MITE2S, RSI, and more

MITE2S, RSI, and more Today, Im in northern Virginia, assisting with the selection for the 2005 Research Science Institute (RSI). I arrived here late last evening after a day of reviewing applications to MITE2S. As an admissions officer, I enjoy working to provide a group of young people with educational opportunities. It is always interesting to read your stories, to learn more about you and your lives. Because I do not work for the CEE or for MITE2S, I cant talk too much about the selection process or answer any questions about it. But I can assure those of you who applied to these programs that your applications are being treated thoughtfully. Also, know that not being admitted to one of these programs does not mean that you wont be admitted to MIT both programs admit only a small number of students, while MIT aims for a freshman class of nearly 1000 students each year (in other words, even if youre not admitted, I still hope youll apply next year, as many of you are really awesome!). Conversely, being admitted to one of these programs does not mean you will necessarily be admitted to MIT. My travels frequently mean missing cool events at MIT, and this trip is no different. Last night, I missed the lastest from MITs Nobel Laureate Lecture Series, this time with MITs own Prof. Frank Wilczek. And tonight, Im missing a lecture I was even more excited about with architect Santiago Calatrava, whose work I think is really cool. I just got a phone call from some folks who are there, and apparently the line stretched nearly half the length of the Infinite Corridor (does this mean the line was infinitely long?), and the room is packed full. Ill be back in the office tomorrow, assisting with the last parts of our process before decisions are made final and mailed out on Friday!

Essay about Jack - Dynamic Character in Lord of the Flies

Lord of the Flies, written by William Golding, has four very important dynamic characters. A dynamic character is a character that develops and grows during the course of the story. Ralph, Jack, Piggy, and Simon are four dynamic characters in Lord of the Flies that adapt to their new lifestyles in different ways. Jack is a very important dynamic character in Lord of the Flies because he goes through the most changes during the novel. While on the island, Jack has many life experiences that change him forever. Jack never thought he would live his life the way he is living his life in the island. Jack’s authoritative figure, savage-like/instinctual behavior, and violence are three qualities that make Jack a dynamic character. Jack’s†¦show more content†¦Jack says they will hunt it. This is how Jack’s authoritative figure shows he is a dynamic character in the beginning of the novel. In the middle of Lord of the Flies, Jack’s savage-like/insti nctual behavior is another example of how he is a dynamic character. Jack is savage-like because, at first, Jack thinks everything is fun, but soon realizes it is not fun anymore and wants to leave the island. Jack’s main goal throughout most of the novel is to kill a pig. Jack is put in charge of maintaining the signal fire. After a while, Jack becomes distracted and goes off hunting where he forgets about the signal fire and lets it go out. Soon after, Ralph sees the fire has gone out and is very angry with Jack because there was a ship that passed them that could have rescued them if there was a fire. Also, after Jack forms his tribe, they also need to build a fire, so they steal wood from Ralph’s fire. The second time Jack goes hunting, he kills a sow, which is a female pig. Next, Jack and his tribe cook the pig and hang the pigs head on a stick for the beast. The pig’s head on a stick is a symbol of evil among the boys. This is how Jack’s s avage-like/instinctual behavior shows he is a dynamic character in the beginning of the novel. Violence begins to emerge in Jack at the end of the novel. This is the last quality that shows Jack is a dynamic character. By the end of the book, Jack has become a murderer. Not onlyShow MoreRelatedLord Of The Flies : Representation Of Violence And War1611 Words   |  7 PagesLord Of The Flies: Representation Of Violence and War Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German theologian, states that â€Å" The ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world that it leaves to its children.† In William Golding’s Lord Of The Flies, societal topics run rampant throughout the text with Golding’s use of individuals to represent different aspects of society. Many writers view the Lord Of The Flies as an allegory, as societal topics such as politics make appearances throughout the text. InRead MoreTheme Of Lord Of The Flies And The Guide Essay1407 Words   |  6 PagesMD. Moazzam Hossain ID NO. 133013040 ENG 302 The Novel-1 Submitted to: Ms Arifa Rahaman Date: 09.12.2015 Theme of ‘Lord of The Flies’ and ‘The Guide’ ‘Lord of the flies’(1954) and ‘The guide’(1958) are the two novels written by famous novelists William Golding and R.K. Narayan. ‘Lord of the Flies’ portrays the story of a group of British boys trapped on an abandoned island who try to administrate themselves with catastrophic results and On the other side, R.K. Narayan quite consciouslyRead MoreLord of the Flies vs. the Destructors Essay1150 Words   |  5 Pagesthe eyes of so many diverse characters. Lord of the Flies and The Destructors is no different in the sense you see two extremely striking situations through the eyes of surprising characters. These stories both take a look at society and the primitive aspects it can have. The main characters in the story are both children of young ages exhibiting surprising and sometimes extremely shocking behavior displaying a loss of innocence. They differ in the sense that Lord of Flies looks at how savage a humanRead MoreLord of th e Flies Comparative Essay (Film vs Book)1495 Words   |  6 PagesLord of the Flies comparative essay The novel, â€Å"Lord of the Flies† by William Golding was published in 1954. It’s the story of a group of boys stranded on an island with no adults. Since then, it has had two film adaptions. The first adaption was produced in 1963, directed by the Englishman Peter Brook. This version was filmed in black and white and follows the events of the book very closely. The second adaption came twenty-seven years later in 1990, which was directed by the American Harry HookRead MorePlots in Of Mice and Men and Lord of the Flies1221 Words   |  5 Pages whether it is an every day life threatening moment or intentional warnings. In literature, threats are used to develop a story and add depth to each character. Confrontation is used as the building blocks for all of English literature. Threats give an atmosphere to characters for dynamics and ultimatums. Both Of Mice and Men and Lord of the Flies have the significance of threats to build plots. One way authors build a story is by using indirect threats such as foreshadowing or significant actionsRead MoreLord Of The Flies Character Analysis Essay814 Words   |  4 PagesHowever, society attempts to lock those instincts away by casting a burden called rules upon them. In the allegorical text, Lord of the Flies, William Golding depicts a group of boys, stranded on a tropical island, free of civilization. Here he paints an image of what humans really are without the burdens of society. In Golding’s psychological allegory The Lord of the Flies, Jack embodies the ID, someone who acts based on his/her own basic wants and needs, for the sake of establishing his theme: HumansRead MoreLord Of The Flies And Animal Farm1639 Words   |  7 PagesIn both novels, Lord of the Flies by William Golding, and Animal Farm by George Orwell, the authors outline the creation of two distinct societies from the ground up. The characters of both books believe what they are doing is revolu tionary, and unlike any civilization that preceded them. However, despite the groups’ isolation from the outside world, one can witness a pattern over the course of the stories’ development - the systems created, power dynamics, and rules that are used to govern, allRead MoreLord Of The Flies Power Analysis812 Words   |  4 PagesPower in the Lord of the Flies In William Golding’s novel The Lord of the Flies, power is something that everyone wants. Golding conveys one democracy with a single leader is more beneficial than having multiple commanders attempting to lead the group, but the boys all want power for themselves. Firstly, the boys assign the leader role to Ralph, but soon come to conflict and end up having Jack lead the savages while Ralph lead the civilization tribe. Secondly, Jack isn’t very happy with the groupsRead MoreLord Of The Flies By William Golding988 Words   |  4 Pages Lord of the Flies is a book written by William Golding. This story takes place on a deserted island where a group of young boys plane crashed. The boys have to work together to survive in the island wilderness but the true challenge turned out to be surviving each other. During the struggles on the island the children try their best to stay civilized but their attempt to construct a form of civilization is shattered and the boys are plunged down a wild and savage path. The boys split into twoRead MoreConflict Rises from Power Essay1568 Words   |  7 PagesThe Crucible is a drama that shows power resting on moral, legal and religious dynamics that lead to inner, social and religious conflicts. Marking Time an ABC miniseries explores the inner conflict of Hal as he struggles to maintain his power by being with a group he does not really fit into, it also shows how the youth of society challenge authority which leads to social conflict between the two groups. Lord of the Flies a nove l by William Golding about the savageness in all innocence and explores

Continuing Public Relations Problems for BP Essay - 897 Words

One of the primary goals of PR is to bridge the gap between the needs of the public and needs of a company or organization. Knowing that the very idea of drilling on the Continental shelf was a hot button issue, BP should have approached the endeavor with diligence. The findings in the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil spill and Offshore Drilling report could prove damaging tot he companies image because if reveals step by step the mistakes and agenda of the companies management. Halliburton and BP chose to use a form of cement known as â€Å"nitrogen foam cement† to address the instability they faced in placement of the pump on the fragile formation at Macondo. They ignored test that showed that cement would fail in the†¦show more content†¦BP had shifted it focus from safety regulations that governed operations and focused on individual safety for it employees. Some say there was pressure from above even though it was never stated overtly to cut co sts even at the risk of the quality of their work. It is clear that the main goal of the project at Macondo was to not loose any returns on the investment. Their unwillingness to take ownership of the spill as a direct of result of negligence and human error, make them appear as though they are corrupt and solely interested in their bottom line. The info in the report could be a continuing PR problem for BP because of the damage that they did alongside the negligence that the report outlines. The report says that BP operated outside of industry standards and guidelines in their drilling. As long as there is oil or oil damage, BP will get a bad rap. As well, people don’t quickly forget these types of events. Just as in the case of Exxon-Valdez, these events are a continued PR nightmare. A New York Times article from June 2010 regarding BP states, â€Å"The company responsible assures the country that the impact is small, and a top executive promises financial compensation. But soon after, the business garners condemnation for its lackluster response. According to corporate crisis experts BP made the same public relations mistakes as Exxon. TheShow MoreRelatedBp and Stakeholder Mismanagement1598 Words   |  7 Pagesdisasters in Alaska and Texas. Specifically, BP s defensive approach towards stakeholder management led to lavish compensation for upper level management while creating hazardous working conditions for employees and a burden on all of society in the form of rising oil prices and environmental damage. Background British Petroleum was founded in 1908 and since then has rapidly grown to become the eighth largest company in the world . However, as of late, BP has come under fire for several high profileRead MoreThe Negative Effects Of Human Civilization On The Environment1623 Words   |  7 Pagessold in America should do the same. Yet, there have been multiple media coverages during the past few years of oil spills occurring off the coast. To make matters worse, one of these corporations, BP (British Petroleum) even attempted to cover up the extent of their oil spill from the media and the public causing a terrible environmental disaster to also become ethically and morally wrong from a business standpoint. Furthermore, the extent of the corporations unethical and immoral behavior can be analyzedRead MoreEssay About Greenwash1287 Words   |  6 Pagesdistinguishing real eco-friendly products from greenwashing ones. This essay will show the reasons for greenwashing problems and discuss Chevro n’s (one of the world’s largest integrated energy companies) marketing strategies, which hides its destructive environmental records behind eco-friendly rhetoric and advertising campaigns. There are four main reasons that greenwashing has become a problem in recent years. Firstly, greenwashing activities help to attract customers so that profits can be remarkablyRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility Essay1334 Words   |  6 Pages A company practicing corporate social responsibility has a greater chance of thriving within a community because of the benefits they provide to the community, while continuing to be profitable in their area of business. There are times though, when corporations use social responsibility as a management fad or public relations ploy. For example, hot dog vending companies may package their hot dogs with labels stating their brand of hot dog is healthier than another when in truth the hot dogsRead MoreBritish Petroleum (Bp) Case Study Essay5543 Words   |  23 PagesBritish Petroleum (BP) Case Study Executive Summary This case study report examined a public relation management problem that British Petroleum (BP) faced since the oil spill accident happened in April, 2010. In addition, this thesis recommended possible solutions and implementation plans for BP to deal with the public crisis. On April 20, the explosion on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico led to the largest accidental release of oil into marine waters in history. As aRead MoreExamples Of Environmental Policy1326 Words   |  6 Pagescountries, as oil has been the backbone of economy for many years for nations. This policy brief contains a recommendation to establish a public voluntary program that incentivizes private-sector companies to increase U. S’s soft power by developing renewable energy technologies. According to Aseem Prakash, professor of Political Science at University of Washington, â€Å"[public voluntary programs] create a sorting mechanism for external stakeholders looking to target their appreciation and rewards†, which â€Å"attractsRead MoreHow Corporate Social Responsibility ( Csr ) Has Evolved Over Time2289 Words   |  10 Pagescontinued rise and importance of CSR could be seen as due to the third pressure wave began in 1999 and focused on the â€Å"critical role of public and international institutions in promoting or hindering sustainable development†. (Elkington 2013, 9) Today, CSR theories and practices have been further extended due to â€Å"concerns with corporate social performance, stakeholder relations, corporate citizenship, links with financial performance and developments in the field of ethics† (Mattern Moon 2008, 406). InternationalRead MoreAn Analysis of the Financial Situation of Bp P.L.C5352 Words   |  22 PagesResearch and Analysis Report An Analysis of the Financial Situation of BP P.L.C. Prepared by Yuehua Song Actual words: 4,952words Date: September 2007 content 1.0 INTRODUCTION 2 1.1 Topic Chosen 2 1.2 Reasons for Choosing the Topic 2 1.3 Aims and Objectives 3 1.3.1 Aims 3 1.3.2 Objectives 3 1.4 Sources of Information 6 1.4.1 Annual Reports and Accounts of BP 2002-2006 6 1.4.2 Annual Reports of Shell 2002-2006 7 1.4.3 Analysts’ Reports 7 1.4.4Read MoreBp Sustainability Essay28986 Words   |  116 PagesSustainability Review 2010 bp.com/sustainability 2 A letter from our group chief executive / 4 How BP is changing 6 Gulf of Mexico oil spill / 14 How we operate / 22 Energy future 30 Safety / 34 Environment / 38 Society Within hours of the Deepwater Horizon accident, BP teams were working to stop the leak. We also acted to minimize the spill’s impact on the environment by containing, removing and dispersing oil offshore, protecting the shoreline and cleaning up oil that came ashore. And weRead MoreBp Amoco7965 Words   |  32 Pages9-201-054 REV : M A Y 4, 2010 B ENJA M IN E ST Y M ICHA EL K A NE BP Amoco (A): Policy Statement on the Use of Project Finance As two of the largest oil and gas firms in the world, The British Petroleum Company p.l.c. (BP) and Amoco Corporation (Amoco) had a long history of competitive encounters. This rivalry continued into the 1990s in a variety of locations ranging from the United States to the North Sea to, more recently, the Caspian Sea—a region that had opened up to exploration by Western

Allegory Old Age and Younger Generation Free Essays

Hector Meza Eng. 028 Prof. Gray 04/30/2012 An allegory of the story can define the representation of ideas, events, or characters. We will write a custom essay sample on Allegory: Old Age and Younger Generation or any similar topic only for you Order Now Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s, â€Å"A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings†, gives two good examples on symbolic and allegory meanings through the characters and their action. This story is blended with normal humanity, fantasy, and magical realism. The story can bring different meanings to readers depending on your view on life. After an ugly storm went through Pelayo’s town, He found his whole yard ruined with the weathers destruction. An old man with enormous wings had fallen from the sky, and Pelayo discovers him only to use him as an attraction for the whole town to see. Pelayo and his wife, Elisenda use this man to profit off of his unusual looks. After a couple of days, the crowd loose interest of the old man because a new attraction rises to the fame. A woman gets the peoples interest because she has the body of spider and she is also able to communicate with the people. In the end the old man flies away and the â€Å"annoyance† is taken away from Pelayo’s family. The allegory of the story shows how people can be cruel to each other. The old man symbolizes the older generation that are living their last days here in this world and the spider woman represents the younger generation that many people can relate. When Pelayo found the old man lying face down in the mud, he was unsure on what he would do with this man. He thought about getting rid of the old man by killing him, but his neighbor said that he could be an angel. The old man ended up being caged up in a chicken coop for the public to see him as a circus attraction. The whole town tried to communicate with the man, but no one offered to help this old man that was caged like an animal. In today’s world, an elderly man can have the most knowledge and experience in life that many people cannot see. The old man’s wings represent the unique experience they have in life. Many elderly people are placed retirement homes and most of them are only visited by their families. Some are just forgotten and left alone until their time comes. An elderly person is not any less than anyone else. Society judges the elderly in a negative way because of their decline in ealth and communication to the world. It is very rare to have a younger generation take interest in someone who has lived a complete life. The author shows how the public had trouble talking to the old man. For example, Pelayo tried to communicate with the man, which â€Å"he answered in an incomprehensible dialect with a strong sailor’s voice† (294). Some of the elderly pe ople that live with us today have trouble communicating with the general public as they get older. Instead of trying to listen more carefully, many people just give up in communicating with an older person. Since Pelayo got a response from the angel he could not understand he just, â€Å"intelligently concluded that he was a castaway from some foreign ship wrecked storm† (294). Mostly Every person in this world reaches the age when their abilities to do every day chores decreases. The younger generation is getting more and more distracted with the technologies that are becoming more advanced every day. Before when there was no technology, no retirement home, and no nursing home, families took care of their own family members when they had less capability. Today it can be so easy to drop a loved one who has become so old that they don’t want to admit that they have become a burden in their lives. For example, When the old man finally gets his wings and flies away, â€Å"Elisenda let out a sigh of relief for herself and for him†¦because then he was no longer an annoyance in her life† (299). It is rare for someone to bring up this issue, but when we reach that age we wouldn’t want to be treated as if we were the old man in the story. The younger generation can be easy to socialize with since most of us always have our own stories we want to share. After a while a carnival attraction came into town to show their main attraction which was a woman with the body of a spider. The whole town was amused by this new attraction since, â€Å"people were permitted to ask her all manner of questions† (297). The spider Woman ends up taking all of the attention from the old man because of ability to communicate with anyone. Everyone in town also liked how they were able to relate to the spider woman’s misfortune because many got a lesson to not disobey there parent. The woman’s on time mistake got her punished by getting the body of a spider. This girl disobeyed rules, but yet she still got the attention from everyone. Also it’s not as if no one has broken the rules sometime in their life. When the author has both characters side by side, everyone goes to the spider woman because her story is more interesting than the ugly old man who can’t even communicate. Many people can argue that it is hopeless to communicate with someone of old age, but in reality to talk to someone who has seen it all is worth the challenge. How to cite Allegory: Old Age and Younger Generation, Essay examples

Much Ado About Nothing Essays (1168 words) - English-language Films

Much Ado About Nothing When watching the Branagh version of Much Ado About Nothing, I tended to realize lines had been omitted from the movie. I then got further into the movie and some of the lines that were ones that foreshadow what had happened in the text. The purpose of this paper will show that lines left out of the movie were in some way essential to character development and aided in the movie's plot confusion. The analysis took several watchings to create a vivid view of what lines were missing and why. So, as I was watching the movie I marked which lines were not spoken. This approximated to 1329. Wow! 1329 out of 2712 (give or take a few lines) were missing. Now I asked myself how is anyone going to get the full feel for this play, if there is 49% missing. Half an answer would be that the choices to leave out certain parts were to down play a character's attitude or behavior. Or I could be way off base, and producers could have wanted to just save time and money in producing, editing, etc. It is the first choice I would like to consider. When reviewing the lines left out, the first big chunk is in act 1 scene 1. Beatrice is describing Bene*censored*, "In our last con-/ flict four of his five wits went halting off, and now/ is the whole man governed with one;" (1.1,62). Which creates a dynamic that gives you a precursor to the rest of the play. This precursor being that Beatrice and Bene*censored* fight constantly, not like old friends, but old foes. The word choice that Beatrice gives in the opening of this play gives us that overall feeling that the two just do not see eye to eye. Hence, when they spar for the first time, 60 lines later, Beatrice seems a little more outspoken than is perceived, due to the omission of the lines. Bene*censored* comes off like a prince trying to defend himself. The lines make the sense of two friends giving each other a hard time, but the text gives them a sting. The omitted lines that help characterize the strength of words are needed for the sting to be apparent, which just lacks in the movie. The Branagh version showed lots of areas where Bene*censored* was coming off as doing nothing to spite anyone, which allowed Branagh to make Bene*censored* a better character than is portrayed in the text. The next major spot in the text that is omitted from the movie is all of act 1 scene 2. This was an unusual choice, because this is where Leonato is shown to know that his daughter has a suitor. The wrong name is given, but still is an edited moment of comedy that allows a reader to know what is going on in the text, and who knows what and how. The movie did not let you know that Leonato was indeed aware of a suitor until he says "Daughter, remember what I told you. If the/ Prince do solicit you in that kind, you know your/ answer."(2.1,65). When reading the text, this wrong information about the Prince being the suitor instead of Claudio being the suitor (the Prince just acting in Claudio's name), is revealed in the scene that is mentioned earlier. It would help to make the comic nature of these lines unfold, instead of the confusion that comes about when the movie has the viewer confused to the textual facts of what is happening. Also it is the first time that somebody overhears (notes) a conversation and gives out wrong information, but this is also omitted in the prior mentioned scene. Consequently when people start to spy, it looks uncommon for the movie, but the text gives the notions of spying from the start. The next major sets of lines that are not used in the movie are ones that foreshadow what is to happen in the rest of the play. Borachio has a set of lines in act2 scene3 that tell all about having Margaret in a chamber window having sex with Borachio using the name of Hero. The movie omitting these lines, makes Don John's plot of ruining the marriage unknown to all until later, but the deed doesn't come into full light on who was the perpetrator of this scheme till the conviction at the end of the play. This shows the confusion on who is involved with what. It

Lilac Breasted Roller essays

Lilac Breasted Roller essays Coracias caudata is commonly referred to as the Lilac-breasted Roller, belonging to the taxon: Aves; Coraciiformes (hornbills, kingfishers, rollers); Coraciidae (rollers); Coracias caudata. The Lilac-breasted Roller is a medium sized bird with a lilac breast. Coracias caudata inhabits eastern and southern Africa, including parts of Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Congo, Namibia, Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Zambabwe, and Malawi. This roller inhabits Acacia savannas with well spaced trees and brushlands. It can be found in open brush coutry wher isolated trees serve as vantage points. The name roller is derived from their acrobatic flights, aerial gymnastics and tumbling during courting rituals. The rollers characteristic rolling is a territorial advertisement usually performed after copulation against intruders or to draw attention away from a nest or chicks. When rolling, the bird flies strongly upward for about thirty feet, then tips forward and falls with closed wings. The roller plummets, picking up speed, occasionally flapping its wings to gain even more speed. It then levels its flight, rolls to the right and then the left. It will do this five or six times in a matter of seconds. The bird may then sweep upwards, close its wings and lose speed until it tips forward into a repeat of the roll sequence. During breeding season, a display can be observed between rival males or a courting pair. The two birds will sit on separate perches near each other and call repeatedly. They will flatten their bodies, lower their heads, raise their crown feathers, and lift and spread their tail feathers almost vertical. Facing each other, one attacks and they both fly up, chest to chest with flailing wings, apparently attempting to claw at each other. At this point they may fall to the ground and struggle for a short time. Then one bir ...

Biography of Sobhuza II King of Swazi

Biography of Sobhuza II King of Swazi Sobhuza II was paramount Chief of the Swazi from 1921 and king of Swaziland from 1967 (until his death in 1982). His reign is the longest for any recorded modern African ruler (there are a couple of ancient Egyptians who, it is claimed, ruled for longer). During his period of rule, Sobhuza II saw Swaziland gain independence from Britain. Date of birth: 22 July 1899Date of death: 21 August 1982, Lobzilla Palace near Mbabane, Swaziland An Early LifeSobhuzas father, King Ngwane V died in February 1899, at the age of 23, during the yearly incwala (First Fruit) ceremony. Sobhuza, who was born later that year, was named as heir on 10 September 1899 under the regency of his grandmother, Labotsibeni Gwamile Mdluli. Sobhuzas grandmother had a new national school built in order that he obtain the best possible education. He finished school with two years at the Lovedale Institute in Cape Province, South Africa. In 1903 Swaziland became a British protectorate, and in 1906 administration was transferred to a British High Commissioner, who took responsibility for Basutoland, Bechuanaland and Swaziland. In 1907 the Partitions Proclamation ceded vast tracts of land to European settlers this was to prove a challenge for Sobhuzas reign. Paramount Chief of the SwaziSobhuza II was installed to the throne, as paramount chief of the Swazi (the British did not consider him a king at that time) on 22 December 1921. He immediately petitioned to have the Partitions Proclamation overturned. He traveled for this reason to London in 1922, but was unsuccessful in his attempt. It was not until the outbreak of World War II that he achieved a breakthrough obtaining a promise that Britain would buy back the land from settlers and restore it to the Swazi in exchange for Swazi support in the war. Towards the end of the war, Sobhuza II was declared the native authority within Swaziland, giving him an unprecedented level of power in a British colony. He was still under the aegis of the British High Commissioner though. After the war, a decision had to be made about the three High Commission Territories in southern Africa. Since the Union of South Africa, in 1910, there had been a plan to incorporate the three regions into the Union. But the SA government had become increasingly polarized and power was held by a minority white government. When the National Party took power in 1948, campaigning on an ideology of Apartheid, the British government realized that they could not hand over the High Commission territories to South Africa. The 1960s saw the beginnings of independence in Africa, and in Swaziland several new associations and parties formed, eager to have their say about the nations path to freedom from British rule. Two commissions were held in London with representatives of the European Advisory Council (EAC), a body which represented the rights of white settlers in Swaziland to the British High Commissioner, the Swazi National Council (SNC) which advised Sobhuza II on traditional tribal matters, the Swaziland Progressive Party (SPP) which represented the educated elite who felt alienated by traditional tribal rule, and the Ngwane National Liberatory Congress (NNLC) who wanted a democracy with a constitutional monarch. Constitutional MonarchIn 1964, feeling that he, and his extended, ruling Dlamini family, were not getting enough attention (they wanted to maintain their hold over traditional government in Swaziland after independence), Sobhuza II oversaw the creation of the royalist Imbokodvo National Movement (INM). The INM was successful in pre-independence elections, winning all 24 seats in the legislature (with the backing of the white settler United Swaziland Association). In 1967, in the final run up to independence, Sobhuza II was recognized by the British as a constitutional monarch. When independence was finally achieved on 6 September 1968, Sobhuza II was king and Prince Makhosini Dlamini was the countrys first Prime Minister. The transition to independence was smooth, with Sobhuza II announcing that since they were late coming to their sovereignty, they had the opportunity to observe the problems encountered elsewhere in Africa. From the beginning Sobhuza II meddled in the governance of the country, insisting oversight on all aspects of the legislature and judiciary. He promulgated government with a Swazi flavour, insisting that parliament was a consultative body of elders. It helped that his royalist party, the INM, controlled government. He was also slowly equipping a private army. Absolute MonarchIn April 1973 Sobhuza II abrogated the constitution and disbanded parliament, becoming an absolute monarch of the kingdom and ruling through a national council which he appointed. Democracy, he claimed, was un-Swazi. In 1977 Sobhuza II set up a traditional tribal advisory panel the Supreme Council of State, or Liqoqo. The Liqoqo was made up from members of the extended royal family, the Dlamini, who were previously members of the Swaziland National Council. He also set up a new tribal community system, the tiNkhulda, which provided elected representatives to a House of Assembly. Man of the PeopleThe Swazi people accepted Sobhuza II with great affection, he regularly appeared in traditional Swazi leopard-skin loincloth and feathers, oversaw traditional festivities and rituals, and practiced traditional medicine. Sobhuza II maintained a tight control on Swaziland politics by marrying into notable Swazi families. He was a strong proponent of polygamy. Records are unclear, but it is believed that he took more than 70 wives and had somewhere between 67 and 210 children. (It is estimated that at his death, Sobhuza II had around 1000 grandchildren). His own clan, the Dlamini, accounts for almost one quarter of the population of Swaziland. Throughout his reign he worked to reclaim lands granted to white settlers by his predecessors. This included an attempt in 1982 to claim the South African Bantustan of KaNgwane. (KaNgwane was the semi-independent homeland which had been created in 1981 for the Swazi population living in South Africa.) KaNgwane would have given Swaziland its own, much needed, access to the sea. International RelationsSobhuza II maintained good relations with his neighbors, especially Mozambique, through which it was able to access the sea and trade routes. But it was a careful balancing act with Marxist Mozambique on one side and Apartheid South Africa on the other. It was revealed after his death that Sobhuza II had signed secret security agreements with the Apartheid government in South Africa, giving them the opportunity to pursue the ANC camped in Swaziland. Under Sobhuza IIs leadership, Swaziland developed its natural resources, creating the largest man-made commercial forest in Africa, and expanding iron and asbestos mining to become a leading exporter in the 70s. Death of a KingPrior to his death, Sobhuza II appointed Prince Sozisa Dlamini to act as chief advisor to the regent, the Queen Mother Dzeliwe Shongwe. The regent wasa to act on behalf of the 14 year old heir, Prince Makhosetive. After Sobhuza IIs death on 21 August 1982, a power struggle erupted between Dzeliwe Shongwe and Sozisa Dlamini. Dzeliwe was ousted from the position, and after acting as regent for a month and a half, Sozisa appointed Prince Makhosetives mother, Queen Ntombi Thwala to be the new regent. Prince Makhosetive was crowned king, as Mswati III, on 25 April 1986.