Examination- a Necessary Evil Essay Example

Examination- a Necessary Evil Essay As we know that the examination system has come to be the main theme of modern education. Everyone from his early child-hood should take endless examinations and succeed in passing them, before he could graduate from a college or university. As much importance has been attached to it in school education, it has been subjected to mounting criticism as to its validity. People in favor of it praise this system to great extent; and those opposing to it maintain that such a system should be abolished. A lot of people think that the examination system should be abolished. In the first place, because of the existence of the examination system, students go out for gaining high marks so that they often forget the main purpose of education. Many so-called clever students are nothing but bookworms who merely know the skeleton of knowledge. The aim of education is to enable students to learn how to live, how to work, and how to contribute to the country with their expertise. To do this, the students must receive training, in physical as well as mental areas. But the present examination system has discouraged students from making such an attempt. Furthermore, since the students try so hard to memorize, in a short period of time, as much as possible, psychologically, they will forget the whole subject as soon as the exam is over. Surely, this is one of the greatest wastes ever made in the history of human civilization. I do have the same opinions as those people do. But I do not agree with them that the examination system should be abolished. Lets clarify some things first. Take Thomas Edison and Marie Curie for instance. Edison stayed at school for only three months when he was young. Because he always asked strange questions that his teachers thought he was a fool. We will write a custom essay sample on Examination- a Necessary Evil specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Examination- a Necessary Evil specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Examination- a Necessary Evil specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer So they sent him away from school. Little poor Tom had to teach himself to learn. But he made more than 2,000 inventions years later. Very often examinations have been described as a necessary evil. Such a paradoxical definition conveys the impression that, although examinations are not a very good means of judging the potential of the students, they perhaps are, the only way of doing so. Infact, examinations have become such an integral part of today’s academic system that it is very difficult to imagine what schools or colleges would be without them. On one hand, if there were no examinations it would spell unbridled freedom for students. Examinations, as they are today,  a terrible burden on the students’ shoulders. Without them students are jubilant. As it was in the past (and is slowly emerging now), everyone would take to a trade of their own choice or interest. They would learn more as apprentices. Their education would be first-hand and more practical. The only way to prove their worth would be actual performance in the field chosen. Modern knowledge in various fields is highly advanced. Could we, however, manage without examinations today? Mere learning of a trade is not enough. There are many fields, especially in pure  social sciences, which cannot be understood by merely practical work or apprenticeship. Theoretical knowledge is a must and for this one has to turn to books. How much one has been able to glean from books can only be tested by an oral or  written test. In order to ascertain how much one knows about the complex subjects examinations are a necessity. Today’s classrooms have nothing short of 50 to 70 students on an average and as such individual testing becomes quite difficult. However, I am quite sure that no student would shed a tear if examinations are done away with completely. The reasons for their abhorrence of examinations are not far to seek. The entire  career and future of a student  depends on  his  or her performance in the examination. If a student takes ill or the paper is tough, or the assessment is strict, it is the student who suffers. In the  Board Examination  held at the end of the year, the examiner has no idea of the student’s performance during the year. The answer book before him is the only criteria by which he can grant marks to the students who merely learn what they have to by rote, with very little understanding. Not much of what they learn remains with them for life. One thing is quite sure though, if there were no examinations students would not bother to study at all. It would be very difficult to differentiate between the good and the average, the brilliant ones and the lesser good ones. Talent will not be recognized and the genius will be suppressed for the want of recognition. What remains is that the examination system should be finally tuned and pruned, to give away to an effective and more objective means of estimating the value of a student’s knowledge and ability. The sooner this is done the better it will be for the cause education.

IRAQ VS. THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

IRAQ VS. THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: HOW MUCH LONGER WILL INNOCENT PEOPLE CONTINUE TO DIE UNTIL SANCTIONS ARE LIFTED? In the year 1990 the Middle East was in a tense position after the attack of Kuwait by its Iraq neighbours and its President Sadaam Hussein. This was only to beginning of what turned out to be a war, which many were hurt, and many countries felt the effect as a result of this war. The Gulf War did not start until 1991 but tension was building between the world and Iraq. Iraq was left out on its own to fend off the world. This war turned out to be Sadaam vs. the world. Countries felt threatened by the mere existence of this man Sadaam considering him a menace to society. Sadaam proved over again that he was after land first invading Iran and then taking over Kuwait. When Sadaam took over Kuwait he was after the Kuwaiti Oil. Iraq wanted to be the second largest to Saudi Arabia in Oil production and only could achieve this by taking over Kuwaiti soil. The Gulf War turned out to be a hard fought war led by the United States of America and George Bushs Administration. The Bush Administration was determined not let Kuwait be walked over by a stronger country in Iraq. This administration was not entering into this war without its own interests addressed since they received $6 billion (US) from Kuwait in support for the United States forces. The USA had its own interests in mind and the most important to them was not the safe return of all Kuwaiti land but rather the oil with which Kuwait would owe them for returning their land. This war was also known as the Desert Storm. Desert Storm was not only about Iraq since it affected many countries around Iraq. Some have suggested that Israel felt threatened as a result of the power which Sadaam and Iraq had gained and that is what brought the United States into the war. At the end of the war when the cease-fire was achieved a new war had just begun. Th...

Property law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

Property law - Case Study Example The individuals share equal ownership and have the same and undivided right to dispose or keep the property. It also creates the Right of Survivorship that provides that if one tenant passes away, the rest of the property goes to those who survive them (Hinkel, 2012). According to joint tenancy, Andy and Barney owned the same interest in the whole property with an equal share and the estate was vested for the period of their lifetime. In addition, both Andy and Barney enjoyed similar rights until one passed away. Under the right of survivorship, when Andy died, the remainder of the entire property was automatically transferred to Barney. However, there could be a catch since it is not clear whether Barney had recorded an affidavit as to the death of Andy. It is true that, upon the death of Andy, Barney had the right of survivorship that ensured Barney got the title to the entire property. The procedure is that, in Andy’s death, the title was to be transferred to Barney after t he recording of this affidavit, which describes the dead tenant and property, as well as an attached death certificate (Hinkel, 2012). I do agree with the advice, as long as the Barney had recorded the affidavit of death of Andy, who was the joint tenant. Adverse Possession In this case, I concur with the advice given. In adverse possession, a person can gain legal title through open, actual, continuous, and hostile possession of land to the owner’s exclusion (Jourdan & Radley-Gardney, 2010). In the case, such as this, where the possession is open and notorious, Ernst possessed the property openly in the middle of the property where the neighbors could see and act as all true owners of the land would. While occupying Barney’s land, Ernst did not do so secretly such as to have denied him any legal rights to the land. Ernst has actually improved the land by building a cabin and fencing it, which was demonstrative of open and notorious possession. Essentially, building hi s cabin there without any resistance is the most notorious and open possession. While it is true that Barney did not have knowledge of Ernst’s adverse use of his land, Ernst’s possession is so notorious and open that it is impossible the neighbors around the property have no idea of his living there (Jourdan & Radley-Gardney, 2010). It is not also possible to expect Ernst to give the land back even after he had been put on notice that the land will be reclaimed as shown by his behavior when Barney tried to access the property, which indicates that Ernst intends to keep possession. I agree that they should overlook the law of adverse possession. Bailment and Conversion I agree that Barney cannot be found liable for any charges requested for by the seller at the classic car show. Bailment involves the temporary placing by a bailor of control of personal property to the hands of a bailee for a particular purpose on which the two have agreed (Ashcroft & Ashcroft, 2011). In this case, Barney was the bailer while the valet was the bailee. Bailment is a contractual relationship because the two, either impliedly or expressly bind to act to specific terms. In this case, the valet only received control of the car while Barney retains an ownership interest. While the valet’s interest in the car, during the bailment period, was superior to that of Barney, he violated the agreement by exchanging Barney’s car and breaking their agreement. Once Barney was done with

The Simplicity and Complexity of Endangerment Essay

The Simplicity and Complexity of Endangerment - Essay Example For the past number of years, there has been a tremendous increase in the rate at which species have become extinct. What's actually more alarming than that is the fact that this rate increases exponentially over time. And when it continues, the stability of the entire ecosystem will be place at risk, especially when key species in the food chain will cease to exist. Today, most of the world's habitats are changing faster than most species can adapt to such changes through evolution, or natural selection. Despite endangerment being a universal concept, most people aren't really aware as to the ins and outs of this seemingly simple concept. Most important of all, everyone should be made more conscious with regard to this issue, as drastic changes will affect everyone else over time. Animals do not just get endangered and go into extinction. ... nt can be solved, if not minimized, is for people to take charge and be more active about protecting the environment where endangered species are found. The rarer an animal or plant is, the more money it can bring on the black market. Many smugglers are amateurs, such as tourists and travelers, who attempt to conceal endangered plants, reptiles, birds, and insects in their luggage. But most are seasoned professionals who use sophisticated techniques and well-organized routes to transport their illicit cargo. There are numerous causes of endangerment of certain species, but there are certain factors that are common to all species. a. Habitat Destruction The primary causes of species extinction or endangerment are habitat destruction. Such activities like plant collecting, trade in animal plants and hunting damage and caused pollution into an area, these direct habitat destruction can cause direct destruction to most species. Due to continuous changes of our planet, animals' habitats are also continuously being changed. There are certain natural changes that happen, often at a steady pace that affects individual species. But when these natural changes happen faster than they're supposed to, then these species don't have the time they need in order to adjust. For an instance, sea turtles are considered threatened because of benign tumors that put them in a serious global threat. They are appeared to have an increasing frequency on the head and internal organs of sea turtles and can literally smother the animals to death. According to Jacobson, the scientist "Sea turtle tumors are one of the few diseases in any animals that have appear ed worldwide this could signal major changes in the earth's aquatic environment." As a consequence, this has become one of the most common

Public and Government approach in mosquito control programs Essay

Public and Government approach in mosquito control programs - Essay Example It will discuss the effectiveness of the programs, their advantages and disadvantages with regard to how they are implemented. It will also outline the prevalence rates of mosquito born diseases in Queensland especially with reference to Ross River Virus and others. Finally, it will provide some recommendations on how the programs can be designed and who to include in implementation process making them more efficient in future. Mosquito control programs in Queensland have been developed in the past and are still being developed to eradicate mosquitoes in homesteads, houses, hospitals and other public places. The programs are drafted and implemented by the Queensland authorities together with health care providers, local councils and the public in general. The problem has however been the rate at which members of the public are accepting and adopting these programs. The communities do not appreciate these programs and they instead use their own knowledge on how they can control and manage mosquitoes in their homes. They have resorted to buying treated nets, repellents and other pesticides to keep mosquitoes off. The programs from the government although being taken in are a second fiddle especially considering the fact that people don’t take them seriously Surveillance of any disease is the first line of defence against the disease2. In the recent years, there have been many cases of ‘imported diseases’ to Queensland especially from Asia and Africa. This is a setback against the fighting against the spread of mosquito-borne diseases. Various groups are currently promoting the idea of disease surveillance in Queensland. A group based in the area by the name Tropical Population Health Networks Communicable Diseases Control Centre is working with communities and local government officials to make sure that all immigrants do not ‘infect’ the mosquitoes in Queensland

Portrayal Of Homosexual Characters In Disney Film Studies Essay

Portrayal Of Homosexual Characters In Disney Film Studies Essay The Walt Disney Company first appeared in America (and soon after the rest of the world) in the 1920s. 90 years later and it is still going strong and is a corporation to be reckoned with. From their beginnings as a simple animation company, it now covers lots of different genres of film as well as branching out to television companies, theme parks, books, theatre adaptations, cruises and music labels. To date, Disney has produced 49 animated films, 10 live-action, 11 DisneyToon productions, two stop-motion and 10 Pixar films with the hugely anticipated release of Toy Story 3 in June 2010. But concentrating on their main produce, their range of animated films has been experience by everyone from the ages of 1 to 101. Disney is at the forefront of family entertainment as well as a form of escapism (a flying elephant, living toys, mermaids and monsters?!) and a hidden (if not obvious to adults) way to introduce morality to children as early as possible. However, who decides what morals to portray in these very Americanised films? In recent times, Disney films have reflected the social climate with the introduction of the first black protagonist in The Princess and the Frog (2009). So as these films are becoming true to life and educating future generations, has there been an introduction of non-heterosexual characters as well? The Disney Companys first feature length animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (1937) was a colossal project which pushed every employee working on the production extremely hard but the results were worth it. The amalgamation of a moral filled story with realistic animation then paved the way for the following Disney films during, what was known as their Golden Age: Pinocchio (1940), Fantasia (1940), Dumbo (1941) and Bambi (1942). The morals contained within these films and all to follow, were seen by conservative Americans as important family values and trusted upon Disney to teach these values to everyone. For more than 50 years Walt Disney Company has represented all that is good and pure and wholesome in our nation. Families flocked to Walk Disney World and Disneyland because they knew that Walt Disney respected and nurtured the traditional American family and its strong moral values. Disney could always be counted on to provide parents and children alike with family-friendly, good-natured entertainment Letter from a coalition of Florida lawmakers, 1995 However, are these morals and values shared by all? And does the way in which they are portrayed actually reflect reality? They are American ideals of conservative family values which support the life storyline of romance, marriage (to someone of the opposite sex) and then children in a parallel world to that of the traditional Anglo-Saxon, Christian American upbringing. Reading further into these ideals are that of the issues of individuality, love and capitalism that are being depicted to all Disney viewers, namely children. These viewers cannot differentiate what is being shown to them as not necessarily the reality of the world (as the world consists of more than just the one religion of Christianity). New generations of children subjected to Disney films are growing up with ideologies from these stories as they have faith in them to contain some element of truth. Not all the storylines can be deemed as promoting negative beliefs though. Disney movies always contain an aspect of the follow your heart love which if regarded as the most important moral, then maybe some people will overlook the American family values shown in favour of love. However, this follow your heart belief can only really exist within some religions as others have strict rulings as to who you can marry and really fall in love with. Throughout film history (up until recently), there were very few storylines which contained a gay or lesbian character as a protagonist. The general film public saw those films, which did include a main gay character, as gay-themed (so not to their tastes) or alternative. In recent years, filmmakers have seen a niche in the market for gay films, although it was in 1896 with The Celluloid Closet that a gay subtext was used within in a film. It would then take some 70 years later before Queer Cinema would come about. Censorship on homosexuality in films came about in Britain in 1912 with the founding of the British Board of Film Censors and in 1934, the Production Code in America was enforced. Within this strict guideline for good taste was that homosexuality or bisexuality must never be represented or even inferred. Slowly though, gay and lesbian characters were brought into films such as Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994), Clueless (1995) and Billy Elliot (2000). But as previously sa id, only in supporting roles as the gay best friend. When they finally were given the main storylines, the characters were shown to imitate heterosexuality as much as possible to be accepted. This can be seen in Philadelphia (1993) where many believe this to a patronising look at gay life and the yearning to be accepted as normal in a heterosexual world. There are no outrageous scenes of affection between Hanks and his partner within in the film. Queer identity can be related to many different people not just gay and lesbian individuals. The Western world may seem like a land of equality but to those in the minorities, it is not. Studies have shown it is suggested by traditional teachers and career advisors that schoolgirls go into feminine jobs (Apter, 2000) while schoolboys are driven away from jobs seen as traditionally female (Woodward, 2000). Men and womens identities have changed however as equality for women in the workplace is fought more and more showing that females can be the provider that men traditionally were. This leaves the men unsure of their identity in the world but through popular culture and mass media, they can be shown as well as women where they belong in contemporary life. So as society has become accepting of women in the workplace by it being reinforced by popular culture and mass media (but perhaps not by Disney films) that when non-heterosexual characters are introduced, tolerance towards them sho uld improve? With Disney films, the morals and values are chosen so it can be said that capitalism will control how homosexuality is visualised and dealt with. Despite this limited perspective, society is becoming more accommodating of different sexualities although many non-heterosexuals are still facing prejudice and discrimination from older generations and others. America is slightly less open-minded than the UK as a survey by Gallup showed that although homosexuality is tolerated more as an acceptable lifestyle, 42 per cent of the people surveyed felt that homosexuality should be illegal. Contrasting against this is a poll from the same year showing that just 17% of people in England felt less positive towards non-heterosexuals (MORI, 2001). Heteronormativity can be defined as a set of lifestyle rules to which society follows and falls into a specific gender with an outlook of a traditional role in life. Heteronormativity occurs in nearly every film in various ways. It can promote the message of men being the dominating person in a relationship with women following after them being housewives. However it is usually seen to promote that heterosexuality is the normal sexual orientation and any kind of sexual relationships should only be between a man and a woman. Sometimes it is obvious and other times the viewer does not realise that the story they are watching is promoting heterosexuality and that this is the ideal (or assumed, expected, ordinary and privileged) sexuality. Viewers can recognise that films have hidden meaning and semes such as good vs. evil, rich vs. poor, children vs. adults etc. However it is the seme of heterosexuality vs. homosexuality, which is the problem with films pushing heteronormativity. Films that set up neat systems of good and evil dos and donts are part of the pervasive simple-mindedness that posits heterosexuality and queerdom as irreconcilable opposites which cannot co-exist respectfully. Todd Hayward, The Lyin King Planet Homo 69 (21st Sept 1994, 17) With heterosexuality being the assumed sexuality of society, this only reinforces discrimination and prejudice towards non-heterosexuals. The amount of different heterosexual storylines shown will increase the amount of heteronormativity within the media in general as generations are exposed to it. With heteronormativity shown in most popular culture, it also redefines how homosexuality is perceived. It can be compared to public vs. private, with heterosexuality being public and homosexuality being private therefore something to be hidden. Even before a viewer experiences heteronormativity in a film, the masculine/feminine definitions of gender are promoted first. From this, sexuality, pleasure and identity can then come forth as the storylines and characters develop, which leads to heteronormativity. Obviously it is easy to see that Disney films promote heteronormativity although many people believe Disney films to be sexually free, it can still be a non-sexual part of our lives. Disney films show the traditional domesticity of the roles of men and women against a credible heterosexual backdrop by replacing sex with romance and reinforcing the patriarchal family structure. This can be seen in Bambi (1942) as Bambis character is promoted as the King of the Forest and will take over from his father. It also depicts his forsaking of his dependence on his mother as she is killed during the film. The very over-used storyline of the princess or girl being romanticised by the male character, which then leads to an eventual wedding, is predominant in many Disney films. A comparison of Disney films against other animated films from different companies made during 1990-2005, show that there is a much stronger hetero-romantic storyline in Disney films. Many Disney films have a reference to a hetero-romantic storyline, usually as the main plot but they also contain sexiness (Kazyak and Martin, 2009) as womens bodies are portrayed as curvaceous with semi-revealing costumes. With these hetero-romantic storylines, heterosexuality is glamorised as being special and different from other kinds of relationships. It is shown to have the power to change the world (either by breaking a spell (Beauty and the Beast), belonging to the ideal world (The Little Mermaid), stopping a war (Pocahontas) or changing an old-fashioned law (Aladdin)). These storylines are usually only shown through kissing and no other sexually embodiment. This can reinforce the heteronormativity, as Conservatives believe that any two characters have to be heterosexual unless seen kissing someone of the same sex. For instance, there could be some homosexual affection between Aladdin and the Genie but viewers do not read into this friendship with this outlook. The friendships portrayed in Disney films do not re flect reality as it is unusual for a female character to have a same sex friendship with another character unless they of a maternal nature, whereas in reality, many young girls and women have a female best friend. For males they usually have a comical friend/sidekick which could be said to show reality slightly more. All of this can be shown that Disney endorses heterosexuality within the majority of their films and even tries to influence the thinking that being heterosexual is far more glamorous than being homosexual. With this educating outlook, Disney actually took another step by creating military and educational films during the 1940s. As the Second World War took its toll, Walt Disney knew his company was facing bankruptcy as the profits from Snow White were transferred into the productions for Pinocchio and Fantasia but these did not reach the same high profits. With a strike by animators also, productions were delayed for months. Disney knew he had to keep his company going and believed that his animation films could be used to help the war effort through education and propaganda. Military training films were churned out at an amazing rate and low budgets. The films used the, by now, well-known characters and newly designed mascots to keep the soldiers morales high. Soon they were being made to also keep the spirits high of Americans at home, while their loved ones went overseas to fight. With these films, the federal government and Disney were forming a strong relationship, as the studios were used by army personnel and kept afloat for the duration of the war. The federal government even made it possible for Disney to obtain the chemicals needed to make the films despite its requirement for the making of weapons. The films were hugely popular as they used the traditional animation and moral-driven narrative used for the previous Disney films and this suited the governments needs. Many cartoons started to take on a wartime theme to entertain but also to educate. Disneys public health and education films were, in part, attempts to provide models for domestic life (Cartwright and Goldfarb (1994), 175). Within these educational films, there was the notion that hard work combats illness whereas laziness breeds disease. So as well as supporting heteronormativity within their films, Disney had started to educate not just America but the world, in their ideals. Being practically sponsored by the federal government, the issue was then whose ideals were being portrayed Americ as or what the government wants its country to represent? Even within their films for children, Disney started to become an influential power over everyone who watched their films. Subliminal messaging started to occur in its short films as a humorous way for the animators to disrespect Disney as he refused to share creative credit. However, some of Disneys films from the 1990s started to have questionable sexual subliminal messaging. Some instances of these hidden messages are an erect penis on the cover of The Little Mermaid video as well as an erection in the film (which was actually the characters knee). Others saw the word sex depicted in The Lion King (it says SFX as a credit to the special effects team) whilst others heard someone whispering All good teenagers, take off your clothes in Aladdin. And finally it was thought you could see that Jessica Rabbit wasnt wearing any underwear in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? These supposed messages could be seen as queer readings (not in the non-heterosexual meaning but in the non-standard meaning) as people started to think of Disney as a lewd company with a gay agenda. However these messages are focussed on sex not sexual orientation and really do rely on the viewer knowing to listen or look for them. But when a child likes a film, many will watch it over and over again. And through this repeated viewing, children can begin to understand more and perhaps the innuendoes that were meant only for adults. This is particularly so as it is becoming almost impossible to avoid popular culture and advertising which can broaden a childs mind prematurely. A survey in 2006 of 1,300 UK families showed that seven in 10 children now have their own television in their bedrooms, with more than half of these also owning a DVD player. Similarly, a survey in America released in November 1999 showed that 88% of all US households have two or more televisions, 60 % have three or more and 53% of all children have a television in their bedrooms. With all this access to popular culture, children are growing up with the medias point of view on situations and relationships. With Disney such a presence in childrens lives also, once again whose morals are they growing up with? (EXPECTATIONS OF ENTERTAINMENT PARAGRAPH) Disney films can be a used a form of escapism, not just for children but also for adults. Despite whether its supporting heteronormativity or Americanism, their storylines often show that a good life is possible despite misfortune and difficulty. Even the homosexual culture has adopted this chance of escapism (QUEER READINGS PARAGRAPH) However as the 20th Century progressed, as did the heads of the company. With the passing away of Walt and then his brother Roy Disney, Michael Eisner took charge during the mid 1970s and started to change a few things about the company. Miramax films were brought under the Disney umbrella, which allowed an outlet for (more profitable) R and X-rated films (15 and 18 under the BBFC). This started to threaten the Disney ideals that had been so strongly portrayed in many of its films. Right wing Christian fundamentalists felt it was a betrayal of their trust in a company they had believed in for so long. Various organisations (the American Family Association, the Family Research Council and Morality in Media for example) started to boycott Disney as they thought that the company

Essay --

Do I regret not doing this years ago? No, I do not. It is certainly true, that since a small child, growing up on my Dad’s pig farm, have I been fascinated by birth. Yes, tiny new piglets were beautiful, but other things intrigued me. The sow usually delivered her new brood with both serenity and independence. Some of my early memories are of rushing out to the farrowing house crates (yes, the poor animal in those days was in a pen designed purely for birth, not outside in the freedom of the field) to see how many piglets had arrived and hoping to catch a glimpse of the afterbirth, as we referred to it, sometimes even seeing her deliver it. Gruesome to some but to me it was amazing how this strange looking mass had kept lots of little lives alive. This fascination is still with me today, evident when my family and I went to lambing day at a local farm. But now, following the birth of my children, I brought empathy for the ewe too. Studying on the Access course has already taught me a lot about myself. Although an initially a shock to the system after over twenty years away from stu...