Driving Teachers Crazy Essay Example for Free

Driving Teachers Crazy Essay Teaching is not just earning a buck, its a snap. At the beginning of a new school year with high school sophomores, Mr. Finn is working at his desk wondering what the first period is going to be like. While waiting for the bell to ring, most students stand in clusters talking quietly but a few the knock- upstairs are rather loud and boisterous around the room causing a commotion with every group they pass. Not wanting to be overly negative on the first day, Mr. Finn says nothing. By the time the bell rings most of the class has become loud and boisterous. Although, teaching is a snap. Some students make it rather difficulty. When he realizes that his class is going to be immature, he will need to learn self-discipline. He remembers the classroom management suggestion he learned in college. Dont simile until Christmas and be tough on the first day. Therefore, he commands everyone to sit and get the class started. From the time of role call to the time Mr. Finn is passing out textbooks, and then thought the introductory lesson, several students are loud and sometimes obnoxious, others to the other side of the room are murmuring, swearing and dont forget the corners someone is snoring. He tells the students to be quieter, but they dont listen. By the end of the first period he wonders whether his going into teaching might have been a mistake. He wanted to teach and help young learn, but certainly lost he thinks, when you spend your whole day disciplining students rather than teaching them. As routine as it may sound, this is the experience that I go through everyday. Having twenty students a day that are as loud as action is never pleasant. By the time I get home I head to the fridge to get chocolate ice cream not just because I need it, but also because want it. Noise distracts other slow learners as well as teachers. It maybe that this student needs to be noticed and recognized. I have a friend who always shouts to be noticed, being loud seem to enhance her personality, and sometimes to appear tough. It is so irritating when you are reading and  someone shouts loudly keeping you off track. This student need to encouraged repeatedly, she requires redirection and always told to demonstrate mature behavior. Secondly, name-calling is also a common occurrence and very nefarious. It bothers me when a student calls someone a name just to be noticed or for attention. Although there are key problems that lead to this behavior there are key issues behind the scenes. One key major aspect is sexuality, a student may feel that he/she is an outcast or cannot make friends. He/she attracts attention from peers through name-calling. Some classmates are also amused by this behavior as long as its directed toward someone else. Sometimes, a student may have a need for food and drink, and may be covering this need by name-calling. A teacher has to recognize why the student is presenting this behavior in order to be of help. There are things that can be done by the student. A close relationship with someone may reduce this students need to call others names. Another irritating behavior is making fun of others weakness. People need to belong and respected no matter what their weakness, if this is taken advantage of they might be hurt or discouraged. Last year, I had a friend in my health class, he had a domestic problem and that his parents were divorced. Now that he lived with his mother who couldnt support him in any way, he thought he could the world it all belonged to him. This friend of mine was real dumb and ill tempered, even though you greeted he thought that he was being insulted. He also had problem with English since his home language is French sometimes he would pronounce words with an accent for example wit instead of with, other students thought that this was weird or even fun and they always made fun of him they even nick-named him wit. As time went by, he suddenly stopped talking. Early in the morning he could sit by the corner and sleep. There are students like my friend who have different weaknesses, it doesnt mean that they are different although they seem that way. A teacher can help these kids by getting a translator or after school tutoring. A teacher may all own the class to establish rules regarding this behavior. Our goal is to make making fun of others weaknesses socially unacceptable. School time dozing is another major problem in history of the classroom. In the middle of a discussion, a teacher unexpectedly stops speaking. Everyone stops speaking, nothing is heard except a faint sound from somewhere in the corner. Noise that sound like.snoring? Suddenly with a loud thwack! The teacher claps a book shut and the snoring culprit is jarred from his sleep, lifting his head up with blear- eyes all ashamed! You would think times have changed. Falling to sleep among todays teenagers is a common occurrence. Why do the sleep in class? An obvious reason is lack of sleep. IT bugs me when someone is snoring and I am studying or typing. I remember last yeast in my keyboarding class a boy who sat adjacent to me. He slept and snored real loud, that the ceiling could tremble. I could hardly contrite and since this was a keyboarding class that never cared much the rule was Do all you can but turn in work on time. The only possible cure to school time dozing is personating time fo r activities as well as schoolwork. I conclusion, being a teacher can be tiresome. No matter how routine the day, still teachers get away with it. Teaching is supposed to be a snap as you lock the door, driving by the countryside sing I t was horrible, but I managed. Although you spend all day disciplining instead of teaching them.

Leadership As Construction Of Meaning Philosophy Essay

Leadership As Construction Of Meaning Philosophy Essay As human beings it seems necessary for us to try to put meaning on things to have a better understanding of our world. This process of making sense fulfills our fear (conscious or not) of not controlling our life. Sensemaking is a natural, ongoing and endless process. It implies trying to structure the unknown (Waterman, 1990, p.41) or making something sensible (Weick, 1995, p.16). Sensemaking requires three basics elements: frame, a cue and a relation between these two. Frame of references represents the past moments of the socialization whereas cues are the present moments of experience. The relation between these two must be plausible to extract meaning. Because sensemaking is not just a process as understanding, interpretation or attribution, it requires grasping the seven properties of sensemaking. Indeed, Weick sees sensemaking as a process that is grounded in identity construction, retrospective, enactive of sensible environments, social, ongoing, focused on and by extracted cues, and driven by plausibility rather than accuracy (Weick, 1995, p.17). Identity is a dynamic concept in continual redefinition. In fact, depending on the situation, we adapt our identity. For instance, my identity with my teachers is not the same than the one that I adopt with my friends. As a result, my identity is different according to the different sensemaking of the situation. However, all of those adjustments develop my frame of references. We extract meaning from cues by regarding our frame of references. In this way, sensemaking is a retrospective process: how can I know what I think until I see what I say? (Weick, 1995, p.18). If I take for example the situation where I hear the ambulance siren on the street, I will suppose that there is an accident in the neighborhood. Thus, I understand this stimuli (the siren) by isolating the cue and put off meaning from it. Nevertheless, it is only because I have already experienced it (and so it is on my frame of references) that I can make sense of it. Despite of it, we have to be also conscious that our attention of past events is influenced by what is occurring now, by the new situation and what I am now. This process is reinforced by social interactions. Human being is social so we need a common understanding to interact with each other. Those interactions influence our frame of references because we need a shared meaning to understand each other. One other interesting fact on Weicks theory is the role of interruptions. Since sensemaking is an ongoing process, we always find ourselves in the middle of complex situations which we try to disentangle by making, then revising, provisional assumptions (Weick, 1995, p.43). Consequently, we need interruptions on our projects to understand. Interruption is a signal that important changes have occurred in the environment (Weick, 1995, p.46). So, it forces and facilitates a time of reflection. A focus on environment is also necessary. In fact, we often forget that we are a part of our environment. Of course our environment influences our sensemaking but there is no single fixed environment. In other words, we also influence our environment by our actions. More than that, we create environment when we try to adapt ourselves to it. It is a mutual influence. To conclude, what is extracted as cues is not pre-given, but is contingent on context, frames of reference and actions. However, sensemaking is not about truth; sensemaking is about the embellishment and elaboration of a single point of reference or extracted cue (Weick, 1995, p.57). We just need something plausible, that makes sense for us. What is necessary in sensemaking is a good story (Weick, 1995, p.61). question 2: Management of meaning Leaders are entrepreneurs of meanings (Popper, 2011). This expression illustrates the main leaders role in the organization; leader must be a sensegiver. Also called the management of meaning, this activity consists in trying to influence followers understandings. Leader must convince his or her followers to embrace a new vision. In order to fulfill this mission, the leader should first provide directions, which could disconfirm the existing understanding. Consequently, the leader has to create a picture, as inspiring as possible, to motivate them. It is necessary that the followers integrate that the current position is wrong or not enough, and that they need to move in another direction. The leader would personify the guide to this desirable future. In spite of it, the leader could also use the bracketing process in order to enhance the followers perception of the organization. This could take the shape of labeling which convey the meaning of competition with other organizations. This strategy will improve the team spirit within the followers. The other solution for the leader could be using symbolic actions. In other words, by the management of meaning the leader legitimate his or her position. However, the main purpose remains to communicate a message to the followers. Those who succeed are the one who frame and define the reality of followers. As a result, those who fail are the one who did not communicate effectively. Several raisons could be mentioned. First of all, the leader and the vision are interrelated. That implies that if something goes wrong, that is the leaders responsibility. Nevertheless, in this particular case, the leader did not fail in sensemaking, just in business decision. So the real failure in management of meaning occurs when followers do not accept to be led by the leader or when they abandon him or her. The main mistake in this situation comes from the communication of the message. Indeed, the leader did not embody correctly the story that she or he relate to his or her followers. Moreover, it could also stem from that the new vision is too much in opposition with the collective frame of references. Consequently, there is no more shared meaning, necessary for a shared action. Indeed, all organizations depend on the existence of shared meanings and interpretations of reality, which facilitate coordi nated action. The actions and symbols of leadership frame and mobilize meaning (Bennis and Nanus, 2004, p.37). In those circumstances, it is quite impossible for the followers to extract the meaning of this new vision. As Bennis and Nanus express: the management of meaning, mastery of communication, is inseparable from effective leadership (2004, p.31). More than that, you lead by voice (Bennis and Nanus, 2004, p.137). If nobody could hear you, nobody will follow you; that is why management of meaning is necessary to lead effectively. question 3: Role of the followers in leadership The relationship between the leader and followers is dynamic. This relation illustrates an implicit contract between these two; the leader assumes all responsibilities if followers accept to be led and the other way round. This contract cannot exist without the mutual consent of both parts. Each of them needs the other to exist; and consequently each of them influences the other. Both are active sensemaker and sensegiver. As a result, leadership comes out as the product constructed by the leader and the followers. Though followers are often underestimated in the leadership, according to this dynamic relationship, they seem to have a role to play. Followership appears as an active role of followers play in shaping the interdependency of leader/followers interactions (Crossman Crossman, 2011). Any leader could exist without followers and no action is possible without followers. The role of leader is, in this way, to influence followers to move into action; but to reach this goal, lead ers need to make sense. This process is called the management of meaning. An essential factor in leadership is the capacity to influence and organize meaning for the members of the organization (Bennis and Nanus, 2004, p.37). As consequence, leaders are responsible to manage meanings into the organization, express it. Since followers have their own frame of references, they will not follow any type of vision. They require finding meaning in the leader vision. In other words, followers influence the way of the leader makes sense and so the leadership. Consequently, the leader has to adapt himself or herself to the collective frame of references; and so fit to followers expectations. To be in harmony with followers expectation, the leader should reflect about the main motivations of the followers to be led. Three principal explanations are formulated: the search for safety, someone responsible of the consequences, and/or someone as a prototypical of the group. As a result, the leader must shape structure to comfort followers, enunciate goals to motivate them and finally take all the responsibility (and so the risk) to fulfill the requirement of safety. In other words, leader has to act as a guide. The only way to embrace this role is to create a picture as inspiring as possible. Leader has to provide a plausible meaning in a complex environment and so he must make sense of an uncertain situation that initially makes no sense (Weick, 2009, p.9). To reach this goal, leader owns several supports as symbols, using cues and bracketing them or fit with the collective frame of references. Those will help him or her to get going the collective action. Indeed, since sense making is social, shared understanding is required to a shared action. To conclude, followers practice an important influence on the leadership. In fact, leader has to convince followers to be led. Consequently, followers appear as the judge of the leadership and allocate the legitimacy of the leader. As a result, leader has to remain in harmony with the collective frame of references in order to provide a common meaning and so to enhance the collective action. Leadership involves just three things a leader, followers and a common goal (Bennis and Thomas, 2007 p.137). qUESTION 4: Leadership as a multi-communicative activity We are living in a complex world where any situations could support a multiplicity of meanings and counter stories. The circumstances are the same in an organizational level. (FACE A) Face to this condition, leaders create meaning out of events and relationships that devastate nonleaders (Bennis and Thomas, 2007, p.17). Leaders are expected to give sense in those situations; we see them as sensegivers. To reach this purpose, leaders have to bracket the experience. In other words, they isolate small piece of experience (called cues) and put off meaning from them. After that, leaders can suggest a meaning. Leaders articulate and define what has previously remained implicit or unsaid; then they focus for new attention (Bennis and Nanus, 2004, p.37). To reach this purpose, leaders own a toolbox to convey effectively this new meaning. The most common tool remains speaking. Most of the great leaders that we know were famous for their ability to speak. In fact, leader and orator are often confused. Linguistic intelligence (Gardner, 1996) appears as a necessary skill. However, master rhetorical speech allows leaders to convince people with words but also with the way of delivering the speech. In fact, in this type of speech, the ton of the voice fit the state of mind of the leader and so attention of the message. The aim is to convey emotions and feeling in order to give life to the leaders vision and so motivate followers in their way. To be as convincing as possible, leaders have to embody the story. That implies relating personal stories, full of example and illustrations. Because they truly believe in what they say, leaders are authentic and so more convincing. They are a prototypical of the group and an exemplification of the message which suppose a strong identification to them. This would increase leaders legitimacy. Leaders could be seen as an actor who embodies perfectly the story. In fact, a lot of comparisons are made between performing leadership and theatre. This tool of performing is often assimilated to drama. In this way, metaphors are required to create stronger meaning. Indeed, metaphors highlight certain interpretations and in the same way hide others. Consequently, theories, building on unspoken metaphors, guide our perception and understanding. Performing also suggests enactment of leaders. Moving, use gestures, screaming but also use the silence is required to create emotions to the audience. Performing is a co-production between leaders and followers; each of them has a special role to play. So, highlight the main points of the message makes the audience react to it. Consequently it will improve the audiences involvement. Finally, using symbols adds power to the message. In fact, the message must be clear and easily understandable in order to touch everyone. Pictures, illustrations and symbols make it more shareable; and collective action is only possible with a shared meaning. All things considered, leadership is a multi-communicative activity. Leaders have choice concerning the way they want to convey their message. However, one important thing needs to be kept in mind: communication leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy (Rollo May). question 5: Frames of references both enables our sensemaking but in the same time restricts our sensemaking Frames enables people to locate, perceive, identify and label occurrences in their lives and world. Frames of references are shaped by experiences, values, education, knowledge and interaction with others. Sensemaking is an endless process because of the continuous flow of experiences. Thus, our frame of reference is modified and developed all the time. More you see, more you know express that frames of references enable our sensemaking. In fact, as I have said before, sensemaking is a retrospective cognitive process. More you experience, more developed is your frame of references and so more you put meaning off different situations. In the organizational life, frame of references has several functions. It could act as unwritten rules. It is a way of control because it implies all the shared assumptions about expected norms of organizational behaviour. But it could also be a cognitive structure which shapes theories of action, the appropriate way of doing business. Moreover, frame of reference in the organization could reflect the tradition and consequently bring the vision of the society and its values. All of these aspects of organizational frame of references enable our sensemaking because of a shared meaning. It allows order and to work efficiently within the organization. But, on the other side, frames of references could also restrict our sensemaking. In fact, it directs our attention. The way we percept stimuli appears biased. So, frames of references influence how we bracket cues and how we extract meanings from it. In short, frames of references limit our search for alternatives which constraint our expectation; and so restrict our sensemaking. Plus, our frames of references are more often reinforced than reformed. Indeed, more your frame of references is developed, harder is to question your behaviour and so think differently. Unfortunately, it works exactly the same on an organizational level. That explains why a lot of companies are afraid of taking risks. Risks imply change in the frame of references and so could decrease the legitimacy of the leader if it goes wrong. However, in our complex world, companies have to think different. Nowadays, the aim is not just profit anymore, but more stay competitive. In fact, the competition is harder than ever and crushes the ones who did not adapt themselves quickly. As Porter said: the firms must take out a distinct position from its rivals. Imitation almost ensures a lack of competitive advantage and hence mediocre performances. But, in so many cases, leaders forgot that they could also influence their environment. In short, by thinking different (and so make the difference) companies influence their environment and so their competitors behaviours. As a conclusion, frames of references are essential and necessary for order and clarity in any type of organizations. They represent shared, relatively coherently interrelated set of emotionally charged beliefs, values, and norms that bind some people together and help them to make sense of their worlds. Frames of references enable our sensemaking but, on the same time, can restrict it. To avoid it, we have to learn thinking outside the boundaries. We have to keep in mind the Albert Einsteins quote: Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. question 6: Clintons Human Rights Day Speech Rhetoric in the most general sense, is the energy inherent in emotion and thought, transmitted through a system of signs, including language, to others to influence their decisions or actions (Kennedy, 1991, p.7). Based on this concept, I will proceed to a rhetorical analysis of Hilary Clintons Human Rights Day Speech. Nevertheless, I want draw attention in the fact that it is a personal analysis. In fact, because of my own frame of references, I have particular expectations and interpretation of this speech and its subject; and it must bias the meaning that I could extract from it. I have also to take into account that is a celebrative speech. The point of it is to celebrate a special event, so it will influence the style of arrangement. However, Hilary Clinton has decided that is a good occasion to go over a simple celebration and argue also for the LGBT rights. In fact, just the first part of her speech is about celebration. Generally speaking, this speech is well written and arranged. In fact, it follows the fundamental aspects of rhetoric with differentiate parts as the exordium, the narratio, the probation, the refutation and the peroratio. Moreover, she decides to appeal to the audience by using pathos which awakening the emotions of the audience by employing the violence vocabulary and the protection and progress vocabulary. Hence, her speech is based on opposition. First of all, I could observe the introduction (or exordium) at the beginning of the speech. This part must be shortly and create sympathy to the audience. Here Hilary Clinton expresses it by some salutations as good evening and with humbleness deep honor and pleasure. She also explains the reason of her speech: the anniversary of one of the great accomplishment of the last century. It is a direct introduction since it is not a sensitive subject to talk about, just a celebrative speech. Consequently she has no need to present the subject in a more subtle way, nor introduce herself because she is already known by the audience. Secondly, her statement of facts (or narratio), remains the background of the speech as a story chronologically ordered and strongly based on the WWII. She also employs some metaphors as step by step or barriers and some illustrations full of details to make it spirited. This war is the collective symbol of a real trauma concerning the Human Rights, so she uses it to arouse the interest of the audience and emphasize the importance of the subject. Furthermore, everybody recognizes how terrible some people were treated during this period and sees it as a violation of Human Rights. Thirdly, there is the opinion and proof (probatio). I find it interesting how she changes her way of speaking. Indeed, I can see that she speaks more directly because she now uses I and no more speaks about the past (the word now is often used). She is no more subtle and she expresses clearly her point. From now on, the vocabulary used is stronger and the ton more convincing. She also uses a lot of comparison which is a good way to bring out arguments. She adopts an inclusionary vision, in other words she wants to demonstrate that everyone should join the movement: this challenge applies to all of us. I have noticed some particularities in her probatio. First, she divides it with five strong arguments, clearly identifiable thanks to catchphrases as the first issue, the third or a fifth. But the most surprising point is that she mixes the probatio and the refutatio (refutation). Though it does not disturb the general comprehension, some extracts of the refutatio are too much accusing according to me and can reverse the expected effect of it because it goes against her request of tolerance, in some extent. Another important aspect of this part is situated at the end of this part. The last three paragraphs of the probatio are addressed to a certain part of the audience: to the leaders, to people of all nations and to LGBT men and women. In each paragraph, Hilary Clinton acts as a real leader and gives special directions. The point of that is to show that everyone has a particular role to play in this fight. None the less, I find it regrettable that she seems to reduce the implication of the LGBT population. In the last paragraph of her probatio, Hilary Clinton tries to comfort them with people around the globe are working hard to support you and to bring an end to the injustices and dangers you face. However it is unfortunate that she does not motivate them as she motivated the other parts of the population. Because of that, the LGBT must feel considered as powerless although it is mainly their fight, even if they need help from the others. Finally the conclusion (or peroratio) is one of the most important parts of a rhetorical speech. It is the occasion to sum up the arguments and request the audience to do something. As it is the crescendo of the speech, the way of speaking must be more dramatic. Hilary Clinton does not respect totally this aspect of the peroratio. One the one hand, she asks the audience for acting in favor of Human Rights and do not stay immobile. Plus, the fact that she employs us during the latest sentences highlights that it is a collective fight, and that team spirit is required. But on the other hand, the explanation of the implementation of current policies disturbs the rest of her speech. She requests for fight but also explains that a lot of policies adopted, as the situation is almost fixed now. To my personal point of view, this part of the speech would be more effective on the narratio, just after the background history. She could express after it that a lot of progress should be necessary to a full achievement. Moreover, her way of speaking appears a little confusing. In fact, she is now using an exclusionary vision by repeating several time right side as if there existed a wrong side on this fight. This change of vision obscures her message and what she expects from the audience. Essay: Based on the description of the two leaders as persons and their leadership, what I have learned myself that I would like to bring with me in my following career as a potential leader?

What Are The Effects Of Acid Rain?

What Are The Effects Of Acid Rain? Part I What is Acid Rain? Acid rain is a general term that refers to the deposition of acidic materials from the atmosphere on the surface of the earth. Therefore it is more appropriately called acid deposition. There are two types of acid deposition, wet deposition and dry deposition. Wet deposition, or acid precipitation, refers to acidic rain, snow, hail or sleet. It occurs when pollutants such as Sulphur and Nitrogen oxides (SOx, NOx) are present in the atmosphere and react with water vapor to form acidic solutions such as Sulphurous Acid (H2SO3), Sulphuric Acid (H2SO4), Nitrous Acid (HNO2) and Nitric Acid (HNO3) that fall to Earths surface as precipitation. Dry deposition refers to the deposition of particles and gases of Sulphur and Nitrogen oxides (SOx, NOx) on Earths surface. These particles and gases become acids when they react with water on the surface of the Earth. Natural precipitation has a pH of about 5.6. It is slightly acidic due to dissolved Carbon dioxide (CO2). I n comparison, acid deposition usually has a pH of about 4.3 5.0. As stated above, acid deposition is caused by pollutants in the atmosphere. The majority of these pollutants are released in to the atmosphere by the burning of fossil fuels. Fuels such as coal and oil contain Sulphur and when they are burned they elease it. When Sulphur is released into the atmosphere by combustion it reacts accordingly: S + O2 Æ’Â   SO2 Sulphur released by the burning of fuels such as oil and coal reacts with Oxygen in the air to yield Sulphur dioxide. 2SO2 + O2 2SO3 Sulphur dioxide reacts with the Oxygen in the air to yield Sulphur trioxide SO2 + H2O Æ’Â   H2SO3 SO3 + H2O Æ’Â   H2SO4 Sulphur dioxide and Sulphur trioxide react with water, either in the atmosphere or on the surface of the Earth, to yield Sulphurous Acid and Sulphuric Acid Combustion of fuels in cars releases another pollutant, Nitrogen gas. Once Nitrogen gas is released in to the atmosphere by combustion it reacts accordingly: N2 + O2 Æ’Â   2NO N2 + 2O2 Æ’Â   2NO2 Nitrogen gas reacts with Oxygen in the air to yield Nitric oxide and Nitrogen dioxide 2NO + O2 2NO2 Nitric oxide reacts with oxygen in the air to yield Nitrogen dioxide 2NO2 + H2O Æ’Â   HNO2 + HNO3 Nitrogen dioxide reacts with water, either in the atmosphere or on the surface of the Earth, to yield Nitrous Acid and Nitric Acid. Small amounts of these pollutants are also released into the atmosphere naturally. Decomposing vegetation releases gases that contribute to pollutants in the atmosphere. Lightning produces Nitric oxide (NO) and volcanic eruptions release Sulphur dioxide (SO2). Some atmospheric chemists such as Dr. Ronald Prinn believe that acid rain has been around for millions of years. Dr. Prinn believes that acid rain could be responsible for the extinction of dinosaurs. However, the first known observation of acid rain did not take place until the 19th century, around the time of the Industrial Revolution. It was Robert Angus Smith, an English scientist, who came up with the term acid rain in 1872 when he observed that acidic precipitation was damaging plants. Acid rain was not considered a major environmental concern until the 1970s when scientists observed the effects of acid rain on ecosystems. When it was made clear that acid rain has negative impacts on ecosystems and that it is not only a regional issue but rather an international one, governments began to get involved. In 1991, Canada and the United States signed the Canada-US Air Quality Agreement and committed to reduce SOx and NOx emissions. Part II How does Acid Rain affect our Society? Acid rain has an extremely negative impact on our society. The most devastating consequence of acid rain is the affect that it has on terrestial as well as aquatic ecosystems. In terrestrial ecosystems, acid rain destroys plants. Acid rain causes toxic metals such as aluminum, copper, lead, manganese and zinc to leach out of rocks and soils. Additionally, nutrients present in topsoil leach down to the subsoil. Plant growth is significantly decreased in soils lacking nutrients and rich in poisonous alumnium. The other toxic metals released by acidic soil kill earthworms and nitrogen-fixing bacteria, both of which are essential to plant growth. Acid rain can also wears away the protective coating of leaves. These consequences also have an effect on the agriculture industry. Many crops cannot grow in soils that are lacking nutrients and contain aluminum. Furthermore, acid rain destroys many food crops such as radishes, tomatoes and apples. The effects of acid rain extends to aquatic eco systems. The toxic substances that are leached out of rocks and soil can be washed in to lakes and rivers. Fish are easily poisoned by these toxic substances. The acidic environment that acid rain creates in lakes and rivers is also harmful to fish and other aquatic organisms. The acidity kills many organisms that are usually at the bottom of a complex aquatic food chain. The food chain then collapses and the populations of many organisms significantly decrease. Acid rain also interrupts fish reproduction as it can destroy fish eggs. There are many more negative effects of acid rain. Fresh water supply can be contaminated by the acidity as well as by the metals that are leached from rocks and soil due to acid rain. Acid rain can also corrode water transportation pipes, allowing metal to enter the water supply. Another consequence of acid rain is the effect that it has on a cityscape. Acid rain can significantly damage metal and stone structures. Finally, acid rain can have an affect on human health. Contaminated water can cause health concerns. The SOx and NOx in dry deposition can cause numerous respiratory diseases such as asthma, emphysema and bronchitis. Furthermore, Nitrogen oxides (NOx) can react with volatile organic compounds in the air near the surface of the Earth to yield Ozone, which can be very detrimental to the respiratory system. Part III What should we do about Acid Rain? There are two methods that can be taken when approaching the issue of acid rain. We can either ignore the issue or we can do something about it and attempt to control the problem. Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages. If we ignore acid rain, nothing will be done to control or stop it and we will continue to suffer from its consequences. The advantage of this method is that no resources have to be expended. Governments, industries and citizens do not have to invest any money in to attempting to solve the problem. Governments do not have to invest in new energy sources. Industries can go on using current techniques without having to invest in new strategies in order to assist in solving the problem. Citizens can also go on without trying to conserve resources in order to attempt to stop acid rain. However, the disadvantage of this method is that acid rain will remain a threat to terrestrial ecosystems, aquatic ecosystems, the agriculture industry, cityscapes, fresh wate r supplies and human health. If acid rain continues the effects could be devastating. The second method is to do something about the problem and attempt to control acid rain. In order to do so pollutant emissions must be reduced, alternative sources of energy must be found and used, resources must be conserved, polices must be put in place in order to protect air quality and lakes and rivers must be neutralized. The advantage to this method is that it has the potential to control or even stop acid rain. By doing so we can save many terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, increase yield of crops, prevent damage to cityscapes, keep supplies of fresh water clean and eliminate any risk of human health being put at risk due to acid rain. However, the disadvantage to this method is that it is very expensive. It also requires governments, industries and citizens to take action. To reduce pollutant emissions, companies have to invest in new cleaner technology. Such technology includes Sulphur s crubbers in factories and catalytic converters in cars. These technologies are expensive and require a large investment from industries. Furthermore, if policies are put in place in order to maintain air quality, many companies will have to invest in new technology in order to meet these new regulations. In order to find and use new energy sources industries as well as governments will have to invest a large amount of money into research and implementation. Additionally, neutralizing lakes and rivers that have been damaged by acid rain with limestone will also require the government to spend a large amount of money. All of these costs will eventually be passed down to the consumer as well as the citizen. In order to control acid rain we must also conserve our natural resources. This will be very hard for a society that is driven by exploitation. Revenues of many companies might go down if consumers begin to conserve. Revenues also may go down if companies begin consider the environm ent before they consider profit. After examining the advantages and disadvantages of ignoring the situation and controlling the situation, I think that we must control it. It would be wrong to ignore acid rain and the advantages of controlling it really outweigh its disadvantages. Controlling and trying to eliminate acid rain will be expensive and require governments, industries and citizens to take action but it is the right thing to do. We must save our ecosystems, our crops, our cities, our water and our health from the detrimental effects of acid rain. Ebola Virus: History, Causes and Effects Ebola Virus: History, Causes and Effects K.G Shayani Upulika Ebola Virus Outbreak: The deadline and incurable Hemorrhagic fever. Contents (Jump to) 1.1 Introduction to Ebola virus 1.2 History of Ebola virus. 1.3 Characteristics of Ebola virus 1.4 Symptoms of Ebola virus 1.5 Diagnosis methods of Ebola virus. 1.6 Treatments for Ebola virus 1.7 Conclusion. References: 1.1 Introduction to Ebola virus Identification of natural reservoir for Ebola virus was not possible by researchers for decades but recently a scientist named Leroy presented most acceptable evidence that three species of fruit bats called Hypsignathus monstrosus, Epomops franqueti and Myonycteris torquata are wildlife reservoirs for Ebola virus (Biek et al, 2006). Ebola virus is associated with acute fatal hemorrhagic symptoms for human and non-human primates when they get escaped from their wildlife reservoir hosts, Ebola virus is consider as a filo virus and one of the most lethal viruses known the five species of Ebola virus have been identified as Ivory Coast Ebola virus, Sudan Ebola virus, Zaire virus, Reston Ebola virus Ebola and Bundibugyo Ebola virus (Yuan et al, 2012). In the present situation of Ebola virus has a 90% death rate and the main site of first immerging is the region of Guinea’s southeastern forest region and this spilled throughout the entire Africa and some regions of the world (Bausc h and Schwarz, 2014). 1.2 History of Ebola virus. Ebola virus was first identified in 1976 in Congo of central Africa, It initially named as Zaire as it first found in town of Yambuku and after Yambuku outbreak the virus was vanished, but Ebola reappeared again in 1989 (Draper, 2002).The biomedical scientists first discovered the family of virus filoviridea when Marburg virus first appeared in 1967 and at that time commercial laboratory workers with sever and unusual disease symptoms were admitted to hospital in Marburg, Germany (peters and Ledue, 1999). After the discovery of Ebola it has re-appeared cyclically; most of the Ebola outbreaks are restricted to rural regions in central Africa and have never participated more than 500 cases, first Ebola case were noticed in February in wild areas of south Guinea and it has grown so strongly and spread so rapidly in terms of affected people and earthly spread those are Guinea, large parts of Liberia and Sierra, Lennon are disease ridden (Klenk, 2014). The virus has persisted in Africa and many fatal outbreaks in human and non-human primates have been reported and the History of Ebola virus is still unclear when doing researches Ebola virus strains with complete glycoprotein genes, including Zaire, sudan.reston, Tai forest, and bundibugya were analyzed (Li and Chen, 2013). After finding the way of coming the Ebola virus to south Africa scientists have found that the virus have always been there in the region but people just never noticed, therefor it has recently introduced then the first report and phylogenetic investigations on the Guinea outbreak proposed that the Ebola virus found in Guinea is a noticeable strain from that observed in central Africa, Therefore Ebola virus is not a newcomer to the region, it has been circulating for some time in Guinea,and have become a sudden threat to human beings (Schwarz, and Bausch, 2014). Figure 1.1 Map of the three countries involved in the 2013-2014 outbreak of Ebola virus as of June 20 2014(Schwarz and Bausch, 2014). 1.3 Characteristics of Ebola virus The family filoviridae with order Mononegavirales contains two generas, as Marburg virus and Ebola virus (EBOV) (Kuhn et al., 2012). Ebola virus is again divided in to many species such as Zaire Ebola virus (ZEBOV) Sudan Ebola virus, Ta forest Ebola virus and Reston Ebola virus (REBOV) (Kuhn et al., 2012). VP40 is the major Ebola virus matrix protein and it plays a major role in virus assembly and budding. This virus have a diameter averagely 57 .58 nm and it differ slightly for VP40+VP35 at 63.64nm, VP40+VP35+NP at 66.75nm (Johnson, Bell and Harty, 2006).Ebola virus particle is uniform with uniform diameter of 80 nm but Ebola virus particles are greatly varying from their morphology including long up to about 14  µm, sometimes these particles are branched filaments or shorter filaments shaped like ‘6’, ‘u’ or a circle and the size of this viral genome considered as 19 kb (Cencciarelii et al, 2014). However this fever referred as a group of illness that ca used by viruses belongs to diverse range of families which includes Lassa fever, rift valley fever and so on and It may lead to overall vascular damage and usually accompanied by hemorrhage (Ratanshi et al, 2014). Filo virus outbreaks are specific because these viruses can intersperse by years or even decades without showing any disease activity and last new species of Ebola virus was found 14 years before in Ivory Coast (Towner et al., 2008). Ebola virus is characterized by secondary transmission and high case fatality and also by filamentous enveloped particles however treating Ebola virus was a challenged situation after infection because these virus consists recombinant human activated protein C(rhAPC) ,recombinant nematode anticoagulant protein c2 (rNCPc2), small interfering RNA(si RNA) ( Qui et al, 2014). 1.4 Symptoms of Ebola virus Ebola virus is an invasive pathogen that can cause a highly lethal hemorrhagic fever in both human and non-human beings this virus runs its course within 14 to 21 days and the infection initially present with non-specific symptoms like fever, myalgia and malaise as infection proceeds patients starts to show large bleeding and coagulation deformities including gastrointestinal bleeding, rash and a wide varieties of hematological irregularities (Sullivan, Yang and Nabel, 2014).The initial symptoms of Ebola virus are non-specific, including fever, rash and vomiting, The most generally experienced symptoms were non-bloody diarrhea (81%) and asthenia (77%) and Seven patient reported were observed with hemorrhagic symptoms, and out of seven six of patient died(Roddy et al, 2012).The incubation period after exposure to virus is typically 8 to 10 days but it can be as short as 2 days and extended to 21 days and the net death rate is high as 90%.Most people with Ebola die within 2 weeks of di sease onset (Turner, 2014). 1.5 Diagnosis methods of Ebola virus. Numbers of newer technologies were applied for the diagnosis of Ebola virus infection some of them are antigen detection assay, utilized extensively in the Reston outbreak and its investigation, these methods allowed a fast and unique recognition of Ebola virus in the blood of severly ill individuals even in rural areas also nonspecific detection of antibodies by the unintended fluorescent antibody test in humans during Reston investigation led to the adaptation of the enzyme (Kaslow, Stanberry and Due, 2014). Ebola virus disease can proved with various lab tests depending on the on the stage of the disease, within a few days of infection immunosobent assay, antigen detection tests, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay, and virus location by cell culture is used (Plotkin, Oreanstein an Offit, 2008). after the patient get back to normal immunoglobulin M and Immunoglobulin G can be found, after death immunohistochemistry, PCR and isolation of the virus can be done the exact diagnosis can be done by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and ELISA antigen testing furthermore clarifications on viral replication inside cells can be done through measurements of IgM antibodies ( Plotkin, Oreanstein an Offit, 2008). Diagnosis of Ebola comes in to play when symptoms and signs of fever, illness, petechial rash and disseminated bleeding are observed and most of the accurate diagnosis is done by using a polymerase chain reaction detection assay and can be confirmed by detection of viral replication in Vero cells (Plotkin, Orenstein and Offit, 2008). Ebola is mainly diagnosed from the symptoms and blood test here mainly looks for the presence of antibodies in the virus at earlier days detecting a infected patient was not easy and once recognized the patient must be isolated and relevant authorities should notified (Horobin, 2008). 1.6 Treatments for Ebola virus No effective treatments for Ebola virus at this time. Anti-viral medications currently available have no effect on Ebola virus. Care for patients with Ebola virus infection consists maintaining fluid and electrolyte equilibrium via oral or I.V. hydration, supporting oxygenation and BP, Adjustments of coagulation and treating comorbidities such as a concurrent bacterial infection (Turner, 2014). However without recommended vaccines or treatments Ebola virus management has been limited and barrier methods and prevention methods also become limited but a combination of monoclonal antibodies (ZMapp), optimized from two previous antibody cocktails, is able to rescue 100% of rhesus macaques when treatments is only initiated up to 5 days, High fever, abnormalities in blood count and vireamia were some evidences in animals before ZMapp invention after that advanced disease as indicated by increased liver enzymes, mucosal hemorrhage and generalized petechial could be reversed leading to a ful l recovery (Qiu et al, 2014). There are no licensed vaccines currently available against Ebola virus but many applicable vaccine platforms have been tested for their efficiency against the virus and this treatment includes exposed or lipid encapsulated DNA, particles like virus arrangements, Vesicular stomatitis virus, strain Indiana, Human parainfluenza virus 3 (HPIV-3) , vaccinia, Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) and replication-deficient human adenovirus serotype 5 (AdHu5) vectors(Richardson et al, 2011). Due to the absence of specific therapies, filo virus ward clinicians give infected patients with the supportive care regime consist of oral medication, oral fluid rehydration, nutritional additives and physiological aid (Roddy et al, 2012). 1.7 Conclusion. Ebola virus is considered as one of the most lethal virus found so far and it has extremely high mortality rate therefore according to the doctors and experts point of view anyone who has stayed in areas where Ebola outbreak have recently been reported should have knowledge about the symptoms of infection and seek medical advices at the first sign of illness. Many reasons are there for this highly lethal disease to be spread largely, the most important reason is hospitals lack medical equipment such as surgical gloves, masks and hypodermic syringes to inject medicines to patients and clean water and also the lack of high standard medical laboratories for the medical tests to done on the virus is also a major issue. The spread of knowledge about the Ebola virus is expected to solve another big part of the problem therefore prevention of a worldwide outbreak lies within the education of the virus, how Ebola victims can properly treated and by performing suitable action to isolate the v irus before it has spread and maintaining hygienic conditions as much as possible.   References: Biek, R., Walsh, P. D., Leroy, E.M. and Real, L. A. (2006) ‘Recent common ancestry of Ebola virus found in a bat reservoir’, Plos pathogens, 2(10) pp. 1-3. [Online] DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.0020090 (Accessed: 20 October 2014). Bausch, D. G. and Schwarz, L. (2014) ‘Outbreak of Ebola virus in Guinea: where ecology meets Economy’, PLOS Neglected tropical diseases, 8(7) pp. 1-5. [Online] DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003056 (Accessed: 20 October 2014). Cenciarelii, O., Pietropaoli, S., Frusteri, L., Malizia, A., Carestia, M., Amico, F. D., Sassolini,A., Giovanii, D. D., Tamburrini, A., Palombi, L.,Bellecci, C. and Gaudi, P. (2014) ‘Biological Emergency Management: The Case of Ebola 2014 and the air transportation involvement’, Microbial and Biochemical Technology, 6(5) pp. 1-7. [Online] DOI: 10.4172/1948-5948.1000152 (Accessed: 22 October 2014). Draper, A. S. (2002)’ Epidemics, deadly disease throughout the history Ebola’ .Google Books [Online]. Available at: http://books.google.lk/books?id=FohdK6o-8WICpg=PA1focus=viewportdq=history+of+ebolaoutput=html_text. (Accessed: 20 October 2014). Horobin, W. (2008) Diseases and Disorders. Google books [Online]. Available at: http://books.google.lk/books?id=-HRJOElZch8Cpg=PA303dq=diagnosis+of+ebolahl=ensa=Xei=FB4-VNrvJ5fpoASNrIGwAgved=0CEwQ6AEwCQ#v=onepageq=diagnosis of ebolaf=false. (Accessed: 25 October 2014). Johnson, R. F., Bell, P and Harty, R. N. (2006) ‘Effect of Ebola virus proteins GP,NP and VP35 on VP40 VLP morphology’, Springer, 9(11) pp.1-20.[Online] DOI: 10.1186/1743-422X-3-31 (Accessed: 22 October 2014). Khun, J.H., Becker, S., Ebihara, H., Geisbert, T. W. and Jahrling, P. B.(2012) ‘Virus taxonomy ninth report of the international committee on taxonomy of virus’, filoviridae , 8(8) pp. 665-671.[Online] .Available at: www.plospathogens.org (Accessed:28 September 2014). Klenk, H. D., (2014) ’Lessons to be learned from the Ebola virus outbreak in west Africa’, Emerging Microbes and Infections. 11(3) pp. 1-1. [Online]. DOI: 10.1038/emi.2014.68 (Accessed: 20 October 2014). Kaslow, R. A., Stanberry, L. R. and Due, J. W. L.(2014) Viral infection of human. Google books [Online]. Available at: http://books.google.lk/books?id=sxakBAAAQBAJpg=PA344dq=diagnosis+of+ebolahl=ensa=Xei=PRM9VPCVLpeMuASM6YKoDgved=0CDYQ6AEwAw#v=onepageq=diagnosis of ebolaf=false. (Accessed: 25 October 2014). Li, Y. H, and Chen, S. P.,(2013) ‘ Evolutionary history of Ebola virus’, Epidemiology and infection, 142(6). pp.1-3. [Online]. DOI: 10.1017/SO950268813002215 (Accessed: 20 October 2014). Peters, C. J. and Ledue, J. W. (1999) ‘An introduction to Ebola: the virus and the disease’, Ebola: The Virus and the Disease, 179(1) pp. 1-8. [Online] DOI: 10.1086/514322 (Accessed :20 October 2014). Plotkin, S. A., Orenstein, W. A. and Offit, P. A. (2008) Vaccines. Google Books [Online]. Available at: http://books.google.lk/books?id=hoigDQ6vdDQCpg=PA1061dq=diagnosis+of+ebolahl=ensa=Xei=PRM9VPCVLpeMuASM6YKoDgved=0CDEQ6AEwAg#v=onepageq=diagnosis of ebolaf=false. (Accessed: 25 October 2014). Qiu, X., Wong, G., Audet, J., Bello, A., Fernando, L., Alimonti, J. B., Bovendo, H. F., Wei, H., Aviles, J., Hiatt, E., Jhonson, A., Morton, J., Swope, K., Bohorova, O., Goodman, C., Kim, D., Pauly, M. H., Velasco, J., Pettitt, J., Olinger, G. G., Whaley, K., Xu, B., Strong, J. E., Zeitlin, L. and Kobinger, G. P.,(2014) ‘Reversion of advanced Ebola virus disease in nonhuman primates with ZMapp’, Nature, 1 (0), pp. 1-15.[Online] DOI: 10.1038/nature13777 (Accessed: 23 October 2014). Qiu, X., Wong, G., Audet, J., Bello, A., Fernando, L., Alimonti, B., Bovendo, H. F., Wei, H., Aviles, J., Hiatt, E., Johnson, A., Morton, J., Swope, K., Bohorov, O., Bohorova, N., Goodman, C., Kim, D., Pauly, M. H., Velasco, J., Pettitt, J., Olinger, G. G.,Whaley, K., Xu, B., Strong, J. E and Zeitlin, L. (2014) ‘Reversion of advanced Ebola virus disease in nonhuman primates with ZMapp’, Nature, 11 (7) pp. 1-4. [Online] DOI: 10.1038/nature13777 (Accessed: 26 October 2014). Ratanshi, R. S., Elbireer, A., Mayanja, F., Coutinho, A., Merry, C. (2014) ‘Ebola outbreak response; experience and development of screening tools for viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) in HIV center of excellence near to VHF epicenters’, VHF screening during an Ebola outbreak in large Ugandan HIV clinic, 9 (7), pp. 1-8.[Online] Available at: www.plosone.org. (Accessed: 22 October 2014). Roddy, P., Howard, N., Kerkhove, M. D. V., Lutwama, J., Wamala, J., Yoti, Z., Colebunders, R., Palma, P. P., Sterk, E., Jeffs, B., Herp, M. V., Borchert, M. (2012) ‘Clinical Manifestations and Case Management of Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever Caused by a Newly Identified Virus Strain, Bundibugyo, Uganda, 2007–2008’, Ebola Clinical Manifestations and Case Management, 7 (12) pp. 1-12. [Online] Available at: www.plosone.org (Accessed: 24 October 2014). Richardson, J. S., Wong, G., Pillet, S., Schindle, S., Ennis, J., Turner, J., Strong, J. E., and Kobinger, G. P. (2011) ‘Evaluation of Different Strategies for Post-Exposure Treatment of Ebola Virus Infection in Rodents’, Journal of Bioterrorism and Biodefense, 11 (7) pp. 1-1. [Online] DOI: 10.4172/2157-2526.S1-007 (Accessed: 26 October 2014). Roddy, P., Howard, N., Kerkhove, M. D. V., Lutwama, J., Wamala, J., Yoti, Z., Colebunders, R., Palma, P. P., Sterk, E., Jefffs, B., Herp, M. V and Bochert, M. (2012) ‘Clinical Manifestations and Case Management of Ebola Haemorrhagic Fever Caused by a Newly Identified Virus Strain, Bundibugyo, Uganda, 2007–2008’, Ebola Clinical Manifestations and Case Management, 7(12) pp. 1-12. [Online] Available at: www.plosone.org (Accessed: 26 October 2014). Schwarz, L. and Bausch, D. G., (2014) ‘Outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Guinea:where ecology meets economy’, PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 8(7) pp.1-5.[Online] Available at: www.plosntds.org. (Accessed: 20 October 2014). Sullivan, N., Young, Z. Y. and Nabel, G. J. (2014) ‘Ebola virus pathogenesis: Implications for vaccines and therapies’, Journal of virology, 88 (21) pp. 1-4. [Online] DOI: 10.1128/JVI.18.9733-9737.2003 (Accessed: 24 October 2014). Turner, C. (2014) ‘Ebola virus disease: An emerging threat’, Nursing, 44 (9) pp. 1-1. [Online] DOI: 10.1097/01.NURSE.0000453010.02525.ca (Accessed: 24 October 2014). Towner, J. S., Sealy, T. S., Khristova, M. L., Albarino, C. G., Reeder, S. A., Quan, P.L., Lipkin, W. L., Downing, R., Tappero, J. W., Okware, S., Lutwama, J., Bakamutumaho, B., Kaiwa, J., Comer, J. A., Rollin, P. E., Ksiazek, T. G., Nichol, S.T. (2008) ‘Newly discovered Ebola virus associated with hemorrhagic fever outbreak in uganda’, New species of Ebola virus in Uganda,4 (11), pp. 1-6. [Online] Available at: www.plospathogens.org (Accessed: 23 October 2014). Turner, C. (2014) ‘Ebola virus disease: An emerging threat’, Nursing, 44 (9) pp. 1-1. [Online] DOI: 10.1097/01.NURSE.0000453010.02525.ca (Accessed: 25 October 2014). Turner, C. (2014) ‘Ebola virus disease: An emerging threat’, Nursing, 44 (9) pp. 1-1. [Online] DOI: 10.1097/01.NURSE.0000453010.02525.ca (Accessed: 26 October 2014). Yuan, J., Zhang, Y., Li, J., Zhang, Y., Wang, L. F. and Shi, Z. (2012) ‘Serological evidence of Ebola virus infection in bats, China’, Virology Journal, 9(236) pp. 1-5. [Online] DOI: 10.1186/1743-422x-9-236 (Accessed: 20 October 2014). 1

Critiques of Frederick Douglass Work, from The Narrative to the North

Critiques of Frederick Douglass' Work, from The Narrative to the North Star "Right is of no sex-Truth is of no color-God is the Father of us all, And all we are brethren." A brief biography of Frederick Douglass Some historical criticisms of Douglass' Narrative New criticisms of Douglass' work Frederick Douglass Links See the First edition of The North Star, Douglass's newspaper A brief biography of Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass was born into the institution of slavery in 1817, in Tuckahoe, Maryland. Frederick Douglass did not know the exact date of his birth so he adopted February 14th, because his mother used to call him her "little valentine." Douglass knew very little about his mother since she was a field hand on the plantation some twelve miles away, and tragically she died when he was a very young boy. Douglass did not know who his father was, but it was rumored he was the son of his white slave master, Aaron Anthony. As a child, some cruel slaveholders mistreated him. At times, to keep from starving, he competed with his master's dog for table scraps and bones. In 1825, he was sent to serve as a houseboy in the home of Hugh and Sophia Auld in Baltimore, Maryland. Mrs. Auld grew fond of Douglass and decided to teach him how to read and write. When Mr. Auld discovered this, he soon put a stop to it; however, Douglass had already acquired enough to carry on by himself. In 1832, Douglass went back to the harsh life on the plantation in Tuckahoe. For years later, along with several other slaves, Douglass attempted to escape, however the attempt was unsuccessful because one of the slaves revealed their plan. Viewed as a "bad slave," Douglass was sent to Mr. Covey's plantation. Covey was ... ...eated. Douglass made poignant points about manhood, Christianity and literacy that helped the freedom bells ring for all mankind. He did so in a peaceful and Christian manner that was exemplary and repeated in later years by civil rights activist Martin Luther King. Douglass opened the eyes for many both black and white to the shadows and indignities that slavery cast on all that were involved with it. Through his hard work, dedication and sacrifice he helped bring an end to the demon of slavery. Bibliography Almanac, Afro-American, "Biography of Frederick Douglass."(1996): 7 paragraphs.[On-line] Available: www.toptags.com/aama/bio/men/freddoug.htm File:bio Davis, Charles T., Henry Louis Gates Jr. The Slaves Narrative.London:Oxford Press Sundquist, Eric J., ed. Frederick Douglass: New Literacy and Historical Essays. Boston: Cambridge Press, 1990. Critiques of Frederick Douglass' Work, from The Narrative to the North Critiques of Frederick Douglass' Work, from The Narrative to the North Star "Right is of no sex-Truth is of no color-God is the Father of us all, And all we are brethren." A brief biography of Frederick Douglass Some historical criticisms of Douglass' Narrative New criticisms of Douglass' work Frederick Douglass Links See the First edition of The North Star, Douglass's newspaper A brief biography of Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass was born into the institution of slavery in 1817, in Tuckahoe, Maryland. Frederick Douglass did not know the exact date of his birth so he adopted February 14th, because his mother used to call him her "little valentine." Douglass knew very little about his mother since she was a field hand on the plantation some twelve miles away, and tragically she died when he was a very young boy. Douglass did not know who his father was, but it was rumored he was the son of his white slave master, Aaron Anthony. As a child, some cruel slaveholders mistreated him. At times, to keep from starving, he competed with his master's dog for table scraps and bones. In 1825, he was sent to serve as a houseboy in the home of Hugh and Sophia Auld in Baltimore, Maryland. Mrs. Auld grew fond of Douglass and decided to teach him how to read and write. When Mr. Auld discovered this, he soon put a stop to it; however, Douglass had already acquired enough to carry on by himself. In 1832, Douglass went back to the harsh life on the plantation in Tuckahoe. For years later, along with several other slaves, Douglass attempted to escape, however the attempt was unsuccessful because one of the slaves revealed their plan. Viewed as a "bad slave," Douglass was sent to Mr. Covey's plantation. Covey was ... ...eated. Douglass made poignant points about manhood, Christianity and literacy that helped the freedom bells ring for all mankind. He did so in a peaceful and Christian manner that was exemplary and repeated in later years by civil rights activist Martin Luther King. Douglass opened the eyes for many both black and white to the shadows and indignities that slavery cast on all that were involved with it. Through his hard work, dedication and sacrifice he helped bring an end to the demon of slavery. Bibliography Almanac, Afro-American, "Biography of Frederick Douglass."(1996): 7 paragraphs.[On-line] Available: www.toptags.com/aama/bio/men/freddoug.htm File:bio Davis, Charles T., Henry Louis Gates Jr. The Slaves Narrative.London:Oxford Press Sundquist, Eric J., ed. Frederick Douglass: New Literacy and Historical Essays. Boston: Cambridge Press, 1990.

Learning to Become Literate :: essays research papers fc

Learning to Become Literate   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"In any literate society, people constantly see the best way to teach children how to read and write so that the younger generation can become fully functioning members of that society.† (Savage 15) This is obviously an important goal of any society that wants their children to be well educated and succeed in the world. Learning to be literate is a very important developmental milestone that is recognized cross-culturally. Its social importance is shown in the fact that in school; literacy makes up 2/3 of the three â€Å"R’s†. (Savage 15)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When becoming literate the most important thing a child can learn is that they can in fact learn in the way their school wants them to. They can be part of the school society and feel like they fit in with their friends who use literacy to communicate and play. â€Å"The bond between the teacher and the taught is strengthened; exploration, discovery, ambition and achievement expand and flourish.† (Meek 1) Reading and writing opens up a new world of opportunities for children and therefore is continuous research being done in order to ensure that the best methods of teaching our children are implemented. However studies show that a large portion of this milestone occurs before formal education is ever begun. (McLane and McNamee 4) 2 The fact that we wait so long to start to teach our children literacy is absurd. Teaching reading and writing should be done to all children in day care facilities, child development centers as well as head start programs and preschools. We cannot however just take the programs currently used in first grade classes and apply them to children in day cares and preschools. These would be developmentally inappropriate. (Strickland and Morrow 5) The program used for these younger learners must be based around â€Å"meaningful activities that involve reading and writing in a wide variety of ways.† The children should want to participate in the literate society that they are surrounded by everyday in their classroom, home and community. If this is accomplished there will automatically be a connection between literacy and experience, which is very beneficial to the learning process. Most importantly in the early childhood literacy curriculum that we apply the focus should always be on the child’s learning and not on the teaching. (6) Since a large portion of learning to become literate occurs prior to formal education parents need to be aware of what they can do before their children reach school age.

Happy: Gender and Old Fashion Remedies Essay

The Woman Box is full of old fashion remedies that took placed a very long time ago. Its basically saying that woman are less than men and that men are in charge and women aren’t, women should just follow and do what they say do because they are superiors and women are inferior, women are weak and are less value, and view them as property of men, and sexual objects. I totally disagree with this and to me this is totally insulting. Even though I know that’s how things went back in the day and I’m glad that things changed and everyone are consider equally. As a woman, I know that I can do almost everything that a man can do and just like they can work for 12 hours or more, I do that every day with no problem. How hard is it to act outside the rules society has set for each gender? Well for men, for them to act outside of the rules society has set for them is like being a punk or they would be looked at differently and less of or they just are not consider cool anymore. Women on the other hand act outside of the rules society has set for them because we are no longer living in the past where we are inferior to anyone. We work and do as we please and over 90% of women today are leaders and we are stronger than ever. Do you think The Man Box or The Women Box is the same in all families? In all cultures? I don’t think that The Man Box or The Women Box is the same in all families and cultures, however in some families and cultures it still exist. Like in Afghanistan, I know their women still live up to these rules and more cultures do also. In the United States there are many families that still live up to these rules and they think its okay to be looked down at. Tony Porter says that the contents of The Man Box lead men to believe that violence against women is OK. Do you agree or disagree with this assertion? I definitely agree with Tony saying that the contents of The Man Box lead men to believe that violence against women is ok because it give men to many excuses to treat women unequal and treated like they are inferior and it also tell men that it is ok to be violent, controlling and basically flat out abusive. Tony Porter says â€Å"My liberation as a man is tied to your liberation as a woman.† What do you think he means by this? Tony meant that all human is equal and should be treated as one. That it is ok to teach and raise out son that violence against women is unacceptable and that as a boy, young man and adult man that it is ok to cry have feelings. What else did you find provocative in this talk? I found that when his father waited until the women left the car to cry and share his emotions with his son provocative. Its strange because I know a lot of men who will not cry or show emotions in front of women because they don’t want to be looked at different. Some men think that it is not okay for men to cry. I was really happy that he got it out no matter who he was in front of because holding anything in can also tear you to pieces.

Philosophy of Benedict Spinoza Essay

If one were to make a list of iconoclastic and radical thinkers, Benedict Spinoza would rank high. His great and enduring work, Ethics, continues to have renewed impact, currently among environmentalists and ecologically minded thinkers. Spinoza wrote numerous philosophical, political, and religious criticism works. His efforts consistently express a mind set in favor of religious tolerance and in opposition to traditional religious orthodoxy. In his two major works, Tractatus Thologico-Politicus and Ethics present interpretations of spiritual concepts that continue to offend some religious believers and provide an avenue of belief for those who aver traditional religion. Born in Amsterdam on November 24, 1632 in a jewish community and died in The Hague on February 20, 1677 at the age of 44. Latinized his given name Baruch(blessed) using the form Benedictus. Spinoza lived an outwardly simple life as a lens grinder, turning down rewards and honors throughout his life, including prestigious teaching positions. The family inheritance he gave to his sister. On 27 July 1656, the Talmud Torah congregation of Amsterdam issued a writ of cherem (Jew)/Herem(Hebrew), a kind of ban, shunning, ostracism, expulsion, or excommunication against the 23 year old Spinoza. Amsterdam and Rotterdam operated as important cosmopolitan centers where merchant ships from many parts of the world brought people of various customs and beliefs. Some possibility of free thought and shelter from the crushing hand of ecclesiastical authority. Most significantly, he came into contact with so-called ‘free-thinking’ Protestants – dissenters from the dominant Calvinism – who maintained a lively interest in a wide range of theological issues, as well as in the latest developments in philosophy and science. In order to discuss their interests, these free-thinkers organized themselves into small groups, they called colleges, which met on a regular basis. Spinoza may have attended such meetings as early as the first half of the 1650? s, and it is most likely here that he received his first exposure to Cartesian thought. His intellectual horizons were expanding and he was experiencing a restlessness that drove him to look further afield. It was at this time that he placed himself under the tutelage of an ex-Jesuit, Latinist,a medical doctor, Franciscus Van den Enden, who was notorious for his allegedly irreligious cast of mind, a passionate advocate of democratic political ideals. Spinoza’s increasingly unorthodox views and, perhaps, laxity in his observance of the Jewish law strained his relations with the community. Tensions became so great that resulted in his excommunication . Most Important works a) Ethica ordine geometrico demonstrate (simply, Ethics) b)Tractatus Theologico-politicus c)Brief Treatise on God, Man and His Happiness d)Tractaus de intellectus emendation e)Cogitata metaphysica Philosophy A . Against dualism â€Å"God is the infinite, necessarily existing (that is, uncaused), unique substance of the universe. There is only one substance in the universe; it is God; and everything else that is, is in God. † Spinoza believed God exists and contends that â€Å"Deus sive Natura† (â€Å"God or Nature†) is a being of infinitely many attributes, is abstract and impersonal. As a youth he first subscribed to Descartes’s dualistic belief that body and mind are two separate substances, but later changed his view and asserted that they were not separate, the universal substance consists of both body and mind, that it is a single identity there being no difference between these aspects. He contended that everything that exists in Nature (i. e. , everything in the Universe) is one Reality (substance) and there is only one set of rules governing the whole of the reality which surrounds us and of which we are part. Spinoza believes that: 1)a God that does not rule over the universe by providence, but a God which itself is the deterministic system of which everything in nature is a part. 2)God would be the natural world and have no personality. 3)To see God or Nature as acting for the sake of ends—to find purpose in Nature—is to misconstrue Nature and â€Å"turn it upside down† by putting the effect (the end result) before the true cause. 4)Nor does God perform miracles, since there are no departures whatsoever from the necessary course of nature. The belief in miracles is due only to ignorance of the true causes of phenomena. If a stone has fallen from a room onto someone’s head and killed him, they will show, in the following way, that the stone fell in order to kill the man. For if it did not fall to that end, God willing it, how could so many circumstances have concurred by chance (for often many circumstances do concur at once)? Perhaps you will answer that it happened because the wind was blowing hard and the man was walking that way. But they will persist: why was the wind blowing hard at that time? why was the man walking that way at that time? If you answer again that the wind arose then because on the preceding day, while the weather was still calm, the sea began to toss, and that the man had been invited by a friend, they will press on—for there is no end to the questions which can be asked: but why was the sea tossing? why was the man invited at just that time? And so they will not stop asking for the causes of causes until you take refuge in the will of God, i.e. , the sanctuary of ignorance. (I, Appendix) B. Humane vision â€Å"Everything must necessarily happen the way that it does. Therefore, humans have no free will. They believe, however, that their will is free† Spinoza was a thoroughgoing determinist who held that absolutely everything that happens occurs through the operation of necessity. For him, even human behaviour is fully determined, with freedom being our capacity to know we are determined and to understand why we act as we do. So freedom is not the possibility to say â€Å"no† to what happens to us but the possibility to say â€Å"yes† and fully understand why things should necessarily happen that way. This illusionary perception of freedom stems from our human consciousness, experience and our indifference to prior natural causes. Humans think they are free but they ? dream with their eyes open?. For Spinoza, our actions are guided entirely by natural impulses. This picture of Spinoza’s determinism is ever more illuminated through reading this famous quote in Ethics: ? the infant believes that it is by free will that it seeks the breast; the angry boy believes that by free will he wishes vengeance; the timid man thinks it is with free will he seeks flight; the drunkard believes that by a free command of his mind he speaks the things which when sober he wishes he had left unsaid. †¦ All believe that they speak by a free command of the mind, whilst, in truth, they have no power to restrain the impulse which they have to speak. † Thus for Spinoza morality and ethical judgment like choice is predicated on an illusion. c. Politcal Philosophy â€Å"Every man may think what he likes,and say what he thinks. The real disturber of peace are those who, in a free state, seek to curtail the liberty of judgement which they are unable to tyrannize over. † Spinoza’s reputation as a political thinker is eclipsed by his reputation as a rationalist metaphysician. Nevertheless, Spinoza was a penetrating political theorist whose writings have enduring significance. In his two political treatises,has it’s main purpose the defense of free expression, Spinoza advances a number of forceful and original arguments in defense of democratic governance, freedom of thought and expression, and the subordination of religion to the state. On the basis of his naturalistic metaphysics, Spinoza also offers trenchant criticisms of ordinary conceptions of right and duty. And his account of civil organization, grounded in psychological realism, stands as an important contribution to the development of constitutionalism and the rule of law. There is also textual evidence for the view that Spinoza does not reject other forms of government in favor of democracy. One of the central aims of A Political Treatise is precisely to demonstrate how different forms of governments can meet the fundamental political value of stability. For example, Spinoza explains that, historically, monarchies have enjoyed the most stability of any form of government (PT: VI:317), and that their potential instability results from the divergent interests between the sovereign and the citizens. In light of this, Spinoza advises the sovereign to act in his or her own interests which is to act in the interests of the citizens. In the case of aristocracy, instability is said to result from inequality of political power among the ruling aristocrats, the remedy for which consists of equalizing such power as far as possible. Spinoza’s considered thoughts on the stability of democracy were interrupted by his untimely death, but while he thought it most consistent with freedom, he nevertheless regarded it as the most unstable of all political forms. Indeed, Spinoza comments that democracies naturally evolve into aristocracies, and aristocracies naturally evolve into monarchies. At least on one understanding of â€Å"natural,† democracies may be interpreted as less natural than aristocracies and monarchies (PT: VIII: 351). To understand ends, sources, and justification of political authority, one does well to begin with the Conatus Principle and the associated psychological axioms employed by Spinoza. The source of problems for Spinoza’s political theory, specifically the moral notions of â€Å"contract,† â€Å"rights,† and â€Å"obligations† can also be traced to his view of human nature.