Cutlure of Music essays

Cutlure of Music essays Music plays an important role in todays culture. Whether youre driving in your car, watching a movie, or are at a sporting event, music is all around you. It pleases your emotions, soothes your soul and takes away all the worries in the world. But its not just one type of music that has this effect on everybody. In fact, there is an indefinite amount of genres of music. (The amount depends on how one classifies the music). Throughout this paper I will tell of different genres of music in todays American culture and give a thorough description of each. The first genre, and probably most well known, is Rock s income would come from this genre. Rock is a form of dance music originating around the 1950s, and is a blend of rhythm and blues with country and western. Electric guitars, vocals, an electric bass and a drum set consisting of a snare drum, a bass drum, tom-toms, a hi-hat cymbal, a ride and a crash cymbal usually comprise the sound of Rock, but a keyboard and a piano can also fall into this category. There is many different subdivisions of Rock, for instance theres Punk Rock, Heavy Metal, Death Metal, Surf Rock, etc. Pop usually appeals to younger people due to its catchy and simple music, but it plays quite the significant role in todays culture. Next is Opera music. Opera is drama set to music. Around 1600, it originated in Italy and has been spread throughout many countries. In late history, Opera was originally composed and performed for the upper-class society, whereas in todays society, it can be enjoyed by anybody. Jazz is the next category. Jazz is an American tradition. Its categorized by its strong but flexible rhythm with solo and group improvisations on basic tunes. To sum it all up, you can call it big band dance music. Jazz originated in New Orleans around the turn of the 20th century and since th...

Definition and Examples of Nicknames

Definition and Examples of Nicknames A nickname is a familiar form of a proper name (of a person or place), or any descriptive name or epithet used informally. Also known as a  sobriquet or prosonomasia. EtymologyFrom the Old English, extra name Examples and Observations Rhymes, contractions, verbal analogs and suffix additions seem to be the commonest ways of forming a nickname by internal methods: Colley yields Dolly, Patricia goes to Trish and Ramow to Cow.(Jane Morgan et al., Nicknames: Their Origins and Social Consequences. Routledge, 1979)Nicknames are often descriptive, even if allusively so, though . . . they can be based on a persons forename or surname. They may replace an original name or be used in addition to it. The latter type of nickname is familiar with royal names, e.g., Alexander the Great, Ivan the Terrible, William the Conqueror. For such names, the formula with the is common, but the nickname may appear without it.(Adrian Room, An Alphabetical Guide to the Language of Name Studies. Scarecrow Press, 1996)Teachers NicknamesGiving teachers nicknames is a way of weakening their terrible authority, probably. . . . My friends and I had teachers and coaches we called Flipper (real last name, Flappan), Stublet (not very tall), Stank (hy giene problems), Bat (short for Wombat; real name, Wambold), Dawg (short for Schoondog; real name, Schoonover), Papa Joe (longtime gym teacher), Easy Ed (beloved basketball coach), Myhoo (real last name, Mayhew), Woodchuck (real first name, Charles). There was a Latin teacher whose real last name was Wucker, an unfairly easy target; we called him Ed (his first name), Tony (what his wife called him), or Wuck.(David Owen, Call Me Loyd. The New Yorker. Feb. 11 18, 2008) The Range of Nicknames[P]laces (The Big AppleNew York), sports teams (GunnersArsenal), newspapers (The ThundererThe Times), and musical works (EroicaBeethovens third symphony) illustrate the range of entities that have been nicknamed.(David Crystal, Words, Words, Words. Oxford University Press, 2006)Ekename: The Origin of the WordA nickname is not, as one might at first suppose, a name that has been stolen or nicked from somewhere else; it is, literally, an additional name. The current form of the word, with the element as nick-, is in fact a corruption of the earlier form eke-name (with the first element as eke-). . . .An eke-name, then, is orginally an additional name: your real name is eked out by having another name added to it, and in time this ekename may become a substitute for the original. But how did ekename become nickname? . . . . When the words were written down in the Middle Ages by people who had never seen them in writing, the n evidently got detached from the an and attached to the eke, giving us a nekename; and when the vowel sound in eke is subsequently shortened through fast or lazy pronunciation, we end up with todays form, nickname.(Tom Burton, Long Words Bother Me. Sutton, 2004) ProsonomasiaProsonomasia defines a person or thing by some characteristic: the Conqueror (William I of England); the dismal science (political economy); the king of beasts (the lion); the Father of Lies (Satan): the great unwashed (the populace); the Iron Duke (Wellington); the Jolly Roger (pirate flag); the Knight of the Rueful Countenance (Don Quixote); and so on.(Willard R. Espy, The Garden of Eloquence: A Rhetorical Bestiary. Harper Row, 1983)George Carlin on the Lighter Side of NicknamesI cant understand a grown man whose nickname is Fuzzy and who actually allows people to call him that. Do these guys really introduce themselves that way? Hi, Im Fuzzy. If some guy said that to me, I would say to him, Well, you dont look very fuzzy to me.(George Carlin, When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops? Hyperion, 2004)Nicknames in Monty Pythons Flying CircusInterviewer: Last week the Royal Festival Hall saw the first performance of a new symphony by one of the worlds leading modern composers , Arthur Two Sheds Jackson. Mr Jackson.Jackson: Good evening.Interviewer: May I just sidetrack you for one moment. Mr. Jackson, this, what shall I call it, nickname of yours.Jackson: Oh yes.Interviewer: Two sheds. How did you come by it?Jackson: Well, I dont use it myself. Its just a few of my friends call me Two Sheds.Interviewer: I see, and do you in fact have two sheds?Jackson: No. No, Ive only one shed. Ive had one for some time, but a few years ago I said I was thinking of getting another one, and since then some people have called me Two Sheds.Interviewer: In spite of the fact that you have only one.Jackson: Yes.Interviewer: I see, and are you thinking of purchasing a second shed?Jackson: No.Interviewer: To bring you in line with your epithet?Jackson: No.(Eric Idle and Terry Jones in episode one of Monty Pythons Flying Circus, 1969)

Asthma Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Asthma - Essay Example Asthma is caused by either a narrowing or block in the bronchial tubes. The bronchial tubes narrow from being blocked by mucous and swelling or they are squeezed from the muscles outside A person may have asthma without having flare ups for long periods of time. Asthma can be a continual disease, however there are typically triggers that initiate the bout. According to Web MD there are several triggers to asthma and identifying which culprit flares one asthma episode will allow the individual to off-set attacks (www.webmd.com/asthma). Allergies are a known asthma trigger. It is estimated that up to 80% of people with asthma are allergic to airborne substances. Certain foods can also flare up asthma. Additives that can be found in certain foods can bring on an attack. Excessive exercise can also be a culprit. Strenuous exercise can cause narrowing of the airways which makes it difficult to breathe. It is stated that severe heartburn and asthma have a direct connection. Gerd (gastroesophageal reflux disease) causes stomach acid to back up into the esophagus. If the stomach acid reaches into the the throat or airways then an asthma attack can be triggered. Smoking is another asthma trigger as smoking interferes with lung functioning. Introducing smoke into an asthmatic body only worsens the condition and further obstructs airway passages. Sinusitis and upper respiratory infections cause more mucous to be produced in that line the sinuses which can also bring on asthma attacks. When airways get inflamed then sinusitis may occur triggering asthma attacks. Infections are another thing that can bring on asthma attacks. This common cause can be found to bring on asthma attacks especially in children under 10. Along with the preceding triggers, medications are also a culprit. It is common for those with asthma to have sensitivity to certain medications especially anti-inflammatory drugs and beta

The support of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Case Study

The support of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises - Case Study Example Furthermore, Marjolein and Henny (2005) indicated that SMEs Support in most countries has been motivated by the belief that this support generates much employment, encourages people, and is widely provide good opportunities to develop new business, and to enhance its competitiveness within effectiveness performance. In the same manner as varied definitions have been given to small and medium enterprises throughout the entire globe, the researcher has also discovered the different ways by which governments support them. According to Sissenich (2007), the extent of the support given to SMEs in different countries have been a very popular area for research as this has been considered to be of paramount importance to the success of the SMEs which could in turn, bring about positive benefits for the economic growth and development of these countries. For instance, the Chinese Central Bank has adopted several measures by which they could help in lessening the difficulties being experienced by the Small and Medium Enterprises in the country. In general, the said support is firmly anchored on four specific policies that are friendly and of paramount importance to the Small and Medium Enterprises. ... he other hand, shows that governments in Africa does not provide any support for the Small and Medium Enterprises for the country thereby contributing to the failure of such in their country. According to the said author, the absence of the said support has been relatively detrimental to the country's economic growth and development. The report entitled Saudis give priority for developing SME sector (2005) showed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been giving paramount importance to the SME sector since 2005. According to the said report, the country has placed top priority on the said development as a result of their accession to the World Trade Organization. For the authorities in the country, much effort must be given to the reinvigoration and strengthening of the base of the Small and Medium Enterprises as they are the backbone of their economy thus illustrating their importance for the economic growth and development of the kingdom (Saudis give priority for developing SME Sector, 2005). However, there are some aspects of efforts and decisions have been made by the government and private sectors in Saudi Arabia to encourage citizens to establish small to medium- sized businesses. One of these significant decision and extension of support for SMEs in the mentioned state has recently been announced by Human Resources Development Fund (2009) that the (HRDF) decided to provide the applicants, who have already passed the phases of establishing small or medium business and have already received the loan, SR three thousand per month during the first tow years, in order to supply the essential requirements during establishment stage away from the prejudice to the capital. Also the same report listed several organizations that support SMEs, such as Technical and

Empire of the Sun Essay Example for Free

Empire of the Sun Essay Empire of the Sun In this essay will be talking about how Ballard shows Jim changing over the course of the book The Empire of the Sun. I am splitting the essay into 5 paragraphs: What Jim is like at the start of the novel, Jims first upheaval, the prison camps, the way Dr Ransong and Bassie treat Jim and the contrast, finally what Jim is like at the end of the novel. At the start of this book, Ballard shows us a typical English schoolboy living in Shanghai. This boy Jim and his family are very wealthy, so you can imagine what sort of lifestyle Jim was living in: Big house, servants that he can call on 24/7, a bike, many toys including aeroplanes. Then there are his clothes: A school blazer and cap. He is also is taught Latin. This shows us that he is very much surrounded by money and anything he could ever wish for. This creates an impression that he leads a very sheltered life and that he does understand reality. Jim has a very normal life. Everything is working well for him. Until one day before he starts school, the Chinese fleet attack the Petrol (a Japanese gun boat. ) This is the first big upheaval in Jims life. This is totally unexpected to Jim. Nothing like this has ever happened before in Jims life, so it comes as a surprise to him. Ballard gives us the sense that Jim is a very ignorant boy because he thought that he started the war when he was flash his light at the opposite Chinese gun boat, and after the bombs had gone he still thought that he would go to school. This shows a lack of maturity and common sense. This gives us a very bad picture of what Jim is like as a person. He thinks that he will still be able to go to school even though there is a war going on. Most people would think that he would be mad to think that. Ballard makes us see Jim as a very naive person. During the book, Jim spends a lot of the time in a prison camp. When he gets to the first camp, he befriends an American called Bassie. He persuades Bassie to help him find his parents in return for a reward. This gives Bassie an opportunity to use Jim for any errands that he has for Jim, and for this Jim gets a little something in return. This is a complete change of lifestyle for Jim. He normally gets people to do his work for him, but now Bassie is making him do work for him. During his stay at the detention centre, Jim experiences hunger, disease and hallucinations. This again is another new experience for Jim. If he had the slightest illness when he was with his parents, he would get the best treatment for the illness, but now he has lost his parents, he has to fend for himself. I think he copes with it very well. He manages to survives and moves on with his life When Jim and Bassie to another camp called Lunghua, Dr Ransong starts teaching him Latin. I think the reason he does is to try and keep Jim as a child. This is because he is losing his childhood because of the war. It is just trying to keep Jim safe until he matures fully. The way Dr Ransong and Bassie treat Jim are very different. Dr Ransong tries to keep Jim as a child to try and protect him from any dangers that occur. Bassie on the other hand, he treats Jim as a young adult. This is because Bassie want Jims trust so that he can do more for him. Bassie tries to keep Jim alive by telling him the way to survive is to steal the metal food bowls in the detention centre from the dead people. So Jim is split two ways, Dr Ransong is trying to maintain Jims ignorance of the world by keeping his childhood to keep him safe, and Bassie is trying to make Jim look at the world very broadly so that Jim can survive and so Jim can keep doing jobs for Bassie. At the end of the novel, Jim is a transformed child. He has gone from being a nai ve 10 year old, to being a mentally scarred 14 year old with a certain understanding of war and life in general. He has lost his childhood completely because of the death and war that he has experienced.

Free Euthanasia Essays: Hospice and Physician-Assisted Suicide :: Euthanasia Physician Assisted Suicide

Hospice and Assisted Suicide/Euthanasia One Work Cited This essay will present the views of that worldwide organization named Hospice which has seen the quiet, natural death of millions of terminally ill patients - without the use of physician-assisted suicide. It is important that the voice of the largest caregiver for the terminally ill be heard, and listened to attentively. For they have the most experience. The Hemlock Society is nothing (in scope, importance, goals)in comparison to this great Hospice Organization (HO). Hospice professionals and caregivers have given the issue of physician-assisted suicide much thought and consideration in recent years, and adopted an organizational position on the issue as early as February of 1992. Last year, when the debate increased in intensity, the HO not only reaffirmed its earlier position, but strengthened it. The Organization's Resolution clearly states, "That assisted suicide is not a component of hospice care; ..." and "That the Hospice Organization does not support the legalization of voluntary euthanasia or assisted suicide in the care of the terminally ill." Hospice workers, likely more than any other group of care providers, deal with the desperation that many individuals feel when they accept the fact that their illness is likely to be the cause of their death. In that process, hospice staff deal not only with the physical pain of the illness, but also the emotional pain of facing leaving one's family, the social pain of enduring what may be considered indignities, and the spiritual pain associated with one's cultural and personal beliefs about life after death. Through an interdisciplinary approach that is unique to hospice care, patients who elect hospice receive treatment for all their concerns. Hospice caregivers have discovered three central reasons a terminally ill person may want to discuss suicide. One is a fear of uncontrolled pain. Another is fear of abandonment, of being left alone to die and feeling there is no one to care. The third is concern over financial pressures that may leave a family devastated by the last illness. Hospice addresses these concerns as quickly in the disease process as is possible, and hospice workers everywhere will tell the public that when these issues are under control, the desire to end one's life becomes a non-issue. Hospice workers dedicate their professional and often their personal lives to successfully resolving those issues. The hospice community is very concerned that the legalization of

Infant and Child Development Essay

This assignment will critically review Howlett, Kirk and Pine’s (2011) study, which aims to investigate whether attendance of gesturing classes affects parental stress. Howlett et al. , (2011) attempt to examine claims, advertised by commercial products, that believe attending gesturing classes can improve child-parent communications, thus reducing parental stress. Participants gave demographic information and completed a Parenting Stress Index (PSI) questionnaire. ANCOVA was used to look at whether attending gesturing classes affected parental stress, mothers attending a gesture group and mothers attending a non gesture group were compared; with ‘sibling status’ and ‘birth order’ controlled. Researchers found that mothers who attended infant gesture classes had higher stress scores than mothers who had attended non-gesturing classes. From these findings the following claims are made: that mothers in the gesture group had higher pre-existing stress than in the non gesture group, * that mothers attended gesturing classes in an attempt to alleviate their pre-existing stress, * that gesturing classes may cause mothers to view their child negatively. This critique will firstly provide an overall evaluation of the article with reference to strengths and weaknesses found. Flaws will also be highlighted with suggestion to how these could be rectified. Points of detail in the evaluation will then be expanded and conclusions di scussed. Overall evaluation First and foremost, the overall presentation of the article appears to lack in structure and organisation; this results in a lack of flow and clarity. In the introduction, the research question and key definitions of interest (i. e. ‘gesture, ‘non gesture’ and ‘stress’) are not discussed at the beginning. Characteristics of non gesturing mothers are instead firstly mentioned in the discussion section. The outline of categories in the background demographic questionnaire should have been made aware to readers in the methodology. Furthermore, in the results, findings from the study should have been stated in the opening paragraph. A fundamental flaw consistent throughout the article regards its lack of sufficient detail in ensuring strength of argument. In the introduction and discussion more research is needed in relation to how and why parental stresses occur to support findings. Furthermore unjustified claims are used to sustain argument which questions the validity of the research. The lack of detail regarding the direction of study also instigates ambiguity. More information is also needed about the procedure of the study so as to allow for replication. Further details as to how these flaws can be rectified are discussed later. Fundamental flaws are apparent regarding the non-random sample used and the lack of baseline stress measures. As no baseline pre-test has been conducted authors’ claims, as stated previously, can only be based on speculation. More information is provided on these flaws in the latter section. Strengths highlighted in the article include the demographic information provided. This information is useful as it allows for generalisation of results by ensuring groups are appropriately matched and offers useful information for future research in the region. (Keith, 2010). Furthermore the PSI questionnaire used, is well validated (Colver, 2006); using a creditable measuring instrument like this increases the reliability of the study. Moreover, the correct statistical test has been used, ANCOVA, and results are also provided with appropriate information. Abstract and Introduction The abstract fails to provide a rationale for the study; as this is unclear, readers may misjudge the subject matter. There is also no description of the stimuli used; the meaning of ‘gesturing’ is unexplained. Authors should elaborate upon what they mean by ‘gesturing’ so as to avoid misinterpretation. However, principal findings and design measures used in the study are stated. The introduction appears to lack in structure and organisation. No initial description of research question with reference to what it attempts to demonstrate is present; this is firstly mentioned in the third paragraph. Furthermore, authors first provide a definition of ‘gesturing’ in midpoint of this section. Considering this topic is the phenomenon of the study it would have been more appropriate to be stated at the beginning, rather than after the discussion of the benefits of gesturing; this may prevent misinterpretation. Although an explanation of ‘non-gesturing’ is provided in the discussion section, it would also be helpful for readers if it were included in the introduction; this enables differentiation between the two conditions. Similarly, a definition of the authors’ interpretation of ‘stress’ could have been stated at the start in ensuring readers’ clarity of terms. There is also no statement of hypothesis. nd authors do not provide a rationale or historical backdrop, therefore it lacks in significance and does not substantially contribute to the literature. Moreover, research discussed appears to be framed as a general review of literature and set out in list form with a lack of evaluation. For example, research has been described in relation to a study that has found no relationship between gesturing and linguistic benefits in infants (Kirk, Howlett, Pine and Fletcher), however it has not been evaluated or linked to the aims of the study. Furthermore, there are limited findings provided relating to the negative aspects of gesturing. Considering the paper is directed towards whether these classes affect parental stress, more research should be discussed in relation to the disapproval of gesturing classes, to support findings in the article. In addition, the article has included different research examples to support their view that parental stress can inhibit parent-child relationships, however there is no development in argument of how or why these stresses occur. To rectify, in ensuring clarity, more detail should be provided whereby these examples should be put in context with direct reference to the research question. Moreover, unjustified claims have been used in an attempt to sustain argument; for example, Howlett et al. , (2011) highlight ‘‘advertising claims that baby sign will reduce parental frustration and stress have little empirical foundation’. As this statement is not explained, it may seem misleading and as an ineffective use of argument. There is also no valid reference provided. In improving the structure and validity of their argument, authors should use evidence from influential papers to provide further detail in supporting their claims. The direction of study also appears ambiguous as authors switch between terms when stating the aim of the research. It is unclear whether authors are focusing on gesturing affecting stress or gesturing reducing stress. Howlett et al. , (2011) firstly state, ‘there are valid reasons to suggest that gesturing with an infant could reduce parental stress, this paper evaluates that claim’, (p. 438) they continue by stating, ‘this research investigates whether gesturing with an infant affects parenting stress’ (p438). One clear statement of what is being intended to measure needs to be used throughout the article so as to avoid confusion. The final paragraph includes a vague definition of variables whereby readers are left to determine their own assumptions. For example, it is stated that the frequency and duration of gesture use was used to measure the relationship between gesture use and stress, however it is unclear at this stage whether authors are implying ‘gesturing’ in terms of when mothers’ attended gesturing classes or their general use of gesturing; in and out of classes. The PSI is outlined, however researchers have not explained its benefits or why it have been use; this may leave readers questioning its credibility. Furthermore, it is important for researchers to include a statement of predictions, however this is not present. Methodology The authors recruited 178 participants (mothers) from the south-east of England; the sample size represents regional bias as mothers’ solely attending gesturing classes in this region is not representative of the whole country. Age range of infants used in the study is firstly mention in this section. It is stated infants ranged between 3 and 36months; however research discussed in the introduction only refers to the importance of gesturing from 9 months. Therefore authors have not justified the relevance of focusing on infants younger than 9 months; in certifying readers understanding, this could have been mentioned in the introduction. Authors have stated the measuring instruments used in the study. A strength regards the sufficient detail provided about the PSI booklet; examples of typical features such as the subscales of both the child and parent domains have been described. However no further details are provided about the background demographics questionnaire; categories are presented in the results section, however, it would be helpful for readers if details were included in this section. The potential confounding effects of using self-report questionnaires should also be noted. Social desirability bias may be apparent whereby participants may respond in a favourable light; mothers may not want to admit they are experiencing difficulties and respond untruthfully. Furthermore, as questionnaires are standardised, ambiguous questions cannot be explained; this may lead participants to misinterpret questions. Motivation for parents to complete questionnaires may also be scarce, resulting in superficial responses. In helping overcome these difficulties, authors could have stated whether participants were informed about why the information was collected and how the results will be beneficial; if participants knew the importance of their responses and were informed that negative responses were equally as helpful as positive, it may have made them want to answer more honestly. A fundamental flaw in methodology regards the fact that authors have not measured parental stress levels before conducting study. As there is no baseline stress measures prior to class attendance, there is no way of knowing if gesturing classes caused an increase in stress or what would have happened regardless of the implementation of the program; to rectify, researchers should use a pre-test methodology. Furthermore, another weakness in the methodology regards the fact that no ethic considerations are discussed. For example, authors could have included whether participant confidentiality was taken into account and whether de-briefing was offered subsequent to the study to respondents who may have expressed signs of upset. Description of procedures appears to lack in detail whereby there is no sequential pattern to how the research was carried out. There is also no precision in relation to what is investigated, to whom, and under what conditions. For example, Howlett et al. , (2011) state ‘contact was made with the infant groups’ (p. 39); more information should be provided such as how and when participants were contacted. Furthermore, no information is provided on how many classes parents had attended before the study or when the questionnaires took place; more sufficient detail is needed so as to allow replication and in ensuring consistency. There are also issues surrounding the amount of time participants were given to complete the PSI; it is stated the questionnaire takes approximately 30 minutes to complete, however, the procedure of collection differed between participants. Some gave completed questionnaires to a group leader, others were returned by post; the same conditions should be applied to all participants in ensuring standardisation. In addition, authors have not provided details of data collection or analysis undergone in the study; to avoid ambiguity it is important to include where the scores used in the analyses have derived from. An apparent fundamental flaw in the procedure relates to the fact that participants were not randomly allocated to the two groups in the study; randomisation is important as it eliminates sources of bias and ensures unpredictability. To rectify, random selection of mothers from a population could participate in the study. Results The beginning paragraph of the results is too vague; the hypothesis is not stated and no information on what statistical tests were used is provided. Furthermore, what the study found has not been not stated; it is firstly mentioned half way through this section. However, a strength in the article regards the demographic information provided for the two groups of mothers. Hours a week mothers’ work, maternal education, family income and siblings were included. It also highlights the similarities and equivalence between the two groups, making the interpretation of results valid. Another strength to this study regards the fact that researchers have applied the correct statistical tests. Two analyses of ANCOVA were conducted to measure the differences between the gesturing and non gesturing groups’ PSI scores. ANCOVA is appropriate to use as it allows to compare one variable (PSI stress scores) in two or more groups (gesture group and non gesture group) ith consideration for variability of other variables; covariates (‘sibling status’ was used as a covariate in the first ANCOVA and ‘birth order’; in the second). Controlling ‘sibling status’ and ‘birth order’ stops these conditions being confounding variables and ensures validity. As ‘sibling status’ and ‘birth control’ covariates have been controlled, it may have been more beneficial for readers if authors ma de aware of these strategies used prior to the results section as there is no discussion relating to siblings until this point. Results found from ANCOVA also confirm to readers exactly what the researchers were intending to measure; after confusion from the introduction, uncertainties are clarified and findings explain that the focus is upon whether attending gesturing classes affects parental stress. Results are also provided with adequate information whereby the obtained F value, df and level of significance have been stated. Furthermore researchers are correct in using a Pearson’s r correlation in confirming results which is used to see if there is a correlation between at two continuous variables. By doing so, it was found that there was no relationship between how long or often gesture groups mothers had been gesturing with their infant, and the mothers’ total stress scores. Therefore mothers stress levels were unrelated to frequency and duration. Furthermore, in this section descriptive statistics have been provided in two separate tables. In ‘Table One’, which shows the ‘mean (S. D) stress scores for each item on the PSI by group’, data does not seem to be explained in full. The scale used is unclear and readers have not been informed on the system used whereby there is confusion as to what the numbers mean. Tables 2 which shows the ‘summary of two ANCOVA results’, is more coherent as a brief description is displayed underneath describing the covariates. Discussion In this section, yet again, the aim of the research remains unclear; it is stated ‘the aim of the study was to investigate the impact of gesturing with an infant upon parental stress’ (p442), authors need to be more specific in their interpretation of ‘gesturing’, whether they are referring to attendance of gesturing classes or general use of gesturing is uncertain. Possible explanations for findings have been discussed, such as the view that there may have been a difference between gesturing and non gesturing mothers due to gesturing mothers feeling more stressed prior to the study. Authors continue by suggesting these mothers chose to attend gesturing classes because of these feelings of stress in hope that they would help. However, authors’ claims can only be seen as speculation as no baseline measurement was used. It should be noted that researchers have evaluated their findings and acknowledged that as baseline measures are not present, no assumptions can be made as to why mothers who attended gesturing classes had increased stress levels compared to non gesturing mothers or whether they were more stressed before attending the classes. Due to the lack of solid findings, like in the introduction, groundless claims have been used in an effort to uphold argument in explaining mothers’ cause of stress. For example, it is stated ‘mothers have high aspirations for their child and the parenting industry may, albeit unwittingly, foster maternal insecurities’(p443); no justification has been provided for this claim. Moreover, additional research is needed to support the authors’ concluding claims that attending gesturing classes may be detrimental and effect mothers’ perception of their infant in a negative light. Only Hyson’s (1991) study relating to mothers who induced academically focused activities on preschool children has been used as evidence to back up this claim, this does not justify the authors’ inflated claims. To conclude, even though this article has used creditable measuring instruments and appropriate statistical tests, Howlett et al’s claims can only be seen as speculation as no pre-test baseline is used. No findings can be validated without measuring the stress levels of mothers prior to class attendance, whether increase in stress has occurred due to attending gesturing classes in unknown. For future recommendations, authors could use a baseline measures to test mothers’ stress scores prior to the study.

Connections Essay

The overall connection that I chose to analyze in this report was the importance of marriage, as it is an idea that is present in almost everybody’s life, and it is something that heavily impacts the nature of a society. Marriage is seen in society in both positive and negative ways, involving emotions from true love to bitterness. In the texts A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini, The Ballad of Calvary Street by James K Baxter, The Silk by Joy Cowley and Atonement directed by Joe Wright, this idea of the importance of marriage is clearly present in all of them, yet they are all shown so differently (negatively and positively) as to give examples of the ways that it is interpreted in different societies, and allow me to deduce the importance that this idea holds on a global scale. Romantic love is recognized in most societies by the practice of marriage. This is a prominent symbol in all the texts I have covered except for Atonement, where the absence of marriage is used to show the couple’s true love. In this film, we see that Cecelia and Robbie are in love, however a misunderstanding on the part of Cecelia’s sister, Briony, means that Cecelia and Robbie are prevented from marriage or even being together. This is shown as a particularly tragic incident, which shows the importance that society places on the process of marriage. This is also a very prominent idea in the novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns, which is set in Afghanistan. We see two women, Laila and Mariam, who are owned and controlled by their shared husband, and their lives literally rely on him, because as women, they are unable to attain independence due to their country’s beliefs. In Afghan society, marriage is a sacred business, and any sexual relations outside of marriage are greatly looked down upon, and the punishment for a female offender can be as severe as torture or death by the girl’s family or husband. This also shows the idea of the importance of marriage that is shown in Atonement, as marriage is seen as the pinnacle of happiness in both texts, However in A Thousand Splendid Suns it is shown in a more negative manner, with marriage being shown as an essential burden rather than a desire. Marriage is also shown as a necessity in the poem, The Ballad of Calvary Street, but for different reasons. In this poem, a poorly suited elderly couple stay together, to prevent the disruption of their family. This shows that even New Zealand society can view marriage as an important action, and a obligation in functional family life. This shows a similar idea to that in A Thousand Splendid Suns and Atonement, that marriage is a necessary action. In the short story The Silk, we see an elderly married couple, of which the husband is nearing death. The woman in the relationship is finding it hard to come to terms with her husbands impending demise, as she has a set routine which revolves around her and her husband’s relationship. This presents the idea that is shown in A Thousand Splendid Suns, Atonement and The Ballad of Calvary Street, that marriage is a prerequisite for a happy life, and it is a tragedy to be without it. In the Silk, we can tell that this married couple are truly in love from quotes such as, â€Å"she guarded him so possessively that she even resented the twice-weekly visits from the district nurse,† which shows the devoted way that they take care of each other, presenting the traditional idea of marriage. In Atonement, when childhood sweethearts Robbie and Cecelia are prevented from being together, we are struck by the tragedy of the fact that they will never be able to get married, and live out their lives together. This portrays the aspect of marriage that is shown in The Silk, that marriage is a symbol of the love between two people, and that it is a contract which binds the two people together for the rest of their lives, as we see Robbie and Cecelia denied of this entitlement. In today’s society, a happy couple who are in love are expected to get married. This relates to both The Silk and Atonement, as in both texts marriage is seen as a necessity for the happiness of the people involved, which further supports the idea that society regards marriage as particularly important. From these texts, society may be able to reassess its outlook on the controversial matter of gay marriage. The tragedy of Cecelia and Robbie’s separation that is shown in Atonement and the portrayal of the happiness involved in marriage that is shown in The Silk could be enough to convince the large portion of society that is against gay marriage that they are wrong, as in both texts marriage is shown as a component of happiness that should not be denied of anyone. The relationships and situations that are shown in the texts are not exclusive to heterosexual couples, and would translate just as well to homosexual relationships, meaning that the ideas attached to the texts can be applied to same-sex couples as well, and could have an influence on the opinion that people hold towards gay marriage. Unfortunately, marriage is not always a happy affair, as it is intended to be. This is plainly shown in the text The Ballad of Calvary Street, as we see an unfortunate couple who are forced to remain together due to the stigma attached to divorce. Quotes such as â€Å"Mum takes down the family files,† suggest that family is not an important thing to the couple, since they have fallen apart, but that they continue to treat it as such, as they consider it their duty as parents to remain married. This idea that marriage is a compulsory task is also shown in A Thousand Splendid Suns, as we see protagonist Laila is forced into marriage, for her own survival. Her husband knowingly takes advantage of her vulnerable situation, saying, â€Å"These days, times being what they are, a woman needs a husband,† showing that marriage can often take place for reasons other than love (as was shown in The Ballad of Calvary Street), and that this can easily be taken advantage of. This presents the idea that in many different societies, (New Zealand and Afghan), marriage is seen as an essential measure, even when one or both of the people involved in the relationship are unhappy. Although this is an unfortunate truth, it is one that must sometimes be accepted, as it is often present in today’s society. These texts could help people come to terms with the idea that marriage is not always a representation of love, as they show legitimate alternative reasons for marriage, (the stability of family life or the safety of a person in a certain community. ) This could benefit society as it would create an understanding and acceptance of the reality of marriage today. In conclusion, the idea of marriage is a common theme in many texts, including Atonement directed by Joe Wright, The Silk by Joy Cowley, A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini and The Ballad of Calvary Street by James K Baxter. Although marriage is not always the quintessential act of love and can sometimes tell a tragic story, it is important that it is expressed in forms such as these texts so that society can reflect on its faults and hopefully improve its approach on the subject.

The Fire Next Time Essays - Religion, Literature, Bible, Free Essays

The Fire Next Time Essays - Religion, Literature, Bible, Free Essays The Fire Next Time Breading Hate Opher Yunger Enc 1102 turning to that man on his right, he began to speak of the white devilsWhat had they made him (me) feel?Elijah went on about the crimes of white people, to this endless chorus of 'Yes, that's right.' The so-called American Negro is the only reason Allah has permitted the United States to endure so long; the white man's time was up in 1913, but it is the will of Allah that this lost black nationbe redeemed from their white masters and returned to the true faith, which is Islam. (Baldwin 65-6) This is a quote from James Baldwins' The Fire Next Time written in 1962, twenty years after Hitlers Third Reich reigned over much of modern day Europe. In the late 1930's Many of Hitlers speeches sounded very close to this one, and most of Europe blindly followed after him. The world may never be the same since the Holocaust, but it is things like this that make me wonder. Did the world really learn from the past? Baldwins The Fire Next Time discusses progress. Did the human race really make progress after World War Two? In the pre World War Two era, Germany was one of the most advanced nations in the modern world, yet they also led Europe in the horrible murder of twelve million men, women and children. How could a man like Elijah Mohammed, who was considered a very spiritual man, take aim at the white people and call them devils saying that the black man needs to reclaim the world. Did he not see how twenty years before hand the reckless words of hatred from a single man condemned twelve million men, women and children to death? I began to see that Elijahs power came from his single-mindedness (Baldwin 66). Elijah Mohammed thought, in the 1960s, exactly like Hitler. He thought that the black race was better than any other race in the world. This is an understandable thought, his nation was being oppressed and put down because of the color of their skin. Who is to say that if anyone else was in that situation, he or she would not also want to destroy the people who were oppressing them. But Elijah Mohammed was hiding behind g-d saying that this is what the Koran says. It happens way too many times, that g-d is brought into the picture. Does g-d really want people of a certain race to rule the world? Today in the twentieth century people are still murdering innocent people and standing behind g-d. Almost weekly we hear about a terrorist attack in the middle east, many of which are funded by religious extremists. It is easy for a leader to use g-d when they are speaking to many people who feel they are oppressed and have no where else to turn. A person who feels he has nothing to lose will do almost anything he is told. If the African American people had followed Elijah Mohammed who knows what could have happened. The American people could have repeated a Holocaust right in their own country. Many people say a Holocaust could never happen again. Its things like this that can make people think twice. Bibliography Baldwin, James. The Fire Next Time. New York: Vintage, 1993.

5 Ways to Fix the Comma Splice

5 Ways to Fix the Comma Splice 5 Ways to Fix the Comma Splice 5 Ways to Fix the Comma Splice By Mark Nichol A comma splice is simply a sentence in which a comma is called on to do more than is appropriate for the workaday but weak punctuation mark. When a sentence contains two independent clauses each of which could essentially stand on its own separated by a comma (or by nothing at all, in which case it’s called a fused sentence), employ one of these five strategies to fix the splice and create a correct connection: 1. â€Å"Of course not all companies will survive, it is our goal to give the investing public accurate information on all companies profiled.† Divide the sentence into two (and set â€Å"Of course† off with a comma as well): â€Å"Of course, not all companies will survive. It is our goal to give the investing public accurate information on all companies profiled.† 2. â€Å"Some buildings hearken back to Main Street, USA, others offer strip-mall modernism.† Insert a subordinating conjunction to convert either clause into a subordinate clause (one that depends on the other to be the main clause): â€Å"Some buildings hearken back to Main Street, USA, while others offer strip mall modernism.† (While could, alternatively, begin the sentence.) 3. â€Å"Several people have told me they want to buy a house before they are laid off, otherwise they won’t be able to get a loan.† Replace the comma with a semicolon (and, in this case, set otherwise off from the rest of the second clause: â€Å"Several people have told me they want to buy a house before they are laid off; otherwise, they won’t be able to get a loan.† 4. â€Å"At times, it resembled the pitch of a whirring blender, at other moments, an angelic choir.† Separate the clauses with a coordinating conjunction: â€Å"At times, it resembled the pitch of a whirring blender, and at other moments, an angelic choir.† (The final comma and the elided phrase â€Å"an angelic choir† are correct; repetition of â€Å"it resembled† is implied.) 5. â€Å"Other cops have an alternative solution, they simply arrive on the scene long after the criminals have fled in order to avoid any confrontation.† Employ a colon in place of the comma when what follows is a definition or explanation stemming from the first clause: â€Å"Other cops have an alternative solution: They simply arrive on the scene long after the criminals have fled in order to avoid any confrontation.† Better yet, to create a stronger impact with the sentence, move the final modifying phrase forward as a parenthetical: â€Å"Other cops have an alternative solution: In order to avoid any confrontation, they simply arrive on the scene long after the criminals have fled.† More than one of these strategies is usually an option; each of the sentences above can be repaired with at least two of the methods described. Often, however, depending on the sentence content and structure, one solution will stand out as the best. (An em dash can also be used to set one independent clause off from the other.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:30 Synonyms for â€Å"Meeting†Flier vs. FlyerPreposition Mistakes #3: Two Idioms

Argument about SONY organizational charts Essay

Argument about SONY organizational charts - Essay Example Company’s CEO, taking into consideration the financial situation of Sony, the problems with its electronics department ex-profit-generator that appeared to show ‘a lackluster performance’ (Certo & Certo, 245), came to the conclusion to conduct major organizational changes. The company was divided in 4 divisions with a vice-president (VP) responsible for each of them. Now on the top of organizational structure of Sony stand the CEO, who had 4 VP (each responsible for one division) in submission. Despite the fact that this organizational structure has its advantages, some better results might be achieved in case two more executive VPs would be put between CEO and VPs of departments. Although, lots of variations links between divisions, executive VPs and CEO available, in this case we will stick to the idea that these two executive VPs had an authority over VPs of the particular divisions and that CEO had only them two in submission (see illustration in appendix). Less sources of information. Because of this organizational change the CEO now needs to focus only on tracking two people, but not four. By doing this he can spend less time on getting reports, analyzing them and making significant observations to make future decisions, but can delegate his executive VPs to be responsible for analyzing all the data and reporting him only the most valuable information. This will give him more free time to focus on general strategic planning in organization. As now the CEO has executive VPs in submission that might be responsible for filtering and analyzing information, he might make more well-thought decision and an overall performance of the company might go up. More balanced organizational strategy. For this proposed organizational structure, the executive VPs could be in charge of particular divisions grouped, so they might have more well-balanced organizational strategy. For example, VP with a background in marketing and sales can be focused on promotion of

Annotation of one of the Prescribed Journal Articles Essay - 1

Annotation of one of the Prescribed Journal Articles - Essay Example Introducing the role of nurses in the special administrative region in Hong Kong, the author focuses on workforce, educational and practice issues, as well as on leadership in nursing. In a significant conclusion to the article, David R. Thompson suggests that there should be an effective strategic plan to determine sufficient numbers of properly educated nurses in Hong Kong. In this article analysis paper, the focus has been a reflective analysis of the arguments made by Thompson in his article determining the central arguments and assessing the validity of the essential points. In the introductory section of the article, Thompson focuses on the vital the role of nurses in the special administrative region (SAR) in Hong Kong and the author is emphatic about the importance of nursing to health and healthcare developments in the region. Thus, he explains the importance of nursing with regard to direct care, care coordination, health promotion, and health education. The nurses of the region deal with these essential functions in hospitals as well as community. â€Å"Nurses and nursing are central to health and healthcare developments taking place in Hong Kong, not the least because nurses comprise around 40% of the healthcare workforce. Nurses play a key role in the provision of direct care, care coordination, health promotion, and health education, both in hospitals and in the community. Quality and safety, driven by quality improvement programs and the promotion of evidence-based practice, have been two features that are central to nursing and healthcare.â €  (Thompson 2006, P 158). Therefore, according to the author, educational preparation and continuing professional development of nurses are of vital importance in Hong Kong. Resembling any other countries, nursing is experiencing several significant challenges in Hong Kong and the author broadly classifies those under four themes. These significant challenges confronting nursing in Hong Kong are