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Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Narrative Writing & Tupac Essay

American rapper, actor, activist, poet 2Pac was truly one of hip hop’s most distinctively talented artists and indeed, a dynamically influential figure who conveyed his introspective thoughts through such vibrantly resonating music and lyrics. However, 2Pac’s journey to glory and recognition was filled only with many intricacies and hardships but fuelled only by gifted ability, wit, heart and sheer passion. Many could either label him from anywhere as both a thug and gangster or a natural born leader and poet—but 2pac emphasized: â€Å"Measure a man by his actions fully, with his whole life from the beginning to the end† (qtd. in Lazin). Born Tupac Amaru Shakur (June 16, 1971) in East Harlem, New York, 2pac was named after a proud Inca chief from South America by his mother who was a key member of the Black Panther. Due to her significant affiliation with the movement, Afeni Shakur was incarcerated during her pregnancy to her son. 2pac admits the absolute admiration he has for his mother for being able to withstand all adversity and eventually giving birth to him, affectionately mentioning her as a â€Å"strong black woman†(Lazin). 2pac values his mother’s teaching of raising him and his sister to be community-oriented and socially aware, amidst the financial shortcomings they faced. 2pac categorizes their financial status then as being â€Å"stone broke† as they did not have luxuries or even necessities which he thought they needed. Growing up, 2pac had no real father figure to look up to—he stresses such longing in saying that â€Å"You need a man to teach you how to be a man† (qtd. in Lazin). Due to his troubles to gain a steady source of income, his mother decided to move to Baltimore. There, 2pac was enrolled in the Baltimore School of Arts and spent three years there learning assorted facets of art and meeting various individuals-turned-friends. In the process of education, 2pac pin points one major flaw of lack of shedding light into life’s reality. In his observation of the social and economic inequality, he states, â€Å"Rich people should live like poor people, and poor people should live like rich people. They should change every week† (qtd. in Lazin). In attempt to escape poverty and violence, 2pac moved to California only to realize the same poverty element shared by the â€Å"black community. † Yet, amidst it all, he stayed strong. After having decided to move out of his mother’s house and authority, with no other choice, 2pac resorted to the ways of street life in which he cites how he found father-figures in the form of drug-dealers, pimps, and criminals. It was in the streets that his rather sharp tongue was cultivated: â€Å"The words that I say are the words that don’t come out from a mother’s mouth or a father’s mouth† (2Pac qtd. in Lazin). Eventually dropping out from high school, 2Pac had a short turn in selling drugs but was advised later on by the same people— his co-drug dealers, who later stood as financial sponsors for him to follow his dreams in music. 2pac professionally started in an early nineties hip hop group known as the â€Å"Digital Underground. † Shock G, leader of the group, gave opportune chances for 2Pac as he was starting out—free style raps during performances and songs, having him belong in the group as a roadie and taking him in. After having some songs under his belt and being recognized for his talent by major music labels and prominent figures such as Interscope and Ted Field, â€Å"2Pacalypse Now† was released as his first platinum album in which he tackled major social issues and expressed and stimulated the pain he dealt with throughout his childhood. This was the beginning of a series of albums that were not only of commercial and critical success but also were of social significance. As 2Pac’s fame grew, he opted to stretch his skills for the silver-screen, through films such as â€Å"Juice† (1992), â€Å"Poetic Justice† (1993), and â€Å"Above the Rim† (1994) which displayed both his aggressive and sensitive strengths in his character and also, acting prowess. As his messages of social awareness come across even more, 2Pac stressed his personal take and concept of how he wants to empower the youth, the oppressed, and the ill-fated through his idealistic but rather controversial theme of â€Å"Thug Life. † However, there were rather social distortions in between 2Pac’s and the media’s meaning. Hence, in a subjective interpretation, 2Pac explains that this idea has nothing to do with the dictionary’s definition of thug; rather, it pertains to the underdog who chooses to overcome each life’s seemingly hopeless obstacles with pride, dignity, and courage. His fame was often accompanied by many sorts of controversy which included a violent altercation with a limousine driver, clashes with rightist group members like C. Dolores Tucker and William Bennett, to the news and media pertaining to his lyrics content, and even assault, which took quite heavy blows upon him. Most especially on life and freedom threatening occurrences, after being a victim of a shooting, he was later convicted to serve a prison sentence due to losing to charges of rape. His prison stint, only gave rose to strength and experience in him becoming a better man of insight in life’s truths. In addition, while serving his sentence, his music still crossed-over to the hearts and minds of millions. With all of these, he realized his irresponsible actions, mistakes, and rather wrong decision making of what to say, what to do, and how to act. After being bailed out through a record deal with CEO with a criminal past, Suge Knight and his music label, Death Row Records, 2Pac was freed and at once focused on getting his music on the rise again. Despite having freedom, 2Pac had to face an assortment of financial battles, just as so as he would not to go back to jail. As 2Pac music rode the Death Row banner high and proud, together with peers such as Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dogg, a feud between East Coast and West Coast rapper grew, but 2Pac stresses that such tension was rooted only and mainly on two men—him and East Coast rapper Notorious B. I. G. 2Pac understood the effects of such strain of which he felt responsible for and said that â€Å"I hope we would exercise greater restraint,† pertaining to the situation (qtd. in Lazin). Amidst all the past difficulties and pressing danger, 2Pac kept a strong outlook on life: â€Å"I felt that the only thing that could kill me is death, and even then, my music will live forever† (qtd. in Lazin). While in Las Vegas, after a Mike Tyson-Bruce Seldon bout, a car pulled up alongside were Suge Knight, and 2Pac was positioned then open fired upon by four gunmen as they were supposedly headed to a night club. After undergoing two surgeries, having a lung removed and despite having a surge of praying fans outside the hospital of which were he stayed, 2Pac passed away with his truth message and true music of which he left behind to us. His legacy would never be forgotten for his music captured continuing struggles of the common man who only demanded for change, progress, and the right to have a better future. Tupac Amaru Shakur indeed was a warrior and prophet, despite the controversy, despite the media frenzy he had to go through, and despite everything else. Indeed, his message is powerful: â€Å"I’m not saying I’m going to change the world, but I guarantee you that I will spark the brains that will change the world. So, keep you head up† (2Pac qtd. in Lazin). Works Cited Lazin, Lauren. Tupac: Resurrection. Los Angeles, California: Paramount Pictures, 2003.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Exit Through the Gift Shop

Banksy is the pseudonym of a British graffiti artist and painter. Although the street's artist are usually anonymous, Banksy may be one of the most mysterious street's artists. Banksy, who has been acting for over ten years But recently his name has been known and because of his type of activity and protest is popular in media and public. Banksy's first film was showed in the Sundance Film Festival 2010 for the first time. The film was released in the England in March 2010 And in January 2011 was nominated for the Academy Award for the Best Documentary film. The film is composed of two parts. One part is an interview with Banksy and the other part is the films that Thierry Guetta has recorded with his camera. Terry is a Frenchman who lived in Los Angeles and has spent his life with fashion's fans. Terry has a unique feature, he doesn't go anywhere without his camera As he describes it as an addiction. Finally on a trip to France in 1999 a new event occurs. Terry was fortunate to being in a right place. He met street's artist and was started filming. Street's artist liked it too because in this way they were able to develope their art. After ten months of filming street's artists finally, an idea comes to Terry's mind, Documentation. The only thing that Terry was needed in his film was Banksy's presence. Banky is working and Terry videos. Banksy seggested Terry to make a documentry with these videos. After 6 months Terry come back with a film but Banksy did not like the film that Terry was made. â€Å"Exit through the gift shop† is a sotry of a character that Banksy made it. The interplay of the devices used to record and that which is being recorded include:  ·Form Use of natural properties of the medium  ·Cinematography In this documentry film Terry's Camera acts as a recording device and does not comment upon the action.  ·Screenplay Terry did not plan for the dialogues, they are natural and unscripted.  ·Mise-en-Scene There is no specific costumes, make-up and actrors in this film. Every thing is natural.  ·Edditing Aids in comprehension through cutting out all unnecessary action. Exit Through the Gift Shop Creativity has always pushed the limits in the media and societal culture. In modern society, street art is considered as vandalism, in comparison to the artist(s) and works shown in the film â€Å"Exit Through the Gift Shop†, street art is a life-style. It helps the artist convey thoughts and opinions, while abusing the right of staying anonymous. Exit Through the Gift Shop removes that anonymity for every artist, aside from one, Banksy, the filmmaker. Banksy is a notorious street artist that prefers to push the limits of reality and creativity.He has created and released this film to provide a message about the Main Character, Thierry Guetta, and for others, like him, who believe street art can be created easily. Exit Through the Gift Shop follows a man, Thierry Guetta, who initially lives his life through his camera. After observing street art, he discovers a few artists and begins to obsessively follow them around, recording the ‘making-of' and the final piece. Along the way, he interviews them about their creations, and what these artists are trying to display.Throughout this process, Guetta is behind the scope of the lens, as a hidden character should, out of sight and out of mind. With the artist in the spotlight, the audience is provided the images first-hand, along with the artists' definition. Since Guetta never had plans to use the footage, no one would ever see these images, or creations, other than him. This was a harmless concept, for he would lend a hand when needed, and stayed humble overall.While observing the street art, Guetta learned different styles, different creations and the actual creative process behind the works of Fairey, Space Invader and Banksy, to then try and apply art of his own. While Guetta works with Banksy, he earns Banksy’s trust, to the point where secrets are shared. From the beginning of the film, Banksy claims that Guetta has no intention to use the film, after weeks of footage being recorded; Banksy puts Guetta’s focus into question and tells him to make a film out of all the acquired footage. From the making of Guetta’s Film, the idea of Mr.Brainwash was created. At this point, the audience is led to believe that Guetta is trying to get a point across with his creation, although he lacked experience in the creation of film. However, Banksy believes that Guetta still does not have a consistent message that would apply to street art that he wants to share with the world. With Guetta’s opinion, the world is supposed to believe that unique art can be different, as long as it is different in any aspect. Whereas Banksy’s argument is that successful street art is different from any other, while mixing societal culture and propaganda.Banksy explains to the audience that street art is about the lack of monetary gain, and not for the sake of fame, but for fame of a creative aspect. Mr. Brainwash, does not take on Banksy’s way of display. He simply doe s the opposite. Every artist shown in the film has a style of creativity that is consistent with his or her character. Away from Banksy and other artists, he combines the styles and trends, the creative aspect from almost every artist he met over throughout the film, Guetta starts making his own art.After displaying many of his works of art around town, even as the audience could tell, the art was stylized after other artist’s works, even Banksy’s, Guetta holds a show to sell his art for thousands of dollars to those in the media and modern culture who treat these works as art. â€Å"He calls himself Mr. Brainwash, and fills an abandoned television studio with sub-Warholian dreck of his own devising. †(Lane, 2010) Anthony Lane, along with other reviewers believe that the character Guetta, is merely a character, and that someone this, un-talented, would not treat this as real art.This raises important details in the plot, was Guetta a real character? Is this movi e a tale of fiction, or a realistic documentary. Guetta’s art is simplistic in nature, simple to the point in which modern media can understand the symbolism behind each and every detail. Guetta’s art is also detailing older artists work and features that relate specifically to them. As it relates to Banksy’s message, the visitors of the Art show are interviewed about the work they are purchasing and they look at it as new and innovative, they believe that it is different.Banksy’s use of Guetta’s interview footage is paced well, it shows the difference in the rise of his passionate career, to the money-hungry man he has become. This film is about authenticity and whether certain aspects are real or not, and it is quite metaphorical that the film, overall, might be a mock-umentary, while still retaining certain messages. â€Å"about what it means to be a superstar in a subculture built on shunning the mainstream; about how sensibly that culture jud ges, and monetizes, talent. (Ryzik 2010) Guetta’s lack of comprehending the importance of having a message makes for art that offers only appreciation and a name behind the feature. Opposed to inspiration, Guetta is abusing the influence that artists apply to their works to be different, while only slightly changing theirs, he has attained all that he can from the public, money and appreciation. With this kind of art, the attention is not only drawn to himself, but to the original artist as well. Banksy offers the opinion that art was not meant to be viewed this way, which shows that he completely despises the art industry.Evidence was shown earlier in the introduction of Banksy placing his own art in a gallery as a mockery towards the actual pieces that were displayed. After listening to Banksy’s perspective, and Guetta’s, the audience is left in a point between both parties. Everyone that has seen this film raises the question on whether the entire production was merely to push the same message that Banksy explains throughout the film, that art should be shared and exchanged without profit.However, with the lack of a director, or a writer, â€Å"Exit Through the Gift Shop† is exactly the opposite. Banksy’s title is plastered on it, this shows that not only is he approving the fact that this film should be released, it also proves that he didn’t care about all the works done by other artists of the film, while showing them off, unless most of them got a couple bucks to show some art. What Banksy is trying to prove with this idea, and what he is shown trying to teach to Guetta, is basically not to be a sell-out.The artistic work that you do passionately, which you share with society, should be free. It should be to provide the world or the media with insight. A look from a different perspective, or showing the bigger picture. I agree that Banksy does this with his art, and with the film, together this unifies his style . He pushes the limits, and even as we question the authenticity of the film, we are re-viewing, and discussing parts, sharing and making notes, it has become exactly what he wanted, if better.As far as Guetta’s character goes, he is merely just a reflection of our society, he records video for the sake of recording, he ditches his family life to do something he claims is passionate to him, and in the end, ends up selling works of art for thousands of dollars, reflecting nothing that the other artists taught him in the film. References: Lane, A. (2010, Apr 26). Street justice. Retrieved from http://www. newyorker. com/arts/critics/cinema/2010/04/26/100426crci_cinema_lane RYZIK, M. (2010, April 13). Ny times. Retrieved from http://www. nytimes. om/2010/04/14/movies/14banksy. html Cushing, H. , D’Cruz, J and Gay-Rees, J. (2010)Banksy(Director) â€Å"Exit Through the Gift Shop† (Motion Picture). United Kingdom. Acknowledgements: Lab Class – I’d like t o thank everyone that I was grouped with in lab for help with finding a few sources, and an overall discussion about the topics of the paper. Peer Editor – I’d like to thank you for reviewing and editing my work ahead of time, offering me changes and correcting small errors.

Hero Myth †Achilles Essay

The concept of the hero is as old as myth itself. Throughout history both concepts have evolved together. Myths tell tales of the adventures of man, frequently the son of a god or goddess and a human, who is endowed with great promise and destined to perform great feats. Often these feats involve acts of rescue, war or protection. This heroic myth is rooted in the ideal of familial romance. Particularly during adolescence it sustains and expresses the identification of the ego with idealized imagery. The hero myths have been used for centuries to educate and train youths as parts of institutions and groups. One example of a hero is Achilles, made famous through Homer’s epic Illiad. While we may not look at myths today in the same ways as our ancient forebears, the hero myth is still alive and well in our culture today. Achilles was the hero of the Trojan war as related by Homer in the Illiad. He was the mightiest of the Trojan warriors. He began life as a demigod, the son of Peleus, the king of the Myrmidons and a mortal, and Thetis who was a Nereid. The Myrmidons were legendary warriors, very skilled and brave. Nereids are sea nymphs being the daughters of Nereus and Doris. Thetis was very concerned that her son was a mortal. Therefore she attempted to make him immortal. There are two stories of how she wet about this. The lesser-known story is that she burned him in a fire nightly and then healed his wounds with a magical ambrosia. The more well-known story is that she held him tightly by the heel and submersed him in the river Styx. This made his entire body invulnerable except for the spot on his heel where she held him while he was in the river. During Achilles’ boyhood, a seer named Calchas prophesied that Troy would not fall without help from Achilles. Knowing that he would die if he went to Troy, Thetis sent Achilles to the court of Lycomedes in Scyros. He was hidden there in the guise of a young girl. While at the court he had a romance with Deidameia who was the daughter of Lycomedes. The result was a son who was named Pyrrhus. The disguise finally came to an end when Odysseus exposed Achilles by placing arms and armor amongst a display of female garments and picked Achilles out when he was the only â€Å"female† to be interested in the war equipment. Achilles then willingly joined Odysseus on the journey to Troy. He led a host of his father’s Myrmidon troops in addition to his utor Phoenix and his friend Patroclus. Once in Troy, Achilles quickly gained the reputation as an undefeatable warrior. One of his most notable feats was the capture of 23 Trojan towns. One of these was Lyrnessos where he took a war prize in the form of a woman named Briseis. The central action of the Illiad was sparked when Agamemnon, the leader of the Greeks, was forced to give up his war-prize woman, Chryseis, by an oracle of Apollo. As compensation for the loss of Chryseis, Agamemnon took Briseis from Achilles. Thus enraged, Achilles refused to continue fighting for the Greeks. With Achilles’ withdrawal from the action, the war started to go badly for the Greeks and they offered large reparations to try to lure back their greatest warrior. Achilles continued to refuse to rejoin the war, however, he did agree to allow his close friend Patroclus to don his arms and armor and fight in his place. The next day Hector, a Trojan hero, mistook Patroclus for Achilles and killed Patroclus. Achilles was engulfed with rage at Hector and consumed by grief for his friend’s death. Thetis went to Hephaestus and obtained fabulous new armor for Achilles. Achilles recommenced fighting and killed Hector. Not satisfied with Hector’s death, Achilles used his chariot to drag the body before the walls of Troy and refused the corpse funeral rites. Hector’s father Priam, the king of Troy, went secretly to the Greek camp to beg the return of the body. Finally, Achilles relented and allowed Priam to take Hector’s remains. After Hector’s death time started to run out for Achilles. He continued to fight heroically and killed many Trojans as well as their allies. Eventually, Paris, who was another of Priam’s sons, enlisted the aid of Apollo and wounded Achilles in his weak spot – the heel – with an arrow. This caused Achilles death. The enduring legend from the story of Achilles has to do with the concept of the Achilles’ heel. An Achilles’ heel has come to mean that despite overall strength, there is a mortal weakness that can lead to one’s downfall. While the original myth refers to a physical weakness, in modern times it has come to reference other types of character flaws or qualities that can cause ruination. The concept of the hero has changed somewhat in our modern culture. Instead of daring people who buck trends and traditions in order to help their families, nations or cultures, today we tend to revere people like sports figures and actors. While we have the occasional government or political leader such as Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King or Nelson Mandela, most of what you hear about is who is making the most money due to their sports or acting ability. The concept of the sports figure hero can have some validity as these figures do occasionally overcome great odds and perform daring feats on the modern â€Å"battlefield†, i. e. , the sports arena. However, this is nothing compared to the feats of the ancient heros. Hero myths are powerful stories from ancient times. So powerful are they that they cross cultures and ages, continuing to influence us today. Achilles was one of the great heros of ancient times as the mightiest warrior of the Trojan war. While who we classify as a hero has changed in our modern societies, we still look to the concept today. We teach young people about heros as a method to inspire them. We look to our heros as adults to give us guidance and to give us something to guide our hopes and dreams. While modern heros may not be of Achilles’ status, they remain an integral part of our cultures.

Monday, July 29, 2019

The cost of racial profiling on our future Research Proposal

The cost of racial profiling on our future - Research Proposal Example The paper throws light on racial profiling as what occurs when a member of law enforcement or society uses a person’s ethnic or racial heritage as a means of deciding their guilt in regards to criminal activity. Profiling is used in other areas as well, for instance major corporations use profiling techniques to market products and more. Racial profiling reaches to all parts of our modern society. In addressing the problem it is important to understand what may be the root of that problem. History does a wonderful job of showing us what leads up to a problem and at times what encompasses this problem. Throughout history man has enslaved those whom he conquered, this was accepted as normal when one tribe warred against another and lost. However, over time slavery became more of a business arrangement then a dispute resolution. In the United States and Great Britain slavery was accepted as a necessary factor in operating profitable business ventures. Eventually Great Britain out lawed slavery; however, until the Civil War the United States still had many slaves, both black and white. It was not until after the Civil War that the racial prejudices began to grow exponentially. Whereas before slaves (typically African Americans) were simply thought of as property, now these same slaves were to be accepted as equals this led to segregation laws throughout the South. Various laws were passed on a federal level that utilized a crude method of racial profiling with regards to marijuana usage which at the time of the Harrison Act was thought of as a black man’s drug and problem.... ous laws were passed on a federal level that utilized a crude method of racial profiling with regards to marijuana usage which at the time of the Harrison Act was thought of as a black man’s drug and problem. (Brecher) Following the Civil War in 1882, there were the approaches to the influx of Chinese laborers and the constant references to â€Å"yellow skin, slanted eyes and use of opiates† One approach in particular was the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, this act of congress barred additional immigration for a period of ten years, this act was followed by another extension of ten years and eventually it was made permanent. (Chinese Exclusion Act) Over the years there have been other advances in the use of racism and race based preferential treatment. Specifically there were actions taken against Japanese American citizens during World War II, as well as additional actions taken recently regarding Arab Americans and now the appeal to â€Å"Americanismâ €  and the use of prejudicial legislative attempts regarding Mexican Americans. Regardless of color of a person’s skin they are all still humans, and as members of the same race we should be striving together to surpass ourselves and conquer disease and energy related problems. It is important to first understand that this is wrong, the use of a person’s race against themselves is fundamentally wrong. Race while allowing the statistics driven data bases of the criminal justice system yet another point that can be used as a guide, is not by default a factor. In fact race is simply an aspect of the criminal and not a contributing factor as some who promote racial profiling would have you believe. In the current United States there has been much work done regarding the termination of the use of racial

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Disseminate your findings to make changes in practice Essay

Disseminate your findings to make changes in practice - Essay Example When seniors reach a certain age, then the cognitive testing and MRIs should be a mandatory process of the regular checkup. Being able to sufficiently track these diseases will help others in the future to avoid or reduce the debilitating symptoms these diseases cause. As our population now lives longer than ever before, there are issues that have become more in evidence that concern the elderly, particularly past the age of 70 years of age, sometimes sooner. The diseases of dementia and Alzheimer disease (AD) have become a larger issue in recent decades as the medical community conducts more research into the problems these diseases are causing, both to the health of the elderly, and the families involved (NINDS 2014). As the last few decades have provided a generation of older adults, living well into their 80s, there is also the problem of how to handle this situation through medical diagnosis, legal supervision by lawyers, and how families are supposed to deal with the varied outcomes that can occur. It is important to also know how older people and their families can also help themselves in a number of ways, including living a more healthy life, with less stress from the effects of debilitation from both dementia and AD. Some of the problems involved with this issue is that there is no mandatory testing and scanning requirements or regulations in place at this time which would help catch these diseases early on, whereby rehabilitation could be given early enough to reduce the effects of onset of dementia and/or AD. The largest issue with dementia and subsequent Alzheimer diagnosis is that, in some cases, the elderly can be hard to monitor for the simple reason that elderly people do not want to be considered as mentally incapable of handling their own affairs, and have a fear of being sent to rest homes, shut away for the rest of their lives (NCB 2009). It is also hard on the families

Saturday, July 27, 2019

W6Distributed Knowledge Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

W6Distributed Knowledge - Essay Example With the help of new advancements and movements in communication technology and IT, specialists from everywhere in the world are able to work together as a team. This kind of teamwork is growing at the present. Despite the fact that, new studies on distant and distributed team association have exposed that functioning in these locations brings a challenge to the joint building of novel knowledge. The fundamentals for bringing bright awareness are the similar as in face-to-face location. One precondition for generatinng new information is that to exchange information and distinguish what others are articulating, distributed team associates have to create various postulations regarding what other group members carry out as well as do not identify (Piritta Leinonen, 2008). In addition to judgment of others information, to arrive at the wide-ranging objectives of the team, team associates have to as well assess the knowledge that is previously communal and realized which subjects needed additional development in order to attain conclusions in their mutual assignment. Despite the fact that, in distributed team circumstances it is complicated to review what is familiar or common knowledge. As well as, inside studies on cognitive objectives and self-regulation, opinions have been obtainable regarding how persons strivings to estimate others and common perception that rely upon ones motivational state and cognitive abilities. Like that evaluation tendency, as well as consequently there might be variation in individuals assessments of others and shared information in collaboration also (Lori Rockett, 1998). Data and Knowledge transfer is a course of action in which one person, group or organization recognizes as well as learns detailed knowledge that exists in to another person, group or organization, and reapplies this

Friday, July 26, 2019

Economy-Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Economy-Business - Essay Example Secondly this paper will discuss the possibility of the Mexican Peso being strong as a result of anticipated better performance of the Mexican economy relative to the American economy in the future. There is little question that under present economic circumstances the dollar an peso exchange rate is in a constant state of flux owing to the fact that these two currencies are allowed to float freely against one another and may experience changes resulting from market conditions. However it should be noted that at one point in these nations’ histories the Peso was pegged to the Dollar. Under this fixed exchange rate regime there was effectively no risk associated with any appreciation or depreciation as the M$ was set at a fixed rate to the US$. However it was the case that there was significant inflation in Mexico in the early 90’s so a crawling peg system emerged which meant that the peso needed to be devaluated and as such the M$-US$ exchange rate would occasionally be altered by the central bank. However since Mexico’s introduction into NAFTA the currency has been free to float at its market value exchange rate with the United States. At Natural Detergent it has been argued by some senior executives that the relative value of the Peso would decline against the Dollar because the United States has a long history of outperforming the Mexican economy. Implicit in this statement is that the American economy has always outperformed the Mexican Economy and secondly a better performing economy has a stronger currency. According to the World Bank World Development Indicators (2009) the real annual growth rates for Mexico and the United States from 1997-2009 are available in the appendix #1 however the Mexican economy actually outpaced the growth of the American economy eight out of the last thirteen years. However according to MSN Money (2010) during the

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Women Suffrage Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Women Suffrage - Thesis Example n the hands of their physically stronger counterparts and tend mostly the home and the hearth, not to say that they could even if they wanted ,for power in the barbaric ages was the privilege of the brute . Neither could the vanquished classes, whatever the gender, theoretically come anywhere near it till the age of democracy ushered in by the thinkers and the educated classes of this world came to blossom. And education and knowledge, once it began to infiltrate the recesses of the kitchens, brought with it a desire for self determination and empowerment. Though subservience of women to men is advocated by various religious texts, it is a sad fact that duties demanded in return are found fantastically wanting. On the other side, the premise that women are totally excluded from decision-making is also not true, acknowledged popularly in the phenomenon known as â€Å"pillow talk†. A notable example from a religious text is the case of the Pilate’s wife, a woman of better sense and judgment and goodness than her husband, advocating leniency for Jesus Christ who was under the sentence of crucifixion.[Mathew 12;34,KJV]. Similar instances abound in history, which perhaps if heeded to, would have made the world a vastly better place and perhaps saved it from many a catastrophe. â€Å"Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the husbands. Remember all men would be tyrants if they could†, said Abigail Adams Abigail Adams  Quotes . AbigailAdams  (1744-1818) By Jone Johnson Lewis, About.com Guide Interesting and amusing sallies for and against the cause were presented in the â€Å"Woman’s Wrongs† and the Woman’s Rights by Rev. John Todd [Todd] and the â€Å"Woman’s Wrongs† by Mary Dodge [Dodge] . Early in the 18th century, the ideas promoted by Mary Astell , English philosopher in her epic letter Serious Proposal to Ladies, 1697,was one of the pioneers who led the charge saying [founded on Descartes theory of dualism which advocated that mind is not

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

The American model of judicial selection vs. the civil law model of Essay

The American model of judicial selection vs. the civil law model of judicial selection - Essay Example iece discusses the legal issues on appointment of judges either by the American model of judicial selection or the civil law model of judicial selection. The selection process in the American model is open and highly unlikely to face interference from the politicians. Usually, authorities consult before appointing the judges (Whittington, Kelemen & Caldeira, 2008). The nominee ought to have practiced as lawyers before their appointment as judges. The American model has several weaknesses; for instance, the public can foretell who is likely to be appointed as a judge. Moreover, it is a democratic process of selecting judges because it does not interfere with the constitutional court structure. In the process, the supposed judge should be a person of high integrity. According to Tarr (2009), prior to selection, the candidates list their servings to the public for scrutiny. This provides an opportunity for the public to elect competent judges from a panel of lawyers. Furthermore, in the American model, a candidate has to seek endorsement from non-governmental authorities before their appointment to serve as a judge. For example, in Oregon, an endorsement of the judge by the public signifies credibility in services as a lawyer. The appointing body that uses the civil system has a wide selection to choose from as opposed to the American model (Tarr, 2009). Authorities can incorporate their traditional values to the civil system when appointing judges. The Civil law model focuses on the overall development of the justice system and the society. Countries prefer the model of appointment because it allows for flexibility in the choice of individuals to serve as judges. Moreover, there is anonymity on who will be the judge. However, the public can play a role in the process by influencing the appointments. This can result to unfairness in the delivery of justice to the public. As such, an extremist can become a judge. Indeed, a civil law model promotes democracy in

Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Lab Report Example Like any other laboratory experiments, reference is made to physical background of measurement tools and CAD version. Each tool requires an apt application to realize the most appropriate experimental results. In this section, vernier calipers and micrometer screw gauge were used to measure various dimensions of the Duplo block provided. In each case, these tools were aptly applied as described in the material attached to the laboratory manual. The Duplo block used in this experiment had a mixture of rectangular and circular shapes with internal and external diameters. With reference to manuals provided, the use of vernier calipers to determine internal and external dimensions of the various shapes on the Duplo block was studied. This is inclusive of evasion of any zero errors that might have occurred. Outer dimensions of circular, square and rectangular shapes on this block were determined by placing it between the lower jaws of the vernier calipers (Benedettelli, 2014). For inner dimensions, upper jaws clip inner surface of shapes measured and are screwed until they firmly hold. Measurements of depth are carried out using the movable head adjustable by the screw clamp whose shape and specifications differ for various vernier calipers. Once an object is in position, readings are made off systematically by determining initial significant figures by reading off values just to the left of vernier zero mark, along the main scale. The reading at which markings in vernier scale coincides with a division on main scale forms decimal readings. Thus, measurements on a vernier scale are usually expressed to two decimal place (Benedettelli, 2014). Relative to micrometers, measurements by vernier calipers are less precise. The use of ratchet knob, vernier scale and main scale of a micrometer was demonstrated as described in laboratory manuals. This instrument applies in

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Relationship Between Development Of The Sound System And Overall Motor Essay

Relationship Between Development Of The Sound System And Overall Motor Development In Children - Essay Example This essay stresses that that two children by dissimilar patterns of production of speech sounds throughout an early period of phonological development preserve dissimilarity in production patterns during the developmental period. This paper makes a conclusion that though equally children's articulatory skills appeared to be inside normal limits, as compared by their peers, one was in advance of the further in completing the phonetic inventory. Furthermore, their approaches to the manufacture of polysyllabic words at Time 1 were evocative of their later production skills for incessant speech. Even though these outcomes are not broadly generalizable, they begin to offer evidence for untried hypotheses in the literature concerning the relationship between premature pronunciation processes and afterward pronunciation skill. Several predictions made by this study that may be tested by potential studies are the subsequent: 1. First of all the use of glottal and glide substitute for intervocalic consonants throughout early stages of development may be prognostic of moderately slower development of precise articulatory motion wanted for the production of affricates and no early clusters. 2. Early concluding consonant deletion, glottal, and glide substitute do not come into view to be analytical, necessarily, of a wide-ranging linguistic deficit or a harsh phonological difficulty. 3. No doubt, a premature partiality for assimilation and reduplication processes does not come into view to be prognostic of sluggish phonological learning.

Monday, July 22, 2019

Absence Of Populism In Colombia Essay Example for Free

Absence Of Populism In Colombia Essay The term populism refers to a political system where the leaders appeal directly to the people and seek the support of social sectors that are not adequately represented in the political arrangements that exist. In a populist system, the leaders tend to enjoy the support of the mass as a result of mass mobilization. In many Latin American nations such as Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, Chile, Panama, Peru and Mexico, one or more administrations have adopted populist policies (Dornbusch and Edwards, pg. 7). However, populism has failed to emerge in Colombia raising the question of why populism is not part of the Colombian society. Although populism in Colombian was promoted by the political leader Jorge Eliecer Gaitan who was assassinated in 1948, populism failed to emerge after his death. Gaitan assassinated ended populist leadership in Columbia . Up to date, Colombia has managed to adopt a non-populist political system. Although the current Colombian President Alvaro Uribe leadership is considered to have some elements common with many populists, he is not a populist. The issue of absence of populism in Colombia in a continent dominated by populism and the reasons behind the absence needs to be examined. President Alvaro Uribe non-populist leadership has been attributed to his lack of interest in mobilizing masses and activating supporters. These factors are important elements in populism. This paper will explore the reasons behind absence of populism in Colombia by tracing historical events in the country. The paper will first present a belief history of Colombia and important events during the leadership of Jorge Gaitan. His emergence as a political leader and the peoples’ reaction to his emergence will be explored as well as the reasons behind lack of populism emergence after his death . Finally, the paper will evaluate President Uribe non-populist policies and why/how he has made great efforts to make Colombia prosper in absence of populism and left tendencies. Discussion A Brief overview of populism Populism embraces political representation that challenges the democratic political society where a highly polarized concept of society exists. Populist regimes like the ones that have been witnessed in Latin American emphasize on the social divide between the privileged who have benefited from the existing political practices and the underprivileged who account for the excluded majority (Coniff, pg. 22). Populist leaders claim to represent this underprivileged group that comprises of the poor and promise social justice. As a result, the leaders tend to reject any political intermediation that aim at limiting and checking their political power. Some political analysts consider populism to be nationalistic, authoritarian and depend on social mobilization for support. Many populist regimes often destroy traditional parties. The populist manifestation indicates that the traditional market reforms in a populist regime are unable to sustain economic growth, reduce poverty, generate employment opportunities and reduce inequality. Although populist leaders use democratic means to assume into political power, they are involved in undermining democratic institutions once they get into office. History of Colombia and events at the time of populist Jorge Eliecier Gaitan The collapse of the Gran Colombia 1830 led to the emergence of Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador. Colombia became a republic in 1886. Two major political parties, the Liberal and Conservative parties emerged in Colombia due to the differences between the followers of two leaders Paula Santander and Simon Bolivar These two parties dominated the Colombian politics for a long time. Gaitan became achieved national prestige through his efforts of addressing the issues of concern of the peasants. For instance, he was involved in a Congressional investigation of worker’s revolt and strike in 1929 in Santa Marta and also wrote on the excesses of management and repressive intervention of the army in Colombia. This made Gaitan win great popular prestige and become a hero among the peasants. He joined the left wing of the Liberal party after 1930s and managed to win Congressional elections in March 1947. He continued to strengthen his position and increase his popularity by trying to reach the masses and giving them hope The Colombian society comprised of the privileged who held political offices and the poor who considered Gaitan to fight for their rights. Peasant populism and rural protests were witnessed since the 1930s. Gaitan became a charismatic leader of the Liberal party (Sharpless, pg,36). His popularity and claims to fight for the welfare of the masses attracted hundreds of thousands of low income Colombians and Union members in his political meetings. He was admired for denouncing moral, social and economic events that oppressed the masses which he promised to eliminate with cooperation and support from the people . His claim to champion the cause of the masses increased populism. The people, most of whom were peasants and low income earners were attracted by Gaitans leadership. For instance, the issue of land reforms which he seemed to address was of great concern to the people. For example, by mobilizing the masses to protest through the streets of Bogota in February 1948, Gaitan gained the support of the masses . He was assassinated two months later, an event that triggered the â€Å"La violencia†. This was characterized by confrontation between the Conservative and Liberal parties’ supporters and hostilities between classes. The Colombian society experienced violence and instability. Non-populism in Colombia after Gaitan’s death .The absence of populist regimes in Colombia in the 1930s and 1940s as well as the political instability that was witnessed in Colombia (Dix, pg. 342). After Gaitan’s assassination made it impossible for the political leaders to put into place populist regime in Colombia. Uncontrolled human confrontation in Bogota spread to the country side where bands were organized to create terror. La Violencia is estimated to have led to the deaths of more than 200,000 people over duration of eighteen years, the 1948 – 1958 periods was bloodiest . One of the most powerful guerilla group in Colombia, and known as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) was the product of this conflict. The period after Gaitan’s death was marked by lack of hope in the masses and the political society. Armed confrontation was characterized by rebellions and riots between 1948 and 1966(Hylton, pg. 40). Because populism requires leaders to mobilize the masses, violence drove Colombia into a politically unstable nation. The political instability that was experienced in the country made it impossible for the political leaders to secure leadership through populism. There was mass social frustration due to the killings and displacement of a large number of people. Those who had believed that Jorge Gaitan was the only hope for improving the lives of the masses were disappointed. In Bogota and the Mariano Ospina’s government struggled to restore order in Colombia. However, the rural violence that was witnessed triggered a state of undeclared civil war and violence spread throughout the country. Only the southernmost parts of Marino and Caribbean coastal area were spared. The violence phenomenon became complex and was characterized by sheer rural banditry as well as partisan political rivalry (Roldan, pg. 93). The political rivalry undermined the emergence of populism because this period of internal disorder led to the refusal by successive Colombian governments to give in to the peoples’ demand for social economic change. The repressive nature of the Ospina government undermined efforts of political leadership to participate in political meetings or engage in efforts that could increase one’s popularity but undermine the government. Violence and instability continued (Palacios, pg. 72). For example, the government on March 1949 banned all public meetings and had all Liberal governors leave their positions. These measures were being taken to restore order in the country. Furthermore, the government in 1949 ordered the closure of Congress. This meant that the political system in Colombia could no longer function as usual. The rural police forces intensified efforts to fight the Liberals and the belligerents. As a result, the liberals protest led to the liberals’ eventual resignation form their positions and as a result, protests by the Liberals continued. The failure by the Liberal party to contest during the presidential elections had Laureano Gomez, a Conservative candidate take over office in 1950. Gomez was the leader of a reactionary faction and preferred authority and order. The constitution that was drafted under Gomez’s’ guidance in 1953 was expected to expand the powers of departmental governors and enhance presidential autonomy. In order to contain the mounting violence and to prevent the regaining of power by the liberals, Gomez tried to curtail avail liberties and to acquire broad powers. In addition, the independent labor unions were removed and the congressional elections were held without any opposition. Other measures that the Gomez administration put into place included the control of courts by the executive, censoring of the press. Gomez also directed his repression against the Liberal opposition. There was relative economic prosperity during this time due to the expansion of the export markets and foreign investment increase. However, Gomez lost support due to military establishment, attacks on moderate conservatives. Gomez illness in 1951 had Roberto Urdaneta become the acting president. General Gustavo Rojas took over power in 1953 and military leadership that was witnessed in the country continued to undermine political participation and democracy in the country. In the 1960s, armed conflicts whereby left-wing insurgents, government forces and right-wing paramilitaries were witnessed in Colombia. There was lack of civil authority and public order and intense military operations were undertaken to counter the opposition. Rojas was however removed from power in 1957 leading to the restoration of civilian rule after some moderate Liberals and Conservatives formed a bipartisan coalition known as the National Front. Alberto Lleras Camargo served as Colombia’s president upto 1962. All these events made it difficult for populist regimes to emerge again in Colombia and up to date, Colombian leadership is still non-populist. Alvaro Uribe’s policies and non-populism The absence of populism in Colombia is unique in a continent where populist politics are still evident today . The current Colombian President Alvaro Uribe policies are not populist despite having some elements of populism. President Uribes is now in his second term in office. His policies have not aimed at increasing mass support for his government. In populist regimes, government policies tend to be implemented in a manner that tries to win the support of the masses. Since Uribe assumed into power, he has not advocated for policies that aim at addressing the needs of all the citizens. Instead, he has focused on improving economic development and improving security in the country. The main reason why Uribe is not populist can therefore be attributed to the fact that he has not made efforts to mobilize masses and cultivate supporters. Rather than focusing on efforts to uplift the poor in order to gain the support of the masses, President Uribe policies emphasize on improving economic growth and security. As a result, since his elections into office in 2002, he has received high approval ratings due to his policies that have promoted sustained economic growth, security and continuous implementation of sound social programs. The domestic security policy that Uribe has adopted plays a critical role in promoting democratic representation in governance. The policy was unveiled in 2003 and the efforts by Uribe’s administration to deepen democracy and strengthen democratic representation have ensured that democratic institutions have not been undermined to create populism. After being elected into office and inaugurated on 7th August 2002, President Uribe introduced radical policies to improve security. Insecurity in Colombia due to violence has for decades undermined economic and social development. President Uribe is a tough conservative whose political life has focused in fighting rebels and illegal armed groups in the country which cause the instability. The landslide victory for the second term provided him with adequate time to address the issue of drug trafficking and armed groups. The democratic security policy seeks to cater for the wellbeing of all Colombians. (The Uribe Administrations Democratic Security and Defense Policy, pg 1). The Colombian government has been working together with the US to fight drug trafficking groups and leftist insurgent groups by consolidating state control so that the country is not a sanctuary of perpetrators of violence, terrorists and drug traffickers (Kirk, pg 52). This has protected the entire population from illegal drug trade and victimization by illegal armed groups. The government social programs have been well planned and coordinated unlike in populist regimes. The programs receive consistent and great financial support from the government in order to increase social and economic development across the country. In other populist regimes in Latin America, social programs are poorly coordinated, fail to reach the targeted beneficiaries and receive huge funds during the election period. This has not been the case for Colombia. Uribe’s social programs to improve the living standards of the people by reducing inequalities has minimized sectoral and class conflicts in Colombia (US Central Intelligence,np) Agency. Populism is established when inequalities are not eliminated hence they create a social divide between the privileged and the underprivileged. In addition, populism is promoted when a large group of people who feel that they very minimal benefits from economic development support populists who promise to improve their welfare. In Colombia, the social divide has been addressed by the economic policy that has been implemented to improve income distribution. The benefits of the social programs reach the expected beneficiaries. The element of clientelism that still exists in Colombia prevents enlarged political participation and mobilization. The political system is supported by faithfulness and loyalty and together with the development of professional class of politicians who are committed to intermediating between the voters and the state has made it difficult for populists to succeed. The government has accepted limits and checks in governance and intermediation between the state and the civil society is possible. Uribe’s leadership has not in any way attempted to mobilize the masses in efforts to overcome inequality and poverty. The efforts to improve leadership and promote democracy in the government oppose the utilization of state resources for personal interests or to maximize political support. This is a clear indication that Uribe is not a populist. However, his efforts to have the constitution amended so that he may run for a third term in office has made him resemble the populist presidents who undermine traditional institutions of democracy. President Uribe has shown great commitment in maintaining democratic institutions and addressing the needs of Colombia as a nation rather than focusing on issues that increase the support of the masses. Why and how President Uribe efforts to make Colombia prosperous President Uribe has been making great efforts to make Colombia a prosperous nation free of populism and leftist tendencies. Populism and leftist tendencies undermine democratic institutions and result to political instability that compromises prosperity of a nation. Political stability is meant to support economic prosperity which improves the living standards of the poor. This narrows the social divide that allows populism to contribute to low economic and social development. For instance, the presence of leftist armed groups for decades has made it impossible for the government and the people to increase economic prosperity. The primary groups that are considered to be a threat to Colombia’s stability and peace are the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the ELN guerillas. These groups rely on criminal activities to generate funds. War and drug trade have derailed economic prosperity in Colombia for a long time (Livingstone, pg. 21). This has turned Colombia into one of the world’s largest center for drug trafficking. President Uribe democratic security policy has improved both the national security and economic growth due to stability. In Uribe’s administration government policies, lack of populism is clear . This has been achieved by ensuring that market reforms move towards sustaining economic growth, reduction of poverty and unemployment as well as a reduction in inequality. Uribe’s economic policy has been able to move away from economic populism where emphasis is placed on the risk of deficit finance and inflation, reaction of economic agents on non-market policies and external constraints. Rather than mobilize the masses through the implementation of social programs that never benefit the people, Uribe’s government has developed and implemented sound social programs that distribute resources equally and have the living standards of the underprivileged improved. In other Latin American nations, social programs are implemented by the political leaders to win the support of the masses. Unfortunately, the people never benefit from the programs because a large proportion of the financial resources put aside to support the programs is either wasted or embezzled. The allocation of resources to support government programs has been consistent, an issue that has improved economic growth in Colombia. Transparency and democracy ensure that leaders are responsible and accountable. By improving the living standards of the people across the nation, Uribe’s leadership has made it difficult for political leaders to become populists by claiming to represent the underprivileged. The presence of leftist groups in Colombia has led to blood shed, prosperity of the drug trade and social injustice. These groups have been involved in the drug trade and in the rural areas impose their rules on the people. The domestic security policy has aimed at defeating armed groups such as the ELN and FARC. The president has expressed concern that some of the major security threats in Colombia include narcotics trade and terrorism. He has therefore taken a hard line stance against guerillas. Together with the assistance from its neighbors and the US, the Colombian government has managed to force out rebels from Colombia’s cities and towns. For example, the government has succeeded in fighting the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. The need to restore peace in the country and invest in improving the welfare of the people has become a priority. For example, the security program that is implemented is expected to increase judicial action against the perpetrators of crimes with high social impact, restore peace, reduce human rights violation as well as the dismantle terrorist or leftist groups. The security policy is expected to demobilize illegal groups, increase intelligence capacity, engage civilians in leadership and increase defense spending. Colombia is engaged in regional economic cooperation as a means of improving regional economic growth, political stability and security. For instance, President Uribe has been able to put aside political differences that Colombia has had with its neighbours such as Venezuela to pursue economic progress. Furthermore, because the neigbouring nations are concerned about the presence of illegal armed groups in Colombia, bilateral relations have made it possible for the nations to fight leftist groups together. Regional economic growth has had positive impact on the Colombian economy. President Uribe has been working hard to strengthen government institutions that increase freedom. For example, in 2004, President Uribe managed to engage citizens throughout the country in governance after he established a government present in about 1,099 municipalities in Colombia. President Alvaro Uribe supports free trade policies and has attempted to fight internal forces that cause political instability which affect the country’s economic and social development for decades. He has strong domestic policies that support government programs that empower people economically. For example, his administration supports economic cooperation with its neigbours. Diplomatic ties with the neighbours in Latin America has been supported, economic development supported and efforts to combat leftist tendencies improved. The Colombian government has been involved in expanding the country’s participation in the international trade, strengthening the rule of law, promoting good governanace, protecting human rights and reducing poverty (US Central Intelligence Agency, np). Conclusion Populism has been a common element in Latin American nations whereby the leaders attempt to win the support of the masses through mobilization. Countries such as Chile, Peru and Brazil have had populist political parties dominate political leadership. However, Colombia is a Latin American country that has managed to maintain non-populism since the death of the populist Jorge Gaitan in 1948. The current Colombian President Alvaro Uribe policies have shown that he is not a populist. In addition, great efforts by Uribe to make Colombia prosperous free of populism and leftist groups have been successful. Works Cited Conniff, Michael. Populism in Latin America. University of Alabama Press, 1999 Dix, Robert. The Varieties of Populism; the case of Colombia. Western. Political Quarterly, 31, 334-351, 1978 Dornbusch, Rudiger and Edwards, Sebastian. Macroeconomics of Populism in Latin America, University of Chicago Press, 1991 Hylton, Forrest. Evil Hour in Colombia. New York: Verso Books, 2006 Kirk, Robin . More Terrible Than Death: Drugs, Violence, and Americas War in Colombia. United States: PublicAffairs, 2004 Livingstone, Grace. Inside Colombia: Drugs, Democracy, and War. Rutgers University Press, 2004 Palacios, Marco. Between Legitimacy and Violence: A History of Colombia, 1875– 2002. United States of America: Duke University Press, 2006 Roldan, Mary. Blood and Fire; La Violencia in Antioquia, Colombia, 1946-1953. Duke University Press, 2002 Sharpless, Richard. Gaitan of Colombia: a political biography. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1978 The Uribe Administrations Democratic Security and Defense Policy. Embassy of Colombia. Accessed on April, 29 2010from http://www. presidencia. gov. co/sne/visita_bush/documentos/security. pdf Urrutia, Miguel. On the Absence of Economic Populism in Colombia. University of Chicago Press, 1991 US Central Intelligence Agency. Colombia. Accessed on April 29, 2010 from; https://www. cia. gov/library/ /the /co. html

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Family Support in Mental Illness

Family Support in Mental Illness Family is an important and inevitable part of an individual and its uninterrupted presence gives us a psychological support and courage to courageously deal with any kind of trouble.It provides a strong and long lasting shelter to a person and every one looks toward his family for primary care. Although family’s role is necessary in physical illness but in psychiatric illness it has an undeniable and imperative part in treatment exercise and it is indeed one of the mental health promoting practice. So we can say that family plays an integral role in alleviating the significance of mental illness because only medical intervention is ineffective. The support of family for an individual with mental illness is crucial in Asian Indian culture. The involvement of the family is so imperative, that often it becomes a prerequisite of seeking help for psychiatric illness (Stanhope, 2002 as cited in Cook Tarnovetskaia, 2008). Studies have concluded that the rate of recovery from schizophrenia is greater and mortality of people with schizophrenia is lower in the developing world than in the developed countries and the key positive factor that bring that change is the involvement of families in the course of treatment (Warner, 2009). Let’s view this aspect in a sense that what difference it will make if family is not involved in the treatment of psychiatric illnesses in cases where people living alone without any family support during the course of their illness. Maladaptive parental behavior is associated with an increased risk in offspring for anxiety, depression, disruptive personality, and substance use disorders during late adolescence and early adulthood. (Ajit Avasthi,2010) Childhood exposure to parental verbal aggression is associated, by itself, with moderate to large effects on measures of dissociation, irritability, depression and anger-hostility.According to studies, lack of family and social relationship cause homelessness and badly effect the quality of life (Pinikahana, Happell, Hope Keks,2009). . This causes too much frustration to the patient and instead of reducing mental illness it enhances much pain and suffering to the patient. Thus it has been found that when family support is absent the severity in the mental disorder keep increasing and any sort of medication often failed to produce good result. Resultantly family support is very vital and has a big impact to a patient suffering from mental illness.. Families have valuable information and knowledge about their relatives. They also have expertise, acquired through sometimes painful experience.They know about approaches that work and those that do not. Consumers, service providers and families beneà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ t greatly when family members are involved as full partners in the care and support of people with mental health and addiction problems. When family support is not provided to an individual suffering from a mental illness, he endures a lot of setbacks and it has a direct impact on him. Mostly he confused about his parents changed behavior and feels embarrassing for being in the affected persons company. A 50 years old male patient Noor Ali Hussain was in Nizari Senior Citizen, suffering from mental illness for the last ten years. The patient has a history of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression and odd behavior. On clinical day, I interviewed him about his family history. He told me that his family leaves in America and they have left him in senior citizen. Moreover, he explained that his family doesn’t come to meet him, they just call him only on some special occasion. He stated that he feels happy when he talk to family and he want to live with them. However his family doesn’t take him with them to America because he is illiterate and aged.Further stated family told him that we are busy in our work no one is here to take care of you and left me in senior citizen. After carefully assessing this pathetic situation I decided to choose this topic that is family support in mental illness. In my patient multiple disorders were present and in such cases family suppor t is very important in rehabilitation and recovery of mental illness. But, in my patient case, unfortunately the family support ceased to exist. Care giving literature has illustrated that the prominent role in the provision of support for individuals with mental illness falls on family members, especially on women (Saunders 2003, Zauszniewski et al. 2008, Huang et al. 2009). Evidence linking caring for a member with mental illness to increased levels of burden for the family caregiver is compelling and consistent. Family caregivers have widely identified burden as ‘any individual whose presence and performance aroused either fear or shame must be burdensome and could not be living within a supportive environment’ (Thompson Doll 1982, p. 380). Studies have concluded that mostly people consider taking care of a mentally ill person as a burden. The family care giving burden framework best define my patient case because it distinguishes between the objective and subjective burden (Hoening and Hamilton,1996). Objective burden emerge in the form of disruption in everyday life in the household, financial constraint, breakdown in daily activities and social interaction and these are observe by the caregiver. Subjective burden are the caregivers feelings, attitude and emotions that reflects that he carries a burden(Bull, 1990; Hoening Hamilton,1966; MaurinBoyd, 1990; Reinhard, 1994). Therefore it is necessary to minimize the sense of burden felt by caregivers. Some strategies and interventions that could be help when families are involved in order to promote mental health are discussed briefly. Skilled Training and Health Management(STHM) intervention was developed with the aim of enhancing independent functioning and health care outcomes for older adults with SMI (primarily schizophrenia-spectrum disorders and bipolar disorder) (Bartels et al., 2004).moreover HM consisted of health care preventive measures to identify and monitor acute and chronic medical problems. Moreover family interventions should focus on expanding training to patient and key relatives about mental illness recovery, skills training, task sharing of household and self-care. A positive change in these areas is likely to improve the quality of life of people with mental illness and their families. Other effective strategies include discussion, debriefing session and family therapy that are good practices to involve family in care. Family therapy is also useful Psychotherapy that teaches families and their members to resolve the issue effectively and improve their understanding. According to psychiatric mental health nursing book(2006) Psychoeducation family therapy has been more successful in treatment of patient with schizophrenia and it reduces long term hospitalization as well(Dixon, 2001). According to psychiatric mental nursing book(2006),Self-help group are best position to help clients and families find additional support and information. Family support in mental illness can’t be ignored and it has a lasting role in the recovery of a mentally disorder individual. But sometime family considers burden and feels embarrassed and frustrated. In such crucial time, I think nurse can play a positive role by educating and counseling the family and his close relative about the intensity of the case and teach them strategies and skill to tackle the issue. By concluding, it can be said that family is an important source in promoting mental health but at the same time it is also necessary for the care professional to avoid commenting any mistake which may restrain the family from their beloved one who suffer from mental illness.Lastly, through assessing the identified framework and effective strategies we can play a role in alleviating the burden of mental illness that may bring a positive change in the patient who is diagnosed with mental illness. The prerequisite to promote mental health is to deal the patient holisticall y and make family involvement in treatment an integral part.

Curriculum Development

Curriculum Development Unit 6 Curriculum Development for inclusive practice Curriculum is defined as the following; a specific blueprint for learning that is derived from content and performance standards. Curriculum takes content and shapes it into a plan for effective teaching and learning. Thus, curriculum is more than a general framework, it is a specific plan with identified lessons in an appropriate form and sequence for directing teaching (Wiggins and McTighe, 1998). The word ‘curriculum is actually a Latin word for ‘racecourse. Curriculum is the activities that learners will undertake to achieve their learning goals. The planning, learners experience and order in which it occurs are all part of the curriculum. There are a huge and vast amount of elements that help shape a curriculum. There are many different methods and approaches to the design and implementation of curriculum and a lot is dependant on the teachers approach of it. In the world of training, the curriculum can designed around the objectives of the clients specifications. Most of the time curriculum is based on the organisational needs of learning and objectives, for example, their curriculum. Approval from external agencies, for example, awarding bodies give approval for the qualification to be delivered. The awarding bodies supply the syllabus or guidance which gives the teacher the information and framework for delivery and assessment of the subject matter. External agencies may provide funding in some cases and in this instance the course will only be provided once the funding has been attained. Within the training in-house sector of teaching, it is normally the business and individual needs that sets the benchmark for the requirement of bespoke training courses. In house training/teaching cater for the needs of the staff and in the majority a lot of the courses attained by the learners do not lead to formal qualifications. In all of the above instances the organisation will supply the syllabus or course content to shape the curriculum. If the syllabus or course content is not available the teacher will have to develop their own based around the subject that has to be delivered. The aim of the teachers is to identify the learning needs, styles and the potential of the learners, this needs to be achieved at the prior to the start of the students learning. As an example of this a schools curriculum comprises both statutory elements (including the National Curriculum, religious education and careers educations) and non statutory elements (priorities defined by the school). An area where there will be a significance of equality and diversity in the design of the curriculum would be children with multi-sensory impairments. One of the fundamental principles of the code of practice is that all children, including those with special educational needs should be offered full access to a broad, balanced and relevant education. This is what the national curriculum was designed to provide. Some children who are multi-sensory-impaired will follow the National Curriculum, usually with additional support. Others will follow a modified form of it. Still others will follow more specialised developmental curricula which will include teaching a child things that non-disabled children already know by the time they start school. Even children who follow the same curriculum as non-disabled peers, however, will usually need additional elements because of their sensory impairment. These may relate to: * mobility skills, communication, sensory development or other aspects specifically affected by deaf blindness * therapy needs for example, physiotherapy * concepts usually learned incidentally for example, the interpersonal and independence skills used at break or meal times All teachers modify the curriculum in order to meet the range of learning needs in their class. Children who are multi-sensory-impaired are likely to need the curriculum modified on an individual basis, because each childs combination of hearing impairment, visual impairment, other disabilities and learning characteristics will be different. There are many models which affect the delivery of curriculum, way in which a teacher must attain the end result, should and could deliver to the learners. For example, the product model focuses hugely on the outcomes of a course. The product model is also referred to as the behavioural objectives model. An example could be of a first aid course, the teacher has to teach what must be taught in order to facilitate the learners to pass. Training in the workplace is very much honed to the product/behavioural model of curriculum development. The teacher focus predominantly on what must be taught rather than focusing on what should or could be taught The behavioural model of learning concentrates on the measurable outcome of curriculum. The advantages of the behavioural model are that there is normally a general statement of intent and this is hopefully ensuring avoidance of vagueness. The assessment process is actually more precise. The learning should be step by step and it should focus on the previously learned material. Ralph Tyler (1971) stated that there is a guideline for curriculum development that the interacting influences of organized scholarship, the learner, and society should provide the dominant source and influence for curriculum development. Tyler organized his model into four fundamental questions, which he stated should be answered when designing curriculum: 1. What are your curriculum aims and objectives? 2. Which learning experiences meet these aims and objectives 3. How can these learning experiences be organised into a curriculum programme? 4. How can this programme be evaluated? The Tyler theory to date is the most influential model of all in preparation of curriculum, the needs of society at the time of development and the needs of the learner at the time of development should be imperative. The ever evolving social psychology of our society must be accounted for, exactly what are the educational purposes needing to be attained. The focus should be related to previous learning and experiences and after analyse the factors how is the curriculum design going to encompass and attain the objectives that may not have been reached previously. The philosophy of education will profoundly affect a students life. It is providing the foundations, the aspects of knowledge and social experiences are needed to improve learners futures. An example could be of training, the different settings and mutli-cultural workforce will have a variation on the curriculum. The curriculum will need to be designed in partnership with the employers, so a competency framework will be met. Aims and objectives will have to set within in the competency framework which over time changes with legislation and regulations. The learning experiences should organised into the curriculum and depth, complexity of the subject, ensuring that it covers all levels of learners attainment. Then course needs to be evaluated, how will the course be evaluated and the key objectives attained? Simplistically the Tyler theory in practice is the most fool proof design of curriculum. The curriculum can be subjective and open to interpretation. Needs analysis previous to design of curriculum is imperative, the findings should be summarised and should formulate part of the curriculum development documentation, which is practice is fantastic if you have the relevant information prior to course delivery. The world of training can be ad-hoc and trainers are not always privy to this information. However, the behavioural model approach has received criticism. One of the arguments against the behavioural model is that the ‘affective domain cannot be considered adequately in terms of specific behaviours. The affective domain describes learning objectives that emphasize a feeling tone, an emotion, or a degree of acceptance or rejection, thus it cannot be assessed adequately and the behaviour model will discourage ‘creativity on the part of both learner and teacher. In the 1980s behaviourism was superseded by the humanistic approach to curriculum design and implementation. The process model concentrates on course content, relevant knowledge and skills that can be learnt and applied. This model focuses on teachers activities, the conditions in which the learning takes place and the learner activities. An example could include when a person pays for their course of study. The learner would be getting the benefit of what ‘must and ‘should be covered as well as ‘what could be delivered. Stenhouse (1975) quoted the English dictionary when defining curriculum as ‘a course; especially a regular course of study as at school or university. Most of the time the course design/curriculum is what the governing bodies have decided should be taught. The sets what exactly as teachers in advance what learning is going to be planned, achieved and what goals should be produced to the subjected being taught. Stenhouse challenged the view that teachers need to be objective in their view of curriculum, realistic even, to ensure that there is a balance between the ‘intentions and realities that the curriculum design will get the best outcomes for their students. He draws comparisons the process of curriculum as to a recipe in cookery, the recipe is followed and the result would be a dish. In theory this can be a tried and tested, for example, how to you know if the curriculum design has achieved all the education goals until the there is a evaluation at the end of the course? How many pass grades and how many failures. Like making a cake it doesnt always rise the way youd wished it to. Often when baking the ingredients need to be adjusted or the timings. In 2001, DDA (Disability Discrimination Act). was introduced, fortunately this means that teaching must always be inclusive, counting for the needs all of learners The curriculum must encompass best practice principles of equality and diversity in all areas. Equality of opportunity and provision means giving every student the same learning environment, and is an important element of schooling. Equality and diversity means giving students what is necessary to extend them to their full potential. Some may need additional tuition to bring them to the standard of the rest of the group, while others may need additional tuition to take them beyond the group because they are capable of further development and learning. It is imperative to ensure that all students are able to access the curriculum it is important to consider the curriculum content, as well as the teaching and learning practices used within a design. With regards to design of curriculum we have to attain why and what. The educational ideology such as the fundamental values, beliefs and assumptions this is extremely prevalent in the world of care, the format is normally set out by the governing bodies such as the Commission of Social Care Inspection. Normally the needs that the course must met are the needs set out by the governing body to attain the best level of care for Service Users. For the main part with training, cost analysis plays heavy, is the course a requirement under the recommendations that have been implemented by the governing body? Learners in this social care field are normally trying to achieve and meet performance criteria, the learning outcomes are normally behavioural as the learning is skill based. However the curriculum is not considered a complete entity and does not provide every opportunity relevant to qualifying as a health care worker. Ongoing learning will provide opportunities to evidence knowledge, skills, experience, values and ethics. Some of the methods used to deliver the curriculum are essential; others that are not are open to negotiation. A diversity of methods of learning is useful to meet the different learning styles of students. The main objective must be continuity for the learners and teachers alike. Coordinated Curriculum is very much relevant in the Social Care Sector. Coordinated curriculum is the method of linking different subjects/contents together. It establishes the links between the subjects for example in Social Care it would link the psychology, sociology, biology and prac tice together. Coordinated curriculum means that there is a greater emphasis on the total context in which teaching and learning take place. Realistically in Social Sector teachers/trainers will be using both product and process models. The process objective happens when you cant tell in advance will exactly the student will learn advance, health and social can unmanageable in the fact that you are dealing with human beings (patients/service users) and they dont always follow the curriculum recipe. Therefore, evaluation will be invaluable in ascertaining if effective learning has taken place. This should help identify any problems within the curriculum design, reflection on the needs of the organisation, the syllabus and learners. Evaluation is should be the process through which teachers judge the quality of their work, their own work and their students. Formative evaluations, which involve a continual stream of reflection and feedback, and allow the educator or student to continually adjust and improve their work while its ongoing. Traditionally, teachers have emphasized summative evaluations, where feedback is gathered only after instruction has been completed. Both strategies are necessary to provide for effective curriculum assessment and student education. A teachers skill in the classroom assessment is essential to the goal of student success. In evaluating the curriculum can only lead to a teachers continuing professional development in the Life long learning sector. If the evaluation and assessment of curriculum is to be meaningful, teachers must be able to relate their learning to their personal experience and practice. Kolbs Learning Cycle, outlines the four stages involved in any successful learning experience. Learning is defined as a process in which experience is changed into knowledge. In turn, knowledge creates a foundation and opportunity for learning. In Kolbs four-staged cycle, the individual reflects on experience and draws on conclusions, which can be used to influence future action. In this way, practice, reflection, theory and action become essential parts of professional development and therefore assist with the future of improving practice in inclusive curriculum design. After reading and studying the different models of curriculum, one can draw comparisons from the Ralph Tylers Basic Principles of Curriculum Instruction (1949). As a trainer clear definitive learning objectives are set out by the customer, the learning will hopefully be a useful experience to the candidate and will have a cumulative effect. Tylers model applies the importance of evaluating the curriculum and revising any aspects that do not prove to be effective. Thus the importance of continuing professional development, evaluation, assessment and reflection play heavy in the product model of curriculum. The other model used in training would be the process model by Laurence Stenhouse An introduction to Curriculum research and development (1975). Teachers or trainer have to have a high level of professionalism and competence in their specialist subject area. The content is defined in cognitive terms; the process is that the learner needs to go through to learn. As mentioned earlier in the assignment, Stenhouse draws comparison to making a cake and with the social care sector the same methodology can be used. If a candidate/learner has been taught to use a hoist but then drops the patient then this would question the realities and intentions of the curriculum. In conclusion, it is important that the teacher is always involved at all stages of any curriculum development and review. This will ensure that quality assurance happens at all stages of development. The teacher therefore can be positive that all parts of curriculum contains all the relevant information such as the course goal, aims and objectives, rationale, entry requirements, evaluation, assessment etc. Any curricula should ensure that schools/higher education programs must be delivered in the most effective and up to date manner as possible. In reviewing the subject of curriculum it should enable a teacher to reflect on addressing the identified needs of the students within the educational establishments or programmes. Curriculum should also provide a tool for examining the quality and completeness of the curriculums components for, example, instructional principles, functional knowledge, self-perceptions, attitudes, skills, and duration. Through constant analysis it will help t o determine the degree of fidelity between the curriculum and its application in the classroom; and assess the impact of the curriculum on students knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour. As David Ausubel (1969) suggested the learning process should be approached like a mental journey! Geoff Petty quotes ‘ We should seek a win-win curriculum that puts the needs of individuals on equal terms with economic and other factors. The quote really say it all as we are purely developing curriculum with the main objective of imparting knowledge and skills on the learners of the future which will hopefully have a positive effect on the economy in the 21st century. Bibliography Gray D, Griffin C and Nasta T (2005) Training to Teach in Further and Adult Education. Cheltenham, UK. Nelson Thornes Ltd. Armitage, A et al (2007) Teaching and Training in Post-Compulsory Education, Maidenhead, Open University Press Reece, I Walker, S., (2005) Teaching, Training Learning: a practical guide. (5th Edition). Sunderland: Business Education Publishers Walkin, L (1990) Teaching and Learning in Further Education, Cheltenham, Stanley Morris Internet National Curriculum http://curriculum.qca.org.uk/ Accessed on 21st February 2009 Qualifications and Curriculum Authority http://www.qca.org.uk/ Accessed on 25th February 2009

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Self-Damnation in Oedipus the King Essay -- Oedipus Rex Essays

Self-Damnation in Oedipus Rex (the King)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sophocles' play Oedipus Rex (the King) is a tragic tale of fate and hubris. At first glance, it seems that the terrible fates of the main characters are merely the doings of mischievous or cruel gods. That Laios should die at the hands of his unknowing son, that Jocaste should later marry that son to commit the crime of incest, and that Oedipus, the son, should be the actor in both crimes all seem to be deeds scripted unfairly by the gods for their own pleasure. However, upon examining the evidence in the play, it becomes clear not only that Laios and Jocaste directly cause their own fates by abandoning the infant Oedipus to die on the mountain, but that Oedipus is himself a willing participant in his own crimes. In choosing to abandon Oedipus upon his birth, Laios and Jocaste try to prevent the fulfillment of Apollo's prophecy: "[Laios'] down at the hands of a son, our son, to be born of our own flesh and blood" (Sophocles 201). They "fastened" the baby's ankles and "had a henchman fling him away on a barren, trackless mountain" (201). This done, the king and queen live their lives believing that they are safe from any danger that the child might pose. It is their cowardly act of attempting to escape fate that seals their doom, however. Not only do they decide to kill their only child, but they are unable to do so in a humane manner. Rather than relieve their son of any misery, they tie his ankles together and abandon him to the harsh elements of nature on a mountain. They are blissfully unaware that a shepherd has taken pity on the royal child and has delivered him to the care of King Polybos of Corinth (218). Clearly, by their self-preserving act of child-abandonment, Lai... ...renberg, Victor. â€Å"Sophoclean Rulers: Oedipus.† In Twentieth Century Interpretations of Oedipus Rex, edited by Michael J. O’Brien. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1968.    Herodotus.   The Histories. Translated by Aubrey de Selincourt. England: Penguin Books, 1972.    Segal, Charles. Oedipus Tyrannus: Tragic Heroism and the Limits of Knowledge. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1993.    â€Å"Sophocles† In Literature of the Western World, edited by Brian Wilkie and James Hurt. NewYork: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1984.    Sophocles. Oedipus Rex. Transl. by F. Storr. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/browse-mixed new?tag=public&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&part=0&id=SopOedi    Bowra, C. M.   â€Å"Sophocles’ Use of Mythology.† In Readings on Sophocles, edited by Don Nardo. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, 1997.

Friday, July 19, 2019

Essay --

Introduction Gone with the Wind is a classic fictional love story that depicts life in the old south before, during and after the Civil war. The book was originally written in 1936 by Margret Mitchell, the movie adaptation was released in 1939, directed by Victor Fleming, and staring Clark Gable and Vivian Leigh. Ms. Mitchell grew up listening to Civil war stories from confederate veterans. It was reported that they told her everything; everything that is, except that they had lost the war, she found that out when she was 10 years old. Though the book was written 71 years after the Civil War ended, Ms. Mitchell did her research and appears to have drawn inspiration from those childhood stories that she was told. This is apparent in the detailed description of the clothing, houses, and everyday discussions and interactions of the characters throughout the book. Though not all historically correct most of what is in the book is accurate. During the time the movie was released, â€Å"damn† was considered to be vulgar and controversial and they used the term â€Å"darkies† to describe the slaves. Summary of the movie The movie revolves around the sometimes love hate relationship between Rhett Butler and Scarlett O’Hara and how she will do whatever it takes to survive. It over romanticizes the old south and how the plantations were run and deals with topics such as slavery, reconstruction of the south and has a strong feminist survival theme to it. Scarlett â€Å"makes her uncontrollable self-centeredness seem like the most charming thing in the world.† She is a young southern belle and every man in the county is smitten with her. Though she could have any man she wanted, her eyes are set on the Mr. Ashley Wilkes who is engaged to marry his c... ...e (Ashley’s wife) dying and a promise to take care of their son, Scarlett realizes her true love to Rhett though it is to late as Rhett walks away from the marriage. She will return back to Tara plantation to find a way to win him back. Mitchell, Margaret, Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind Letters, 1936-1949, Edited by Richard Harwell, New York: Macmillan, 1976. â€Å"Gone with the Wind Letters† is essentially a collection of letters written by Ms. Mitchell to those that wrote to her about Gone with the wind. One letter in particular is to Vivian Leigh who plays Scarlett in the movie. Thompson, C. Mildred. Reconstruction in Georgia: Economic, Social, Political, 1865-1872, Gloucester, Mass.: P. Smith, 19641915. This book contains the history of the Reconstruction of Georgia. It gives you an insight to the economic, social, and political aspects of Reconstruction

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Labor and Delivery Assessment Essay

Internal fetal monitoring is accomplished with a fetal scalp electrode that is a direct electrocardiogram of the FHR and therefore produces the most accurate FHR tracing having an advantage over the external monitoring. The FSE is attached to the fetus during a vaginal exam and then connected to a fetal monitor. Because the risk of transmission to the fetus is increased by the small puncture in the fetal scalp, use of internal scalp electrodes should be avoided if at all possible in the presence of known maternal infections such as HIV, hepatitis or GBS. Fetal scalp monitors are also avoided in preterm infants because of the increased risk of ventricular hemorrhage. Electronic monitoring of UCs can be done internally by using an intrauterine pressure catheter (IUPC). It is inserted into the uterine cavity through the cervical os. It reflects the pressure inside the uterine cavity. As the pressure changes, it traces on the graph paper. The IUPC can measure the resting tone of the uterus between contractions, referred to as intensity. An advantage of an IUPC is that it provides a near-exact pressure measurement for contraction intensity and uterine resting tone. The sensitivity of the IUPC allows for very accurate timing of UCs, thus making it extremely useful when closer uterine monitoring is needed. A disadvantage for both internal monitoring methods is that membranes must be ruptured and adequate cervical dilation must be achieved for insertion. The procedure is invasive and increases the risk of uterine infection or perforation or trauma. It can also cause a placenta rupture if the placenta is low-lying. Electronic FHR monitoring can be done externally by using an ultrasound (US) transducer. The transducer is placed on the maternal abdomen over the fetal back and held by an elastic belt. The US transducer can be more beneficial than auscultating the FHR because it provides a continuous graphic recording. It can show the baseline variability and changes in the FHR. It is noninvasive and doesn’t require the rupture of membranes or minimal cervical dilation. FHR monitoring by US transducer is limited because it is susceptible to interference from maternal or fetal movement and may produce a weak signal. The tracing may become sketchy and difficult to interpret. Telemetry is another type external monitoring. It can monitor both FHR and uterine activity. This system can be worn on a shoulder strap by the mother, which allows the woman to ambulate, helping her ambulate while continuously monitoring. Electric monitoring of UCs can be done externally using a tocodynamometer or tocotransducer (toco). The toco is placed on the maternal abdomen at or near the fundus and held in place by an elastic belt. As the uterus contracts, pressure exerted against the toco is transmitted and recorded on to graph paper. The toco can assess UCs for frequency and duration, but not intensity. The advantages are that it is non-invasive, easy to place, and may be used both before and following rupture of membranes. It also provides a permanent, continuous recording of the duration and frequency of contractions. Explain what Pitocin is used for: Pitocin is used for the induction and/or augmentation of labor at term, facilitation of threatened abortion, and in postpartum to control bleeding and prevent hemorrhage and uterine atony after expulsion of the placenta. PELVIC ASSESSMENT FINDINGS:Give normal findings and measurements Diagonal conjugate – extends from the suprapubic angle to the middle of the sacral promontory. – 12.5 cm Ischial Spines – arise near the junction of the ileum and ischium and jut into the pelvic cavity They serve as a reference point during labor to elevate the descent of the fetal head into the birth canal. 10.5 cm Pubic Arch – triangular space below the symphysis pubis. The head passes under this arch during birth. 1.5 – 2 c from diagonal conjugal Coccyx -small triangular bone that articulates with the sacrum. It usually moves backward during labor to provide more room for the fetus. > 8cm in diameter Sacrum – wedge-shaped bone formed by the fusion of five vertebrae. On the anterior upper portion of the sacrum is the sacral promontory which is another guide in determining pelvic measurements. Types of Pelvis Gynecoid -The most common female pelvis is the gynecoid type. The inlet is rounded, with the anteroposterior diameter a little shorter than the transverse diameter. This is the most favorable for a vaginal delivery. Android – The normal male pelvis is the android type; however, it occasionally is seen in females. The inlet is heart-shaped. Anthropoid – The inlet of an anthropoid pelvis is oval, with a long anteroposterior diameter and an adequate but rather short transverse diameter. This is the second most favorable for vaginal delivery.