Virginia State Government Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Virginia State Government - Essay Example 18, making monies available for â€Å"grants to pay for temporary housing, minor home repairs and other serious disaster-related expenses† (1). There is little argument that these services were needed, but the number of requests in the years to come might speak volumes. In June 2004, aid was given to Virginia once again. The â€Å"Federal Disaster Aid Authorized for Virginia Storms† press release read that funds were requested for a â€Å"series of severe storms† (para. 1). Most of the money went to southwestern Virginia to help residential families and small businesses affected by flooding from rainstorms, and damage done by tornadoes. In December 2006, the state of Virginia made application to FEMA once again for damage done by Tropical Storm Ernesto. This time, however, the state was denied FEMA help. In â€Å"FEMA Denies Richmond’s Housing-Money Request,† Michael Martz writes that the city was denied â€Å"more than $198,000 †¦ spent to house people in hotels and apartments after their North Side neighborhoods were flooded Sept. 1† (para. 2). Even with the rejection, Martz reported that Virginia officials still planned to apply for $35 million to fix a collapsed sewer line, and to take preventive measures against further flooding in the city’s Battery Park. Later that year, a news story titled â€Å"Blame the Weather† appeared in Economist. Although Virginia was not named specifically, the main idea of the article was that â€Å"bad weather and bad government may be related† (para. 1). The story read that the large influxes of cash provided by FEMA made it easy for government officials to skim money off the top by inflating the actual amount of damage done, demanding kickbacks from contractors hired to rebuild, etc. It was revealed that if FEMA were defunct, government corruption would be â€Å"cut by more than 20% in the average state† (para. 4). That is based on the idea of each state’s resident being cheated out of only $1. This

Confucius Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Confucius - Essay Example One such prominent leader was K’ung-fu-tzu ( Great Master Kong)? and to the world he is better known by his Latinized name? Confucius? Confucius? born in BC 551 in the Lu Province? was one of the greatest philosophers witnessed by the world and in particular China? He was also a teacher as well as a political theorist who founded his own system based on his thinking and philosophies? He is often paralleled with the Greek philosopher Socrates so it becomes clear how important and significant his teachings are? He was born a descendant of the Shang Dynasty and was also a member of the ruling clan? Shih? However his family was not one that had a lot of wealth under its name? His father was a petty official whose marriage did not end very well as he divorced his wife for bearing him only three daughters and a son who was disfigured? The father than married a fifteen year old girl and the great philosopher took birth? Confucius was forced into different kinds of labor like working as a keeper of the granary? supervising the fields etc mainly because he lost his father at an early age? Despite the fact that he was engaged in manual labor? he was more inclined towards the system of education? that is? learning as well as teaching? He was responsible for the school of thought known as ‘Confucianism?’ which believes that â€Å"familial relationships are the foundation for society† (McDevitt, p.46). Although Confucius is the father of this school of thought? he was not seen as the Lord or the Savior? he was just considered to be a ‘Sage teacher?’ Confucianism is not a religion that was founded by Confucian? rather it is â€Å"a tradition generally rooted in Chinese culture and nurtured† (An Introduction to Confucianism, p.17). by him and his disciples .Though he started out with working petty jobs? he gradually â€Å"rose through the administrative hierarchy† and around the time when he was 40 years old? he became â⠂¬Å"the prefect (Zai) and director of public works† (Huanyin,p.1). in Lu and began to spread Confucianism? He traveled to different provinces and began to inscribe in the minds of the audience his teachings and his wisdom in order to show the people the right path of life? He developed his teachings into a book during the later stages of his life when he returned to Lu and this collection of his philosophical thoughts and teachings came to be known as ‘analects?’ During the time he faced a lot of problems as his only son had passed away and so did a very loyal disciple of his? He was also deeply grieved by the fact the leaders of his own state would not accept his teachings? Confucius’ journey of life came to an end in 479 BCE and he was mourned by followers all over China. For any great leader to think and ponder deeply about particular things? there needs to be some sort of external stimulus that influences these thoughts? When does one actually think? Wh en he sees things around him that he fails to understand why they happen and also things that cause trouble than that make one happy? Needless to say? Confucius’ thinking was influenced by various external factors and experiences that he went through? Now in order to understand Confucianism, one needs to possess a clear knowledge about the political and historical context from which it has arisen. Throughout the history of China? it becomes clear that the country has witnessed the rise and fall of a lot of dynasties? some of which were more