Hip-Hop’s Betrayal of Black Women Essay

â€Å"Baby Mommas, Chicken Heads, or Bitches,† (McLune 214) are some of the most misogynistic words found in Hip-Hop today. Jennifer McLune, a librarian, activist, and writer – living in Washington. D. C. – is taking a stance against the misogyny. â€Å"Hip-Hop’s Betrayal of Black Women† by Jennifer McLune is a response article to Kevin Powell’s article, â€Å"Notes of a Hip Hop Head. † In his article, Powell poses poverty as the explanation for the sexism found in hip-hop today. McLune believes that, Powell’s explanations of hip hop are one way to silence those that are critiquing it. McLune begins to explain that Kevin’s argument, â€Å"completely ignores the fact that women, too, are raised in this environment of poverty and violence, but have yet to produce the same negative and hateful representation of black men† (McLune 214). McLune believes that Artists and role models should take more responsibility with their music and what they represent. McLune argues that a lot of conscious artists, such as Common, are too eager to gain acceptance by popular mainstream artists. Thus, causing them to forsake their morals and commend mainstream artists for their accomplishments. Mclune goes on to say that artists should embody respect between genders through their music. She argues that Black female rappers are just as much to blame as their male peers. She encourages women to speak in a collective voice, as to defend themselves, instead of being â€Å"hyper feminine and hyper sexual to please men. † (McLune 215) Powell adds that hip-hop has created a way for black people to â€Å"win,† by creating something out of absolutely nothing. McLune follows with a rebuttal stating if sexism is the route to mainstream acceptability, and that is what it takes to win, than all black women are the losers. McLune demands acknowledgement from apologists, acknowledging that black women are in fact black people to. She said, when someone attacks a woman in the black community, black people should unite and respond adequately as though it was an attack on every member in the black community. McLune challenges Hip-hop by refusing to be a victim of it and refuses to reward it with her money or her attention. She strongly believes that hip-hop should fail until it does right by every black woman. McLune closes by pleading with the black community. She wants to see every black person condemn woman-hating as the enemy of the entire black community. If and only then, hip-hop would be forced to change. However as it stands, Mclune does not seem to have much faith in the black community. She believes that rappers are more concerned with money and â€Å"black women are being â€Å"thugged and rubbed all the way to the bank† (McLune 217). A Summary of â€Å"Violent Media is Good for Kids† Gerard Jones, a writer of comics, screen plays, and cartoons, takes quite the stance on violence in media. In his article â€Å"Violent Media is Good for Kids,† Jones discusses violent media and its positive impact on kids. When reflecting on his own childhood, whilst reading Marvel Comics, he baffles plenty with the following statement, â€Å"They were good for me because they were juvenile. And violent† (Jones 230). Jones favorite Marvel Comic character was Hulk. As a child, Hulk became Jones’ fantasy self. He describes Hulk as being this overgendered, unsocial being that was always misunderstood. For some strange reason, Jones found compatibility and comfort in Hulk. In his 30’s, Jones wrote various action movies and comic books. Shortly thereafter, he found himself helping other children by building off of the experiences they were already enduring. He writes about a young girl named Emily whose parents were separating. Emily began to worry both her teacher and her mom when she started writing violent stories. Jones counseled her mother and helped her further develop her daughter’s stories. Through doing so, he claims, that this young girl was able to become â€Å"more self-controlled and socially competent† (Jones 232). Jones argues that people are able to pull themselves out of emotional traps by immersing themselves in violent stores. A child â€Å"pretending to have superhuman powers helps them conquer the feelings of powerlessness that inevitably comes with being so young and small† (Jones 231). He argues that children will feel rage, even the sweetest children. While immersing themselves in imaginary and fantasy like combat children are able to express the rage they’ve always been forced to suppress. Jones encourages parents to not be so concerned with their children growing up into murderous human-beings. Instead, realizing that violent media is necessary and if taken away they may grow up to be easily manipulated. Jones understands that violent media is not always harmless; that it has impacted people’s lives negatively. Jones argues that violent media â€Å"helped hundreds of people for every one it’s hurt† (Jones 232). He said we are not sheltering our children from violence, but rather, power and selfhood.

Pallister Case Study Essay

Background and Problem Palliser Furniture Ltd. is Canadian second largest furniture company. They currently have production facilities in Canada, Mexico, and Indonesia. Due to increasing competitive pressures from Asia, Palliser Furniture must decide whether to expand into the Chinese market, and if so through which entry strategy? SWOT ANALYSIS Internal Analysis: (Firm) Strengths: 1. Brand Name Recognition: Palliser has high brand name recognition especially domestically in Canada with the majority of its revenues are generated and it is known for its innovation, high quality, and contemporary design. 2. Recruited product managers/designers from all across the world including Sweden, Hong Kong, and Italy. 3. New distribution channel through the dealer-owned stores was very successful. Weakness: 1. Employees lay off at the Winnipeg factory. Downsizing activities such as this often decrease employee morale, impact employees’ perception of job security, and increase turnover rates. External Analysis: (Industry) Opportunity: 1. China’s total furniture output value was $20 billion and accounted for 10 per cent of world total furniture output value. 2. China’s furniture export was growing at an annual rate of over 30 per cent. 3. China could offer Palliser lower labor costs and high-quality workers. Along with minimum income tax and social costs is giving China a solid competitive position. 4. Producing the same product in China was up to 30 per cent cheaper compared to North America. 5. China offered cheaper supplies including leather, wood, foam, and packaging. Threat: 1. Increased Competition: America, Japanese, and Italian firms had established factories in China. Strong competition that will compete for the same skilled employees. 2. Chinese language and cultural barriers. Industry Attractiveness: China has made significant progress in the furniture market and will likely continue to see further growth due to its low labor costs and low tariffs making this a very attractive market for Palliser. Strategic Alternatives A) Maintain status quo (Do not invest in China) Pro: Simple Con: Lost market potential and possible cost savings B) Enter Chinese market through subcontracting with another firm Pro: Lower involvement, requires less financial commitment, and reduces risk Con: Conflict or unable to meet delivery dates, etc. C) Expand Palliser relationship with China through foreign direct investment (wholly owned) Pro: Cheaper labor and allows Palliser to focus on cost leadership strategy. Con: Higher risk, more involvement required Recommendation/Implementation In order for Palliser Furniture to remain competitive it critical for them to invest and expand into China immediately. Palliser should manufacture the motion products in this market due to the possible savings of $130 per product and identity the most effective market distribution channels in order to better achieve its cost leadership strategy. However, before entering this market Palliser should conduct a thorough industry analysis in order to understand any potential barriers such as China’s laws and regulations, shipping, tax structure, and supply of infrastructure in order to prevent any future problems (as experienced in Mexico). References Paperadepts.( 2011). Pallister furniture, S.W.O.T. analysis. Retrieved from: http://www.paperadepts.com/paper/Pallister-furniture-S.W.O.T.-analysis-185519.html Writework (2005). Pallister furniture, S.W.O.T. analysis. Retrieved from: http://www.writework.com/essay/pallister-furniture-s-w-o-t-analysis

Managing the National Health Service Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Managing the National Health Service - Essay Example This paper approves that the company saw an immediate turnaround as employees started being more productive and the same evaluations were carried out throughout the company where they could be applied. The company discovered that it could restructure a few departments which led them to greater efficiency and it led them closer to their mission. It is perfectly understandable that removing people from service and more or less eradicating a whole layer of middle management can be an important issue for the NHS. As described by Proctor, such changes can have a negative effect on the knowledge contained within the company and can also harm workforce structures in connection with the skills that some of the employees have. Additionally, it must be noted layoffs and removing redundancies can be a part of the restructuring experience but it can also lead companies and their employees to have issues concerning work overload, high stress levels, loss of company vision/values, poor decision ma king and even corporate in fighting. This essay makes a conclusion that Britain prides itself to be one of the few real welfare states left in the western world and that pride owes a lot to the services provided by the NHS. However, the NHS has a lot of issues it needs to correct since the calls for privatisation of this institute as well as other changes to be brought to the structure of the organisations have been made. As far as it can be seen, the NHS has two options, it can either change itself to be in line with the changes that have come to society or it can be forced to change through government regulations and the demands of the people.

OSHAS 18001 Occupational Safety and Health Assessment Series Essay

OSHAS 18001 Occupational Safety and Health Assessment Series - Essay Example The standard enables response to urgent demand by customers for a recognizable occupational safety and health system of management standard against the existing management system. The OHSAS 18001 standard is compatible to the ISOs related to the environment and those of quality, this facilitate the integration of the environment, quality, safety management, and occupational health in an organizations. When an organization adapts to the standard the general management becomes easier in all aspects. There has been development of guidelines for implementation of the OHSAS standard that helps in the general consumer demand that enables the assessing and the verification of the standard. Recently all kinds of organizations have shown interest in demonstrating and achieving a sound occupational safety and health performance by controlling the risks involved with the occupational health and standard. The organizations achieve this in the context of ensuring development of policies, increasingly stringent legislation and the other measures that ensure the organization fosters good occupational health and safety activities and practices. During the development of the OHSAS 18001 standard, there were references from difference standardization publications. These publications include the BB 8800: 1996 that was to guide the systems for the occupational health and safety. The NPR 5001: 1997 that also provided guidelines to the occupational safety and health system, the ISMOL ISA 2000:1997and SGS that helped in giving requirements needed by the systems for health and safety management risks. Also there was the BVQI that helped in safety certification for the health and safety management standard Other standardization publications include the DNV standard of certification 1997, the draft NSAI SR 320, draft AS/NZ specification with the use guidance, draft BSI PASS O88, draft LRQA SMS 8800 and the

Ethnographic research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Ethnographic - Research Paper Example According to oral history passed on over generations, the Maasai culture is said to have begun in the 15th century (Strang 2010). The Maasai people have interacted with the Cushites who have been their neighbors hence adopting most of their lifestyles. The interaction led to assimilation of some of the Cushitic groups in East Africa leading to the Maasai’s extension of their boundaries further south to Tanzania. Their culture has been a source of tourist attraction in both countries. It has also attracted scholars and anthropologists who have studied the culture deeply to come up with its social and cultural roots and understand its activities. Their strong cultural bonds have helped in the endurance of the Maasai culture in the dynamic world due to impacts from Western cultures. The Maasai has the age-set as the central unit of their society. It consists of small boys and girls who have undergone the set rituals to become adults. The boys in the same age-set start taking care of their cattle at tender ages making most of them skip school. To encourage them and ensure survival in different situations, they are frequently beaten to help them gain courage that is useful while herding cattle in the wild. The girls are allocated duties such as milking and cooking (Strang 2010). They learn most of their roles from their parents as soon as they stop breastfeeding. As for the boys, they are initiated into morans (Warriors) from the ages of 12-25 years. Circumcision is a rite of passage that involves both genders. Boys have to undergo painful circumcision procedures that ensure they become strong men in the future. Society elders who use locally available tools; hence, lack anesthetics in the procedure perform the ritual. The boys are believed to undergo the pain in silence and fight it on their own. Failure of endurance leads the marking of the individual making him known to the community of being a coward. During the circumcision

Cultural Tourism in QUB Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Cultural Tourism in QUB - Essay Example This essay stresses that cultural tourism takes place both in urban and rural areas. Most urban destinations are especially cities with long histories preserved in buildings, museaums and theatres. Tourism in rural areas mostly showcases the traditions of indigenous communities including festivals, rituals, beliefs, value systems and lifestyle in general. Queens University Belfast is has a well-established network comprising students, staff, alumni and other interested parties. This network thrives on the basis of a well-established continuous interaction system. This network constitutes a significant equity that makes it not just an institution but also a well-known brand throughout the UK and internationally. This equity is further enhanced by the buildings and general environment of the university that is attractive both to visitors and potential students. This paper makes a conclusion that Queens University Belfast has so far done a good job in promoting itself as a brand equity for cultural tourism. With improvements, especially on formal advertising, it can create a stronger brand which will work even better for it. Though such an effort must not be taken at cross purposes with its academic programs, it is still necessary to build a stronger brand. The university itself is so strategically located that such an effort wiuld be of great benefit to it. So what they have done so far is commendable, but there is indeed room for improvement.

A)The financial crisis of 2007-2010 was it simply the result of lax Essay

A)The financial crisis of 2007-2010 was it simply the result of lax regulation, or were a range of factors at play (50 marks) - Essay Example The first phase, as explained below, is Novel Offering. Finally, I will discuss the link between the crises and the factors such as Crises of Financialisation and contradiction. The crises will also be explained from an economic theory pint of view (Peretz and Schroedel 2009). Novel Offerings Novel offerings are sources of revenue used by banks and other financial institutions by trading in different financial products. For the last few decades, the context of deregulation has greatly contributed towards development of these financial products. For example, since 1970s, different regulations controlling the actions of financial institutions in the UK and USA have been loosening up. This includes Glass Steagall, which had been instituted to disjoin the people’s savings from the riskier operations of investment banks. The banks resulted in creation of shadow baking system, which allowed them to circumvent the rule that required them to balance the risk on their books with some l evel of capital. Securitisation, Boom and collapse of shadow banking The shadow banking system is believed to have traded the worst performing and the riskiest mortgages. These systems put extensive pressure upon the traditional institutions hence forcing them to soften their underwriting standards and start dealing with riskier loans. These banks were later criticised for underpinning the financial system, though they were not accountable to the same regulatory controls. What’s more, these banks were susceptible because of maturity mismatch, implying that they borrowed short-term loans from liquid markets and bought illiquid, long-term, but risky assets. The uncontrolled practices of such banks are the core of the 2007 financial crises – the situation could have been better if regulation was imposed on all activities related with banking. In the spring of 2007, the securitization markets were helped by shadow banking systems, leading to a more or less shut-down in the fall of 2008. What ensued was disappearance from market of more than a third of the private credit market (Thompson 2005). Figure 1 shows how securitization market came near shut-down during the crises. Figure 1: Decline of securitization market Securitisation is the process by which a certain assets’ cash-flows are separated from the balance sheet of the primary entity and transformed into marketable securities (Thompson 1995). The purpose of securitisation is to convert illiquid assets into marketable securities. It is used by insures as a form of risk management, which is achieved through transferring, commoditising and reallocating of different types of risks such as interest rate risk, credit risk, and pricing risk. Securitisation of the US subprime mortgage, according to Ingham (2008), fuelled the global crises during the summer of 2007 by increasing the extent of lending to subprime borrowers, which was happening at a very high default rate. Between 2004 and 2006, the market for subprime loans expanded significantly as shown in figure 2. As a result, the European and the US banks were writing off a massive amount of financial assets as the securitised mortgages became illiquid. The public money was used by many governments to bail out the financial institutions that were entangled into crises. Although it is usually a regulatory requirement to undertake credit rating on

Career management in business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Career management in business - Essay Example There is evidence available in the form of research which suggests that career management and planning is something serious with professionals now than ever before. This is because they have realized the need to acquaint themselves with the changing times, and thus raise the bar of growth and development even further. It is a fact that career management and planning should be in such a manner that it is not only effective but also based on the long term graph of the individual under consideration. With that said, effective career management and planning is dependent on the dedication with which one plans and eventually manages his own career, for the good times that lie ahead. In the times much like today, career management and planning has taken the lead over all other aspects, and there is reason enough to believe such a hypothesis. Career management in today’s time has become an important field. This is because people are now becoming more and more professional with regards to their work domains. Hence the need of the hour is to inculcate feelings and sentiments of growth and development within one’s professional repertoire. The world has become a global village and so have the core competencies, which seem to become advanced with each passing day. The emphasis is on doing things which have not been explored yet and learning new and varied quarters which were hidden in the past (Wilson 1994). Career management and planning has thus reached new summits where employees have felt that it is their utmost duty to give in their best and thus deserve the same in the end. It is this discussion which has helped the individuals to grow as a whole as well as in their respective capacities. Teamwork remains the key and that too for all the right reasons. If career management and planning is something to gain from, teamwork and commitment remain hand in hand with one another. These are some of the important reasons

Consumer behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words - 1

Consumer behavior - Essay Example The main branch of Nintendo Company, Limited (NCL) is located in Kyoto, Japan. Over the years, Nintendo managed to establish its global offices in the United States, Canada, Australia, Europe, China, and Korea. (Nintendo - The Official Magazine, 2007) Nintendo DS, also known as NDS or DS which stands for ‘Dual Screen and Developers’ System (Nintendo DS, 2007a), is a handheld game console that is manufactured by Nintendo back in 2004. Similar to Game Boy Advance SP, NDS has a two LCD screens with a sensitive touch screen, built-in microphone, and is Wi-Fi capable in order to enhance the gaming experience of the players. In China, NDS or DS is known as iQue DS. The development and promotional activities of NDS is incredibly a success. After the first week of launching the new product, the company managed to sell 500,000 or more than 90% of its available Nintendo DS units. (Becker, 2004) During the same year, Nintendo DS successfully defeated Sony’s sales of PlayStation Portable or PSP with only 200,000 sold in Japan by mid-December. As of end of September 2006, Nintendo DS and Nintendo DS Lite have sold more than 26.82 million units. The purpose of this study is to enable the researcher to have a better insight on how to conduct a marketing audit on Nintendo DS. In order to successfully analyze the market segment of Nintendo DS, it is necessary for the all the Nintendo for the researcher to carefully study the product mix or the 4 P’s of NDS known as product, pricing, promotional activities, and place (market distribution). The market for Nintendo’s Game Boy has already reached its peak. In order to maintain the company’s current position on being able to grab the biggest market share on handheld gaming, it is crucial for the company to constantly develop and launch a more high-tech handheld console in the global market. There is a

Relativism and Morality Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Relativism and Morality - Research Paper Example Though Goodman (2010) does not deny the existence of relativism, he claims that there are certain basic human universals; and he also claims that terrorism, genocide, and polygamy are all beyond the scope of relativism as they are equally wrong in all culture. The first ‘wrong’ identified by Goodman is genocide. Genocide can be defined as the killing of people on the basis of a specific feature ranging from caste, creed color, religion or even lifestyle. One can undoubtedly say that genocide is wrong according to most cultures in the world. Thus it is possible to conclude that there are there are more ethical commonalities than ethical differences among cultures, supporting Goodman’s claim. However, one cannot ignore the Nazi concentration camps and the claims of the Nazi war criminals. Their claim was that they had just followed what was right according to their legal and cultural framework. Thus, it becomes evident that it is not possible to fully agree with wha t Goodman claims. The second issue in the list is terrorism (Goodman, 2010). Goodman makes the claim that no culture in the world finds terrorism morally acceptable. The mere fact is that many cultures in the world, at one time or another, adopted terrorism. For example, the American troops in Vietnam drew a pathetic picture in front of the guerilla tactics of Vietnamese. It is unlikely that Goodman forgot the Taliban and al Qaeda which claim that ‘jihad’ is the way to eternal life. For more examples, one can think about the way the colonies managed to struggle away from the European colonization in the last century. The mere fact is that in broad terms, every fight that does not follow internationally accepted war regulations (if any) comes under terrorism. Thus, Goodman goes seriously wrong in claiming that terrorism is not relative. Very similar is the case of polygamy. According to Goodman (2010), polygamy is universally accepted as ‘wrong’. In fact, po lygamy is an accepted practice among many cultures including the Fundamentalist Mormon religion. Islamism too allows polygamy. The mere fact is that only those cultures which follow monogamy find polygamy as a ‘wrong’ practice and only those cultures spend much time dwelling into the issues of those women in polygamous families. For the polygamous societies, polygamy is just one part of their cultural life and they might be able to enlist a number of problems associated with monogamy. Thus, polygamy fails to become a universal wrong. Though it is possible to prove that the claims of Goodman are way off the mark, one has to admit that it is highly necessary to have some universal moral concepts. First of all, one can argue that giving much attention to cultural relativism will mar the growth of civilization. For example, the whole world condemns genocide at present. There was a time when the Nazi war criminals claimed in the Nuremberg war trials that they were just follo wing what was permissible according to their cultural and legal system. However, the society has considerably changed since then, and at present, most societies consider genocide immoral. Secondly, relativism leads to self-refuting. For example, moral activists are stopped from taking steps as most of the atrocities in the world at present are right according to some societies. For example, there is the clitoridectomy or the circumcision of female genitalia. According to some cultures, this is acceptable and

Evaluation Criteria Paper Essay Example for Free

Evaluation Criteria Paper Essay Taylor Transit is a company that is growing rapidly. The company must analyze the resources and capabilities of the company to look for the right tools that will provide potential benefits and competitive advantages in human resources. The new approach should include the selection of effective tools that help human resources during the expansion process and the criteria that will be beneficial in the human resource practices. The intent of the paper is discussing the implementation of specific HR tools such as employee selection test, Human Resource Information System (HRIS), successful planning, and the evaluation of the criteria for each tool selection. Human Resource Criteria Identification Identify and establish which is the most appropriate criteria is fundamental because it allows the implementation of new human resources procedures. The following explain the criteria for each of the following tools: Human Resource Information System (HRIS) For Taylor Transit implementation and use of HRIS is of great benefit because it helps to increase the effectiveness of human resources assets as well as provide guidance. The criteria will be based in the necessity of having a good HR information system in where the company will be able to keep information concerning to each employee and any other related HR information such as employees evaluation, disciplinary actions, rewards, and trainings within the organization. The â€Å"HRIS technology supports strategic planning through the generation of labor force supply and demand needs, requirements and forecasts† ( Lippert Swiercz, 2005). This tool will be very useful for the company; given that the company is expanding it is important to have a system that allows Taylor Transit to have a solid database to track data 8,000 employees in order to help in the planning and execution of the company objectives. Selection Test The adequate selection test for the company is important because allow identifying the right candidate since the beginning of recruitment process. The recommended tools for measure the candidates are the cognitive aptitude and the ability tests. â€Å"Cognitive aptitude and ability tests are among the most valid predictors available to organizations† ( Terpstra, 1994). The criteria in the selection of these tools are because the cognitive aptitude test measure the candidate mental capabilities as well their reasoning and communication. On the other hand, the ability test will help to predict the performance of the employee within the company. Besides the background and the experience of the candidate, for the company will be useful make a thorough assessment in order to have the best candidates within the company Succession Planning â€Å"Succession planning must be part of an integrated HR process that includes training, development and performance appraisal† (Stensgaard, 2005). The criteria for choosing this tool is because the â€Å"succession planning also has indirect impacts on measures of firm performance such as productivity and gross returns on assets† (Greer Virick, 2008). This would be excellent tool that would be beneficial in the aid of HR processes (training, development, and performance). One of the things Taylor Transit need to take into consideration is make sure of taking the necessary measures regarding in the proper selection of personnel for each of the positions within the company, as well of having the support of the senior level management. This is important because it allows a systematic process for identifying, evaluating, and developing personnel who are trained to perform key functions within the company. The usefulness of this is essential because it allows certain key personnel receive the necessary tools to develop their skills and abilities, as well as giving them the opportunity in the future to be the future leaders of the company. Conclusion By implementing the right tools allows human resource management to have a higher level of competitiveness. The three selected tools are best suited for the rapid growth of Taylor Transit. Implement the HRIS is helpful because it allows better control of information, and quick access to information for each employee. And for assessing the performance, this will help determine what kind of trainings can be provided to employees. This is helpful because it allows management the assessment and improvement of the procedures of the company. Meanwhile, the employee selection tests are useful because they allow the assessment of cognitive abilities and skills of employees in order to recruit the best possible candidates and may have better performance of the company. This is important because in the long run is cost effective because employees who have better cognitive aptitudes and abilities skills learn quickly, therefore the company does not have to incur in additional expenses for re-training their employees and in turn avoid turnover. Finally, the successful planning is helpful because it allows employees to adapt quickly to the demands of the company; the company in turn may have strategically highly qualified personnel in positions that are key to the success of the company. Implementing these tools allow the proper management of the company.

Information Communication Technology ICT Has Revolutionized Education Essay

Information Communication Technology ICT Has Revolutionized Education Essay In the following Research, the main aim is to investigate the Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Information communication Technology in Teaching English Pronunciation to Students of the Modern Language Program at Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo in which the participants of the learning process would obtain when the facilitators incorporate new aids into the process of teaching. We are going to focus our investigation in the effects of using information communication technology (ICT) in Teaching English Pronunciation to Students of the Modern Language Program at Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo. The reasons for this investigation are: To identify the Technology of information that the Language School provides to the facilitators, to point out the common mistakes students make when pronouncing in the target language, to determine the advantages and disadvantages that Technology of information offers to Students and to suggest the usage of Technology of information at the Language School. According to our objectives if teachers put into practice these technological aids in their programs and the advantages that those aids could have for the benefit of students and teachers too. As matter of fact, this research would help students as well as teachers to be more connected and more collaborative in a world that is constantly changing, is more creative and very demanding. Nowadays it is not a matter of getting good grades by the part of the students, but to be engaged and achieve high standards of excellence in order to be able to compete later on with increasing digital learners who have already acquired technology, and this technology has become a tool in their daily life activities. Thats why those digital learners around the world are nowadays more aware of what is happening in their surroundings because technology has revolutionized our lives, as Pope Benedict XVI said on January 25th, These (new digital) Technologies are truly a gift to humanity and we must endeavor to ensure that the benefits they offer are put at the service of all human individuals and communities, especially those who are most disadvantaged and vulnerable. (2009) . Hypothesis The Students who use ICTs in English Pronunciation acquire a better proficiency that the students who dont use them. Statement of the Problem Despite the progress that has been made to develop effective methods for the instruction of a second language such as, brainstorming, guest speaker, report-back sessions, role playing, case studies, small group discussions all of this are still focus in a classroom based learning environment. A great number of students feel insecure when it comes to carry out a conversation in English. The traditional methods are not focusing enough in teaching pronunciation to students; as a consequence many students are not able to fulfill the requirements of an appropriate pronunciation once they have finished the whole program. Students are not prepared enough to deal with the challenges posed by an increasingly competitive society. It is required to come up with new strategies and ways in order to give effective response to the exigencies of the world. It is strongly necessary to provide the learner with the level of competence and pronunciation is definitely one of the most important aspects to be taken into consideration. A great number of facilitators are not willing to break the paradigms and implement new teaching aids in their teaching programs which would help students to improve their proficiency and at the same time their performance at any given time. As a consequence, a great number of students, once they have finished the whole program are not able to fulfill the requirements and they cannot vie with other professionals in the same field just because they were not taught according to the new standards in Education. Justification We decided to lead this research because we have noticed that the use of Information communication Technology (ICT) in Teaching English Pronunciation has become a new trend around the world and we have noticed that those technological resources will empower students for a more effective pronunciation performance. As a matter of fact, we have observed that the language school really needs to make some progress in this aspect and offers a standard education program according to the needs of the global community. The world is constantly changing and ICT has become part of it. It has engaged great part of human activities, work, science, health, and education can ´t be apart from it. Information Communication Technology (ICT) offers new paradigms and patterns for teaching. The new generation is demanding for students to be incorporated, to foster the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT). We have perceived that there is a gap in the bridge of the teaching process, so it has been required to integrate ICT in order to fulfill the exigencies of the modern curriculum. The decision of conducting this research is because Pronunciation is essential in a language learner and we have noticed that ICT can empower students for a more effective pronunciation performance at Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo. Pronunciation is of core significance because it is important to be understood by others when speaking. Purpose To determine the advantages and disadvantages of Using ICT in Teaching English Pronunciation to Students of the Modern Language Program at Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo and to foster facilitators to apply this new approach to their teaching process, so that they can contribute in the development of students knowledge more effectively. Significance We consider essential to develop this research because we have noticed that the use of Information Communication Technology at Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo in order to teach English pronunciation in the whole English program is not reasonably competent. The main sources to teach such important skill are only the chalk, board and radio if it is used. While other undergraduate institutions are quite ahead in the use of technological resources such as TV, radio, slides in PowerPoint, online courses and labs. Consequently, with this research we want to highlight the importance of using these sources so that the corresponding authorities can take this into account and to allot funds to implement these core techniques. Objectives General objective To determine the effects of the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in teaching English Pronunciation to Students of the Modern Language Program at Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo. Specific objectives 1. To identify the age and sex of the population under studied. 2. To identify the Technology of information that the Language School provides to facilitators. 3. To point out the common mistakes students make when pronouncing. 4. To determine the advantages and disadvantages that information Technology offers to Students. 5. To suggest the usage of Technology of information at the Language School. 6. To determine the attitude of the facilitators and students toward the use or implementation of ICT in the teaching process. Research question What are the advantages Modern Languages Students majoring in English at Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo obtain by using ICT in acquiring English Pronunciation over the ones who do not use these Technological tools? Scope of the Topic We are going to limit our research to the effects of the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in teaching English Pronunciation to Students of the Modern Language Program at Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo. In the 2012-2 semester when this investigation will be performed at Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo. We will take into consideration the limitation that Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo Modern Languages School is going through with a minimum budget intended to technological sources. Definition of Terms Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo: It is a public university located in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. It was founded in 1538. Currently, the university holds eight schools which are: Engineering, Arts, Humanities, Economic and Social Sciences, Health Sciences, Architecture, Agriculture Sciences, and Law and Political Sciences . ICT: These acronyms stand for Information Communications Technology or Information and Communication Technology, usually abbreviated as ICT, is often used as an extended synonym for information technology (IT), but is usually a more general term that stresses the role of unified communications, and the integration of telecommunications (telephone lines and wireless signals), computers, middleware as well as necessary software, storage, and audio-visual systems, which enable users to create, access, store, transmit, and manipulate information. In other words, ICT consists of IT as well as telecommunication, broadcast media, all types of audio and video processing and transmission and network based control and monitoring functions . Pronunciation: It is the way in which a language or a particular word or sound is pronounced . Student: A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. Language School: Is a department belonging to the Humanity Faculty founded in July 1957 which offers two careers, Modern language major in English and Modern language major in French . Antecedents In our research paper about the Effects of using Information Communication Technology (ICT) in Teaching English Pronunciation to Students of the Modern Language Program at Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo. We found out that many investigators have been talking about this topic since twenty years ago General Overview In this chapter, we detail the history of computer and internet which are the main focus of our investigation. It starts with the cave drawings 30,000 years ago and continues with the advances of mathematics and science which helped to develop what we know today as computer and internet. After that, we describe how these tools were incorporated in education and the conclusions of different studies about the use of technology in the teaching and learning process. The world keeps on changing with every rotation it makes round the sun. Just a decade ago, students were taught with pens, pencils, black boards, notebooks, and chalks. But nowadays, all that have become history which no one wishes to remember. Light pens and boards, PDF notes, CD rooms have been replaced, and even as you are reading this, the world is advancing rapidly with respect to ICT technology as even computers and laptops are gradually leaving the scene for new technological devices, such as IPods, cell phones, headsets, etc. In consideration of these developments, it becomes imperative for the wise teacher to instill knowledge in students of this dispensation, utilizing fully, the facilities and opportunities availed by ICT Technology to pedagogy. This is because if teachers dont, not only will the students continue to find it difficult to assimilate (having been acclimatized to the easy-ICT world). Hence, it is unequivocal to state that every teacher needs to pull in ICT into their curriculum and methodology, or lose the interest of the 21st century student. Putting this into consideration, below is the history of ICT that for everybodys good it has increased the effectiveness of education in English pronunciation and other disciplines. History of ICT More than two decades ago, information communication technology (ICT) has been being used in schools around the world. The objective of introducing these technological resources has been to enhance and satisfy the huge demand of new generations. Due to the great increase of technology and the innovation of the World Wide Web (Internet) in 1980, schools and universities noticed the importance of information communication technology (ICT) to increase their students abilities and competence in this new digital era. Certain advances have been made in the educational system to provide students with personalized tools in order for them to fulfill their current needs. As Sunkel G. said the general perception has been that they would increase levels of educational attainment by introducing changes in teaching and learning processes and strategies, adapting to the needs of the individual students (Sunkel, 2006) . Information Communication Technology (ICT) at the beginning was not designed for educational purposes; however, after discovering its great effectiveness in different fields and in daily activities it has been transferred to the educational field. According to Watsons (2001), ICT have revolutionized the way people work today and are now transforming education systems. This is the reason why information communication technology is gaining ground in todays world . Everything started 30,000 years ago B.C in the Paleolithic Era, information communication technology started with the cave drawings near France and Spain as the first manifestation of communication among different groups of people. These drawings were painted for the purpose of art Work, and created as meaningful part of religious ceremonies; this was a meaningful advance in the history of ICT . In 510 B.C, Pythagoras a Greek citizen founded an academy where he used to teach mathematics and physics; he came up with one of his masterpiece the Pythagoras theorem that later on helped in the development of mathematics and in daily life activities but his teachings and speeches were in an oral way because at that period of time no advances were made in order to capture his teachings. As matter of fact written communication has always been important for the development of communication, the most important records are written on paper thats why China noticed the necessity and made an important contribution to humanity with the invention of the paper. According to (Twede, D. 2005) paper as we know is originated in china in 105 A.D. the earliest process known is attributed to Ts ai Lun. The manuscript transcription in 382 was an important step on the development of written communication . They were written as a way of transmitting beliefs, stories or knowledge to futures generations and cultures, they recorded the most important aspects of that era where only oral communication was used . Later on Johannes Gutenberg a German inventor introduced the Printing Press to Europe in 1450, he was the first man to use a movable type and suddenly change the history, and until that time monks and academics had the opportunity to acquire the information and were the only empowered to spread the knowledge. From that moment on more and more common people were able to buy books and also acquire information and teach their kids at home. One of Gutenbergs pieces of art was the first bible printed on a movable type also known as the 42-line Bible . In 1600 Public Education was a big step in North American society thanks to the advances that were made throughout time; it was a huge leap for the development of humanity because it gave equal rights to each person to acquire at least a decent education. The first public school in the American colonies was the Boston Latin School, students studied Latin and Greek and the elementary subjects like (Lecture, writing, reading) so forth and so on . A year later in 1700 marked the beginning of a new revolution in the teaching field because some of the first low tech devices were introduced to the teaching process as an example of these were the black board a great innovation for teachers in order to show students in a visual way what they were saying, also the chalk board slates or (writing slates) was another device that even today is very useful for divers in order to communicate under water. In 1700 a slate was very useful in school in order to practice math exercises. In 1800 Books or as Robert Darnton called them in his book What is the History of Books the social and cultural history of communication by print, were introduced for the first time in the teaching field as an innovation . Audiovisual Age Education has developed rapidly with the introduction of technology and the audiovisual resources to the teaching learning process. The audiovisual age started with the invention of the film and the sound recording in 1910. (Comenius 1632) lessons should proceed from easy to complex at a slow and deliberate pace; acquisition of new material began through the senses . The beginning of the audiovisual age marked the parameters of a new platform in the education field it was focused in the implementation of new ways of communication for example the radio created in 1910 is considered the first mass media, (Spiker 1996) radio connects individuals across geographical, cultural, and political devices. It was immediately introduced into education through special children programs to develop their listening and speaking skills, as soon as these programs become popular the radio started increasing its production . Another advance into education was the film strip projector in 1930; it was implemented in the educational system to display in the classroom frames of a strip on which images were printed, in this way students could visualized what they were been taught for their teachers. Likewise the filmstrip projector the overhead projector in 1940 was introduced to the classroom facilitating the interactive environment for teachers and students, because of the easy way teachers can prepare lectures and students can prepare notes before a lesson. Information Age (1960) The information age started in the latter part of the twentieth Century and the beginning of the twenty- first Century with new and challenging advances that demanded more from users as David S. Alberts and Daniel S. Papp stated in their book Complexity and change are the two defining characteristics of the Information Age. Our successes as individuals, families, organizations, communities, and societies will depend more than ever upon our abilities to adapt, in near real time . in this particular period of time appeared some of the most outstanding Technologies of all times for example: Television was one of the most remarkable inventions during the Information age, built 1960 by several people at first moment to entertain population but little by little was introduced as a great device for teaching purposes. Ten years later in 1970, videocassette recorder (VCR) and video home system (VHS) tapes were the new booms in the 70s because with these new devices you could record and play back peoples favorite TV programs. U-Matic was one of the first VHS tapes introduced by Sonic in 1971 to consumers and also for teaching purposes, it was very ground-breaking because in that way students for the first time had access to authentic recorded material which they could review over once and once again . In the 80s the audiotape came as the radios complement for teachers to replay or record authentic materials that later on were destined for teaching purposes; in those years audiotapes were very popular for the listening skill. Computer Age (1990) According to TechEncyclopedia (2002) computer is a general-purpose machine that processes data according to a set of instructions that are stored internally either temporarily or permanently . computers were conceived from arduous years of investigation and failures. Two of the most outstanding pioneers among others in the Mechanical Era of computers (1623-1945) were Blaise Pascal and Charles Babbage, Blaise a mathematician with the help of other colleagues designed a calculator that was able to add, subtract, multiply and divide. On its side Charles Babbage probably designed the first multi-purpose or programmable computing device in 1823 but never completed. To get to the computer age or the age where computer was first introduced to education that means 1990 many things had to happen, in order to mention some of these events for example; First Generation Electronic Computers (1937-1953), Second Generation (1954-1962), Third Generation (1963-1972), Fourth Generation (1972-1984), Fi fth Generation (1984-1990) in the fifth generation computers were more manageable and achieved a high superiority in processing besides they were more stable than their first prototypes. Computers were introduced as tool in order to help teachers perform more difficult tasks and also to present authentic materials to students for them to be competitive in a more demanding world. 1995 The Digital Age 1995 Information Exchange 2000 The Interactive Age The Role of ICT in Education The increasing presence of technology in all areas of human life leads to consider technology as an element of extraordinary importance in our society. Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) are the cultural and technological events of great scope and expansion of the recent centuries, they are present in all areas of human life, and education is not excluded from this process. They were implemented in the educational systems in the early nineties, since then they have provided access to a great amount of information (Wagner et al 2005) says that  ´Ã‚ ´ICTs ´Ã‚ ´ are currently being used widely to aid education in many developing countries, and it appears that there is an increasing demand for their use in education by policymakers and parents in developing countries . The integration of ICT in education has become a priority in developing countries, because digital technologies can enhance the teaching process through innovation in teaching materials and teaching methods making more effective the learning process. Also because the challenges of education are increasing and requiring an effective learning with the implementation of new instructional strategies, according to students ´ needs. ICTs have had a major impact on education; some of these impacts are related to the need to make a change in education ´s methodology, and in its teaching-learning purpose. It is that a new methodology is required to introduce the technology in the academic field, thus achieving the transformation of educational system. ICTs have provided the educational field new pedagogical possibilities, expanding the resources of acquiring new knowledge. With the incorporation of ICT by students and teachers in the teaching-learning process is facilitated the collaborative learning due to ICT provides learners and professors tools such as chat, email, blogs etc. Which motivate the active participation in the classroom. According to Buckingham D. in his Handbook of New Media: Students Edition expressed that computers bring about new forms of learning which transcend the limitations of older methods, particularly linear methods such as print and television, and it is children who are seen to be most responsive to these new approaches: the computer somehow releases their natural creativity and desire to learn, which are apparently blocked and frustrated by old-fashioned methods . With the incorporation of computers, projectors, Internet, into the teaching-learning process it is noticeable the motivation students feel when they use them because they are projected to improve the quality of education through the diversification of contents and methods, promoting experimentation, innovation and learning stimulation. Since ICTs were introduced into the educational field they have given a new approach for those teachers who based their classes only on the green board practices and scheduled classes year after year following a monotonous curriculum. As ICTs enter the socio-cultural setting of schools, they may trigger changes in the activities, curriculum and interpersonal relationship in the learning environment, and is reciprocally affected by the changes they cause (Demiralslan and Usluel, 2008) . The use of ICTs into education look for changing old patterns of teaching focusing primarily on students in an interactive environment for learning encouraging motivation and communication methods; allowing students a greater autonomy in learning, in addition to overcoming the barriers of time and space. The rapid use of ICT in the education system makes expectations to grow about the potential of ICT and its contribution to improving the teaching learning process. ICTs have brought significant changes in our lives and especially in the education. Many schools and universities have been associated with these changes offered by technology and integrated them into its educational system to implement the changes required by the contemporary world. New tools, technologies, and skills allow innovations to be introduced to the teaching-learning process and education to continue the rapid advances and progress exposing students to new technological challenges. Advantages and Disadvantages of ICT Digital devide Advantages ICT Help to better prepare students for the constantly grow of technology. One of the most important reasons for using ICTs in the classroom has been to better prepare the current generation of students where ICTs, particularly computers, the Internet and related technologies, are becoming more and more ubiquitous:  Ã‚ ¶ Greater efficiency throughout the school.  Ã‚ ¶ Communication channels are increased through email, discussion groups and chat rooms  Ã‚ ¶ Regular use of ICT across different curriculum subjects can have a beneficial motivational influence on students learning of pronunciation.  Ã‚ ¶ Students are generally more on task and express more positive feelings when they use computers than when they are given other tasks to do.  Ã‚ ¶ Computer use during lessons motivates students to continue using learning outside school hours.  Ã‚ ¶ Higher quality lessons through greater collaboration between teachers in planning and preparing resources.  Ã‚ ¶ More focused teaching, tailored to students strengths and weaknesses, through better analysis of attainment data  Ã‚ ¶ Improved pastoral care and behavior management through better tracking of students  Ã‚ ¶ Gains in understanding and analytical skills, including improvements in pronunciation.  Ã‚ ¶ Development of writing skills (including spelling, grammar, punctuation, editing and re-drafting), also fluency, originality and elaboration.  Ã‚ ¶ Encouragement of independent and active learning, and self-responsibility for learning.  Ã‚ ¶ Flexibility of anytime, anywhere access (Jacobsen and Kremer, 2000)  Ã‚ ¶ Development of higher level learning styles  Ã‚ ¶ Students who used educational technology in school felt more successful and more motivated to learn and have increased self-confidence and self-esteem  Ã‚ ¶ Students found learning in a technology-enhanced setting more stimulating and student-centered than in a traditional classroom  Ã‚ ¶ Broadband technology supports the reliable and uninterrupted downloading of web-hosted educational multimedia resources  Ã‚ ¶ Opportunities to address their work to an external audience  Ã‚ ¶ Opportunities to collaborate on assignments with people outside or inside school Disadvantages of ICT One of the major barriers for the cause of ICT not reaching its full potential in the foundation stage is teachers attitude. According to Hara (2004), within the early years education attitudes towards ICT can vary considerably. Some see it as a potential tool to aid learning whereas others seem to disagree with the use of technology in early year settings. Blatchford and Whitebread (2003:16), suggests that the use of ICT in the foundation stage is unhealthy and hinders learning. Other early years educators who are opposed to offering ICT experiences within the educational settings take a less extreme view than this and suggest that ICT is fine, but there are other more vital experiences that young children will benefit from, (Blatchford and Whitebread, 2003). In theory some people may have the opinion that the teachers who had not experienced ICT throughout their learning tend to have a negative attitude towards it, as they may lack the training in that area of the curriculum. Another important drawback to using ICT in schools is the fact that computers are expensive. According to the IT learning exchange (2001), in most schools ICT will be the single largest curriculum budget cost. This may be seen as a good thing but on the other hand there will be little money left over for other significant costs. ICT Tools incorporated in the Teaching Process The world that we are living today has turned in a global village because the physical distance existing among humankind is getting closer, and closer due to the technological changes. These changes or technological advances such as the computer and the internet has changed the whole world quite a lot and more when this technological advances are used in education. After the internet invention a lot of websites and software have been created to develop the way people learn languages, giving them, thousands of alternatives no matter how far they are from one another, just by having a computer an Internet connection they can have access to many education sites. In this section we are going to present a series of website used for teaching English and teaching English pronunciation such VoiceThread, Manythings.org, Fonetiks.org, BBC Learning English, Learners TV so forth and so on. These sites are specifically used for teaching, learning English and English pronunciation. VoiceThread in the Classroom VoiceThread is especially beneficial within the classroom. Teachers and students are using VoiceThread as a storytelling tool, a deep thinking tool, a research tool, an expository communication tool, and even an assessment tool (Dyck, 2007). VoiceThread has brought storytelling to the 21st century and allows stories to be shared around the world. VoiceThread is a collaborative, multimedia slide show that holds images, documents, and videos and allows people to leave comments in 5 ways. Through the use of comments, VoiceThread creates an interactive environment in which individuals can share common interests and ideas. It can also be used as an assessment tool for examining others opinions and as a tool for teachers. Businesses, teachers, and students use VoiceThread. It provides a creative outlet for students and encourages the sharing of ideas. But the uses of VoiceThread are not limited to storytelling. VoiceThread has unlimited possibilities in which it can include voice, type, doodling, unlimited slides or just a simple slide. It can include pictures or typed documents. It can be embedded or exported to other destinations and multiple identities can be created under one account. This is great for teachers who can establish one account and have kids use multiple identities to create and comment. VoiceThread can be used to collect information as well by uploading a simple slide and evaluating comments. Not only can VoiceThread be used as a creative outlet but it can also be used to learn more about others experiences and views. VoiceThread makes it possible to examine the thinking of others through pictures, text, doodling, and voice. VoiceThread is an online album that other VoiceThread users can directly comment on using voice, writing, video, and drawing. VoiceThreads can be used to share information, start a discussion, receive feedback, or simply tell a story. The basic VoiceT

Healthy Eating and Exercise for Pregnant Women

Healthy Eating and Exercise for Pregnant Women Introduction It is undeniable that pregnancy is one of the toughest periods women go through in their lives. Pregnancy is characterized by hormonal imbalances, which not only affects the moods of women also their appetite and cravings. It also affects the way women live, what they do, and how they do it. However, as Wolfe AL Davies, G. (2003) explains, eating appropriately and keeping one’s body physically fit is among the most important strategies with which to keep safe and healthy pregnancies. Essentially, good nutrition or rather eating healthy during pregnancy does contribute enormously in the development of healthy babies. Eating healthy during pregnancy entails the consumption of foods that are rich in a wide range of valuable nutrients including iodine, iron, vitamins, and folate among others. On the other hand, keeping fit and maintaining appropriate body weights, particularly by engaging in recommendable physical exercises is an important strategy with which to make women feel better during pregnancies. Doing (and not overdoing) exercises during pregnancy has numerous benefits to both the expectant mother and the child among them reduced labor periods, easier child delivery, faster recovery after child delivery, and better development of the fetus. Hence, this paper will use legitimate article reviews to extensively analyze healthy eating as well as appropriate exercising for pregnant women. The paper will address the various nutrients and their sources (required foods), and their benefits to pregnant women and the unborn children. It will equally analyze some of the foods that pregnant women should avoid in order to keep their pregnancies healthy. The paper will as well discuss the types of exercises that pregnant women should engage in as well as avoid on the verge to keep them and their unborn children healthy and safe. Healthy Eating For Pregnant Women Many at times, pregnant women, especially during the first trimester of their pregnancy, suffer from anorexia or lack of appetite. However, it is a given that women ought to choose a wide variety of foods in order to meet their nutritional needs and those of their unborn children during pregnancy. They are recommended to eat foods that contain the right amounts and varieties of nutrients on each day of their pregnancy. Because they often experience decreased appetite levels, pregnant women may at times need supplements for specific minerals and vitamins in order to keep them and their babies safe and healthy (Devine, Olson Bove, 2000). Certainly, nutrients are necessary for the sustainability of pregnant women and effective development of the unborn children and that is why easting healthy is a mandatory requirement for all pregnant women. The consumption of a wide variety of highly nutritious foods also helps to keep pregnant women and their children healthy, more so during a perio d when their (pregnant women’s) bodies need more nutrients to sustain two or more lives. Referring to Franko, Herzog, Becker, Flores, Greenwood, Delinsky Blais, (2014), pregnant women are recommended by dieticians to eat healthy by consuming a wide variety of fruits and vegetables to acquire adequate amounts of vitamins for enhance immunity. They are as well recommended to increase their intake of grains and/or cereals to at least eight meals each day, especially wholegrain and foods with high fibre content. Pregnant women should as well increase their consumption of foods that are rich in iron such as red meat, which helps to increase the level of red blood cells and that consequently reduces the prevalence of anemia among pregnant women. In addition, pregnant women needs to eat foods that are rich calcium such as milk, yoghurt, and cheese, which helps in the development of stronger bones for both the mother and unborn children. It is as well recommended that pregnant women take plenty of water of between 750 and 1000 ml on each day. Pregnant women should as well avoid eating foods and drinks that have high levels of fats and saturated sugars. Pregnant women should as well avoid eating raw foods, especially red meet seafood; as such food increases their vulnerability to being contaminated with such bacteria as salmonella, coliform, and toxoplasmosis which causes infections that are not only harmful to mothers but also the unborn children. Moreover, pregnant women should avoid taking deli meat, which is known for having listeria, a component responsible for increased probability of miscarriages. During pregnancy, women and the unborn children undergo various physiological changes and developments, which make them, have an exponentially growing demand for extra nutrients. Therefore, eating healthy from all the major food categories, which are carbohydrates, vitamins, proteins, and fats, is vital. However, throughout the first trimester of pregnancy, the energy requirement of women remains the same as before they conceived, and that makes the consumption of extra food at this stage of pregnancy unnecessary. Nonetheless, the energy requirement of pregnant women increases as the pregnancy develops into the second and the third trimesters. As a result, pregnant women are fortified to increase their intake of carbohydrates or grain foods so that they meet their energy requirements at these two stages of pregnancy development. Basically, they are recommended to eat about two and a half extra serves of grain foods during their second and third trimesters. Pregnant women should equal ly increase their intake for other nutrients such as vitamins and proteins appropriately on the verge to meet the changing demands of nutrients in entirety in their bodies during the last two trimesters of their pregnancy (Thornton, Kieffer, Salabarrà ­a-Peà ±a, Odoms-Young, Willis, Kim Salinas, 2006). Folic Acid and Pregnancy Folic Acid, also known as folate, comprises of B-group vitamins is an important food component for pregnant women. Folate helps in protecting the development of unborn-children against neutral tube defects, and that makes it important that all women take enough of this component during pregnancy. As Polley, Wing Sims (2002) points out, medical practitioners and nationalists recommend that pregnant women, more so during their first trimester, ought to take supplements of folic acid that contains a minimum of 400 micrograms of folate on daily basis. Additionally, pregnant women are recommended to constantly consume foods that are naturally rich in folic acid and/or those that are fortified with folate. Some the foods that are naturally rich in Folic Acid are chick peas, lentils, spinach, dried beans, cabbage, cauliflower, oranges, parsley, wheat germ, potatoes, tomatoes, unsalted peanuts, and salmon among others. It is equally important to note that in as much as liver has high conten t of folic acid, it equally has high content of vitamin A, and that makes it inappropriate for pregnant women. Iron and Pregnancy Pregnant women require increased iron content in their bodies for their sustainability as well as healthy development of their unborn children. Essentially, children draw enough iron to sustain them for upto five to six months after delivery from their mothers during pregnancy (Lobel, Cannella, Graham, DeVincent, Schneider Meyer, 2008). Although pregnant women have minimum loss of iron from their bodies as they do not menstruate during pregnancy, the level of iron in their bodies is often not enough to sustain them and their unborn children. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that pregnant women consume foods that are rich in iron on daily basis. Among the iron-enriched foods that are recommended for pregnant women are well cooked red meat, dried beans, lentils, green leafy vegetables, seafood, and chicken. Furthermore, nutritionists have found that iron from animal sources are often readily absorbed by the body, hence are recommended over iron from plants. However, some women ar e vegetarians; thus, they should eat plant sources of iron alongside other foods that contain vitamin C such as oranges as this vitamin enhances the absorption of iron from plant sources by the body. Lack of iron in a woman’s body, especially during pregnancy leads to anemia; hence, pregnant women are recommended to take at least 27 mg of iron per day. In case a pregnant woman may not be able to take the recommended amount of iron daily, she should take iron supplements in order to boost the level of this important nutrient in their bodies. Iodine and Pregnancy Mottola, Giroux, Gratton, Hammond, Hanley, Harris Sopper, (2010) states that iodine is one of the most important minerals for pregnant women because it helps in the production of thyroid hormone, which is fundamental for growth and development of the fetus/unborn children. Inadequate intake of iodine during pregnancy does increase the vulnerability to mental disorders and cretinism among the newborns (Mottola et al., 2010). Foods that are iodine-enriched include seaweed and seafood, eggs, dairy products, and meat. Iodized salts are also good sources of iodine, though they should not be consumed uncooked. Because of the importance of iodine for a pregnant woman and her child, it is recommended that they take a minimum of 150 micrograms of iodine each day throughout their pregnancy and breastfeeding. Exercises for Pregnant Women Referring to Wolfe AL Davies (2003), exercises are important for pregnant women because they not only helps them to adapt faster with their changing body weights and shape during and after pregnancy but also help them cope with labor pains. Pregnant women are recommended o keep their bodies physically active on daily basis by engaging in such exercises as running, dancing, yoga, and even walking. Exercises during pregnancy are often not harmful; rather, they help in minimizing complications that usually arise in the later stages of pregnancy. In as much as exercising is important during pregnancy, women who were not physically active before they became pregnant should not suddenly engage in strenuous exercises as that may affect them and their children. Pregnant women considered physically active before are encourages to engage in at least a half an hour walk on daily basis. Pregnant women are also cautioned against lying flat on their backs during pregnancy, especially after the 16th week of their pregnancy, as the weight of their bump does press on their main blood vessels to bring blood back to their heart, and that increases their vulnerability to fainting. Pregnant women are also discouraged to participate in contact sports that have increased risk of being hit such as kickboxing and squash. Omen are also cautioned against exercising on grounds that are over 2,500 meters above the sea level as they together with their unborn babies are at increased risk of contracting altitude sicknesses (Devine et al., 2000). Engaging in appropriate forms of physical exercises during pregnancies helps women to strengthen their muscles to enable them carry their increasing body weigh due to pregnancy. Appropriate exercises equally make pregnant women to have stronger joints, improved blood flow or circulations, eased backaches, and generally make them feel better during pregnancies. The Stomach-Strengthening Exercises As the unborn child develops, the hollow in the lower back of pregnant women increases, a factor that gives them backaches. In order to reduce the prevalence of backaches among pregnant women, the abdominal exercises or exercises that strengthen the stomach muscles are recommended. Pregnant women who need to strengthen their stomach muscles should sit with their knees under their hips and hands beneath their shoulders, and with their fingers facing forward and abdomen lifted high to keep their backs upright. They should then pull their stomach muscles while simultaneously raising their backs towards the ceiling in order to curl their trunk and allow their heads to relax forward. They should then hold in that position for few seconds before returning to their original position. They should repeat this procedure five to seven times per exercising session (Franko et al., 2014). The Pelvic Tilt Exercises Pelvic exercises are as well important for pregnant women because they help strengthen the pelvic muscles, which serve as the door for the delivery of children. While conducting a pelvic tilt exercise, a pregnant woman should stand with her shoulder and bottom against the wall and with her knees soft, she should pull her tummy towards the spine to make her back flatten against the wall. She should maintain that position for at about five seconds and the repeat the procedure approximately ten times. The Pelvic Floor Exercises The pelvic floor exercises are important for pregnant women because it helps to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, which undergo massive strains during pregnancy and child delivery. Weak pelvic floors during pregnancy make women uncomfortable as they often leak urine when coughing, sneezing, or experiencing any strains (also called stress incontinence). Strengthening pelvic floor muscles reduces stress incontinence during and after pregnancy. Conclusion In conclusion of the above, eating healthy and engaging in physical exercises is important for pregnant women. Eating healthy involves consuming foods that are rich in a variety of nutrients such as vitamins, carbohydrates, and proteins. Among the most important nutrients needed during pregnancy are iodine, iron, and folic acid. Exercises are equally important in keeping pregnant women fit and consequently able to cope with the changing body shape and weight while pregnant. Pregnant women should also engage in stomach-strengthening exercises, the pelvic tilt exercises, and the pelvic floor exercises. References Devine, C. M., Olson, C. M., Bove, C. F. (2000). The continuity and change in weight orientations of women and their lifestyle practices through pregnancy as well as the postpartum period: the influence of life course trajectories as well as transitional events. Social Science Medicine, 50(4), 567-582. Franko, D. L., Herzog, D. B., Becker, A. E., Flores, A. T., Greenwood, D. N., Delinsky, S. S., Blais, M. A. (2014). The pregnancy complications as well as neonatal outcomes among women with eating disorders. Lobel, M., Cannella, D. L., Graham, J. E., DeVincent, C., Schneider, J., Meyer, B. A. (2008). Pregnancy-specific, prenatal health behaviors, and birth outcomes. Health Psychology, 27(5), 604. Mottola, Giroux, Gratton, R., Hammond,., Hanley, A., Harris, S., Sopper, M. M. (2010). Nutrition exercise prevent excess weight gain in overweight pregnant women. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 42(2), 265. Polley, B. A., Wing, R. R., Sims, C. J. (2002). Randomized controlled prevent excessive weight gain in pregnant women. International journal of obesity and related metabolic disorders: journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity, 26(11), 1494-1502. Thornton, P. L., Kieffer, E. C., Salabarrà ­a-Peà ±a, Y., Odoms-Young, A., Willis, S. K., Kim, H., Salinas, M. A. (2006). Weight, diet, physical activity-related beliefs and practices among pregnant and postpartum Latino women: the role of social support. Maternal and child health journal, 95-104. Wolfe, L. A., AL Davies, G. (2003). Canadian guidelines for exercise in pregnancy. Clinical obstetrics and gynecology, 46(2), 488-495.

Essays --

PFC Hachey The importance of lawful orders Lawful orders are important to the military to keep soldiers safe and out of trouble, lawful orders from an NCO or any one placed above you can be important to complete the mission so it is important to follow and obey them. Lawful orders are what keep the military organized and without order our military could not function as well as it does. Any person subject to this chapter who-- ( 1) violates or fails to obey any lawful general order or regulation; (2) having knowledge of any other lawful order issued by any member of the armed forces , which it is his duty to obey, fails to obey the order; or (3) is derelict in the performance of his duties; shall be punished as a court-martial may direct. Article 92 in the UCMJ makes it very clear that disobedience of orders can be easily punished through UCMJ action. Violation of any order from a NCO or any one placed above the soldier is a violation against the soldiers army values and more specificly his integrity. When a soldier shows lack of integrity and fails to do what is right, only thinking about what he wants, needs to be punished because that is the kind of behavior that we can't have in the army. In todays army there is no room for soldiers who don't follow orders,the army is down sizing and the ones who don't live by the army values will be the first to go. The army is an organization that operates and functions on its values, so it is important that each soldier upholds those values. Soldiers are disciplined yet they still make bad decisions sometimes but There is no excuse for disobeying direct orders. If a soldier doesn't do what he is told or goes against what he is told how are his superiors supposed to trust him to do the right ... ...ially if taking those actions is not popular with others. You can build your personal courage by daily standing up for and acting upon the things that you know are honorable. If Ihad more personal courage Icould have kept myself out of trouble, but instead of standing up and saying no Imade bad decisions and broke the lawful orders given to me. Lawful orders are given for a reason, they are meant to keep each soldier safe and out of trouble they are always in the interest of the army and the mission ahead. When it really matters, in battle every order has to be completed and soldiers are professionals they always place the mission first that means they do what has to be done, what they are told the lawful orders from their higher ups. Lawful orders have created organization in the military for centuries and without them we would not be as successful as we are today.

The Implications of Ozone Depletion on Human Health Essay examples --

The Implications of Ozone Depletion on Human Health Introduction Hairspray. Refrigerators. Air conditioners. These everyday luxuries, while making human life more comfortable, are taxing our health seriously. Clorofluorocarbons, or CFCs, are anthropogenic chemicals used in refrigerants and as propellants in aerosols. CFCs, also known as freons, are also the primary culprit behind the depletion of stratospheric ozone, which allows harmful ultraviolet rays to reach the Earth and its inhabitants. When CFC molecules reach the stratosphere, the sun's radiation breaks it apart, freeing the chorine atom to destroy ozone molecules. The effect is a growing ozone hole which forms over Antarctica in October and usually lasts through mid November. During the annual ozone hole, the amount of UV radiation that reaches the Earth can double. Ozone depletion serves as a major health risk for human beings. The three primary health effects of ultraviolet radiation on human health are damage to the skin,eyes, and immune system. SKIN DAMAGE UV radiation causes significant damage to human skin, in the form of sunburns, aging, skin cancer, and nonmelanoma tumors. Human skin damage is primarily a result of tanning. The amount of UV exposure absorbed by a person is a direct result of the intensity of the light absorbed, the length of time of the exposure, and whether or not the skin was protected by clothing or sunscreen. Skin damage can be prevented by limiting when and how long one is exposed to sunlight, and by wearing protective clothing and sunscreen. Avoid exposure to sunlight during mid-day hours, when it is most intense. Tight weave clothing, and hats, protect against the sun's rays. Tanning beds, while popular, are also ... ...ening diseases. Conclusions Stratospheric ozone absorbs 97-99% of ultraviolet radiation. As this protective layer continues to dissentigrate, human health will suffer. One American dies every hour from skin cancer, a direct result of ozone depletion by anthropogenic chemicals, primarily CFCs, which damage the ozone layer. Alternate chemicals are now being used in the place of CFCs that will not damage statospheric ozone, and there is international recognition of the importance of developing these chemicals. The Montreal Protocol is an international treaty which limits the production of ozone depleting substances. Still, human health is at risk from the deletion of ozone, and the risk factor will continue to rise unless people and industries become more aware of the implications connected with everyday use of chemicals which destroy stratospheric ozone. The Implications of Ozone Depletion on Human Health Essay examples -- The Implications of Ozone Depletion on Human Health Introduction Hairspray. Refrigerators. Air conditioners. These everyday luxuries, while making human life more comfortable, are taxing our health seriously. Clorofluorocarbons, or CFCs, are anthropogenic chemicals used in refrigerants and as propellants in aerosols. CFCs, also known as freons, are also the primary culprit behind the depletion of stratospheric ozone, which allows harmful ultraviolet rays to reach the Earth and its inhabitants. When CFC molecules reach the stratosphere, the sun's radiation breaks it apart, freeing the chorine atom to destroy ozone molecules. The effect is a growing ozone hole which forms over Antarctica in October and usually lasts through mid November. During the annual ozone hole, the amount of UV radiation that reaches the Earth can double. Ozone depletion serves as a major health risk for human beings. The three primary health effects of ultraviolet radiation on human health are damage to the skin,eyes, and immune system. SKIN DAMAGE UV radiation causes significant damage to human skin, in the form of sunburns, aging, skin cancer, and nonmelanoma tumors. Human skin damage is primarily a result of tanning. The amount of UV exposure absorbed by a person is a direct result of the intensity of the light absorbed, the length of time of the exposure, and whether or not the skin was protected by clothing or sunscreen. Skin damage can be prevented by limiting when and how long one is exposed to sunlight, and by wearing protective clothing and sunscreen. Avoid exposure to sunlight during mid-day hours, when it is most intense. Tight weave clothing, and hats, protect against the sun's rays. Tanning beds, while popular, are also ... ...ening diseases. Conclusions Stratospheric ozone absorbs 97-99% of ultraviolet radiation. As this protective layer continues to dissentigrate, human health will suffer. One American dies every hour from skin cancer, a direct result of ozone depletion by anthropogenic chemicals, primarily CFCs, which damage the ozone layer. Alternate chemicals are now being used in the place of CFCs that will not damage statospheric ozone, and there is international recognition of the importance of developing these chemicals. The Montreal Protocol is an international treaty which limits the production of ozone depleting substances. Still, human health is at risk from the deletion of ozone, and the risk factor will continue to rise unless people and industries become more aware of the implications connected with everyday use of chemicals which destroy stratospheric ozone.

John Edwards Biography Essay -- Politics President Edwards Essays Pap

John Edwards' Biography Many Americans recognize John Edwards as the second coming of Jimmy Carter; the soft-spoken Democratic Senator from the south. They know him as the running mate of John Kerry in his 2004 Presidential campaign. But before the North Carolina Senator entertained aspirations of President or Vice-President of the United States, John Edwards made a name for himself as a successful trial lawyer, a strong husband and father, and charismatic politician. Born in Seneca, South Carolina on June 10th 1953, Johnny Reid Edwards was raised a Methodist and learned the values of hard work and perseverance from his father, Wallace and mother, Bobbie, while growing up in Robbins, North Carolina. Working alongside his father in the textile mill, John was taught that all Americans should be treated equally and that the voice of every man and woman in the United States should be heard. He grew up without the benefit of a private school education, something of which Edwards is, to this day, extremely proud. He was the first of his family to go to college. John attended North Carolina State University, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1974 with a BS in textile technology, an impressive accomplishment by any standard. But given the values of hard work and perseverance learned by his parents, John Edwards did not quit his schooling after a BS from NC State. He continued on to the University of North Carolina (at Chapel Hill) where he graduated t heir law program Cum Laude in 1977. While attending law school at UNC, he met his wife, Elizabeth Anania, whom he married in 1977. John Edwards dedicated his professional life to helping those who couldn’t help themselves. Following his graduation from law school, John Edwards spent a year clerking for the office of Judge Franklin Dupree, Jr. of the United States District Court (Eastern District). In 1978, he accepted an associate position working for the firm of Dearborn and Ewing, where he practiced law for three years. He jumped ship to work for another firm, Tharrington, Smith and Hargrove, a position he held for two years before being promoted to partner at that firm. He continued as a partner at Tharrington, Smith and Hargrove until 1992, when he left to start his own law practice with fellow lawyer, David Kirby. Edwards and Kirby practiced together for five years, until Edwards decided to try his h... ...inly not out, having overcome before. He and his wife, Elizabeth, have struggled with the loss of a child, Wade (their eldest), in 1996 from a car accident. He was also survived by a younger sister, Cate, a recent Princeton grad. After Wade’s death, John and Elizabeth decided to conceive children again, giving birth to Emma Claire and Jack. And while the tragedy of losing a child cannot be confused with the misfortune of losing an election, the will, courage and perseverance to continue, necessary to overcome is present in John Edwards. It is unlikely that American voters have seen the last of the gentleman from North Carolina. I suspect we could see him again in 2008. But just in case we don’t, it can’t hurt to have a lawyer of his caliber working for the Democrats to amend the Constitution so that Bill Clinton can run again. Works Cited: http://www.johnedwards2004.com/john_edwards.asp http://www.vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=CNC68243 http://www2.gwu.edu/~action/2004/edwards/edwards.html http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/03/02/elec04.prez.main/index.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Edwards http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3326255.stm

Criminal Justice Communications Essay

Communication is part of everyday life. Though we all have the ability to communicate, it is communicating effectively that matters most. Whether you are giving a speech, teaching a class or having a conversation with a co-worker, communicating effectively can make the difference between being understood and being dismissed. Therefore, it is important to understand the principles of effective communication and how you can apply them in your everyday conversations. Show Respect When speaking to another person or a large crowd, show respect to your audience. Use wording and verbiage that correspond to the same educational level as your audience. For instance, you wouldn’t use complex financial terms with a group of fifth graders to explain how a bank works as you would with a group of college students. Never Interrupt Whether communicating one-on-one or with a group is it impolite to interrupt anyone while they are speaking to you. This includes cutting someone off when she is asking a question you already know the answer to. Allow the individual to finish making her point before responding. Otherwise, the communication becomes one-sided and ineffective. Show Kindness Start your communication by making yourself friendly and approachable. This can include smiling and beginning communication with honest praise. When the situation warrants a serious conversation, such as reprimanding a student or employee, be professional about it and keep the tone non-confrontational and informative. Do not let emotions or outside thoughts affect how you communicate with the individual and keep the conversation geared toward the issue. Show Interest Communication does not just revolve around what you say but how you act while another is speaking to you. Show that you are interested in what the person is saying by giving him your full attention. Maintain eye contact with the person you are talking to and do not allow yourself to be distracted by people walking by or other activities in the room. Nod your head to let the speaker know you understand what he is saying. Choose Your Time Select the right time for your communication. Typically, cornering someone at the end of the day when she wants to go home or during a stressful part of the day will make the communication less effective or put pressure on both parties to curtail the discussion. Do not try to communicate to people who are preoccupied with other tasks or try to listen to someone while you are so occupied. Have an Objective There is an objective with every form of communication, even the simplest one. If your objective is to teach a coworker how to use a new spreadsheet, and then make sure you are prepared to teach him how to use it with notes or by showing him physically. Use clear and concise wording and ask for feedback. Do not allow yourself to get off task from your objective or  distracted. Once you’ve delivered your message or instructions, either have your co-worker review what you’ve told him or have him demonstrate the task hands-on to show his understanding.

An Experience I Will Never Forget

The day was near, it was ten days for the concert, and all the days I asked my father for permission and the money. One day after he was saying the same thing, my father finally said â€Å"yes†, and he gave me the money. He told me that it was the gift for my birthday. I was so happy and I immediately called my friend for saying about the news. The next day we bought the ticket and only were for the big concert missing two days. We couldn’t believe that we would be in the most waited place, so on Saturday November 26th; we never thought that in few hours, we would sing all the song of our favorite band. My friend and I were so excited but when we were on the subway, almost arriving to the â€Å"Auditorium†, the subway was overcrowded and we were so nervous. When we arrived to the â€Å"Auditorium†, we sat in the chairs, and we were waiting for the band to go out. The lights turned off and all the auditory screamed like crazy people for the band. The orchestra began to play one of my favorite songs. Peep, the singer appeared in the scene. That moment was so awesome and exciting for me, and the entire place was singing each one of the songs. The singer said the surprise of the night; it was that they would record a CD with DVD of the entire concert. I was so crazy for the big news and my friend began to cry.

Home Burial by Robert Frost Essay

For anyone that has lost a loved one, the grief in often times unbearable. No matter what the cause of death, sadness engulfs all feelings and emotions. These feelings are further heightened when a couple loses their first child. Sometimes, the grief is just too much to take that the marriage or relationship falls apart. Grief and sadness are genuine and real emotions. People feel these in real-life situations. The poem, â€Å"Home Burial† by Robert Frost, highlights how death and the grief it causes ruins relationships. Tragedy creates barriers between people. Reader Response A reader of the poem would experience the grief and sadness in the poem. It talks about a family tragedy and grieving over the loss of a child. From my own reading, the poem gives description of the graves that further describe the theme and extends the ideas of what is happening. For example, the male character said: â€Å"The wonder is I didn’t see at once. I never noticed it from here before. I must be wonted to it – that’s the reason. The little graveyard where my people are! So small the window frames the whole of it. (Lines 21-24) But I understand: it is not the stones, But the child’s mound—† (lines 30-31) This demonstrates that the poem is depicting a sad event that had occurred and where it is mentioning the clear idea of a tragedy. I personally feel that this poem best describe a couple grieving over a loss of their only child which makes them confused as to how to just move on back to their normal life. But also with the struggle of having arguments between them, it is clear that they both have problems. Just looking at one another brings up the grief that they both cannot seem to express and this makes the poem seem even sadder to read. New Criticism – Plot The poem starts out with the narrator describing the two characters whose interaction becomes the center of the story. They speak of what they saw in the distance from a small window up above the second floor of the house. The story further continues with the two getting into a heated argument and despair over the loss of their child. An example of their argument is: â€Å"There you go sneering now!† â€Å"I’m not, I’m not! You make me angry. I’ll come down to you.   God, what a woman! And it’s come to this,   A man can’t speak of his own child that’s dead.† (Lines 72-75) As the woman attempts to leave the house, the tension between the characters heightens. The exchange of words is the climax of the plot. The denouement is reached as the woman finishes expressing her emotions. The end of the poem is signaled as the husband says: â€Å"There, you have said it all and you feel better. You won’t go now.   You’re crying.   Close the door. The heart’s gone out of it: why keep it up? Amy!   There’s someone coming down the road!† (Lines 112-115) The plot is very confrontational but also sad in a modern day view of a tragedy. It is very believable due to the realistic confrontation that is happening in the poem and how people usually react when they are in heated arguments between one another. New Criticism – Character As the characters in the poem interact, their personalities, feelings, and emotions are revealed. As the poem moves along, readers get to know each of the characters better. The poem has five characters a Man (unknown), Woman (Amy), Narrator, Child (Baby), and a Person who is unknown coming toward the house.   They all seem to be in a universal role of connecting to each other throughout the turns of events that’s occurring though each line of the poem. The characters are very realistic. The feelings they express and the manner by which they interact are common occurrences in real life. The realism is further revealed by the fact that the two main characters argue over something that is real, grief. In a way, their argument can be seen as a lovers’ quarrel. For example: He said twice over before he knew himself. â€Å"Can’t a man speak of his own child he’s lost?† Not you! — Oh, where’s my hat? Oh, I don’t need it! I must get out of here. I must get air.— I don’t know rightly whether any man can.† â€Å"Amy! Don’t go to someone else this time. Listen to me. I won’t come down the stairs.† (Lines 37-43) This demonstrates how the poem has a connection with a few characters of the poem and made the poem seem very believable in the understanding of a lover’s quarrel that is going on in the reading. In addition, the character’s speech and the tone that’s perceived from reading these lines make it feel like I am watching a live argument between a couple. This mainly shows that the reading and lines of these characters seem very believable in a notion of actually seeing this event occur in front of your very own understanding of the poem. New Criticism- Setting The realism of the poem is made more evident by the vividness of the setting. As one reads the poem, he would be able to create a picture of where the story takes place. Readers would get to see that the story is set in the late 1800’s to the early 1900’s in a two level house in the country side. There also seems to be a small graveyard that is around the back of the house which further explains that it is in the country side. The setting can be clearly pictured from the following lines of the poem: â€Å"He saw her from the bottom of the stairs Before she saw him. She was starting down† (lines 1-2). â€Å"The wonder is I didn’t see at once. I never noticed it from here before. I must be wonted to it – that’s the reason. The little graveyard where my people are! So small the window frames the whole of it† (lines 21-25). These lines demonstrate that the setting is in a two story house and that the character is describing a small graveyard that can only happen in a country side background and not in a city. This setting enhances the realism of the story because it has been described and has been given a clear idea of the current background where the event of this poem is happening. But also, the way the characters talk sounds like old English and that further proves the idea that this poem is talking about a setting in the early 1900’s.   So in a way, the poem has very clearly shown that the poem’s setting is happening in the past, and it is occurring in the country side. So in a way this has clearly shown that the setting is very believable in the description given in the poem. New Criticism- Universal Truth One of the few Universal Truth’s that I understand from the poem is that it grief and sadness can ruin relationships. When people, in this case couples, fail to express their emotions arguments arise. The lack of understanding and knowledge of what the other person needs causes tension which then leads to arguments. This is reasonable because in many relationships couples get into arguments to get to better understand the other persons needs and wants out of the relationship. For example, in the poem it, said: â€Å"Can’t a man speak of his own child he’s lost?† Not you!—Oh, where’s my hat? Oh, I don’t need it! (Lines 36-37) Amy! Don’t go to someone else this time. Listen to me. I won’t come down the stairs.† (Lines 40-41) â€Å"There something I should like to ask you, dear.† â€Å"You don’t know how to ask it.† â€Å"Help me, then.†(Lines 43-45) â€Å"There, you have said it all and you feel better. (Line 111) This demonstrates how the poems Universal Truth is trying to show the idea that a couple can get into an argument and also understand each other by talking it out with each other. In addition, it also shows how the idea of Universal Truth is trying to convey to people in real life who have the same or similar situations like in the poem can always work things out. The resolution, however, can only come about when the feelings and emotions of both individuals are fully expressed. But this is a believable idea of Universal Truth that every couple can work out their differences by telling each other how they feel and what they think. Gender- Feminism An important theme that the poem tackles is gender. The poem highlights certain issues that are present between men and women. From a feminist’s point of view, the poem is able to show that women have choices. Amy, the female character, has a choice to leave the man that she used to love. Amy has the freedom of choice and opportunity to leave her abusive relationship anytime. This is shown in the poem when the two are having a dispute: â€Å"You – oh, you think the talk is all I must go – Somewhere out of this house. How can I make you—†   Ã¢â‚¬Å"If—you—do!† She was opening the door wider. â€Å"Where do you mean to go? First tell me that. I’ll follow and bring you back by force. I will!—† (lines 116-120). This demonstrates the idea of Feminism when the character Amy wanted the choice to leave her sad and unhappy relationship. However, Amy also showed that she was in an abusive relationship that she is trying to run away from. But mainly Amy has shown that she will always have the opportunity to stand up for herself as an individual that has been oppressed by male dominance that is common in relationships. Gender- Masculinism Analyzing the poem from a masculinist perspective, it is evident that genuine concerns in relationships between men and women are shown. The male character is right for trying to talk to Amy about their problems as a couple. He tries his best to maintain his relationship as man who tries to understand Amy’s grieving over the loss of their child. For example, even when Amy did not want to talk about their lost of the child he said: â€Å"Can’t a man speak of his own child he’s lost?† â€Å"Not you! – Oh, where’s my hat? Oh, I don’t need it! I must get out of here. I must get air.— I don’t know rightly whether any man can.† â€Å"Amy! Don’t go to someone else this time. Listen to me. I won’t come down the stairs.†(Lines 38-43) â€Å"There’s something I should like to ask you, dear.† â€Å"You don’t know how to ask it.† â€Å"Help me, then.†(Lines 45-47) This demonstrates the man is trying his best to do what is right to fix his relationship and further repair the disillusion that he is a villain in this poem for wanting to bury in own child. Furthermore, the evidence in this is genuine because every man who tries to make things right in a relationship never really is given a chance to. In addition, why the man is right for what he does is because he is trying not to further upset Amy’s emotion over the lost of their child. But also as a man this is his civil duty is to fix any problems in his relationship between him and his woman Amy.