Symptoms And Treatment Of Schizophrenia - 2218 Words

Antipsychotics And Treating Schizophrenia Mental health nursing has been around for many years. There are many individuals with different types of mental health issues. Psychosis is an umbrella branch of disorders such as delusional disorder, schizoaffective disorder, and schizophrenia. Schizophrenia has an onset during early adulthood or late adolescence. Every individual with schizophrenia experiences the disease differently depending on the type of schizophrenia and the treatment given. For confidentiality reasons, a pseudonym will be used in this paper as schizophrenia and its treatment is elaborated and looked at in the life of a patient named Mr. H. Schizophrenia Schizophrenia is used to classify and describe a wide range of†¦show more content†¦Schizophrenia usually starts with a high-risk period of thought disturbances or unusual ideas. Along with that, individuals experience negative symptoms such as social withdrawal, anhedonia, and low mood (Pringle, 2013, p. 505). These negative symptoms can lead to poor quality of life and are difficult to treat. In the acute phase, which begins up to two years later, positive symptoms of schizophrenia are â€Å"hallucinations (changes in perception involving any of the five sensory modalities) and delusions (unusual thoughts or beliefs)† (Pringle, 2013, p. 505). Along with positive and negative symptoms, there are cognitive symptoms and first rank symptoms. Cognitive symptoms include deficits in attention, verbal and visual learning, executive function, social cognition, processing speed, and working memory. First-rank symptoms include somatic passivity, delusional perceptions, voice s commenting on the patient’s action, audible thought, withdrawal thought, voices arguing, and passivity of impulse, volition, and affect (Giannopoulos, Carroll, Ebmeier, 2014, p. 12). These symptoms help diagnose schizophrenia. For some individuals antipsychotic medications were needed and for others, symptoms resolved quickly. Intervention When it comes to treatment for schizophrenia, there are many different antipsychotic medications that can be administered to patients. Antipsychotics generally act by blocking dopamine D2 receptors. Treatment of schizophrenia with

The Passion Of Joan Of Arc And Sweet Smell Of Success By...

Silent films ushered in the era of moving pictures and paved the way to modern cinema. Films such as â€Å"The Passion of Joan of Arc† and â€Å"Sweet Smell of Success† represent the early and later stages of this time period that was dominated by silent films. Within these films, two actors stand out for their performances and there own unique traits they utilize to make the character they are representing their own. Renà ©e Jeanne Falconetti and Burt Lancaster both are superb leading actors that, through their own methods, make these characters come alive. Regardless of these performances though, there are both similarities and differences that they portray in their movies. These films were shot with cameras that lacked a multitude of settings and this led to a very theater-esque method of filming. Many of these silent films were shot with non-moving cameras, obviously no sound, and also less effects. [BRING UP READING IN REGARDS TO INTRO TO FILMS] This lack of supplemental technology forced these actors to up their game so to speak and really carry the film themselves, rather than saturate the screen with fancy effects that so many modern movies revolve around. This forced the director to focus on the facial expressions of the cast in order to display both tone and intent during every scene. Live music sometimes accompanied these films in order to help set these moods so the actor could focus on character development and expression. The first character to be discussed is

Integration of Technology

Question: Discuss about the Report on Integration of Technology? Answer: Introduction: Data-driven decision making has become an important topic linked to school improvement, accountability and educational reforms. Education policy maker pronounces cool to data. Use of data can never be a passing fad for which the educationalists will close their doors and assume that it is enough to use it until new innovative idea will appear. Technology plays a major role in data driving. Technology is integrated to individual as well as with the organizations also. Decision making for driving data is an innovative process but in education process data driving is not new. Extremely operative school and institutes educators have been using statistics for long era and identify the value to notify their task across all stages of the learning system. Objective of this report is to gain and understand the needs, requirements and different perspectives of efforts required for development, introduction and to offer learning involvements on data-driven decision making. It also required reco gnizing various perceptions on the several senses of data-driven decision making and exemplifying the aids involved in learning decision making. A shift for teachers is represent by the example for data- driven decision making- a day to day shift that trains teachers and emphasizes them to process and deliver the classroom lectures that is dedicated to achievement of results. Practices of education are evaluated in flame because of their direct effect on students. Schools and institutes are new focus of data driving. Concept of Data-driven education: A most important task for instructors is divide data driven decision making into five elements as follows: Good referred data Instructional goal should be measurable Formative assessment should be frequent Professional Focused instructional interventions Collecting and Analyzing Summative Data: An assessment to improve the learning of student utilizes data from year wise summative. Educators are required to be able to get their hand on the data from year wise summative assessment that will help them to improve the instructional exercises. When the baseline information is forwarded to the teachers they are required to work with the managers to choose main pointers of success for their classroom. Teachers are required to be perfect in assessment of literature concepts. Teachers also need to provide feedback to founding and higher-level administrators about the practicality of the figures or reports that are received by them. Analysis of the test scores and achievements of the student: Now these forward thinking regions across the country are using data-driven decision making methods to analyze the test scores and achievements of the student as well as : Fulfill the gap between the student subgroups It improves the quality of teachers Curriculum of teaching is improved Best practices are shared between the schools and other regions Communication of educational issues Involvement of parents is promoted in the education process In education community dialogues are increases. Figure shows the full-scale data-driven decision making model. A good technology uses all the features of this model. Information can be collected from diverse sources of databases. These systems are Student Information Systems (SIS), Finance and transport and human resources based. Many regions also have materials kept in a huge array of specific catalogues, collecting information on items like different specific educational programs. Inventory audits are most important way of collecting data. In a simple manner data-driven decision making is to collect data elements and to explore the factors for both student and teacher for positive and negative contribution. Correlation of data element is not possible without collection. Conclusion: Data-driven decision making is a powerful process for different regions of the country. Key of success of data-driven decision making is to understands the vision and analyze school performances. It recognizes various perceptions on the several senses of data-driven decision making and exemplifying the aids involved in learning decision making. A shift for teachers is represent by the example for data- driven decision making- a day to day shift that trains teachers and emphasizes them to process and deliver the classroom lectures that is dedicated to achievement of results. The technologies required for data driving are described above in form of the concept of data-driven education, analysis of summative data and analysis of the test scores and achievements of the student. References McIntire, T., (2002), The Administrators Guide to Data-Driven Decision Making, Technology Learning, Creighton, T.B. ,(2001), Data Analysis in Administrators Hands. An Oxymoron?, The School Administrator, (2003), Making Sense of the Data. Overview of the K-12 Data Management and Analysis Market. A report produced by Eduventures. (2002), Using Data to Improve Schools: Whats Working. A report produced by the American Association of School Administrators.

Out of Pocket Payment Seeking Healthcare †Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: How to Out-Of-Pocket Payment Seeking Healthcare? Answer: Introducation With the increasing number of Australians seeking healthcare, it has been reported that the costs of medical services have considerably risen both locally and globally. It is something that has left many of us wondering how we are going to cover-up for the increasing costs of out-of-pocket payments or that which is settled without insurance reimbursement. But anyway, does the government care about this healthcare issue that has caused many people in Australia to spend a higher percentage of their income in out-of-pocket payment? My guess is that the answer to this question lies in the hands of Australian politicians who have ineffectively represented the concerns of their people. As expressed in the Sydney Morning Herald news, this healthcare issue has been in the spotlight since 2013 because of its nature as a global challenge (Medew, 2017). It was this particular year when it was revealed that many Australians were facing hard times trying to pay the increasing amount of out-of-poc ket expenses in the healthcare systems that fails to advantage the poor, but rather favor only the rich. There is an unspoken truth behind out-of-pocket payments in Australia and elsewhere in the world where healthcare systems prefer this type of payment for the patients to access essential services. It is worrisome to see many elderly patients spend much of their funds to pay for treatment while in the real sense they have an insurance cover that lies idle without being exploited (Yusuf Leeder, 2013). I may not know the reason behind this menace, but I firmly believe that there is something wrong in the Australian healthcare system. First of all, my community is one of the most marginalized groups. The gap between the poor and the rich is large to the extent that it becomes tough for the less disadvantaged members of the community to access treatment (O'Mallon, 2017). Considering this issue at hand, who is out there that could watch one or more members of the community die just because of failing to pay for medication from out of his or her pocket as there is practically no money? I guess no one will dare do that because our communities enable us to work towards achieving a common good. The quality of service delivery in the healthcare system is what people are craving for dearly. With this said a local news article by David Sparkes reveals the findings of the report found in the Australian Medical Journal. It brings to our attention that there is a massive difference in the price paid by the patients. This is by using the out-of-pocket payment method to specialists in medicine, both existing within a specified discipline that varies from place to place (Sparkes, 2017). What is the advantage of using this payment mode instead of insurance reimbursement? The answer to this question as many of us think might raise controversial issues revolving around the quality of healthcare provided. Personally, I believe that the difference in the standards of treatment is virtually inexistent. Of much shock, as it might turn out is that the Australian health care system is continuously exploiting patients without paying any attention to their interests. This poses a challenge to the community in seeing them towards channeling its efforts to achieve a common good that reflects the interests of everyone with less consideration to the financial capability of an individual. Due to the delay caused by the out-of-pocket payment, it means that many financially unstable Australians lack access to basic medical care. In such a way, many of them are forced to experience hardships in trying to pay for the healthcare services (Medew, 2017). As members of any cohesive community within Australia, my plea to you is that we should feel those who are handicapped by the out-of-pocket payment rampantly embraced by the healthcare system. It is sensible to warn those concerned with the activities of the healthcare system that the rising out-of-pocket expenses acts as a tentative barrier since it works to prevent people from seeking medical help. Personally, I empathize with those of us who are suffering from long-term chronic conditions because I believe that this mode of payment does not favor them, given their reduced ability to pay without insurance (McRae et al., 2013). Ideally, this healthcare issue is challenging in the sense that it causes more strain, especially on low-income earners. I know that many of us would agree with my opinion that the ever increasing populations of Australians delay or fail to visit health care practitioners since the considerations of costs serve as a barring factor. To conclude, out-of-pocket payments are a challenge which makes it difficult for the members of a community to realize their aspirations towards achieving a common good. It is, therefore, critical for the Australian healthcare system to consider this as an issue that affects the poor most than the rich, yet all citizens are entitled to seek medical attention. As such, our common suggestion is for the government to initiate changes in the healthcare funding arrangements (Harvey, 2014). Realizing this will assist greatly in reducing the barriers or destructors to better medical care for the Australian community as it appears that there is much more work to be done to reform this issue entirely. References Medew, J. (2017). Out of pocket and in trouble. The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 May 2017, from https://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/federal-election-2013/out-of-pocket-and-in-trouble-20130825-2sjob.html O'Mallon, F. (2017). Out-of-pocket childcare costs rise Australia-wide, hurting Canberrans most. Canberra Times. Retrieved 5 May 2017, from https://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/outofpocket-childcare-costs-rise-australiawide-hurting-canberrans-most-20170308-guu2k9.html Yusuf, F., Leeder, S. R. (2013). Cant escape it: the out-of-pocket cost of health care in Australia. Med J Aust, 199(7), 475-478. McRae, I., Yen, L., Jeon, Y. H., Herath, P. M., Essue, B. (2013). Multimorbidity is associated with higher out-of-pocket spending: a study of older Australians with multiple chronic conditions. Australian journal of primary health, 19(2), 144-149. Harvey, R. (2014, January 10). Out-of-pocket payments for health care-finding a way forward. Retrieved May 05, 2017, from https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/BriefingBook44p/OutOfPocketPayments Sparkes, D. (2017, March 05). Patients' payments can vary 400pc among specialists: report. Retrieved May 05, 2017, from https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-06/patients-payments-can-vary-massively-among-specialists:-report/8326686

Culture and diversity Final Flashcard

Culture and diversity Final

A New Found Love Professor Ramos Blog

A New Found Love Contractions: the worst pain you can ever experience. There I was laying on my bed, groaning in absolute pain just after taking a hot bath, thinking that was going to subdue the feeling of being ripped apart but no it made it that much worse. At 24 years of age, pregnant with your first child, all you can emotionally feel is fear. Not knowing what to expect when that special day finally arrives. My mom trying to comfort me but also recording my experience and I can hear my dad worried in the corner watching me in absolute pain yelling at my mom, â€Å"Let’s take her to the hospital already, put down the camera!† Mind you, this was somewhere around 10 P.M. and earlier that day I was experiencing the same pain but a lot milder and somewhat bearable. I decided to drive to the hospital because as any normal laboring mother would, you would think it’s time for the baby to arrive. The drive to the hospital, the first time, was filled with excitement as I was ready to b e admitted. Once I get strapped and situated into the contraction machine, I sit there and I wait for what felt like 3 hours. When the nurse finally walks in, she checks to see my dilation progress which is where the disappointment comes in. She tells me, â€Å"No honey, I’m sorry but you are only at  ½ cm† . I tell her, â€Å" but the pain is starting to feel intense.† She responds, â€Å"It’s only going to get worse so be prepared.† Following the first visit to the hospital, was a sad, bitter, and sort of angry feeling. Being sent home after thinking you are going to be admitted is pretty frustrating when all you want to do is meet the child that has been living inside of you for nine months. I couldn’t understand why they couldn’t just take me in but I listened and drove 40 minutes back home only to wallow in some more pain. A couple hours pass before the pain worsens and intensifies. I felt like my back was being jack-hammered and radiating to my abdomen. I decided to make a second trip back to the hospital with both of my parents this time and the same thing happens again. I felt this sudden urge to cry because of one: the pain, and two: I remembered the nurse saying it was only going to get worse and I was too afraid for that pain to come. So being sent home a second time only made me nervous and fearful for what I was about to endure. When I arrived home for the second time, I think to myself maybe a bath might help alleviate this pain. Boy was I completely wrong. I think the only thing I did was make it worse and kick-start my labor process! And here we are again back to me laying down in pain taking these contractions like a champ. I finally decide to head to the hospital again for the third time in the same day, but this time the drive was filled with fear, nervousness, and my mom telling me to hold the baby in. I believe that drive was the scariest moment for me because I really believed I was going to be one of those moms that had their baby in the car. Despite me suffering from labor pains, I felt bad for my dad because he was the driver but I had never seen him so scared or nervous in my life. It’s about 11:20 P.M. maybe, I don’t remember the exact time but it was late. The hospital was closed and because I thought I knew my way around, I ended up pulling up to the wrong side instead of going to the emergency entrance, duh! I am only having a baby. So because of that little mistake I had to beg security to open up the doors and let me in before I have this baby on the floor. Of course they do, and they ask if I am in labor. My face said it all and she tells me to hurry and get to the delivery room. Walking up to that room was endless with contractions coming and going but I finally manage to get to the buzzer to let me in. As soon as the nurses pulled my clothes off, they frantically call on their walkies, â€Å"We have an emergency in the triage room and we are going to need everyone’s assistance!† They manage to lay me down in the robe that is adequate for birthing and I felt this strong need to push and just as I was going to, one of the nurses stops me and says, â€Å"Not yet hold it for just a bit longer.† I looked at her like she was some crazy idiot but I held it in despite the feeling. When they finally wheel me into the birthing room, they s et me up with painful needles and position me for the â€Å"pushing† part. My doctor walks in frantically trying to get ready, and telling me to give her a push but I was too scared. And why after all this anticipation of wanting to meet my baby? Because I was starting to feel what most women who have had natural births call â€Å"the ring of fire† and let me tell you they were right about that. My doctor says, â€Å"Marisol, look at me! You are doing great and I can already see her, give me a strong push!† I responded with, â€Å"I can’t!† But without even thinking twice I did and then I heard the baby’s famous first cry. That moment was my moment of relief because the pain immediately went away but also a feeling of love and amazement because I couldn’t believe that I had just delivered a tiny human. The moment they put her in my arms was the moment I fell in love. Love is truly blind until the moment you experience becoming a parent for the very first time. The experience of motherhood has taught me a diverse am ount of love and acceptance. I was never prepared to be a mom but I wouldn’t have changed anything that happened. My birthing room was filled with different people of different races who all came together to help me bring a life into this world, and no matter the intense amount of fear I felt, the nurses made me feel safe and that everything was going to be ok. You can never forget an experience like this, so I hold it close and very dear to my heart and I thank those people who were all there for me that night.

The Public Safety Leaders and the Study of the Future Research Paper

The Public Safety Leaders and the Study of the Future - Research Paper Example Sadly there are some real-life scenarios in the contemporary times, which may extend some relevant insights to the public safety leaders as to how to achieve a balance between the current and future needs. The 9/11 disaster is in itself a glaring example as to how the public safety leaders in the United States failed to interpret the developments taking place in the present, which lead to a leadership crisis in the future (National Commission on Terrorist Attacks, 2004). 9/11 was not only a grave intelligence failure but also a failure on the part of the public safety leaders to arrive at a prognosis of the future threats from the available facts, developments and intelligence inputs (National Commission on Terrorist Attacks, 2004). Going by the topic under consideration, the positive and heartening thing is that in the public safety scenarios, both the success and failure of the leadership models resorted to extend important and vital inputs regarding the needs and requirements of the present are in a way also indicative of the future needs, provided the involved leadership does not fall a victim to a chronic tunnel vision (Storey, 2004, p. 9). In that context, the public safety leaders always need to have their feet firmly fixed in the present, while having a vision that takes the future within its ambit. The current failures and mishaps not only furnish the requisite feedback for immediate improvements but also yield an inventory as to the possible future challenges and requirements (Avolio, 2005, p. 79). So the public safety leaders should be really good at extrapolating the feedbacks of the present to predict the requirements of the future (Avolio, 2005, p. 79). There is a dire tendency amongst the public safety leaders to allocate a greater proportion of the resources and manpower to the immediate scenarios.  

Tension between Liberty and Morality, Liberty and Patriotism Assignment

Tension between Liberty and Morality, Liberty and Patriotism - Assignment Example There are many human concerns and needs that differ with respect to the difference in social values. There are also some general ethics people should be taken into account before doing or transmitting any idea/action in society. More the people take care of the needs/concerns ethics of the people associated with their behavior towards a certain matter it will be more easy for the government to give liberty to the people. On the other hand if one will not take into account the above-mentioned factors than there are greater chances of losing all the freedom he/she has in society. This principle is applicable to individuals to masses of society. Traffic laws are a good example of this principle. If traffic rules are followed strictly by the people there will be fewer accidents and this will also lead less set of laws to be followed while driving. On the other hand, if people do not care about traffic laws and take the liberty to do anything they want on roads will lead to more accident and also more strictness by the authorities (Bambenek, 2005).It is the job of government or society to give its people a minimum standard of living and to provide them maximum civil rights. On the other hand, people should take more responsibility for their actions and place less blame on the government for the problems they are facing. Human history is an open prove of the fact that a complete failure had occurred whenever people started placing all the blame on the government instead of taking responsibility to perform certain actions themselves. Throughout human history, many governments have come and gone whenever people rely on the government to meet their basic needs. In the USA owing a house is not out of the reach of majority people yet their houses can be taken by the government and given to other people paying more money to the government for the same house. The idea of capitalism failed due to total reliance of the people on their government for every need. On the other h and complete failure also occurred whenever the government had tried to suppress people beyond limits. Failure of different dictators of the world is a common example of it. The conclusion is that one should take into account of moral values of the society before doing anything or promoting ideas that will affect the people of the society to enjoy liberty given to it by society and government (Llosa,2011).

A distinctive feature of youth justice policy in the late twentieth Essay

A distinctive feature of youth justice policy in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries is the extent to which it is dominated by the politics of - Essay Example , it is impossible to rest on the past policies and has become absolutely important for government to continuously evolve better policies for the betterment of youth, and hence, the society. Youth offence has become an inglorious chapter that keeps threatening present and future both. The statement that youth policies and programmes of recent years are dominated by politics of fear is right. There are many kinds of fears in society, community, country, political circles, families and schools which are connected with youth offending and they are not without historical evidence. Every country has to develop politics of fear because youth could be destructive if not guided properly. This study has tried to locate the politics of fear in the connected policies and explore the causes leading to youth delinquency. In recent years, there has been an enormous increase in crime rate of youth, and sociologists are quick to offer reasons and causes3. Causes of youth crime, could be anything between psychological, emotional, and behavioural. Sometimes there need not be reality in it. Youth minds are absolutely fertile in imagination and most of the grievances are imagined, as we saw recently with the killer of Virginia Tech. Youth also have a problem of blaming parents, schools, teachers, governments, entire system and the entire world, but never themselves. Nevertheless, there is a psychologically affected group, which is rather rare, that blames themselves for everything, and they are not in majority. These are the people more prone to guilt and self-harming and might become suicidal. They are small in number. The usual youth offender is belligerent, fighting all alone against the entire world, teaching them a lesson, or perishing in the effort. This is the Chivalrous martyr youth offender who ha s a certain nobility in him and need not be a major threat to society if guided properly. Ordinary offender is more interested in crime, advantage, getting rich, rolling in money,

Watteaus Fêtes Galantes: Style and Meaning

Watteaus FÃ ªtes Galantes: Style and Meaning Discuss the content and the possible meanings of Watteaus FÃ ªtes Galantes The FÃ ªtes Galantes is derived from a genre of paintings produced in the eighteenth century, depicting aristocratic scenes of mirth and merriment set in the mythical world of Arcadia, where humanity and nature live together in harmony. The reasons behind this deliberate juxtaposition of both the aristocratic everyday and setting it in the mythical world was twofold. First, Antoine Watteau, the chief designer of the genre, wished for his paintings to be recognised by the government appointed Academic Des Beaux Arts, who still ranked scenes of the everyday in a lower class than those depicting biblical, historical or mythological scenes with an educational theme. Secondly, the economics behind painting and commissions were changing. In Watteaus economic world, instead of commissions coming almost exclusively from either the crown or the church, as it did previously, private patrons were also commissioning works, and provided most of the revenue for artists. But they also, whether by accident or deliberately, provoke a whole series of other responses, notable insofar as they are representative of nothing, and exist purely as decorative pieces of art. Indeed the reaction at the time was to place Watteau in a category of his own, as the ambiguity of his representations tended to eschew easy categorization. David R. Marshall suggests that: Watteaus paintings were difficult for contemporaries to classify; today they can be understood in terms of spectators response to the semantic vacuum that they present.[1] So, the genre of FÃ ªtes Galantes tends to subvert traditional ways of reading, introducing ambiguity on the level, insofar that the image takes precedence over what exactly is represented. In a sense the FÃ ªtes Galantes was designed to be ambiguous. Thus, the Fete Galante, especially Watteaus work, becomes extremely difficult to read in a straightforward manner; arguably, his work could be laced with irony, his landscapes invoke an almost impressionist free dom, and his concern with the image over the message signalled that his work reveals meanings that perhaps were intentional, or else purely coincidental and decorative. FÃ ªtes Galantes (1717), is a perfect representation of the style that came to be named after the painting. In the scene, a collection of characters are assembled around a statue of an angel. The background of the image invokes impressionist works, insofar as the trees and the composition of the image seems more in tune with the way light works, rather than the simple telling of a biblical or historical tale, as was the nature of previous work. Indeed, the ambiguity of this work is exactly what makes it compelling. Julie Anne Plax suggests that: Watteau consistently applied coherent strategies of representation aimed at subverting high art.[2] Indeed, this particular piece certainly suggests a deliberate eschewing of the concepts of high art for instance, the statue is a plain, generic statue, depicting an angel. Instead of elevating the divine in the picture, Watteau reduces it to the level of the mundane, as a rather dour looking statue in the corner of the composition. Instead o f this divine element, our eye is drawn to the centre of the piece, where some aristocrats talk and lounge in the sun. The resultant effect is a displacement of our expectations, as the scene of the everyday takes precedence over the historical and mythical connotations of the surroundings. Conversation was an important facet to life for Watteau, and indeed, the congregation of people that appear in FÃ ªtes Galantes certainly encapsulates this theme that remains prevalent in his work. Watteau sought to capture the rhythms of conversation, and indeed, the ambiguity of the piece, and the way it juxtaposes the divine, the everyday, the mythical and the traditional gives the impression that the piece is stuck in a dialogue with itself over what it is supposed to be representing. The conversational theme is prevalent in all of the FÃ ªtes galantes, and it is precisely this, juxtaposition of the high-brow conceptual and representational framework, pasted over the ordinary activities of a few aristocrats that makes the work, in a subtle way, revolutionary. Michalski suggests that: Almost all FÃ ªtes galantes should be interpreted from the viewpoint of the conversational theme. Watteau [] accepted the high status of conversation within society, and he paid homage to it thoug h his artful construction of discursive situations and though the discreet but self-revealing conduct of his figures[3]. Indeed, this glorification of conversation instead of the high historical concepts of modern art could be seen in a number of ways first, as a cynical drive to make money from two differing audiences; first, to satisfy the needs of the Academie and maintain an audience, and second, to actually satirize the concept of high art by smuggling the mundaneness of the everyday into a grand, historical painting. Thus, the work can be seen as an ingenious way of making profit from two increasingly disparate groups of people, or else it could be read as a more subversive work of art seeking to destroy the sanctity of representative art from within. This ambiguity and decorousness of the art is precisely what makes the work both fascinating and prescient to an audience that would later treat a work of art as a means to represent the artists unique vision, rather than a self less depiction of biblical or narrative events. Therefore, the work could be read as anticipating the impressionists and modernist art. Indeed, this is one particular reading of the piece. The decorative aspects of FÃ ªtes Galantes certainly can be read as a prototype for the modernist art obsessed by surface representation and secularism that was to come. Overall, the genre of the FÃ ªtes Galantes was important insofar as, despite its position as a distinctly commercial genre, artists such as Watteau, arguably satirized the academy by introducing the authority of the artist into these works. Juxtaposing the everyday with the mythical setting of Arcadia, Watteau appealed to both the French Royal establishment, and also the private aristocratic patrons that wished to see themselves in paint, conversing and doing everyday things in the countryside. Thus, the piece itself exists as a decorative piece, unencumbered by the traditional trappings of biblical narrative and / or morally stimulating works from mythology or history. And, by pushing to the forefront the purely decorative, in many ways secularising high art, Watteau brought to the forefront notions about the relationship between the artist and his art, as well as being a forerunner for movements such as Impressionism and Modernism, that would revolutionize the relationship between artist and art, and also mutate the representational powers of painting from an objective depiction, to an obsession with the various forms and the subtleties of seeing objects differently. Overall, Fete Galante is open to a whole series of different meanings and readings, but perhaps it is precisely this sense of ambiguity, this mismatch of certain tenets of classical, traditional high art, and the emergent vocabulary of low art that causes the image itself to be considered over the specificities of what or who it represents. Bibliography Cowart, G., Watteaus Pilgrimage to Cythera and the Subversive Utopia of the Opera-Ballet, from The Art Bulletin, Sept 2001 Marshall, D. R., Watteau and Eighteenth Century Art Michalski, S., Watteaus Painted Conversations from The Art Bulletin, Dec 1994 Plax, J. A., Watteau and the Cultural Politics of Eighteenth Century France, University of Arizona Press, Arizona, 2000 Footnotes [1]David R. Marshall, Watteau and Eighteenth Century Art [2]Julie Anne Plax, Watteau and the Cultural Politics of Eighteenth Century France, University of Arizona Press, Arizona: 2000, p. 24 [3]Sergiusz Michalski, Watteaus Painted Conversations, from The Art Bulletin, Dec 1994, p. 2

Boys Antisocial Behavior Essay -- Education Argumentative Persuasive

Boys' Antisocial Behavior In almost any college class you walk into you will find that there are more female students than male. This wasn't the case years ago. David Thomas' article " The Mind of Man" points out that women are progressing readily in today's society, but where are the men? Years ago men were the only ones permitted into colleges. But as time went by people's ways of thinking changed dramatically. People began to realize that girls were not getting the education boys were, and things had to be changed. I think of this change, that society made, as a pendulum. Years ago, the pendulum hung to one side. The side of boys' education. This side completely dismissed girls education. Society wanted to fix this wrong by moving the pendulum towards girls' education. The ideal thing would have been for the pendulum to have hung in the middle, with equal educational opportunities for both sexes. The problem though, according to Thomas' article, is that the pendulum went too far, and now the boys are being disregarded as the girls once were. There isn't a problem with girls being educated and getting ahead in the world, that's fantastic; the problem is, boys are not getting the same education. Thomas' believes that the problem begins in grade school. Something is occurring in elementary schools that is turning boys away from education. This something is, predominantly, female teachers. Being female myself I don't think that female teachers are bad, rather that most of them are unconsciously encouraging the anti-social behavior of boys. "Women teachers consistently praised girls more than boys, and equally consistently criticized the boys' behavior, often regarding it as a serious problem requiring remedial treatme... ...school teachers was increasing. Boys, however continued to out-perform girls in scientific and technical subjects where teaching was still dominated by men" (122). With the statistics provided we can see that boys are performing poorly academically when in the hands of women. It isn't known for sure what's causing this problem or how it can be fixed, but one must start by realizing that there is a problem. The only solution that I can think of is that each and every teacher must work at putting positive ideas and positive feelings into each and every child. It is a hard task, especially living in today's world, but if teachers can show children that there is a bright future waiting for them they will work towards getting there. Work Cited Thomas, David. "The Mind Of Man." The Presence of Others 3rd Edition. Bedford/St. Martins, New York. (2000) : 120-25. Boys' Antisocial Behavior Essay -- Education Argumentative Persuasive Boys' Antisocial Behavior In almost any college class you walk into you will find that there are more female students than male. This wasn't the case years ago. David Thomas' article " The Mind of Man" points out that women are progressing readily in today's society, but where are the men? Years ago men were the only ones permitted into colleges. But as time went by people's ways of thinking changed dramatically. People began to realize that girls were not getting the education boys were, and things had to be changed. I think of this change, that society made, as a pendulum. Years ago, the pendulum hung to one side. The side of boys' education. This side completely dismissed girls education. Society wanted to fix this wrong by moving the pendulum towards girls' education. The ideal thing would have been for the pendulum to have hung in the middle, with equal educational opportunities for both sexes. The problem though, according to Thomas' article, is that the pendulum went too far, and now the boys are being disregarded as the girls once were. There isn't a problem with girls being educated and getting ahead in the world, that's fantastic; the problem is, boys are not getting the same education. Thomas' believes that the problem begins in grade school. Something is occurring in elementary schools that is turning boys away from education. This something is, predominantly, female teachers. Being female myself I don't think that female teachers are bad, rather that most of them are unconsciously encouraging the anti-social behavior of boys. "Women teachers consistently praised girls more than boys, and equally consistently criticized the boys' behavior, often regarding it as a serious problem requiring remedial treatme... ...school teachers was increasing. Boys, however continued to out-perform girls in scientific and technical subjects where teaching was still dominated by men" (122). With the statistics provided we can see that boys are performing poorly academically when in the hands of women. It isn't known for sure what's causing this problem or how it can be fixed, but one must start by realizing that there is a problem. The only solution that I can think of is that each and every teacher must work at putting positive ideas and positive feelings into each and every child. It is a hard task, especially living in today's world, but if teachers can show children that there is a bright future waiting for them they will work towards getting there. Work Cited Thomas, David. "The Mind Of Man." The Presence of Others 3rd Edition. Bedford/St. Martins, New York. (2000) : 120-25.

Generational Poverty Essay

This week in class the focus has been on generational poverty. There are a lot of key factors that lead to poverty. Poverty does not exist because people want it to. Poverty is a way of life for those who don’t know another way and feel that they don’t have a way out. Every day in society people turn their heads or frown up their nose at people who they see living in poverty because they think they are better than them and will not lift a hand to help them out. The big question is why do we do this? In most cases, the poverty line or clash of the classes are based on wealth and there is certainly a variation in the wealth among the population. But classism exists from the beginning of education to death. Schools pass out grades and establish an intelligence stratification. The better students take higher academic classes and separate themselves from students taking lower academic classes. College graduates typically achieve better incomes than non-college graduates and raise higher in wealth and stratification. Though it may seem unfair, typically those who achieve better grades are those individuals who apply themselves and try hard to get out of the situation that they are in if it is bad. Achieve is rewarded while sloth is not rewarded. Society works best this way, because it gives incentives for everyone to achieve, while not rewarding those who do not make and effort or better yet even try. Woman play a big role in the family when it comes to poverty. Most of the families are single parented. In this paper, I will be discuss what generational poverty is. Also I will discuss and identify the complex factors involved in overcoming generational poverty, explain challenges the aged face when there is a lack of access to employment and describe the uni que challenges that women face through the different life stages. Lastly it will be explained how what I have learned changed my perspective and the way in which I approach special population. Generational Poverty Generational poverty is defined as having been in poverty for at least two generations. It is important to recognize this time factor to be able to separate it from â€Å"situational poverty,† characteristically understood as a lack of resources due to particular sets of events, i.e. a death, chronic illness, divorce, etc. from the discussion of generational poverty in this chapter. These two concepts are distinguishable, which will help us put our students’ behavior in better perspective. A key indicator in defining and separating these poverty types is â€Å"attitude.† In generational poverty, the players feel that society owes them a living whereas in situational, they often allow pride to keep them from accepting needed assistance. Generational poverty has its own culture, hidden rules and belief system. The video clips deal with the role of the â€Å"momma† as central to the family structure. She is the powerful one and the ultimate caregiver and rescuer. Punishment in her mind is about forgiveness not about change and hers is the love and relationship that ties to the soul. In examining these distinguishing differences, our author gave a humorous case study of an actual court case. While the nature of the case is quite disturbing from the perspective of a middle class reader, behaviors become crystal clear and predictable. Identify the complex factors involved in overcoming generational poverty? There are four major complex factors involved in overcoming generational poverty. The first one is housing. Housing stability is critical to being successful in education, employment and parenting. If basic security needs, such as housing, cannot be met, it is unlikely, if not impossible that other achievements needed to break the cycle of poverty can be made. Housing quality can affect the cycle of poverty in many ways. For example, one who lives in substandard housing can be contributed to negative health outcomes and concentrated disadvant ages such as bad business investments. If basic housing needs are not met, a positive environment for learning cannot be established, such as encouragement of completion of homework, having family reading places, or peer interactions. The next factor is education. Education attainment is a major if not the most important key to breaking the cycle of generational poverty. Research has shown that growing up in a lower income family negatively impacts educational obtainment needed to break the cycle of poverty. Learned behavior within peer groups, families and neighborhoods can also contribute to the cycle of poverty. Those with minimal education tend to find themselves employed at low paying jobs with little or no benefits. In addition, financial literacy and training is an important educational component that is needed to break the cycle of poverty. Employment is the third factor. There has been a significant decline in manufacturing jobs, which are typically high paying with good benefits. There is a growing mismatch with the skills of these displaced workers and available jobs. The loss of these manufacturing jobs has resulted in many folks going back to generational poverty. In a lot of cases, there are a growth of new jobs but these jobs tends to come with low pay and no benefits, which can further prevent breaking out of the cycle poverty. Also, multiple income based antipoverty programs can have a negative impact of work incentives. This is due to the fact these programs have to be funded with funds that could be used to pay workers to help them overcome poverty. The fourth complex factor is single parenting. Explain challenges the aged face when there is a lack of access to employment. Some challenges the aged are faced with due to lack of access to employment are: vulnerability to risk and shocks due to irregular and unstable income. They could also be suffer from deteriorating health, declining stamina, reduced physical ability, agility and strength, as well as decreased mobility due to lack of mobility and constant movement from working. Another challenge is high out-of-pocket health expenditures or lack of health insurance. Most aged people struggle to pay for basic medicines or treatment, which is often desperately needed to manage chronic illnesses such as high blood pressure. With lack of employment, comes a high level of stress and anxiety for the elderly. This would come about due to the constant worrying about how they will earn enough to buy food and other basic essentials, especially if they are supporting grandchildren or other family members who are sick. Describe the unique challenges that women face through the different life stages. Women face a lot of different challenges that they face through the different life stages. Women only have two choices. These choices are marrying men who  will provide life time financial support so that they can prevent destitution later on in their lives. Also if a woman pursues a higher education so that they can establish a career and choose to marry and raise the family they might be able to prevent a lifetime of neediness and impoverishment. As a citizen or population, women majority of the time earn a lower income than their male counterparts. The Equal Pay Act that passed in the 1960s was supposed to narrow the earning gap between men and women, yet a gender pay gap still exists today. Even after accounting for possible explanations such as demographic characteristics, family situations, work hours, and work experience, women who work full-time year-round still are paid 77% of a man’s pay ($37,000 for a woman compared to $48,000 for a man in 2009) (U.S. Census Burea u 2012). After a woman has accumulated years in the workplace, it seems that the wage gap would shrink because of experience. This, however is not the case in this instance. Inequities start early and worsen over time. Research has shown a 5% difference one year after college graduation and a 12% difference after 10 years. The only identified explanation for the unexplained gaps was gender discrimination (Arnst 2007; Boushey, Aarons, and Smith 2010). Has what you learned changed your perspective and the way you will approach the special populations discussed? From watching the videos and doing the research I have learned that poverty can happen to anyone. Once you become a product or victim of poverty it is hard to become stirred away. Everything around you condemns you to a certain life style. There is really no one there to give you hope or guidance. As a child, you are obligated to help you parents raise income or money and if that means you leaving school then that is what you have to do. Not one single person will tell you to stay in school. The education level for those in poverty in simply does not exist. The community has their own language that if you were to go into the corporate world you would be dismissed because they don’t understand what you are saying to them. The parent don’t give the children any enthusiasm or guidance letting them know that your life can change they teach them to settle for what you have and know. As a child I was not raised to believe that you can do anything. Your way of life is set by you the individual not anybody else. You change anything you want and if you fail the first time keep trying and never give up. It only takes a single person to help someone achieve their dreams and I plan to help as people as I can. As a single parent I live pay check to paycheck and can fall into poverty at any given time and I would want someone to help me so in return I will do that for others. References Jerry V. Diller, Cultural Diversity. A Primer for the Human Services, Fourth Edition, 2011 Arnst, C. 2007. â€Å"Women and the Pay Gap.† Bloomberg Businessweek. Accessed February 2013 http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2007-04-26/women-and-the-pay-gap. Boushey, H., J. Aarons, and L. Smith. 2010. â€Å"Families Can’t Afford the Gender Wage Gap.† Center for American Progress. Accessed February 2013. http://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/issues/2010/04/pdf/equal_pay_day.pdf.

Planned Community at Lake Saddleback Essays

Planned Community at Lake Saddleback Essays Planned Community at Lake Saddleback Essay Planned Community at Lake Saddleback Essay In this case its highly important to make the right decisions from the start. As I see it there are two possible ways to deal with this situation. Firstly (1), the project manager claims to have all the relevant information to handle the planning. If that is the case then he could simply put the plan together himself and then implement it. For this to be the most effective way the manager truly has to have all the relative information but also he has to have the respect and confidence of his subordinates to make a proper plan since they seem just as eager to finish on time as he does. Secondly (2), the manager could see the workers enthusiasm as a possibility for the making of good solutions and ideas. With that in mind the manager could decide to make the planning into a group effort, drawing from the ingenuity and knowledge of his staff. For this to be the most effective way, the manager has to have faith in the ability of his subordinateIn this case the manager is asking his subordinates to undertake a project under unusual and possibly difficult circumstances. As this consultancy firm is most likely based in the western world, the manager is asking his people to leave their comfort zones to conduct their business in a far-away land. It would be in his, the projects and the firms best interest to go with a group effort in order to find suitable candidates for this trip. In this way those who do not want to go are not forced and those with a special interest in the project are not shunned. The manager gets his since his team will consist only of people of interest and dedication whom wanted to be there in the first place; the project benefits since its getting the best possible manpower (given that enthusiastic people work harder) and finally the firm is better off since this way of manning the team left no damage to morale. With different cases it is normal to reach different conclusions as to how its best to solve a particular problem. With the first case the problem was a simple one; theres no fuss, just take an executive decision and run with it. Any time spent on consulting the staff would have been a waste since their opinions were spread and a solid conclusion would have been hard to come by. In the other two cases things got a bit more difficult. There you had big decision that demanded accuracy and good thinking. As described in case 2, any decision taken was depended on something else, whether it was the workers faith in their manager or the managers faith in his workers. These variables give room for at least two different ways of plan-making. With the third case, a hint of logic told you that working as a group would create a venue for those interested to volunteer and for others to back off. Rather than making the decision for them (and given that they all have similar attributes) this was the diplomatic way which left no toes trampled. These cases differ in scale; one being tiny and insignificant while two of them are big and important. What the outcome maybe tells us is that when dealing with bigger, tougher to handle tasks it is less likely that you have all the info and, subsequently, all the answers. When that is the case it is usually a wiser strategy to consult co-workers, subordinates, bosses, specialists etc. In those lighter cases where consulting has no value adding purpose and mostly just wastes time, it may be better to simply grab the torch and run with it.

Slavery in the Roman Republic essays

Slavery in the Roman Republic essays Harshly treated, often to the point of death, the slaves of the Roman Republic led a less than envious life. The slaves were such a repressed and overwrought people, that their only relief came from rebellion or death. The character of slavery under the early Romans was especially brutal in Sicily. Greek historian Diodorus Siculus details the treatment and impact of slavery on the moral character of both slaves and masters. As the Roman Republic expanded, so did the number of slaves. The slaves were most likely prisoners of war from the countries conquered by Rome. Other sources for slavery included criminals, debtors, and those captured by pirates to be sold at the slave market. Slavery was usually an inherited hardship similar to American slavery. Yet, unlike Americas history with slavery, Roman slavery was not the result of racial injustice. A variety of nationalities representing the conquered by Rome made up the slave class. Different attributes of slaves were actually sought at the slave market; ...black Africans and blond Germans were particular favorites. Other factors determining the value of a slave included their demeanor, age, and sex. The slaves of the Roman Republic performed a variety of duties. The slaves catered to the needs of the elite, tended the fields of those of modest fortunes and toiled in the mines of Iberia. For the productiveness of a slave, many Roman masters found a kind hand to be better than a harsh one. But there were also those who thought that the slaves must be harshly treated to perform to the masters expectations. In Sicily, the slave owners subjected the slaves to inhumane treatment on a broad scale. Slaves in Sicily were branded with the mark of their owner upon being purchased at market and were shackled in iron. Sicilian slaves received only a minimal amount of food and clothing to survive. Some slaves being punis...

Housing Management (See assingment criteria section for the full Essay

Housing Management (See assingment criteria section for the full question) - Essay Example Some associations provide shared ownership contracts, also, to provide services to people who cannot afford to buy their homes outright. Housing associations in England are funded and regulated by the Housing Corporation. Other governmental bodies perform the same service in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Whales. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister sponsors the services provided as a non-Departmental Public Body. The Housing Corporation supports communities over the entire country of England by funding the supply and regulating the quality of affordable homes. Regulation by the Corporation makes is easier for those who have circumstances that make it difficult for them to meet their housing needs in the open market. This also includes homeless people, low-income families, and anyone who is in need of supported housing. These associations provide a large scope of housing. Some manage large estates for housing for families, while the smaller ones manage a group of houses for older people. These entities also provide special project housing for people with mental health or learning disabilities, substance abuse problems, homeless people, young people, ex-offenders, and women fleeing domestic violence. The housing associations day-to-day operations are supported by rent and service fees made by the tenants living on the properties. Some of the funding is provided on behalf of the tenants. Housing associations are operated as a commercial entity, but most do not require donations for their daily general activities. New Housing, however, is very different. Its support tends to require subsidies in order to be economically viable. Where the sources of subsidies come from depends on where the association is located The Housing and Regulations Act of 2008 created two bodies of support. One being the Home and Communities Agency that directly deals with funding and regenerated work. And second, the Tenant Services Authority, which provides responsibility for the regul ations. Beginning in 2010 the TSA began regulating all providers of â€Å"social housing.† The associations of these entities are known as Registered Providers of the private, public, and for profit or not-for-profit status. In Northern Ireland the same procedure is handled by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and in Scotland by the Scottish Government. However, in Whales, this process is handled by the Welsh Assembly Government. Housing associations are generally seen as private entities because they are neither owned nor operated by the state. This has been challenged by many legal rulings in the past few years. In 2004, a ruling by the British government did document housing associations as public bodies for the purpose of procurement. In 2008 the high court in the UK ruled that housing associations were public authorities, and could be subject to judicial review in some instances. The ruling stated.†permeated by state control and influence with a view of meetin g the Government’s aims for affordable housing, and in which RSL, Registered Social Landlords, work side by side with, and can in a very real sense be said to take the place of, local authorities.† This ruling is very politically significant since the housing associations do not currently contribute to the United Kingdom’s public sector borrowing requirement. Although larger housing associations usually have paid staff to manage the association operations, a volunteer board of management is

A critical evaluation of the methodology approach contained within a Assignment

A critical evaluation of the methodology approach contained within a journal article of student's own choosing( related to education) ---1000 words - Assignment Example The survey showed that schools welcomed the idea of partnership and collaboration with other organizations and individuals offering support services. However, they were not short of challenges as expected especially in engaging mainstream schools in collaboration concerning sharing facilities. The article has utilized an analytical approach to study the educational partnerships between schools and service providers. It has laid out the methods used to get the data and all those involved in details. It has also gone ahead and assessed the results of the findings enabling the author to inform the reader of the similarities across educational institutions in England. The article has also pointed out the advantages of partnerships and the challenges faced by the special schools in attaining their objectives. However, the author fails to offer informed solutions to the bottlenecks faced. Instead, she refers greatly to the Green Paper as a way out. Overall, the strengths of the article outweigh the weaknesses. In the research, only four institutions were interviewed. The author admits that small school faced most of the challenges due to their size. It would have been appropriate to interview two small schools and two large schools. This would have given a more realistic picture on the state of partnerships among schools (Rose, 2012). In the contrary, readers have a biased notion of the state of affairs among educational institutions in England due to the sampling method used in the research (Lawson, Waite, & Robertson, 2005). Therefore, the audience cannot tell the extent of the challenges faced by large special institutions. The purpose of a study is to gather facts, make assessments, and provide possible solutions based on the finding. This article does not provide much headway to reduce the challenges faced by the special institutions. In addition, the author does not provide convincing argument concerning organizations seek partnership. Unpredictably, the paper

Comparative Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Comparative Analysis - Essay Example Philosophers like Peter Singer have adopted utilitarian viewpoints in order to justify a strongly favorable position to animal liberation and a respect for the environment. After all, it was Jeremy Bentham, John Stewart Mill’s family friend, who said of animals, â€Å"the question is not ‘can they reason’, and not ‘can they talk’ but ‘can they suffer’?† John Stewart Mill’s piece â€Å"Nature† discusses the extent to which human beings can listen to and derive moral truths from nature alone, and whether it is indeed a valid source for such information. Mill looks critically at claims made by philosophers throughout time and space that human action must conform to some underlying Law, a supreme ruler and ultimate standard. He ultimately concludes that acting in accordance with any just natural laws is a physical impossibility and therefore the concept itself an absurdity. The word â€Å"nature†, whatever it means, does not confer any normative principle, whether it is endorsement or disapproval. Nature simply is what is, and not what ought to be. â€Å"Nature,† Mill writes, â€Å"cannot be a proper model for us to imitate. Either it is right that we should kill because nature kills; torture because nature tortures; ruin and devastate because nature does the like; or we ought not to consider what nature do es, but what it is good to do† (Mill, 2007). This passage encapsulates perhaps what is most significant about Mill’s essay. Holmes Rolston, in â€Å"Humans Valuing the Natural Environment† broaches this same topic by quoting Barry Commoner’s â€Å"third law of ecology†, which says Nature knows best (Rolston, Humans Valuing the Natural Environment, 1989, p. 32). This is the inversion of Mill’s thought that nature has no place in guiding human action. It states simply because human beings value nature in some sense such means they ought to follow nature accordingly. Rolston

Evening News Essay Example for Free

Evening News Essay News is information or a presentation about current events and is reported by a variety of means such as newspapers, periodicals, radio, television and websites on the Internet. The reporting of news falls into the field of journalism, which are typically written or broadcast in news style. Most news is investigated and presented by journalists and can be distributed to various sites via news agencies. On the other hand, according to a web encyclopedia, â€Å"Short for Web log, a blog is a Web page that serves as a publicly accessible personal journal for an individual. Typically updated daily, blogs often reflect the personality of the author.†(par. 1). A blog is a mixture of a persons experiences in life and what is happening on the Web. It is like a kind of a personal diary-cum-guide site. There are unique types of people, thus, there are as many unique types of blogs as well. In another case, a blog is also a web site that contains dated entries in reverse chronological order (most recent first) about a particular topic. Functioning as an online newsletter, blogs can be written by one person or a group of contributors. Entries contain commentary and links to other Web sites, and images as well as a search facility is also included. Most blogs also invite feedback and comments from visitors and Internet newsgroup discussions, which tend to be more question-and-answer oriented. People have already maintained blogs before but it only gained momentum in 1999 when automated published systems were introduced. Nowadays, thousands of people use web site blog hosting services to simplify and accelerate the publishing process. The template-based software makes it easy to create an online blog and continuously allows you to add entries. Similarly like news, a blog   is a form of media. However, news is considered a traditional media while blog is connoted as internet type of media. It is a platform to communicate what anyone may wish to let anyone know within reach of an internet connection. In traditional media, you are first defined by your medium. There is some constraint on how the contents are delivered physically or digitally which is determined by your medium. According to Maverick blog article, â€Å"There is a cost versus time versus interest versus access series of constraints that determines who your audience is, how you reach them and what they expect of you. Over time, those constraints have evolved our media into very defined roles†(par. 3). Blogs are different. There is no cost constraint. It costs nothing to create a blog. There are time constraints, but much less than traditional media. Bloggers are not pressured   to publish or create an article on a schedule. Blogging is basically personal and this is where the paths of blogging and traditional media diverge. Traditional media is business, thus it has become exclusively corporate while blogging remains almost exclusively personal. However, some bloggers have started to make money from their blogs but what they put in their blogs is all up to them which gives them satisfaction.   Members of traditional media are employees. They get hired for a specific job and they have to do that job. They get hired by a corporation that is most likely public, which means that their employers are concerned in getting their stock price up above all else. Thus, they write news and articles that is dictated by subjects perceived to make more money.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In comparison to mainstream media, blog gives anyone the freedom to write about anything. They can write opinion. They can report facts. They can ask questions. They can write any topics they want. Individual Web surfers post their own eclectic and varied thoughts. Still, others such as known political parties, religious and professional groups, businesses, and media organizations have created their own blog sites too. A report by Snow states that, â€Å"audience for blogs in general is more than 3.5 million strong, and growing. One group that surveys political blogs believes between 20,000 and 25,000 people are regularly talking about political topics on Weblogs. These days people from every corner of the country are finding each other on screen. The impact of all this dialogue is hard to gauge, but it is clearly shaping politics and media coverage†(par. 16-18). Wright also presented that â€Å"Blogging grew from the ground up as a grassroots effort. What started as a few people conversing about common interests via real-time Internet postings has become a continuous conversation among millions of   bloggers and readers. With millions of bloggers expressing their thoughts, experiences, and information they’ve learned in their fields of interest, this medium has become a worldwide forum†(3). Another interesting development of blog in comparison to traditional media is that even news agencies have created their own section termed newsblogs. Auty argues that â€Å"newsblogs supplement and work alongside traditional news media by filtering and reporting news. She praises the growth of personal diaries and eyewitness accounts (such as those that sprung up after 9/ 11) but overall sees blogs as being a new way of distributing and collecting the news rather than a new source of news itself†(341). The rapid pace of technology is changing the nature of blogs as well. The popularity of digital audio players such as the iPod has spurred the growth of blogs with audio content. People can download a wide range of audio files like music and listen to them at their convenience using a PC or a portable media player. The rapid adoption in the use of cell phones with built-in digital cameras and wireless Internet connections is also changing the face and pace of blogging. Bloggers armed with these tools can snap a picture, writes a short caption and then post it on a moblog or mobile log, regardless of time and place.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thus, with these conveniences brought about by blogging and the personal satisfaction they give on people, it is not surprising that future generations will no longer subscribe to traditional media. As Wright argues, â€Å"blogs have the power to create businesses, change the course of political history, and transform the way the mainstream or traditional media looks at itself.†(2). BIBLIOGRAPHY Auty, Caroline(Editor). Politics and Government in the Age of the Internet. Bradford, , UK: Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2005. p 341. Blogging Vs. Traditional Media. Blog Maverick Website. May 13, 2006. 27 Oct. 2006http://www.blogmaverick.com/2006/05/13/ Snow, Kate. The Power of the Blog. ABC News website. Sept. 26, 2004. 27 Oct. 2006http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2004/story?id=123452page=2 Webopedia. The No. 1 Online Encyclopedia dedicated to Computer Technology. 26 Oct. 2006http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/b/blog.html Wright, Jeremy. Blog Marketing. Blacklick, OH, USA: McGraw-Hill Companies, The, 2005. p 2-3.

The Reality of Ethan Brands Unpardonable Sin :: Ethan Brand Essays

The Reality of Ethan Brand's Unpardonable Sin The relentless obsession of one man becomes the theme of Nathaniel Hawthorne's haunting tale, "Ethan Brand." A lime-burner by trade in the hills of Western Massachusetts, Brand passes the lonely hours of the night staring into the intense flames of the kiln, contemplating the theological doctrine of the unpardonable sin. What sin could be so totally evil that even the great God of Heaven could not forgive? I remember as a child, listening to my father, as he stood in the pulpit and expounded to his congregation the very same subject that had so totally mesmerized Hawthorne's character, Ethan Brand. I remember the many questions I had about this horrible sin. What was it? Could I commit the unpardonable sin? Maybe I already had. That was the most disturbing of all. It seems that literary critic R. P. Blackmur has experienced something of the same when he writes: I do not know how it may be now, but when I was a boy the unpardonable sin, the unforgivable sin, or--as I was taught in church, the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost--was a major though intermittent attraction in the short times that seem so long just before sleep. It was a frightening possibility that I might find what it was and how to do it: the frightening thing was that I might then have to do it, as if discovery was actual commission of the sin. The verse in St. Mark (3:19) contained as much potential horror as anything I have ever read...so when I read "Ethan Brand" I knew where he was....(179). Since that time, I have taken my place in the pulpit of a church like my father before me. And on occasion, I too address the subject and receive the same questions that I, and others like me, pondered so long ago: the very same question that haunts, possesses, and ultimately ruins Ethan Brand. Driven by his insatiable desire to uncover the deep truth of this frightening possibility, Ethan Brand left his lonely lime kiln on a quest, a quest that would send him the world over in search of the unpardonable sin. For eighteen years he studied and researched the idea that slowly took him over. When his search began, Brand was a kind and gentle man concerned for the well-being of others. The narrator describes him as .

Learning and Memory Applied :: Essays Papers

Learning and Memory Applied Learning and memory are fascinating. The world could not function without either. They both are used in many different fashions in a wide variety of places. Learning and Memory have been carefully studied by professionals but are also well known and used by the common people on a daily basis. I am one of those common people, a student who is constantly learning and making the most of my memory. Since enrolling in The Psychology of Learning and Memory class I have come to the realization that I encounter situations in my life that exemplify the very concepts I have studied. I have also learned that it is beneficial to apply the lessons learned in class to my everyday life. Positive reinforcement, learned helplessness and serial recall are a few among many of the learning and memory models that have come to action in my life and in my final reflections surrounding the course. First of all, I was highly interested in the concept and various factors that together make up positive reinforcement. I had a premise that I could do some experimental work on the three children for whom I baby-sit during the week after school. They leave school full of energy and it is my job to get them to complete a series of tasks before the end of the evening. I imagined that some positive reinforcement might get them on their way to handling their responsibilities in a timelier manner. My first step was to come up with a specific instrumental response that would produce reinforcement. This took no time at all because by far the most painfully difficult thing for me to do is get the children to sit down and do their homework. I then spoke specifically to each child and asked them what they would rather choose as an after school activity. They named video games, television, and going to play with other neighborhood children. I had expected these types of answers from the children and made them into the positive reinforcers that would be contingent on the children’s performance of the instrumental response; namely completing their homework. I explained to the children that if they behaved and finished their homework, then directly following they could spend an hour doing an activity of their choice.

Reflection Paper on Organizational Behavior Course Essay

When the Philippine Army (PA) gave me a Masteral Degree Scholarship, I was told to take a Human Resource Management (HRM) course. Since I chose to take my graduate course in UP Diliman {where I took my BA in Public Administration undergraduate course before going to the Philippine Military Academy (PMA)}, I enrolled in the School of Labor and Industrial Relations (SOLAIR) because they have an equivalent graduate course in HRM, which is the Master of Industrial Relations where I can specialize in Human Resource Development. The intent of my graduate study is to educate me with the latest trends, principles, procedures, programs, policies and concepts in HRM, and be able relate and apply them in the personnel management of the Philippine Army. Although the MIR at SOLAIR is more of the empowerment of labor, enlightened industrial relations and social justice, still there are courses that would be very useful and relevant for the Philippine Army. Among those relevant course is IR 213 or Organizational Behavior in Industrial Relations, which covers interactions of organization, individual and group in unions, management and government in IR situations, with emphasis on sociological, psychological and cultural factors. I took this elective course because when I saw the description of the course I immediately believe that this would be very relevant for me. I came from an organization that is among the largest single employer in the country, which is the Philippine Army. We are more or less 85,000 strong, and with that number cultural and social diversity is a certainty. Thus for an officer like me who would be handling a large number of personnel in the future, a course in organizational behavior would be essential. Although I already took a similar course in my BS major in Management at the PMA, still that is an undergraduate course and I believe the level of teaching and approach would be higher, and that the focus would be more of the professional level since my classmates would be graduates students many of whom are already practicing their professions. At the initial part of the course I was a little bit overwhelmed by the volume of readings required for a three hour once a week class with a quiz on said readings at the beginning of each class. Although I was not that surprised since my instructor for said course, who is Prof. Ronahlee A. Asuncion, PhD, or â€Å"George†, happens to be my instructor also in my IR 202 Class the previous semester where the same technique was used in our class. But as with my previous class, I have learned to appreciate this style of â€Å"semi† forcing in effect each student to really read all the readings. Indeed somehow that â€Å"torture† like shock for the second time around, was replaced with my curiosity and enthusiasm as the semester went by. Unlike my undergraduate course in organizational behavior, where I never really had much appreciation, maybe because it’s more of the theoretical level, this course now really enabled me to get involved on how it is in the real situation. My experience with the Philippine Army, especially in my field assignments in the Visayas and Mindanao, enabled me to handle from 30-100 men in a combat area, initially as a platoon leader and later on as a company commander. During this time I have to be a leader, adviser, counselor, brother, father, friend and commander all at the same time. Although I am not really that good or efficient on the roles I just mentioned, since it’s my first time to be assigned in the field, perhaps my leadership training at PMA and other experiences in life allowed me to somehow overcome my shortcomings and finish my tour of duty with flying colors. But looking back at that episode in my career and as I relate those that were discussed in IR 213, I just wondered if I had taken this course prior to that experience, would I have been a better leader of men and a more efficient commander of a unit. It is common knowledge that the military is a highly regimented organization, wherein everybody must strictly obey orders from commanders, if not you will be punished under the articles of war or the military version of the penal code. So in a way many would say that it is very easy to manage a military unit or organization since everyone must follow orders, but this is easier said than done. In my experience, especially in my field assignment in a combat unit in a critical area, as a platoon leader I had my initial challenge as an officer. â€Å"Greenhorn† as I am, leading a group of majority veteran soldiers, wherein their previous area of operations enabled them to be involved in combat encounters with the communist insurgents with a more experienced and senior platoon leader, it is like a rookie trying to be a go to guy in a basketball team, where I have to earn their respect first before being accepted truly as their leader. Yes, they will follow your orders, but there wi ll be times where this rule will be challenged especially in combat situations. Now here lies the relevance of the course on organizational behavior. Knowledge in human personality, perception and attitude would indeed be very important in this situation, although this is well covered in my undergraduate course in management, the ideas of Fred Luthan’s on the chapter on Personality, Perception and Employee Attitude; and Natasha Marinkovic Grba’s (Lisa Matthewman, et al. â€Å"Work Psychology†, Chapter 3) chapter on Personality and Individual Differences refreshes my previous knowledge on the topic and gave me new incite on the nurture-nature debate on personality, the â€Å"Big Five† personality traits, the Myers-Brigg types, organizational commitment, and organizational citizenship behaviors. I really can relate on the issue whether personality is genetic or influenced by the environment. As I was observing then the individual personality and attitudes of my men, I can really distinguish what part of their personality and attitude were really is a result of their training in the military, so I have no problem with that since most of that pertains to discipline and technical expertise as a soldier. Now the problem lies on what other individual personality and attitude that may have been inborn or environment influenced that could affect my relationship with them. Although their initial indifference on my leadership is a group learned attitude, wherein it’s a kind of an initiation period where I must first pass before being accepted in the group, still I have to consider their individual personality, perceptions and attitudes in dealing with them individually. I consider the topic on organizational commitment essential, since this pertains to the very essence of a military organization. As defined by Luthans, organizational commitment is a strong desire to remain a member of a particular organization, a willingness to exert high levels of effort on behalf of the organization and a definite belief in, and acceptance of, the values and goals of the organization. In short loyalty to the organization is what’s keeping discipline and order in the military organization. Perhaps a lecture on this organizational commitment to soldiers on my future unit assignment would be inspirational and reassuring for this will strengthen their zeal as soldiers and allegiance to fight against the enemies of the Filipino people and the state. Organizational Citizenship Behaviors (OCBs) is also very much military in nature. Everything that are ideal behaviors in a military organization may be considered as organizational citizenship behaviors. Actually military discipline, which is discipline or following an order in the absence of a commander, is part of these so called OCBs, and this really what differentiate the military organization from other organizations, and what makes it very efficient and effective. A review and reorientation of the OCBs in the military would also be very important and fundamental in keeping the military highly motivated and committed to the call of the service. Thus I really appreciate being reoriented in these OCBs, for this will also be included on my future lectures to my would be soldiers in my next tour as a field unit commander. Another very relevant part of the course where I can really relate to is on the topic on stress. A soldier’s job is very demanding both physically and psychologically, and this what makes it very stressful. Identifying these sources of stress is crucial in enabling commanders like me to provide opportunities for my men to cope up with stresses that they would encounter on the job. Fred Luthans pointed out on the Chapter on Stress and Conflict of his book on Organizational Behavior, (1) that stress is not simply anxiety, (2) that stress is not simply nervous tension, and (3) that stress is not necessarily something damaging, bad or to be avoided. Luthans said anxiety operate solely in the emotional and psychological sphere, whereas stress operates there and also in the physiological sphere. Thus stress may be accompanied by anxiety, but the two should not be equated. It’s good that Luthans clearly differentiate anxiety with that of stress, because soldiers sometimes only suffers from anxiety and at times real stress, knowing what is from the other enables me to provide the appropriate approach or method for them to cope up with either one or both. Luthans also said that like anxiety, nervous tension may result from stress, but the two are not the same. He further said that unconscious people have exhibited stress, and some people may keep it â€Å"bottled up† and not reveal it through nervous tension. Soldiers do suffer nervous tension, thus I must consider the fact that stress could complicate things that may result in a more damaging situation than just a simple stress for the soldier. Luthans further pointed out that eustress is not damaging or bad and is something people should seek out rather than avoid. He mentioned that the key is how the person handles the stress; distress may be prevented or can be effectively controlled. As mentioned there are stresses that soldiers encounter that are positive in nature and thus may not have to be avoided, and furthermore negative stress may be prevented or effectively controlled by using coping up methods. Survival in combat situation is a skill that every soldier must possess. This skill is the reason why the PA or the entire military organization is very strict in its recruitment of soldiers, neuro-psycho test is one very stringent examination wherein it must be proven that the recruit is psychologically prepared in becoming a soldier. I also mentioned that I must also be a counselor to my men. Since all of us are away from our families and civilian friends, and at times we are in combat situations, stress will definitely be a problem if it will not be addressed. John W, Newstrom mentioned on the chapter on Stress and Counseling from his book â€Å"Human Behavior at Work†, that stress affects performance; it can either be helpful or harmful to job performance, depending on its level. Thus to enable commanders like me to maximize soldiers performance, I must consider stresses that tends to increase performance or avoid stresses that tends to decrease it. Indeed stress management is a must in every organization, Newstrom mentioned that in attempting to manage stress, individuals have three broad options (1) is to prevent or control it, (2) escape from it, or (3) learn to adapt to it (handle its symptoms). Adapting these steps will enable commanders to reduce or eliminate stressors for soldiers. Newstrom mentioned about social support, which he defined as the network of helpful activities, interactions and relationships that provides an employee with the satisfaction of important needs. That’s where commanders like me come in; first I had to provide the necessary opportunity for my soldiers to have social interactions with fellow soldiers and at times with the civilian populace around our area of assignment; and then I must also be available always to provide counseling to my soldiers as the need arises. Newstrom mentioned about relaxation and sabbaticals both designed to give soldiers a peace of mind and time to somehow escape the world of combat that we are living in. We regularly schedule field trips and social events that soldiers engage into when situation allows it. Rest and recreation for soldiers are periodic where every soldier has the opportunity to go home to their families in a certain period of time. Another issue I am concerned with regarding stress and counseling is the debriefing of soldiers after a combat operation wherein they are exposed to violent actions and at times incurring casualties in our ranks. During my time in the field this so called after operation debriefing to soldiers does not exist, every soldier is just expected to recover psychologically on their own, since they are supposed to be psychologically prepared when they entered the military service. As defined by the handbook on military combat and operational stress, traumatic stress injuries are literal damage to the brain and mind due to an experience involving real or threatened death or serious injury, or its aftermath. Not everyone who is exposed to real or threatened death or its aftermath is damaged by that experience; most people are not. But everyone is susceptible to experiencing intense terror, horror, or helplessness when confronted with their own or their peers’ mortality, and each soldier’s susceptibility varies over time due to the accumulation of stress from other causes. No one knows how common traumatic stress injuries are among soldiers engaged in combat operations because most are minor, more like bruises than fractures, and most heal quickly on their own without help from others. Even more serious traumatic stress injuries tend to be disabling for only a matter of seconds or minutes, although completely normal functioning may not be regained f or days, weeks, or months. Although now this problem is being addressed by the PA, wherein support to field units on these matters are increasing. I consider this issue as very crucial one since we have been witness to several fatal effect of combat and operational stress that led to several deaths and injuries by soldiers running amok in barracks or at home killing members of their families and neighbors. Newstrom said that counseling is discussion with an employee of a problem that usually has emotional content in order to help employee cope with it better. Its goal is improved mental health and it is performed by both managers and professional counselors. In a similar fashion that appropriate leader actions for managing traumatic stress injuries are analogous to those for managing physical injuries in soldiers, including (1) applying psychological first aid for affected individuals, (2) applying psychological first aid for affected units, (3) assessing the need for professional care, and (4) monitoring heal ing and mentoring back to full health and readiness. Another relevant topic in IR 213 that I want to emphasize is on organizational development (OD). According to Newstrom organizational development is the systematic application of behavioral science knowledge at various levels (group, intergroup and total organization) to bring about planned change. Whereas according to the book of Lisa Matthewman, et al in their book, ‘Work Psychology†, strategic change is concerned with broad, long-term organizational issues, which involves OD programs designed to change vision, mission or corporate philosophy on matters such as growth, quality, innovation and values. It is this kind of OD that the Philippine Army is undergoing right now. The PA has crafted the Army Transformation Roadmap (ATR) which is a transformation program that highlights the commitment of the PA to pursue genuine reforms founded on good governance and performance excellence. Its primary purpose is to transform the Army into a more capable, responsive, reliable, and professional organization committed to its mandate. This was not made by one man for one unit. This was created by several people representing different units for the Philippine Army and the people it serves. As mentioned by Newstrom OD requires transformational leaders. These are managers who initiate bold strategic changes to position the organization for its future. They articulate a vision and promote it vigorously; just like what senior commanders in PA are doing under the direction of the Commanding General of the Philippine Army, the PA is promoting a newly crafted vision that is â€Å"By 2028, to be a world-class Army that is a source of national pride†. I am also part of these so called transformational leaders, where I am tasked to take up a Masters Degree in HRM and be able to contribute in the transformation of the personnel management of PA. Also it is very important to take note of the sources of resistance to change, thus my part in making sure that the resistance among the personnel of the army would be addressed so that complications arising from these resistance would be avoided. For years, the Philippine Army has been viewed negatively by the very people it aims to serve. But times are changing and so are the needs of the nation. Although war fighting is still the core function of the Armed Forces, the Army is increasingly expected to perform non-traditional roles such as disaster response, humanitarian assistance, peacekeeping operations, and support to national development. Thus I believe the topic on organizational development would equip me somehow to enable me to relate them in my attempt to contribute in the area of Human Resource Development for the PA. And finally, the experiences that were shared by my classmates in class is priceless, for as a military and government worker, their opinions and shared actual on the job know how both in the private and public sector setting, has given me better understanding of theories applied to actual practice. Indeed this makes graduate school better, since many of the students are practicing professionals, wherein their shared work experiences and higher level of opinion on relevant matters would be an additional learning experience aside from what the instructor would be teaching the students. It has been a long while for me since I returned back to civilian school, and I’m glad I returned to my Alma Mater for it brought back memories and pride in my being a UP student, I’m not disappointed with this course and as in the other courses that I took in SOLAIR, for it really educated me on matters that I really need to. My work as an officer in the military allows me to interact wit h many military personnel and my rank allows me to occupy position that is managerial in nature thus this course on organizational behavior has equipped me with the knowledge that I have just enumerated. I believe the objective of the course has been achieved, and I do hope that it will continue to do so for the other students that would be taking this course.

Dune Chapterhouse essays

Dune Chapterhouse essays By Frank Herbert (New York: G.P. Putnams Sons, 1985) At first, Chapterhouse: Dune (a sequel of Dune) by Frank Herbert is confusing. It is almost necessary to read Dune, or watch the movie. I hadnt read Dune before I had started this book, and I was totally confused. I thought about putting the book down, but then I rented Dune. Everything suddenly cleared up. Suddenly, Chapterhouse: Dune became the greatest book I have ever read. The Dune universe is much more complex than most science fiction universes; such as Star Trek. It is filled with alien (human) races, technology that might someday be invented, and a story line that encompasses some 50,000 years. That is one huge feature about Chapterhouse: Dune, there is a history that you can learn about from other Dune books. Unlike in other science fiction books, where the back story is the back cover. Another thing that makes Chapterhouse: Dune more complex and more intriguing than other titles are the characters. Frank Herbert writes in a way that you cant truly get a grasp on their persona. Such as Scytale, who is a Mentat. A Mentat is a human computer, able to calculate immense problems, and have the ability to have a thing called Other Memory. Other Memory is where memories of other people before them are implanted into their brain. It is very hard to explain; you would have to read more about it. Scytale since he is a Mentat, strives to attain information. But it is hard for him to achieve this goal. Scytale is a prisoner on Chapterhouse for being of aid to the Jews. He was ordered to be held there by Ordade, the Mother Superior. Mother Superior is the leader of the Bene Gesserit; the last remnants of the Old Empire. She is tough to understand. She is compassionate in her own little way, yet totally feared by all. She too, has Other Memory, but of past Mother Superiors. A thing that I really liked about Chapterhouse: Dune is th ...

Rattlesnake Facts

Rattlesnake Facts Rattlesnakes (Crotalus or Sistrurus) are named for the rattle at the end of their tail, which makes a rattling sound as a warning to other animals. There are over thirty species of rattlesnakes that are indigenous to the Americas. While most of those species have healthy populations, some rattlesnakes are considered threatened or endangered due to factors like poaching and the destruction of their native habitats. Fast Facts: Rattlesnake Scientific Name: Crotalus or SistrurusCommon Name: RattlesnakeBasic Animal Group: ReptileSize: 1.5–8.5 feetWeight: 2–15 poundsLifespan: 10–25 yearsDiet: CarnivoreHabitat: Diverse habitats; most commonly open, rocky areas, but also native to deserts, prairies, and forestsConservation Status: Most species are Least Concern, but a few species are Endangered Description Rattlesnakes get their name from the distinctive rattle at the tip of their tail. When it vibrates, it produces a buzzing or rattling sound. Most rattlesnakes are light brown or gray, but there are some species that can be bright colors like pink or red. Adults are usually 1.5 to 8.5 feet, with most measuring under 7 feet. They can weigh from 2 to 15 pounds. Close-up of a rattlesnake tail.   Robert Young/EyeEm/Getty Images Rattlesnake fangs are connected to their venom ducts and are curved in shape. Their fangs are continuously produced, which means there are always new fangs growing in behind their existing fangs so that they can be used as soon as the old fangs are shed. Rattlesnakes have a heat sensing pit between each eye and nostril. This pit helps them to hunt their prey. They have a form of heat vision that helps them to locate their prey in dark conditions. Because rattlesnakes have a heat-sensitive pit organ, they are considered pit vipers. Habitat and Distribution Rattlesnakes are found throughout the Americas from Canada to Argentina. In the United States, they are quite common in the southwest. Their habitats are varied, as they can live in plains, deserts, and mountain habitats. More often than not, however, rattlesnakes reside in rocky environments, as rocks help them to find cover and food. Since they are reptiles and ectothermic, these areas also help them with temperature control; depending on the temperature, they bask in the sun on top of the rocks or cool down in the shade under the rocks. Some species enter a hibernation-like state during winter. Diet and Behavior Rattlesnakes are carnivores. They eat a variety of small prey like mice, rats, and other small rodents, as well as smaller species of birds. Rattlesnakes are stealthy hunters. They lie in wait for their prey, then strike with their venomous fangs to immobilize it. Once the prey is dead, the rattlesnake will swallow it head first. Due to the snakes digestion process, a rattlesnake will sometimes seek out a place to rest while its meal is being digested. Reproduction and Offspring In the United States, most rattlesnakes breed in June through August. Males have sex organs called hemipenes at the base of their tails. Hemipenes are retracted when not in use. Females have the ability to store sperm for long periods of time, so reproduction can occur well after mating season. The gestation period varies based on species, with some periods lasting for almost 6 months. Rattlesnakes are ovoviviparous, which means that eggs are carried inside the mother but the young are born live. Offspring numbers vary based on species, but typically range from 5 to 20 young. Females usually only reproduce once every two to three years. Newborns have both functioning venom glands and fangs at birth. The young do not stay with their mother long and are off to fend for themselves shortly after being born.   Conservation Status Most species of rattlesnake are classified as least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). However, most rattlesnake species are decreasing in population size, and a few species, such as the Santa Catalina Island rattlesnake (Crotalus catalinensis) are classified as critically endangered. Predation as well as human encroachment on habitats are the two most prevalent threats to rattlesnake populations. Species There are over 30 species of rattlesnakes. Common species are the eastern diamondback, timber rattlesnake, and the western diamondback rattlesnake. Timbers can be more passive than other species. Eastern diamondbacks have the distinctive diamond pattern that helps them to blend into their environment. The western diamondback is usually the longest of the rattlesnake species. Rattlesnake Bites and Humans Thousands of people are bitten by snakes in the United States each year. While rattlesnakes are usually passive, they will bite if provoked or startled. Snakes bites are rarely fatal when the proper medical care is sought. Common symptoms from a snake bite can include swelling at the bite site, pain, weakness, and sometimes nausea or excessive perspiration. Medical care should be sought immediately after a bite. Sources â€Å"11 North American Rattlesnakes.† Reptiles Magazine, www.reptilesmagazine.com/11-North-American-Rattlesnakes/.â€Å"Frequently Asked Questions About Venomous Snakes.† Venomous Snake FAQs, ufwildlife.ifas.ufl.edu/venomous_snake_faqs.shtml.â€Å"The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.† IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, www.iucnredlist.org/species/64314/12764544.Wallach, Van. â€Å"Rattlesnake.† Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, Inc., 8 Oct. 2018, www.britannica.com/animal/rattlesnake.