Practical Philosophy And Conversational Counseling

Practical Philosophy and Conversational Counseling For the past 5 years the writer, on a volunteer and informal basis has been given access to clients of a Homeless Shelter, Veterans Residential Center and Addiction Treatment Center in Phoenix, Arizona. At these locations the writer has conducted individual and group weekly sessions with an emphasis on the abuse of alcohol and drugs utilizing Practical Philosophy and Conversational Counseling to supplement meditation sessions. Group size averages around 10 participants. In order to compare effectiveness of Practical Philosophy and Conversational Counseling with participants who have no known current diagnosis of alcohol and/or drug abuse, the writer has during the same period conducted a group comprised of successful business men and women also in Phoenix, Arizona meeting on a weekly basis. Additionally, one time per month an Open Meditation group is held, open to all. Up to 20 individuals attend this group. Individuals and participants in all three group categories respond favorably to the experience of supplementing meditation with Practical Philosophy and Conversational Counseling. Particularly appreciated is the opportunity to share personal reflections of the meditative experience together with discussions on matters that are personally relevant to them arising from Practical Philosophy. This helps to establish deeper levels of knowledge within each participant. In addition to the individual benefit of these sessions,Show MoreRelatedMethods of Qualitative of Data Collection19658 Words   |  79 Pagesinstead of its depth (Wengraf, 2001). Interviewing varies in terms of a priori structure and in the latitude the interviewee has in responding to questions. Patton (2002, pp. 341–347) puts interviews into three general categories: the informal, conversational interview; the general interview guide approach; and the standardized, open-ended interview. Qualitative, in-depth interviews typically are much more like conversations than formal events with predetermined response categories. The researcherRead MoreBohlander/Snell-Managing Hr24425 Words   |  98 Pagesprofessionals working around the world. A core HR group in the company’s Atlanta headquarters holds a two-week HR orientation twice a year for the international HR staff. 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Revision to Summary and Implications for Managers section, with more focus on practical ways to apply the material on the job. NEW videos—up-to-date videos showing management topics in action, access to the complete management video library, as well as instructional materials for integrating clips from popular movies into your classRead MoreProject Mgmt296381 Words   |  1186 Pagesincreasing attention. Projects are the major tool for implementing and achieving the strategic goals of the organization. In the face of intense, worldwide competition, many organizations have reorganized around a philosophy of innovation, renewal, and organizational le arning to survive. This philosophy suggests an organization that is flexible and project driven. Project management has developed to the point where it is a professional discipline having its own body of knowledge and skills. Today it is nearly

Human Energy Use Free Essays

Human uses of energy over 10,000 years are explained in Changing Environments (Morris et al, 2003a). Until 10,000 years ago humans lived as hunter gatherers in small groups, this changed in the current interglacial stage or Holocene with the introduction of agriculture. Figure 2. We will write a custom essay sample on Human Energy Use or any similar topic only for you Order Now 19 page 82 of (Morris et al, 2003b) indicates that during the early agriculturalist period humans had begun to domesticate animals that could be used for carrying and pulling. Energy use increased from 0. 24 W (calculations – Morris et al, 2003c, p 81-82) per day per capita in the previous period to 0. 8 W per day as it was realised that extra somatic energy obtained from food could be assisted by the use of tools made from metals such as bronze and iron. Energy use advanced by using tools, and as we moved to the advanced agriculturalists period energy consumption more than doubled to 1 W. The industrial society brought major changes in the use of energy with agriculture, transport and mining. There were increases in the use of fossil fuels as workplaces and homes were heated and the steam engine was introduced. (Morris et al, 2003d p 83). We can see in Figure 2. 9 page 82 of (Morris et al, 2003b), that during the period energy consumption rose to 4 W. The greatest increase o f energy is 11 W in the technological society this was 10 W more than the early agriculturalists. This period sees energy increases in home, commerce, industry, agriculture and transportation. It is also during this time that we begin to see the use of fossil fuels to create electricity, gas and oil and also the introduction of nuclear fuel. There is a large increase in oil use during this period due to the increased use of transportation. (Morris et al, 2003d p 83). How to cite Human Energy Use, Papers

Cold Desert free essay sample

Because Antarctica is a polar region, there is little precipitation, it has no lakes or rivers and is in fact the driest continent. We will write a custom essay sample on Cold Desert or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The interior of Antarctica is considered the worlds driest desert because the extreme cold freezes water vapour out of the air. Annual snowfall on the polar plateau is equivalent to less than 5 cm of rain. A desert is defined as an area of low and irregular rainfall, no permanent surface water and no substantial vegetation. Yes, because there is very little rainfall or moisture in the air, because most of the water stays frozen. Almost the whole continent is Desert, the largest contiguous desert on earth, and one of the dryest. Terain ranges from ice plains to dry valleys of rock and shale. From high mountains to the coast this unbroken desert covers almost the entirety of the worlds 5th largest continent. The interior of the continent of Antarctica is the worlds largest desertBecause Antarctica is a polar region, there is no precipitation, it has no lakes or rivers and is in fact the driest continent. Antarctica is the worlds largest desertDesert not always mean a hot place. A desert is a place where rainfall (or the equivalent in snow) is less than 10 inches (250 mm) per year. rainfall is not these much in antarctica. Thats why antarctica is a desert This is a question I got from Children in Room 133 at Talahi Community School: â€Å"We are studying deserts this week. We heard that Antarctica might be considered a desert! Can you tell us about this? † Antarctica is indeed a desert, in fact it is the largest desert (about 14. 2 million square kilometers in size) on planet Earth. Specifically it is a cold desert. This may surprise many people, because people usually think of deserts as being hot, like the Sahara Desert (just over 9 million square kilometers), but that does not have to be the case. Deserts are defined as regions that have less than 254 mm (10 inches) of precipitation per year. Precipitation means water that can fall as rain, sleet, hail or snow. Another definition of a desert is ‘an area where there is a greater rate of evaporation than precipitation (rain, hail or snow)’. Because the average temperature in Antarctica is typically below zero degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit), combined with the fact that cold air cannot hold as much moisture as warm air, it is usually too cold for precipitation to occur. The Antarctic Desert is a region in the eastern portion of Antarctica, on the Indian Ocean side of the continent. It chiefly occupies the Victoria, Wright, and Taylor valleys near the McMurdo Sound. It is almost entirely located in the Eastern Hemisphere, except for a very small portion.

The Church of Scientology Essay Example For Students

The Church of Scientology Essay The point is emphasized to that many of these charges are against top officials in the Church not merely isolated incidents of radicals, so for every court case presented in the article so to is the title of the member being charged. The heavy research that has gone into Watchers work may be contrasted with the informal article written by the Scientology insider. Whether an intentional effort was made in order to cover up aspects of the Church that were too controversial to discuss, or the author merely did not feel the need to use hard evidence to support his ideas, the article appears to be personal opinion versus substantial research. We will write a custom essay on The Church of Scientology specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The author Bernie even goes so far as to admit that cultic aspects are evident in the Church of Scientology, yet he does not discuss what these aspects are or how they are evident. The insider does not use any outside sources in his body of work, unlike the extensive bibliography that follows Watchers article, instead he solely relies on his own experience in the Church to validate the article. Throughout the Watcher article there are many Scientology policies that are used in support of her argument. The idea of suppressive acts within the Church explains why Scientologists try to silence criticism at any cost, because it is a part of their religious doctrine to protect the name of the Church. Watcher has even managed to secure Scientology documents that help to indict the Church further, one such document reveals how members are held against their will providing members of the Church feel they are going through a nervous breakdown. Who determines the mental state of the member, however is a council composed of top officials in the Church rather than some sort of mental heath professional. The insider in sharp contrast does not refer at all to specific Scientology policies, he merely gives a broad overview of the Church and its ability to cure any members emotional or mental state of anguish. This has often been an accusation brought against new religious movements and their deceptive techniques of recruitment, that initially they will give very little specifics about the Church and make it appear to be a universally acceptable group centered around ideas of health and happiness. In this sense the insiders argument seems insubstantial, and plays into preconceived notions of new religious movements and their recruitment methods. After analyzing the few similarities and countless areas of contention between the two articles there are obvious conclusions that must be drawn. First, when analyzing the insider versus outsider perspective it is important to keep in mind that no one side is purely neutral in their beliefs. It would be nai ve to think that the insider would be overly critical of their experience, as well as the outsider to be out rightly supportive of a new religious movement. It is the job of the respective individual to prove something to the reader, whether it be that Scientology is beneficial to society or a stereotypical cult-like new religious group. Therefore it is not a matter of identifying which perspective remained along neutral lines, but which author argued the best case for their point. In this particular analysis the outsider managed to present a strong case against the Church of Scientology using hard evidence to support every claim that was made. Unlike her insider counterpart, Watcher as a writer was able to criticize the Church of Scientology from a number of fronts without confusing personal opinion for hard evidence. The downfall of the insiders article was that their emotion and feelings toward the Church of Scientology clouded their ability to critically access the religions policy and practices. It is essential to this study, however that we acknowledge that this is but one comparison between an outsider and an insiders perspective on a new religious movement. .u31357235c46c83b44acb874300795edd , .u31357235c46c83b44acb874300795edd .postImageUrl , .u31357235c46c83b44acb874300795edd .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u31357235c46c83b44acb874300795edd , .u31357235c46c83b44acb874300795edd:hover , .u31357235c46c83b44acb874300795edd:visited , .u31357235c46c83b44acb874300795edd:active { border:0!important; } .u31357235c46c83b44acb874300795edd .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u31357235c46c83b44acb874300795edd { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u31357235c46c83b44acb874300795edd:active , .u31357235c46c83b44acb874300795edd:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u31357235c46c83b44acb874300795edd .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u31357235c46c83b44acb874300795edd .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u31357235c46c83b44acb874300795edd .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u31357235c46c83b44acb874300795edd .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u31357235c46c83b44acb874300795edd:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u31357235c46c83b44acb874300795edd .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u31357235c46c83b44acb874300795edd .u31357235c46c83b44acb874300795edd-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u31357235c46c83b44acb874300795edd:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Trail of Tears EssayWe cannot conclude with absolute certainty that every insider relies on soft data to prove their point, just as we are unable to conclude that the outsiders perspective will always have the more sophisticated research methods. What we can take out of this analysis is the idea that the more knowledge we have on a certain topic the more enlightened we become. Relying on one source for all of our information, whether it be outsider or insider is a narrow minded way to go about understanding something as complex as new religious movements. Like any topic we study throughout our lives we must treat new religious movements as unique and multifaceted institutions, whereby relying solely on one persons interpretation will not advance our knowledge of the subject. Bibliography Bernie, John. Another look at Scientology An Insiders Look at the Controversy 4 July 2004 http://bernie. cncfamily. com/ars. htm. Melton, Gordon, J. The Church of Scientology. Italy: Signature Books, 2000. Miller, Russell. Bare-Faced Messiah: The True Story of L. Ron Hubbard. New York: Sphere Books, 1987. Vosper, Cyril. The Mindbenders. London: Neville Spearman Publishing, 1971. Watcher, Kristy. Whats Wrong with Scientology Scientology Lies 21 March 2002 http://www. scientology-lies. com/whatswrong. html. 1 Melton, Gordon, J. The Church of Scientology. Italy: Signature Books, 2000. p. 53. 2 Watcher, Kristy. Whats Wrong with Scientology Scientology Lies 21 March 2002 http://www. scientology-lies. com/whatswrong. html. p. 3. 3 Ibid. p. 2. 4 Bernie, John. Another look at Scientology An Insiders Look at the Controversy 4 July 2004 http://bernie. cncfamily.com/ars. htm. p. 5. 5 Ibid. p. 7. 6 Bernie, John. Another look at Scientology An Insiders Look at the Controversy 4 July 2004 http://bernie. cncfamily. com/ars. htm. p. 3. 7 Watcher, Kristy. Whats Wrong with Scientology Scientology Lies 21 March 2002 http://www. scientology-lies. com/whatswrong. html. p. 2.

Tartuffe by Jean-Baptiste Poquelin Moliere Essay Example

Tartuffe by Jean Tartuffe by Jean-Baptiste Poquelin Moliere Paper Tartuffe by Jean-Baptiste Poquelin Moliere Paper Essay Topic: Literature Tartuffe, a play by Jean-Baptiste Poquelin Moliere, is a poignant story about a man, Orgon, who is totally and completely taken in and blinded by a scoundrel named Tartuffe. Orgon has utter faith and shows unconditional love for this poor pious man, Tartuffe. Orgon is willing to sacrifice everything his wife, his family, his daughters happiness and even his large estate. Orgon believes that under Tratuffes tutelage my souls been freed from earthly loves, and every human tie:/ My mother, children, brother and wife could die, /And Id not feel a single moments pain (I, v, 18-20). This story of deceit leads the reader to believe that all will be lost and that evil will triumph over good. The events that occur in the play and the emotions that the characters experience parallel the events in our everyday lives. Such events include the power struggle between Orgon (the parent) and his children, about secret agreements, about reverse psychology and about relationships in general. Orgon has agreed to give his daughter Mariane to Valere in marriage but is now having second thoughts. He has decided that Mariane should wed Tartuffe. He believes that Tartuffe is the most suitable husband and tries to convince her. Youre a sweet girl Whom I hold dear, and think most highly of (II, i, 7). You can repay me, if youll cheerfully obey me (II, i, 9-10). Although everyone in the family is against this union he says I shall defy you all, and make it clear/ That Im the one who gives the orders here (III, vi, 57-58). Its a fathers privilege (II, i, 30). But beyond his threats he supports his feelings when he tells Mariane Daughter, well disregard this dunderhead. Just trust your fathers judgment. Oh, Im aware/ That I once promised you to young Valere; /But now I hear he gambles, which greatly shocks me; /Whats more, Ive doubts about his orthodoxy. /His visits to church, I note, are very few (II, ii, 65-70). Mariane is distraught and turns to Dorine, her ladys maid and friend. Dorine encourages Mariane to tell her father that one cannot love at a fathers whim; /That you shall marry for yourself, not him: /That since its you who are to be the bride, / Its you, not he, who must be satisfied; (II, iii, 8-11). But Mariane is afraid to go against her fathers wishes and answers Dorine, Ive bowed so long to Fathers strict control, I couldnt oppose him now, to save my soul (II, iii, 13-14). When I read this part of the play it was like I was reading a page from my own life. Like Mariane, I have a great deal of respect and love for my mother and stepdad who have always guided me down a safe and stable path. But we disagree strongly about the boy I am dating. Tom is a kind and thoughtful person. He is a good friend and can be trusted with confidences. He and I enjoy many of the same things but each of us is willing to learn about the others interests and hobbies. My mom and stepdad see things differently. They pointed out that Tom and I are of different religions and from very different backgrounds. My best friend Melissa, like Dorine, can see my side of the story and agrees that I should follow my heart. But I guess ultimately I am the one who will have to live with the consequences of my actions. Am I ready to do that? Tartuffe has completely seduced Orgon into believing that he is the most religious and devout human being in existence and believes that his charm will work on all members of Orgons family. Tartuffe makes a pass at Elmire, Orgons wife, it floods my heart with bliss/ To find myself alone with you like this. / For just this chance Ive prayed with all my power/ theres nothing I had rather do Than bare my inmost heart and soul to you (III, iii, 21-23, 27-28). Having professed his feelings he takes hold of her hands and presses her fingertips. When rebuked, he places his hand on her knee. Damis, Orgons son, tells his father of Tartuffes overtures. Father Let us advise you / that I surprised him with your wife, and heard His whole adulterous offer (III, vi, 1, 7-8). As the scene was unfolding I could feel the lecherous actions of this ungodly man. When I was at Nassau Community College last fall and then again in the spring I was stalked by a young man in my English class. Nothing has ever made me feel more uncomfortable or scared in my entire life. This guy would be standing near my car and would just stare at me. He would stand by my classroom and would just stare at me. He even once had the nerve to follow me into the Ladies Room. I told my English Professor and the campus security police. They said they would keep an eye out but could do nothing unless he actually physically attacked me or spoke to me directly. That was not very comforting because it seemed that they did not quite believe me. This sexual harassment was seduction at its worst. Tartuffe plays the scoundrel well. When given gifts by Orgon he insists he should Give him less I dont deserve it. The half, Sir, would suffice (I, v, 38). But Orgon does not see through these false words. Even when his son tells him of Tartuffes inappropriate behavior with his wife Orgon believes what he wants to. Tartuffe tells him Believe his story: the boy deserves your trust/ dont be deceived by hollow shows: /Im far, from being what men suppose (III, vi, 19, 24, 26). But Orgon insists that Tartuffe, is the honest and fair person he believes him to be and even gives him Clear deed and title to everything I own (III, vii, 38). This reverse psychology worked on Orgon and I hoped would work on my mom. One day when I was shopping with my mother, I badly wanted a pair of shoes that I saw in a fashion magazine and were expensive. I knew that my mom would not pay for them and would suggest that I get another pair of shoes that was more reasonably priced. When we got to the store she did exactly as I thought. She said no to the pair that I wanted because she really disliked them and picked out a different pair that she thought I might like. I said fine, whatever, and put a pout on my face because I was not getting the pair that I wanted. They really were not that bad and fit better than the expensive ones but they were not the trendy new expensive ones that I had my heart set on. But she was the one using reverse psychology. She told me that I could have the more expensive ones if I really wanted them. When she relented, I felt a little guilty. I put things into perspective and smiled. I agreed to the ones she picked out because they were more comfortable and I knew that after all the other things she had gotten me for school this would add another financial burden. However, after we paid for the pair of sneakers that was less money, she surprised me by offering to buy me a special pair of designer sandals that I desperately wanted, something she was planning all along. When Orgon finally accepts the truth about Tartuffe he must also accept the consequences of his actions. He is about to lose his estate and go to jail for keeping treasonous papers. He has decided that no one can be trusted. Cleante, Orgons brother-in-law, begs him not to jump between absurd extremes and to earn to distinguish virtue from pretense, / Be cautious in bestowing admiration, / And cultivate a sober moderation to err, if err one must,/ As you have done, upon the side of trust (V, ii, 37, 50-52, 56-57). My mom was a single parent for more than ten years and raised three children. Every decision rested on her shoulders. There were many times when she proved to be the stabilizing force in our lives by making difficult decisions about school, dating, driving and the like. We knew we could unconditionally count on her for love and guidance. She did, however, instill in all three of us the ability to make decisions. When I first started college I enrolled at SUNY Oswego. During the summer break I was very unhappy and torn about returning to school. There were not many Long Island kids at Oswego and fewer Jewish ones. I am the kind of student who needs to meet with my professors to help me get on track and some would not offer alternate office hours that would not conflict with my classes. Even so, I was more worried if my mom would be disappointed in me? Would I make new friends? Would my friends that that I had to come home? Would I be embarrassed about failing? I expected her to order me home because my grades were not as good as I had achieved in the past. On the other hand, I thought she might order me to stay since she had spent so much time, effort, and money getting me ready for out-of-town school. Instead, she ordered me to weigh the pros and cons and make a decision on my own. I insisted that she tell me what to do, but she held fast and offered no answer. She told me that the decision had to be mine. But having been raised in a household with her at the helm I had the ability to make a difficult grown-up decision. I decided to come hoe. She supported my decision and that decision turned out to be exactly right for me. I know I found my niche here at C. W. Post. Secrets can sometimes be troublesome and sometimes they are just meant to be shared between two people. When Tartuffe makes his sexual overture to Elmire, she asks him Arent you afraid that I may take a notion/ To tell my husband of your warm devotion. / But I shall be discreet about your lapse;/ Ill tell my husband nothing of whats occurred/If, in return, youll give your solemn word/ To advocate as forcefully as you can/ the marriage of Valere and Mariane (III, iii, 125-126, 136-140). When I came home from camp my mom and I entered into a secret agreement. My parents decided that I should help pay for half of the repairs on my car. It needed new tires, an inspection, and a new alarm. My mom knew how hard I worked all summer and that these repairs would take a big chunk out of my salary. We agreed that I would write out a check for the amount that was due and that she would reimburse me. She knew that if I paid for the repairs that I would not be able to take care of my personal needs and school expenses and that either way she would have to subsidize me. Orgon and his mother, Madame Pernelle, are each subjected to family pressure. Both believe in Tartuffe and will not listen to reason. As shown all along, Orgon does not want to hear any negatives about Tartuffe until his wife absolutely convinces him. But even Orgon cannot change his mothers mind. Madame Pernelle defends Tartuffe. She will not be swayed and insists that Till his guilt is clear, / A man deserves the benefit of the doubt. / You should have waited, to see how things turned out (V, iii, 45-47). Peer pressure is difficult to overcome. My first real experience with peer pressure was when I was away at school. My roommate was into marijuana and tried to convince me that a joint would enhance my outlook and I would begin to relax. My other friends tried to convince me that the bar scene was cool and that drinking would make me less up tight. But I know for me that drugs and alcohol are not for me. I am pleased to say that I did not give into peer pressure and Yes, I am the designated driver. As one can see, the events that the characters encounter in Molieres play Tartuffe are as timely today as when they were written. We can all identify and empathize in one way or another with his characters and the situations they find themselves in. Even though Orgon seems like a weak, uncaring father and husband, he ultimately shows his true love for his family and apologizes for his poor judgment. The play is a wonderful example of family life.

Body Ritual Among the Nacirema

The â€Å"Body Ritual Among the Nacirema† by Horace Miner, is an article that examines the various rituals that manifests within industrialized societies, specifically referencing to the United States. In the article Miner joked about the invasion of privacy and the obsession of becoming immortal. Miner provides gives outstanding evidence that the characteristics or an attitude of the human body has a broad influence on a variety of institutions in the Nacirema society. Throughout the article Miner provides an understanding perspective how Americans do similar rituals in a different point of view. One key word that was emphasized in the article that numerous times was â€Å"ritual† and how it transformed the way we lives. It clearly mentions how our society perceives that idea and whether we act positively or negatively to it. Miner implements a wonderful inscription on the readers thought as how other societies may view our own. After reading the article, I agree with many ideas Miner made about society because of country does use exaggerated body image and misuse the idea of preventive medicine. The natural tendency of the human body and mind has always sparked a great debate. For example, were humans born with good or a bad intention is an ongoing debate. Remarkably, these beliefs are also reflected within a society or cultures even today. A group called Nacirema, located in North America, believed that the human body is ugly and is prone to â€Å"natural tendency† which was debility and disease. Following this â€Å"natural tendency†, the â€Å"holy mouth man† used magical instruments and drilled them into the holes of cavities created by tooth decay. Although this practice was believed to cure the problem it only intensified the infection in the tooth. Also there was a medicine man that treated sick patients which ultimately leaves them in a state where they can never be cured. These practices were performed in Nacirema, which showed their faith towards the natural law of humans. In contrast to the Nacriema’s culture, our modern society has somewhat of different approach to this â€Å"natural tendency†. In general, it is inevitably that all humans will age which means they are more susceptible to becoming ill. Thus, the â€Å"natural tendency† in our modern society does not differ much from the Nacirema culture. Yet, our modern society seems to disapprove the natural tendency. People try to look more youthful by applying cosmetics, treat diseases and vaccines shots regularly. In today’s society the rituals of the Nacirema may seem cruel and inhumane. However the Nacriema culture can be characterized as following the natural tendency, which is the law of the universe. Therefore, based on the analysis of the two distinct perspectives toward our approach to nature, it can be known that cultural relativism is needed when looking at different cultures. Miner’s ironic article, â€Å"Body Ritual Among the Nacirema† is an entertaining social commentary can be argued to be ethnocentric. Miner knowingly chooses the American culture because of their cultural practices (the use of cosmetics and hygiene products). One would expect to hear the practice of our society is technologically primitive and tribal. Miner evokes this approach of thinking to the reader by attempting to unwittingly use our cultural preconceptions against our own customs. Ultimately I believe Miner achieved his goal to force readers to believe that concept. Similarly to every other culture, Americans have plenty of taboo practices that when viewed objectively they appear very illogical and in some cases ridiculous. Upon reaching his revelation, Miner says, â€Å"we should view the traditions of other cultures with an improved understanding. † However, I think it would be foolish to believe that we can ever completely eliminate ourselves of all cultural biases or ethnocentricity. Each individual will always view life at his or her own viewpoint. Perhaps this is what Miner was trying convey to us. Maybe he wanted us to view our culture and determine how we would be viewed in other cultures. The idea does spark great debate for those who conduct intellectual or scientific research. Nonetheless, they are in theory accountable to present their own findings without injecting their own opinions, but conversely this an absolutely unrealistic expectation. Try as they may, as I mentioned earlier; people will see things differently through there own eyes and any beliefs that accompanies their idea. In conclusion, I felt a bit saddened while reading, â€Å"Body Ritual Among the Nacirema† because there are a lot of people who stress so hard on appearance, rather than living life as humble and optimistically as possible. In fact, the whole article made the United States seem a bit sickening morally. If I could pretend that Nacirema was a culture outside of our country, I would never visit that country because of the harsh critics and judgments I would have to endure constantly. Frivolous judgments like how you look, the way you dress and how much wealth you generate. Overall I’ve learned a lot and I didn’t know anything about the Nacirema definitely an article everyone should read.

Gas Pipeline Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Gas Pipeline - Essay Example The ability of suppliers to supply gas have been drastically reduced resulted in a shift in the supply curve to the left as can be seen on graph 2 below. This resulted in the equilibrium point moving left from E1 to a new point E2 on the graph on the intersection point of the supply and demand curves . Another fact that can be derived from the above graph is that a small shift in the supply of gas will result in a larger shift in price. The reason for this is that gas is not a luxury but a essential product for most people and businesses, and this is indicated on the graph by a much steeper demand curve than normal, meaning the demand curve for gas is less elastic. Even so a increase in price will result in a marginal decrease in demand as people restrict driving for essential reasons only, such as going to work to conserve gas. It would not have resulted in a shift of the demand curve as there was nothing really forcing a increase or decrease in the demand for gas, except the increase in price. Additionally the drop in gas supply and the resulting increase in price would also have effected many other market contributors. The distribution of products onto the market is done by a transport system, and a large part of this system is fueled by gas, such as trucks and delivery vans. The suppliers of these products would have paid more to be able to distribute their products to shops and malls, so the price of these commodities would have also gone up, negatively influencing their demand. The above can be seen as the behavior of a open market influenced by buyers and sellers naturally driving the market towards a equilibrium. When prices are above the equilibrium point and there is a surplus of goods, it will cause market prices to fall (Mankiw, Gregory, 2004). In the above case study we had a price below the equilibrium point as there was a decrease in supply, causing market prices to rise. Cited Page 1. Pump Price Graphs. ArizonaGasPrices.com. 2003 - 2006. Accessed 29 March 2006. www.ArizonaGasPrices.com/retail_price_chart.aspx 2. Arizona Gas Prices. Gas Price Comparisons. Accessed 29 March 2006 http://www.arizonagasprices.com/ 3. Mankiw, Gregory. Principles of Economics.

Journalism - The Economic Crisis Research Paper

Journalism - The Economic Crisis - Research Paper Example The people I interviewed gave varied responses to the causes of the economic crisis but from the interviews it was clear that it affected people’s living standards since inflation hit hard ion people s pockets and they could no longer live the way they used to do before. People feel that the economic crisis was caused by the debts that most people in the United States live with. The rate of profit of the economy had fallen and this meant that there was a high rate of inflation. Businesses were forced to adjust to the crisis by laying off workers so that they could continue being in existence. The rate of unemployment also increased as a result and this meant that the unemployed people could not get money to meet their daily needs. The decline in profits cased investments to reduce and since the economy depends on returns from business, the economy was set on the crisis. Other people feel that mortgage lending caused the economic crisis since the cost of housing increased signi ficantly during the crisis. This is because people had to pay a lot of money for their housing units and they were left with little money to meet their other needs. People feelings about the economic mess are varied but most people feel that it ruined the lifestyles as they had to budget their finances so that they could be able to survive with the money they had. ... The crisis caused people to move in to smaller houses since paying mortgages was expensive as interest rates were on the all time high and paying them was a task. People feel that the government is to blame for the crisis since it did not set the necessary policies to see that the value of the dollar is maintained. The government did not respond to crisis early enough as if it had it would have set out policies that would ensure that interest rates are at a good enough level to further development. People are dependant on credit and when the interest rates are too high, it means that they will not be able to get credit at reasonable interest rates hence levels of poverty will increase. Had the government ensured that interest rates were at a fair rate, it would make people get more credit and use it for their own development and for that of the country. People feel that government spending also had a great role to play in the crisis the economy was so much in debt and the high rate o f inflation meant that more money had to be used to pay the debt. The government spent a lot of money on the war against terrorism and there was no money being injected into the economy from the war. The cost incurred during the war depleted the economy of funds, which could be used for development purposes. Everyone was affected by the crisis and people complained on the adverse effects it had on their daily routines. There were high rates of unemployment since businesses could not employ people due to the decreased levels of profit. Those who were lucky to get jobs had to work on two or more jobs since they could not get enough from one job. Since the cost of gas also increased people’s travelling habits also

Community Based Rehabilitation Essay Example for Free

Community Based Rehabilitation Essay Community Based Rehabilitation(CBR) may be defined, according to three United Nation Agencies, ILO, UNESCO, and the WHO, as a strategy within community development for the rehabilitation, equalization of opportunities, and social integration of all people with disabilities. CBR is implemented through the combined efforts of disabled people themselves, their families and communities, and the appropriate health, education, vocational and social services (WHO, 1994). Institutional Rehabilitation provides excellent services to address the problems of individual disabled persons and is often available only for a small number at a very high cost. CBR as the name implies has have found in the community, its roots in the community and has to derive sustenance and support from the community. They should be rehabilitated in their community by and with people in their community. CBRfocuses on  * enhancing the quality of life for people with disabilities and their families, * meeting basic needs and * ensuring inclusion and participation. CBR was initiated in the mid-1980s but has evolved to become a multi-sectoral strategy that empowers persons with disabilities to access and benefit from education, employment, health and social services. CBR is implemented through the combined efforts of people with disabilities, their families, organizations and communities, relevant government and non-government health, education, vocational, social and other services.Mainstreaming and inclusion is seen as an effective way:to include persons with disability;to give equal opportunity and to provide a non discriminative environment for their growth and development In practical terms this means persons with disability are included in the programmes and schemes formulated by the government and others, not as mere beneficiaries but as equal members who can participate with full recognition of and exercise their rights. Need of CBR Institutional overheads and other major infrastructural expenses make the process very expensive. Moreover, the endeavours in an institution are often out of context to the felt needs of the disabled person, and thus falls short of their expectations. The fact that this person comes from a particular background and cultural setting is often ignored. The institutional culture is imposed on the disabled person and they are often expected to function as advised by the â€Å"experts†. In an institutional rehabilitation programme, the community is not linked with the process. Hence, when the disabled persons return home, it may become difficult for them to integrate into their community. Disability -Situation Time line In the 70s it was based on western health care model largely urban based and not cost effective. No real service provision for disabled. In the 80s/90s there was a shift from medical towards employment and community development. In real terms this was a social model. In the year 2000 CBR perceived in terms of Human rights and involvement and awareness of disabled persons was advocated. WHO approach emphasizes basic rehabilitation involving working partnership with local community, disabled, family, governments and professionals at regional and national levels.

Long Swings In The Exchange Rate And The Excess Returns Puzzle: The Ro :: essays research papers

Long Swings in the Exchange Rate and the Excess Returns Puzzle: The Role of Imperfect Knowledge The paper is a clear breath of "dirty" air in the sterile world of perfect foresight. The authors offer a well worked out model of how agents persistently bid the exchange rate away from the expected long-run equilibrium rate. It seems intuitively comfortable to see the mathematical justification for the unexplained excess returns to be a function of the distance from the bench-mark (PPP). The uncertainty of a switch occurring in a regime (the Peso Problem) is an interest-ing form within which to embed the imperfect information. It is a format that seems ready to ex-pand into many other areas of economic modeling in which expectations are at the core of the model's dynamics. Of course, the choice of the benchmark is key to the mechanics of the process. In this case, PPP is an obvious choice†¦ but, since the idea of PPP drives this model so strongly, it is interesting to look at its place and its characteristics. In the paper, the authors note that if PPP holds, "relative excess demand for domestic and foreign goods is zero." The obvious suggestion, based on the model, is that the flow of goods and services is the foundation for the equilibrating dynamic. Behind the flow of goods and services is the gap between the gap between, domestic and foreign short-term rates, and the steady state long-run interest rate gap that sets goods flows to zero. The assumption is that the prices of the domestic and foreign goods in their respective for- eign currencies are "incorrect" based on the fundamentals of the respective countries and that agents know this (and know that the exchange rate path is unstable) but cannot be sure of the de-gree of "incorrectness" or the persistence of the di vergence. Embedded into this model are as-sumptions about PPP that provide comfort about this benchmark's ability to give the "correct" relative prices. It is possible that these assumptions, to some degree, mask the complexity of the situation with respect to PPP's ability to proxy relative prices. At the theoretical level, PPP should simply offer equal purchasing power for equal commodity bundles through the exchange rate. Unfortunately, the problem of explaining stylized facts requires some matching with reality. Set- tling for getting the signs right mitigates much of the angst, but, as has been

Lord of the Flies-Rules on the Island Essay

We need rules to keep us safe. Also, rules will make it fair and equal for everyone and help us to survive and be rescued. It is really important for us to follow these rules. We need rules on this island to keep us safe until we are rescued. We nearly set the whole island on fire and now the boy with the birthmark is missing! To stop this happening again we will have only one fire only, up on the mountain, for cooking and as a signal. That way no-one will be harmed. Also, don’t wander into the jungle at night. You could get lost and then we all have to come looking for you. Another problem is boys going to the toilet wherever they want. It stinks and it is dirty, especially when you go near the fruit. We could all get sick from it! From now on go near the rocks and the water will wash it away. These are just a few reasons why we must have rules! Rules will ensure that every boy is treated fairly and equally. The conch should be used at all meetings where only the boy with the conch can talk. By doing this there will be no interruptions and everyone will get a fair say. Furthermore, Piggy has been hit and his glasses broken. The idea of the stronger boys taking advantage of the weaker ones is not acceptable. This behaviour is barbaric! Can’t you see? If we continue this there will be fights and arguments and we will fall apart. Without doubt this proves that rules are needed. We need rules or we won’t survive and get rescued. We all need food and shelter to survive. Without food we will starve and without shelter there is no protection from the elements. We must work together so shelter is built and food is caught. In addition, if we don’t follow rules such as keep the fire going we won’t get rescued. We already missed one chance of rescue when Jack left the fire, we won’t miss another! Clearly this shows, it isn’t hard, rules must be followed. You guys have to realise that these rules determine life and death. Rules keep us safe, they ensure everyone is treated fairly, and help us survive and be rescued. It’s up to you to follow these very important rules which must be abided to.

Comitatus & Chivalry

Comitatus and Chivalry are two concepts that resounded all throughout the Medieval Ages. However, while the two are closely related, there is a clear difference between them. Between the two, Chivalry is perhaps more recognized, but not necessarily more widely-practiced. Bennett in his book, Dictionary of Ancient & Medieval Warfare, traces the origin of Comitatus to reign of Emperor Diocletian where Germanic and Roman commanders were assigned a comitatus, soldiers who held â€Å"direct allegiance to their individual commander, rather than to the army as a whole.(2001, 81)The term later on evolved to describe the dynamics that exists between a warrior and his Lord. Comitatus holds that while both are still in the battlefield, actively fighting, neither lord nor warrior can leave the scene of battle for any reason. Both entered the battle, and both should leave at the same time. This may be where the â€Å"leave no man behind† phrase comes from. This agreement that exists betwe en Germanic Lords and his subordinates is believed to have given rise to the feudal system, where the serfs owed loyalty to their feudal lord.Some scholars maintain that there is no break between the original comitatus of the Roman Empire and the vassals of the Middle Ages (Powicke, 1949, 92) Chivalry describes the virtues practiced by the knights of the Middle Ages. It is hard to place a specific definition to chivalry, but it is a moral and social code which advocated honor, courage, and respect. When we talk of chivalry, we conjure images of a knight in shining armor, ready and able to rescue us from our dire circumstances (Frantzen, 204, 1)Comitatus is a code that binds soldiers to their commanders, while chivalry is a code that binds men to the principles of honor and virtue, wherever they may be. While both concepts refer to relationships and values, comitatus is more about loyalty and courage in battle, while chivalry is more about loyalty and courage in all aspects of life. Chivalry presupposes comitatus, but comitatus does not necessarily mean chivalry.

9 Insane Office Rules No One Should Have To Follow

9 Insane Office Rules No One Should Have To Follow Office Rules are important. And companies have them for a reason. However, too often a company seeks to correct the bad behavior of a very few employees by making big, sweeping (and often overreaching) rules that affect everyone. Here are 9 examples of the worst kinds of overmanagement–the sorts of rules that can really alienate a workforce.1. Restricting the InternetJust because one idiot looked at, ahem, objectionable  content  on a work computer  or spent more time refreshing Twitter than answering vital emails,  that doesn’t mean everyone should be punished by having their internet usage restricted. Responsible adult employees should be allowed to check personal email and even Facebook in their breaks. As long as work doesn’t suffer, it should never be a management concern. Besides, policies like these can prevent employees from doing valuable research online when the Internet could be a useful tool.2. Time PolicingYes, employees are supposed to work their predetermined hours. But they’re hired and paid for the work they do, not the sum of all the minutes they sit in their desk chairs. Draconian late policies or strict documentation requirements for sick days are just unnecessary and will breed distrust and discontent in employees who would otherwise be happy to do good work and care about their jobs.3. Email PolicingHeard of companies that require you to select a pre-approved subject before able to send an email through the company’s email client? That’s completely ridiculous. A little trust in one’s employees to communicate effectively about their tasks can go a long way to making sure everyone isn’t  totally miserable.4. Bathroom PolicingSeriously. This isn’t kindergarten. Limiting people’s trips to the bathroom is only going to give them UTIs and a healthy case of rage. If your job does this, find a new job. Seriously.5. Stinginess with MilesCompanies that require employees to travel for work should always let them  accumulate personal miles on work trips. This is one of the few perks for having to constantly be on the go, or in the air. There’s no reason to hoard them, unless a company is actively looking to breed resentment.6. Policing All LanguageIt’s one thing to have an emphasis on diversity and tolerance in the workplace and a low tolerance for inappropriate or hateful comments. That’s mandatory. But getting too involved in every potential microaggression, such as denouncing someone for saying â€Å"bless you† to a colleague when they sneeze? Overkill.7. Rigid RankingIt’s one thing to track performance. It is another thing entirely to force employees to be evaluated on the same rigid curve. Everyone ends up feeling  dehumanized and undervalued, and honestly  ends up underperforming as a result. Companies should evaluate their employees individually. Every time.8. Banning Cell PhonesBanning mobile phones en tirely only penalizes the good employees who use their phones only on breaks or in emergencies. If someone  is on their phone all day, that’s a conversation for their supervisor to undertake with that person only! No one else needs to be punished with a sweeping, overreaching rule.9. Limiting Self ExpressionNo personal items on the desk? No water bottles? Restrictive dress policy? These kinds of policies just make employees feel like cogs in an assembly line. Surely there’s a better way to handle employees who aren’t sure how to decorate or dress in a professional manner.Bottom line: Employees   should be trusted to do the job. We’re all adults who should be left  alone unless underperformance is an issue. Everyone shouldn’t be punished for the infractions of a few.

Hamlet by William Shakespeare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hamlet by William Shakespeare - Essay Example In fact, the dramatists had significant meaning to convey to the audience of their dramatic productions which is much superior to the one which is conveyed to the modern readers. The dramatic productions constitute interpretations of plays, not at least when they delete a scene or scenes from play. Significantly, the dramatic productions of the Shakespeare plays go down their ultimate meaning if a single scene of the entire play is deleted from the production. This can be best illustrated by an analysis of Hamlet, one of the most popular tragedies by this master dramatist. If ACT IV scene 4 of Hamlet, for example, is deleted from a theatrical or cinematic production of the play, it affects the overall meaning of the play. Though apparently this particular scene does little to determine the meaning of the play, it is obvious that the scene mean a lot to the appreciation of the play by the audience of the dramatic performance. Thus, the scene places Hamlet, the protagonist of the play who is in great need of revenge against his uncle, in contrast to Fortinbras who leads his Norwegians troop toward Poland in order to conquer a worthless patch of land in Poland. The resulting soliloquy by the protagonist put across significant meaning to the audience in view of the ultimate outcome of the plot. Therefore, it is indubitable that the dramatic productions of Hamlet constitute significant interpretations of the play, not at least when they delete a scene or scenes from the play. An insightful analysis of Hamlet in terms of plot, characterization, discourse, and dramatic significance confirms that the ACT IV scene 4 of the play has a significant implication to the overall interpretation of its meaning. If a theatrical or cinematic production of the play chooses to cut this scene, the audience cannot completely comprehend the intricacies of the plot, characterization etc. Similarly, the scene is greatly important to the entire discourse or the attempt to create verbal meaning and to achieve poetic affects. Therefore, the audience realizes the beauty of the soliloquy uttered by the protagonist with superior feeling and determination. "How all occasions do inform against me / And spur my dull revenge! What is a man, / If his chief good and market of his time / Be but to sleep and feed a beast, no more." (Shakespeare) Shakespeare also succeeds to demonstrate his dramatic skill through his poetic language, verbal connotations, plot development and characterization in the scene. The final soliloquy in the scene exhibits the quality of poetic feeling in the Shakespearean drama, apart from confirming the development in characterization and plot. The scene, therefore, has a central value to the protagonist in framing his ultimate decision to take revenge upon his enemy. Here, the audience experiences the building up of the character of Hamlet who, by the end of the scene, is greatly determined about his future plans of revenge. Considering the development in the plot, the ACT IV scene 4 of the play may be considered greatly important and the scene is central to the ultimate result of the plot. Fortinbras and the troop have left their homeland "for an egg-shell" and Hamlet's need for revenge is more important than this. The following soliloquy by Hamlet may be considered as the nucleus of the plot development. This soliloquy reflects the turning point in the plot development as well as in the characterization of Hamlet. Ultimately, Hamlet realizes

Adult Nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Adult Nursing - Essay Example This paper approves that the philosophy of the model states that the nursing care should be delivered using the nursing process. The patient under consideration in the area of focus for the purpose of ease in communication can be entitled as XYZ. The patient had 3 problems as related to physical and mental health. At the time of admission of the patient in the nurse one problem of a patient was identified. The nursing interventions were held in the area of identification and prescriptions on all care plans. It is crucial to understand here that though the care plan had a section for evaluation, it was not completed on the care plans studied. This essay makes a conclusion that the differences is between the practiced set of principles and the ones desirable for a quality service holds in the depth of its existence a suggestion that the nursing model used in the ward made no differences to the nursing care delivered. This is essentially so because attention to application of theory to the practical world was not made. From the procedure as followed in the hospital for the patient XYZ, we noticed that a written record of the patient ‘s problem was not made. Also, the current needs of the patient remained un-addressed. It was also noted that the medical reason for admission of the patient XYZ was recorded as the patient’s problem but the diagnosis reason for the same was not addressed. Thus, we conclude that the UK nurse is required to have in the boundaries of their knowledge a need to understand the concept of nursing diagnosis. This shall also enable the nurses to involve themselves actively and effectively in the validation of nursing diagnosis.

Andrew Jackson and the Tariff or Bank Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Andrew Jackson and the Tariff or Bank - Essay Example Jackson’s problem with the Second Bank started when he noticed that the Bank controlled most of the country’s financial issues; loans, monetary notes, and deposits. According to Jackson, this was a threat to his re-election since it manipulated the voting patterns and the electoral process. He settled with the decision of seeing to it that the Bank is shut down. The Bank noticed the move Jackson was plotting against it making it to initiated counter moves. The Bank embarked on negotiating for an early four-year re-charter from the Congress which succeeded. However, Jackson and his team formulated a veto against the re-charter when it came time for its approving it. Jackson supported his decision by reiterating that the Bank’s policies were contrary to what the government promoted equality, fairness, and honesty. The veto went to Congress which, unfortunately, was unable to overturn it. After the polls, Jackson was again determined to destroy the Bank by withdrawi ng governments fund from it. That was done through the Treasury ordering all government deposits be put in state banks (Sauers & Weber 14). Jackson’s conflict with the Bank resulted in a nationwide panic when the Second Bank stopped giving out loans. Although Jackson was protecting his self-interest, it was at the cost of the country which suffered in turn. His fellow Democrats were terrified with his moves resulting in there demise from the party. All in all the moves against the Bank proved to be successful since it died in 1834 and Jackson  triumphed.

Microbiology Assessment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Microbiology Assessment - Assignment Example Similarly, S. aureus is also involved in many foodborne illnesses. It is highly salt tolerant and may survive in cheeses and foods with high salt content. Salmonella is notorious for its pathogenic properties in relation to food. It can survive strongly in desiccated conditions and is present in a number of foods like eggs, meat, milk and vegetables. Therefore, it is important to study the internal and external conditions of food so that the food infections may be controlled and quality of food be maintained. The growth and metabolic behavior of food-borne pathogens is highly dependent upon intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Therefore, it is mandatory to examine the environmental conditions for the control and elimination of pathogen-associated risks in food. The microbiological safety and food quality is largely dependent upon the detailed analysis of such factors. In view of Ross and Mckeen (1994, p. 241-264), the response of microorganisms to external and internal environmental factors forms the basis of predictive microbiology. In this study, three food-borne pathogens such as E. coli O157:H7, S. aureus and Salmonella are examined in relation to their survival in respective environmental conditions so that food safety and microbiological quality of food maybe ensured. Acid incorporation into foods as a mechanism of lowering the pH is an essential food preservation method. Low pH prevents the growth of spoilage organisms. Moreover, reduction in water activity is employed as a food preservation method. Therefore, we can say that low aW and decreased pH, are important elements involved in stability of foods having longer shelf life. However, the safety of current food techniques has been challenged by the release of E. coli O157:H7 infections from foods that were thought to be too acid rich that no enteric pathogen could have been survived. This has also changed the general perception that the conditions under which

The nyquist theorem is one of the deciding factor in data communication.

The nyquist theorem is one of the deciding factor in data communication. PART A Q1. The Nyquist theorem is one of the deciding factor in data communication. The fibre optics as well as the copper wires are communication mediums. Do you think the theorem is valid for the fiber optics or for the copper wires. Ans. Nyquist theorem is valid for both fibre optics and copper wires this is because the Niquist theorem is purely depend upon the mathematic function and has not any concern with the transmission media for communication. According to Henry Nyquist, a perfect channel has a finite transmission capacity. He derived an equation expressing the maximum data rate for a finite bandwidth noiseless channel. Nyquist said that if an arbitrary signal has been run through a low-pass filter of bandwidth B, the filtered signal can be completely reconstructed by making only 2Bsamples per second. Sampling the line faster than 2B times per second is pointless because the higher frequency components that such sampling could recover have already been filtered out. If the signal consists of L discrete levels, Nyquists theorem states: Maximum bit rate =2* Bandwidth log2 L. For noisy channel: Capacity = bandwidth * log2 (1+SNR), where SNR is signal to noise ratio. Q2. Noise affects all the signals which are there in air. There are some communicating modulation techniques. Noise affects which of the modulation technique the most. Ans. Noise is defined as the disturbance in the signal. When data is send over the network in the form of signal, due the various natural or unnatural circumstances produce disturbance in the signals which is called noise. The noise is various kinds such as thermal noise, crosstalk, and impulse noise. Noise affects all the signals but there are some modulation techniques which are used to reduce the noise. These techniques are: Amplitude modulation Frequency modulation Phase modulation The amplitude modulation is affected most by the noise this is because there is the change in only amplitude and the amplitude is affected easily by the noise. Q3. An analog signal carries 4 bits in each signal element. If 10,000 signal elements are sent per sec, find the Baud Rate and Bit Rate? Ans. Given signal carries r =4 Signal element s=10000 Let N be the bit rate We know that S = N*(1/r) à ° N= S*r à ° N= 10000* 4 à ° N=40000 bps Bit rate is equals to 40000bps Q4. What are the reasons for the imperfection caused in transmission media? How the perfection can be measured? Ans. There are certain reasons for the imperfection caused by the transmission media. These reasons are describe below: Attenuation: All the transmission media has some sort of loss of signal i.e. called attenuation which make then imperfect. During the transmission of the signal from one place to another the loss or energy is occurred which reduce the overall strength of the signals which is called attenuation. For this is reason amplifier is used in various place in the transmission. Noise: Noise is the basically the disturbance which is produced in the signal when the signal send over the transmission media then the natural and un natural climate affect the signal such as pollution etc.   So that some kind of distortion is occur in the signal. Every transmission media is affected with the noise which makes the signal imperfect. Distortion: Distortion means that the change in the signal. Due to some circumstance there must be change in the signal. The signal may deviate from actual one this is called distortion. The perfection can be measure in the form the above three. A transmission media which has less attenuation, less noise and less distortion that transmission media is called perfect. Q5. There are numerous multiplexing techniques available. What in your opinion is the most appropriate multiplexing technique for the fiber optics as well as copper wires? Ans. Multiplexing is the process of converting n signal to the one. There are various technique but two basic technique are FDM(Frequency Division multiplexing) TDM(Time Division multiplexing)   wavelength Division multiplexing In fiber optics multiplexing the best technique used is called WDM Wavelength division multiplexing. The basic principle of WDM on fibers is that n fibers come together at an optical chamber, each with its energy present at a different wavelength. The four beams are combined onto a single shared fiber for transmission to a distant destination. At the far end, the beam is spilt up over as may fibers as there were on the input side. Each output fiber contains a short special- constructed core that filters out all but one wavelength. The resulting signals can be routed to their destination or recombined in different ways for additional multiplexed transport. In the case of the copper wire Frequency division multiplexing technique is used. First the voice channels are raised in frequency, each by a different amount. Then they can be combined because no two channels now occupy the same portion of the spectrum. Notice that even though there are gaps (guard bands) between the channels, there is some overlap between adjacent channels because the filters do not have sharp edges. But nowadays there is use of the Time division multiplexing is used which is particularly deal with the digital signal. In this technique the conversion must be take place from analog to digital signals.   Q6. While transferring the data from the transmission medium there are various aspects of your data getting tempered by other users? Whats your opinion is the most secure and insecure transmission medium. Justify your answer with an example. Ans. Transmission media is the aspect which is caused for tempering of data by the other. All transmission media has this problem. When we use the copper wire it can be taped by another one. One of the improve version is the optical fibre which An improved media is fiber optic cabling, this media does not emanate any signals since it uses light sources to transmit the signals from node to node. It has proved to be the most secure media available for use on LANs today and will continue to be the most secure media until the black hats discover a way to tap it undetected. The last medium reviewed is the wireless media which uses the airways as their path from node to node. The only way to guarantee secure transmissions is to use a layered approach, or combination of techniques to try to encrypt the data. The best way currently to encrypt data over LANs is to use the IPSec protocol with any of the discussed media. IPSec security is compatible with all types of media so it is the one thin g in common with allmedia that will almost guarantee the security of the pathways between nodes. PART B Q1.Assume a stream is made of ten 0s .Encode this stream , using following encoding schemes .How many can you find for each scheme ? Unipolar NRZ-L NRZ-I RZ Manchester Differential Manchester Ans. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Unipolar: it can be drawn as: NRZ-L:   It can be drawn as: NRZ-I: it can be drawn as: RZ: it can be drawn as: Manchester: it can be drawn as: Differential Manchester: it can be drawn as: Q2. Two channels ,one with bit rate of 150kbps and another with a bit rate of 140kbps,are to be multiplexed using pulse stuffing TDM with no synchronization bits.Answere the following: What is the size of frame in bits What is the frame rate ? What is the duration of a frame? What is the data rate? Ans. Given bit rate of 1st channel=150 kbps Given bit rate of 2nd channel=140kbps Ans1. We allocate 3 slot for first and 3 slot for 2nd and we each size of frame is six bit. Ans2. Q3. Contrast   compare sampling rate received signal? Ans. In the conversion of the analog to digital, pulse code modulation is used. Sampling is the first stage of the PCM. The analog signal is sampled every Ts second. Where Ts is the sample interval or period. The inverse of sampling interval is called the sample rate or sampling frequency and denote fs where fs = 1/Ts. To produce the anolog signal one necessary condition is that the sampling rate be at least twice the highest frequency in the original signal. This is according to the Nyquist theorem. e.g. Wo well-known examples where sampled sound is used are the telephone and audio compact discs. Pulse code modulation, as used within the telephone system, uses 8-bit samples made 8000 times per second. In North America and Japan, 7 bits are for data and 1 is for control; in Europe all 8 bits are for data. This system gives a data rate of 56,000 bps or 64,000 bps. With only 8000 samples/sec, frequencies above 4 kHz are lost. Received signal strength is a measure of the power present in a received radio signal. RSSI is generic radio receiver technology metric which is usually invisible to the user of device containing the receiver but is directly known to users of wireless networking Q4. Synchronization is the problem in data communication. Explain? Ans. Synchronization technologies are designed to synchronize a single set of data between two or more devices, automatically copying changes back and forth. For example, a users contact list on one mobile device can be synchronized with other mobile devices or computers. Data synchronization can be local synchronization where the device and computer are side-by-side and data is transferred or remote synchronization when a user is mobile and the data is synchronized over a mobile network. In synchronous communications receiver, this specification discloses a decoder for generating a clock signal to synchronize the receiver with the information data rate of the received signal. The implementation of a decoder apparatus as a periodic finite state machine allows a clock signal to be extracted from the energy or transitions of the encoded signal. Such a decoder can define clock information over a large range of data rates. A band pass filter tuned to the characteristic frequency being re ceived can be coupled to the input of the decoder to limit the synchronization range to that desired by the receiver. Q5.Can bit rate be less than the pulse rate? Why or why not? Ans. Yes it is possible. Pulse rate is defined as the number of signals element send per second and the bit rate is defined as the number of data element which may be called bits in one second. Data communication needs to increase the data rate and decrease the pulse rate. So that the speed of transmission may be increased and decrease of bandwidth. But in some of the case it may be possible to the bit rate is less than pulse rate. This is done when the single pulse can carry more bits. When this happen the congestion Q6. A signal is sampled. Each sample represents one of four levels. How many bits are needed to represent each sample? If sampling rate is 8000 samples per second, what is the bit rate Ans. Given Sampling rate = 8000 We know that   bit rate   =1/Sample rate So bit rate =1/8000 =0.000125 bps

Physiologic Effects of Insulin :: essays research papers

Stand on a streetcorner and ask people if they know what insulin is, and many will reply, "Doesn't it have something to do with blood sugar?" Indeed, that is correct, but such a response is a bit like saying "Mozart? Wasn't he some kind of a musician?" Insulin is a key player in the control of intermediary metabolism. It has profound effects on both carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, and significant influences on protein and mineral metabolism. Consequently, derangements in insulin signalling have widespread and devastating effects on many organs and tissues. The Insulin Receptor and Mechanism of Action Like the receptors for other protein hormones, the receptor for insulin is embedded in the plasma membrane. The insulin receptor is composed of two alpha subunits and two beta subunits linked by disulfide bonds. The alpha chains are entirely extracellular and house insulin binding domains, while the linked beta chains penetrate through the plasma membrane. The insulin receptor is a tyrosine kinase. In other words, it functions as an enzyme that transfers phosphate groups from ATP to tyrosine residues on intracellular target proteins. Binding of insulin to the alpha subunits causes the beta subunits to phosphorylate themselves (autophosphorylation), thus activating the catalytic activity of the receptor. The activated receptor then phosphorylates a number of intracellular proteins, which in turn alters their activity, thereby generating a biological response. Several intracellular proteins have been identified as phosphorylation substrates for the insulin receptor, the best-studied of which is insulin receptor substrate 1 or IRS-1. When IRS-1 is activated by phosphorylation, a lot of things happen. Among other things, IRS-1 serves as a type of docking center for recruitment and activation of other enzymes that ultimately mediate insulin's effects. A more detailed look at these processes is presented in the section on Insulin Signal Transduction. Insulin and Carbohydrate Metabolism Glucose is liberated from dietary carbohydrate such as starch or sucrose by hydrolysis within the small intestine, and is then absorbed into the blood. Elevated concentrations of glucose in blood stimulate release of insulin, and insulin acts on cells thoughout the body to stimulate uptake, utilization and storage of glucose. The effects of insulin on glucose metabolism vary depending on the target tissue. Two important effects are: Insulin facilitates entry of glucose into muscle, adipose and several other tissues. The only mechanism by which cells can take up glucose is by facilitated diffusion through a family of hexose transporters. In many tissues - muscle being a prime example - the major transporter used for uptake of glucose (called GLUT4) is made available in the plasma membrane through the action of insulin.

A Balanced Review of Strengths and Weaknesses of Learning

Review of Learning in the Panic Zone: Strategies for Managing Learner Anxiety Introduction It is generally agreed that research can be divided from different perspectives, such as being grouped into empirical and philosophical research according to whether collecting data or not (Allison, 2012). So does â€Å"social research†, which features â€Å"focusing on people in a social setting† (Robson, 2011, p. 5) and aims at achieving research purposes of â€Å"action, change and emancipation† (Robson, 2011, p. 39).In terms of research paradigms, â€Å"social research† can be divided into â€Å"quantitative research† and â€Å"qualitative research†, usually the former focusing on collecting numerical data and the latter focusing on collecting data of words (Robson, 2011, p. 5). Thus being aware of different theoretical approaches, researchers become reflexive, creative, and capable of reinvention and evolution (Robson, 2011, p. 41). Also according to Robson, the kind of research â€Å"refers to applied research projects which are typically small in scale and modest in scope†, is termed as â€Å"real world research† (Robson, 2011, p. 3).It usually solves â€Å"problems and issues of direct relevance to people’s lives† (Robson, 2011, p. 4). And the research under review, which applies strategies into real programs (Palethorpe & Wilson, 2011, p. 420), seems to be this kind of research. In this assignment, I am going to evaluate the article under review from the aspects of strengths and weaknesses, and relate the analysis to the broader issues of research. Strengths Firstly, to some extent, this article is formally logical and well-organized by using subheadings and questions like â€Å"How do trainers support learners who undertake challenging tasks? (Palethorpe & Wilson, 2011, p. 427). Realizing the â€Å"GAP† (Shon, 2012, p. 3) in literature that few attention has been paid to positive effec t of stress in real cases (Palethorpe & Wilson, 2011, p. 420), the researchers formed their research questions, presented their â€Å"RAT† (Shon, 2012, p. 3) and then came the research design and research method, â€Å"multi-strategy design† (Robson, 2011, p. 6) and â€Å"triangulation† (Cohen, 2007, p. 141) respectively. Seen from the perspective of the research design, it is closely related to previous literature and theory, and tries to answer research questions by adopting certain research methods.Finally, with the conclusion indicating that the theoretical strategies are in accordance with the comfort-stretch-panic model in previous literature and recommending further studies (Palethorpe & Wilson, 2011, p. 435). Secondly, as a social research, it is of great value to have a â€Å"scientific attitude†: â€Å"systematically, sceptically and ethically† (Robson, 2011, p. 15). Specifically, by saying â€Å"systematically†, I mean this resear ch is well prepared and arranged by two experienced trainer and consultant, with â€Å"over six years’ experience of providing consultancy in training† (Palethorpe & Wilson, 2011, p. 38) and â€Å"more than 30 years’ experience in education and training† (Palethorpe & Wilson, 2011, p. 420) separately. So they both have a clear understanding of what, how and why they are doing in the research. They made a detailed exposition of literature, including â€Å"theoretical solutions to debilitating learner anxiety† (Palethorpe & Wilson, 2011, p. 421) and â€Å"practical measures that a trainer can take to prepare learners for challenging tasks† (Palethorpe & Wilson, 2011, p. 427) and designed the questionnaires in research utilizing the strategies in literature.Such a coherent process of research design is sufficient for the first aspect of â€Å"scientific attitude†. And by saying â€Å"sceptically†, I mean the researchers have recog nized its limitations of using a small sample of 30 potential participants and the absence of trainees’ feedback and thus recommended future work of considering the â€Å"individual personal differences and how these impact differential responses to stressful situations† (Palethorpe & Wilson, 2011, p. 435), thus â€Å"subjecting ideas to possible disconfirmation† (Robson, 2011, p. 5). And finally, â€Å"ethically† is represented during the questionnaires, which â€Å"were sent only to those who indicated availability to help with the research† (Palethorpe & Wilson, 2011, p. 428). The third part of advantages focuses on research method. Combining strategies of survey and interview, it is obvious that this research mainly conducts qualitative research method. However, it can also be calledâ€Å"triangulation† because of the close connection among literature, survey and interviews.According to Cohen, â€Å"triangulation† may be defined a s â€Å"the use of two or more methods of data collection in the study of some aspect of human behavior† (Cohen, 2007, p. 141). It is often used to mean â€Å"bringing different kinds of evidence to bear on a problem† (Esterberg, 2002, p. 176). Here in the article under review, by saying â€Å"triangulation†, the researchers adopted the approach of triangulating literature, survey and interview. According to different literatures, there are many types of triangulation and each has its own characteristics, of which â€Å"theoretical triangulation† (Cohen, 2007, p. 42) and â€Å"methodology triangulation† (Cohen, 2007, p. 142) are reflected in this research. According to Cohen, the former â€Å"draws upon alternative or competing theories in preference to utilizing one viewpoint only† and the other â€Å"uses either the same method on different occasions, or different methods on the same object of study† (Cohen, 2007, p. 142). Sometimes different theories and results from conducting different methods lead to conflict conclusions, it does not mean the research is wrong, it may indicates the necessary of further study and research in wider field.So by adopting different types of triangulation, researchers feel more confident of their findings and enhance validity (Cohen, 2007, p. 141). Similar with triangulation, there are also variable kinds of validity. The type I will focus on is â€Å"concurrent validity† because it is the type enhanced in the article I am evaluating. How does the triangulation ensuring â€Å"concurrent validity† (Cohen, 2007, p. 140) is the main concern of this part. â€Å"Concurrent validity† is a variation of â€Å"criterion-related validity† (Cohen, 2007, p. 40), also called â€Å"criterion validity† by Perri and Bellamy, implying â€Å"whether the measures are in line with other measures of the same content that are generally accepted as valid in the wide r research community† (Perri 6& Bellamy, 2012, p. 92). â€Å"To demonstrate this form of validity the data gathered from using one instrument must correlate highly with data gathered from using another instrument† (Cohen, 2007, p. 140). To be specific, in this article under review, the data is collected both from survey and interview with the guidance of a large amount of literature, applying â€Å"theoretical riangulation† and â€Å"methodology triangulation†, thus the concurrent validity is relatively ensured. As Lancy indicates, â€Å"using multiple data sources also allows one to fill in gaps that would occur if we relied on only one source† (Lancy, 1993, p. 20). Last but not the least, the research draws on the advantages of its research designs. According to Robson, social research design can be separated into â€Å"fixed design† and â€Å"flexible design† (Robson, 2011, p. 5). And the key to distinguish these two designs is whet her the procedure and focus of research is fixed or not (Robson, 2011, p. ). However, it should be noticed that there overlaps between them. For example, one specific fixed-designed research could be flexible influenced by qualitative data. So for those using both qualitative and quantitative data, there come â€Å"multi-strategy designs† (Robson, 2011, p. 6). Here by saying â€Å"multi-strategy†, which has â€Å"substantial collection of both qualitative and quantitative data in different phases or aspects of the same project† (Robson, 2011, p. 6), I do not mean that it contradicts the qualitative research method.It means a research design of combining qualitative and quantitative elements when conducting the qualitative research method. In a narrow sense, the method used in this article should not be called as â€Å"multi-strategy† because the qualitative elements account for a larger proportion. However, the researchers take advantages of using both el ements. For example, though â€Å"there is tendency for people to over-choose the middle option† (Thomas, 2011, p. 178), the quantitative approach of â€Å"five-point Likert scale† (Palethorpe & Wilson, 2011, p. 29) does help the researchers from the trouble of getting specific data from the abstract description. And for the analysis, evaluation and interpretation of data and sample, this paper uses â€Å"descriptive statistics (methods used to summarize or describe our observations)† (Rowntree, 2000, p. 19) to summarize the sample of research and indicates that future study is needed for â€Å"inferential statistics†, which â€Å"is concerned with generalizing from a sample, to make estimates and inferences about a wider population† (Rowntree, 2000, p. 1). By using â€Å"opportunistic purposive sampling†, the researchers regarded respondents as representatives of â€Å"a diverse group of trainers from across the UK with male and female tra iners aged between 26-55 years† (Palethorpe & Wilson, 2011, p. 428), one might hold the opinion that using â€Å"mechanical methods† (Rowntree, 2000, p. 24) of selecting randomly is a safe way to make a unbiased representative sample, however, â€Å"it is conceivable that you could use random methods and still end up with a biased sample† (Rowntree, 2000, p. 25).So considering the rich experience of the researchers, the â€Å"opportunistic purposive sampling† is a better choice to avoid the less representativeness of random sampling. Weaknesses However, there are some reservations. Firstly, when analyzing the effectiveness of different strategies, it seems that the researchers have not thought about â€Å"control variable†. According to David and Sutton, â€Å"control variable† means â€Å"a variable that influences the relationship between the independent and dependent variables† (David & Sutton, 2011, p. 11). Though it is a term in m athematical notation, I would suggest using it and adopting control groups in each training program. Otherwise the variables such as the difference of trainees, trainers and training environment among different programs might influence the validity of data. Maybe this limitation is hard for researchers to avoid because of the fact that the training is not conducted by the researchers themselves. The data are indirectly collected as comments/feedbacks from different trainers.Thus to some extent, it is really hard to make sure the validity of data in this research since there are so many variables. Moreover, even after adopting control groups and comparing data from several groups in one particular training program, the validity of data is easily to be influenced by uncontrollable variables. Taking interviews for example, uncontrollable variables could be â€Å"characteristics of the interviewers†, â€Å"interactions of interviewer/respondent characteristics† and privacy concerns of the respondents (Robson, 2011, p. 241).Although the researchers have tried to do the best by adopting â€Å"semi-structured interview† (Thomas, 2011, p. 164), indicating that â€Å"11 respondents were interviewed in a ‘guided’ unstructured format in which participants were allowed a considerable degree of latitude to express their opinions within the interview framework† (Palethorpe & Wilson, 2011, p. 429), they have not excluded the influence of the â€Å"framework†. So it is rather difficult for the researchers to ensure the validity of data and to precisely achieve the research purpose.And another influence about the validity the researchers might not consider well is the representativeness of the sample. Considering that the research mainly focus on â€Å"questionnaire-based surveys† (â€Å"Internet surveys† and â€Å"interview surveys† specifically) (Robson, 2011, p. 240), which ignores â€Å"the characteristi cs of non-respondents† (Robson, 2011, p. 240), it is doubtable to say that â€Å"the sample of respondents is representative† (Robson, 2011, p. 240).Maybe it is more persuasive to say that â€Å"our statistical methodology enables us to collect samples that are likely to be as representative as possible† (Rowntree, 2000, p. 23) rather than â€Å"the respondents represented a diverse group of trainers from across the UK with male and female trainers aged between 26-55 years† (Palethorpe & Wilson, 2011, p. 428). Conclusion To sum up, this assignment evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of the article under review in the framework of different methodology and methods.Within the article, by comparing the positive aspects and problematic areas, it is relatively persuasive for the authors to claim their findings. And the contributions they made by putting the theories into practice are highly appreciated since it is a real world research. References: 1. Alliso n, P. (2012). The source of knowledge: Course introduction [Vedio]. United Kingdom: The University of Edinburgh. 2. Cohen, L. , Manion, L. , & Morrison, K. (2007). Research methods in education. (6th ed. ). London & New York: Routledge. 3.David, M. , & Sutton, C. D. (2011). Social research: An Introduction. (2nd ed. ). New Delhi: SAGE. 4. Esterberg, K. G. (2002). Qualitative methods in social research. United States: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 5. Lancy, D. F. (1993). Qualitative research in education: An introduction to the major tradition. New York: Longman. 6. Palethorpe, R. , & Wilson, J. P. (2011). Learning in the panic zone: Strategies for managing learner anxiety. Journal of European Industrial Training, 35(5), 420-438. 7. Perri 6, & Bellamy, C. (2012).Principles of methodology: Research design in social science. Croydon: SAGE. 8. Robson, C. (2011). Real world research. (3rd ed. ). Cornwall: John Wiley&Sons Ltd. 9. Rowntree, D. (2000). Statistics without tears: An introdu ction for non-mathematicians. London: Penguin Group. 10. Shon, P. C. H. (2012). How to read journal articles in the social sciences. London: SAGE. 11. Thomas, G. (2011). How to do your research project. London: SAGE. Self Assessment document When you submit your assignment for this course you also need to include a self assessment document.This is a student version of the mark sheet and must include at least one sentence under each of the headings. Do not suggest a grade for your assignment! POSTGRADUATE ASSIGNMENT SELF ASSESSMENT DOCUMENT Course title: The sources of knowledge Year: 2012 Matriculation number: s1262299 1. Knowledge and Understanding of Concepts [Has the student understood the methodological concepts used (or not) by the authors in the papers? ] Yes, I understand the methodological concepts used by the authors in the paper under review by evaluating it from different perspectives in a balanced view. . Knowledge and Use of the Literature [Has the student shown evidenc e of reading core and supplementary texts? ] Yes, I have shown evidence of reading core and supplementary texts by citing their opinion. 3. Critical Reflection on Theory and Practice [Has the student explained and critically evaluated the pros and cons of the methodology (theory) and methods (practice) the papers analysed? ] Yes, I have explained and evaluated the pros and cons of the methodology and methods the paper analysed in a balanced view.And I have tried to judge on the basis of what the authors set out to achieve and consider the space they have, thus not being too critical. 4. Constructing Academic Discourse [Has the student structured the assignment effectively, adopted an appropriately academic style and tone? Spelling? Vocabulary? Grammar? Format? Fluency? ] Yes, I have structured my assignment effectively and adopted an appropriately academic style and tone. I have checked it to make sure of the correctness of the spelling, vocabulary, grammar, format and fluency. All of the above four areas receive equal weighting

Culturally Diverse Students Essay

Today our classrooms, just like families, are becoming more unique and blended. Teachers are tasked with effectively teaching students with disabilities and diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. In order for educators to meet the needs of their students, key strategies must be implemented that will positively affect their students academically and behaviorally. This paper reflects on the experience of one of these families and identifies key strategies to maximize the potential of cultural and linguistically exceptional students. Background I was lucky enough to interview a family that I have worked with over the years as a nanny. For the purposes of this paper and the anonymity of the family I am using the names Lucy and Chris (to refer to the mother I interviewed and her husband) and James (to refer to the exceptional child). Because I have been working in this family’s home for a number of years I am able to give an accurate overview of their socioeconomic status. Lucy and Chris self-identify as African-American and live in San Pedro, CA where the population is 76,415 with 59% identifying as Caucasian and 8% identifying as African American. The town can be classified as predominately middle class as the median household income is $62,422 (City Data, 2011). Lucy completed some college and works full-time as a manager of a credit union. She lives in a three-bedroom house with her oldest son, her younger son, James, who is now 15, and her husband. James is a lively young man with autism who is on the moderate/severe side of the spectrum. He is an exceptional swimmer and participates in his high school general P. E. program. He struggles with social interactions and has very little expressive language. He has learned to use a GO TALK to communicate functionally. James is very sensitive to his environment and sometimes becomes overwhelmed by loud noises and crowded spaces. Autism affects 1:88 children and the prevalence is on the rise. It is the fastest growing developmental disability in the U. S. It is five times more likely for boys to have autism than girls. It is characterized by language delays, social delays, and repetitive patterns of behavior (Facts About ASD, 2012). Lucy knows that I am in the process of getting my special education credential and that my own family member has DS-ASD. When she was interviewing me for the nanny position years ago she was nervous and unsure about letting anybody come into her home. After I told her about my background and how much I have learned from my brother she began to open up and become more comfortable with me. She has since then told me how thankful she is for me and how nice it is to have someone that understands her son. Discovering and Reacting to Disability It all started in preschool school. The teacher kept telling Lucy, â€Å"I don’t think he can hear. † And Lucy kept saying, â€Å"He can hear just fine! † The teacher kept saying the same thing so finally she took him to the doctor. This experience supports the research on professionals in early education or elementary school programs being the parent’s initial source of information about their child’s special needs (Turnball et. Al, 2011, p. 77). Denial was the first phase in the process of Lucy learning to accept her son’s autism. Lucy also said other members of her family were in denial, including her husband and father. Her father told them they â€Å"were not disciplining him enough† on multiple occasions. She did not talk about any anger, bargaining, or depression phases before finding acceptance (The Grieving Process ppt, 2013). Lucy has immense inner strength that I truly admire. After a doctor diagnosed James, Lucy and Chris told their family and her mother pushed her to get extra support. Lucy tells me she probably wouldn’t have ever done gone for it if it weren’t for her mother because they have always worked for everything they had and lively comfortably and didn’t want to ask for help. A person’s culture may affect treatment decisions and is often associated with certain socioeconomic or geographical constraints related to accessing care† (Mandell & Novak, 2005, p. 113). Reaching out for support was not something the family wanted to do and because they lived in San Pedro, accessing the right services often required traveling long distances. Educators must recognize the relationship between status and our society’s symbols of success (holding a job, having a place to live, and being independent). As an educated service provider, I am always caught off guard by a family’s hesitation about pursuing services (even my own family never sought out extra help). My professional experience has ingrained in me the importance of early intervention. Many â€Å"African-American families seek help from family, friends and church groups before they will get professional help for their child (Dyches et al. , 2004)† (Litten, 2008, p. 5). Lucy’s perspective and her mother’s reaction had both been influenced by her experience with her sister, who was developmentally delayed as well. She said her mother wished she had gone and gotten services for her. But when they were growing up, Lucy said, â€Å"It wasn’t something you did. Our family was poor. We did whatever we did to survive and both of my parents worked. † Educators need to keep the roles of culture, poverty, and historical perspectives in mind as we work with these families because they have an impact on the attitudes and behaviors of families with exceptional children. In Lucy’s family growing up, there was a lack of awareness about the availability of services. As educators, we must consider the lack of awareness and the socioeconomic factors that prevent certain families from taking advantage of the services that they are entitled to. We can’t expect them to advocate if they aren’t aware of what is available. We must take on this role. Teacher strategy #1: Fairness is When a Child Gets What He/She Needs Over the years, Lucy and James struggled with the school’s changing James’ placements. It wasn’t until she came to the school to observe him and found him sitting in a corner of the classroom, on a couch, rocking back and forth for hours with no attention or demands placed on him that she decided to pull him out of the district completely. During their search for a new junior high school they came across programs that were solely focused on vocational skills. Lucy and Chris felt their son had more important academic skills to obtain before teachers started teaching him how to get a job. They didn’t expect him to be a scholar, but they did want him to have access to general reading, writing, and math curriculum. Education, rather than life skills, was more of a priority for them. They added an inclusion goal in his next IEP. James would participate in general P. E. and math or computer class. According to Kathryn Pitten, â€Å"Cultural mores may determine which treatment goals families will accept and which goals they will decide not to work towards. Also, parenting style will determine which goals are viewed as important. † (Pitten, 2008, p. 4). Teachers must be responsible for developing a classroom program that fosters the understanding and respect for individual differences and discusses what fairness means to each student. Teacher strategy #2: Develop a Positive Collaboration Between Parents and Teachers Lucy admitted that she did not take an aggressive approach to getting James all of the supports he needed. Most of the things she learned she â€Å"stumbled upon† through conversations with other parents, teachers, and paraprofessionals (all of which have worked out in their favor). She believes she has done the best she can for her son. Once again, awareness was lacking and because of that this family did not get the support they needed until much later on. This is consistent with literature addressing service accessibility in that ethnic minorities typically access services at a much lower rate than their Caucasian counterparts (Balcazar, Keys, & Balcazar, 2001). Learning how the school system could work for her son was a significant stressor for her. If educators embraced the full reality of the student’s and family’s life and committed to supporting emotional and academic needs (Turnball et. Al, 2011, p. 147) this could help to bridge the gap between home and school. Letting parents know that you believe in their child is sometimes all it takes to give your family’s hope. Teacher strategy #3: Implement Culturally Responsive Teaching Ford (2012) points out that African Americans are the only involuntary minority group. African Americans live in a society where race affects every aspect of their lives. â€Å"The overrepresentation of Black students in special education has been dissected, discussed, and debated† (Ford, 2012). We need to understand the negative effects racism has on our children and be sensitive to the history of previous schooling of exceptional students. Some Moderate/Severe students, like James, are moved from program to program (several times a year). Teachers need to understand that not all children in their classroom have learned the same things and they can’t be taught in the same environment at the same time. We need to differentiate and individualize our instruction by providing a wide range of materials and utilizing several learning strategies. School strategy # 4: Ensure Each Student Can Identify With Someone One of the best things to happen to James in his freshman year of high school was joining the â€Å"Big Brothers and Sisters† program in his local community. Having a role model; someone to look up to, relate with, and rely on has made such a meaningful impact on his life. Lucy reflected on the first time James was invited to watch the local football team; â€Å"His face lit up. He jumped up and down and couldn’t contain his excitement. † Teachers need to facilitate healthy inclusive relationships school-wide. It is our job to spread awareness about disability and help all students to become sensitive to the beauty of differences. Conclusion James’ family hopes that one day he will be able to live in a supported living community with roommates but like many families with exceptional members, the future is uncertain. Teachers need to take an active role in the transition planning process and remember that culturally diverse families do not have the same values as those of the dominant culture. (Turnball et. Al, 2011, p. 89). These families deserve our utmost respect and attention. Showing parents that you are interested in their story can lead to unexpected successes. In order to truly do our jobs we must make our professional story a part of their family story.