Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Ain´t I a Women Sojourner Truth´s Speech on Women´s...

Ain’t I a Woman? Sojourner Truth delivered a speech that is commonly known as â€Å"Ain’t I a Woman?† in extemporaneous way at a women’s convention in 1851. Sojourner Truth delivered this speech after obtaining her freedom, which made her to be renowned as an anti-slavery speaker. The publicity of Sojourner Truth because of the speech was attributed to the fact that it was delivered during the Civil War in the United States. While this speech was not initially known through any title, it was reported in two newspapers. Notably, the speech was given this title when Frances Gage published a different version of it mainly because of the often repeated question. As a result, Gage’s publication became the most recorded version across various†¦show more content†¦During late 1840s, Sojourner Truth became connected with the abolitionist movement where she became a popular preacher. She started speaking on woman suffrage in 1850, which culmin ated in the delivery of her most popular speech, Ain’t I a Woman? during an Ohio women’s rights convention. As previously mentioned, the main emphasis of Sojourner Truth’s speech was to analyze the impact of the civil rights movement, feminist movements that stretched to the 1970s, and racism and sexism on black women. Consequently, Truth campaigned for women to have equal rights as men because her findings of the analysis. One of the reasons Truth believed that women should have equal rights is because the events of this period forced black women to have the lowest status and worst situations as compared to any other group in the United States society. The main events during this period that resulted in the bad experiences of black women in America are the convergence of racism and sexism as well as slavery. Secondly, slavery had become a controversial issue in the young nation and was condemned by many people who wanted all slaves to be freed. Therefore, giving all women equal rights to men would be considered as a major step towards ending slavery (Brezina, p.7). Third, the widespread inequality that characterized thisShow MoreRelatedSojourner Truth And The Truth Essay944 Words   |  4 PagesSojourner Truth Sojourner Truth once remarked, in reply to an allusion to the late Horace Greeley, You call him a self-made man; well, I am a self-made woman† (Gilbert, v). This quote digs deeper into the leadership of what Sojourner Truth’s journey was all about. Truth’s greatest commitments for women’s suffrage stood alongside of her remark to Greely. No woman was just to be a housewife or slave to her own family, but to be able to enjoy the world as man did. Sojourner Truth was an importantRead MoreSojourner Truth And The Truth Essay942 Words   |  4 PagesSojourner Truth once remarked, in reply to an allusion to the late Horace Greeley, You call him a self-made man; well, I am a self-made woman† (Gilbert, v). This quote digs deeper into the leadership of what Sojourner Truth’s journey was all about. Truth’s greatest commitments for women’s suffrage stood alongside of her remark to Greely. No woman was just to be a housewife or a slave to h er own family, but to be able to enjoy the world as men did. Sojourner Truth was an important figure in AmericanRead MoreAinT I A Woman And Sweat By Zora Neale Hurtson1613 Words   |  7 PagesThe two literary works, â€Å"Ain t I a Woman?† and â€Å"Sweat,† focus on the lives of African-American women and the racial inequalities and gender stereotypes they face. In Zora Neale Hurtson’s short story â€Å"Sweat,† Delia challenges the male-dominant relationship between herself and her husband, Sykes, by being the provider in their household. As a person of color in the 1920s, Delia already lacks power in society; because of her gender, she is also objectified in her home by an abusive husband. Delia’sRead MoreSojourner Truth : A Black Woman1697 Words   |  7 Pages Sojourner Truth Being a black woman in America during the nineteenth century is not easy. For this reason, being a black woman and choosing to be the voice for others when women are being oppressed and fighting to protect their freedoms and rights to equal treatment is something to be admired. One woman that would fall into this category of admiration is none other than Sojourner Truth. Overcoming many of her own personal challenges as an illiterate ex-slave, Truth is a powerful figure in manyRead MoreSojourner Truth During The Late 1700 s And Early 1800 S1127 Words   |  5 PagesSojourner Truth played a vital role in inspiring people to stand up against slavery and injustice. She stood up for herself and every African-American. She had the courage to stand up and leave her slave owner. She stood up for herself and her son in court when he was sold illegally to a slave owner in a different state. She had the moxy to become a public figure and talk about injustice against women and African-Americ an slaves. In the late 1700’s and early 1800’s, no one had ever heard of a womanRead MoreAfrican American Women During The Civil War1137 Words   |  5 PagesAfrican American Women In American history there have been many truly extraordinary women. These women range from all different time periods, races and other backgrounds. Over the years women have participate or become involved in multiple different themes including: politics, midwives or physicians, inventors, literary or arts figures, feminists, suffrage or equal rights activist, wealthy women, academics, fighters- physical or metaphorical etc. This paper will exemplify three special women, all the whileRead MoreSojourner Truth And Maya Angelou Essay1505 Words   |  7 Pagescenturies, Maya Angelou and Sojourner Truth led parallel fights for African American equality. Despite living in different time periods, both of these women laid the groundwork for activists to come. Sojourner Truth was born into slavery in 1797, she later escaped which led her to become an abolitionist to fight for the freedom of others. Maya Angelou was born almost 150 years later in 1928, and faced much of the same hate-fuelled r acism. Living in the south during the Civil Rights Era pushed Angelou toRead More Women Deserve the Same Rights as Men Essay1288 Words   |  6 PagesWomen Deserve the Same Rights as Men From the beginning of time, females have played a powerful role in the shaping of this world. They have stood by idly and watched as this country moved on without them, and yet they have demanded equal rights as the nation rolls along. Through the years the common belief has been that women could not perform as well as men in anything, but over the years that belief has been proven wrong time and time again. So as time marches on, women have clawedRead MoreWomen And Traditional Roles Throughout History1945 Words   |  8 Pageslooking at women and traditional roles throughout history, there seems to be a common theme of servitude. Women traditionally have always done what could be considered â€Å"wifely duties† including things like taking care of children, cooking, cleaning etc. Since these stereotypes and commonalities were set, women have always tried to advance their place in society and have had large amounts of success by critiquing the issues that they face. Ain t I a Woman? was a speech given in 1851 by Sojourner TruthRead MoreA Step Toward Improvement Of Women s Rights2278 Words   |  10 Pagestoward Improvement Women’s rights have been progressing in the United States thanks to leaders such as Alice Paul, Rosa parks, and Sojourner Truth. Alice Paul, founder of The National Women’s Party fought for women’s suffrage. Rosa Parks, known as the mother of the freedom, was an African-American civil rights activist. Sojourner Truth delivered a speech known as â€Å"Ain’t I a Woman† which talks about inequities for women. These women have allowed their ideas on equal rights to influence the United

Monday, December 16, 2019

Plato and Aristotle´s Philosophy of Perfecting Society

Both Plato and Aristotle have an extensive idea on who should rule a state, they both had an idea on how to improve existing societies during their lifetimes. Plato’s main argument on why philosophers were fit to be rulers was because they had better education. This aspect was based on four virtues which are wisdom, courage, moderation and justice. Justice has to do with harmony that results when everyone is actively engaged in fulfilling his role and does not meddle with that of others. Plato sought to cure the afflictions of both human society and human personality, which creates the conclusion that every citizen in a society has a functional roles to fulfill, including the guardians which is the logical reason to rule because they are deemed fit. Plato’s utopia consists of three distinct hereditary class system. The guardian; ruling and non ruling guardians, The non rulers; civil servants and society’s policy makers, Auxiliaries; soldiers and minor civil serv ants. Aristotle, unlike Plato, he is not concerned with perfecting society. All he wants to achieve is improving the existing one. He wants the society to reach the best possible system that could be attainable through the many ruling. This essay will argue the fact that both philosophers; Plato and Aristotle have different political view. It will transcend on Plato’s view of the wise and the few ruling; it will transcend on Aristotle’s view of the many to rule the affairs of a state. In book IV of The RepublicShow MoreRelatedPlato s Interpretation Of Utopia1630 Words   |  7 PagesPlato and Aristotle shared many differences despite also sharing a teacher student relationship. This essay will strive to establish their understandings of reason and the role reason plays in their comprehensions of politics, differentiating between the kinds of reason and politics produced as a result. Plato is regarded as the first writer of political philosophy while Aristotle is recognised as the first political scientist. Plato’s interpretation of Utopia is founded upon the existence of threeRead MorePlato And Aristotle s Views On Political Philosophy Essay3649 Words   |  15 Pagesâ€Å"Political Philosophy† is a normative study of state, government, relationships between individual and communities, laws, rights and justice. It depends on the philosophers that can be entangled with ethics, economics and also metaphysics. Political thinkers are the pioneers of â€Å"Modern Politics† in the world. The first serious political thinkers emerged in Greece. Plato and Aristotle are two great philosophers of ancient Greece. Plato in his book â€Å"The Republic† delivers the concept of utopian society whichRead MoreComparing Dante And Aquinas On Happiness1377 Words   |  6 PagesLive a Diversified Life For Dante and Aquinas, happiness does not only compose a useful life on earth but also in Heaven. Dante and Aquinas were sure that continued use of Aristotle virtues would not land any of their followers in heaven. To increase chances of one entering heaven, Dante and Aquinas developed proposed the incorporation of hope, faith, and charity into the daily virtues that people possess. According to Dante and Aquinas, possession of virtues like good temper and judgement couldRead More The History of Art Essay4153 Words   |  17 Pagesceremonies of some type. Plato believed art to be a form of communication on a metaphysical level. The modern western view of art appears to support his supposition in this regard. However, his student Aristotle felt that art was a reflection and invocation derived from the scientific forms of nature. Clearly, his ideology does not fit into the Ancient World’s artistic representations. As art evolves throughout history it intersects with Aristotle’s philosophy although not for many centuries

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Prejudice and How It Is Demonstrated in ‘Remember the Titans’ free essay sample

Prejudice. as defined in psychological science. involves keeping a negative attitude towards the members of a group. based simply on their rank of that group. Any group can be the focal point of bias. A individual. who is prejudiced against a certain group. has a inclination to overlook the single features or behaviour of members of the group to whom he/she is prejudiced. simply because they belong to that group. In the movie ‘Remember the Titans’ ( 2000). bias is portrayed in several ways. but chiefly focuses on the favoritism of the African-Americans. One signifier of bias. which if often revisited in the movie. is racism. Racism occurs when bias and favoritism are directed at people who are members of a peculiar racial or cultural group. This peculiar signifier of biass is the most outstanding and makes up the foundation of this movie. ‘Remember the Titans’ is set in Virginia. 1971. It explores legion signifiers of racial bias and favoritism. We will write a custom essay sample on Prejudice and How It Is Demonstrated in ‘Remember the Titans’ or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The gap scenes. peculiarly the information sing a white tradesman slaying a black adult male and non being found guilty. emphasizes one of the chief subjects of this film- racial favoritism. Another incident in the movie that supports this subject is the reactions of the T. C Williams High School football squad to the intelligence of a new black manager. having the place of head manager of their squad. One of the participants remarked that he wouldn’t drama with those ‘black animate beings. ’ His attitude represents the general attitude within the white members of the town. and the belief that the schools should non be integrated. This movie demonstrates the factors that may cut down prejudice- sustained contact. common mutuality. superordinate ends and equality of position. Sustained contact is the theory that more clip you spend with person the less likely you are to keep a prejudiced position of them. Common Mutuality is the thought that in order to cut down bias among groups. the two other groups must someway be dependent upon one another. Superordinate ends is when the cooperation of two people ( or two groups ) is required to finish a undertaking that bears equal importance to each party and that can non be completed by one party entirely. Equality of position refers to the groups holding equal position in the contact state of affairs. as perceived by members of the group ( s ) doing the comparing. Sustained contact occurs in the movie during the six-week football preparation cantonment. that both the white and black team-members attended. Before go forthing for the cantonment. Coach Boone splits the squad into two groups- discourtesy and defence. He so pairs up people in each group- a white individual with a black individual. He so tells them. â€Å"Get comfy excessively. because the individual that I have you sitting following to is the same one you’ll be boarding with for the continuance of this cantonment. † He does this in hope of the squad members acquiring to cognize each other for who they are. non by the coloring material of their tegument. Common mutuality is demonstrated by Coach Boone learning the squad to be dependent on each other. instead than viing with each other. By forcing everyone to their bounds at the cantonment. the lone option they had was to trust on each other for support. One of the factors that successfully reduced the bulk of bias within the squad was superordinate ends. The ends set by Boone were made intentionally unattainable by a individual member. The lone manner for these ends to be achieved is the cooperation of the full squad. As he told the squad. their game must be â€Å"a squad attempt in order to accomplish perfection† and that â€Å"nothing cryings us apart. nil comes between us. † One specific incident that presents this factor occurred when the squad was forced to larn about each and every one of the squad members of a different race to their ain. or they would develop three times every bit much. This ensured that every squad member had to take portion. and they learnt about each other in the procedure. Coach Boone often reminds his squad â€Å"the best participant will play. color won’t affair. † which enforces equality among the participants. Boone says that taking participants isn’t a affair of favouritism. and that it â€Å"doesn’t affair if you’re black. white or green. † This factor ensures that the white squad members understand that there is no hierarchy within the squad ; that the inkinesss are non inferior. Boone is focused on guaranting everyone understands that they are of equal importance. ‘Remember the Titans’ is a movie that revolves around bias. favoritism and the factors that may cut down bias. Coach Boone is present as the cardinal individual involved in seeking to cut down bias. Through the usage of factors such as sustained contact. common mutuality. superordinate ends and equality of position. Boone ensures that integrity is maintained between all members of the squad. This is done by promoting them to understand each other for who they are. stressing that their skin coloring material does non count and doing certain they understand that they are all every bit of import in accomplishing their ends. Bibliographies Grivas. John. and Linda Carter. Psychology for the VCE Student. Milton. Qld. : John Wiley A ; Sons Australia. 2009. Print. Peter Rainer. Oct 9. 2000 issue of New York. â€Å"Remember the Titans† . viewed 10 July. hypertext transfer protocol: //nymag. com/nymetro/movies/reviews/3859/ [ 1 ] . Prejudice and favoritism ( PG. 340 ) Grivas and Carter. 2010. [ 2 ] . Prejudice and favoritism ( PG. 343 ) Grivas and Carter. 2010. [ 3 ] . Factors that may cut down bias ( PG. 349- 354 ) Grivas and Carter. 2010.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

The Metamorphsis Essay Example For Students

The Metamorphsis Essay Essay submitted by AnonymousGregor was the most unselfish person in The Metamorphosis. This characteristic showswith his dedication to his work. He was the only family member with a job, believing heSacrificing his social life for his work, he had no friends at work, and never went out atnight. His only hobby was fretwork, sitting alone in his room. The only person he wasever intimate with was his sister Grete. His devotion to his work was remarkable. In all of the five years he had worked for hisfathers creditor, he had never once been absent. Always ready to go out on his roundsas early as possible, he never took advantage of time for a break. By the time he gotback, the other employees were still eating breakfast. Under the belief that he was the sole provider for the family, Gregor took up a job withhis fathers creditor, before even consulting his family. They, at the time, were ofcourse impressed. The flat they were living in was chosen by Gregor. Making enoughmoney, he hired a cook and servant. He was even thinking of sending Grete to theconservatorium to further enhance what he believed to be musical talents. We will write a custom essay on The Metamorphsis specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Even after his metamorphosis, he never asked for much. Showing his concern forothers wellbeing, he hid under the couch so as not to disgust anyone by his sight. Although they brought him food everyday, he barely ate any of it. He even wished hewere not such a burden on the family, and that he could have transformed back intoAll of the actions mentioned above displayed Gregors unselfishness. After hismetamorphosis, nobody indicated they were grateful for what he had done. After hisfirst absence, the chief clerk himself appeared at Gregors house to see what was thematter. When Gregor did not open his door, the chief clerk accused him of stealing thecompanys funds, and degraded him in front of his parents as being insubordinate. Afterthe transformation, Gregors father gave little or no love or support. Instead, he hadhurt Gregor many times while ushering Gregor back into the room. Grete and her motherdo, for some time, show a little support. After having Gregor around for a while howeverGrete asserted that they should somehow get rid of him. At this point, Gregor realizedthat his family no longer loves him, and gave up on life. Although Gregor did aid his family in a critical time of need, they hardly acknowledgedthis fact after his transformation. They never even tried to understand him. For thepast five years, he provided for his family, and when he needed them, they did notcare. After his metamorphosis, they all got jobs, something Gregor thought they wereincapable of. After his death, they moved out of the flat, which was too expensive forthem, leaving all of their memories, starting anew without him. Bibliography:

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell, The Bishop Orders His Tomb and My Last Duchess, Robert Browning

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell, The Bishop Orders His Tomb and My Last Duchess, Robert Browning "This idea that individuals can ever be autonomous from society in which they live is nonsense. I wanted to explore just how hard it is for an individual, especially a woman, to determine a sense of self. If you still think there is freedom in my text, it is an illusion by you, not by me."The provided text reveals an imagined composer's thoughts. Evaluate the extent to which the thought is expressed in this elective, and how those ways of thinking are expressed.From what the imagined composer has stated, it is obvious that he (assuming male) did not believe that individuals, especially women can obtain freedom, in the 19th century society. Through studying the texts "North and South," "The Bishop Orders His Tomb" and "My Last Duchess," it is realised that his words have a certain extent of truth. The ways of thinking expressed in those two texts supports the statement, revealing the difficulty encountered by women in determining a sense of self.Margaret HaleHowever, the protagonists in the texts ultimately manage to free themselves from the expectations of society. While the freedom is not complete, it is definitely not an illusion, as the heroines have to undergo great change to achieve the freedom.In North and South, the gender paradigms are explored in depth through the voice of Margaret Hale who challenges the structure of women in society. She is depicted as an unique individual in her society, as she is a middle class women who acquired an liberal education in economics and social sciences. This was demonstrated firstly by her learning the specialised jargon that the traders and workers used like 'clem' and 'knobstick'. After that, Margaret was able participate in the jargon-filled discussions regarding the matter of trade "She knew enough now to understandeven some of...

Friday, November 22, 2019

Definition of the Situation in Sociology

Definition of the Situation in Sociology The definition of the situation is what people use to know what is expected of them and what is expected of others in any given situation. Through the definition of the situation, people obtain a sense of the statuses and roles of those involved in the situation so that they know how to behave.  It is the agreed upon, subjective understanding of what will happen in a given situation or setting, and who will play which roles in the action. The concept refers to how our understanding of the social context of where we may be, like a  movie theater, bank, library, or supermarket informs our expectations of what we will do, who we will interact with, and for what purpose. As such, the definition of the situation is a core aspect of social order of a smoothly operating society. The definition of the situation is something that we learn through socialization, composed of prior experiences, knowledge of norms, customs, beliefs, and social expectations, and is also informed by individual and collective needs and wants. It is  a foundational concept within symbolic interaction theory and an important one within sociology, generally. The Theorists Behind the Definition of the Situation Sociologists William I. Thomas and Florian Znaniecki are credited with laying the theory and research groundwork for the concept that is known as the definition of the situation. They wrote about meaning and social interaction in their groundbreaking empirical study of Polish immigrants in Chicago, published in five volumes between 1918 and 1920. In the book, titled The Polish Peasant in Europe and America, they wrote that a  person has to take social meanings into account and interpret his experience not exclusively in terms of his own needs and wishes but also in terms of the traditions, customs, beliefs, and aspirations of his social milieu. By social meanings, they refer to the shared beliefs, cultural practices, and norms that become common sense to native members of a society. However, the first time the phrase appeared in print was in a 1921 book published by sociologists Robert E. Park and Ernest Burgess, Introduction to the Science of Sociology. In this book, Park and Burgess cited a Carnegie study published in 1919 which apparently used the phrase. They wrote, common participation in common activities implies a common definition of the situation. In fact, every single act, and eventually all moral life, is dependent upon the definition of the situation. A definition of the situation precedes and limits any possible action, and a redefinition of the situation changes the character of the action. In this final sentence Park and Burgess refer to a defining principle of symbolic interaction theory: action follows meaning. They argue, without a definition of the situation that is known among all participants, those involved wouldnt know what to do with themselves. And, once that definition is known, it sanctions certain actions while prohibiting others. Examples of the Situation An easy example to grasp how situations are defined and why this process is important is that of a written contract. A legally binding document, a contract, for employment or sale of goods, for example, lays out the roles played by those involved and specifies their responsibilities, and sets out actions and interactions that will take place given the situation as defined by the contract. But, its the less easily codified definition of a situation that interests sociologists, who use it to refer to a necessary aspect of all the interactions we have in our daily lives, also known as micro-sociology. Take, for example, riding a bus. Before we even get on a bus, we are engaged with a definition of a situation in which buses exist to serve our transportation needs in society. Based on that shared understanding, we have expectations of being able to find buses at certain times, at certain places, and to be able to access them for a certain price. As we enter the bus, we, and presumably the other passengers and the driver, work with a shared definition of the situation that dictates the actions we take as we enter the bus paying or swiping a pass, conversing with the driver, taking a seat or grabbing a hand-hold. If someone acts in a way that defies the definition of the situation, confusion, discomfort, and even chaos can ensue. Sources Burgess, E.W. Introduction to the Science of Sociology. Robert Ezra Park, Kindle Edition, Amazon Digital Services LLC, March 30, 2011. Thomas, William. The Polish Peasant in Europe and America: A CLASSIC WORK IN IMMIGRATION HISTORY. Florian Znaniecki, Paperback, Student edition, University of Illinois Press, January 1, 1996. Edited by Nicki Lisa Cole, Ph.D.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

LIFO vs FIFO Depreciation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

LIFO vs FIFO Depreciation - Assignment Example LIFO method results to low net earnings by the company. However, if the company switches to FIFO it will result to Sgreater earnings, but under the condition that price remains invariable during trading period. However, using weighted average could result to greater earnings for the company.Increase in price of assets over time makes FIFO method to yield superior returns than LIFO method since overhead expenditure is lower than returns after increase in value of commodities (Mckee, Garner & Mckee, Y., 2000).   Regardless of the method used, companies would get uniform earnings in the absence of inflation. Also, using weighted average method results to a value which is higher than that of LIFO method, but lower than that of FIFO method.Companies use LIFO approach in order to counter the effects of inflation hence pays less tax. FIFO method is significant in a steady economy, but is helpful when economy is facing increase in price of commodities, because companies can report greater earnings than any other method. However, this result a mismatch of the expenditures incurred in production and the earnings from the products.  Most companies prefer LIFO method when estimating the value of their stock because the associated expenditure is most recent and is generally higher than actual expenditure. This enables companies to pay less income tax to the state. On the other hand, FIFO method is vital in an economy facing inflation because increase in prices result to increase in earnings.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Psychology Topic is Genes and aging and Gottlieb contribution to this Essay

Psychology Topic is Genes and aging and Gottlieb contribution to this - Essay Example The process of aging has engaged the attention of people from time immemorial. People in the past generally did not include as a scholastic subject of inquiry. It was so obvious a facet of life that in the past people generally accepted it as a reality with which they have to cope up with. However, the desire to prolong life was very popular and a marketable thing, many charlatans and quakes occupied the field and various potions for prolonging life appeared in the market. Initially serious scientists did not venture to study the phenomenon for fear they will be mistaken to be a pseudo scholar. With the microscopic study of cell and genetics growing as an important subject aided by technology, aging also came to be studied. The role of genes in aging has been a forgone conclusion. But the insight into the importance of environment- interface in shedding light on development is one of the major thrust areas of Gottlieb's study. The present study is an examination of his contribution t o the process aging. Aging is the major hurdle to the quality of human life in affluent communities. The study of senescence can prolong human life, preserve health, prevent age related diseases and even might cure aging. Aging is assuming the dimension of a worldwide social and economic problem. However, some scientists feel this area should get more priority and funding (Miller, 2005). The study of senescence, while it is part of the global quest to address this problem facing humanity, is also a dream of achieving the experience of an infinite universe. What is aging Aging came under the purview of scientific enquiry only in the early part of the present century. We are all aware of aging in humans from our earliest years, through normal, daily contacts with family members, neighbors, and others who have reached an advanced age. Perhaps because aging seems such an intuitively obvious phenomenon, it was quite late in becoming an object of formal study (Clark, 2002, p. 3) However there has been, over the centuries, an ardent attempt to unearth the magic elixir that would prolong life or even confer immortality. The process of aging was so obviously present in the conscious mind that no one thought it worth the trouble to go in depth to study what aging is. Aging has many external visible signs, as well as the changes in the mind and in the molecular level. The external changes also psychologically impact the person as he or she becomes aware that time is approaching for saying adieu. There are also degenerative changes associated with age, which are the results of alterations in the cardiovascular system. Humans also are under higher risk from external sources due to the slow collapse of the autoimmune system of the body. The reproductive capacity also diminishes along with aging and in the female this process sets in faster than in the male. In fact there are a spectrum of changes associated with old age but there is no uniform pattern of occurrence for all humans nor is there any fixed time when aging sets in all people. Some people are old at forty but there are septuagenarians who are fit as a fiddle. In some, mental faculties are impaired with age while bodies remain

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Counselors as Companions and Ethics in Human Services Essay Example for Free

Counselors as Companions and Ethics in Human Services Essay In this article the counselor states: â€Å"I found that when working with such clients, my role as counselor is more akin to a special type of travel companion who is willing to understand and respect the process of walking along a sacred life path. This is the only way I can effectively help a client explore the deeper dimensions of the self that are being challenged. As the heros companion I must be willing to share in the clients pain as well as new, and oftentimes unexpected, discoveries. † (Halstead, 2000) The counselor learned that he needed to be a companion not a guide. He also learned that no matter how hard a situation is or no matter how many times someone tells you that you cannot do something, if you have the willpower and want to, you can overcome anything you encounter on life’s journey. As the counselor, we must show the client that we are there for them and not tell them what they should be doing or how they should handle a certain situation. In the future, I feel the counselor will be more supportive of the decisions his clients make. As a counselor, we may sometimes feel that the client should do something one way and try to push them towards it but in the end the client really does know what is best for them. There are so many people like Steve in The Hero’s Journey, who are told they will never be able to do something and they work hard, overcome every obstacle thrown their way and prove everyone wrong. I believe that everyone we come in contact with changes us in one way or the other. I believe everyone has a story that can help the next person. I have a best friend who called me one day and was telling me about this girl she knew who had lost everything, kids, house, car, job, everything someone can  lose, she had lost it. My best friend starts telling me that this girl had turned to drugs, prostitution, living on the streets and had also mentioned suicide a few times. My best friend told me that she felt like if this girl was to hear my story then it would help her so I told her to bring this girl to my house. They get to my house and I immediately wanted to cry because when I looked at this girl, I seen what I looked like eleven years ago. She was about 5’11 and maybe 100 pounds, her face was sunk in and you could tell she had not had a shower in a long time. I got her something to eat and drink and then told her my story. I told her about how I was raised Pentecostal by my grandmother who taught me right from wrong. I never wanted for anything growing up and had a family that loved me just like she did. When I turned 18 years old, I started doing drugs, prostitution, being beaten almost on a daily basis by a man who I thought loved me, being rapped on several occasions, almost killed three different times, dying from a drug/alcohol overdose but the doctors were able to bring me back, being sent to prison while I was pregnant for something I didn’t do, having my son in prison and losing custody of him and how I turned my life around when I got out of prison. While I am telling my story to this sad and lost girl, she is crying the whole time and I know it is because she is just a younger version of me. I was told that I would never be anything but a failure at life and would never amount to anything but looking at my life now, you would never know that I had went through any of that unless I told you. Today, this girl has her kids back, a beautiful home, making about $50,000 a year, a husband who truly loves her and she says it is because my story gave her the strength she needed to turn her life around. When we got done that night, she looked at me and said, â€Å"Thank you for sharing your story with me, it has given me the hope and strength that I have been looking for to turn my life around. I wanted to end my life and just be done with it all.† That night she promised me she was not going to stop fighting and she didn’t. So yes, I believe with all my heart that most people you come in contact with change you in some way. Steve states in the article that, I really grew up because of all this. Before the attack I was going nowhere. Now I have a direction. (Halstead, 2000) His challenges gave him a greater sensitivity to others needs who were  recovering from strokes and brain injuries. (Halstead, 2000) I believe that having a counselor who believed in him also helped Steve to not give up. Steve had been told by doctor after doctor that he would always be limited to things he would be able to do. Having just one person tell him that he could do anything he put his mind to, gave him the extra push he needed to overcome those limitations the doctors had given him. I feel that both Steven and the counselor benefited from this relationship. When Steve’s psychiatrist called the counselor, I do not feel the psychiatrist had a right to discuss Steve with the counselor without his permission. I do feel the counselor did right by not going into details about his sessions with Steve and waited until Steve returned to school to speak with him about it. However, when the counselor seen that Steve was depressed and thinking about suicide when he received his fall semester grades, the counselor had a responsibility to Steve to seek help from someone else. In the Ethical Standards for Human Service Professionals it states that â€Å"if it is suspected that danger or harm may occur to the client or to others as a result of a clients behavior, the human service professional acts in an appropriate and professional manner to protect the safety of those individuals. This may involve seeking consultation, supervision, and/or breaking the confidentiality of the relationship.† (National Organization for Human Services, n.d) If I ever have a client that is thinking about suicide, I will talk to my supervisor and ask for his help in coming up with a plan to help my client, maybe ask my supervisor to sit in on a session with me and talk to the client as well. Because of the personal nature of their work, human service workers at all levels are held to a code of ethics that protects the rights and dignity of clients and establishes standards of practice. (Sessoms, n.d) The National Organization of Human Service ethical standards places a responsibility on human service workers that have for their clients, the community, colleagues, employers, the profession and the human service worker themselves. The National Association of Social Workers approaches ethics through a core set of values, which include service, dignity and worth of the person, social justice, integrity and competence. (Sessoms, n.d) Reference Halstead, R. W. (2000). FROM TRAGEDY TO TRIUMPH: COUNSELOR AS COMPANION ON THE HEROS JOURNEY. Retrieved from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.lib.kaplan.edu/eds/detail?vid=2sid=5b062172-ddf2-4c9d-a107-d6387c05f54b%40sessionmgr198hid=115bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d#db=aphAN=2768884 National Organization for Human Services. (n.d.). Ethical Standards for Human Service Professionals. Retrieved July 5, 2014, from http://www.nationalhumanservices.org/ethical-standards-for-hs-professionals Sessoms, G. (n.d.). Code of Ethics for Human Service Workers. Retrieved July 5, 2014, from http://http://work.chron.com/code-ethics-human-service-workers-8132.html

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Nursing Care as Applied to a Client with a Mental Health Problem Essay

An extended essay demonstrating the candidate’s ability to evaluate how the application of theoretical knowledge gained during the course influences and effects the provision of quality nursing care as applied to a client with a mental health problem. The aim of this assignment is to explore the application of theory to practice with regards to a client with a mental health problem. In order to effectively care for clients, nurses need to regularly evaluate their knowledge and assess this knowledge increases the quality of mental health nursing care. The client chosen for this assignment was a female, 39 year-old suffering with agoraphobia. She was a single Asian origin, but living in a council flat in London with her father and sisters. The duration of the clients' illness was approximately nine years, since about 1987. For the purpose of the reader, this essay will be written in the first person, as it will make the assignment more coherent. I worked with the client in the community for the duration of my placement. Therefore, for two months I had regular contact with the client everyday. The client needed nursing intervention because she needed help in coping with her agoraphobia. Due to this phobia she was reliably housebound and could not successfully carry out her activities of daily living. Her father did the shopping and housework. In addition to this the client's functioning was impaired due to other physical problems. She suffered from epilepsy and she had a tumour growing in the left hemisphere, which affected her right-sided mobility. â€Å"A phobia is a fear of a specific of a specific object or scenario† ... ...each session. I then used his list as a reference when the client began to ramble. If supervision had not been used we could have become stressed through interpretation and lack of reflection. Supervision is important because it enhances nurses' education, orientation, support and facilities and nurses to think about how to use of self. (Hinchcliffe 1994). Therefore, the nurses are constantly learning and gaining insight, which impresses clients'. Quality of cares and protects nurses. So we can see from this essay that all the care subjects we have gained knowledge of in the course can greatly improve the clients' care it and our ability to care for them. We are constantly learning in practice and need to use knowledge, but supervision, reflection and other disciplines to improve our standard of care. Nursing Care as Applied to a Client with a Mental Health Problem Essay An extended essay demonstrating the candidate’s ability to evaluate how the application of theoretical knowledge gained during the course influences and effects the provision of quality nursing care as applied to a client with a mental health problem. The aim of this assignment is to explore the application of theory to practice with regards to a client with a mental health problem. In order to effectively care for clients, nurses need to regularly evaluate their knowledge and assess this knowledge increases the quality of mental health nursing care. The client chosen for this assignment was a female, 39 year-old suffering with agoraphobia. She was a single Asian origin, but living in a council flat in London with her father and sisters. The duration of the clients' illness was approximately nine years, since about 1987. For the purpose of the reader, this essay will be written in the first person, as it will make the assignment more coherent. I worked with the client in the community for the duration of my placement. Therefore, for two months I had regular contact with the client everyday. The client needed nursing intervention because she needed help in coping with her agoraphobia. Due to this phobia she was reliably housebound and could not successfully carry out her activities of daily living. Her father did the shopping and housework. In addition to this the client's functioning was impaired due to other physical problems. She suffered from epilepsy and she had a tumour growing in the left hemisphere, which affected her right-sided mobility. â€Å"A phobia is a fear of a specific of a specific object or scenario† ... ...each session. I then used his list as a reference when the client began to ramble. If supervision had not been used we could have become stressed through interpretation and lack of reflection. Supervision is important because it enhances nurses' education, orientation, support and facilities and nurses to think about how to use of self. (Hinchcliffe 1994). Therefore, the nurses are constantly learning and gaining insight, which impresses clients'. Quality of cares and protects nurses. So we can see from this essay that all the care subjects we have gained knowledge of in the course can greatly improve the clients' care it and our ability to care for them. We are constantly learning in practice and need to use knowledge, but supervision, reflection and other disciplines to improve our standard of care.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

The Role of Education in Plato’s Republic

The role and significance of education with regard to political and social institutions is a subject that has interested political philosophers for millennia. In particular, the views of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato, as evidenced in The Republic, and of the pre-Romantic philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau in his Discourse on the Arts and Sciences, present a striking juxtaposition of the two extremes of the ongoing philosophical and political debate over the function and value of education. In this paper, I will argue that Rousseau's repudiation of education, while imperfect and offering no remedy to the ills it disparages, is superior inasmuch as it comes closer to the truth of things than does Plato's idealized conceptions. To do so, I will first examine Plato's interpretation of the role of education and its function in shaping the structure of society and government and in producing good citizens. I will then introduce Rousseau's view of education and the negative effects of the civilized culture which it produces, and using this view, will attempt to illustrate the naivete and over-idealization of Plato's notions. Finally, I will attempt to demonstrate that it is Rousseau's view, rather than Plato's, that is ultimately more significant in assessing the actual (vs. idealized) merits (or lack thereof, in Rousseau's case) by which education should be judged with regard to the nurturance of good citizens. For Plato, the question of the role of education arises near the end of Book II (377e), after a discussion of both the necessary and consequent attributes of Socrates' kallipolis or â€Å"Ideal City. Such a city, Socrates argues, will, before long, have need of both a specialization of labor (in order for the greatest level of diversity and luxury of goods to be achieved) and of the establishment of a class of â€Å"Guardians† to protect the city from its envious neighbors and maintain order within its walls (i. e. , to police and govern the city). This, in turn, leads inexorably to the question of what attributes the Ideal City will require of its Guardians, and how best to foster such attributes. The early, childhood education of the Guardians, Socrates argues, is the key. What, then, asks Socrates, should children be taught, and when? This quickly leads to a discussion of censorship. Socrates cites a number of questionable passages from Homer which cannot, he thinks, be allowed in education, since they represent dishonorable behavior and encourage the fear of death. The dramatic form of much of this poetry is also suspect: it puts unworthy words into the mouths of gods & heroes. Socrates suggests that what we would call â€Å"direct quotation† must be strictly limited to morally-elevating speech. Nothing can be permitted that compromises the education of the young Guardians, as it is they who will one day rule and protect the city, and whom the lesser-constituted citizens of the polis will attempt to emulate, assimilating, via the imitative process of mimesis, to the Myth (or â€Å"noble lie†) of the Ideal City in which justice is achieved when everyone assumes their proper role in society. The process of mimesis, is, of course, yet another form of education, in which those of Iron and Bronze natures are â€Å"instructed† and inspired by the superior intelligence and character of the Gold and Silver members of the Guardian class. It is therefore a form of education without which the polis cannot operate. Thus, for Guardian and ordinary citizen alike, the education of the young and the continuing â€Å"instruction† of the citizenry are crucial. In addition to these aspects, Plato also conceives of another function of education, and one which is quite significant in its relation to Rousseau's views. For Plato, education and ethics are interdependent. To be ethical, in turn, requires a twofold movement: movement away from immersion in concrete affairs to thinking and vision of unchanging order and structures (such as justice) and then movement back from dialectic to participation and re-attachment in worldly affairs. It is a temptation to become an abstract scholar. But the vision of the good is the vision of what is good for oneself and the city — of the common good. If one does not return to help his fellow human beings, he becomes selfish and in time will be less able to see what is good, what is best. An unselfish devotion to the good requires an unselfish devotion to the realization of this good in human affairs. Just as the purpose of understanding order and limits in one's own life is to bring about order and restraint in one's own character and desires, the understanding of justice requires application in the public sphere (through education). A man who forgets the polis is like a man who forgets he has a body. Plato thus advocates educating both the body and the city (for one needs both), not turning one's back on them. If education is, for Plato, the means by which man comes to fully realize (through society) his potential as a human being and by which society as a whole is in turn elevated, for Rousseau it is quite the opposite. Education, argues Rousseau, does not elevate the souls of men but rather corrodes them. The noble mimesis which lies at the heart of education in Plato's kallipolis is for Rousseau merely a slavish imitation of the tired ideas of antiquity. The ill effects of this imitation are manifold. Firstly, argues Rousseau, when we devote ourselves to the learning of old ideas, we stifle our own creativity and originality. Where is there room for original thought, when, in our incessant efforts to impress one another with our erudition, we are constantly spouting the ideas of others? In a world devoid of originality, the mark of greatness, intelligence, and virtue is reduced to nothing more than our ability to please others by reciting the wisdom of the past. This emphasis on originality is in marked contrast with Plato, who finds no value in originality, deeming it antithetical to a polis otherwise unified by shared Myths of the Ideal City and of Metals. Rousseau rejects this â€Å"unity†, rightly denouncing it as a form of slavery , in which humanity's inherent capacity for spontaneous, original self-expression is replaced with the yoking. of the mind and the will to the ideas of others, who are often long dead. In addition to suppressing the innate human need for originality, education (and the appetite for â€Å"culture† and â€Å"sophistication† that it engenders) causes us to conceal ourselves, to mask our true natures, desires, and emotions. We become artificial and shallow, using our social amenities and our knowledge of literature, etc. , to present a pleasing but deceptive face to the world, a notion quite at odds with the ideas of Plato. We assume, in Rousseau's words, â€Å"the appearance of all virtues, without being in possession of one of them. Finally, argues Rousseau, rather than strengthening our minds and bodies and (a critical point) moving us towards that which is ethical, as Plato contends, education and civilization effeminate and weaken us physically and (perhaps most significantly) mentally, and cause us, in this weakness, to stoop to every manner of depravity and injustice against one another. â€Å"External ornaments,† writes Rousseau, â€Å"are no less foreign to virtue, which is the strength and activity of the mind. The honest man is an athlete, who loves to wrestle stark naked; he scorns all those vile trappings, which prevent the exertion of his strength, and were, for the most part, invented only to conceal some deformity. † Virtue, as opposed to Plato's conception, is an action, and results not from the imitation inherent in mimesis, but rather in the activity — in the exercise — of the body, mind and soul. Education, however, demands imitation, demands a modeling upon what has been successful. How, then, do we rightly assess the merits of education with regard to its it molding of the public character — in its ability to produce â€Å"good† citizens. The answer to this hinges, I submit, on how we choose to define the â€Å"good† citizen. Clearly, if obedience (or â€Å"assimilation to a political ideology†, or perhaps â€Å"voluntary servitude†) is the hallmark of the good citizen, then we must regard Plato's disposition towards education as the proper one. However, obedience, despite its obvious centrality to the smooth operation of society (as we would have social chaos were it completely absent), has its useful limits. Over-assimilation to a political idea or â€Å"blueprint† is every bit as dangerous — indeed, far more so — as the utter under-assimilation of anarchy. For those inclined to dispute this, I would urge them to review the history of Nazi Germany as perhaps the definitive example of what sad, awful spectacles of injustice we humans are capable of when we trade in our mental and spiritual autonomy for the convenient apathy and faceless anonymity of the political ideal. Furthermore, if , as Rousseau contends, our civilization is such that, â€Å"Sincere friendship, real esteem, and perfect confidence [in each other] are banished from among men,† what is the quality of the society for which education — any modern education — purports to prepares us? When, â€Å"Jealousy, suspicion, fear coldness, reserve, hate, and fraud lie constantly concealed under †¦ [a] uniform and deceitful veil of politeness,† what is left to us to educate citizens for, other than the pleasure we seem to derive in pedantic displays of hoary knowledge? If we remove the civility from â€Å"civilization†, what remains to us that any education will remedy?

Saturday, November 9, 2019

High Noon Essay

This is a case of a company, which is operating in Malaysia by the name of Alpha Plantations Sdn Bhd. The company has its origin in Britain and has been operational for over forty years now. This subsidiary located in Malaysia consists of one palm oil mill and one oil palm estate. According to the owners of the company, the main purpose of opening this subsidiary is to supply the mother company with crude palm oil. The mother company is involved in production of detergents. The subsidiary in Malaysia operates in three shifts and each shift has about 25 people manned by one supervisor.  In addition, majority of the top management persons working at the Malaysian subsidiary come from the United Kingdom where the mother company is. Issues This organization has been in operation for decades and it has perfectly performed. With the changes that are taking place within the company because of the new manager, workers will also experience some new changes in the way they will execute their duties. Issues arise from the fact that this new management wants to change even the structure of the organization. These changes bring conflict in the way the workers used to perform and in the process affect their team performance and rapport. (McShane, S. et al, 2006) This frustrates Mr. Ang who has worked with the company for over four decades. The results are his firing after a confrontation. The reason for his firing stated as misconduct. However, this misconduct resulted from the mixed up duties and responsibilities that he experiences on his line of duty. As McShane, S. et al, (2006), says it is necessary to have a clearly spelled out duties and responsibilities. This is the only way that the workers will be able to avoid conflict and confrontation. This does not happen in this company. In addition, the managerial team executes these changes so quickly such that the workers do not have time to adjust thereby resulting to frustrations. Analysis Over the years, the company has faced many problems. However, the recent one was the massive loss that the company was undergoing. The main cause of this loss is the current low prices of gases that were experience at that time, then in 1999. During this time, Captain Chubb was the manager of the company. He claimed that he had done all that he could but the prices were the one which pulled the company down. The top management of the company sort to hire a new manager the following year by the name of Ian Davison. They thought that the previous manager failed to perform. Even though he did not have any experience in management of an agricultural company, he had worked and succeeded in the detergent company and therefore the management expected much from him. To achieve this, he had to lower the cost of production and the only way was to make some recommendation. He therefore made recommendations some of which were beyond the company’s control. For instance, he claimed that the company allowed too much machine breakdown. It is advisable to note that wear and tear is normal processes and we can do absolutely nothing to prevent it. However, he offered a practical solution of reducing the workforce and introducing new machines. This is the point where issues cropped up. With the introduction of new machines and reduction of the number of workers per shift, the workers first adapted to the process but later moved back to their old habits. However, this time, the problem was bigger in that there were fewer workers. They no longer worked in a team and this created a big problem, as the workload was now bigger. In addition, with the new introduced structure in the organization, workers were now able to have a direct access to the manager. This reduced the powers that Mr. Ang had who has always been the supervisor for the company. He was not in a position to control the works anymore and this frustrated him. Furthermore, the workers would not fully respect his directions, as they knew they could still get directions directly from the manager. As McShane, S. et al, (2006) in their book says, poor communication will always affect our behavior towards each other at our places of work. They go ahead and say that leaders will tend to vent their frustration to their subordinate. This communication breakdown affected the relationship between Mr. Ang and the workers and at the end resulted to dictatorship type of ruling where Mr. Ang would make all the decision for the workers. The worst is that Mr. Ang was to blame for all this. The result is that Mr. Ang was devastated and become silent, unproductive to the company and the company fires him. Drive theory explains the reason why Mr. Ang feels frustrated by the actions of the manager. He was highly valued by the workers and after he goes home, the company somehow collapses. Solutions The current problems that are experienced are a serious loss and this is not due to local company structure but global factors that are beyond the company control. We can therefore argue that the methods that used to deal with this problem are way out of track. It is a good idea though to look for machines that are using new technology and to downsize the number of workers in the company. However, it is not a good idea to change the company structure, as this has nothing to do with the workers’ performance. (McShane, S. et al, 2006) The best solution for this problem therefore would have been the purchase of the machines using new technology, downsizing the firm and then leaving the workers to report to the supervisor who they have reported to all these years. This would have prevented the confrontation that Mr. Ang had with the top officials at the head office and the other confrontation that he had with the manager and therefore prevent the company from collapsing. Recommendation However, now that Mr.  Ang has already gone home and things are not working well at all at the company, it is a clear indication that even though during the last days, Mr. Ang seemed quiet, he was important and his presence was recognized by all the workers. In addition, Mr. Ang was never given time to explain what was happening. It would be recommendable to try to summon Mr. Ang, give him a chance to explain his point of view and give him back his job. He is the only one who can mobilize the team and make them work. Drive theory explains the reason why the company collapses because the workers are not motivated. They have nothing to drive them to work harder.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Essay on Education in the States †it is Time to Change the Vector

Essay on Education in the States – it is Time to Change the Vector Essay on Education in the States – it is Time to Change the Vector Essay on Education in the States – it is Time to Change the VectorIn the modern society with the rapid development of life and extreme high speed of changes education plays a crucial role because it allows to develop adoptive mechanisms, find your place, find and develop your hidden talents and capacities. So, education should be available for every individual. There are a lot of questions and doubts considering the level of education, its accents and forms, but it is obvious that it should be for all people. To my mind, every person has the right to the same kind of education and various tests and examinations will show whether a particular kind of education passes him/her or not. The next question is who should take responsibility for education. It is not fair to put this responsibility on the individual because it would be not his/her responsibility, but his/her parents’. It depends on their level of income and other factors and at this point the question of inequali ty arises: some rich parents may allow the education for their child and poor representatives deprive their children of it. The most logical answer to this social inequality would be   federal provision. The government should   develop common economic, political and cultural course of the country and implement corresponding educational programs. Students know the professional demand and governmental needs and have a kind of guarantee to be useful and successful after getting a diploma. â€Å"Education is supposed to prepare future citizens- that is, to equip them with the necessary skills, knowledge, attitudes, and perspectives to live a prosperous and happy life as well as to perform responsibilities required of them as citizens of a society† (Zhao, 2009, p.13). However, federal responsibility has negative consequences, as well. The government does not care about creative abilities and imagination much.   It has a declination to standardization: a particular type of wo rker is required and the government gives a requirement for such a worker. In this way person’s hidden talents, his/her creativity and imagination go aside and Ken Robinson, a famous educational expert, in his lecture Changing Education Paradigms speaks about this problem of modern education. Traditional education concentrates on the final product and material effectiveness – the government needs the statistics of high economic development. However, it is time to realize for the United States that further progress and development is not in the quantity and quality of existing products and services, it is in innovations. Innovations, in their turn, may be developed and implemented only by creative individuals and divergent thinking, as Robinson calls it.On the one hand, American government guarantees all its citizens the right for free and equal education, as it was proclaimed in the Equal Education Opportunities Act of 1974. In my opinion, it is a positive change in th e provision of education on the federal level. There was created the National Institute of Education to control the educational process in the States and improve the level of education. Moreover, to guarantee equal opportunities for all citizens including people with disabilities The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C.  §Ã‚ § 1400 et seq) was signed and it is also a very important and necessary step in the educational sphere.On the other hand, educational system of the United States requires fundamental reformation, and the faster it will be done, the more visible the results will be. Standardization of education resulted in the development of thousands of tests in every discipline, however, these tests allow to check only factual knowledge, not creative talents. Moreover, even high scores in tests and economic growth of the country do not have direct dependence. â€Å"In the face of such evidence, we can do more than reject the widely held hypothesis that high test scores lead to national success in the future. We can also hypothesize that high test scores are damaging to nations. That the U.S. comes out on top in national success in 74% of the comparisons with higher-scoring nations is statistically significant (p .0001, binomial test)† (Baker, 2007, p. 103). So, standardization of the educational process which used to be so actual in the 20th century does not prove to be effective nowadays.Development of critical thinking and creativity should become the main vector of the educational policy in the states. It presumes more freedom for the individual in the learning process, the teacher becomes more an observer who directs the student to a minimal point and creates appropriate condition for the development of personality and individuality. Despite the fact that it may seem risky, it is worth trying if the focus of attention is the development of personality in the American society. Robinson in his lecture gives a provoking statist ics: 98% of children up to five years old have excellent creative capacity and it minimizes with the flow of time under the influence of the standardized educational system.So, accent on creativity, critical thinking and diversity should become the priority for the educational reform not only on the local level but on the federal level, first of all. American nation, as well as others, has so many talented and unique personalities that they deserve chances for the development of their abilities and it will contribute to the economy and the country in general in the nearest future.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Arguments for and Against Humane Meat

Arguments for and Against Humane Meat Certified humane meat has been gaining in popularity as the public learns more about factory farms. Some activists call for reforms and labeling of humanely raised and slaughtered meat, but others argue we cannot work on reforms and promote animal rights at the same time. Background In a factory farm, animals are treated as commodities. Breeding sows are confined in gestation stalls, pigs have their tails cut off without anesthesia, calves spend their entire lives tethered by their necks in veal crates, and egg-laying hens are debeaked and kept in cages too small to spread their wings in. The search for solutions has focused on two paths, one reforming the system and instituting more humane standards, and the other promoting veganism so that fewer animals are bred, raised, and slaughtered. While few animal activists disagree with promoting veganism, some believe that campaigning for reforms and humane labeling is counter-productive. Humane standards can either be required by law or instituted voluntarily by farmers. Farmers who voluntarily agree to higher humane standards are either opposed to factory farming or are trying to appeal to consumers who prefer meat from humanely raised and slaughtered animals. There is no single definition of â€Å"humane meat,† and many animal activists would say that the term is an oxymoron. Different meat producers and organizations have their own humane standards by which they abide. One example is the â€Å"Certified Humane Raised and Handled† label that is backed by the Humane Society of the U.S., the ASPCA, and other non-profits. Humane standards might include larger cages, no cages, natural feed, less painful methods of slaughter, or prohibition of practices such as tail docking or debeaking. In some cases, campaigns target retailers or restaurants instead of the actual producers, pressuring the companies to purchase animal products only from producers who raise the animals according to certain voluntary standards. One example is PETA’s McCruelty campaign that asks McDonald’s to require their producers to switch to a more humane method of slaughtering chickens. Arguments for Humane Meat People will continue to eat meat for the foreseeable future, so humane standards will ensure that the animals will have a better life than they have in factory farms now.Since some people will never be convinced to go vegan, humane standards are the only way we can help the animals who will be raised for food no matter what else we do.Humane standards will eliminate the cruelest factory farming practices. Humane standards have broad-based support, so goals are achievable. Many people are opposed to factory farming but are not opposed to eating meat or other animal products. According to Humane Farm Animal Care: A recent study on behalf of the United Egg Producers found that three out of four American consumers (75%) would choose food products certified as protecting animal care over those that are not. Humane regulations on a state or federal level provide relief to millions of animals.Humane standards are a step towards animal rights. By promoting humane standards, we persuade people to care about animals, which will lead some to vegetarianism and veganism. Arguments Against Humane Meat There is no such thing as humane meat. Using an animal for food violates the animal’s right to life and freedom, and cannot be humane. Calling some animal products â€Å"humane† leads people to believe that animals do not suffer on â€Å"humane† farms when in fact, they do. For example, male babies of egg-laying hens are still killed, and male dairy cattle are still killed. Also, HumaneMyth.org explains: At all farms, large-scale and small-scale, laying hens are killed when their production declines, typically within two years, as feeding these worn-out individuals cuts directly into profits. Often the bodies of spent hens are so ravaged that no one will buy them, and they are ground into fertilizer or just sent to a landfill. Some humane standards can be woefully inadequate, even by animal welfare standards. Giving animals enough room to spread their wings or turn around does not mean they will have enough room to fly or walk around. They will still be crowded and will still suffer.Requiring larger cages or larger pens will require more space and more deforestation than factory farms already require. Nine billion land animals are killed for human consumption every year in the U.S. Giving 9 billion animals enough land to roam would be an environmental disaster.Humane meat is not more sustainable than factory farming. The animals will require just as much food and water, if not more because they will be moving around more and exercising more.Humane meat campaigns sometimes send a confusing message. Nine years after declaring victory in their McCruelty campaign against McDonalds, PETA resurrected their McCruelty campaign in 2008 to make further demands.Instituting humane standards causes some vegetarians and vegans to start consuming meat and other animal products again. Spending resources on reform campaigns take movement resources away from campaigns to promote veganism.Humane standards do nothing to challenge the right of humans to use other animals and have nothing to do with animal rights. We should promote veganism instead of more â€Å"humane† ways of exploiting animals. Animal activists sometimes debate whether promoting veganism helps animals more than humane reforms, but we may never know. The debate is one that divides some groups and activists, but the animal agriculture industry fights both types of campaigns.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Marketing Communication Trends Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Marketing Communication Trends - Essay Example This paper is an executive report on marketing communication trends. Network radio, along with television, nationalized magazines, and great metropolitan everyday newspapers appear to have constantly been I existence before. These structures not merely tied the nation together; however, there is strapping substantiation that to a large extent they assisted create the current societal and political civilization. Since each person could, and frequently did, perceive and conceivably hear similar messages at once starting from the 1950s and ending in the 1990s, people created nearly standardized mass media, along with mass marketing civilization (Jain, 2008). Marketing companies created generally demanded goods for these mass marketplaces. Retail distribution structures developed to vend to and via these marketplaces. Marketing communications experts developed plans, agendas, and structures to correspond with these mass marketplaces. Then technology rammed into society and individual wants and requirements. Suddenly customers, who currently had additional information compared to before, started to demand particular products, distribution structures, and communication. What at one time had been known to be a mass marketplace fragmented into thousands of detached, individual marketplaces driven by standard of living, ethnic background, earnings, geography, schooling, sexual category, and any other thing, which makes an individual dissimilar from another (Jaceviciute, 2011). Persons who are over 40 years old, were brought up as verbal correspondents. The prominence was on inscription and reading proficiencies. Persons who are less than forty years, are affiliates of the generation that is visual. This age group was raised on TV, movies, speeches, along with the verbal word. The disparity between the manner in which these two age groups communicate is remarkable. The change from a spoken to a visual

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Economic development Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Economic development - Coursework Example This reading focuses on the economic development in Africa through agricultural activities. This considers the use of proven agricultural techniques in order to increase the yields for food security purposes. The common challenges faced by African farmers entail soil exhaustion, water insufficiency and distorted economics caused undeveloped infrastructures. This implies that the poor soil fertility hinders the growth of some crops. This is because the local farmers engage in over farming and insufficient crop rotation. The existence of poor infrastructures contributes to high production costs because the farmer cannot access fertilizers and other inputs. Similarly, constant water scarcity due to periodic drought spells also affect Africa’s agricultural sector. This reading discusses the population explosion in developing nations, regardless of the favorable conditions. The author explores the population growth rate of Kenya in which it emerges that adults are free to give birth to any number of children. The people do not care about the availability of health care facilities, food or other aspects. The population explosion concept threatens humanity due to scramble for space, resources and economic activities. The Maragoli documentary depicts the struggles of women across the world since they cannot control birth rates. The underlining aspect of the documentary is that, in reality, population increases, but the amenities remain the same. The focus of this reading is the developmental challenge of political and criminal violence. It tackles the negative influences of the two aspects, such as destruction of property, death, displacement of people and economic stagnation among others. For instance, children brought up in hostile environments suffer from malnourishments and illiteracy. The millennium development goal (MDG) project has been unable to achieve its objectives of uplifting the living standards in

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Bioterrorism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Bioterrorism - Research Paper Example This paper will study through previous researches and three different journals the barriers for the community health nursing for surveillance and identification of diseases caused by bioterrorism agents. Defining Bioterrorism: Bioterrorism is a form of terrorism in which different biological agents are released in order to make the people, plants or animals sick in masses. The consequences are in a number of deaths. These bioterrorism agents are usually viruses, bacteria, or toxins. However, these agents are present in the surrounding already but they are modified and reworked in a way that their ability is increased and that they also become resistant to the current medicines available so that there is no cure for them. The mediums usually used in order to multiply these bioterrorism agents are water, air and food sometimes. One of the major reasons for bioterrorism is that, that terrorist adopts this kind since it cannot be detected quickly and easily. These agents take time to rea ct, sometimes days and sometimes even weeks (A†¡ankaya & Kibaroglu, 2010). The significance of the study: The subject of bioterrorism in the community health sector in the US was not of major concern until 2001. The use of ‘Anthrax’ has created a serious fear of bioterrorism among the communities. Moreover, these bioterrorism attacks have also created realization and a sense of consideration for the healthcare department particularly community health nurses that their role during such attacks are very significant. Therefore proper education and training are very important factors for the community health nurses in order to overcome the chaos at the time of any bioterrorism attack (Mellehovitch, 2004). Bioterrorism and Community Health Nurses: Across the US, the issue of bioterrorism among the public health sector has become a core issue. Usually, the public and the US community rely initially on these primary healthcare departments for the inspection of any disease or unusual biological conduct. The community health nurses are the center of attention for this entire process and for delivering their services. However, cases have been observed where the lack of training and education among the health care nurses to handle and manage any bioterrorism attacks were observed, creating chaos and panic as a result. Not only this, the shortage of community of health nurses was also observed while any attack of bioterrorism. It is very obvious that the community health nurses need training for the bioterrorism preparedness so that they are ready to handle and are pre-prepared if their community is attacked by bioterrorism in a professional manner (Rebmann, 2006). According to a research journal on bioterrorism by the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) it was observed that many of the community healthcare staff and nurses did not follow any formal training or education in order to manage or handle any bioterrorism attack. Out of the hundreds of nurses interviewed by (Gerberding & Hughes, 2002) very few of them took courses and fhealth careation in community healthcare and for bioterrorism. While the remaining nurses made complaints to the researchers that were not able to conduct their studies on bioterrorism because of the shortage of the staff who will take coverage of their nonattendance. As a result they had to take help and lessons from those nurses

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Qin Shi Huang In Society And Modern Media History Essay

Qin Shi Huang In Society And Modern Media History Essay Scholars debate over Qin Shi Huang Dis legacy that he left after his reign 2,200 years ago. To the western public, he has been perceived as a disillusioned, power-hungry, tyrannical man whose lust for immortality he sought brought about the buried legacy of perfect, baked clay models dating from before the birth of Christ. In the last 50 years or so, his history has been re-analyzed into a colossus of a historical figure in Chinese history almost equivalent to Alexander the Great and Caesar rolled into one. By ruthless force of will, he bound warring states together and knit them into a tightly centralized system, standardized Chinas language and law, and built major structures such as the early Great Wall of China. Even the style of his coinage, round with a square-shaped hole in the middle, lasted until the dawn of Communist rule. Few other rulers have so shaped the sinews of their country. However, these feats pale in comparison to his greatest legacy, the establishment of a burea ucracy that would survive for more than 2,000 and would be the largest in the world, staffed by educated men and reaching to the lowest peasant in the land (Wood). The view held by the western public reflects the darker aspects of his life. Despite his massive reforms in the economic and political systems of China, he also garnered the reputation of being an oppressive and borderline psychotic ruler, the most commonly cited example being the Great Wall of China, which was built with hundreds of thousands of conscripted workers in such a small timeframe that thousands were overworked to their deaths. (Many of these workers are believed to be actually buried within the Great Wall) Perhaps one of the greatest stories that personified these psychotic and tyrannical tendencies is one regarding his obsession with immortality. In an attempt to obtain the fabled elixir of life, he dispatched thousands of people to Penglai mountain. When none returned (because failure meant execution), he se nt another expedition consisting of three men, only to be offered the feeble excuse that they had been frightened off by a gigantic fish. He duly set off to shoot it with a repeating crossbow, though despite his attempts, the elixir continued to elude him. His next attempt, immortality pills, consisting of mercury, which his alchemists assured would confer the same power that the substance displayed in absorbing gold, would prove fatal. The dynasty he had promised to last for thousands of years would barely struggle through a decade. The root of Chinas current alteration of the perception of Qin Shi Huang Di roots from the similarities derived between Qin Shi Huang Di and Mao Ze Dong. Both were inspirational leaders who united China in their times of need. Qin Shi Huang Di united China following a 200 year period, known as the Warring States period, creating a political entity recognizable as the China we know today. Similarily, Mao Ze Dong united a war-torn China following the collapse Qing dynasty, managing to create stability in a land which was used as World War IIs battlefield. However, the similarities do not end there. Qin Shi Huang Di was also know for his massive public works projects, often recruiting hundreds of thousands of workers at the expense of tens of thousands of lives à ¿to complete great engineering marvels such as the Great Wall of China, the Lingqu Canal, and the Mausoleum of the First Emperor. Mao Ze Dong similarly ordered huge public works projects, such as dams, canals and other infrast ructure projects, which millions of peasants and prisoners had been forced to toil on and in many cases die for. However, these projects often proved useless as they had been built without the input of trained engineers, whom Mao had rejected on ideological grounds. Other policies set out during Maos reign parallel Qin Shi Huang Dis actions during his reign. For example, both were extremely well known for their persecution of intellectuals in their empires that Mao would later be quoted as bragging: He [Qin Shi Huang Di] buried 460 scholars alive; we have buried 46,000 scholars alive. As Tun Dun, the musical composer for Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and Hero, would put it, Qin Shi Huang Di was pretty much like Mao Zedong. He unified China. He made the language, made the measuring system, made the currency. With these similarities, it would come as no surprise that the Communist party, just as it has protected the reputation of Mao in order to defend both the legitimacy of his leade rship and the foundation of the Communist government in China, would protect the reputation of Qin Shi Huang Di in a similar manner lest Mao be compared to Qin Shi Huang Di in a historical sense. The Communist government has commonly censored foreign films, a practice almost completely alien to Americans. Instead of a free speech clause in their equivalent Constitution, the Communist government is allowed completely control over the media world of China. Especially with foreign films, the Communist government uses a list of criteria to screen the film from the following attributes: Criticism against social order and government Disruption on the unity of various ethnicities of the state Endanger the sovereignty and territorial of the state. Endanger security of the state; harm the public reputation and interests of the state. Disrupt the unity of various nationalities of the state Divulge a state secret Advocate inappropriate sexual relationship; violate moral standard, or obscene content; having strong visual stimulation; tempt people degeneration Advocate superstitious belief; offense against social order Advocate violence; appeal people despise dignity of law; tempt crime; disrupt public security If failing to meet any of these requirements, the movie is typically banned from the country. While the Communist government has long had a stronghold on foreign films and has gained a strong reputation recently for its restriction of foreign films, domestic films face even closer scrutiny. While foreign movies must be screened by censors, domestic productions must submit their plots and final product for approval. The examination period for reviewing in the first step is 15 days, examine fees are based on government policy in different case. In second step, producers get response from censorship department for content should be modified. Last, after modification made accordingly, production will be sent back to review by censorship department. If content has been modified accordingly, the film will then be certified to be broadcasted. In addition, if filmmakers who are not agree with the examination, they are allowed to apply for reviewing no later than 30 days of the first time sub mission. Because of this strict screening process, many of Chinas prominent filmmakers have run afoul of the censors (such as some of the films mentioned below). But the communist governments ability to block unwanted material has withered, thanks to the Internet and a black market that made copies of unauthorized movies available. Hit films often generate tens of thousands of black-market copies, and are generally widely available on pirated DVDs. As the government controls much of the major media within China today, Qin Shi Huang Dis legacy and current perception is altered based on his portrayal in modern media outlets. à ¿Filmography is perhaps the simplest way to reach major audiences. A modern marvel that can instantly reach millions of viewers at once in just days, it comes to no surprise that Qin Shi Huangs greatest appearances in modern media are in movies. The most recent movie to portray Qin Shi Huang Di or reference him would be The Mummy Returns: The Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. However, this movie will not be discussed due to the fact that it is an entirely Western-Based movie and thus, involving no direct influence from the Chinese government and Chinese directors. It is interesting to note that in this movie, many of Emperor Hans signature aspects such as terra cotta warriors or obsession with immortality are based off of Qin Shi Huang Di. The Myth, the next most recent mainstream Chinese movie to feature Qin Sh i Huang Di is indeed directed by a Chinese (Hong Kong) director. However, Qin Shi Huang Di similarly plays a barely supporting role (his persona not even being seen once in the entire film). However, his obsession with immortality and his large mausoleum are referenced as well. Finally, Hero, the third most recent movie to feature Qin Shi Huang Di actually features the emperor on a rather important level. On at least three levels, The Hero violated the consensus of todays Chinese audience. First, ordinary peoples common judgment, which has lasted for thousands of years, that Qin Shi Huang Di was a tyrant, and that tyrants should be condemned. Although the aspiration for a benevolent ruler implied in this view is still a longing under autocratic rule, the condemnation of tyranny is universal. However, the movie Hero is intended to reverse the pubic view towards Qin Shi Huang Di, and goes against the sentiment of the audience. Hero is based on a stance that reverses the judgment towards tyrants. It takes the perspective not of the majority but of a tiny group of people. Second, ordinary peoples general view of martial arts heroes. You have to pay a price for the so-called wandering in the wilderness, but by paying the price you free your heart and spirit, and realize the desire to be in charge of your own life. Peoples general yearning for martial arts and acceptance of it are based on this longing for freedom. But in Hero, when Can Jian and Wu Ming give up their idea of assassinating Qin Shi Huang Di, ostensibly it marks a transcendence of their personal hatred. However, in reality it coincides with the emperors personal ambition, that the world under heaven is the world ruled by the son of heaven, and that consideration of the benefits of the world under heaven is the consideration for the benefit of the son of heaven. The film makes no secret of this view, which is expressed from the mouth of Qin Shi Huang Di: I didnt expect that the one who knows me best, the soul mate who echoes my wants and mind is the one wandering the wilderness. Realistical ly speaking, this movie captures the heart of propaganda towards the legitimacy of Qin Shi Huang Di. Even going so far as to accuse his own officials of calling him a tyrant, Qin Shi Huang Di (the actor) fails to even touch upon the actual actions that made him a tyrant (the building of the Great Wall of China, etc). Instead, he spews out highly theoretical talks of unification, idealized to the point of unreality. Perhaps the greatest indication of this movie aligning its ideals towards Communist ideals is the last translation of Tian Xia, another name for China. Of all the translations of such a name, the most common and literal one being under the heavens, the producers of Hero chose to instead translate it as Our land, to justify Qin Shi Huang Dis conquests. Our Land, the idea that the land is shared by the common person and that it was Qin Shi Huang Dis responsibility to unify China for the sole sake of protecting the common person would have been alien in Ancient Chinese socie ty. The consolidation of power into a single family has been the entire basis of Chinese history (dynasties). It has not been since the start of the Communist rule where the common persons ideals and welfare was truly looked out for by the government. Thus, in summary, Hero was a Communist ideal spouting movie sugar coated in the goodness of martial-arts fight scenes and dramatic and unpredictable plot twists. When the Map is Unrolled, the Dagger is Revealed. This is a famous figure of speech in China, which fits Chen Kaiges latest epic drama perfectly both in story and meaning. It means that only at the end we see peoples real intentions and their true nature. The figure of Ying Zheng (Qin Shi Huang Di) assumes gigantic proportions in this near-Shakespearean tragedy. Hes painted as a fair and just man at the beginning, but he eventually submits to his thirst for power and the dogma of his ancestral mandate. Thanks to pressure and paranoia, Ying Zheng betrays his initial intentions which were to unite all of China peacefully and lead it to years of prosperity. Thats what he initially promises. However, like most politicians, the promises become dead air when he finally reaches his goals. One of Ying Zhengs concubines and the love of his life, Lady Zhao, functions as a counterpoint to the Emperor. A fictional character, shes used by the director to give voice to the masses. She represents people who want humanity to prevail over bloodletting and power-thirsty dictators. These are the people who weep over the senseless loss of life, and want a peaceful solution instead. The film is structured into five acts which lay the groundwork for the final part in which the reluctant assassin Jing Ke plots to kill Ying Zheng. The intricate story might be difficult to follow for someone whos not used to Chinese history, but the script flows well and the characters are developed so effectively that such apparent shortcomings dont really matter at the end. Chen Kaige could have decided to focus on a history lesson, but instead hes more interested in three central characters (Ying Zheng, Lady Zhao and Jing Ke) and their motives. Hes able to create a psychological profile for Ying Zheng, who at first seems in control, but ultimately is the cause of his own undoing. His attempts to bring peace and prosperity to his kin conflict with the danger of holding too much power in ones hands. He cant handle the situation and the consequences are terrible. And guess who pays the price? The same people he was trying to help. Interestingly enough, this movie does not attempt to draw as many parallels between Qin Shi Huang Di and Mao Ze Dong. Dealing with less of his political actions throughout his reign and more with his relationship with his friends and family around him, it is hard to say whether or not the censors in China even bothered to red flag the film. Considering the difficulty of processing this film into anti-Communist propaganda rather a criticism of Qin Shi Huang Dis rule in general, this movie could have easily slipped under the scope of Chinese censors. The Emperors Shadow is an extravagant take on the life and times of Qin Shi Huang Di. Through the friendly relationship between a musician and the Emperor and lavish sets (billed as the most expensive film ever shot in China), it paints an epic picture of Qin Shi Huang Dis rise to power. Realistically speaking, taking out the historical information and the luxurious backgrounds, the movie is really nothing more than the altogether familiar (and relatable) story of two childhood-best-of-friends from different backgrounds and their ideological differences that separate the two. Though he may be portrayed as a ruthless conquerer, he produces some redemptive qualities that would draw him into a more positive light as a character. Qin Shi Huang Dis portrayal is almost identical to the one mentioned in hero as he is portrayed as being concerned with the symbols and identity of the new Qin Dynasty, and the way that these new symbols will come to represent all of China, and be accepted by th e people. In 1996, it did brisk business at the box office during a brief release in five major Chinese cities; but then was banned for censorship reasons. The idea that art could not be controlled by the media (a practice indeed supported during the reign of Qin Shi Huang Di) was also well supported Mao as well. This idea of restricting media in order to control the intellectual in China for both time periods, however, rang a negative light towards the censors, and in a swift act of irony, red flagged and consequently banned the film. However, it should be of note that the film was generally well received by the Western public. For whatever reason, it served as an actual inspiration for the musical The First Emperor. However, again, this was indeed a Western production and thus prospective on Qin Shi Huang Dis rule, which is not relevant to the thesis of this paper. Based upon the few movies portraying Qin Shi Huang Di, it can concluded that the Chinese government has altered Qin Shi Huang Dis perception in modern Chinese culture as a benevolent (if not heroic) figure that directly conflicts the nature of his past in order to draw parallels to and support the Communist government due to many of the similarities between the Chinese Communist party Mao and the emperor. Movies that either seem to conflict with Qin Shi Huang Dis ideals that coincide with Communist party agenda seem to become red flagged by Chinese censors while films that only portray Qin Shi Huang Di in a less than favorable light receive no punishment whatsoever. However, it definitely must be noted that this analysis of the role of the Communist government in Qin Shi Huang Dis is limited in several ways, the first being that the oldest movie with Qin Shi Huang Di was created in the late 90s. However, this only man point further to the similarities of Qin Shi Huang Di and Mao as i t would seem to indicate that Qin Shi Huang Di was too sensitive of a subject to work upon until the advent of the 90s where the Chinese government relatively relaxed their censorship laws. Finally, it must be noted that only three movies were referenced for this analysis due to the fact that there have only been three Chinese-made movies that have featured Qin Shi Huang Di ever created.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Green Stone :: essays research papers

During the opening years of the seventeenth century, Europe was gripped by Reformation and Counter-Reformation, when Catholics and Protestants persecuted one another with equal fervour. England was ruled by a Protestant regime, and in 1605 a group of oppressed Catholic landowners hatched a plot to kill the king, James I, during the state opening of parliament on 5 November. The plan, conceived by the Midland Catholics Robert Catesby and Thomas Wyntour, was to blow up the Houses of Parliament with dozens of barrels of gunpowder. Known as the Gunpowder Plot, it was thwarted at the last moment when conspirator Guy Fawkes was discovered nervously waiting to light the fuse. When Fawkes was tortured into revealing the names of the other plotters, the small band of conspirators fled to the Wyntour family home at Huddington Court in Worcestershire. Here they spent their last night, fleeing only a few miles the next day before being surrounded by the militia. But this was not the end of the affair. The king's chief minister, Robert Cecil, had given strict instructions that Robert Catesby should be taken alive. The reason being, that he possessed a sacred relic - a green, jade gemstone called the Meonia Stone. Tradition held that it had once been set in King Arthur's sword Excalibur. Historically, it had belonged to Mary Queen of Scots, the last legitimate Catholic heir to the English throne. Following her death in 1587, a legend had developed that the Catholic who would finally secure the English throne would need to possess the sacred stone. Fearing that the Meonia Stone would act as a rallying symbol for the English Catholics, Cecil was determined that it should be destroyed. He was furious, however, to discover that Robert Catesby had been shot dead and the knowledge of the stone's whereabouts had died with him. Despite months of frantic searching and intense interrogation of the surviving conspirators, the stone was never found. Three centuries later, in 1979, Graham Phillip's and fellow researcher Andrew Collins decided to go in search of the lost Meonia Stone. The Green Stone, co-authored by Martin Keatman, is the remarkable true story of this fascinating quest. Following a trail of historical clues, Graham and Andrew finally discovered the identity of the person to whom the stone was given. During their interrogation, the surviving Gunpowder Plotters had stated that Robert Catesby still had the stone with him the night before his death.