intensity of Macbeths sins and crimes are also intensified by the Porter whose sins are merely innocent drinking and fornication as opposed to the cold, evil crimes within the castle. The Porters simple vices establish an ethical distance between ordinary humanity and Macbeth. (Harcourt) During his speech, the Porter mentions three professions, a farmer, a tailor, and possibly the most important, the equivocator. The choice of these professions is not a mere coincidence but a result of their importance to the dramatic situation and Macbeths character. The first, .. a farmer that hanged himself on thexpectation of plenty (II. iii. 7-8) parallels Macbeths earlier state of mind in Act 1 Scene VII. He struggles to cope with the amount of evil and the great sin he is committing because of his conscience, and as a result of which, he depends upon his drive and ambition to help him fulfil the evil deed, I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition which oerlaps and falls on thother (I. vii. 25-26). It is only his internal drives that lead Macbeth to his downfall; there are no real external necessities or factors causing Macbeth or the farmer to resort to such drastic actions. The inclusion of the tailor and his thieving may relate to the fact that Macbeth is stealing Duncans place on the throne and will be dressed in borrowed robes. (I. iii. 108) This image of clothes is used a number of times throughout the play and is also a recurring symbol in the Porters speech who refers to a French hose. (II. iii. 13) The most important of the professions mentioned by the Porter is evidently the equivocator, that could swear in both the scales against either scale, who committed treason enough for Gods sake, yet could not equivocate Heaven. II. iii. 8-9) These words are heavily laden with the element of sin and the treason of the equivocator paralleling the treason of Macbeth murdering the King. At the end of the play, Macbeth will have to pay for his crimes but unlike the equivocator who was able to equivocate Heaven, Macbeths punishment will be eternal. The Porters status as a minor character is justifiable due to his short presence in the play, yet his presence can also be seen as a continuance of the supernatural elements throughout the play. The clown disappears without a word: we might say that he vanishes, like the witches, when his many tasks are complete. (Brown) This interpretation of the Porter as a continuation or product of the witches is intensified in certain productions of the play as some directors have chosen to have the same actor play both the part of a witch as well as the Porter. Very often it is the actors own depiction of the Porter that determines his characteristics resulting in it being interpreted in many different ways. As Shakespeare does not specify how he wants the character to played it may be that this was his original intention. Paul Chahidi who played the role of the Porter as well as one of the witches believed that the Porters speech was included in order to give a voice to all of Macbeths thoughts and imaginings after the murder (Chahidi), which have ironically come about as a result of the witches prophecies, voiced by the same actor. Following an analysis of the character of the Porter and the scene in which he is located, it is evident that this minor character is very important as he is included at such a significant and pivotal point in the play. He serves a much greater purpose than merely making the audience laugh. The introduction of a character such as the porter enables Shakespeare to juxtapose moments of humour with moments of tragedy. Without these elements of humour, the language would not carry the same connotations or meaning, resulting in it being less effective. Macbeth is not the only play to have a minor character; whose presence is so brief that they do not even qualify for an individual name or title; playing such a momentous role and it is especially common in Shakespeares tragedies. These arguments of the purpose of minor characters are also supported by the role of the Clown in Othello who is equally more important and significant than first suggested. The function of the Clown in Shakespeares Othello can also be queried as although it is initially conveyed as a character who provides humour and some comic relief, the poor quality of the jokes and the fact that they result in very little humour, leaves the audience questioning Shakespeares intentions of including a character who initially appears insignificant and useless. The Clown works as a servant in Othellos household and therefore has a dual role as both entertainer and servant. He makes two appearances in the play, the first being in Act 3 Scene I and the second later in the same act, in Scene IV, as opposed to the Porter in Macbeth who only appears in the one scene. However, despite making two appearances the total amount of dialogue spoken by the Clown only equals the equivalent of approximately twelve lines. The Clowns first appearance establishes him in his servant role, defamiliarizing the audiences image and purpose of a clown. However, the way in which these servants duties are performed and his choice of language carrying comic connotations, helps to re-establish him as a clown and therefore a comical character in the play. The Clowns speech is not as straight forward as first appears as Shakespeare has employed the use of puns with almost every statement he makes. The Clowns opening line and introduction to the audience is whilst making a derogatory comment about the musician performance, Why masters have your instruments been in / Naples that they speak I th nose thus? (III. i. 4) This line is suggestive of the comical scene that lies ahead, which is enforced by the imminent need of some humour and comic relief at such an intense point of the play, following Cassio and Roderigos fight. Granville-Barker justified the inclusion of the Clown at this point as being : For relaxation before the tense main business of the tragedy begins we next have Cassio in the early morning bringing musicians to play beneath Othellos window (a pleasant custom, and here what delicate amends! ), to this being added the grosser, conventional japes of the Clown. Granville-Barker). Othellos distaste for the music and the fact that the Clowns entrance evolves around music, relates to Shakespeares conceptions of peace ad agreement in terms of music played or sung in tune, and of disagreement and conflict in terms of music out of tune. (Prager) Othello does not want to be soothed by the tune and therefore does not want any music, showing that he is evidently in a state of disarray. The Clown refers to the music as nasal, reminding the audience of the intensity of the conflict between the characters. The Clown is immediately established as being different to Shakespeares other comical characters. His dialogue is generally directed at other characters on stage without the need for him to soliloquize his speeches, and the puns and innuendos he makes are also aimed at the other characters who in turn respond to the Clown. The response of these on stage characters also helps the audience to further develop their understanding of them, and therefore the role of the clown may not solely be for comical purposes and to provide a sense of relief to the play, but also to further establish the main characters. This is established from the moment the Clown appears and he is left alone with Cassio who asks if Dost thou hear me, mine hones friend? (III. i. 21) and the Clown responds with, No, I hear not your honest friend. I hear you. (III. i. 22) This manipulation of honesty is a central theme in Othello and conveys the use of the Clown as a tool for establishing the other characters to the audience and intensifying the element of irony in the play. If Othello trusted his honest friends as opposed to the dishonest Iago the play would not have such a tragic outcome and the events that unfold would be quite different. Cassios response to the Clown further establishes Cassio himself as someone who does not like humour and is in fact a very serious person, contrasting entirely with the Clown. This serious aspect to Cassios character and his inability to partake in humour may contribute to his actions in later scenes. The Clowns later appearance in Act 3 Scene iv and his exchange with Desdemona, also contains dialogue laden with these puns, which relates to the earlier events, proceeding the speech and continues to emphasise the themes of honesty and lies. Despite the element of humour in this scene; reminding the audience that the main purpose of the Clown is to provide a moment of relief amidst all the tension; the Clowns choice of language and jokes also develops Desdemona as a sentimental, emotional character who is portrayed as nai ve and someone who readily believes what she is told and readily believes those she thinks she can trust. This results in Iago being able to manipulate her so easily. When asked of Cassios location, the Clown states that he dare not say he lies anywhere, (III. iv. and Desdemona takes his statement literally, replying, Why man? (III. iv. 3), again showing her naivety. Although the lying that the Clown is referring to is where Cassio is located, the context in which it is spoken and the earlier representation of the Clown, suggests to have a double meaning relating to telling a lie. The irony of this speech and fact that it is stated in the same sentence as stabbing Cassio, He is a soldier and for one to say a soldier lies, is stabbing. (III. iv. 7) is heightened by the later events in the play when Iago actually stabs Roderigo, a soldier, in Act 5. The way in which the Clown plays with the truth results in it being more believable and effective, enables the audience to understand Shakespeares intentions for what lies ahead and the subtle hints he provides about the events still to come. It is this black humour, which comes about as a result of Shakespeares education in Greek classics and literature that enables the incorporation of comedy or humour into the tragedies, Shakespeare loved Latin and Greek literature. What he had been taught at school he remembered, he improved his knowledge afterwards by reading translations. (Highet) This helps to maintain the attention of the audience and heightens the intensity of the dramatic moments. The use of these two minor characters is to provide elements of humour yet it also evident that the techniques employed by Shakespeare enable them to have a dual purpose. As is the fool in King Lear, who plays a larger role than the Clown and the Porter whilst still maintaining the position of minor character, the voices of these characters speak directly to the audience connecting the events of the play and reminding the audience of any subtle suggestions they may have missed or not understood. Whilst some critics view the insertion of these minor characters and comical elements as interrupting the actions, it can be argued that they in fact add to the tragedy and sinister moments. They are not there purely for comical reasons but to serve a purpose in terms of structure and theatrical necessity (Playnotes). It is through these minor characters that the brief moments of comic relief are seen. No matter how small or what the underlying meanings may be at these points of the plays they still provide a sense of humour and relieve the intensity of the drama.

The Story of the Jonestown Massacre

The Story of the Jonestown Massacre On November 18, 1978, Peoples Temple leader Jim Jones instructed all members living in the Jonestown, Guyana compound to commit an act of revolutionary suicide, by drinking poisoned punch. In all, 918 people died that day, nearly a third of whom were children. The Jonestown Massacre was the most deadly single non-natural disaster in U.S. history until September 11, 2001. The Jonestown Massacre also remains the only time in history in which a U.S. congressman (Leo Ryan) was killed in the line of duty. Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple Jim Jones, his wife, and their adopted children. Don Hogan Charles / Getty Images Founded in 1956 by Jim Jones, the Peoples Temple was a racially integrated church that focused on helping people in need. Jones originally established the Peoples Temple in Indianapolis, Indiana, but then moved it to Redwood Valley, California in 1966. Jones had a vision of a communist community, one in which everyone lived together in harmony and worked for the common good. He was able to establish this in a small way while in California but he dreamed of establishing a compound outside of the United States. This compound would be fully under his control, allow Peoples Temple members to help others in the area, and be far away from any influence of the United States government. The Settlement in Guyana The Jonestown Pavilion, now abandoned. Bettmann Archive / Getty Images Jones found a remote location in the South American country of Guyana that fit his needs. In 1973, he leased some land from the Guyanese government and had workers begin clearing it of jungle. Since all building supplies needed to be shipped in to the Jonestown Agricultural Settlement, construction of the site was slow. In early 1977, there were only about 50 people living in the compound and Jones was still in the U.S. However, that all changed when Jones received word that an exposà © was about to be printed about him. The article included interviews with ex-members. The night before the article was to be printed, Jim Jones and several hundred Peoples Temple members flew to Guyana and moved into the Jonestown compound. Things Go Wrong in Jonestown Jonestown was meant to be a utopia. However, when members arrived at Jonestown, things were not as they expected. Since there werent enough cabins built to house people, each cabin was filled with bunk beds and overcrowded. The cabins were also segregated by gender, so married couples were forced to live apart. The heat and humidity in Jonestown was stifling and caused a number of members to get sick. Members were also required to work long work days in the heat, often up to eleven hours a day. Throughout the compound, members could hear Joness voice broadcast through a loudspeaker. Unfortunately, Jones often would talk endlessly on the loudspeaker, even through the night. Exhausted from a long days work, members did their best to sleep through it. Although some members did love living in Jonestown, others wanted out. Since the compound was surrounded by miles and miles of jungle and encircled by armed guards, members needed Jones permission to leave. And Jones didnt want anyone to leave. Congressman Ryan Visits Jonestown Congressman Leo Ryan. Bettmann Archive / Getty Images U.S. Representative Leo Ryan from San Mateo, California heard reports of bad things happening in Jonestown; thus, he decided to go to Jonestown and find out for himself what was going on. He took along his adviser, an NBC film crew, and a group of concerned relatives of Peoples Temple members. At first, everything looked fine to Ryan and his group. However, that evening, during a big dinner and dance in the pavilion, someone secretly handed one of the NBC crewmembers a note with the names of a few people who wanted to leave. It then became clear that some people were being held against their will in Jonestown. The following day, November 18, 1978, Ryan announced that he was willing to take anyone who wished to leave back to the United States. Worried about Jones reaction, only a few people accepted Ryans offer. The Attack at the Airport When it was time to leave, the Peoples Temple members who had stated they wanted out of Jonestown scrambled on board a truck with Ryans entourage. Before the truck got far, Ryan, who had decided to stay behind to ensure that there was no one else who wanted to leave, was attacked by a Peoples Temple member. The assailant failed to cut Ryans throat, but the incident made it obvious that Ryan and the others were in danger. Ryan then joined the truck and left the compound. The truck made it safely to the airport, but the planes werent ready to leave when the group arrived. As they waited, a tractor and trailer pulled up near them. From the trailer, Peoples Temple members popped up and started shooting at Ryans group. On the tarmac, five people were killed, including Congressman Ryan. Many others were severely wounded. Mass Suicide at Jonestown: Drinking Poisoned Punch Back in Jonestown, Jones ordered everyone to assemble at the pavilion. Once everyone was assembled, Jones spoke to his congregation. He was in a panic and seemed agitated. He was upset that some of his members had left. He acted like things had to happen in a hurry. He told the congregation that there was to be an attack on Ryans group. He also told them that because of the attack, Jonestown wasnt safe. Jones was sure that the U.S. government would react strongly to the attack on Ryans group. [W]hen they start parachuting out of the air, theyll shoot some of our innocent babies, Jones told them. Jones told his congregation that the only way out was to commit the revolutionary act of suicide. One woman spoke up against the idea, but after Jones offered reasons why there was no hope in other options, the crowd spoke out against her. When it was announced that Ryan was dead, Jones became more urgent and more heated. Jones urged the congregation to commit suicide by saying, If these people land out here, theyll torture some of our children here. Theyll torture our people, theyll torture our seniors. We cannot have this. Jones told everyone to hurry. Large kettles filled with grape flavored Flavor-Aid (not Kool-Aid), cyanide, and Valium were placed in the open-sided pavilion. Bettmann Archive / Getty Images Babies and children were brought up first. Syringes were used to pour the poisoned juice into their mouths. Mothers then drank some of the poisoned punch. Next went other members. Some members were already dead before others got their drinks. If anyone wasnt cooperative, there were guards with guns and crossbows to encourage them. It took approximately five minutes for each person to die. The Death Toll Bettmann Archive / Getty Images On that day, November 18, 1978, 912 people died from drinking the poison, 276 of whom were children. Jones died from a single gunshot wound to the head, but it is unclear whether or not he did this himself. Portraits of the Jonestown victims.   Symphony999 / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons Only a handful or so people survived, either by escaping into the jungle or hiding somewhere in the compound. In total 918 people died, either at the airport or at the Jonestown compound.

Why Is College So Expensive Rising College Costs, Explained

Why Is College So Expensive Rising College Costs, Explained SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re like the average student, you’re probably bemoaning the ever-rising cost of college. School seems almost impossibly expensive, and yet every year sticker prices tend to go up. You know that getting a degree is important for your future career prospects, and you understand that you can apply for financial aid, but you just don’t get how schools can set these sky-high prices. Did college tuition always cost so much? And if not, why has it risen to its current rate? I’ll answer these questions and more in the following sections, which address: Current college expenses cost breakdowns Historical trends of tuition fee expenses in the US Explanations for these rapid cost increases What you actually pay for school, and how that’s different from the sticker price Tips strategies for keeping your costs down Read on to learn more about why college is so expensive, and what you can do to afford it. What Does College Cost? Before we talk about why college is so expensive, we should talk about what college actually costs. You might already have a general idea of average prices for public and private schools in the US, so hopefully this info won’t give you sticker shock. The major college costs that students are responsible for include tuition, fees, room, and board. Tuition fees are generally lumped together, as are room board costs. All of these expenses (plus a few minor others) are equal to the total amount it costs for a student to go to school for one year, otherwise known as the Cost of Attendance. Let’s look at some of these average costs for the last academic year (2014-2015): Tuition and Fees Private college average = $32,405 Public college average for in-state residents = $9,410 Public college average for out-of-state residents = $22,958 Room and Board Private college average =$11,188 Public college average = $9,804 In sum, the average Cost of Attendance ranges from about $18,943 at public schools to $42,419 at private schools (there will obviously be some variation - these are just averages). You can read more about the breakdown of college expenses by checking out our comprehensive guide to college costs. Now that you have a good baseline for current college costs, we can talk about why, exactly, they’re so shocking. We can do this by looking at historical data, or information on college costs over the last few decades. Historical Trends: The Rising Cost of College College cost trends in a nutshell. Here, we’ll take a look at how tuition, fees, room, and board costs have changed (in today’s dollars) over the last 40 years or so. I’ve created some graphs, so you have a better representation of rising expenses from a few different perspectives (data sources include College Board, IPEDS): Average tuition fee increases (for both private and public schools) Average room board increases (for both private and public schools) Average private college versus public college cost increases Tuition and Fee Increases I’m starting with tuition fees because this is where we tend to see the most dramatic cost increases over the past few decades – you’ll see what I mean on the graph below. Remember that these costs are all in 2015 dollars – because of inflation, $1 decades ago was worth much more than it is now. This has been accounted for in the graph so that the cost increases don’t seem larger or more drastic than they actually are. That being said, they look pretty drastic: Average Tuition Fees, 1975-2016 (in 5-year increments) To give you some concrete examples: The average private school tuition cost $10,088 in 1975, whereas the average private school tuition now costs $32,405. That’s a 221% increase over the past 40 years. The average public school tuition cost $2,387 in 1975, whereas the average public school tuition now costs $9,410. That’s a 294% increase over the past 40 years. When people talk about the discrepancy between private school and public school costs, this is generally what they mean. Room board can be expensive (as you’ll see in a minute), but the greatest difference in costs is evident when we look at tuition fees. The major factor that accounts for this difference? Public school tuition is subsidized by the state, whereas private school tuition isn’t. The tuition numbers for public schools listed above are average costs for in-state residents - tuition for out-of-state residents at public schools can be much more expensivebecause it’s not subsidized for those students. Room and Board Increases Room board costs can be a bit more variable than tuition fees costs, and depend heavily on things like cost of living in a particular area, or students’ living and dining plan selections. That being said, average room board costs have increased pretty dramatically over past decades (again, the amounts here have all been adjusted to 2015 dollars). Average Room Board, 1975-2016 (in 5-year increments) To give you some concrete examples: The average private school room board cost $6,125 in 1975, whereas the average cost now is $11,516. That’s a 188% increase over the past 40 years. The average public school room board cost $5,446 in 1975, whereas the average cost now is $10,138. That’s a 186% increase over the past 40 years. You might notice that although private room board costs are more expensive than those of public schools, there’s not a huge difference between them - in the 2015-2016 school year, for example, the difference between average room board costs between school types came to $1,378. Total Cost Increases: Private Colleges vs. Public Colleges Finally, we’ll take a look at how the average costs of private schools have compared to the average costs of public schools (in 2015 dollars) over the past four decades. Although they’ve both risen at rates faster than that of inflation, you might notice that there’s a big difference in the costs (and the change in costs) between public and private schools: Average Tuition Fees + Room Board Costs, 1975-2016 (in 5-year increments) Overall, we can see that average education costs have risen pretty rapidly. For public schools -The average total cost went from $7,833 in 1975 to $19,548 in 2015. That’s a 250% increase over four decades. For private schools -The average total cost went from $16,213 in 1975 to $43,921 in 2015. That’s a 271% increase over four decades. Your next question, naturally, might be why we’ve seen such a rapid increase in the cost of a college education in the US over the past 40 years. This isn’t an easy question to answer, but we’ll address all possible explanations for the rising cost of college in the next section. Why Are CollegeCosts Rising So Rapidly? This is the million dollar question - we know very well that costs are rising, and by how much. What’s more difficult to understand is why, exactly, college costs (for both public and private schools!) are going up at such an astonishing rate. There are several popular explanations for these cost increases. As with most complex issues, however, it’s difficult to approach a question like this objectively because most of these explanations come from perspectives that are biased by particular financial or political agendas. I can’t tell you for sure what the â€Å"right† answer is, but I can present the explanations and discuss their merits. This will help you gain a better understanding of how many factors may affect these dramatic cost increases. Explanation #1: Public Funding for Education Has Been Slashed This explanation may be the one most endorsed by schools themselves, and it’s likely to be the one you hear if you ask admissions officers or tour guides about the issue at any pricey institution. It’s not that costs have gone up - costs have just been shifted to students as schools have to make up deficits left by slashed state or federal funding. But is it true that the government has stalled or cut funding for post-secondary institutions? Well, not necessarily. Overall, government funding for higher education (i.e. college) has increased a lot faster than government spending in general. Although there are hiccupswhen the economy is in bad shape - like during the Great Recession - funding, in general, seems to have increased significantly over past decades: State funding for higher education increased significantlybetween 1960-1980: 390%, to be precise (adjusted for inflation) This state funding reached an (inflation-adjusted) high record of $86.6 billion in 2009. It fell a bit due to the stock market downturn in 2008 but has since risen to $81 billion The federal Pell Grant program has grown (in 2015 dollars) from $10.3 billion in 2000 to $34.3 billion Budgets were cut after 2008 due to the Great Recession, but college costs were increasing way before that, and the stock market has since recovered. I think it’s safe to say that funding for post-secondary educations hasn’t been slashed overall, but that doesn’t mean that schools aren’t dealing with tight budgets. In fact, funding might be a big issue for schools if †¦ Explanation #2: More Students Are Attending College More students = less money to go around? Why would college costs go up if more students attend? Well, schools would have more to pay for. If they accept greater numbers of students, they have to pay for more food, more housing, more professors, more facilities. Even if the amount of public funding increases, schools might be scrambling to cover costs if the funding amount per student decreases. Is this really what’s happening? Well, enrollment in postsecondary programs has increased by almost 50%since 1995 - there are definitely more students pursuing an education after high school.Again, though, we've seen this trend of increasing college costs way before 1995. Ultimately, I think it’s a bit of a stretch to say that an increase in enrollment has forced schools to raise their prices: First, no school is required to accept a greater number of students than it’s comfortable with. If they thought that bigger cohorts weren’t financially feasible, why would they take on more students? Second, adding students to a graduating class doesn’t do much to increase a school’s fixed costs (unless they were adding a very large number of students). Even if a school does spend more money to accommodate larger numbers of students, they also have more students paying to attend the school - this would, presumably, help to cover extra expenses. Let’s entertain the idea that schools may be paying more to take on large numbers of students. One budget item that may account for college cost increases... Explanation #3: More Pay for Professors With an increasingly global market comes global competition for academic positions (and competition when it comes to attracting students). Top experts in particular fields move all around the world to take jobs at universities who are willing to pay for them. Schools also haveto compete with the private sector when it comes to salaries. Because the private sector tends to be pretty lucrative, schools must compensate coveted experts very well for the work they do. Paying top dollar for professors could account (at least in part) for this increase in college expenses. So are schools actually paying more for their professors? There are undoubtedly some rockstar professors that make a ton of money at top universities. Overall, though, it looks like the average prof isn’t exactly raking in the dough - salariesaren’t much higher now than they were in the 1970s. Butif schools have to pay to employ larger numbers of professors, perhaps this could contribute to rising costs, right? In reality, though, schools now tend to employ way more part-time, lower-paid instructors (like graduate students and adjunct professors) than well-paid tenured professors. It looks like this explanation can’t fully account for the decades-long spike in costs. Explanation #4:Colleges Acting More Like Businesses A business’s primary focus - or at least one of them - is to maximizethe amount of money it makes. Even if a college is designated as a nonprofit, it’s still going to be incredibly concerned with its budget and revenue. A big portion of its revenue comes from what students pay to attend. Generally, people are willing to pay more for experiences or services that are more comfortable or enjoyable. Some people argue that colleges have caught on to this, and compete for applicants and students by offering and marketing â€Å"better† experiences - better food, better housing, nicer facilities, more interesting clubs and activities. Others suggest that schools raise prices just to appear more prestigiousto applicants. Is this really the case? Well, over the past few decades, there have been large increases in average administrationandstudent servicesbudgets at both private and public schools. Admin positions at colleges and universities grew by 60%between 1993 and 2009, which was much faster than the rate of growth for tenured faculty positions. Finally, high-ranking admin officers tend to make pretty cushy salaries. Overall, it seems that these sales- and marketing-related expenses (in the form of growing admin and student services budgets) could account for some of the decades-long cost increase. The next logical question, though, would be why students and parents would be willing and able to deal with ever-expensive college costs. Perhaps there’s something else at play here†¦ Explanation #5: More Public Funding Available for Schools Could more money be leading to an increase in costs? If colleges acted like businesses, they would charge whatever amount students were willing to pay in order to get a degree. If students are willing (and able) to pay more for college, then colleges would raise their costs. Some people argue that by increasing public funding for student financial aid, the government is increasing students’ willingness to pay - more financial aid money means more flexibility and freedom when it comes to choosing a college. A greater willingness to pay leads to an increase in cost from colleges and universities. Is more financial aid leading to these ballooning college expenses? It’s hard to say, mostly because we can only see the relationships between these two factors (what's known ascorrelation) and not necessarily whether one is causing the other. But here’s what we do know: For every extra dollar made available to students in the form of government financial aid, there’s an increase in average college tuition of about 65 cents For-profit colleges (like Capella, DeVry, and the University of Phoenix)are more explicit about the fact that they are run as businesses, and as such, focus on increasing profits. Publicly traded for-profit schools do well on the stock market when the government increases financial aid funding,suggesting that investors believe more financial aid = more profit for schools. We can’t determine anything for certain, but it looks like there’s an important relationship between available financial aid and college costs. One education professorposited that â€Å"if students couldn’t get any money from the federal government, tuition [fees] would probably go down, but it’s hard to say how much.† Increased financial aid is meant to make college more affordable, but in a system where schools (even nonprofit schools) are motivated to increase revenue, this funding may contribute to a disastrous feedback loop. What Do You Really Pay for School? The stuff we’ve discussed so far sounds pretty scary, to be honest. Who wants to worry about ballooning college costs and education affordability, when you want to just focus on getting into the schools you’re interested in? This is where I get to reassure you that all the numbers I’ve talked about so far may not be as meaningful as you think. All of these published costs - tuition, fees, room, board - come together to make up a school’s sticker price. This sticker price is what a student would pay without any financial aid or scholarship money, or without taking any serious cost-cutting measures. The number you should care about is your estimated Net Price, not Cost of Attendance. Your Net Price is the amount you pay after grants and scholarships. Average Net Prices for students are generally much lower than the figures published earlier in the article. Your Net Price will really depend on your financial situation and where you end up going to college, but average Net Prices are a good place to start if you're budgeting for school. The average Net Prices for 2015-2016 are: $14,120 for in-state students at public schools $26,400 for students at private schools You can do even better than these average figures, though- it’s pretty easy to calculate your own Net Price at a particular school! All you need to do is access its Net Price Calculator. Check out our complete guide to college costs for more info on using a Net Price calculator. How Do You Keep Costs Down and Save Cash? You have a lot of information to process so far, but this last section might be one of the most important ones! Since college is so expensive, you’ll want to take as many steps as possible to cut costs, especially if you’re on a budget. Just because college costs are rising doesn’t mean you have to pay full sticker price for a college education. These next tips will help you get as much money as possible for school. An effective (if impractical) way to cut your spending. Apply for Financial Aid As you may have guessed, financial aid is a huge part of keeping your college costs down. In order to get your hands on financial aid funds, make sure to submit a FAFSA accurately and by the deadline. The FAFSA is important because it's the application for all federal financial aid programs, including the Pell Grant, Direct loans, and Perkins loans. Schools also often use the FAFSA to determine aid eligibility. Apply forOutside Scholarships There are so many scholarships available based on so many different criteria, including academic merit, financial need, volunteer work, ethnicity, interests, and more. Awardscan range from $50 to hundreds of thousands of dollars. If you're interested in applying for scholarships, start by checking out our posts on top awards for juniors and seniors. Applyto In-State Public Schools In-state tuition is often much, much cheaper at public schools than tuition for non-residents. If you're interested in applying to public schools and want to lower your costs right off the bat, apply to schools in your state. Check out our article on college costs for more information on how much money you could save with this strategy. ApplytoSchools With Strong Financial Aid Programs Someschools have strong merit- and need-based financial aid programs. They award money to students independently of any awards given by the federal or state governments, which are all based on financial need. Although private schools tend to have pretty high sticker prices, highly-ranked schools with bigger endowments tend toaward generous financial aid packages to their students. Conversely, schools that are working to draw in more competitive applicants tend to give generous merit-based awards. To start learning about schools with great financial aid programs, check out this list of schools with the best financial aid. Cut Down on Living Expenses As you’ve seen, room board costs make up a big chunk of the total costs associated with going to college. Cutting down on these expenses can mean you pay a lot less money in the long run. There are a lot of ways do this. Ultimately, you should focus onchoosing economical meal plans and/or housing options, if available. You could also see if living at home is an option if you plan on going to school close to your parents. Get a Student Job A student job is a great way to gain professional, research, or business experience while also bringing in extra cash to coverexpenses. What's Next? You've made it to the end! No doubt you're itching to learn more about saving money in college, especially now that you know how much it can cost. You should start by learning all you can about financial aid. Our guide to applying for financial aid is a great introduction. To get more nitty gritty details about financial aid programs, read about the Pell Grant, Direct Loans, and Perkins Loans. Next, learn about the types of schools that are most likely to give you a great deal. Read about schools that cover 100% financial need, and schools that have the best financial aid programs. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Police System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Police System - Essay Example The conclusion of this research detailed that without law enforcement there would be many unfavourable consequences for those in British society. The role of the police officer is concluded as being one of the most essential and crucial in a societal atmosphere within the country of Britain. From a historical perspective and dating back to 1962, the role of 1British police officers has been that of a civil, and peace keeping community official more so than anything else. The police are in the communities for a number of reasons and their purposes are so numerous that there really is no way to define just one of their roles. It is best known that the police have developed a well-meaning and defined relationship with the generalized public due to the fact that they are always readily available to assist when needed, even if it is for a minute reason. Furthermore, from a political standpoint, foreigners who have had the opportunity to visit the country of Britain have commented on the quality of the police force as well, making note that they provide some of the most proficient and high quality services in maintaining social control throughout the world. Although the British police force is not unique in their ability to maintain social order, they have been found to be on e of the main legal forces that have developed and expanded throughout the decades. The main differences in Britain's policing system in comparison to other countries are the fact that their legal remedies stem from common law practices that have been passed down through history. The philosophy of the British police force is in allowing for a "2community policing itself", and for police presence to be in the communities when it is needed. This ideal has not changed that much in the past decades but indeed, there have been many reforms in the British police force that have developed it into becoming what it is today. Due to globalization and the entering of other ethnicities into the country of Britain, the British police force has had to learn how to police specific cultural areas. This is due to many cultural beliefs and various ideas having unique qualities about them and therefore policing can not be handled in the same way with all cultures. An example of how the police have ada pted to this idea is evidenced in how effective they have been since the mid 1950's when they first were exposed to having to police the communal society of Sri Lanka3 Firstly, when a new ethnicity is intertwined with another culture within a country there is the issue of safety and trust that comes into play. It has been found that some cultures attempt to use the idea of discrimination against the police in order to try and detract from correct policing in a minority community, such as like Sri Lanka. However, British