Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Symptoms of Pregnancy Essay - 1109 Words

Pregnancy Symptoms Questioning in case you are pregnant? Some sort of carrying a child check can be tips on how to realize for sure. Yet what if its too soon intended for exact final results? You might detect many simple signals involving carrying a child -- fatigue, nausea or vomiting, recurrent urination, and bust pain. Here is many specialist suggestions about how you can react to most of these symptoms in case you are looking to get pregnant. -- Weakness Extreme, unexplainable fatigue is probably the most typical sign involving early on carrying a child, inch claims Gil Uncouth, MD, an associate mentor involving obstetrics and gynecology with the California University or college School involving Medicine throughout St.†¦show more content†¦inch --some. Queasieness and Sickness Queasieness and sickness may be some of the very first clues that you are pregnant. Pin the consequence on it on climbing the bodys hormones ranges throughout early on carrying a child. One of many factors which can help pregnant mums finish the very first trimester would be the confidence that the nausea or vomiting and sickness will likely ignore twenty weeks. It in addition really helps to understand that morning sickness can be quite a good thing, inch Moore claims, since climbing degrees of the particular beta-HCG hormone, that might result in morning sickness, indicate an increasing carrying a child. Whenever you eat may possibly really make a difference, too. The critical is just not for you to make it possible for your own belly find too unfilled, inch Moore claims. Keep crackers by your bedside and have absolutely them when you leave your bed each morning. inch It is additionally recommended that you eat modest, far more recurrent meals throughout the day along with a munch just before your bed. Lemon and peppermint flavored sweets also can convenience queasiness. Prenatal vitamins also can result in nausea or vomiting for a lot of pregnant mums. Dont acquire your own vitamins while on an unfilled belly, inch Moore claims. A wide range of women experience greater when they acquire them from night time orShow MoreRelatedSymptoms And Symptoms Of Pregnancy841 Words   |  4 Pagesstarts to shows no sign of concern for one another, as to why they are in the restroom. Seeing them having intense symptoms of pregnancy, a clear proof and indication of your own evil breeding. Made your cock even more stiff and energetic. It s about time you push things up a notch. *I wish my mother and sister will continue to have morning sickness symptoms throughout their pregnancy.* You like to see your mother and sister, very round and pregnant with your babies but you didn t want to waitRead MorePregnancy Symptoms : Top Early Signs Of Pregnancy Essay2042 Words   |  9 PagesPregnancy symptoms: Top early signs of pregnancy: Introduction: Are you getting some signs that could indicate your pregnancy? Many early symptoms might confirm that you are pregnant within a few weeks after conception. Although your midwife or ob-gyn will confirm your pregnancy during your first pregnancy in the 8th week, you may actually show some early signs even by the time of 5-6 weeks. How a woman’s body does change during pregnancy? Pregnancy is a complicated phase in a woman’s life.Read MorePregnancy, Symptoms, And Treatment1058 Words   |  5 Pagesjust assumed I was dehydrated†. She was rushed to the emergency room and had multiple tests run on her. At that moment in time she was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. It is a condition that occurs with an excessive production of thyroid hormones. Symptoms Evelyn experienced were high blood pressure, heart palpitations, tremors, and rapid weight loss, intolerance to heat, anxiety and sleep deprivation. Due to her thyroid being over active, she was put on medication to control her thyroid. Also sheRead MoreSymptoms And Treatment Of Pregnancy1323 Words   |  6 Pageshusband was present throughout the day supporting her at her bedside. M.A. had a history of type II diabetes, depression, hypertension, previous right cornual ectopic pregnancy, previous c-section, cholecystectomy, and salpingectomy. She was having a c-section due to the possible risk of tea ring and bleeding from the previous ectopic pregnancy*. Mother planned on breastfeeding her baby with minor supplements of formula (if necessary). A.M. was artificially ruptured at 0835 on 11/20/14. It took 1.35 secondsRead MoreThe Gastrointestinal System Of Pregnant Women1701 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Physiological changes within a pregnant woman occur throughout the pregnancy and the gastrointestinal system is affected by alterations of the pregnancy, these changes are considered normal. The aim of this essay is to focus on the gastrointestinal system of pregnant women, discussing physiological changes which occur under the influence of hormones, while focusing on nausea and vomiting (NV) as a minor disorder. Finally, it will examine the role the midwife has on providing effectiveRead MoreDuring The Trimesters Of Pregnancy, Every Change That The1481 Words   |  6 PagesDuring the trimesters of pregnancy, every change that the baby has, will affect the mother in many different ways. Pregnancy is a nine month process where the mother will experience a lot of changes. On the first trimester, a woman will experience a lot of symptoms as she adjust to the hormonal changes of pregnancy. This process affects nearly very organ on the body. Since the first month the woman body starts to change. The first sign of pregnancy is a missed period. She will not have her periodRead MoreChronic Fatigue Syndrome During Pregnancy1064 Words   |  5 PagesChronic Fatigue Syndrome During Pregnancy What is a chronic Fatigue Syndrome? CFS or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (also known as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis- ME and as Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome -CFIDS) as the name express, chronic means long term and fatigue means tiredness, is characterized by extreme tiredness that will not pass off by taking rest. What are the symptoms of CFS? The symptoms of CFS vary from person to person. The most common symptom is tiredness, which is very severeRead MoreThe Relationship Between Anxiety And Depression1433 Words   |  6 Pageswomen met the clinical cutoff for depressive, insomnia, and generalized anxiety symptoms. The measures (ISI=0.87, EPDS=0.85, PSWQ=0.95) all scored above the clinical threshold. All three measures were also correlated in each group and in the total sample. Studies suggested that the relationship between depression symptoms and insomnia symptoms was influenced by generalized anxiety disorder in pregnant women. Symptoms of depression were present in 75% of the women and 61% had generalized anxiety disorderRead MoreThe Effect Of Teenage Pregnancy On Children1636 Words   |  7 PagesThis study examined the effect of teenage pregnancy on children by exploring the results of an ADHD survey, ASRS-v1.1. The study sampled 100 kindergarten students, 50 had teenage mothers and 50 had mothers who gave birth d uring adulthood. A quantitative research method was utilized along with the difference-oriented research strategy approach. The independent variable is identified as the age of pregnancy and the two variant levels are: pregnant teens, ages 13-19, and pregnant women in adulthoodRead MoreThe Stages of Pregnancy and Nutrition during Your Gestation Period1682 Words   |  7 Pagesexperience of motherhood? Are you making plans to get conceived in the right period of time with certain steps? If your answers to these questions are â€Å"sure, why not?† then you need to know about the stages of your pregnancy as soon as you get the pregnancy test with positive results. In fact, pregnancy is a big event in every woman’s life and a very exciting experience for the first time. Some women feel confident that they were pregnant at the time of conception and others don’t believe until they perform

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Essay about Film Analysis of King Kong Produced by Merian...

Film Analysis of King Kong Produced by Merian C. Cooper A classic adventure-fantasy film in the earlier talking films is King Kong (1933). King Kong was conceived by director/producer Merian C. Cooper. Cooper tells the story of an attractive blonde woman and a frightening gigantic ape-monster who are immersed in a Beauty and the Beast type tale. A major section of the film is the struggle on Skull Island between the filmmakers, the islanders, and the other resident of the island. The other resident being a mutant creature who must also fight civilization when it is brought to New York City for display. From the beginning of the movie, its screenplay by James Creelman and Ruth Rose foretells the coming terror. The film†¦show more content†¦The film industry was changed quiet a bit from this motion picture. The acting and directing of the film King Kong was magnificent. In the film there are no particular weak performances. Everyone gives a rather enjoyable performance during the movie. In watching the movie I found that as it went on I just could not wait to see what would happen next, which shows the wonderful pace of the film. The director presents the beast in a way that is tragic. Towards the end of the picture you start to sympathize with the beast that is trapped upon the top of the building being fired upon by planes from above. As a director, having the skill to pull these emotions over a beast from an audience is astonishing. The people who assembled this movie did a wonderful job. There was a great amount of thought put into the production of this film. The composition of the picture is one that should be remembered by filmmakers of today. The scenes on the ship and on the island look as if they really take place there and not on a sound stage or on the back lot. The motion picture tells a tale which is believable because it is one of a man going to a strange island to shot a movie to gain wealth in America. Having hired the help of a beautiful young woman, he runs upon trouble while switching from one interesting scene to another. In the picture the beautiful Fay Ray is as stunning today as she was when the picture was first

Monday, December 9, 2019

Anime Essay Example For Students

Anime Essay Did some research, since I dont really follow updates for artists. Utada Hikaru has released a new album some time ago this year called This is the One and in there, one of the songs caught my attention. The song is called Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence FYI. Why this song? Because the opening music is somehow very oriental and it was a remake song from the main theme of the movie Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence. I dont really know why she choose this music to sing, but all I know is that Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence main theme music has been remade a lot of times. Depicted from Wikipedia, Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence FYI sang by Utada Hikaru, the lyrics reference to the movie as well. Since Im no fan of old movies, especially those in the 80s 90s (of course, I still like P. Ramlees movies), it kept me curious to want to watch the movie. The main theme music was composed by Sakamoto Ryuichi, a very soothing song and was ranked among the best in his music. Some remake versions, copied-paste here: There is a 12 vinyl remake version on the famous Italian record label DISCOMAGIC named Clock On 5 Theme From Furyo. A cover version of Forbidden Colours is included on Hollywood Mon Amour, a collection of songs made famous by their inclusion on soundtracks of movies made in the 1980s, rearranged by Marc Collin of Nouvelle Vague with Nadeah providing the vocals. In 2000, a re-mix of Ryuichi Sakamotos Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence called Heart of Asia was released in Europe by dance group Water gate. In 2008, Indonesian singer Anggun used a sample from this song on Hymne a la vie a track on her album Elevation. In 2009, Japanese-American pop singer Hikaru Utada used a sample from this song on her second English-language album This Is the One, entitling her song Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence FYI. . The lyrics reference to the movie as well. The song is also used (in edited form) as the theme song to the Atari XE port of International Karate (for the Sydney stage) Japanese Post-Hardcore band FACT recorded a track by the title Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence on their self-titled album.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Oedipus Rex Essays (522 words) - Oedipus The King, Operas, Oedipus

Oedipus Rex Oedipus began Oedipus Rex as a king, only to end the tale as a blinded beggar. Oedipus' fall from his kingly status was not by accident or because of some other person. Oedipus is the only one that can be blamed for his misfortune. Oedipus' character traits are shown most clearly during his spiralling downfall, thinking he is "a simple man, who knows nothing", yet knowing more than he realizes by the end of the story. Throughout the story, Oedipus' haste or lack of patience is most evident. Wishing to end this mystery of the death of Laios as quickly as possible, Oedipus passes an edict to kill or exile anyone who withholds information. Teiresias tested Oedipus' patience in the beginning of the story with the information he was holding; "You'd try a stone's patience! Out with it.". This impatient accusing of Teiresias proved to be bad, especially since Teiresias foretold the ending of the story. If Oedipus had been more patient and waited, he might have not been quite so upset about the future, nor shaken up about what was to happen. However, that one trait did not alone take away his position of high authority. Oedipus displayed anger throughout the whole story, which did not help him at all. During the story, we learn of Oedipus' anger as he knocked a passerby at the meeting of the three highways; "I struck him in my rage". Later, this passerby whom he angrily and quickly killed, was revealed to be Laios, Oedipus' father. Oedipus' anger also quickly shifted his judgement of Teiresias. "We are in your[Teiresias] hands. There is no fairer duty", Oedipus' respect for Teiresias quickly changed as Teiresias refused to tell of what was the trouble's cause. Oedipus began claiming that "Creon has brought this decrepit fortune teller" to mean that Teiresias was thought of as a traitor in Oedipus' thinking. Oedipus' anger is also shown as he begins to insult Teiresias by calling him a "wicked old man". Oedipus' anger throughout the beginning of the play hindered himself. The final trait that was Oedipus' greatest enemy throughout the entirity of the play was his own truthfulness. Whenever new facts presented themselves, Oedipus gave them an honest look. As soon as it was suspect that Oedipus was involved, he acknowledged it; "I think that I myself may be accurst by my own ignorant edict". Oedipus never held back any evidence pointing to his possible future eviction and loss of his kingly status. As the plot grew to the uppermost point, Oedipus persisted testimony of the shepherd as he was "of dreadful hearing, yet he must hear" more. This trait was the binding trait that brought Oedipus' downfall. If Oedipus hid all the facts concerning himself, he could have easily buried this as nobody would know that he killed his father nor slept with his mother. The decline of Oedipus' was started by himself. His traits of anger, haste, and truthfulness, each helped accelerate his decline of power. Unfortuanately, for Oedipus, this decline of power led to the plucking of his own eyes. "Oedipus, noblest of all the line of Kadmos, have condemned myself to enjoy these things no more, by my own malediction, expelling that man whom the gods declared to be a defilement in the house of Laios."

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Falling Angels Practice Essay Essay Example

Falling Angels Practice Essay Essay Example Falling Angels Practice Essay Essay Falling Angels Practice Essay Essay Many of his works have been mostly influenced by a number of once styles he has either seen or studied such as folk dance, romantic classical, ballet style and neo-classical, while also incorporating jazz style. Sir Skylines Falling Angels is clearly presented though the use of space based on the elements of dance to communicate the main intent of the work which can be described as the conformity felt by women. The beginning of the work in the first phrase shows the 8 female dancers slowly emerging from the anonymous blackness of the upstage, traveling In a forward direction to the forefront. Once all 8 dancers eave entered the forefront of the stage slowly, the lighting then changes Into individual box- Like shapes, one for each Individual dancer. All 8 dancers are distributed across the performance space In an x- like floor pattern. In terms of shape, Skylarks Falling Angels shows a use of both angular and curved shapes. Within the middle section of the work, the eight dancers pull on their black leotards to create a curved, pregnant like shape. Furthermore, at the very ending position, the dancers end in a shape that involves the elbow braced with splayed hands, head heron back, legs apart In parallel, feet in doors flexing with knees slightly elevated in a low level as they rest on their backs with their focus upwards in a childbirth position. : Sir Julian has used an extensive amount of space throughout his choreography that suggests how women were seen as mens toys or that they are obsessive over body Image, Being too fat or skinny. The use of time captured throughout the work can be clearly described through the relationship between the drumming accompaniment and the movement. The Drumming composed by Steve Reich begins with a simple rhythmic pattern tapped by a stick on a bongo drum. In the first phrase of the work, there is no drumming, just complete silence which sets up natural rhythm . Then, as the single beat of drumming occurs, the dancers execute a single accent in canon with the wing-like shape motif used throughout the whole work. As the drumming continues into double and triple beats, it starts to layer while the movement corresponds and becomes more fast and complex. One beat of the rum equals one movement while 2 beats of the drum equals 2 movements. However, towards the end of the work, the dancers move with their own internal/ natural rhythms, while almost ignoring the beat of the drums. Sir Julian has effectively used time throughout his work to create variation In the way the dancers respond using movement. The movement choreographed by Sir Julian clearly shows a vast range of dynamics to further the quality of movement convey through the concepts of conformity felt by women. Seen wealth the work, there Is a section involving the dancers executing a much sustained upright shift in weight while rocking. I nerve Is a Susanne percussive accent Involving a Jerk or spasm AT ten Knee. This creates variation and contrast within the same phrase. In the middle section of the work, there is a clear relationship seen between the drumming accompaniment and the percussive and sustained dynamics as the layering of the music begins. The Sustained and percussive dynamics are used in Falling angels when all the dancers in unison ooze into the floor in parallel, knees and feet together, with the extension in he flick motif of the arms in a wing-like shape with their focus down. Through the use of this drumming, the timing of Falling Angels provokes the dancers being consumed by the beats as is travels throughout their entire body causing them to react synthetically. Therefore Julian has successfully used dynamic to further the audiences understanding of how the staccato dynamics reflect the dancers kinesthesia response. In conclusion Sir Julian has used space, time and dynamics to reflect intellectual, emotional and physical content of the females.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

20 Poetic Metaphors About Time

20 Poetic Metaphors About Time According to proverbs, time heals, steals, and flies. In that same vein, time is also something we all make and take, save and spend, keep, waste, kill, and lose. Habitually and almost without thinking, we explain our relationship to time through metaphors. In ​More Than Cool Reason: A Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (University of Chicago Press, 1989), George Lakoff and Mark Turner remind us that Metaphor isnt just for poets; its in ordinary language and is the principal way we have of conceptualizing abstract concepts like life, death, and time. So whether were spending it or running out of it (or both), we deal with time metaphorically. 20 Metaphorical Quotes About the Definition of Time Time is a circus, always packing up and moving away. - Ben Hecht Time, you old gipsy man,Will you not stay,Put up your caravanJust for one day? - Ralph Hodgson, Time, You Old Gipsy Man Prince, I warn you, under the rose,Time is the thief you cannot banish.These are my daughters, I suppose.But where in the world did the children vanish? - Phyllis McGinley, Ballade of Lost Objects But thats where I am, theres no escaping it. Times a trap, Im caught in it. - Margaret Atwood, The Handmaids Tale Time is the reef upon which all our frail mystic ships are wrecked. - Noel Coward, Blithe Spirit She tried to discover what kind of woof Old Time, that greatest and longest established Spinner of all, would weave from the threads he had already spun into a woman. But his factory is a secret place, his work is noiseless, and his Hands are mutes. - Charles Dickens, Hard Times Time is a storm in which we are all lost. Only inside the convolutions of the storm itself shall we find our directions. - William Carlos Williams, Introduction to Selected Essays Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in. I drink at it; but while I drink I see the sandy bottom and detect how shallow it is. Its thin current slides away, but eternity remains. - Henry David Thoreau, Walden Time is a flowing river. Happy those who allow themselves to be carried, unresisting, with the current. They float through easy days. They live, unquestioning, in the moment. - Christopher Morley, Where the Blue Begins Time is an equal opportunity employer. Each human being has exactly the same number of hours and minutes every day. Rich people cant buy more hours; scientists cant invent new minutes. And you cant save time to spend it on another day. Even so, time is amazingly fair and forgiving. No matter how much time youve wasted in the past, you still have an entire tomorrow. - Denis Waitely,  The Joy of Working Old Time, in whose banks we deposit our notesIs a miser who always wants guineas for groats;He keeps all his customers still in arrearsBy lending them minutes and charging them years. - Oliver Wendell Holmes, Our Banker Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you. - Carl Sandburg Yesterday is a canceled check; tomorrow is a promissory note; today is the only cash you have, so spend it wisely. - Kay Lyons Time is a fixed income and, as with any income, the real problem facing most of us is how to live successfully within our daily allotment. - Margaret B. Johnstone What am I now that I was then?May memory restore again and againThe smallest color of the smallest day:Time is the school in which we learn,Time is the fire in which we burn. - Delmore Schwartz, Calmly We Walk Through This Aprils Day Time is a dressmaker specializing in alterations. - Faith Baldwin, Face Toward the Spring Initially, I was unaware that time, so boundless at first blush, was a prison. - Vladimir Nabokov, Speak, Memory Time is an irreversible arrow, and we can never return to the self that we sloughed off in childhood or adolescence. The man trying to wear youths carefree clothing, the woman costuming her emotions in dolls dresses - these are pathetic figures who want to reverse times arrow. - Joshua Loth Liebman, Renunciation of Immaturity,  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹from Peace of Mind Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its pupils. - Hector Berlioz Time is a gift, given to you,given to give you the time you needthe time you need to have the time of your life. - Norton Juster, The Phantom Tollbooth

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Rapid Rise of e-Commerce in Modern Global Business Essay

Rapid Rise of e-Commerce in Modern Global Business - Essay Example A. Global business processes are usually characterized by various operational strategies. Some of these strategies entail the use of human resources, while some entail the application of business technology (Kopper & Ellis, 2011). It is apparent, taking into consideration the current business data that, e-commerce is currently one of the highest technology applied in commercial activitiesB. The corpus of e-commerce entails the process of undertaking business activities through enhanced computer networks i.e. the Internet. Research indicates that e-commerce activities depend heavily on technologies such as: Inventory Management Systems, Online Transactions, online marketing, data interchange through electronic processes et cetera (Cohan, 2010).Transition to Main Point, II: In this section, I will focus on the significant impacts of e-commerce in the contemporary business environment.  A. With the integration of electronic technology into majority of Company’s operational proc edures, e-commerce has been associated with effective and efficient technology, thus facilitating efficient business processes i.e. reduction of human errors usually associated with it.B. In addition, economic experts have asserted that the essence of implementing e-commerce has been majorly driven by the fact that it entails reduced costs of operation: This occurs in the sense that it reduces costs associated with manual modes of operation specifically, inventory costs, employee management costs et cetera.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Rise in Corporate Debts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Rise in Corporate Debts - Essay Example The continuous increase in corporate debt has direct impacts on the financial health of any given sector and by extension other sectors of an economy. Companies with large amounts of debts are susceptible during economic recessions because their debts cannot be reduced or paid back easily. As a result, such companies are forced to limit their investments significant to their going concern in the markets (Talley 1). This may also call for downsizing of its human resource causing inefficiency in operations in both the short and the long run. These actions would result in a diminished overall productivity of a company. Moreover, it would also contribute towards an economic downturn as capital goods orders reduce and laid-off workers cut back purchases. When heavily indebted companies succumb to the economic pressures, and the financial crisis persists, bankruptcy sets in. this leads to potentially large losses and costs to creditors, employees and all stakeholders. In addition, the article states that the likely cause of the increase in corporate debt is driven by weak balance sheets owned by several companies. In addition, weak levels of profitability have prompted firms to borrow in order to sustain their basic operations (Talley 1). According to research conducted by global banking group, the high-yield corporate issuances of loans in Europe increased by 50% as compared to the year 2012. Some of these loans were issued to riskiest terms in relation to their economic operations. These business organizations’ financial health can be measured using leverage, liquidity and their overall solvency. In these corporations, leverage is defined as the ration of a company’s debt to its long-run earnings capacity. Companies with high debt levels as compared to their ability to earn profitable are vulnerable to the global economic troubles. Liquidity refers to a business organization’s ability to clear its debt obligations relative t o their long-term profitability. Low liquidity in a firm leads to difficulties in meeting debt repayment obligations. Solvency indicates the corporate health status of a firm that includes capital, revenue, profitability, leverage and liquidity. These characteristics explain reasons for

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Liquids and Solids Essay Example for Free

Liquids and Solids Essay The purpose of this experiment is to examine the properties of several gasses, which were the products of a reaction, and examine the way the gasses react under certain conditions. These conditions, such as introducing a flame to the gas as well as oxygen and CO2, caused other reactions to occur. Experiment Before I began the experiment I gathered all my supplies from the given list in the lab manual. From there I began the actual experiment and diluted the HCL placed in a test tube and then placed the ZN in the tube as well. I placed the stopper and gas delivery plastic system on the test tube and arranged the tube in the well plate. I then took the test tube filled with water inverted it and placed on top of the gas delivery system, I had the well plate in a large bowl in case of flow over. I then removed and placed my thumb over the opening so gas wouldn’t escape I lit a match and held it approx. 1 cm away and allowed a small drop from the pipet onto the flame to observe the reaction. From here I took my pipet bulb and marked it in 3 equal parts with a marker. I filled the pipet with water and set it into the gas generation tube. When it was about 2/3 full of gas I removed it and set it facing down into the well holder as per the directions. I then cleaned up the other test tube disposed of the acid and washed the test tube and rubber stopper with water thoroughly. I then began the oxygen portion of the experiment where I placed some Mn into a test tube. I added some hydrogen peroxide and filled to nearly the top. I placed the rubber stopper with gas delivery system and put into the well plate in a straight position. I filled the pipet with water and once again inverted it and placed in on top of the gas delivery system. I then watched as it became displaced with oxygen and removed it placed my thumb over it so it wouldn’t escape.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Computer Access :: Technology Personal Narrative Teacher

Computer Access My current situation finds me teaching 7th grade block (language arts and geography) at Beach Middle School in Chelsea, Michigan. Chelsea, as a community, is fairly well-off financially. Technology is a priority for its citizens and for its schools. I am currently typing this on my school-issued laptop that is less than a year old. I am sitting on my couch and my cat is sleeping on my left arm. My classroom contains a brand new PC for my students to use and a new HP DeskJet color printer. There are two different labs of brand new laptops at my disposal. I am one of Moran’s â€Å"haves.† Being one of the â€Å"haves† doesn’t mean that my students can use computers everyday, nor would I sign up for that. We have debated and argued and complained and reasoned our way into a sign-up system that works most of the time. For the walk-in lab of twenty-eight laptops, the sign-up sheet is posted one week in advance and is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The sign-up sheet is posted in the lab itself. It is posted by the Media Center clerk, and she has her favorites. The rest of us are routinely confounded by the apparent speed with which some teachers are able to access the sign-up sheet. For those of us who are not quite quick enough, there are two laptop carts. Each cart has fourteen laptops and a printer. All of the laptops are wireless. We can sign up for one or both laptops at a time. The sign-up sheet is in the Media Center, and the sign-up sheet is available for the entire school year. In September, I can sign up for June. I have done already this year. We have two different sign-up procedures because of the different planning styles of our teaching staff. We in the language arts and social studies departments tend to do our planning months in advance. For at least the last two years, the 7th grade block staff has met in the summer and plotted the course of the year. Computer Access :: Technology Personal Narrative Teacher Computer Access My current situation finds me teaching 7th grade block (language arts and geography) at Beach Middle School in Chelsea, Michigan. Chelsea, as a community, is fairly well-off financially. Technology is a priority for its citizens and for its schools. I am currently typing this on my school-issued laptop that is less than a year old. I am sitting on my couch and my cat is sleeping on my left arm. My classroom contains a brand new PC for my students to use and a new HP DeskJet color printer. There are two different labs of brand new laptops at my disposal. I am one of Moran’s â€Å"haves.† Being one of the â€Å"haves† doesn’t mean that my students can use computers everyday, nor would I sign up for that. We have debated and argued and complained and reasoned our way into a sign-up system that works most of the time. For the walk-in lab of twenty-eight laptops, the sign-up sheet is posted one week in advance and is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The sign-up sheet is posted in the lab itself. It is posted by the Media Center clerk, and she has her favorites. The rest of us are routinely confounded by the apparent speed with which some teachers are able to access the sign-up sheet. For those of us who are not quite quick enough, there are two laptop carts. Each cart has fourteen laptops and a printer. All of the laptops are wireless. We can sign up for one or both laptops at a time. The sign-up sheet is in the Media Center, and the sign-up sheet is available for the entire school year. In September, I can sign up for June. I have done already this year. We have two different sign-up procedures because of the different planning styles of our teaching staff. We in the language arts and social studies departments tend to do our planning months in advance. For at least the last two years, the 7th grade block staff has met in the summer and plotted the course of the year.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

The Importance of Literacy Attainment in Primary Education

Why the government are driving to ensure literacy is a main priority, especially reading by six years of age. The importance of this and the effects on the child, parents, teachers and society. Abstract This paper attempts to analyse why the government are working so hard at ensuring all our primary children are reading by the age of six. The importance of this and the effect on children, teachers and society. It is well documented that reading is one of the most important abilities students acquire as they progress through their early school years. It is the foundation for learning across all subjects, it can be used for recreation and for personal growth, and it equips young children with the ability to participate fully in their communities and the larger society (Campbell et al, 2001) We will look at key issues and research which underpin the government literacy policy and ways in which it can be improved in school. In particular we focus on the extensive research between poor literacy attainment and behavioural problems within the primary setting. We trace the early literacy support programmes and how they are practised in the class room setting. We address the theoretical views on how language acquisition and literacy are interwoven. We look at the role of the teacher and school, and how policy and practice can smooth the progress of child literacy attainment by age of 6. Contents Title and Abstracti Chapter 11 Introduction 1 Chapter 22 Literature Review2 Research in to reading difficulties and behavioural problems2 2. 1 How does this affect the individual, parents, teachers and society5 2. 2 What impact does it have on the school6 Chapter 38 Analysis and critique of evidence base8 What challenges does it impose on the teachers nd what effective teaching methods are considered best practice8 3. 1 How does policy compare the theoretical research10 3. 2 Why do other countries not deem early literacy as important as the UK12 Chapter 413 Conclusion13 Chapter 514 Recommendations14 Bibliography15 Appendices19 Chapter 1 Introduction David Cameron’s conservative educational policy put his party on a collision course with the teaching profession, when he announced in November 07 that virtually every child in the country will be expected to read by the age of six under a conservative government. Cameron wants pupils to sit a reading test at the end of year one, and the target will be for all-bar those with serious learning difficulties, to pass. Their policy to scrap the key stage one testing, which was quite controversial, has already been enforced. His policy to concentrate on the absolute foundation stone, which is an ability to read, has yet to be enforced. He wants 90% of our children reading by the age of six, the other 10% with acute special needs will be given additional help (BBC News Nov 2007). It is also been observed that most children will naturally read by the age of six, as they progress though the foundation stage and key stage one. The problem arises with the children that do not progress so easily. At the age of four and five most children are less aware of their peers, they are more interested in their own ability to do. Yet as they turn six their awareness of others and their abilities become more interesting. This in-turn leads to the less gifted children realising that they are not as bright as other children, which can leads to them feeling disheartened and inadequate. Consequently this may lead to the less gifted children giving up and becoming disengaged, which can cause behavioural problems. Therefore if the teacher can help these children early, perhaps the achievement gap will not be so noticeable, therefore prevent further elevation of problems that arise from detachment (Teacher TV 2009). It is though however that at such a young age, this behaviour is more easily managed and can be reversed (Moffitt 2006). Apparently there is a scheme behind David Cameron’s policy. As early prevention may hopefully alleviate the need for expensive intervention later on. Chapter 2 Literature Review Research in to reading difficulties and behavioural problems As it has frequently been observed that reading difficulties are accompanied by behaviour problems ( Berger, Yule & Rutter, 1975; Rutter, Tizeird & Whitmore, 1970). However, the exact nature of the relationship has been difficult to elucidate. One possibility is that behaviour problems arise as a consequence of the child's reaction to being a poor reader. An alternative possibility is that the behaviour problems pre-date the reading difficulty and affect the child's capacity to profit from reading instruction. A third possibility is that behaviour problems are related to reading difficulties because they share a common cause. A likely candidate for such a common cause would be home background. Of course, none of these possibilities are mutually exclusive. All could be partly true, with causal influences operating in both directions between reading difficulties and behaviour problems, as well as coming from home background. Several studies have attempted to sort out these various possibilities. Two major approaches have been employed. The first is to compare children who have both reading difficulties and behaviour problems with children who have reading difficulties alone and with children who have behaviour problems alone. If the children with both reading difficulties and behaviour problems are similar in background to those with reading difficulties alone, rather than those with behaviour problems alone, then it is likely that behaviour problems arise in part as a consequence of reading failure. Conversely, if the children with combined problems are more similar in background to those with behaviour problems, then it seems likely that the behaviour problems are the primary disorder. A number of studies have been reported using this approach with antisocial behaviour problems. Rutter and Yule (1970) studied 9 to 10 year-old children on the Isle of Wight. They found that the children with combined problems were more similar in background to those with reading difficulty alone and concluded that the reading difficulties produced the behaviour problems. Sturge 1982) research with 10 year old children from inner London school found that those with combined problems had background characteristics in between those of the two groups with pure disorders. She concluded that in some cases, behaviour problems might be secondary to reading difficulties, but that this could not be the complete explanation. However, Varlaam (1974) also used inner London children and did find those with com bined problems to be more similar to children with pure reading difficulties. Generically speaking, then, the evidence using this approach has been consistent with the view that behaviour problems arise as a consequence of reading failure. The second approach adopted by researchers on this issue is the longitudinal study. With this approach, children are followed over the first few years of schooling. Those who have developed reading difficulties after this time are then studied to see if their behaviour problems were present before formal reading instructions began or whether they developed only later as a reaction to reading failure. Two studies have used the longitudinal approach. McMichael (1979) assessed Scottish children for behaviour problems and reading readiness at school entry and then two years later assessed reading achievement and behaviour problems. She found that antisocial behaviour problems preceded the later reading difficulties. However, the children with behaviour problems at school entry also had lower reading readiness skills. On the other hand, McMichael found no evidence of an increase in behaviour problems as a consequence of reading failure. Stott (1981), working with Canadian children, followed them over the first three years of schooling. His findings concurred with those of McMichael (1979) in that children who developed reading difficulties were found to have behaviour problems at school entry. Stott attempted to rule out the possibility that home background was a common cause of both behaviour problems and reading difficulties by grouping the children according to living conditions. He concluded that on the whole it was behaviour problems which led to reading difficulties, home background was not ruled out as a contributing factor Moffatt 2006) of Royal Institute of London did an extensive study on twins and genetics relating to poor literacy and behaviour problems in primary. His research was surprising, as his results, found genetics did not explain it. He feels it’s an environmental process, such as what goes on in the classroom, and this is important because it can be changed. His researchers say their fi ndings indicate that academic intervention can have a positive effect on behaviour. Programmes that target either reading problems or behaviour problems during the pre-school and early primary school years are likely to produce changes in both areas, the research concludes. 2. 1 How does this affect the individual, parents, teachers and society There is a strong link to literacy attainment and confidence levels with regards to socio-economic advantaged children. The facilitation of these opportunities in the home (quiet reading environments, encouragement to read as a leisure activity, having plenty of books readily available, all enhance the development. The negative effects of reading problems are also well documented (Harris & Sipay, 1990). There is evidence that reading disability is associated with social, economic, and psychological problems. The Green Paper,’ Excellence for all children, meeting the special educational needs’(DfEE 1997), acknowledged the Literacy task force recommendations for developing strategies to enable parents and schools to work together in supporting the literacy achievement for children with SEN’ (DfEE 1997, section 13, p 15). With this in mind it is important that the teacher offers practical advice and methods of intervention to the parents. The effects of good prevention and early intervention, along with effective parenting support will help reduce the risk of antisocial behaviour later on (Rutter 1979 and Epstein 1986). By working with the parents, the teacher can construct a plan of action that will facilitate the child’s learning. If the parents are poor, the teacher can suggest the child takes books from school to read at home with the parent. If the parent is not able to read or is working all the time, alternatives arrangements can be made for other family members to help. By taking a pragmatic approach the teacher will hopefully be able to help both the child and their parent with play based activities that will help to raise the spirits of the child while they learn (Wadworths 1991). The role of the teacher in literature-based instruction is one of decision maker, mentor, and coach. The teacher plans and supports activities that allow children to do those things one naturally does with literature (Routman, 1991). This role includes planning themes, helping students activate the appropriate prior knowledge, and supporting students in reading and responding to the literature in appropriate ways (Martinez & Roser, 1991). In some instances the teacher plans and teaches mini-lessons using the literature as a model for helping students learn a needed strategy or skill (Trachtenberg, 1990). As a mentor, the teacher serves as a model for reading and writing, by reading aloud to students, the teacher models language for them. Through shared writing (McKenzie, 1985), the teacher models all aspects of writing, grammar, usage, and spelling. By supporting students with such activities as shared reading, literature discussion circles, and response activities, the teacher plays the role of coach (Cooper, 1993). 2. 2 What impact does it have on the school The principal’s challenge is to ensure that teachers have knowledge of current literacy best practices and access to the tools and resources needed to incorporate them. The principals need to have a working knowledge of literacy and the latest research findings about learning. They also need to ensure high quality instruction is supported by strong literacy frameworks. This may include the opportunity for peer coaching, classroom visitations, and literacy courses made available. Along side the practical courses the principal should ensure all her teachers opinions and ideas are valued, it is her role to support, motivate and encourage excellence in all her teaching staff. As teachers are a major part of a vision for literacy, competent, caring, and committed teachers create the conditions for learning literacy. To assure quality learning for all young children, all teachers need a foundational knowledge about literacy learning, and they need to apply that knowledge with sensitivity and skill in daily reading and writing instruction (Little 1999). a growing body of evidence suggests that reading problems are preventable for the vast majority of students who encounter difficulty in learning to read, if these students receive extra support in the form of an early intervention program (Goldenberg, 1994; Hiebert & Taylor, 1994; Reynolds, 1991). All of the reading recovery programs reflect a model of reading as an active, meaningful, constructive process. Before-reading activities are used to build or activate relevant background knowledge, concepts, and vocabulary. Students are taught to monitor their reading to ensure that what they are reading makes sense. They are taught strategies for correcting word recognition errors that detract from meaning, and they are given opportunities for reacting and responding to selections they have read. The texts they are asked to read are read for enjoyment and for information. Other activities are developed within a framework of reading for meaning. Because reading for meaning is the constant point of reference and because students in these programs need substantial help in building word-identification skills, the amount of time spent in discussing selections and in teacher questioning about the selection is kept to a minimum (Reynolds and Wheldall 2007). Chapter 3 Analysis and critique of evidence base What challenges does it impose on the teachers and what effective teaching methods are considered best practice The Curriculum is only as good as the people who offer it; practitioners play a major part in how a child leans and indeed what they learn. Gerhardts (2004 and Gopnik et al. , 2001) point out that for a child to develop effectively, it is important that the child has a warm loving, nurturing relationship with their teacher. Pedagogy on which teachers can draw on: All children need to acquire knowledge of the alphabetic system to become skilled readers. The most direct way for teachers to accomplish this is by providing explicit, systematic phonics instruction as one part of a comprehensive early reading program. Systematic and explicit phonics instruction is effective for all students in kindergarten and grade 1, regardless of socioeconomic status or the ease with which children learn to read. Along side this runs the different modes of reading and their advantages to the children. The term mode of reading refers to the different ways literature may be read aloud by the teacher, shared, guided by the teacher, cooperatively, or independently (Cooper, 1993). By changing the modes of reading used for different students, teachers are able to scaffold instruction and provide different levels of support for students in order to make them successful in reading a piece of literature (Cooper, 1993; Cullinan, 1992; Tunnell & Jacobs, 1989) Reading aloud is the single most influential factor in young children’s success in learning to read. It builds listening skills and vocabulary, aids reading comprehension, and develops a positive attitude toward reading. The teacher reads aloud daily to the whole class from a variety of children’s literature (fiction, nonfiction, and poetry). Shared Reading The children (or a small group of children) see the text, observe the teacher reading it with fluency and expression, and are invited to read along. Eyes on text with voice support are shared reading. Shared reading gives an authentic reason to practice skills and strategies. It creates a low risk environment and supplies support so children can join in and see themselves as readers. Guided reading The teacher selects books from a variety of genres for a small group with the expectation that all children can read the selection at an instructional level (90 to 94 percent) with prompts and questions. Guided reading provides the teacher with time to observe reading behaviours. It lets the teacher see the children functioning as readers and helps the teacher know what to stress next to move the children forward. The child selects and reads a variety of genres, an integral component of all levels of reading development. Independent reading provides practice and builds fluency and comprehension. It also demonstrates that reading is a priority. It is a time to assist a student in choosing appropriate books and allows them time in reading books of their choice. This helps ensure success and enjoyment (Cheminais 2005). scaffolding instruction Which is a concept that has grown out of research on how individuals learn (Collins, Brown, & Newman, 1986; Vygotsky, 1978). This concept is based on the idea that at the beginning of learning, students need a great deal of support; gradually, this support is taken away to allow students to try their independence. This is what Pearson (1985) called the gradual release of responsibility. If students are unable to achieve independence, the teacher brings back the support system to help students experience success until they are able to achieve independence (Cooper, 1993). By using this method it is hopefully more clear-cut which children are in need of more support. Modeling Through Storybook Reading Recent research clarifies the extreme importance of reading storybooks to young children both at home and in school. Very early, children begin to imitate that reading — at first by relying exclusively on picture clues and memory. With increased experience they begin to focus on the information that print conveys (Snow, 1983; Sulzby, 1985; Teale, 1987). 3. 1 How does policy compare the theoretical research Most all theorists regardless of their particular thesis, believe that nature and nurture are interwoven in a child’s development. As Chomsky’s belief in nature still relies on nurturing for a child to gain its full developmental potential. As he wrote â€Å"If a child is placed in an impoverished environment, innate abilities simply will not develop, mature, and flourish (Taylor and Woods (2005). Similarly, a child brought up in an institution may have ample experience and nutrition, but still may not develop normally, either physically or mentally, if normal human interaction is lacking†(Chomsky 1987 p 2). So as Chomsky, believes the child is born with specific linguistic knowledge; Skinner, is portrayed as believing that language is entirely a matter of conditioning; Piaget, who sees language development as an outgrowth of general cognitive development; and Bruner, who emphasises the importance of the social/interactional context in which language development takes place. All have a common link as one depends on the other to reach its true potential (McCartney K and Phillips D 2006). Every Childs development does depend on their physical, cognitive, social and emotional self. And each of these components of self depends in part, on the changes that are taking place in other areas of development (Shaffer 1992). In reality, this is some times overlooked by practitioners in their assessments and evaluations of our children. As the measurements of achievements rears it ugly head, and some teachers focus on the bright and gifted while the less gifted child is left to his own devises. Most school want to have a good record of achievement and thus instruct their teachers to comply with their wish to get the best results for the school as possible. For some teachers this is a bitter pill to swallow as their time is taken up by helping the gifted children reach the highest targets, unavoidably leaves the less gifted neglected. Ability tracking, is yet another thorn for the less gifted children as this is where students are grouped by their ability, some theorists argue that this undermines the self-esteem of low ability students. As children are placed on the red, yellow, blue or green table depending on how clever they are perceived to be, by the teacher. Thus contributing to poor academic achievement and a high number of children feeling disheartened and demoralised. As we mentioned earlier how children of six are more aware of their peers, this only highlights the fact, leaving the less gifted children believing they are stupid, so they stop trying to achieve. Rutters research in 1983 suggests that mixed ability groups are more advantageous for children in primary education and ability tracking was more sensible in the latter senior years at secondary. Rutter 1983) put high emphasis on the teacher’s attitudes towards their pupils as being vitally important to the Childs achievements. Motivation, praise, encouragement and a high expectation are all crucial to ensuring a child succeeds (Pollard 1997). 3. 2 Why do other countries not deem early literacy as important as the UK Dr Ken Spencer (2007) from the Institute of Learning at University of Hull, fought back in response to all the critics of Cameron, as they protested why other countries did not deem this an important issue. He made them aware of the reason why Scandinavian children can start reading at six: their language has a transparent writing system, in which each sound has only one letter associated with it. With such a writing system all children read in about six month, no matter when they start school. His research evidence shows that learning to read English will always take three or more years longer, than most other languages. There is now indisputable evidence that complex combinations of letters and their irregular behaviour interact to make English the worst example of alphabetical language. Chapter 4 Conclusion Language and literacy development, like all human development, will be heavily determined by the nature of the environment, and may be severely limited unless the environment is appropriate. A stimulating environment is required to enable natural curiosity, intelligence, and creativity to develop, and to enable our biological capacities to unfold. The fact that the course of development is largely internally determined does not mean that it will proceed without care, stimulation, and opportunity (Penn 2005). Like Chomsky perceived â€Å"teaching is not like filling a cup with water, but ore like enabling a flower to grow in its own way; but it will not grow and flourish without proper care†(Chomsky 1897,p1). There is evidence that teachers whom have a holistic view with a child centred approach, can lead to a more fruitful interaction between the realms of theory and practice, which in turn will benefit the child’s learning and behaviour. The examples of rese arch in the fields of literacy and development discussed, show how work which was originally theoretically motivated can lead to practical recommendations for intervention. Chapter 5 Recommendations It does appear that there is extensive evidence to suggest that poor teacher may have a lot to do with poor literacy attainment and behavioural issues. Perhaps David Cameron quest for literacy attainment will only be achieved once the teaching pedagogy improves. Adults, like children, learn better when they perceive a need for the information they are learning. Staff development should provide teachers with authentic, meaningful tasks that relate to improving classroom instruction. Helping teachers improve instruction must focus on more than just going through the motions of teaching. Showers, Joyce, and Bennett (1987) analyzed more than two hundred research studies on staff development and concluded that a major factor in how teachers teach is how they think about teaching. Staff development should help teachers increase their knowledge and learn to think about their instructional decisions. Having a basic level of knowledge about an innovation is important in helping teachers â€Å"buy in† to it (Showers et al. , 1987). Over the last fifteen years the emphasis on staff development has evolved in many ways, from workshop sessions to more comprehensive, collaborative approaches that focus on the individual needs and concerns of teachers (Waxman, 1987). Hopefully by improving our pedagogy and focusing on a more holistic child centred environment all children and teachers will benefit. The research literature to date has suggested pathways for us to take. It is up to us as a society to make the journey. 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Dr Ken Spencer (2007) Institute of Learning at University of Hull Dr Moffitt (2006) The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry is published on behalf of The Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Blackwell Publishing Epstein J L (1986) Parents reactions to teachers practices of parent involvement, Elementary School Journal, 86, 277-294 Gerhardt, S. (2004). Why love matters. How affection shapes a baby's brain. Hove:Bruner Routledge. Gibbons, P (2002) Scaffolding Language, Scaffolding Learning: Teaching Second Language Learners in the Mainstream Classroom, Portsmouth: Heinemann Goldenberg, C. (1994). â€Å"Promoting early literacy development among Spanish speaking children: Lessons from two studies. † In E. H. Hiebert & B. M. Taylor (Eds. ), Getting reading right from the start (pp. 71-200). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Gopnik, A. , Sobel, D. M. , Schulz, L. & Glymour, C. (2001). 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Saturday, November 9, 2019

How Does Mcewan Depict the Breakdown in Joe and Clarissa’s?

How does McEwan depict the breakdown in Joe and Clarissa’s relationship in the middle section of the novel? McEwan initially portrays Clarissa and Joe as the ideal couple, capturing the seemingly stable love affair between two academics. However, McEwan seeks to explore the disintegration of the ‘superior’ middle-class romance, to emphasise how nothing is safe. To the unknowing reader, everything about the relationship is calm and admirable. Yet difficulties begin to surface early in the novel.The reader learns how Clarissa is unable to bear children; something which the reader can see is hidden from daily life, but obviously has a profound effect on the relationship. To add to this, Joe is unhappy about his status in the scientific community. He feels his work as a lecturer is not enough, and this causes his self-worth to diminish over time. Joe longs for a perfect life, with a perfect career and for his interests to be satisfied. Everything down to the expensive wine at the picnic suggests Joe seeks perfection.Similarly, Clarissa also seeks perfection but instead, strives for the ideal romance, idealised by her literary idol, John Keats. McEwan focuses on a breakdown of communication throughout the middle section of the novel. Any conversations between the couple are brief and rushed, without consideration for the other’s words. Chapter 9 is significant for the development of Joe and Clarissa’s relationships collapse as the reader is invited to witness the events from Clarissa’s perspective.Through McEwan’s technique, the reader can view the hardships of Clarissa’s day, to recognise the daily stresses of her personal and professional life. We see Clarissa’s confusion at Joe’s apparent manic state, the communication issues, ‘All this talking and listening that’s supposed to be good for couples’. Joe simply cannot leave Clarissa alone; he is dependent on her for mental supp ort and he fails to recognise when she needs time to herself.Throughout Chapter 9, we learn that Joe is trusting Clarissa and coming on rather strongly, ‘but his intensity is inhibiting her’. However, it is at this point where we recognise that Clarissa is being told the whole story, despite claims later in the novel that she isn’t, she simply doesn’t take the correct amount of interest. The three obvious milestones of the breakdown are the balloon incident, Jed Parry’s intervention and Joe’s evident depression. Parry appears as the main catalyst, as he highlights the couple’s flaws.Trust is a huge issue between Joe and Clarissa, as made obvious when Joe fails to tell Clarissa of Parry’s late night phone call, ‘I know I made my first serious mistake when I turned on my side and I said to her â€Å"It was nothing. Wrong number. †Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ His actions could suggest he simply didn’t want to worry Clarissa at such a time, but also could ring early alarm bells for problems of trust. Trust issues are also evident when Joe raids Clarissa’s study, frantically searching for evidence of an affair. Shortly after this, they begin to sleep in separate beds, ceasing the late night discussions and passionate love-making.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

How Income Inequality Affects Minority Workers

How Income Inequality Affects Minority Workers It’s no secret that white households in the United States take in significantly more income than black and Latino households do, fueling racial inequality. What’s to blame for this discrepancy? It’s not just that whites work in higher paying jobs than their minority counterparts do. Even when whites and minorities both work in the same field- management, for instance- these income gaps don’t disappear. Women and people of color continue to bring home less than white men do because of the pervasiveness of income inequality. A vast amount of research indicates that minority workers are literally being shortchanged in their paychecks. The Effect of the Great Recession The Great Recession of 2007 had an adverse effect on all American workers. For African  American and Hispanic laborers in particular, the recession proved devastating. The racial wealth gap that existed before the economic downturn only widened. In a study called â€Å"State of Communities of Color in the U.S. Economy,† the Center for American Progress (CAP) pinpointed just how much minority employees suffered during the recession. The study found that blacks and Latinos brought in on average $674 and $549, respectively, per week. Meanwhile, whites earned $744 per week, and Asians earned $866 per week during the fourth quarter of 2011. Contributing to this pay gap is that higher numbers of African Americans and Hispanics than whites and Asians worked in jobs that paid minimum wage or less. The amount of black minimum wage workers rose by 16.6 percent from 2009 to 2011, and the number of Latino minimum wage workers rose by 15.8 percent, CAP found. On the other hand, the number of white minimum wage workers rose by just 5.2 percent. The amount of Asian minimum wage workers actually dropped by 15.4 percent. Occupational Segregation In February 2011, the Economic Policy Institute released a paper about racial disparities in income called â€Å"Whiter Jobs, Higher Wages.† The paper suggests that occupational segregation contributes to racial gaps in the pay scale. EPI found that â€Å"in occupations where black men are underrepresented, the average annual salary is $50,533; in occupations where black men are overrepresented, the average annual salary is $37,005, more than $13,000 less.† Black men are extremely underrepresented in â€Å"construction, extraction, and maintenance† jobs but overrepresented in the service sector. Turns out the former employment sector pays quite a bit more than the latter service sector. Disparities Remain When All Else Is Equal Even when African Americans work in prestigious fields, they earn less than whites. Black Enterprise magazine conducted a study which found that blacks with degrees in computer networking and telecommunications will likely earn $54,000, while their white peers can expect to take home $56,000. The gap widens among architects. African American architects average a salary of $55,000, but white architects average $65,000. African Americans with degrees in management information systems and statistics are especially shortchanged. While they typically earn $56,000, whites in the field earn $12,000 more. How Women of Color Are Shortchanged Because they suffer from both racial and gender barriers, women of color experience more income inequality than others. When President Barack Obama declared April 17, 2012, â€Å"National Equal Pay Day,† he discussed the wage discrimination that minority female workers specifically face. He remarked, â€Å"In 2010- 47 years after President John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act of 1963- women who worked full-time earned only 77 percent of what their male counterparts did. The pay gap was even greater for African American and Latina women, with African American women earning 64 cents and Latina women earning 56 cents for every dollar earned by a Caucasian man.† Given that more women of color head households than white women do, these discrepancies in pay are truly worrisome. President Obama said that equal pay is not only a basic right but also a necessity for women who serve as the primary breadwinners in their homes. It’s not just women of color who suffer from wage discrimination, of course. The Economic Policy Institute found that in 2008, black men earned just 71 percent of what Caucasian men earned. While black men earned on average $14.90 per hour, whites earned $20.84 per hour.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

3 Sentences with Parenthetical-Phrase Punctuation Problems

3 Sentences with Parenthetical-Phrase Punctuation Problems 3 Sentences with Parenthetical-Phrase Punctuation Problems 3 Sentences with Parenthetical-Phrase Punctuation Problems By Mark Nichol In each of the sentences below, faulty punctuation confuses the syntactical organization. Discussions and revisions follow each problematic sentence. 1. Documentation, such as white papers, that support model choices, data analysis and other similar assertions, will be necessary to support the elections made. This sentence includes one parenthetical phrase (â€Å"such as white papers†), but it’s punctuated as if another, longer one is embedded after it. However, the segment of the sentence between that phrase and â€Å"will be necessary . . .† is not parenthetical, so no comma is necessary before will: â€Å"Documentation, such as white papers, that support model choices, data analysis and other similar assertions will be necessary to support the elections made.† 2. Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton, faces consistent fire from people who oppose her policy positions, including Republican nominee, Donald Trump, and many others. There’s a subtle distinction between an appositive (a word or phrase equivalent in meaning with an adjacent word or phrase) and a simple description. The phrases preceding the names in this sentence are descriptions; simply precede each with the and they become appositives, which are set off parenthetically. But as written, this sentence requires only one comma- the one separating the subordinate clause (beginning with â€Å"as does† from the main clause): â€Å"Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton faces consistent fire from people who oppose her policy positions, including Republican nominee Donald Trump and many others.† 3. Raucous protesters and supporters of Donald Trump violently confronted each other in California leading to twenty arrests as the Republican presidential contender brought his campaign to conservative Orange County. The subordinate clause in this sentence, beginning with â€Å"as the Republican presidential contender,† must be set off by a comma, but an additional comma is required before the parenthetical phrase â€Å"leading to twenty arrests.† The second comma does double duty closing off the parenthetical phrase and setting off the subordinate clause from the main clause: â€Å"Raucous protesters and supporters of Donald Trump violently confronted each other in California, leading to twenty arrests, as the Republican presidential contender brought his campaign to conservative Orange County.† (The second comma is required because the arrests occurred after, not concurrent with, Trump’s arrival.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:25 Subordinating Conjunctions10 Techniques for More Precise Writing40 Words Beginning with "Para-"

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Shakespeares personal life and the writings of Hamlet Research Paper

Shakespeares personal life and the writings of Hamlet - Research Paper Example The rest of this essay is an exercise toward this end. First of all, in order to understand the connection between the personal and the professional, it is important to locate the exact time period in which the play was written. Given that Shakespeare lived during the late sixteenth century and early seventeenth century, there are no authoritative accounts of when the play was written. So one can only arrive at a tentative date; and scholarly consensus designates the period between 1599 and 1602. (Fedderson, 2000, p.145) By this time, Shakespeare was already an established playwright and his works had acquired him critical appreciation as well as popular recognition. He was in his late thirties by this time and been married to Anne Hathaway for close to twenty years. Hence, it is fair to say that Shakespeare had seen enough of lifes challenges and travails to have gained insights into human relationships. (Ross, 1999, p.6) And the vividness with which the author puts forth emotions related to betrayal, treachery and grave indignation in the play is a reflection of his own maturity as a person. As Prof. Park Honanspents recent biography on the great artist reveals, â€Å"In addition to fresh information about the women in Shakespeares life, what has come to light is playwrights connections with more sinister matters and how his personal experiences of treachery were mirrored on stage. Using new computerised linguistic research, researchers claim that Shakespeares acquaintance with murder in his private life was not only reflected in the plots of his plays, but actually performed by Shakespeare on stage.† (The Birmingham Post, Oct, 1998, p.3) This is a relevant observation, for the central plot of Hamlet is one of revenge and murder. In it, Prince Hamlet contrives to kill his uncle Claudius, for his father was killed and the throne usurped by the latter. Shakespeare is no stranger

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Class activity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Class activity - Essay Example In view of this, executives must understand that they have a legal and moral responsibility to implement preventive measures to eliminate harassment. Case Analysis: Will teams work 1. The managers must be trained on the technical aspect of the job. Training on productivity and how to motivate the workers should be given to the managers. This will be very helpful to them in creating a workplace conducive to productivity. 2. The managers should be competent in the technical know-how. They should not only be results-oriented but also learn to appreciate the efforts applied on the job. Team work should also be emphasized. These competencies will help motivate the workers more. 3. The managers should be trained first and foremost on the technical aspects in the automobile parts manufacturing. This will take around six months to one year. Training on human relations is essential so they will learn to deal with the factory workers and eventually learn to motivate them; thus, making them mor e productive. This training will probably take one month. 4. One of the alternatives to management development is the development and training of the factory workers.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Intellectual Property Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Intellectual Property Law - Essay Example In today’s marketplace, IP is not an afterthought, but an issue at the management and the board level, since it has shareholder value consequences. The critical value of high quality IP strategies cannot be overlooked, since it has the capability of fostering innovation and giving an organization a competitive edge and advantage. Licensing of IP, at a time when companies are considering other technological and commercial models, as is the case in the energy sector where most companies are considering climate-friendly technologies, can help protect a business from unnecessary lawsuits and legal battles, and provide an important source of revenue. This paper offers Greentech Ltd, a low carbon technology, energy firm, advice with regard to the management of its Intellectual Property portfolio, and proposes an a high quality IP strategy the firm can rely on in the management of any future innovations, especially in the area of Low Carbon Technology. The proposed IP strategy is aim ed at enabling Greentech Ltd to maximize its Research Division innovative outputs. Additionally, the strategy is targeted at enabling the acquisition of innovative ideas and research outputs of persons who are not employed by Greentech Ltd, and facilitation of entry of such ideas and other new ideas into the market at a faster rate. The paper is divided into three parts; Part I offers a brief background of Greentech Ltd current IP holdings and status, Part II outlines recommendations with regard to how Greentech should manage its current Intellectual Property Portfolio, while Part III describes a high quality IP strategy that Greentech will rely on in the management of any future innovations, especially in the area of Low Carbon Technology. Part One: Background and Introduction Background Greentech Ltd at present has various Intellectual Property holdings; it has, over the years licensed various technologies, specifically, it holds 20 licenses, from other parties as a way of enhanci ng its research projects. The company continues to pay, as is contained in the licensing contracts, royalties for all the 20 licenses; however, some of those IP holdings are no longer needed. Greentech Ltd has in the past has licensed certain technologies to other firms without proper initial exploration and research of the market to ascertain how to strike a better deal for the firm. The company, as part of its culture, has always endeavoured to ensure that all its research outputs are patented, and that those patents are sustained. This it has done even in cases where some patents have failed to yield substantial returns. Currently, Greentech Ltd holds 10 patents, all of which were granted between the year 2000 and 2011. The firm has recently developed a new and a potential market-leading technology, that is patentable; however, given the estimated cost, ?10 million, of further development, the firm is unable to fund further development of the technology. The firm has very poorly drafted employment contracts, which is not strict on confidentiality issues; as a result the employees who leave are not in any way deterred from taking confidential information with them. Additionally, Greentech Ltd has failed, in some cases, to use non-disclosure agreements, or in some cases, has used them in a

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Loss of Brain Nerve Cells in Alzheimers Disease

Loss of Brain Nerve Cells in Alzheimers Disease Fig-6: Showing neuronal death due to inflammation and oxidative stress. Adenosine Deaminase (ADA), and Neuropsychiatric Disorders:- Adenosine is a neuromodulator of brain function that is uniquely positioned to integrate excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission and neuroprotective actions in pathological conditions. The understanding of adenosine production and release in the brain is therefore of fundamental importance and has been extensively studied (ADA-8). Adenosine metabolism in the brain is very important, and its dysregulation has been implicated in pathophysiology of several neuropsychiatric disorders, since it modulates the release of several neurotransmitters such as glutamate, dopamine, serotonin and acetylcholine, decreases neuronal activity by pos-synaptic hyperpolarization and inhibits dopaminergic activity. Adenosine deaminase participates in purine metabolism by converting adenosine into inosine (ADA-7). (The production and metabolism of adenosine is given in the Fig.7) Adenosine deaminase (ADA, adenosine aminohydrolase, EC 3.5.4.4), an enzyme involved in the metabolism of purine nucleosides, catalyses the irreversible hydrolytic deamination of adenosine (Ado) and 2 ´-deoxyadenosine (2 ´-dAdo) to inosine and 2 ´- deoxyinosine, respectively. The enzyme is widely distributed in vertebrate tissues and plays a critical role in a number of physiological systems. In nature, several isoforms of ADA are known that differ by molecular mass, kinetic properties and tissue distribution (ADA-2). It plays a role in the development and functioning of T lymphomonocytes. Levels of this enzyme increase during the mitogenic and antigenic response of lymphocytes, whereas ADA inhibitors limited the blastogenesis of lymphocytes; thus, ADA levels are higher in T cells than in B lymphocytes. ADA was previously recognized as a cytosolic enzyme; however, it is currently known to be present at the surfaces of cells, in particular T lymphocytes, to interact with some membrane proteins, including CD-26/DPP IV, and is considered an ecto-enzyme. This co-localization of DPP IV/CD-26 and ADA at T cells is important for the activation of T cells because the interaction of ADA and CD-26 at the T cells results in co-stimulatory signs responsible for the activation of the T cell receptor (ada ). Long considered to be an immune-privileged site because of the presence of the blood-brain-barrier (BBB) and the lack of a lymphatic system, it is now well-established that the brain is fully capable of mounting inflammatory responses in response to invading pathogens, trauma, or ischemic events (G-17). Fig. 7 Pathways of adenosine production, metabolism and transport, with indications of the sites of action of various enzyme inhibitors. Abbreviations are as follows: ADA, adenosine deaminase; AK, adenosine kinase; AOPCP, a,b-methylene ADP; DCF, deoxycoformycin; EHNA, erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3-nonyl)adenosine; es, equilibrativesensitive nucleoside transporters; ei, equilibrative- insensitive nucleoside transporters; 5-IT, 5-iodotubercidin; NBMPR, nitrobenzylthioinosine; PDE, cAMP phosphodiesterase; SAH, S-adenosyl homocysteine. Activation of oligodendrocytes results in secretion of inflammatory molecules, such as nitric oxide (NO), cytokines, and prostaglandins and most  notably in upregulation of several chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans, including NG2, which contributes to the growth-inhibitory environment that prevents regeneration of axons in the injured CNS. In summary, in acute situations and when short lived, neuro-inflammatory mechanisms generally limit injury and promote healing; however, when neuro-inflammation becomes chronic it can damage viable host tissue, resulting in compromised neuronal survival and cognitive impairment. For these reasons, inflammation in the CNS has been appropriately described as a two-edged sword (G-17). Again Hcy activates cytokines and pro-inflammatory molecules, such as IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-12, IL-18, IL- 1 receptor antagonist, C-reactive protein, adhesion molecules (P-selectin, E-selectin, ICAM-1), and metalloproteinases (MMP-9). In addition, Hcy up-regulates reactive oxygen species, leading to activation of NF-kappa B, the pro-inflammatory nuclear regulatory molecule (G-3). On the other hand, neuropsychiatric disorders have been shown to be accompanied with some immune-inflammatory alterations. In this regard in order to make a contribution to the understanding of the ongoing immune disturbance in neuropsychiatric disorders, serum ADA activity was determined in neuropsychiatric patients and compared with healthy controls. Intracellular and extracellular levels of adenosine are tightly controlled by specific nucleoside transporters and several important enzymes, which include adenosine deaminase (ADA) and 5’-nucleotidase (5’-NT) (ADA-4). ADA activity is known to be increased in inflammatory diseases characterized by T-cell activation and proliferation. Therefore, ADA is considered a marker of T-cell activation. In addition, overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) including hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), superoxide anion (Oà ¢- _ 2); nitric oxide (NOà ¢- ) and singlet oxygen (1O2) creates a condition known as oxidative stress, resulting in the amplification of the inflammatory response (ADA-6). Studies related to ADA levels in neuropsychiatric patients are virtually non-existent. ADA and schizophrenia Adenosine may play a role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, since it modulates the release of several neurotransmitters such as glutamate, dopamine, serotonin etc. Dutra GD et al (2009) showed that decreased ADA activity in schizophrenic patients than in control subjects (ADA-7). Brunstein MG et al (2007) reported that the schizophrenic patients treated either with typical antipsychotics or clozapine showed increased serum ADA activity compared to controls (ada-b sub 14). ADA and Depression Elgun et al (1999b) reported that decrease ADA activity in patients with depression compared with controls, might reflect the impaired immune system in depression (A sub). Mackiewicz et al (2006) showed that ADA levels did not change with age in rats (A sub). Herken H et al (2007) showed that ADA levels of the patients were significantly higher than the controls (abstract ref). An increasing body of evidence implicates both brain inflammation and oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of Alzheimers disease (A-9). Inflammation is a cause, contributor, or secondary phenomenon in the disorder inflammatory pathways are altered in the periphery in AD, together with evidence that increased peripheral inflammation leads to more neurodegeneration and accelerated disease progression in animal models. Antioxidants defense:- Humans have evolved a highly complicated antioxidant defense system to combat the damaging effects of free radicals. Under physiological conditions, overproduction of ROS and RNS and their neutralization is prevented by the activity of endogenous anti-oxidative defense system (AOS). Antioxidants are a broad group of compounds which constitute the first line of defense against free radical damage thus are essential for maintaining optimum health and well-being. They are protective agents, capable of stabilizing or deactivating free radicals before they attack cells. Being beneficial compounds, they control free radical formation naturally and help organisms to deal with oxidative stress caused by free radicals (antiox 4) (Fig. 8). Antioxidant system encloses enzymes like superoxide dismutase; catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and other antioxidant-regenerating enzymes such as gluthatione reductase; dehydroascorbate reductase and glucose-6 phosphate dehydrogenase, that maintains reduced NADPH; hydrophilic scavengers like urate, ascorbate, gluthatione, flavonoids; lipophilic scavengers, like tocopherols, carotenoids and ubiquinone. The great majority of antioxidants are supplied with the diet and includes polyphenols, lipoic and ascorbic acid, carotenoids, lycopene, quercetine, genstein, ellagic acid, ubiquinone and indole-3 carbinole. In fact, in the biological systems, the normal processes of oxidation produces highly reactive free radicals and each of this administered compounds is involved in the physiological redox balance preventing damage to the tissues (antioxi 3). Enzymatic Antioxidants An important part of the intracellular antioxidant defense systems are antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase and peroxidases. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) SOD is found abundantly in many organisms, from microorganisms to plant and animals, since superoxide radicals (O2−†¢) are toxic to living cells, oxidizing and degrading biologically important molecules, such as lipids and proteins. The role of SOD is to protect aerobic cells against O2−†¢ action. It catalyzes O2−†¢ dismutation reaction into H2O2 and O2−†¢. There are three known types of SOD: two copper-zinc containing SOD (CuZn-SOD), one in cytosol and one bound to the vascular endothelium ( also called â€Å"extracellular SOD† (ECSOD)) and a manganese containing SOD (MnSOD), which is localized in the mitochondrial matrix (antio-4). This enzyme specifically catalyzes the dismutation of O2−†¢ anion into H2O2 and O2−†¢ in a pH-independent medium (5–9.5). Manganese SOD is the mitochondrial form of this dismutase. Its active site contains manganese and reduces the O2−†¢ generated during the ETC. T he amount of MnSOD inside the cell varies according to the number of mitochondria found in each cell type. This enzyme has antitumor activity. Extracellular SOD also contains copper and zinc in its structure and is the main extracellular SOD. It is synthesized inside the cells and secreted into the extracellular matrix (G-66, G-71, SOD-1). Fig. 8- Mechanism of action of antioxidants Catalase (CAT) Catalase is an enzyme that reacts very effectively with H2O2 to form water and molecular oxygen and with H donors (methanol, ethanol, formic acid, or phenols) with peroxidase activity. Catalase protects cells against H2O2 generated inside them. Although CAT is not essential to some cell types under normal conditions, it has an important role in the acquisition of tolerance to ONS in cellular adaptive response (G-10). Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and Glutathione Reductase GPx is an enzyme that contains a single selenocysteine (Sec) residue in each of four identical subunits, which are essential to the enzyme’s activity. Humans have four different GPx types: (1) a classic cytosolic form; (2) a membrane-associated GPx phospholipids, (3) another cytoplasmic enzyme, gastrointestinal GPx; and (4) an extracellular type. All GPx enzymes are known to add two electrons to reduce peroxides by selenols forming (Se-OH). GPx antioxidant properties allow them to eliminate peroxides as potential substrates for Fenton’s reaction. Glutathione peroxidase works together with glutathione tripeptide (GSH), which is present in cells in high (micromolar) concentrations. The substrate for the GPx catalytic reaction is H2O2 or organic peroxide ROOH. Glutathione peroxidase catalyzes hydroperoxide reduction using GSH, thus protecting mammalian cells against oxidative damage. Glutathione metabolism is one of the most important antioxidant defense mechanisms (G-10). Together with classic H2O2-removing enzymes (CAT and GSH-Px), the enzyme thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) is a seleno-flavoprotein which forms the thioredoxin system together with the protein thioredoxin (Trx) and NADPH. This is an effective system to reduce proteins in disulfide form and it also participates actively in the removal of H2O2 and other peroxides (G-57). 4) Thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) TrxR catalyzes the reduction of Trx especially, but in humans it can also reduce other substrates, such as vitamin C. This reductase also catalyzes the reduction of disulfide proteins and it is involved in countless vital processes, such as DNA synthesis and the regulation of apoptosis. Additionally, this system also donates electrons during DNA synthesis, and NADPH and human TrxR by themselves or with Trx are efficient electron donors to this human plasma peroxidase, which allows this enzyme to reduce hydroperoxides even when there are low levels of GSH available (G-52). There are three identified TrxR isoenzymes: cytosolic (TrxR-1), mitochondrial (TrxR-2), and a third isoenzyme which has been isolated from the mitochondrion of rat testes (TrxR-3). TrxR-1 has wide substrate specificity, since it is responsible for reducing not only Trx but also hydroperozides, lipoic acid, ubiquinone, and dehydroascorbate. Thus, the Trx system is regarded as having a crucial role maintaining a cell’s redox state. It may also have a role in the system which regulates the expression of redox-sensitive genes through the activation of transcription factors (G-58). Non-enzymatic Antioxidants Vitamin E (ÃŽ ±-tocopherol) The lipid-soluble antioxidant vitamin E is localized in the cell membrane and has been targeted for its relation to atherosclerosis and vascular function. Decreased concentration vitamin E (ÃŽ ±-tocopherol) scavenges the chain-carrying peroxyl radicals rapidly and interrupts the chain propagation. During this reaction, vitamin E becomes a free radical called tocopheryl, which is less reactive than the lipid radical and migrates to the surface of the membrane to be transformed again into tocopherol through the action of ascorbic acid (G-72) (Fig-9). However, in elevated concentrations the tocopheryl radical may act as pro-oxidant. On the other hand, ÃŽ ²-carotene is a hydrophilic precursor of vitamin A and large concentrations accumulate in the membranes of certain tissues. Its antioxidant activity is related to the removal of O2−†¢ and free radicals formed during lipid peroxidation. This activity is due to its conjugated double-bonded structure that can dislocate unpaired electrons, which enables ÃŽ ²-carotene to physically quench singlet oxygen without degradation (G-65). Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) Vitamin C is a hydrosoluble antioxidant, which facilitates its diffusion into intra- and extracellular matrices. Its antioxidant potential is related to direct removal of O2−†¢ and HO†¢. Furthermore, it contributes to regenerating oxidized vitamin E; however, vitamin C also has pro-oxidant activity. It may be the one compound, in addition to HO†¢, that can convert Fe3+ into Fe2+, which then reacts with H2O2 to form OH. Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that participates in a large number of cell functions (antio 5). All

Friday, October 25, 2019

Plato’s Influence on Western Civilization Essay -- Greek Metaphysics,

Our country is built on a set of values derived from ancient civilizations, individuals, and city-states; both negative and positive attributes of these relics can be proven to have assisted in molding our government into a unique and prized entity. Never would one imagine that western civilization is actually inclined by theories of truth and the human beings perception of it. Few would have thought that a primitive concept could be linked to the setbacks of other societies and their forms of socialization, as well as to the success to ours. The basic concept of truth and our natural response to socialization developed an ideal image of our current day country, long before our country existed. In ancient Greece, a great philosopher named Plato founded one of the most famous schools in all of history. Plato was a student of an enlightened man and a teacher of many others. Plato’s contribution to our existing government is given little credit, yet thanks to him we function as o ne of the most sophisticated societies in the entire history and the world. Plato, whose real name was Aristocles, was believed to have been born the year 427 BCE in Athens, Greece. He was born into a wealthy, Athenian aristocratic family, who actually came to rule Athens in 404 BCE. Because of his family’s prosperous background, Plato was treated to fine education. Plato’s upbringing ultimately influenced his viewpoints on particular subjects pertaining to philosophy and politics, a majority of his thoughts were pulled from two chief occurrences in his life; the Spartans victory over Athens in the Peloponnesian War, and the teachings, as well as the execution, of Socrates. The Peloponnesian War began before Plato’s birth, yet didn’t end until he was abo... ...Web. 25 Nov. 2013. . Patten, Joseph, and Kevin Dooley. "Ancient Political Theory." Why Politics Matters: An Introduction to Political Science. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Co, 2011. 35-47. Print. "Politics." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2013. . "Thomas R. Martin, An Overview of Classical Greek History from Mycenae to Alexander." Thomas R. Martin, An Overview of Classical Greek History from Mycenae to Alexander,New Directions in Philosophy and Education, Plato's Academy. The Annenberg CPB/Project, n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. . Thornton, Bruce S. Greek Ways: How the Greeks Created Western Civilization. San Francisco: Encounter, 2000. Print. Plato’s Influence on Western Civilization Essay -- Greek Metaphysics, Our country is built on a set of values derived from ancient civilizations, individuals, and city-states; both negative and positive attributes of these relics can be proven to have assisted in molding our government into a unique and prized entity. Never would one imagine that western civilization is actually inclined by theories of truth and the human beings perception of it. Few would have thought that a primitive concept could be linked to the setbacks of other societies and their forms of socialization, as well as to the success to ours. The basic concept of truth and our natural response to socialization developed an ideal image of our current day country, long before our country existed. In ancient Greece, a great philosopher named Plato founded one of the most famous schools in all of history. Plato was a student of an enlightened man and a teacher of many others. Plato’s contribution to our existing government is given little credit, yet thanks to him we function as o ne of the most sophisticated societies in the entire history and the world. Plato, whose real name was Aristocles, was believed to have been born the year 427 BCE in Athens, Greece. He was born into a wealthy, Athenian aristocratic family, who actually came to rule Athens in 404 BCE. Because of his family’s prosperous background, Plato was treated to fine education. Plato’s upbringing ultimately influenced his viewpoints on particular subjects pertaining to philosophy and politics, a majority of his thoughts were pulled from two chief occurrences in his life; the Spartans victory over Athens in the Peloponnesian War, and the teachings, as well as the execution, of Socrates. The Peloponnesian War began before Plato’s birth, yet didn’t end until he was abo... ...Web. 25 Nov. 2013. . Patten, Joseph, and Kevin Dooley. "Ancient Political Theory." Why Politics Matters: An Introduction to Political Science. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Co, 2011. 35-47. Print. "Politics." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2013. . "Thomas R. Martin, An Overview of Classical Greek History from Mycenae to Alexander." Thomas R. Martin, An Overview of Classical Greek History from Mycenae to Alexander,New Directions in Philosophy and Education, Plato's Academy. The Annenberg CPB/Project, n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. . Thornton, Bruce S. Greek Ways: How the Greeks Created Western Civilization. San Francisco: Encounter, 2000. Print.