Understanding Totalitarianism: Fascism and Nazism
Totalitarianism refers to political movements and regimes where freedom is severely restricted and the state holds all the power. It is a way to organize the four components: territory, population, government, and power. Critically, this involves a denial of freedom and individual rights.
These regimes usually exalt the figure of a leader with unlimited power that reaches all areas, with the purpose of forming a new man in a perfect society, using propaganda and, tragically, concentration camps.
Read MoreSpeed, Temperature, and Pressure Transducers
Speed Transducers
The measurement of angular velocity in industry is commonly achieved using tachometers, which can be either mechanical or electrical. The measurement result directly expresses the angular velocity in revolutions per minute. Tachometers can measure the average speed over a time interval or the instantaneous velocity.
Mechanical Tachometers
A revolution counter uses a screw shaft coupled to the engine whose speed is to be measured. This screw is rotated through a gear system with two
Read MoreUnderstanding COGS, Inventory, and Financial Statements
Key Financial Concepts: COGS, Inventory, and Statements
Sales revenue less COGS (Cost of Goods Sold) is called gross profit. Gross profit less operating expenses equals net income. Operating expenses appear on both income statements of merchandising and service companies. COGS appears on both single and multiple-step income statements.
Single-Step vs. Multiple-Step Income Statements
A single-step income statement reports sales revenue and other revenues and gains in the revenues section. Sales Returns
Read MoreVocabulary, Listening, and Grammar Exercises
Vocabulary
Level 1
- Bilingual, Proverb, Translation, Idiom
- Frustrated, Sad, Affectionate, Delighted
- Charger, Offline, Instant Messaging, Ringtone
- Missed/Lost, Out/Off, Down/Out, Through/On
Level 2
- Idiom, Fluently, Synonym, Proverb
- Delighted, Empathetic, Affectionate, Frustrated
- Run Out Of, Cut Off, Have Been, Lose Signal
- Argument, Proverb
- Tongue, Speaker
- Empathetic, Empathy
- Swipe, Tag
Listening
The Icelandic Tourist Board
- C – a different way to spend the holidays.
- B – looking after the natural landscape.
- C – improving
Understanding Macroeconomic Variables and Concepts
Exogenous and Endogenous Variables
Exogenous Variables: Variables taken in/given out by models.
Sticky vs. Flexible Prices
Sticky Prices: Resistance of prices to change despite changes in the broader economy.
Flexible Prices: Adjust in the long run to market shortages/surpluses.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
GDP: Measures the
Read MoreSecond International: Origins, Aims, and Key Debates
Foundation and Aims
The Second International was founded in Paris in 1889 during the centennial commemorations of the French Revolution. It aimed to create a homogeneous organization composed solely of ideologically socialist parties.
It emerged as a confederation of autonomous national parties without a central General Council, unlike the First International. In 1900, the International Socialist Bureau was created in Brussels to provide continuity between congresses and to define the objectives and
Read MoreRepair and Reinforcement of Building Structures
Masonry and Concrete Constructions
Causes of Cracks in Masonry and Concrete
Cracks in masonry load-bearing walls and concrete constructions can result from:
- Structural causes: Overloading, differential settlements, dynamic vibrations, and out-of-plane deformations.
- Non-structural causes: Moisture changes, thermal movements, elastic deformations, creep, chemical reactions, foundation movement, and vegetation.
Temporary Repair Technologies for Cracks
- Structural support: Use of temporary support elements
Understanding Epicureanism, Utilitarianism, and Kantian Ethics
Epicureanism, founded by Epicurus, posits that the wise person seeks self-sufficiency. Happiness is achieved through pleasure and the avoidance of pain. Empirical research into the motives of human behavior is fundamental to discovering pleasure. The guiding principle is to live according to nature. It is an ethic of the State of Nature. The wise person is cautious, moderately happy, and virtuous because they know how to enjoy life. Moral reasoning is a calculation. The scientist estimates the activities
Read MorePast Tenses in English: Simple, Continuous, Perfect
Past Simple & Past Continuous
| Past Simple | Use |
| We sold our car yesterday. | Completed action that took place at a specific time in the past. |
| He got up, handed in his exam, and left the room. | Sequence of actions that happened in the past, one after the other. |
| When I was young, I walked to school every day. | Past routine or habits (similar to “used to”). |
| It was late at night. We heard the front door opening, and then we saw him. | To describe the main events in a story. |
| Past Continuous | Use |
| We were watching TV at |
Chronicles of a Cataclysm: Magic, Mayhem, and Moon Mishaps
The Beginning and the Book
The world began.
A middle-aged man sat in his living room with a book. This book appeared to be an electronic book titled “Magic,” which he’d found in the attic of the home he’d just purchased. He, in his infinite wisdom, believed that the “book of magic” was just a nice-looking gimmick and that as a relic, it looked nice as a conversation starter on his coffee table. Had he treated it as such, that’s all it ever would have been.
One night, after drinking a little too much,
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