Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Bank first Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Bank first - Essay Example 381- 384). Factors that influenced demand curve of houses to shift to the right are increased disposable income through mortgages and a consequential demand level. This increased the aggregate demand to raise the equilibrium price (Boyes and Melvin, p. 49- 50). Factors that caused a shift in supply curve are reduced consumer’s financial capacity, the legal provision for foreclosures and the reduced number of people who could buy the available homes. This had an effect of lowering the equilibrium price (Boyes and Melvin, p. 54- 56). The U.S. economy was at the depression stage during the housing crisis. This is because of the comparative condition that unlike previous poor economic conditions in which banks could resell foreclosed homes, the period was the worst, and such resale was not possible (Boyes and Melvin, p. 132). The economy is currently at the recovery stage, a stage that follows depression towards restructuring. The recovery period is also identifiable by the transition that followed the crises such as government initiative to save the banking sector through bailing them. The banking industry has however not reached its peak performance (Boyes and Melvin, p. 132). The government efforts to bail out the banks did not prevent depression. This is because it played a microeconomic role to a single sector of the economy instead of ensuring a comprehensive approach to the macroeconomic problem. This is however not the proper role of the government whose responsibility covers all sectors of the economy, including protection of consumers. The company’s identified risk factors include inconsistency in â€Å"economic and financial environment† that sometimes adversely affect performance, lack of confidence in the government’s ability to ensure a stable economic status, variation in interest rates that sometimes lowers

Monday, October 28, 2019

Silkwood Essay Example for Free

Silkwood Essay Silkwood took a big risk when she decided to blow the whistle on Kerr-McGee in 1946 for health and safety violations. Silkwood was concerned about her and her coworkers’ health and safety as she witnessed various health and safety violation acts that management ignored. Whistle blowing can be very dangerous for the one that is blowing the whistle as witnessed by the mysterious death of Karen Silkwood on the night of November 13th. Up until her job with Kerr – McGee, Silkwood lived a normal life and didn’t do anything in her life to make her stand out. It wasn’t until her investigation began, that Silkwood was starting to become more noticeable. According to friends that were close to her, Silkwood became more and more involved in the investigation and wouldn’t let the investigation go until all evidence and facts had been reported. However, Silkwood’s evidence and findings never did make it to the appropriate people due to the mysterious car crash that led to her death. Officers and scene investigators never did find the manila envelope containing the evidence, but Silkwood’s death brought to light the seriousness of the investigation and eventually, the closing of the Kerr-McGee Cimarron plant where Silkwood was last employed. While there are many rewards to whistle blowing, there are also many risks to whistle blowing as well. One of the rewards of whistle blowing is that the laws or acts being violated will be corrected by the correct regulation agencies. Whistleblowers are even able to submit a confidential report online through National Whistleblowers Center website where attorneys review the information and give advice on the best ways to proceed with the investigation. There are also information and additional resources available for those who are thinking about blowing the whistle on their company. A risk of whistleblowing on the company can lead to alienation between the whistleblower and their employer, boss, and co-workers. Some may fear retaliation if seen helping those gain evidence against the company or organization practicing unethical practices. They may also lose their job by blowing the whistle and family and friends may also be affected by the act as well because of their relationship to the whistleblower. As employees, it is our responsibility to protect the company or organization values while at the same time, also following our own moral values as well. Every company and organization has their own morals and values that they established, but if an employee witnesses or comes across evidence that does not uphold those values, than the employee has a responsibility to report those unethical practices. Employees also have their own person moral values that they usually use as standards when finding a company or organization to work for. When dealing with unethical practices, an employee bases their decision to report the company against their own personal moral values. It is than the employee’s responsibility to make that tough decision on reporting their company’s unethical practices and risking everything or leaving it up to someone else to make that decision. References Karen Silkwood. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 05:47, Apr 28, 2013, from http://www. biography. com/people/karen-silkwood-9542402.

Friday, October 25, 2019

The City of the Sun :: Essays Papers

The City of the Sun In Tommaso Campanella’s document, The City of the Sun, a new social order is introduced amongst the Solarians. Campanella presents his readers with a utopian society that is ordered by rationality and reason. This ideal visionary is a redeemed world, free from injustice and competition in the market structure. Campanella, however, grew up in a society that was exploited and based on irrational principles. Campanella, therefore, reconstructs a society that operates in opposition to the one that he considers to be corrupt and irrational. The document, The City of the Sun, can be used to critically compare the social and political order that exists today. Moreover, Campanella’s work reveals the weaknesses that exist in today’s society and its structure. One characteristic of this utopian society is its system of meritocracy. In this system, positions of power are determined by one’s ability and excellence; factors such as gender or social class do not result in positions of leadership. For example, leaders and ministers are chosen according to which individuals learn the greatest number of skills and practices them best. Individuals who work extremely hard and acquire knowledge are judged to have the greatest nobility. Moreover, the Solarians have a Prince Prelate called Sun. Sun is elected by knowing a significant amount of information in diverse academic fields. For example, he must know all the mechanical arts and the mathematical, physical, and astrological sciences. In his dialogue, Campanella stresses the importance of acquiring knowledge in this ideal city. He demonstrates this by describing the position of the Prince Prelate: â€Å"Once appointed, his tenure lasts until someone with greater knowledge and greater ability to rule is discovered (Campanella 45)†. Therefore, those who wish to live in great power, must strive for this achievement in the area of academics. Also, ones level of knowledge determines the pursuit of happiness an individual will receive in the city of the Sun. The Solarians are granted the opportunity to alter their status if they desire, and live a life according to their standards. Campanella directly criticizes the society he grew up in by stating in his dialogue, why the Solarians mock the material world for the way it is structured: Thus they laugh at us because we consider craftsmen ignoble and assign nobility to those who are ignorant of every craft and live in idleness, keeping a host of dissolute and idle servants about them to the great detriment of the state (Campanella 43).

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Paleolithic vs. Neolithic

It has long been understood that in order for a species to survive there needs to be a certain level of adaptation. It is an integral and well-known concept of the human race and a familiar and widely accepted component in the development of man. Essentially, this is what happened when the Paleolithic cultures evolved into the Mesolithic, and eventually the Neolithic culture.The concepts of specialization and diversification were relevant in the transformation of these cultures. Specialization can be defined as â€Å"a structural adaptation of a body part to a particular function or of an organism for life in a particular environment† (Merriam-Webster). The hunter-gatherers of the Paleolithic culture were prepared, sometimes at a moment’s notice, to pick up and evacuate their current living areas in order to migrate to an environment in which their living conditions would be greatly improved. Such conditions included better climates, and most importantly, more suitable land to live off of.The scarcity of food was a major problem at the time. The hunter-gatherers of the Paleolithic society were tasked with solving this prevalent issue and they did so with the strategic use of tools and stone. Such tools include the common hand axe, chisel, the arrow and spearhead, and the grinder (â€Å"Early Humans†). Tools such as these enabled them to acquire larger quantities of food and necessities for a longer, and ultimately, a more healthful life. The decision process of the nomadic people with regards to the settlement location and migration patterns were largely a factor based upon the current conditions of the weather. There were not many women or children whom survived, the population mainly consisted of aggressive men who were a part of smaller groups, made up predominately of adults usually numbering around thirty.This in turn made it easier to provide food and shelter since there were a fewer number of people. During the Paleolithic era, peopl e’s main occupation was probably finding enough food to survive. Eventually, the Paleolithic culture had to undergo a transformation in order to sustain a longer, improved lifestyle, taking them out of the Stone Age and into the New Age, also known as the Neolithic Era.The Neolithic culture began when humans discovered agriculture and raising cattle, which allowed them to no longer need to live a nomadic life style  (â€Å"Hunter-Gatherers to Farmers†). The culture of the Neolithic people began to progress due to the fact that they began to settle with larger groups in a more stationary setting of one area. By this point, the Neanderthals were now all deceased. In this reality sprung the early signs of civilization such as cities, the social system of hierarchy, and an overall more literate population of people. This time period, beginning around about 9500 B.C., became known as the agricultural revolution.They eventually evolved from hunter-gatherers into farmers wh om still gathered food from the wild, but they now had crops that they cultivated, making the food supply more abundant and more tailored to an increasing population. They were able to settle in fertile areas with predictable climate, usually near river basins (â€Å"Neolithic vs. Paleolithic†), but no longer were the inhabitants of these lands â€Å"light on the earth† like the Paleolithic people before them. The accumulation of more possessions such as livestock became prevalent, thus requiring more space. More women and children survived as well, making the size of the groups increase from around 100 to 1,000 people; a drastic change from the Paleolithic groups.The increase in population caused diseases to spread amongst the groups of Neolithic people because of the close proximity and relativity to others. A social hierarchy eventually had to be enacted to keep the growing population in order. Technology, language, and art continued to advance in the Neolithic cult ure once people started to work together, extending the knowledge, and creating an environment more suitable for the developments to come. The issue of ownership also became prevalent since before there existed no concept of owning specific land. Private property came to be during this time, in effect causing the emergence of ownership of land, livestock, and even tools.As I became more informed on the transformation of the Paleolithic to Neolithic culture, I could not help but to start comparing the changes they underwent to that of the Native Americans and White Settlers. The Native Americans led a simple life, one marked by the use of land as a means of survival. They were a nomadic type of hunter-gatherers usually ruled by tribal leaders and elders just as the Paleolithic people were. When obstacles such as seasonal-change and weather were thrust upon them, they would uproot and find another place to survive. Also, the Paleolithic culture believed in spiritual rituals, as did th e Native Americans. Dr. Miles H. Hodges explains, â€Å"His (Paleolithic man) world view informs him that all events in life result from the actions of the spiritual world working in an invisible way in and through the visible world.The visible world of material reality is merely the outer form or dressing of an even greater inner reality† (â€Å"Paleolithic Society and Culture†). This concept aligned with the beliefs of the Native Americans and their respect for the spiritual world. An example that is parallel with the spiritual beliefs of both the Native Americans and Paleolithic people would be if a hunt were to bring success there were important spiritual rituals to be performed. The Neolithic people became the White Settlers in my mind mainly because of the fact that life became more structured in a sense. Due to this structure, more focus was put on the advancement and expansion of the culture. They also had a similar effect on the land because they did not live lightly or have the same respect for it as the Native Americans did.The Neolithic Age marked the beginnings of established society for modern man, comparable to the White Settlers when they institutionalized beliefs such as religion. Overall, the reason for comparing the Paleolithic and Neolithic times with the Native Americans and White Settlers is because of the fact that an evolution, or change, that began approximately 11,500-5,000 years ago (â€Å"Neolithic Revolution†), essentially repeated at a time more relevant to generations closer to us. This concept, in turn, has made the subject in its entirety, an easier topic to understand.Changes are constant in this world; they have continued to be so since the beginning of the human race. In the end, the Paleolithic culture was a gateway into the Neolithic culture and ultimately served as a stepping-stone for the advancement of the Neolithic culture. The resulting innovations in society, economy, and technology in the Neolit hic Age then paved the way for all of modern civilization. The change from roaming hoards of prehistoric man to settled agriculturists allowed for the establishment of society out of a nomadic culture.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

The Alchemist Summary Part One

Mabel Medina July 1, 2012 English 513 Kelly Understand The Alchemist Summary In â€Å"Part One† of The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, is so far about a boy named Santiago starting out his quest in the search of his Personal Legend. Santiago is a shepherd who likes to travel and enjoys being around his sheep. Although he travels all over, there was a certain village the shepherd boy enjoyed going to sell his sheep’s wool because he liked the merchant’s daughter.The author describes Santiago recall why he decided to become a shepherd and how his father helped him by giving him three gold coins to buy his flock of sheep. The boy was happy being a shepherd; he had his sheep, a jacket and book. One day, Santiago went to a Gypsy where he tells her about a recurrent dream he has had about finding treasure in the Egyptian pyramids. The Gypsy does not give him a lot of information about his dream, but does tell him that if he finds the treasure, to give her one-tenth.Later on that day, the boy is reading his book, when an old man came by him and tried to start a conversation. When the old man finally got the boy’s attention, he tells him he is the King of Salem, and how he can find the hidden treasure, but wants one-tenth of his sheep in return. The old man also tells the boy to not give up and to go forth and search for the treasure before it is too late and he gives up. The next day, Santiago met up with the old man and gives him one-tenth of his sheep.In return, the old man gave the boy advice that would be helpful throughout his journey, and two rocks, Urim and Thummim (one black meaning yes, and the other white, meaning no), to help him read omens better. Santiago began his journey and went to Africa. While in Africa, as the author describes, the boy feels insecure because of the language barrier, but quickly entrusts in a boy who speaks the same language as he and invites him along his journey. The two boys go into the plaza, and Santiagoâ €™s new friend is suddenly out of sight, with all of his money, and he later realizes that his â€Å"friend† has robbed him.The following day, the boy observes a candy seller, and as he is doing so, he realizes that he needs to have patience on his journey. A crystal merchant notices Santiago in the plaza and watches him. Santiago offers to clean his glass windows in exchange for food. As Santiago was working, two customers went in the shop, and the crystal merchant offers him a job, taking the customers as a good omen. The boy accepts, telling him that he will work for him until he has enough money to buy some sheep.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Hurt People Hurt People Essays

Hurt People Hurt People Essays Hurt People Hurt People Paper Hurt People Hurt People Paper Dr. Wilson opens her book by stating, â€Å"It’s true, isn’t it? Hurt people hurt people. † (2001 pg. 9) It is Dr. Wilson’s belief that by shedding light on Hurt People Hurt People she shows a cycle that can be broken. Wilson explores unseen wounds, how they are created through childhood, and caretakers within our lifetime. Dr. Wilson exhaustively demonstrates the help there is for the different wounds and how to heal them. She provides information for healing self inflected wounds, worshipers and parents. Wilson concludes her thoughts with help f or hopeful tomorrow. Dr. Wilson believes when hurts are to seen it does not mean they are not real. Unfortunately in society it is reinforced if the wound is not bleeding or unseen they are not real. Wilson says, â€Å"Many doubt the reality of wounds unless a person can display scars from physical abuse. † (2001, pg. 27) Dr. Wilson shows the beginning of a cycle. When unseen wounds go unrecognized how are they ever healed? Not only do the wounds go unhealed but now there are more hurt people. â€Å"If I’m correct in my assertion that hurt people hurt people, we have a major problem. By ignoring scores of hurt people because their injuries remain invisible to us, we are creating a new generation of hurtful people. † (2001, pg. 26) She elaborates on shame and how it is related with the unseen wounds. â€Å"Shame is rooted in the lie that human beings can and should be perfect. † (2001, pg. 17) By understanding shame the author enables the reader to make the connection between shame and unseen wounds can blind and bind us. It is unfortunate, as this continues the cycle of how hurt people hurt people. Dr. Wilson continues by discussing liars and thieves which surprisingly enough is base on parents. By stealing security, stability and safety parents put their children in situations which cause wounds. There are several examples of each item listed above and some of the outcomes. She discusses physical and sexual abuse in detail. â€Å"Parents and other adult authority figures who neglect and abuse children in these figures who neglect and abuse children in these and other ways are truest bandits. They steal a child’s capacity for trust with profound effect on the child’s later relationships with God and others. † (2001, pg. 54) By misrepresenting the truths of parenting Wilson exposes how much damage parents inflict upon their children. Children who do not grow up with security, safety, and validation they fail to see their self worth. Healing works on several levels, Dr. Wilson gives different ideals to deal with healing self concept and perfectionism wounds. She tells the reader to know the difference among self focused and self awareness, learning who you are and how you characterize yourself. â€Å"As healing progresses you will continually redefine yourself as you reevaluate the events of your childhood in way that accept them as parts of your personal history without letting them claim the core of your identity. † (2001, pg. 117) Wilson provides a worshipers’ H. O. P. E Chart, this is a healing overview and progress evaluation chart. She breaks down key issues, seeing truth, new choices and new practices. This allows the reader to assess regions of spiritual wounds. This can be very effective in individual growth. She also providers a similar chart for parents and forgivers. Wilson concludes her book with help for hopeful tomorrows. She delves into hope and why we need it. â€Å"God has a plan for the effects of our hurting and hurtful lives, the effects that we would prefer to have Him remove. † (2001, pg. 235) She leads the reader back to God, who is the healer of all things and this is where our hope originates from. By showing the reader even in the midst of all of our imperfections, wounds, and hurts He is there with and everlasting love and ability to heal. â€Å"Of all hopes this is the greatest: the promise of God’s everlasting love. He plasters that promise from one end of His Word to the other. We come bruised, broken and bound. Jesus comes healing, mending, and releasing. † (2001, pg. 240) She shows the reader there is no greater hope than this in Christ Jesus. Evaluation Dr. Wilson giver her interpretation of Hurt People Hurt People. By showing how people are hurt through childhood, self inflicted hurts, and unseen wounds she paints a picture of why and how we now have a new generation of hurt people. Wilson goes further to give some solutions as to how to heal these hurt people. I believe Dr. Wilson did achieve her intended purpose to demonstrate why hurt people hurt people. It sounds like a cliche, but it was very true. Her argument was logical and well supported by her examples and statistical data. This book taught how to look below the surface of hurt people. By examining closer the reasons behind the wounds we are able to see how we can effectively counsel hurt people and break the cycle that always continues with the next generation. Dr. Wilson gave very many examples when explaining her work. She did include biblical references, but not as often as I have come accustomed to. I would like to see more interactive parts in the book. At the end of chapter she included a prayer, but I think by including more thought provoking questions at the end of each chapter it could have provided a better opportunity for change. There were also many times she could have incorporated Scriptures which could aid in the healing process, but she limited her Scripture quotes. Dr. Wilson gave a refreshing approach to an old problem. She gave in depth information as it applied to the corresponding chapter. By having the reader to take a close look at the cycle that is perpetuated the Christian Counselor gains a different insight. This book is an easy read and could be used by Christian Counselors, Pastors and individuals seeking more information on this topic. As a social worker dealing with sex abuse, this was also useful for the field I am currently in, as Dr. Wilson was very detailed concerning sexual abuse. There are a many that shy away from it, or superficially cover the topic. She handled it very appropriately with excellent information. Wilson is not wordy and the book does flow easily from one chapter to the next. Overall Dr. Wilson did an excellent job allowing the reader to understand her approach. References Wilson, S. (2001). Hurt People Hurt People. Grand Rapids, MI: Discovery House Publishers.

Monday, October 21, 2019

The Future of Personalized Medicine Essays

The Future of Personalized Medicine Essays The Future of Personalized Medicine Essay The Future of Personalized Medicine Essay The Future of Personalized Medicine According to Cliff Mintz, personalized medicine is defined as â€Å"a young but rapidly advancing field of healthcare that is informed by each person’s unique clinical, genetic, genomic, and environmental information (Life Science Leader 2010). Personalized medicine is not the traditional medicine; however, personalized medicine is about combining genetic information with clinical data to optimally tailor drugs and doses to meet the patients’ needs. To some people, personalized medicine is the technology of the future; however, others feel that personalized medicine is already influencing patients. As time progresses, modern genetic technology will lead to personalized medicine. There are many benefits of personalized medicine as well as, drawbacks and limitations to personalized medicine. Modern Genetic Technology Leading to Personalized Medicine Modern technology is on its way to leading to personalized medicine. As a technology of the future, personalized medicine is the latest innovation for transformation of medicine, and technological advancements have enabled personalized medicine through the use of genetic testing. Introducing new treatment protocols, personalized medicine creates the ability to use molecular tracking elements that signal the risk of disease on a genetic level. According to Tony White in his speech given at the Weiss lecture, his company completed the human genome, and the biosystems provided them with the tools needed. During his speech, Mr. White stated â€Å"the broad map is just the beginning of the journey† (White 2002). We are already seeing the use of personalized medicine being used in cancer patients and even HIV patients. During his speech, Mr. White talks about the gene that produces a tumor suppressor protein called the p53 gene. For example, if the gene is too high then they can detect certain diseases , and if the gene is too low, then it can detect diseases as well. Another example of how modern echnology is leading to personalized medicine is the breast cancer treatment which is determined by the oncogene involved in the development of cancer, HER2. With patients with breast cancer, the HER2 oncogene is overexpressed, and physicians are able to treat the overexpressed gene through the use of a monoclonal antibody that inhibits the gene, Herceptin. Benefits of Personalized Medicine There are many benefits of personalized medicine not only to the patients and physicians, but to the drug companies as well. First of all, with matching therapeutics to specific DNA profiles, patients can be given the right medication because disease can be treated more successfully. Safer drugs doses can be prescribed; thus reducing negative side affects. Another benefit to personalized medicine is that there might be paths provided when looking for cures for cancer by being able to show why certain patients contract cancer and while others do not. In addition, you would be able to show why some patients survive cancer and why others do not survive cancer. In addition to disease control, physicians would be able to give patients more effective diagnoses; thus, resulting in better disease interventions. Personalized medicine will eliminate the need for using animals in the laboratory because human DNA will be used. Lastly, personalized medicine would greatly reduce healthcare costs as well as medical expenditures. According to drug makers, personalized medicine will expedite the time requirements associated with product developments. Not only expediting time requirements, personalized medicine will reduce healthcare costs to the patients because they will have a better cure for diseases; thus, reducing the amount office visits. Drawbacks of Personalized Medicine In addition to benefits of personalized medicine, there are also drawbacks of personalized medicine. According the article Genetics Genomics, the number one drawback for patients is the privacy implications. In a survey regarding the strongest drawbacks of personalized medicine, â€Å"misuse of information/invasion of privacy† was the highest (Genectics 2005). In addition, insurance companies may be able to deny coverage to patients based on their genetic information. Another drawback is that patients are under educated regarding personalized medicine, the genetic profile would possibly have a negative impact on the patients well being; thus, leading to stress and anxiety. Another challenge to personalized medicine is that molecular biomarkers have not been verified; therefore, the biomarkers are not able to be used in personalized medicine products. In addition, the FDA has not yet defined a regulatory approval because the regulators lack the knowledge needed to evaluate the tests required for personalized medication. Another drawback is that that healthcare provides may not have the ability to store and manage the large amounts of medical information. Lastly, if a healthcare provider had the ability to store large amounts of medical information, then this raises the issues of confidentially, access, and privacy concerns. In conclusion, finding cures and treatments for diseases is time consuming; in the end, healthier lives can be fulfilled through the use of personalized medicine. There are many drawbacks to personalized medicine; however, the benefits of personalized medicine outweigh the drawbacks. Technology is ever changing, and modern technology is leading to personalized medicine. In fact, we are seeing the use of personalized medicine through cancer patients and what the p53 gene depicts. Personalized medicine will have a major impact on establishing an individual’s genetic predisposition to certain diseases. Personalized medicine focuses on preventative medicine and interventions, and tools that decode human genomes will help link genetic variations to diseases. References â€Å"Genetics Genomics; Survey Shows Americans Want Genetic Information but Fear Privacy Implications. † Genomics Genetics Weekly. 02 Dec 2005:169. Mintz, Cliff. â€Å"Life Science Leader: The Potential of Personalized Medicine. † Feb. 2010 White, Tony. â€Å"Smart Medicine is Coming: Making Intelligent Choices. † Vital Speeches of the Day. 15 Mar. 2002:326.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Using Response Cost in Classroom Behavior Management

Using Response Cost in Classroom Behavior Management Response cost is the term used for removing reinforcement for an undesirable or disruptive behavior. In terms of Applied Behavior Analysis, it is a form of negative punishment. By removing something (a preferred item, access to reinforcement) you decrease the likelihood that the target behavior will appear again. It is often used with a token economy  and is best used when a student understands the implications. An Example of Response Cost Alex is a young child with autism. He often leaves the instructional setting, requiring the teacher to get up and leave. He is currently working on sitting in the instructional setting while participating in an imitation program. He is given tokens on a token board for good sitting during instruction, and earns a three minute break with a preferred item when he earns four tokens. During trials he is given constant feedback on the quality of his sitting. Even though his leaving the site of instruction has decreased, he does occasional test the teacher by getting up and leaving: he automatically loses a token. He quickly earns it back when he returns to the table and sits well. Eloping from the classroom has been extinguished. Leaving the instructional site has dropped from 20 times a day to three times a week. With some children, like Alex, response cost can be an effective way to extinguish problematic behavior while supporting other behavior. With others, response cost can present some serious problems. Response Cost as Part of an ABA Program The basic unit of instruction in an ABA Program is the Trial. Usually, a trial is very brief, involving an instruction, a response, and feedback. In other words, the teacher says, Touch the red one, John. When John touches the red one (response), the teacher gives feedback: Good job, John. The teacher may reinforce each correct response, or every third to fifth correct response, depending on the reinforcement schedule. When response cost is introduced, the student may lose a token for an inappropriate behavior: the student needs to know that he or she can lose a token for the target behavior. Are you sitting nicely John? Good Job or No, John. We dont crawl under the table. I have to take a token for not sitting. You need to constantly be evaluating the effectiveness of response cost. Does it really reduce the number of inappropriate behaviors? Or does it just drive the inappropriate behavior underground, or change the misbehavior? If the function of the behavior is control or escape, you will see other behaviors popping up, perhaps surreptitiously, that serve the function of control or escape. If it does, you need to discontinue response cost and attempt differentiated reinforcement. Response Cost as Part of a Classroom Token Economy Response cost can be part of a Classroom Token Economy, when there are certain behaviors that can cost a student a token, a point (or points) or money (a fine, if you are using play money, School Bux or whatever). If it is a classroom program, then everyone in the class has to be able to lose points at a set rate for a certain behavior. This reductive method has been shown to be effective with students with ADHD, who often never get enough points for positive behavior, so they end up very quickly bankrupt in the classroom economy. Example: Mrs. Harper uses a token economy (point system) in her Emotional Support Program. Each student gets ten points for each half hour that he/she stays in their seat and works independently. They get 5 points for each completed assignment. They can lose 5 points for certain infractions. They can lose 2 points for less severe infractions. They can get 2 points as bonuses for exhibiting positive behavior independently: waiting patiently, take turns, thanking their peers. At the end of the day, everyone records their points with the banker, and at the end of the week they can use their points in the school store. Cost Response for Students with ADHD Ironically, the one population for whom cost response is effective are students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Often they fail at classroom reinforcement schedules  because they can never quite earn enough points to get the prize or the recognition that comes with earning points. When students start with all their points, they will work hard to keep them. Research has shown this can be a powerful reinforcement regimen for students with these behavioral disabilities. Pros of a Response Cost Program When you have real clarity about the behaviors for which a student can lose points, tokens or access to reinforcers, it is likely that you will see very little of those behaviors. At the same time, you are reinforcing the desired behavior.Response cost is easy to administer,When the student has a behavior that prevents his or her peers from learning, creates a danger to himself or others (eloping, climbing on furniture) response cost can provide a swift punishment without actually applying any aversive. Cons of a Response Cost Program If the ratio of positive reinforcement is not at least 3 to 1, your students may never get out of the hole. It will merely be punitive, and never really take hold.If response cost is not consistently applied in a non-emotional way, it will become the source or recrimination and bad blood between students and staff or students and teacher.If it builds dependence on punishment, it will be counter-productive. Reinforcing replacement behavior is still the most effective way to change undesirable behavior. Resources and Further Reading â€Å"Behavior Modification in the Classroom.† Learning Disabilities and Challenging Behaviors: A Guide to Intervention and Classroom Management, by Nancy Mather et al., 3rd ed., Brookes, 2008, pp. 134-153.Walker, Hill M. â€Å"Applications of Response Cost in School Settings: Outcomes, Issues and Recommendations.† Exceptional Education Quarterly, vol. 3, no. 4, 1 Feb. 1983, pp. 47-55.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Consumer Culture in Modern Europe Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Consumer Culture in Modern Europe - Term Paper Example The author reveals that German press insisted that French women adopted in Germany were a disguise to German female morals. This was a very unethical way of treating women in Germany because there is freedom of dressing all over the globe. Consumer culture that involves buying and selling existed in Berlin. Berlin was a heart of profitable garment business and Frankfurt wanted to emulate it. Berlin sold expertly tailored finished clothing and accessories for all sexes in Europe. On top of this, Berlin housed some of successful fashion ventures such as saloons and luxurious shops. German fashion industry wanted to surpass the French one when the World War 2 was over. This was a move to dominate the world of fashion with stylish, noble, and self-respecting outfits. Germany kept the move to dominate fashion industry as a secret. Fashion industry in Germany did not disclose any information about the shapes, textures, colors, and method of making their clothes. In order to achieve this no ble step towards dominance in fashion industry, Germany founded organizations that to united fashion businesses. The aim of unification of fashion business was to give German a winning force in its endeavor to dominate stylish industry (Guenther 290). Some groups wanted Germany to utilize art academies, which to offer training in fashion designing. In order to win domestic purchasing power, German forced violently Jews out of their fashion industry. Likewise, Nazi occupiers’ restricted French fashion exports in the international markets although few exceptions made. Germany’s rivals, who were real and imagined, in the fashion world eventually vanquished (Guenther 162-166). Although German rivals had gone, Nazi government made little... Consumer culture that involves buying and selling existed in Berlin. Berlin was a heart of profitable garment business and Frankfurt wanted to emulate it. Berlin sold expertly tailored finished clothing and accessories for all sexes in Europe. On top of this, Berlin housed some of successful fashion ventures such as saloons and luxurious shops. German fashion industry wanted to surpass the French one when the World War 2 was over. This was a move to dominate the world of fashion with stylish, noble, and self-respecting outfits. Germany kept the move to dominate fashion industry as a secret. Fashion industry in Germany did not disclose any information about the shapes, textures, colors, and method of making their clothes. In order to achieve this noble step towards dominance in fashion industry, Germany founded organizations that to united fashion businesses. The aim of unification of fashion business was to give German a winning force in its endeavor to dominate stylish industry (Gue nther 290). Some groups wanted Germany to utilize art academies, which to offer training in fashion designing. In order to win domestic purchasing power, German forced violently Jews out of their fashion industry. Likewise, Nazi occupiers’ restricted French fashion exports in the international markets although few exceptions made. Germany’s rivals, who were real and imagined, in the fashion world eventually vanquished. Although German rivals had gone, Nazi government made little advancement in developing a unique German fashion.

Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant - Term Paper Example So as we view the character of Cody in the novel, we can find that he is disturbed in the very beginning of the novel due to the uncomfortable situations in his child hood life. The very beginning stage of life of Cody is witnessing the hostile nature of his father and this gets stamped in the conscious and subconscious mind of Cody. The Freud’s theory explains that the conscious self when responds to the call of unconscious demands of id then the ego formulates. According to (Priestley) â€Å"The Freudian concept of the conscious self, responding to the unconscious demands of the id takes form in the ego†. The novel is strikingly explaining the Cody’s wild and adventurous nature and how he sees is life as a failure in the early years of childhood. Every child expects love and care from their parents and when they does not get what they expect, the ego and consciousness gets hurt Cody is described in the novel to be thirsty of love and warmth from both his mother and father. Since his father Beth left him in his early years of life, he can in one way develop grudge towards his father. If we dissect the character of Cody according to different factors explained by Freud’s, the explanation will be as below: The conscious of Cody is the interacting platform in which he acts towards the outside world. The conscious self has knowledge of day to day activities and react to people in different ways. The conscious personality of Cody is wild and adventurous but the situation at home is adverse to his personality. Cody feels that his mother is ignorant and unloving. This can make his personality obscure and irritable. Children in early years of their lives are extremely demanding and if parents cannot meet their demands then the subconscious mind reflect disparities in their behavior. Here, Cody is of the opinion that his mother favors his sibling Ezra too much and he is disliked by his mother to a great extend.

Friday, October 18, 2019

School Safety and Security Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 84

School Safety and Security - Case Study Example During a normal school hour, for example, a crisis management requires the input of the principle, security officers, counselors and the society’s security managers. Â  The case at Central Park High School requires effective crisis management in order to protect both Brian’s family and the disturbed Carl Turner who appears disturbed. As the principal, I would consider Turner’s records of fighting as relevant in managing the case. The history of a student provides adequate information on both his mindset and behaviors. This way, it becomes possible to take the necessary precautions thus protecting Brian and his family from any possible threat that Turner Presents. Â  Turner’s absence from the fourth lesson, while he was in class for the last three lessons, portrays ineffective management of the school. The school lacks an effective system of tracking the students and their actions at any given time during the day. This creates a chance for Turner to sneak out of class. Despite such, Turner’s absence from class influence the decisions on the case since it implies that Turner is free to do whatever he pleases. As such, the principle must contact all the parties involved in the case thus minimize the threat. Â  As the principle, I would guarantee the safety of Brian and his sister especially when they are in school. Additionally, I would ensure that I find Turner. This may require the involving the police especially after confirming his absence from the school premises. In doing these, I would involve the various stakeholders as principal Milhoviak does. The security guard has a history of working with the city’s security system. As such, he understands the threat the case presents and the way the police should handle the whole case.

Conlon Nancarrow's career and his relation to player piano Research Proposal

Conlon Nancarrow's career and his relation to player piano - Research Proposal Example The interview is considered as quite important for understanding the actual view of composer for a series of critical issues related to his life and career. The findings of the literature review will be categorized, so that they are presented in separate sections according to their relevance to the study’s issues. The career of Conlon Nancarrow can be characterized as rather impressive. As for all artists, for Conlon Nancarrow also communicating effectively with his audience has been a key priority. Media and technology have helped Conlon Nancarrow to achieve this target. Has this support intervened in the development of the composer’s career? Was the involvement of media and technology in the career of Conlon Nancarrow fully justified? Duffie, Bruce. â€Å"Composer Conlon Nancarrow. A Conversation With Bruce Duffie.† Archive of Contemporary Music. Northwestern University. October 12, 1987. Accessed at 25 February 2013.

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Facebook and the Case for Editing Oneself Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Facebook and the Case for Editing Oneself - Essay Example I really liked this person I met at a party, who I would just call Alex. I and a friend of mine freely talked about him on my Facebook timeline. I was quite confident because he was not on my friend's list. The next day, I was surprised when I got a call from Alex because, apparently, he learned about the conversation because he was a friend of a Facebook friend, so he had access to my profile. First, it was embarrassing second, it was disastrous because he turned out to be obnoxious and would post in my timeline rude things. I have to delete my profile and not use Facebook for a month.Sethi cited the problem that many users experience with social media: Facebook is accessible almost to anyone. Sometimes we post things that are intended for friends. But then, our Facebook "friends" and our social network are not all composed of friends but other groups such as family, colleagues, future employees, future partners, and so forth. So it is incredibly difficult, to be honest, and post ju st about everything that transpires in our lives because each of these has different standards of propriety. Sethi pointed out, for instance, that she is careful not to post anything such as short haircuts and other things that might be offensive to her conservative family living in Thailand. It is important to note that the data stored on Facebook could be accessed regardless of location and also time. We post pictures or messages that seem alright today but the case might not be true in the future.

Marketing Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 4

Marketing Management - Essay Example The planning process begins with an examination of the firm's internal and external entities creating a situation analysis. Based on a comprehensive review of these applicable issues, the firm establishes its operation, strategy, objectives, and more than a few functional plans. Planning efforts pertaining to each functional area will generate a strategic plan for that area. Although it is relevant to note that the processes apprehended with developing a customer-oriented marketing strategy and marketing plan, should pressure that firm to develop effective marketing plans that are conversant with the business's goals. It is therefore significant for every department to strategically set up its standards that will boost customer relations. Senior management must synchronize these functional plans in a way that will achieve a firm’s mission and business objectives. The Marketing Plan is a written document providing the layout of the firm’s marketing activities that involve execution and control of those proceedings. Promotion plans generate a number of purposes. For one, the marketing plan distinctively depicts how the firm will achieve its goals. This aspect of marketing planning is essential. In this sense, the marketing plan serves as the â€Å"roadmap† for executing the marketing strategy. Although the focus is on marketing planning and strategy, we cannot highlight enough that marketing decisions must be executed within the limits of the organization’s overall mission, goals, and objectives.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Facebook and the Case for Editing Oneself Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Facebook and the Case for Editing Oneself - Essay Example I really liked this person I met at a party, who I would just call Alex. I and a friend of mine freely talked about him on my Facebook timeline. I was quite confident because he was not on my friend's list. The next day, I was surprised when I got a call from Alex because, apparently, he learned about the conversation because he was a friend of a Facebook friend, so he had access to my profile. First, it was embarrassing second, it was disastrous because he turned out to be obnoxious and would post in my timeline rude things. I have to delete my profile and not use Facebook for a month.Sethi cited the problem that many users experience with social media: Facebook is accessible almost to anyone. Sometimes we post things that are intended for friends. But then, our Facebook "friends" and our social network are not all composed of friends but other groups such as family, colleagues, future employees, future partners, and so forth. So it is incredibly difficult, to be honest, and post ju st about everything that transpires in our lives because each of these has different standards of propriety. Sethi pointed out, for instance, that she is careful not to post anything such as short haircuts and other things that might be offensive to her conservative family living in Thailand. It is important to note that the data stored on Facebook could be accessed regardless of location and also time. We post pictures or messages that seem alright today but the case might not be true in the future.

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

International and Non International Armed Conflict Essay

International and Non International Armed Conflict - Essay Example Humanity has witnessed wars since time immemorial and the ancient civilizations were observed as being particularly horrific in their conduct of war. However, the numerous conflicts of the relatively modern era are likely to cause many to question if any restrictions do exist to the behavior of parties involved in a conflict. In the present day and age, the law of war is known as the ‘international humanitarian law applicable in armed conflict’ or ‘humanitarian law’. International law has now evolved and attempted to prescribe rules that govern the resort to force and an attempt is also made to try to regulate the conduct of hostilities (Shaw, 2003, Pp. 1054 – 1055) and (Bouvier, 2006, Chapter 1). The law of war has been shaped by customary rules and conventional or codified rules. A long history of evolution is to be observed in the development of the law of armed conflict. Military leaders or those in political authority used to issue instructions a bout the treatment of civilians or enemy soldiers that tried to restrain excesses and these gradually developed into customary rules of war (Kalshoven, 2001, Pp. 15 – 17) and (Carrillo Salcedo, 2005, Chapter 1). However, the scope and the content of the customary rules of war had generally remained elusive and uncertain. The development of the law of war as treaty law can be traced back to the early 1860s when international conferences at The Hague and Geneva resulted in international treaties related to humanitarian aspects of armed conflicts.

Monday, October 14, 2019

The hunting trip Essay Example for Free

The hunting trip Essay Finally, the time was here. It was fall break, and I had nothing to do but sit around and enjoy life. This area was covered with dirt, and no matter how hard I tried, I would get filthy. I couldnt wait to get home to take a nice shower. It was a nice place to sit around and clear my mind. In the middle of September, my mother and I would go to the store to buy tons of food for hunting trip. At last, after being at the store for hours, we would be on our way to meet my dad and my brothers. Hunting trip was the highlight of my year. For five years, we would go to the exact same campsite. At this campsite, the air was fresh, the sun was out, and all I could hear was the beautiful sound of the calm river flowing downstream. Our campsite was setup right next to the clear stream. My brothers and I would always throw rocks and sticks into the river. We loved to watch the huge fish jump far above the water, and dive back in head first. We never stayed in a tent because of all the moisture that the river would give off. In the mornings, when we did stay in the tent, my family and I would wake up feeling drenched with water. We had a new camper that was big enough to fit five people. The trailer was white with a stripe going down the side. It had a huge dining table that turned into a double bed. There was a bunk bed, which also has departments in for different storage. There was a hallway that leads to a king size bed where my parents slept. All of the sheets are dirty from all the dirt that was brought into the trailer. In the mornings, I could feel the moisture of the cold air from the inside of the camper. Every morning, my dad would wake up to go hunting. My nostrils would fill from the luscious smell of the brew from the freshly made coffee that my mom would make for my dad. He would always take my brothers hunting with him. Mom and I called them the three mighty hunters. At about 9:00 every morning, my mom and I would start to cook breakfast for the boys. My favorite breakfast to cook was egg casserole. We would get all of the ingredients together to start off our creation. We never knew what we would put in the dish; we would just start throwing different things in there. The smell of bacon sizzling on the frying pan would make my mouth water. Finally, after finishing the creation of food, we would put it into the oven to cook. While waiting for the boys to get back, I would get a horrifying feeling in my stomach. Did they get something? Did a bear find them? I was always so nervous. I would just sit in front of the campfire waiting impatiently for their return. The sun would gleam on my rosy cheeks as I sat there. Looking at all of the green around me would always bring a smile to my face. There were so many different types, I never had a favorite. I could hear the blissful birds chirping in the blue, clear sky. If I was lucky, the birds would be interrupted by the call of an elk shouting out to the cows. I loved that noise! Every time I heard it, I would go get my mom in the camper so she could hear the large animals call from nature. After hours of waiting for my brothers and my dad, they finally returned to camp. They were filthy with mud from the four-wheeler flicking it up onto their faces. They were usually wet from the moisture of the entire plantation that they would walk into. I could tell that they were tired because they were always out of breath. We would take our breakfast outside, and, as a family, we would sit around the campfire. The lawn chairs that we would sit on were so uncomfortable. They were starting to rip on the bottom. Every time that my dad would get back from a hunt, he would tell the whole hunt from start to finish. Every hunt consisted of, Jonathan needs to learn how to walk quietly. Learn to pick up your feet son. All those two would do was complain. Jonathan would reply, That was Jesse, not me. In the early afternoon, my dad would let me take the four-wheeler out for a spin. I would start up the engine, and hear the loud roar that the machine made. I shifted in high gear, and was on my way for an adventure. I would drive about 33 mph, just enough for the chilly wind to blow through my hair. Every so often, a bug would hit my face; I hated that feeling. It felt as if a tiny pebble whacked me on my cheek. As I drove, I couldnt believe the gorgeous forest scene that laid directly in front of me. As I looked in the trees, I could see horns from a buck, and his doe wondering around him. I knew that I had to get back because my dad needed to start his afternoon hunt. When I got back, my dad, surprisingly, asked me to come along instead of the boys. I was hesitant at first, but I knew that if I went, I could see a lot of different parts of nature. I put on a camouflage suit, and covered my face with dark paint. My stomach was tangled in knots. I was so excited to be a part of hunting. A lot of girls dont hunt, but I wanted to be one of the few that did. I wanted to learn all of the techniques of hunting from my dad. We started off toward the top of the mountain on the four wheeler. My dad said that there were big elk on the top. After a few miles, we got off the four wheeler, and started walking into the deep, dark forest. The sun was starting to set, and the breeze was getting more frigid. I had two long sleeve shirts on and a huge jacket to keep me warm. Fifteen minutes into the walk, I heard a loud bugle directly in front of us. It sounded as if a monster was growling. By the noise, I knew that this animal had to be huge. My dad called back with his cow call. It was a high pitch grunt. The elk instantly bugled back. My dad and I were both so nervous. As we looked harder and harder into the woods, we could barely see the animal. My dad took his binoculars from his backpack, and gave me them so I could see what he really looked like. His horns were the biggest things I have ever seen. They had a dark brown base, with off-white tips. His body was a tan color with dark brown around his neck. He would stick his horns by a tree, and start scratching at it as if he was trying to sharpen them. His eyes looked so clueless and clear. I think that he was hesitant because he was still thinking about the cow call. A few minutes later, the elk slowly walked back into the forest. My dad said that it was getting too dark to shoot anything, so we had to head back to campsite. When we got back, I couldnt wait to tell my mom what I had seen. I screamed and yelled in excitement. I kept stumbling over my words, trying to tell too many things at once. As soon as I started making more sense, my moms face looked flourished by all of the thrilling news. I still couldnt believe that I actually saw that magnificent animal. As the night went on, that one moment kept racing through my mind. That night, we cooked hotdogs on the end of a stick, and stuck them in the flaming fire. My face was burning from the scalding fire. It was pitch black outside, and I could hear the little crickets start to sing their pleasant tunes. While we were all eating a delicious dinner, my dad tried to scare us by telling a frightening story. It never worked for me! He would go off about big foot and how he was over twelve feet tall. My brothers were still pretty young, so look in their eyes looked like they were both terrified. During his story, I just looked around the campsite. I couldnt see anything but the bright, full moon beaming above us. The stars were cluttered in all different formations. It was exquisite! After spending about five days on a hunting trip, I knew why I loved it so much. Even though I would get filthy from all of the dirt, I still loved it. At this certain place, I could get away from everything that was bad in my life, or even take a break from the pressure of school and sports. Here, I could hang out with my family without thinking about cleaning the house to make my mom happy, or feeding the dogs so my dad didnt have to do it. At this specific location, my family and I forgot about the stress from work or school, and just had the best time of our lives. That is why this place was, and will always be, the most important to me.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

classical conditioning Essay -- essays research papers

When ever the bell rings in any school in any nationyou are guaranteed to see students and teachers file into the hallway.   This automatic response comes from somethingthat has been around for a long time called classical conditioning. Classicalconditioning was discovered and researched by Ivan Pavlov, a Russianphysiologist.   His famous experimentwith his dog is known to nearly everyone who has had a middle school or highereducation.   He fed his dog in a pattern,every time he fed his dog he rang a bell.  Eventually the dog associated the bell with food and would begin tosalivate just on hearing the bell.   Thatis the original experiment proving classical conditioning.   What is aconditioned stimulus?   â€Å"A neutralstimulus that, after repeated pairings with an unconditioned stimulus, becomesassociated with it and elicits a conditioned response.† (World of Psychologypg167)  Ã‚   In English it is something thatis used to train someone or something through repetition.   Pavlov made use of this in his experiment toshow classical conditioning.   Where asan unconditioned stimulus is something that is unlearned but is just respondedto out of instinct.   Pavlov’s dog, for examplehad one unconditioned stimulus and one conditioned stimulus.   Both the conditioned and unconditionedstimuli were to an unconditioned response, the dog salivating.   The unconditioned stimulus was the dog foodthat started the dog salivating.   The conditionedstimulus or new stimulus was the bell being rung every time the dog was fed.After awhile the unconditioned stimulus wasn’t even needed, because the dog wasnow conditioned to respond to the bell and salivate whenever he heard thebell.   Things like this happened all thetime, for example; when I put on running shoes and running clothes my dog willbecome extremely hyper because she knows we are going outside and she will getto run around. Probably thestrongest application of classical conditioning is emotions.   Human emotions are condition extremelyeasily to things that provoke strong reaction, things such as Adolf Hitler, theIRS, the American Flag and chemistry class because of their associations withour emotions.   If something like thatprovoked a strong emotion before in your life when brought up in conversationthe strong emotion that was conditioned comes up also.   For example when a person meets someone withthe same name as someone they previously lik... ...   He thenwondered would the dog still salivate if he attached the device to the dogspelvis, then hind paw, then shoulder, then foreleg and finally the frontpaw.   He discovered that the farther hegot from the rear thigh, or the original conditioning, the less of a salivatingresponse.   Other examples of this arethings such as someone who was attacked by a dog when he or she was young andtherefore grew up hating and fearing all dogs.   On the other sideof generalization there must be discrimination.   Pavlov decided he didn’t want his dogs to salivate to any othertones but â€Å"C.†Ã‚   This was not very hard all that was need was to cause extinction in any other type of tone.   The â€Å"C† tone was reinforced by continuouslygiving food after the tone was rung.   On the other hand whenever any other tone was sounded it was not reinforced by food.   Thus the dog became more conditioned to â€Å"C† and the conditioned responses for the other tones becameextinct. Classicalconditioning has and will continue to be around forever.   It is part of human nature and many peopletake advantage of it daily.   It can beused to dispel fears or as training for a job, it doesn’t matter what it is for it will just be there.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Catherines Inner Self in Henry Jamess Washington Square :: Henry James Washington Square

Catherine's Inner Self in Henry James's Washington Square Much is said of the internal reality of the characters in Henry James's novel Washington Square. It is seen as a "psychological novel" where most of the action takes place in the minds of the characters. In an essay titled, "Washington Square: A Study in the Growth of an Inner Self," James W. Gargano addresses the internal reality of the character Catherine Sloper. Within the essay, Gargano argues that "James anatomizes the process by which Catherine's active, secret existence transforms her into an imaginative woman" (129). Although a few of his premises seem far-fetched, I agree with the major arguments of his critique. Most of his examples support his thesis well. Early in the essay Gargano states that, "in James's fiction, naivete may wear the look of an empty mind, but it is often the ideal preparation for receiving life fully and impressionably" (130). Gargano then tells us that Catherine will feel more intensely because she has not known strong emotions before. According to him, "her ingenuousness is the key to her genuineness and her sense of seeing, feeling, and judging life for the first time" (130). I feel this is a key element in understanding Catherine. Gargano also brings out how well James "traces [Catherine's] developing insight" (131) into her own nature. He refers to the part in the novel where James writes, "She watched herself as she would have watched another person, and wondered what she would do" (qtd. in Gargano 131). Then Gargano adds, "it is hard to write off as dull a young woman with such a vivid 'contact' with her own development" and Gargano also felt that "James intended the dullness to be ascribed to the bright people around her who never even glimpse her hidden abysses" (131). This is an interesting viewpoint, which, when applied to the novel, adds a deeper perception of the characters. Some of Gargano's other premises were not as insightful for me. For example, I had trouble with what Gargano called Catherine's "transcendentalizing imagination" that causes her to create "beautiful figments" of Townsend that possess her and become the "paramount value of her life, and other attachments, no matter how strong, must somehow accommodate themselves to it." (132). This contention tends to belittle Catherine's intelligence as well as her grasp of reality. I also disagreed with one of Gargano's conclusions that, "loss is the real goal for which James's central characters are secretly striving, that they engage life only to see that it falls below their lofty expectations and that mastery and transcendence are gained by renunciation" (135).

Friday, October 11, 2019

Anyone Except the Clutters: the Question of Meaning in Capote’s in Cold Blood

A strange thing happens when people like the Clutters experience an â€Å"undeserved† misfortune. Perhaps misfortune is an understatement in the Clutters case, but the fact is that when bad things happen to good people, everyone around them cannot help but question the nature of good and evil; with that comes the existence of God. Capote put it best in the quote he included from the schoolteacher: â€Å"Feeling wouldn’t run half so high if this had happened to anyone except the Clutters. Anyone less admired. Prosperous. Secure. But that family represented everything people hereabouts really value and respect, and that such a thing could happen to them –well , it’s like being told there is no God. It makes life seem pointless. † (88) The question of why bad things happen to good people is a very loaded question; one that is broader than the scope of this essay. The goal of this essay will be to determine what Capote’s answer to this question is, at least in the context of this novel. Does he believe that the Clutters died for a reason, or that it was simply a random act that they were caught up in by chance? Throughout the novel, the one character who is completely consumed by the question of meaning is Detective Dewey. His dedication to finding the Clutters murderers is driven by his belief that â€Å"he might suddenly ‘see something,’ that a meaningful detail would declare itself† (83). The Clutters murder didn’t seem to have any apparent meaning. But Detective Dewey was not alone in his belief that the actions people do are meaningful; that the events that occur in this world have an order, a design. This belief is prevalent, especially in religious groups, and we learn in the novel that Holcomb, Kansas is part of the â€Å"Bible Belt† (34). It was definitely a religious town, and the Clutters were churchgoing folk. Dewey, for this reason, cannot escape believing there is a reason for everything, and that the Clutters death had a purpose. Is that what Capote wishes to tell us? Because I have a difficult time understanding what purpose there could be for a hard-working, wealthy family of four to be murdered in their beds for â€Å"a few dollars and a radio† (103). The structure of this novel is rather strange for a â€Å"murder-mystery†; it is not told chronologically; the night of the murder is skipped over until the very end. More importantly, we are told right from the beginning of the novel that the four Clutters are murdered, and we know who murdered them. For a typical murder-mystery, the revelation of the killer is always the climax of the action. In fact, Capote has given us more than the names of the killers; he gives us insight into their lives, and thoughts, leading up the murders. The reason for this is because Capote has fashioned a novel where we are not reading to find out who perpetrated the crime, but why the killers killed the Clutters. I think, of all the characters in this novel, Dewey is the only one who tries to answer this question. In fact, the reason why he believes that the killers to be motivated by personal interests, even though the deaths were â€Å"brutal and without apparent motive† (70), is because he believes that there must be something he is not seeing. He mentions several times that the police department â€Å"didn’t have all the facts† (70) and didn’t really know what they were dealing with. He looks at all the clues; analyses all the data; interviews all the townspeople who had grudges, business, or any reason to dislike the Clutters. He knows that the information he is seeing doesn’t make sense, but he can’t figure out the key, the clue, the mystery that will make their deaths make sense. Dewey thinks that the key to understanding why the Clutters died is their killers. If he can find who killed the Clutters then he will know why they killed the Clutters. Unfortunately, all of the â€Å"knowledge† about the crimes from those who committed it does not give Dewey any definitive answers: But the confessions, though they answered questions of how and why, failed to satisfy his sense of meaningful design. The crime was a psychological accident, virtually an impersonal act; the victims might as well have been killed by lightning. (245) I don’t think that this is a fair statement for Dewey to make, although he is the character that would definitely believe this way. Saying that the Clutters might as well have bee â€Å"killed by lightning† (245) is to say that anything could have killed them. While this is true in the sense that anyone could die at any given moment, it is not true in the sense that the killers could not have been just anybody. The Clutters were a good, white, well-off and (reasonably) happy. Though when we read this novel, we may not feel extremely attached to the Clutters, we can easily see that they were good people. Their neighbours have only nice things to say about them, and the town thinks that â€Å"of all the people in the world, they were the least likely to be murdered† (85). They were not the kind of people who made other people want to murder them. The killings could be said to have been â€Å"impersonal†, but I think that the more correct statement is not that anything could have killed the Clutters, but that Dick and Perry could have killed anyone. The Clutters were the arbitrary part of the equation. The only reason they were chosen over any other family was the fact that they were tipped off about a safe on their property. If they had never been told about the safe I believe that Dick and Perry, in all likelihood, would never have met the Clutters. The killers, particularly Dick, were prepared to kill up to twelve people that November night. Dick had no way of knowing who would be there, but knew that it didn’t matter who was there, he would do what he had to in order to secure his and Perry’s venture. That they only got a radio and 40 or 50 dollars out of the bargain was secondary. The Clutters were the epitome of the American Dream, embodying a lifestyle that all Americans could relate to. But if they die and there is no reason for it, no meaning to it, then that means that the American Dream, by extension, is also dead; it would be â€Å"like being told there is no God† (88). If the American Dream is dead, then being a good person is not enough to protect you from the bad things in the world. I think that though Capote has Dewey searching for meaning to this tragedy, I would argue that Dewey never finds what he is searching for. The perpetrators were expected to be monsters; evil; remorseful at least. But I don’t think Dick and Perry fulfilled the public’s idea of the Clutter’s murderers. ? Works Cited Capote, Truman. In Cold Blood. Toronto: Random House, 1993. Print.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Climate Changes Impact On Coral Reefs Environmental Sciences Essay

This undertaking is given by our instructor and we were supposed to compose about the clime alterations. I decided to compose about the subject â€Å" coral reef † . I want to cognize more about coral reefs, non merely the general facts about how they look like or what sort of coloring material they have, but more about the interesting facts. Why are they of import today, how we as human ruin them and what we can to halt this procedure? As it says on International Coral Reef Initiative â€Å" For the first clip since 1998, mass coral bleaching is impacting coral reefs across a broad country of Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean. Bleaching has been reported in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Maldives, and parts of E Africa. I know it exists menaces against coral reefs, and I want to larn more about them and what are the effects of e.g. coral bleaching. In the quotation mark above it says that coral bleaching is increasing. Why? What are coral reefs?Coral reefs, indicated by ruddy points, are found preponderantly in tropical Waterss 30 grades north and South of the equatorCoral reefs are among the oldest ecosystems in the universe. They are located 30 grades north or South of the equator, chiefly in the Indonesia and Pacific Ocean. In the Bahamas at 32 grades at that place exists an exclusion. The coral reefs can populate at that place because of the warm H2O from the Gulf of Mexico. Today the coral reefs are the largest life construction on Earth and the Great Barrier Reef is the largest individual construction in the universe Coral are single animate beings and a individual coral is called polyp. Largely the polyp live in groups of 100s to 1000s indistinguishable animate beings, and organize a â€Å" settlement † . The procedure which formed the settlement is called budding and literally the original polyp transcripts itself and the settlement grows. There exist two ways for the coral to turn either add to their limestone or reproducing. When a coral attention deficit disorder to their limestone is means that they secrete more calcium carbonate around and under their cup. The coral will so turn both upwards and outwards. The 2nd method is by reproducing either asexually or sexually. In the nonsexual manner the coral produced indistinguishable ringers or in a sexual manner by directing out sperm or eggs. Corals are divided into three different types depending on where signifier. The first one and most common is fringing reefs. They are close to the seashore and they form a boundary line to project themselves. Barrier reefs are another type and are similar to fringing reef. These besides environment land multitudes, but form a boundary line at a distance. The 3rd group of reef are called atolls and are either egg-shaped or round. They are lying off the seashore. ( See beginning 4 + 6 )Why are corals of import?Today coral reefs are of import and necessary in the universe. Great Barrier Reef, which is the universe largest reef, stretches along the nor'-east cost of Australia. The reef consist of over 3A 000 single reef and has a length of 30A 000 kilometers. It is really possible to see it from the outer infinite. A satellite exposure of the Great Barrier Reef The reef includes 400 coral species, 2A 000 fish species and six of seven species of sea polo-necks. There are many different types of coral which have assorted colorss. ( See beginning 3 )Why are the corals deceasing?There are many menaces to coral reefs. Some menaces are natural happening such as marauders and hurricanes. These are made of course, but because of planetary warming the menaces harmonizing to the coral reefs addition. Others menaces are made by human among them overfishing and pollutions. Consequence of coral bleaching Marauders and hurricanes are natural happening and it is difficult to make something about these happening because they happen of course, still increasing of rainfall over a long period lessening coral growing. The coral reefs need sunlight, clear H2O, seawater with a specific salt and warm H2O ( 23 – 29 grades Celsius ) to populate. However, addition in the temperature degree and altered salt affects the coral reefs severely. Merely one grade rise in temperature influences the coral. The harm is called coral bleaching and involves that the coral expels the algae which gives the coral its coloring material. Alternatively of being colorful the coral takes on a blunt white visual aspect. The algae do n't return if the emphasis is prolonged and as a consequence the coral dies. â€Å" The bleaching is really strong throughout Southeast Asia and the cardinal Indian Ocean. The studies are that it is the worst since 1997/1998. This is a truly immense event and we are traveling to se e a batch of corals deceasing † says Dr Mark Eakin Overfishing is a menace made by human. Today many people are dependent on fish as an income and nutrient, still overfishing is a job. It affects the coral by â€Å" taking cardinal species from the marine nutrient concatenation † . Furthermore the methods used to catch fish can besides be harmful to the coral. For case 15 states use nitrile fishing which involves dumping toxicant onto reefs to stupefy fish for easier assemblage. The toxicant does n't merely impact the fish, but besides the reefs. Another sensational method is called blast fishing, utilizing explosives to stupefy fish, and the method is used by more than 40 states. As a consequence of the detonation the coral are ripped apart and destroyed. On the other manus, addition of the H2O degree increases the thriving for harmful algae and other rivals. More rivals and harmful algae mean less infinite for the coral to growing. Likewise out of use sunlight lessening the growing for a coral and the coral can decease. ( Se e beginning 5 )Decisionâ€Å" Seventy per centum of coral reefs may be gone in less than 40 old ages if the present rate of devastation continues † . This destructing procedure has to be stopped, and it needs to be shortly. Coral reefs are place to over 1 million different species and protect the coastal metropoliss. In add-on to this, coral reefs create 1000000s of occupation and unafraid income for many people in more than 100 states in the universe. However coral reefs are a nutrient beginning for the people who live near the reefs, particularly the people on little islands. Another interesting fact is that without the being of coral reefs, parts of Florida would be under H2O. ( See beginning 7 )Beginningshypertext transfer protocol: //www.howstuffworks.com/framed.htm? parent=coral ( 06.12.2010 ) reef.htmHYPERLINK â€Å" hypertext transfer protocol: //www.howstuffworks.com/framed.htm? parent=coral ( 06.12.2010 ) reef.htm & A ; url=http: //www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/greatbarrierreef/ † & amp ; HYPERLINK â€Å" hypertext transfer protocol: //www.howstuffworks.com/framed.htm? parent=coral ( 06.12.2010 ) reef.htm & A ; url=http: //www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/greatbarrierreef/ † url=http: //www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/greatbarrierreef/ ( 06.12.2010 ) hypertext transfer protocol: //www.howstuffworks.com/framed.htm? parent=coral-reef.htmHYPERLINK â€Å" hypertext transfer protocol: //www.howstuffworks.com/framed.htm? parent=coral-reef.htm & A ; url=http: //www.nature.org/joinanddonate/rescuereef/explore/facts.html † & amp ; HYPERLINK â€Å" hypertext transfer protocol: //www.howstuffworks.com/framed.htm? parent=coral-reef.htm & A ; url=http: //www.nature.org/joinanddonate/rescuereef/explore/facts.html † url=http: //www.nature.org/joinanddonate/rescuereef/explore/facts.html ( 06.12.2010 ) hypertext transfer protocol: //animals.howstuffworks.com/marine-life/coral-reef1.htm ( 06.12.2010 ) hypertext transfer protocol: //animals.howstuffworks.com/marine-life/coral-reef2.htm ( 06.12.2010 ) hypertext transfer protocol: //www.icriforum.org/about-coral-reefs/what-are-corals ( 06.12.10 ) hypertext transfer protocol: //www.icriforum.org/about-coral-reefs/benefits-coral-reefs ( 06.12.2010 )

Good People… Are Good Because They’re Come to Wisdom Through Failure

According to the critical lens by William Saroyan, â€Å"Good people†¦ are good because they’re come to wisdom through failure. † In other words that a person can learn from mistakes and become a better person. Two literary works that agree with this statement are The Lord of the Flies, by William Golding and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey. The novel by William Golding, The Lord of the Flies reveals with a person can learn from mistakes and become a better person. The setting took place on an uninhabited island. Ralph was characterized as the oldest of the boys, handsome, and confident. Piggy can be characterized as the logic on the island. Jack Merridew an aggressive boy who became the leader of the tribe after Ralph’s failure. Piggy trying to preach the rules to everyone and Roger rolls a boulder at him and kills him. Ralph witnessed Piggy’s death and ran away. From this point on Ralph discovered through Piggy’s death, that it was useless trying to reason with Jack’s tribe. Ralph ran and hides from them. As a result, Ralph learned through Piggy’s mistakes and stayed alive. William Saroyan implies that a person can learn from mistakes and become a better person. One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey reveals with the statement. We can learn from mistakes and become a better person. The story takes place in a mental institution in the Pacific Northwest. The narrator of the novel is chief Bromden, also known as chief Broom; a half staff assumes is deaf and dumb. Randall Patrick McMurphy is a new patient who came from a work farm. He suggested a party, but got cought by the Big Nurse. He received a lobotomy. Chief learned from McMurphy. At the end, he escaped the hospital and returning to society to battle the combine. In both novels The Lord of the Flies by William Golding, and One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey reveal the statement that we can learn from mistakes and become a better person. Both main characters learn from other mistakes and become a better person.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Literature review of Fourteen Foorces of Magnetism Essay

Literature review of Fourteen Foorces of Magnetism - Essay Example It was built as a result of a lack of a real hospital in that location which led to the death of many local people with emergency medical conditions. Being the first and best hospital on the area, St. Luke’s has one of the biggest positive images in that society and its respect surpasses all. It is with this image that made it be accredited as an inpatient rehabilitation unit (the only national one in that area) by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). Most of the forces of magnetism in this organization are consistent with their intent. Some however have inconsistencies which according to research may be as a result of the organization being alone and of its kind for a long time and hence had enjoyed market monopoly and even when another hospital was unveiled, no changes were made and no one seems to notice these inconsistencies. One of the inconsistencies is in the fourth force about personnel policies and programs which advocated for competitive salaries and benefits. In the organization, this is not the case and most nurses especially are underpaid compared to the work they perform daily. Even though the organization strives to achieve force thirteen about interdisciplinary relationships being valued and upheld, doctors still look down upon other members of the health care team due to their differences in qualifications. This however does not seem to affect the overall quality of the health care being provided by the organization (Malloch and O’Grady, 2010). The consistencies in force of magnetism have made the organization gain a lot of support from the surrounding community and this has improved the image of not only the hospital in general but also of its medical personnel. The fact that the hospital puts the needs of the community first at all times and even forgets about the needs of its own staff especially on

Monday, October 7, 2019

Case Study_Secondary Ticket Market Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Study_Secondary Ticket Market - Case Study Example Whilst the teams earn extra revenue from this practice, the main problem is that tickets that are acquired through bad ways are set to tarnish their image. The success in sport is about creating good reputation so as to be in a position to create mutual understanding with the fans. The other problem is that the tickets sold at secondary markets are overpriced and this is detrimental to the teams involved. This is just as good as parallel market where in some instances the tickets are sold for a premium price while their actual value is far below that. This negatively impacts on the fans though the team owners benefit from this practice because they would be working hand in glove with the â€Å"scalpers.† In other words, some people end up reaping from where they did not sow and this is not good practice in as far as sport and gaming are concerned. The image of the team will be tarnished at the end of day and this is the reason why a team should make sure that opportunists do n ot short change the supporters. In the long run, it can be seen that the team will end up losing credibility as a result of the activities of the secondary ticket sellers who may be bent on fulfilling their selfish interests. When people lose trust in the team, it may not be able to generate more revenue since people may end up shunning it. It is problematic for a team to lose the supporters through unethical conduct by the secondary sellers of the tickets. This task should be performed by the agents employed by the team. Analysis and evaluation of the alternatives In the first place, the problem exists because there are some holders of seasonal tickets who feel that they cannot attend all games. As such they decide to sell these tickets to the secondary markets which will later resell them to the people who may be interested in buying them. Whilst this is not a very bad idea since it entails that the team will generate more revenue from this practice, it can be noted that there are certain problems associated with the whole arrangement. In order to address the loopholes identified above, it is imperative for the respective teams to put control measures that are meant to ensure that all unwanted tickets are sold through their offices. Instead of engaging secondary sellers to perform this particular function, the respective teams should create channels that are meant to ensure that unwanted tickets are sold through their office. However, the only disadvantage of this alternative is that the team may not be able to manage all centers that will be responsible for this exercise across the whole country. The other alternative is that the team involved should harness new information and communication technology such that the fans who want to resell their tickets can do it through its official website. If the team harnesses new information and technology, there are likely chances that the loopholes in the secondary ticketing system are eliminated. It also becomes eas y to communicate with the fans intending to sell their tickets such that there is transparency in all the transactions that may ensue. The major advantage of this method is that the internet is secure and transparency is likely to be enhanced since all transactions can be accounted for. All the ticket holders who feel that they no longer need to go to a particular game should approach the registered agents instead of going to secondary ticket holders

Sunday, October 6, 2019

Social Work Program Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Social Work Program - Essay Example My dad saw me and waved, that I didn’t â€Å"see† either. My dad was, however, quite enthusiastic and cool about the whole thing, though he never actually discussed it with me, since he could see I was ashamed of what he did. The turning point came the day when he left his court, it was freezing and mum decided to drive to him and, I agreed to accompany her. I was disappointed in a way, I expected to find hordes of desperate uneducated and hopeless people at the shelter, a few appeared that way, but several of those I talked to seemed reasonable and sane enough for me to wonder what they were doing in shelters. A young man, who told me of his dream to join college, was shattered by addiction to drugs, and he left home because he could not face his parents. He still hoped to pull himself out of the situation; that night I plucked the courage and asked dad to tell me about what he did. By the time he was done, my perspective had undergone a paradigm shift, and when I aske d him why, he told me a story about his past, which I was not familiar with. For three years in his youth he had struggled with drugs and ended up in a shelter where he spent 6 months. Someone helped him get back on his feet again, but he had decided he would always show his appreciation for as long as he could. Therefore, my dad, a hotshot banker, once depended on a shelter from sustenance, now I was ashamed, not of his past, but my closed-mindedness. From that point on, I tried to learn as much as I could about social work from my dad and my teachers. Now I can say that my dad’s example influenced me a lot and I appreciate the chance to have helped me find my true vocation. My key values in live are honesty, fairness and compassion for everyone, I believe everyone deserves a second chance, and nobody should be judged because of their current situation, since it is important we try to find out how someone has got there. I also avoid judging or criticizing people because I be lieve until you know all about someone’s problems and the background circumstances, you are ill-equipped to decide if he/she is willing to change his/her life or not. Everyone should be listened to, supported and given the benefit to doubt his or her social status (Arwen, 2012). The main strength that may enable me to become a good social worker is that I have a compassionate nature. Besides, I am an adept at compartmentalizing my issues; that is to say, if someone makes me angry at some point I will not project it on the next person I meet, since I deal with issues independently. I believe this is particularly crucial, since many of the people social workers need to face are not easy to deal with and require infinite amount of patience. I may not have it in infinite quantities, but I have enough to deal with most of the challenges a social worker is expected to deal with. Communication skills are vital for any social worker, and I have excellent communication skills, I am a good listener who can easily assume the other person’s perspective, hence, understand their situation better. Social work requires emotional maturity and experience; in the past, I have spent many hours volunteering and, as such, I consider myself modestly experienced. I hope to join the

Saturday, October 5, 2019

The pyramid Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The pyramid - Essay Example raftsmen talent on exemplary basis having a perfect architectural structure and several theories exist with regard to its constructional methodology and purpose. The pyramid was built around 4500 years ago by the Egyptians for Pharaoh Khufu as his tomb. If looked at from an engineers perspective, the design, accuracy and crafting of its structure matches the modern day structures that exist in todays world. The placement of rocks that give it a triangular design are within tiny fractions of degree and so the largest structure not only reflects history but past society engineering methods2. The structure of the pyramid consists of approximately 2-3 million blocks of granite, which weigh two and a half tons. The total weight of the entire set of graphite rocks used would be approximately six million tons. The Great Pyramid is an epitome of a mixture of different branches of science that include geometry, the value of pi and astronomy. This makes it one of the highlighted wonders of the world. The slides are so aligned and precise that they give the entire structure a relationship with the moon, sun and the stars in the sky. The pyramid over th is period of time has seen disturbances geologically that have made an impact on its structural accuracy. If these are excluded, it is believed that the entire structure would have been more accurate in its integrity 3. There are several theories that revolve around the construction of the Great Pyramid. Science is still figuring out how huge heavy stones were taken to the top and placed with such precision to make the great structure. It is believed that the rocks were aligned in the structure with the help of a series of wooden staves in a parallel fashion that were placed at right angles and moved in the motion. More rocks were taken to the top with the help of placing them on wooden sledges4. The labor force used in building the Great Pyramid is also a mystery. One theory highlights that the slaves were made to work until

Friday, October 4, 2019

Politics of war extra Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Politics of war extra - Essay Example The Captain of the Chesapeake refused to be boarded and the ship was fired upon by the Leopard; as a result, about three men of the Chesapeake were killed and 18 were wounded. The Captain then gave in to the inspection, whereupon, four members of the crew who were allegedly deserters were removed from the Chesapeake. When the maimed Chesapeake later returned to Norfolk, outrage from across the country was expressed by the American people. As a result, â€Å"American opinion not only supported, but demanded war† (Coles, p. 7). The present international laws and regulations on war were not in place in the 1800s. The existing international and legal policies surrounding the declaration of war during the 1800s lay in each state’s right to exist and declare war. â€Å"In the United States, it is confided to the federal legislature where it resides with the people and is retained by them as a portion of sovereign power; it must be exercised by them in their collective capacity as provided by constitutional law†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Halleck, p. 351). On June 4th 1812, President James Madison asked the Congress to declare war; the latter immediately approved Madison’s proposal. After much debate, and only by six votes, the Senate also approved Madison’s proposal (Katcher, et.al., p. 3). Based on this approved process of declaring war existing at such time, the War of 1812 is considered legal. The primary causes of the War of 1812 are the policies of impressment and trade imposed by the British Empire. Impressment subjected British subjects to compulsory military service and in service to the war being fought by the British Empire against Napoleon Bonaparte. Many British subjects who did not want to serve in the British military found work in many of the US ships and other American workplaces. Some Americans were also illegally impressed into service by the British military. This angered many Americans. Due

Thursday, October 3, 2019

Commentary on Testing the Reality Essay Example for Free

Commentary on Testing the Reality Essay This short but powerfully descriptive poem tells the story of a young man who comes to discover just how fragile the boundary between life and death really is. Written in the form of a dramatic lyric, the poem highlights the moment of revelation and reflection as the man realizes his mother hadnt died; instead she had moved on to another place. The themes of death and abandonment are clearly depicted by the poet through the use of tone, setting, rhythm, symbolism, hyperbole, alliteration and time. Through all these methods, the poet builds a sense of sorrow and feeling of utter reliance the narrator has upon his mother. It emphasizes the mans lifelong journey, from a young child learning to count to a fully grown man mourning the death of his 70-year-old mother. As he grows in body and matures in mind, he fills his head with knowledge and pushes at the boundaries of his world, testing it. The name Testing the Reality arises because the son has to face the reality of life, and the deaths that occur in life. The poem takes place in a church, in a funeral set-up, with flocking birds in the sky. We understand this because of the phrase so crammed church roof and belfry. I can comprehend that it is a funeral because the poet relates the hibernation of the birds to a 70 year old woman. The writer also illustrates a picture of a myriad of birds as he writes There must have been 10,000 there or more. Even though he feels immense loneliness and sadness after the passing on of his mother, he is not yet ready to follow her, and must remain in reality, hence he is the last soul still unhatched. The poem begins in the first person as the poet describes his experiences as a boy. We learn that his mother taught him to count to a ragged 20 but no higher. When he was still a boy, the sheer number of birds perching on the belfry exceeded his counting abilities, cramming church roof and belfry, cross and spire. At this later stage in his life, however, it is not due to his counting skills that he cannot count but due to the sheer immeasurable quantity and their uncontrollable, free nature, unable to be caged or catalogued. Their numbers were so great that their final taking off blacked Beestons sky. These birds feature throughout the poem, creating a sense of activity and movement and dramatic symbolism. Here, the black sky symbolises the unfortunate and sad mood. While the flocking birds represent what the man is looking at and his memories of them as a boy, they also have a metaphorical meaning, symbolizing the life and death of his mother. The crossroad of reality and imagery appears in line six with the following alliteration: picketed piercingly the passing of each day. The power of the repeated P sound reflects the sound of the birds cries. In the poets mind, each bird also represents a single day in the life of his mother. In fact, as the second stanza progresses, the birds only exist to measure the accumulated days in the life of the mans mother. Her attraction towards the birds is completed when they suddenly depart, taking her life with them. The shock of the mothers death is so deep that the first person used throughout the first two stanzas is obliterated and transformed into the third person in the last stanza, the man suddenly being referred to as her son. The third stanza also dramatizes the metaphorical blend of his mother and the birds. Death becomes the wings of night, her life becomes the flocking days. Her departure from the earth is an effusion, a release, of all her physical experiences which are soaring away. So significant was she to her son that her departing life blocked the light. In the final line the son becomes an unhatched egg/soul left behind in the clutch or the nest. Having come to associate the birds with his mother, his memories of her are immediately summoned whenever he sees them. She may be dead but she lives on in his memories of the birds. At first they shrilly hailed the first new light they saw, greeting the new day in what initially seems to be an irritating way because they are portrayed as having loud, high-pitched cries that are not particularly pleasant to the ears. However, after his mother dies, and they leave too, he comes to see them in a different light, after they soared away. His opinion of them has now changed and he sees them as graceful and elegant creatures. This imagery also successfully implies life after death, and the setting of the poem becomes important when looked at in this light. A church is a place of peaceful meditation, praying and holiness, a place where the boundaries between the physical and the spiritual, the barriers between life and death, merge. For these reasons it becomes the nest that hatches souls into the heavens. Even though the birds, and the mans mother with them, fly beyond all sight, hearing, taste, smell, touch they do not fly beyond love or memories, instead leaving a path for the man to follow when it is his turn to be hatched. The lesson the mother taught her son began with counting, but ended with a realization of life after death and the possibility of living, in spirit, for infinity.