Life chances of young people Essay

Describe the social, economic and cultural factors that can have an impact on the outcomes and life chances of young people. Whether it be family income, social class or racial background, factors like these often have a long lasting impact on children’s lives. The economic factors are, in my opinion, the easiest to describe as the extremes are most apparent. GCSE results showed that children who’s parents worked tended to do better that those who’s parents didn’t. Those children who lived below the poverty line tended to do worse again. This is a clear indicator that economic wellbeing has a positive effect on the outcomes of young people. Cultural factors can impact massively on children’s lives. The first example of this that springs to most people‘s minds is often when a group is discriminated against because of their culture. This is well documented throughout history and where it has happened, those children who have been subject to discrimination have generally achieved less at school and had fewer life chances. This is not the only example however. In certain cultures there is a tendency for boys to be offered more opportunities than girls, possibly where the girls will expected to take on the role of housewife. This is the case in certain religious sects and ethnic backgrounds. For me, social inequality is the broadest factor that can impact upon children. The class system may still be used on occasion to differentiate and discriminate , whether by other children or authorities keen to place children in a certain category. The more common factors though are things like bullying and gender discrimination. Bullying is a traumatic experience that will often affect a child for many years, sometimes into adulthood. Children who have been bullied will often be less confident and can often  experience difficulty at school. Gender discrimination can sometimes lead to bullying but is also evident elsewhere in the UK. Men still tend to earn more than women and still occupy a great many more CEO roles in this country. There are far more male Mps and a smaller percentage of women again in the cabinet. Explain the importance and impact of poverty on the outcomes and life chances of young people. University entrance results show that far fewer children who have grown up in poverty are entering higher education. This is a clear indicator that poverty has a negative effect on a child’s education. This can be for a number of reasons. Simply owning a car allows parents a wider choice of schools for their children to attend. Another example is whether or not the child has a workspace in order to complete homework or projects for school. Children living in poverty often live in a small house where each room is shared between several people. The more serious cases however are when children are discriminated against because of their families wealth. More often than not the first indicator of poverty will be a child’s appearance. Those children who live in poverty have a higher tendency towards poor hygiene and scruffier clothes, as their families may not own a washing machine or in more extreme cases, have any hot water. This can lead to some professionals categorising these children as underachievers, whilst their peers may pick on them which may lead to bullying. Children who live in poverty are seldom offered the luxury of things like holidays. This is especially true of holidays abroad. I once taught in a school in Bradford where none of the children, aged 8- 9, had left the city. This means they have never experienced other cultures or places and may be less likely to in later life. When those children become adults this means they are less likely to make a geographical move in order to help them out of poverty. Examples of this are rife in south Wales where there are no longer any jobs in towns such as Merthyr Tydfil. Unemployment figures have continued to rise whilst young adults are finishing school and remaining in  their home town. Describe the impact of children and young people’s experiences on the outcomes and life chances of young people. Oscar Wild said that â€Å"variety is the spice of life†. Too an extent I believe this to be true. Those children who are offered many rich and varied experiences are often more open minded when it comes to trying something new. However, the way in which children’s life chances can be most keenly affected is through a traumatic experience. Children who suffer bereavement or abuse often have issues socially and may struggle to make friends. Children who are bullied by peers, teachers or family often build a negative association with that aspect of their life and will turn down chances such as further education or families of their own. The flip side of course is if excellent care is given then children will most likely flourish and seize their opportunities. The role of the Early Years professional is to provide positive experiences for children, whilst identifying negative ones and offering support, not just to the child, but to the family as a whole. Through this the child will build in confidence and learning and will be better prepared for, and more likely to seize the opportunities that life provides.

Early Childhood Education-Learning Through the Senses Essay

As parents of young children, we often ponder which Early Childhood Program to enroll our children in. At one point in time they were non-existent. As early childhood educators emerged, programs were created. Interestingly, the Montessori approach is a specialized method created by Maria Montessori. The Montessori Method; which is widely used today was created with the focus of children learning from their environment (Morrison, 2009). Montessori’s are not aimed at talented and gifted children; this method is expressed in public and private school settings in conjunction with children attending up to age 18. In addition, Montessori serves the needs of children of all levels of mental and physical abilities (Stephenson, 2011). In 1870, Maria Montessori, the first Italian woman to secure a medical degree (Stephenson, 2011). With her degree she entered the fields of psychiatry, education and anthropology. She had a passion for young minds. She believed that children educate themselves. Montessori became a physician in 1896, attending the University of Rome psychiatric clinic. During her tenure, Dr. Montessori developed an enthusiasm for the study of children with special needs; where she also spoke on their behalf. Twenty-six years later, Maria relocated to San Lorenzo, Rome to study children without disabilities. There she observed fifty children which resulted in success. This success was recognized and spread all over, attracting travelers from all over to this remarkable case study. An in-depth explanation of what a Montessori truly is, Stephenson (2011) clearly states: A Montessori can be defined as a revolutionary method of observing and supporting the natural development of children. Montessori educational practice helps children develop creativity, problem solving,  critical thinking and time-management skills to contribute to society and the environment, and to become fulfilled persons in their particular time and place on Earth. The basis of Montessori practice in the classroom is mixed age group (3 ages- 6 ages in one class), individual choice of research and work, and interrupted concentration. Group lesson are seldom found in a Montessori classroom, but learning abounds. Since Montessori’s death, educators all over continue to implement and notice this method has worked all over the world with all kinds of children (wealthy, poor, gifted, normal, learning disabled, etc.) and environments (from slums, to elegant schools, etc. ). Maria agreed that when physical, mental, spiritual and emotional needs are met, children glow with excitement and a drive to play and work with enthusiasm, to learn, and to create. In conjunction, children exude a desire to teach, help and care for others and for their environment (Stephenson, 2011). During her lectures and travels, Maria Montessori was nominated twice for the Nobel Peace Prize. In addition to the explanation of a Montessori, the following is the Montessori Method. This method meticulously exemplifies how Montessori educators implement the method in various programs across the country. There are five basic principle associated with the Montessori Method. They are: Respect for the child, The Absorbent child, Sensitive periods, The Prepared environment and Auto-education. Respect for the children occurs when educators assist children with new projects, allowing them to learn for themselves. Giving the child room to explore their boundaries flourishes abilities for positive self- esteem (Morrison, 2009). Montessori also believed having respect for the child is a key element. She said (Morrison, 2009), As a rule, however we do not respect children. We try to force them to follow us without regard to their special needs. We are overwhelming with them, and above all, rude; and then we expect them to be submissive and well-behaved, knowing all the time how strong is their instinct of imitation and how touching their faith in and admiration of us. They will imitate us in any case. Let us treat them, therefore, with all the kindness which we would wish to help to develop in them. When it comes to a child’s mind; it can be described as a sponge. Their young minds continuously â€Å"absorb† information. Unintentionally, children cannot help but learn. In their own environments and in shared environments. The Absorbent mind refers to the idea that the minds of young children are receptive to and capable learning (Morrison, 2009). From birth to age six, these are the most important years of the absorbent mind. Shortridge (2003), compiled an essay about the absorbent mind in which Montessori states that the child learns by unconsciously taking in everything around him and actually constructs himself. Using his senses, he incarnates, or creates himself by absorbing his environment through his very act of living. Morrison (2009) adds, â€Å"What they learn depends greatly on their teachers, experiences, and environments†(Ch. 9). In the sensitive periods; learning is most likely to occur (Morrison, 2009). In our text (2009), Montessori recalls a sensitive period: A sensitive period refers to a special sensibility which a creature acquires in its infantile state, while it is still in a process of evolution. It is a transient disposition and limited to the acquisition of a particular trait. Once this trait or characteristic has been acquired, the special sensibility disappears. It is imperative for an educator to observe and ascertain sensitivity periods and sustain the proper environment. Many theorists believe this stage is considered the critical period. The critical period and the sensitive period contain a sensitive difference. The critical period mildly describes a child not receiving the â€Å"right† or enough stimuli during the window; they will be stagnant in learning in the future (Oswalt, 2008). However, theorists who believe in the sensitive period noted it would post difficulty for the childcare giver to attain what was not learned during the learning window of opportunity, still there is room for the child to learn at a later time (Oswalt, 2008). In a prepared environment it is believed children learn best. In an environment where children can do things for themselves; children are at liberty to explore materials of their own choosing. Within these prepared environments, are six principles: Freedom, Structure and Order, Beauty, Nature and Reality, Social environment and Intellectual environment (Irinyi, 2009). Freedom environment includes freedom of movement, the child must experience freedom of exploration. All of these freedom movements lead to a greater freedom (Irinyi, 2009). Structure and order in the classroom mirrors the sense of structure and order in the universe (Irinyi, 2009). A beautiful environment should suggest harmony and should invite the worker to work. Nature and reality strongly influenced Maria Montessori and believed children should actively interact with nature. Social environment promotes the freedom of children socially interacting with one another and also develop a sense of compassion and empathy for others (Irinyi, 2009). Briefly, auto-education is last principal of the Montessori Method. The prepared environment also stimulates auto-education which is the idea that children teach themselves through appropriate materials and activities (Morrison, 2009). Children who decide to â€Å"work† in the â€Å"kitchen† are able to role play as chefs and are able to make themselves and their peers something to eat. In the Early Childhood Education field, Montessori’s are not the only education program developed to focus on children’s developments. The High- Scope theory is based on Piaget, constructivism, Dewey and Vygotsky (Morrison, 2009). Children help establish curriculum. Experiences guide the programs of studies in promoting children’s active learning (Morrison, 2009). The Reggio Emilia approach founded by Loris Malaguzzi (1920-1994), a city in northern Italy, based on the philosophy and practice; that children are active of their own knowledge (Morrison, 2009). Curriculum is project oriented and learning is active. The Waldorf Education founded by Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) highlights the teaching of the whole child-head, hands, and heart (Morrison, 2009). Steiner strongly believed that education should be holistic. The study of myths, lores, and fairy tales promotes the imagination and multiculturalism (Morrison,2009). Combining all of the early childhood education programs, there is no one perfect curriculum. Today, there is a combination of all four education types being taught in school districts. Each approach is important and critical. Personally, I would agree that The Montessori Method best serves the needs because this approach allows children to grow and learn at their pace. They are not forced to retain information if the brain is not processing at the pace that is requested and required for children. Also, the environment plays a serious role in this learning and teaching process. If a child is in a stressed environment, the child is less likely to participate and socialize with his or her peers. When a child is in a peaceful or beautiful environment, the child is more inclined to interact with the world with a clear mind. Indeed, while there are multiple Early Childhood Education programs available, the Montessori Method was created with the focus of children learning from their environment (Morrison, 2009). Not to say that this particular method is paramount, but beneficial results have emerged from this program. In Head Start facilities, High- Scope, Reggio Emilia Approach, the Montessori Method and the Waldorf Education should be integrated in facilities today and for the future. References Irinyi, M. (2009, March 18). Principles of the montessori prepared environment. Retrieved from http://montessoritraining. blogspot. com/2009/03/principles-of-montessori-prepared. html Morrison, G. S. (2009). Early childhood education today. (11th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. Oswalt, A. (2008, January 17th). Senisitive periods in mental health. Retrieved from http://www. mentalhelp. net/poc/view_doc. php? type=doc&id=7923&cn=28 Shortridge, P. D. (2003). The absorbent mind and the sensitive periods. Retrieved from http://www. pdonohueshortridge. com/children/absorbent. html Stephenson, S. M. (2011). The international Montessori index. Retrieved from http://www. montessori.

Arch of titus

The Arch provides one of the few contemporary depictions of Temple period artifacts. [6][7] The seven-branched menorah and trumpets are clearly depicted. It became a symbol of the Jewish diaspora. In a later era, Pope Paul IV made it the place of a yearly oath of submission. Jews refuse to walk under it. [citation needed] The menorah depicted on the Arch served as the model for the menorah used on the emblem of the state of Israel. [citation needed]However, when the existence of modern State of Israel was formally declared, the entire Roman Jewish community spontaneously gathered by the arch and in joyful celebration, walked backwards under the arch to symbolize beginning of the long-awaited redemption from the Roman Exile. [8] The inscription in Roman square capitals reads: SENATVS POPVLVSQVE ·ROMANVS DIVO ·TITO ·DIVI ·VESPASIANI ·F(ILIO) VESPASIANO ·AVGVSTO (Senatus Populusque Romanus divo Tito divi Vespasiani filio Vespasiano Augusto) which means The Roman Senate and People (dedicate this) to the divine Titus Vespasianus Augustus, son of the divine Vespasian. The opposite side of the Arch of Titus received new inscriptions after it was restored during the pontificate of Pope Pius VII by Giuseppe Valadier in 1821. The restoration was intentionally made in travertine to differentiate between the original and the restored portions. The inscription reads: INSIGNE  · RELIGIONIS  · ATQVE  · ARTIS  · MONVMENTVM VETVSTATE  · FATISCENS PIVS  · SEPTIMVS  · PONTIFEX  · MAX(IMVS) NOVIS  · OPERIBVS  · PRISCVM  · EXEMPLAR  · IMITANTIBVS FVLCIRI  · SERVARIQVE  · IVSSIT ANNO  · SACRI  · PRINCIPATVS  · EIVS  · XXIIII (Insigne religionis atque artis, monumentum, vetustate fatiscens: Pius Septimus, Pontifex Maximus, novis operibus priscum exemplar imitantibus fulciri servarique iussit. Anno sacri principatus eius XXIV) (This) monument, remarkable in terms of both religion and art, had weakened from age: Pius the Seventh, Supreme Pontiff, by new works on the model of the ancient exemplar ordered it reinforced and preserved. †¢ In the year of his sacred rulership the 24th †¢ 1The Arch of Titus is a 1st-century honorific arch[1] located on the Via Sacra, Rome, just to the south-east of the Roman Forum. It was constructed in c. 82 AD by the Roman Emperor Domitian shortly after the death of his older brother Titus to commemorate Titus victories, including the Siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD. The Arch of Titus has provided the general model for many of the triumphal arches erected since the 16th century—perhaps most famously it is the inspiration for the 1806 Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France, completed in 1836. The arch is large with both fluted and unfluted columns, the latter being a result of 19th century restoration. [2] The spandrels on the upper left and right of the arch contain personifications of victory as winged women. Between the spandrels is the keystone, on which there stands a female on the East side and a male on the West side. [2] Detail of the central soffit coffers The soffit of the axial archway is deeply coffered with a relief of the apotheosis of Titus at the center. The sculptural program also includes two panel reliefs lining the passageway within the arch. Both commemorate the joint triumph celebrated by Titus and his father Vespasian in the summer of 71. The south panel depicts the spoils taken from the Temple in Jerusalem. The Golden Candelabra or Menorah is the main focus and is carved in deep relief. Other sacred objects being carried in the triumphal procession are the Gold Trumpets and the Table of Shew bread. [2] These spoils were likely originally colored gold, with the background in blue. [2] In 2012 the Arch of Titus Digital Restoration Project discovered remains of yellow ochre paint on the menorah relief. [3] The north panel depicts Titus as triumphator attended by various genii and lictors, who carry fasces. A helmeted Amazonian, Valour, leads thequadriga or four horsed chariot, which carries Titus. Winged Victory crowns him with a laurel wreath. [2] The juxtaposition is significant in that it is one of the first examples of divinities and humans being present in one scene together. This contrasts with the panels of the Ara Pacis, where humans and divinities are separated. [2] The sculpture of the outer faces of the two great piers was lost when the Arch of Titus was incorporated in medieval defensive walls. The attic of the arch was originally crowned by more statuary, perhaps of a gilded chariot. [2] The main inscription used to be ornamented by letters made of perhaps silver, gold or some other metal At the inside of the arch are two panels with reliefs. One depicts the triumphal procession with the spoils taken from the Second Temple in Jerusalem the seven-branched candelabrum or Menorah, the silver trumpets and the Table of the Shewbread. The other one shows Titus in a chariot accompanied by the goddess Victoria and the goddess Roma. The Arcus Titi, or Arch of Titus, was ostensibly erected to honor Titus and his father Vespasian because of their victories in the first Jewish War and their triumphal procession in AD 71. [1] The monument was built sometime after Titus’ death in AD 81. The arch sits at the eastern end of the Roman Forum at the intersection of the Sacra Via with a road leading up from the Coliseum. [2] No ancient sources describe or even mention the arch, a fact that leaves the history and interpretation of the arch with significant gaps. [1] The exact period of construction is unknown, with the majority opinion being that it was built during the reign of Titus’ brother, Domitian. [1] The arch may also have been constructed after Domitian had been assassinated, during the rule of Nerva and Trajan. [3] The arch was constructed of Pentelic marble on a travertine foundation. [1] The dimensions of this arch are 15. 4 meters tall, 13. 5 m. wide, and 4. 75 m. deep. The archway is 8. 3 m. high and 5. 36 m. wide. [1] Above the archway is a simple entablature with inscription, preserved only on the eastern, Coliseum side:

Leadership Point of View Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Leadership Point of View - Essay Example Though I have never met him personally in life, I have admired the way he runs his business and the impact of the influence that it has had in shaping the future of the corporate world. My purpose in life has been to achieve great in fulfilling my ambitions. Am an ambitious person who have set clear goals that I would like to achieve. Alongside my wish of becoming a leader in the corporate world, I would also like to strike a balance between being a business leader and a parent. I have created a life purpose statement, which I want to follow strictly. The life purpose statement is to care deeply, connect playfully, share generously, and love intensely. This will enable me to joyfully explore, learn and, grow and prosper. I also aim to be creative, brilliant, and honorably serve the highest good of all the people. I continue to follow this overtime, but generally, I feel it does a good job of summarizing what is important to me in life. I have set my core values in life, which I aim at following daily to fulfill my life purpose. One of them is to be caring. I aim to include compassion, kindness and generosity to achieve my caring attitude.my second core value is oneness. For me to achieve this core value, I must include unconditional love, connectedness, and harmony. Devotion is my third core value, which I aim at achieving. For me to achieve it I must include such characteristics as, passion, loyalty, and intensity. Fourthly, I aim to be intimate with myself and other people. I will achieve this though honesty, openness, and sharing with other people. In addition, I aim to explore more on various issues in life. I will achieve this through curiosity, leaning, and being adventures. I believe that leaders should be a source of motivation to other people. Leaders should lead others by setting examples of how they should be led. They should be understanding to their followers and teach them how to follow laid down guidelines. Moreover, leaders should be

Austin Farrer Can Myth be Fact Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Austin Farrer Can Myth be Fact - Essay Example During the early ages, the human mind was very undemanding. They had a strong belief in legends to interpret their everyday living and it was through these myths that they identified themselves. The myths which included examples of the rewards that were given to the people who were kind by the gods were implied by people in their lives. But with the passing time, want and search for knowledge led the human beings to challenge these myths. It was then left to the historians and the philosophers to work and argue regarding these legends. But immediately following this period was the emergence of Christianity which worked to save the myths. It was then explained that God had provided the mortals with a confined thought which they used to analyze the infinite truths that were given to them by God. The words that they used were a giving of God and it was through this that they constructed myths. Hence since the initial creator of the myth was God, therefore the myth must be a reality. Another justification which closely relates a myth to truth is the explanation provided by the believers who claim that God lies in the â€Å"nature† that exists around us. To strengthen this fact, it can be seen that principles exist for the physics of matter. An example to support this is the idea that the temperature at which water boils is constant. This physical law of water is not told to us by nature but it is rather through research and knowledge that we understand this fact. Hence the myths and legends are a part of everything that exists around us and these form the cultural and religious laws of nature which are to be understood and analyzed by the human beings themselves. The myths are legends which drove human beings to perform acts which would otherwise be termed as ridiculous. For instance the prayers performed by people to end a situation of drought so that water could be received. A believer in religion and God would definitely

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Auditing - Essay Example The alternative adopted by the audit assistant is the information related to the Club casino has been carefully removed as far as its referencing is concerned. On the other hand, provision for safeguarding the information of the organization may be created against the leakage of information either by the professional or any employee associated with the company.1 ii) The duties of the company secretary cannot be performed by the engagement partner of Ace Limited audit because the engagement partner is not well versed with the work performed by the company secretary of the company. Moreover, the engagement partner is already assigned the tedious task of audit reporting, maintaining relation with the client. However, an engagement partner can be linked to other companies, so the laws that the company abides by should not be disclosed to an external individual as this may violate the law of confidentiality. As an alternative course of action to this violation the company should safeguard itself by appointing any close member from the company itself, like the internal auditor of the company. This way less chances will be there for the internal information of the company to leak out.2 i) Slipway Limited is in a situation where the company is facing constant decline for the past two years and the scope of cost cutting also seems difficult due to the purchase of imported machineries. These machineries were purchased so as to increase falling operations by carrying out the operations of the company more effectively. The bank providing loans to the company may be at whelm of an audit risk, whereby the documents of the company have every possibility of being overstated than the actual financial statements of the company. The audit risk particularly affects the transaction in the financial statement of accounts which portrays wrong information about the current financial position of the organization. However, the three

Homework Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 25

Homework - Assignment Example Parametric cost estimation works for cost estimation because it is more accurate as compared to analogous cost estimation (Pinto 2010). Considering every unit is billed accordingly, a good project manager should have a rough idea of how long the project will take, if the project is billed with time, or how many people will undertake a certain project and how much each is paid, and therefore, depending on how close the estimation is, the accuracy presented by parametric estimation makes it very efficient, unlike analogous cost estimation. Bottom-up budgeting is very time consuming and takes away control of the top-level management (Pinto 2010). This may eventually lead to straying for the initial project goals. It is however very detailed covering a large chunk of the project details. Ultimately, Top-down budgeting is preferred as it gives control to the top management of the company, thus project goals are more often than not, met. Since it also draws on historical project cost, it takes much less time as compared to Bottom-up budgeting. It however can result in misunderstandings between the top, mid-level and lower-level management as it results in a zero-sum game, since managers would benefit from the loss of some of their

Be Fit or Be Out of Favor at CFI Westgate Coursework

Be Fit or Be Out of Favor at CFI Westgate - Coursework Example ive power, he made his policies legal and further made clear that the organization had the power to fire employees who would not comply with the new policy. In fact, his tactic is not consistent and cannot meet role expectations as it does not influence followers’ attitude. 2. Siegel’s idea of weight loss contest seems to have better effects when compared with his no-smoking policy results. The main reason is that he himself lost more than 20 pounds in a few years and thereby aroused inspiration among others in this respect. However, Siegel’s coercive style and thoughtless comments have far reaching adverse effects on employees’ morale. Although his objective is genuine and it can bring forth tremendous positive changes throughout the organization, the way he approaches the matter flaws in several respects. Since obesity is often a medical condition that involves genetic factors other than life style problems, one cannot lose weight overnight complying with a new policy. Siegel should find out better options that can trigger enthusiasm among employees. He can be successful in achieving this goal only if his persuasion becomes rational enough with factual evidence and logical arguments. In other words, his idea regarding weight loss should have inspirational

American History (Political Parties) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

American History (Political Parties) - Essay Example It is also important to realize that the party leadership originally consisted of the former anti-slavery members of the Whig Party and the Democratic Party and they argued that free men on free soil was a superior system to slavery, in view of moral and economic aspects of the system. When the Free Soil Party evolved in the 1840s, it functioned as a third party which developed out of the split between pro- and anti-slavery movements. "National politics was controlled primarily by two parties, Democratic and Whig. Within both parties there were supporters and opponents of slavery, and the issue became more heated as the U.S. added territory. Proponents of slavery wanted to extend it into the newly acquired territories, while opponents wanted the territories to remain free. The issue grew especially heated among members of the state Democratic Party in New York." (Free-Soil Party) This is the platform upon which the Free-Soil Party was established in August 1848 at a meeting of anti-s lavery members of the Whig Party and the Liberty Party. The most important slogan of the Free Soil Party was "free soil, free speech, free labor, and free men" and it rigorously opposed the extension of slavery into the western territories. The Free Soil Party, though a short-lived political party, illustrates the Second Party System in the U.S. ... The historians and political scientists refer to the Second Party System to name the political party system which was in existence in the United States from about 1828 to 1854. The First Two-Party System in the U.S. politics incorporated the Federalists and the Republicans during 1780s - 1801. During the period 1836 - 1850, the Second Two-Party System was in place incorporating the Democrats, led by Andrew Jackson, and the Whigs, under the leadership of Henry Clay. The minor parties during this period included the Anti-Masonic Party, the abolitionist Liberty Party, and the anti-slavery Free Soil Party in 1848 and 1852. There have been several pertinent reasons for the death of the Second Party System and one of the major reasons is the Kansas-Nebraska Act and new political parties. "The Kansas-Nebraska Act fatally weakened America's second two-party system, splitting both parties along regional lines. Northern Whigs found themselves at odds with southern members of the party; souther n Whigs abandoned the party altogether to join the Democrats, who were more clearly supporting slavery. Many Northern Democrats were increasingly sympathetic to parties like the Free Soilers. At the same time, several new political parties emerged, all of which spoke mostly regional issues. By 1856, there were no longer any national political parties." (Schultz, 224) Therefore, there are various pertinent reasons behind the Death of the Second Two Party System and new political parties arose in place of this system included the Anti-Masonic Party, the abolitionist Liberty Party, and the anti-slavery Free Soil Party. It is important to realize that America's Second Two-Party System was destroyed mainly due to the

The influnce of Socrates and Plato on ancient philosophy and modern Essay

The influnce of Socrates and Plato on ancient philosophy and modern western philosophy - Essay Example Nonetheless, Socrates was a well-known and contentious personality in ancient Greece. Socrates was a philosopher of ancient Greece who is acknowledged for establishing the basics of modern Western philosophy. Socrates has had a vast influence on ancient Greek or, generally, on Western philosophy, together with apprentices Plato and Aristotle. Even though most of the influence of Socrates is in the field of ethics, his contribution to the discipline of logic and epistemology is notable as well. On the other hand, the contributions of Plato to Western philosophy, such as his most celebrated masterpiece, the Republic, are widely considered as presenting the personal philosophy of Plato, where the primary character effectively represents Plato himself. His contributions merge metaphysics, epistemology, political philosophy, ethics, and moral psychology into a methodical and unified philosophy (Tejera, 1997). This reflective piece will discuss the contributions to and influences of Socrat es and Plato on their own societies and how they perceive and challenge their social realities. This reflective piece will also include the influences of Classical philosophy, specifically of Socrates and Plato, on contemporary philosophy. This reflection will be based on the two videos entitled ‘Ancient Greece: Socrates and Plato’ and ‘Great Books: Plato’s Republic’. ... The Greeks exercised their ingenious potentials to enlighten experience by resorting to architecture, comedy, history, art, and tragedy. However, their artistic potentials were also exercised to ‘create’ philosophy, named the ‘love of wisdom’ (Tejera, 1997). Philosophy, on the whole, emerged when the Greeks realized their discontentment with legendary and mystical accounts of reality. Eventually, Greek philosophers started to think that there was a coherent, rational, or valid order to the universe. Socrates, the most brilliant and righteous citizen of Athens to have ever existed, came out among the Sophists; what can be certain about the life and actual influence of Socrates to his society was that he was noteworthy for being a living example of his own teachings. Asking for no payment, Socrates began and ruled a debate wherever the bright and young would pay attention, and people sought his counsel on issues of educational dilemmas and practical behavior. The young people of Athens gathered to beside him as he traveled the directions of the agora (Taylor, 2000). These Athenian youths adhered to his every teachings and ideals. The influence of Socrates on his society is immeasurable. Plato revered his mentor and was the main biographer of Socrates’s life and influence. The influence of Socrates is evidently proven by the fact that academics are predisposed to separate Greek philosophy into the Pre-Socratic era and the period after Socrates. Socrates looks for the absolute, perpetual, permanent ‘truth’ or ‘reality’ underneath the obvious ironies. The main transformation Socrates set off was the shift of emphasis from nature to human essence. The exploration of Socrates for the ultimate

Architecture Research Paper Kansai International Airport Essay Example for Free

Architecture Research Paper Kansai International Airport Essay The Kansai International Airport designed by architect Renzo Piano is a very fascinating and unique building. It construction combines a man-made island, a high-tech new age looking structure and creative architectural design to create one of the biggest and most expensive airports in the world as seen to right in (Figure-1a). Human use of Kansai Airport is best expressed by the lecture topics discussed in class that include: Designation and Organization of Use, Architectural Determinism, Humanism at a Personal Scale, and Humanism at the Scale of Neighborhoods / Communities/Bureaucracies and Meaning in Architecture. In the Professor Speck’s class lecture over Designation and Organization of Use, there are many themes that I feel parallel with the design of Kansai International Airport. In lecture Professor Speck said that the overall environment a building is in encourages both the behavioral aspects and the physical environment, which in turn alters the shape behavior of the building. This statement correlates perfectly to Kansai Airport, because first of all the building is built of the coast of Osaka, Japan on a made-island. So before the building is built there is already a sense of behavioral and physical difference that sets it apart from other buildings. According to the lecture space is designated for three reasons. The first reason being the practicality of the designated space, then the injection of certain cultural values and taboos and finally the intrinsic human need to claim pace- intervals and community. Also, he said that when architects are planning the zoning for building they consider time, efficiency and machines. Kansai Airport was built because of a need for a big international airport; however, Piano had to find an alternate location due to the crowdedness of the Osaka Bay area. Thus, he used the theme of designation and organization use to come to the conclusion of a manmade island. Piano decision for the island can be compared to early American houses expressed in the book The Place Houses. In the book the authors describe how the early houses in New England, Virginia and Deep South differed in design to help adapt to there environment. However, after Piano solved the problem of where the airport would be built he still had to decide how long to make the island so it could house the massive structure. The final decision was for the island to be four kilometers long and one kilometer wide. The Phaidon Press describes this well in the book On Tour with Renzo Piano when they write, â€Å"Projects such as Kansai International Airport are so large in scale that they are almost impossible to grasp. †(p. 7). The size of the island is seen from an aerial view above in (Figure 2-a). Architectural Determinism, as mentioned by Professor Speck, played an important role in the design and construction of the Kansai Airport. The interior of the building is very easy to navigate around. Transparent glass helps calm people down and at the same time speed up the process of arrival and departure. The long and narrow design allows for a nearly infinite field of vision, creating a stress free and carefree environment. This is described well in the book Renzo Piano when Emilo Pizzi writes, â€Å"The desire to maximize transparency between the various areas allocated to embarkation and arrival procedures mans that precedence is given at every point to the passengers need to find their way, as well as enabling them to see the planes parked in front of the building through windows. † (p. 228). Rather than some buildings where people can feel like a needle in hay stack and get lost easily, Kansai International is very easy to navigate through even with its massive size. The transparency of the interior that results in easy and efficiency of movement from one place to another is apparent in (Figure 3-a) right and above. The next issue presented in lecture related to the Kansai Airport is Humanism at a Personal Scale. The assortment of different kinds of plant life inside the terminal give let the airport connect with the people walking through it. The plants help to offset the cold, unwelcoming feeling that is given off by the vast amount of steel, high ceiling and open spaces. Also helping to offset this unwelcoming feeling is the beautiful view of the Osaka Bay. The large glass windows combined with sun reflecting off the water allows a lot of natural light into the terminal. As expressed in the book The Place of Houses natural light helps give a warm vivid feeling to room that will stay in our minds long after we walk out of that room. Another small but import feature of Kansai Airport is the small signs that give directions. While all airports have these signs, they are especially important particularly in this massive terminal. Convenience of restaurants and stores also helps the airport to connect to the people walking through it on a more personal scale. This range of activities helps everyone that is arriving or departing feel a little bigger in such a enormous place. All of the small tributaries from the restaurants, stores, etc. lead to a â€Å"canyon† area that is the focal point of the terminal. Again this is to try and make arrival and departure run more smoothly. This is explained well in the book Renzo Piano when Emilo Piano writes, â€Å"Inside, the different levels convene into the â€Å"canyon,† a tall atrium occupying the fall of the height of the building, which acts as a sorting point for those arriving or disembarking off the planes. † (p. 28). The importance of focus is also cited in the book The Place of Houses, which says that the â€Å"focus† of a room is one of the most important and critical characteristics, because they (foci) are meant help to organize the room around the center of interest. In this case is canyon is both the center of interest and the â€Å"gateway† to the re st of the terminal. In (Figure 4-a) right and above one can clearly see how the â€Å"canyon† along with the massive signs help to make Kansai International Airport more manageable and how it helps to cater to people on a more humanistic and personal scale. Humanism at the Scale of Neighborhoods/Communities/Bureaucracies is the next issue I will discuss and its connection with the Kansai International Airport. I think that buzzing, busy atmosphere makes the people in the terminal feel warm and jovial. While it could be argued that to many persons walking scurrying through the airport at the same time could be disturbing and annoying, I think that like the plants, stores and restaurant the sea of people helps to fill the gigantic inside space of the terminal. However, if Kansai were compared to a city I would definitely compare it to one of the larger metropolises in the US, simply because of number of people and the crowded feeling it gives off. I think that the feel in the terminal would be like an exaggerated effect of what west campus is like during the afternoon of a school day. Both require a lot of walking and there is almost no opportunity to drive an automobile through either. Although I do not believe that Kansai Airport is necessarily a bad environment, it is certainly not a nurturing one. In lecture Professor Speck pointed out that there are eight principles of nurturing communities. They are as follows, convenience, wide range of articles, wide range of activities, sense of human presence, personal human scale, variety of visual experiences, freedom from intrusion of disturbance and natural relief. In my opinion Kansai Airport satisfies all of them except for intrusion of distraction, which is definitely does not satisfy because of the mass amounts of people. Emilo Pizzi explains this well in Renzo Piano when we he writes, â€Å"The place seems to evoke the turmoil of Japanese cities, but also the spirit of a millenary civilization†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 228). Although Kansai is not terrible as far as its Humanism at the Scale of Neighborhood/Communities/Bureaucracies is concerned it is definitely not as personable as the examples given in lecture, such as Kresege College in California, Byker, Newcastle-upon-Tyne in England, Tapiola New Town, Finland or the Crown Fountain, Millennium Park, Chicago. The final issue that Professor Speck discussed about in lecture was the Meaning of Architecture. The issue begins with the visual culture progression in the past fifty years leading to both greater reading comprehension and greater visual comprehension; architecture had to progress as well. Thus, architects started to use certain ways to â€Å"communicate† these ways of communication include Literal Direct Communication (LDC), Literal Indirect Communication (LIC) and Abstract. An example of LDC is a billboard of a cow with the caption â€Å"eat more,† so physically the meat is depicted. An example of LIC would be a picture of Bevo with the caption â€Å"We’re Texas. † Finally Abstract is defined as depicting certain feeling, colors, shapes, etc. I believe that Kansai International Airport is a combination of LDC and Abstract, because it looks like an airport with runways, planes, etc. but also is made of very unique shapes that set it apart from any other building. The uniqueness of Kansai that make it abstract are demonstrated well in Renzo Piano when Emilo Pizzi writes, â€Å"From the air, the building looks like a shining flag that cheerfully greets the traveler from the vast artificial island. The image stays in the mind when, having landed, the plane comes to a halt in front of the large metallic facade of the building. † (p. 224). A visual Kansai is flag-like structure and its Abstract communication is clearly depicted in (Figure 5-a) below. In conclusion, Professor Speck discussed many issues in lecture that distinguished the human and personal use of buildings all over the globe. The issues consisted of : Designation and Organization of Use, Architectural Determinism, Humanism at Personal Scale, Humanism at the Scale of Neighborhoods/ Communities/Bureaucracies and Meaning in Architecture. These issues/topics are especially vital in expressing the personal and human architectural use of Kansai International Airport. Theses issue give a small sample of truly how creative and unique Kansai Airport’s Architect Renzo Piano is and how impressive and world renounced Kansai International is by both world-class architects and just the every day observer alike. This airport with its manmade island and unique high-tech look will always be remembered and will mostly definitely used as a model for airports and other buildings in the future.

Alternatives to Proprietary Digital Forensics for SMEs

Alternatives to Proprietary Digital Forensics for SMEs Realistic alternative to expensive  Proprietary Digital Forensics  and Security products for SMEs. Alan David Blais Abstract Organisations have recently developed an awareness about the necessity of having their systems secure and protected from external as well as internal threats. This sudden awareness is believed to be due to recent major events about breaches and security issues faced by many organisations. The consequences of these breaches and security issues had so many negative impacts that it has created a real awareness. Although the UK is among the leading countries in this regard Europe, it still has a long way to go, according to training director for the Sans Securing The Human Program, Lance Spitzner. (Cybersecurity Awareness SANS 2015) Many organisations have already invested very considerable amount of money into making their systems securer while other are still thinking whether investing money in security has a return on investment (ROI) or not. On the other hand, for small and medium enterprises (SME), it is an entirely different story, with the world financial crisis, it is already particularly difficult for SME to survive, and some of them are struggling to keep their companies running and many of them cannot afford the cost for improving the security of their system as it should be. Most of them, try to use short-term fix like cheap firewall and anti-virus, free patches and updates despite knowing that having a single/some layer/s of security is not enough. Some of the SMEs also uses free available tools and applications but most of these tools are specialised in only one aspect of security, thus several different applications are needed to provide better security. It is difficult to manage several different tools and applications at the same time. This projects aims at finding a solution to solve the above mentioned problem by designing a software/platform for managing different tools and applications remotely using the designed software/platform. 1. Background – 2 Pages 1.1 Introduction According to a new study on the main causes of European privacy, breaches come from organisations own errors, insider abuse and other internal mismanagement issues. The director of the study, P. Howard believe that only 41% of the incidents reported are external attacks by hackers and that 57% of the incidents which were caused by administrative error, exposed online, insiders or caused by missing hardware configuration. (Most European Breaches Caused by Organizational Error, Insider Attacks 2015) Based on the above study findings, we can therefore assume that having proper internal security mechanism within an organisation can significantly reduce the number of incidents. Despite knowing that, some organisations are still not improving their security as it should be. The main reason is the cost associated to security; some people at management level still think that investing on security has no direct impact on the main objective of business which is to make profit. It is true that many organisations awareness about security have recently changed due to the consequences of breaches on other organisations but Cyber Security awareness is still in its infancy in most organisations and not all organisations can afford the cost associated to security, Small and medium enterprises are generally not able to afford it. Moreover, much of the software available on the market focus on one particular aspect of security rather than having a single platform that caters for different aspect of security at an affordable price for SMEs. It seems that a growing trend is growing within SMEs, which is the use of open source software (An evaluation of open source software adoption by UK SMEs in the IT industry.) such as Volatility. But even that, it is not an efficient way to manage several applications all at the same time. A possible solution would be to use an application as a platform for using other open source software with the capability of managing all these remotely. This project is about designing that platform to provide incident response, digital forensics, host and network security as well as malware analysis capability. The platform will provide all the above mentioned capability remotely and having a server-client architecture. 1.2 Relevant past and current work Alien Vault has a software which provides a platform to manage different aspect of security all on one platform called Unified Security Management (USM). The software is a commercial one and provides the management of tools which themselves are commercial software whereas this project aims at using available free software and in-house built features to provide a platform for managing different aspects of security at an affordable price. Below is the management features available in Alien Vault USM and other traditional SIEM. As we can see from both screen capture, many traditional SIEM require 3rd party product to provide some features. Below are the security features provided by alien vault. The USM provides a single platform for managing and monitoring different aspect of security. 2. Project Description – 1 Page 2.1 Project Overview This project aims at designing a platform for managing open source and free applications/tools as well as providing in-house built features. The platform will be dealing with different aspect of security such as incident response, digital forensics, host and network security and malware analysis. The digital forensics capability will be the central part of the project from which incident response and malware analysis will be derived from. The host and network security will be on top of the base structure which comprises the three other aspects. The digital forensics and malware analysis can be split further at a high level view as we can see from the diagram to the left side. Live and static forensics for digital forensics on the other hand Static and dynamic analysis for malware analysis. 2.2 Importance of this project Security should be the concern of everybody, SMEs should be given alternative option to expensive security products to enable them to provide more secure services to clients, which in-directly or directly can affects anybody. This project aims at providing a cost effective solution by providing a platform to manage open source tools and application. The main assumption will be, despite knowing that free applications and tools have limitations, it is a better option than having no security at all or limited one due to having a limited budget for security. 2.3 Aims and Objectives It is important in a project to properly design the aims and objectives since it allows the setting up of the directionthe direction in which the project must go through. Objectives allow us to measure and assess the outcome of the project. Please refer to Appendix A for the aims and objectives. 3. Programme and methodology – 3 Pages 3.1 Spiral Methodology The spiral methodology seems to be the best option to suit the project. The spiral methodology as compared to waterfall methodology has the advantage of demonstrating that development projects work best when they are both incremental and iterative, where the development is able to start small and benefit from enlightened trial and error along the way. The spiral methodology reflects the relationship of tasks with rapid prototyping, increased parallelism, and concurrency in designing and building activities. The spiral method should still be planned methodically, with tasks and deliverables identified for each step in the spiral. Throughout the entire project we are going to use the spiral methodology for the design and development of the software/platform. The next part of this section will be the planning of tasks and deliverables as well as expected Milestone. Why do you think the spiral best suits your project? Not the other methodology give concrete examples. 3.2 Project Management 3.2.1 Budget Planning 3.2.1.1 Milestone The table below is just an estimation of how much time each task will take and gives us enough information to plan the project in a more realistic way. Generally tasks will be performed in parallel rather than in a linear way which has its advantages and disadvantage such as time saving and whereby some tasks must be completed prior to some other tasks. 3.2.1.2 Gantt Chart Please find below a Gantt chart representing the planned tasks over the budget allocated to us. 3.3 Project Approach The first part of the project will focus on the literature review where we are going to analyse tools, applications and process/features which are relevant to the project. The next part, we will be talking about why the features/applications/tools might be important for SMEs and their security from a technical and non-technical perspective. The third step will be to developed the features and integrate the tools/applications within the designed platform. The final step will be the testing and documenting of the results obtained and makes sure that the aims and objectives are satisfied. 4. Ethical and Legal Consideration – 1 page Before starting a project, it is crucial to properly understand the internal policies of the organisation you are developing something for and any local laws that might apply to the project. Some features of the project might invade the privacy of the users which in our case will be employees. It is a good practise to have policies about the possibility of company’s resources being monitored and might be investigated without prior notice or user permission but this might not be enough in a trial. One alternative would be to make sure the company where we are going to implement this project displays a well-defined warning banner. Without a banner, the right to investigate or monitor a system used by employees might conflict with user’s expectation of privacy. The EU and its member nations which include UK impose a strict fine for information that crosses national boundaries without the person’s consent. 4.1 Law in UK According to the UK Government’s website (https://www.gov.uk/data-protection-your-business/monitoring-staff-at-work), it is possible for employer to monitor employees at workplace if the below conditions are met: Be clear about the reasons for monitoring staff and the benefits that this will bring. Identify any negative effects the monitoring may have on staff. This is called an impact assessment. Consider whether there are any, less intrusive, alternatives to monitoring. Work out whether the monitoring is justified, taking into account all of the above. Monitoring employees’ activities on a computer system is cover by the data protection act. Data protection law doesnt prevent monitoring in the workplace. However, it does set down rules about the circumstances and the way in which monitoring should be carried out. Based on UK law, it is also for employers to monitor their employees without their consent for specific reasons. (Please refer to Appendix B for the reasons) 4.2 Ethics The question about whether it is ethical to monitor or investigate on employees can be debate on different point of view which can include the privacy of users, the need to protect client’s data, to provide reliable and trustful services to client by minimising the risks of external as well as internal threats such as insiders. But at the end of the day, the majority always win over the minority, what would be more ethical? Monitoring hundreds of employees or having more than one million client’s credit card details unprotected from insiders? 5. Impact 0.5 – 0.75 page 5.1 National Importance Services provided by SMEs such as data storage, client’s data management, POS information management, companies’ secret industrial process and many others will be more secure since the SMEs will improve on their security using a cost saving solution and providing several layers of security. Risks associated to insiders will be minimised. 5.2 Commercial Impact The platform could be sold at an affordable price or via a donation mechanism. The money can then be used for developing new features, improves existing features and provide upgrades. 5.3 Academic Impact This project can provide a platform for further research opportunity such as: Research can be done about why despite knowing that security is crucial still SMEs are not improving their security? Cost associated with security products? The assessment of the impacts on security in general if security products were cheaper and easily available for on SMEs. Does security improved if managed and monitored using a single platform rather than using several different security products (Efficiency and conflict arise when using several security products). References Cyber security awareness still in its infancy, says Sans Institute. 2015.Cyber security awareness still in its infancy, says Sans Institute. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240234932/Cyber-security-awareness-still-in-its-infancy-says-SANS-Institute. [Accessed 18 May 2015]. Information Security Awareness Training | Cybersecurity Awareness | SANS. 2015.Information Security Awareness Training | Cybersecurity Awareness | SANS. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.securingthehuman.org/. [Accessed 18 May 2015]. Study Finds Most European Breaches Caused by Organizational Error, Insider Attacks | The State of Security. 2015.Study Finds Most European Breaches Caused by Organizational Error, Insider Attacks | The State of Security. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.tripwire.com/state-of-security/latest-security-news/study-finds-most-european-breaches-caused-by-organizational-error-insider-attacks/. [Accessed 18 May 2015]. Brunel University Research Archive: An evaluation of open source software adoption by UK SMEs in the IT industry. 2015.Brunel University Research Archive: An evaluation of open source software adoption by UK SMEs in the IT industry. [ONLINE] Available at:http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/4509. [Accessed 18 May 2015]. Brian Buffett, UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2014)Factors influencing open source software adoption in public sector national and international statistical organisations, [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/stats/documents/ece/ces/ge.50/2014/Topic_1_UNESCO.pdf [Accessed: 18 May 2015]. SME’s help Governments make huge IT savings. — PretaGov. 2015.SME’s help Governments make huge IT savings. — PretaGov. [ONLINE] Available at:https://www.pretagov.co.uk/news/sme2019s-help-governments-make-huge-it-savings. [Accessed 18 May 2015]. How SMEs can drive growth through new technologies. 2015.How SMEs can drive growth through new technologies. [ONLINE] Available at:http://yourbetterbusiness.co.uk/how-smes-can-drive-growth-through-new-technologies/. [Accessed 18 May 2015]. Unified Security Management (USM) Platform. 2015.Unified Security Management (USM) Platform. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.alienvault.com/products. [Accessed 19 May 2015]. James R. Chapman 1997, Software Development Methodology, Project Management Training. [ONLINE] Available: http://www.hyperthot.com/pm_sdm.htm [Accessed 19 May 2015] NELSON, B., PHILLIPS, A. ET STEUART, C , 2010. Guide to Computer Forensics and Investigations. 4th Edition. Course Technology Data protection and your business GOV.UK. 2015.Data protection and your business GOV.UK. [ONLINE] Available at:https://www.gov.uk/data-protection-your-business/monitoring-staff-at-work. [Accessed 20 May 2015]. Monitoring at work Citizens Advice . 2015.Monitoring at work Citizens Advice. [ONLINE] Available at:https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/rights-at-work/monitoring-at-work/. [Accessed 21 May 2015]. Appendix – A A1 Aims of the project Please find below the aims of the project: Provide a cost effective IT Security solution. Provide security in its different aspects all under one platform. Provide remote management capability. A2 Objectives of the project Please find below the objectives of the project: Secure communication between server and clients. Ability to monitor and detect suspected behaviour/activities. Ability to remotely manage clients from server (Platform). Ability to capture relevant information from clients to server for investigation. Ability to provide Confidentiality and integrity on clients. More detailed and technical objectives are to be derived at a later stage of the project, which will in-turn be translated into features that will be provided by the platform. Appendix – B B1 – Reasons for monitoring employees To establish facts which are relevant to the business, to check that procedures are being followed, or to check standards, for example, listening in to phone-calls to assess the quality of your work To prevent or detect crime. To check for unauthorised use of telecommunications systems, such as whether you are using the internet or email for personal use. To make sure electronic systems are operating effectively, for example, to prevent computer viruses entering the system. To check whether a communication you have received, such as an email or phone-call is relevant to the business. In this case, your employer can open up your emails or listen to voice-mails but is not allowed to record your calls. To check calls to confidential help lines. In this case, your employer can listen in, but is not allowed to record these calls in the interests of national security.

Character Analysis Of Shakespeares Plays English Literature Essay

Character Analysis Of Shakespeares Plays English Literature Essay It is common knowledge that Shakespeares characters are very complex. A great number of Shakespeares protagonists are situated at the intersection of public and private, namely public life and private life. This is a statement which applies to most of his historical or tragic characters, especially those who oscillate between being a king and being a father, a son, a husband, a man. His history plays portray antithetical characteristic features and the inner turmoil which takes place due to the tension, the conflict between public and private life. Generally speaking, this is only the ideal of a king, because in most cases there is a strong symbiosis between the public and the private lives of a man, which can only highlight the conflicts between the two dimensions. A king has to deal with state affairs, but once he is a husband and a father, he also has to take into account his family. Vice versa, once a married man becomes king, he has to learn how to make the difference between his private and his public life without letting them interfering. Nevertheless, this is not always valid in all Shakespeares plays. To begin with, In King Lear, for example, the action of the play lays mainly in the sphere of family and portraits the relationship between parents and children. The main character of the play is Lear, an old king who decides that it would be better if he resigned and divided his kingdom among his three daughters. He is guilty of not making the difference between his public and his private life. Moreover, Lear is not only a father; he is also a monarch, which means he has both a public and a private life. In his private life, he has the right to become old and ill but, as a king, oldness and sickness must not affect his public persona. It appears that his familys problems interfere with the kingdoms ones since they involve the heirs of the country. Not knowing his daughters triggers problems to the kingdom. At the beginning of the play, it is revealed that Lear values appearances above reality and he is unable to distinguish them thus, in his public life, he has to deal with the consequences of his mistakes from his private life. He expects to hear flattery from his daughters even if what they say is nothing but a lie. Furthermore, he still wants to be treated as a king but he does not want to take full responsibility regarding the kingdom. Probably this happens because he wants to spend more time in his private life than in the public one. At the opening of the play, Lear considers public self more important than the private self, trying to do what is best for his kingdom, but without disregarding his family. What he wants is a peaceful kingdom in which his three daughters reign without battles, helping each other. As the reader progresses throughout the play, he discovers that, until the end, the importance of the two selves becomes reversed. When Lear is finally rejoined with Cordelia in a moment of privacy, he has no interest in his public life. There is a striking change of priorities in Lears life, a major contrast in Lear at the beginning of the play and Lear portrayed before his death. Secondly, a similar situation can be encountered in Hamlet. The homonymous character has to learn how to balance his two personas: the public one, the one of being prince and the private one, being the son. This character deepens so much in his obsession, in his private life, that he forgets about his public one. To him, it does not matter that he is the prince of Denmark and the future king, all that he wants is to prove his uncles culpability. Being obsessed with discovering and then revealing the truth, Hamlet is no longer interested in the aspects which are threatening the country, being concerned only with the problems in his family: the death of his father, his mothers immediate marriage. His private life is totally overwhelmed with his decision to unmask the culprit in such a way that he no longer treasures what he loves. He rejects Ophelia and treats her as if she meant nothing to him, hurting her and he accuses his mother of not being loyal to his father. Hamlet exposes his true feelings through his soliloquies in which the reader can cast a glance in his soul and discover his private thoughts. Hamlet feels disappointed because so much he loved and cherished his father, that he is unable to accept the fact that his mother actually remarried. He is a man who does not avoid to confront his own imperfections and who refuses illusions and fake ideals. His inner thoughts are in contradiction with his public actions. He is thoughtful and philosophical, thinking about life, afterlife, about his suicide, but when he has to act, he does it impulsively, hurting and disturbing the ones surrounding him. His plan of unmasking his uncle is constructed in a clever and allusive way. What results is the fact that Claudius feels unconformable at the sight of Hamlets innuendos and exposes himself by leaving the room. Thirdly, the theme of public and private lives also appears in Richard II. The major character enjoys kingship without really involving himself in the states affairs. Although, at the beginning of the play, he may look like a devoted king, he start losing his kingship when he feels threatened by Henrys army, ending with giving away his crown before dying. Shakespeare wrote more other plays in which this situation is dramatized, most of them having a tragic end. The reader will find the conflict between public and private lives in plays such Othello, Troilus and Cressida, Macbeth or Julius Caesar. Finally, being both a king and a man is not quite a simple matter. One must understand that being the king means representing the desires and wishes of the entire realm, the entire people, their wishes being more important than the kings since the monarch is the embodiment of his subjects. A king has to understand that the peoples problems are more important than his and that he must place his public life above his private self, his political persona being superior to the private one. A king must fully understand his position in the state. Not observing this rule may cause chaos to the kingdom, may conduct to him losing his crown. Characters such as Lear, Richard II or Hamlet do not understand their position and this causes problems to the kingdom.

My Philosophy of Teaching :: Philosophy of Education

Philosophy of Education Every high school student who plans to continue his or her education at a college or university has a reason. Some have plans to become doctors or lawyers. Other students have plans to become one of the most important members of our society, even more important than the president. Those students have plans of becoming a teacher. I am one such student. All my life, all I have ever wanted to do was teach. I loved school, for the most part. I had several teachers whom I adored. Many a summer day or snow day was spent playing school with my sister, and I was nearly always the teacher. It was a â€Å"job† I loved to have. Now, with each passing day, I am one step closer to realizing my dream of becoming an elementary teacher. I want to become a sixth grade teacher, instilling in my class the importance of education, but making the learning process fun and interesting for them at the same time. Too many students have teachers who lack the ability to hold their interest, or to make learning enjoyable for them. I want to become the exact opposite of that teacher. I believe that the overall purpose of education is to prepare our nation’s children for the various roles they will play in society, from friend to co-worker to supervisor. All the subjects I will be teaching should be preparing them for what they will become in the future: the doctor, the secretary, the computer analyst, or the teacher. But I also want to help them prepare for the social aspects of life: the mother, the father, the friend, or leader. Without the knowledge they need for whatever field they head into in life, they will not succeed, just as without the knowledge of how to be a good listener or a leader, can cause them to fail in social situations. I hope that I can show my students through my actions that it’s important to be patient and kind, even if you aren’t feeling patient or kind.

Childrens Songs Popularity in 1918 :: Influenza Songs Essays

Children's Songs' Popularity in 1918 A brief review of the historical year of 1918 when people were informed to take precaution against influenza, while their children came up with a catchy tune for the "worst epidemic the United States has ever known"1 and comparing it with the influenza of today. PHILADELPHIA-- I had a little bird, Its name was Enza, I opened the window In 'flu' Enza. What is the truth behind the song mentioned above that children sing so often during those days? Ironic how the soldiers who came home from the war not only brought life, for they came back alive, but also brought what will soon become the death of so many. It all started in March of the year 1918 in which at Fort Riley located in the state of Kansas, an Army private reported symptoms such as headache, fever, as well as sore throat. It seemed like mild symptoms but by noon the count of soldiers who were ill of the same symptoms totaled up to one-hundred.2 Doctors everywhere were puzzled about what might be causing this illness. What soon came to be known as the Spanish influenza came also to be known as the "worst epidemic the United States has ever known." More soldiers from the war died from this influenza than from combat on the field. One of the earliest victims of the flu came from sailors who resided on the Receiving Ship at Commonwealth Pier in Boston (August 1918) in which the situation gave the flu the advantage of eventually spreading throughout the civilian population. But of course, people were first advised that there was nothing to worry about. According to "Dr. William Hassler, Chief of San Francisco's Board of Health had gone so far as to predict that the flu would not even reach the city."3 But within such urban, crowded cities such as Boston and Philadelphia, it was inevitable that this illness would turn into an epidemic. In Philadelphia of September 1918, new cases of influenza were recorded from the civilian population days after a parade. As a result, Philadelphia was forced to admit that the city has fallen under the Spanish influenza epidemic.4 The severity of this epidemic began to become apparent and so precautions were made--any public places in which crowds of people were able to accumulate were considered "off limits.

(Written in Outline Format) Computers: A Necessary Evil :: Technology

COMPUTERS AS A NECESSARY EVIL DEFINITION: First of all NECESSARY EVILS means that though a particular subject or issue that affects human life might contain some disadvantages to it that does not rule out the fact that its advantages have a much stronger basis for it to be utilized. INTRODUCTION: In this modern day and age, the Computer era has seemed to revolutionize the concept of Industrialization thus affecting all humans in one way or another. Without them modern man would have had to evolve at a much slower pace since with the aid of computers certain aspects of work can be completed with precise accuracy. To maximize the benefits and minimize the harms those making decisions about the implementation of computer systems must be sensitive to the problems as the advantages. â€Å"It has a colossal qualitative defect that springs directly from its quantitative virtues. It increases probability and it decreases possibility† -Lewis Mumford EFFECTS IMPACT OF COMPUTER ON PEOPLE 1) POSITIVE IMPLICATIONS a) Job opportunities in areas of programming, computer operations and information system management. b) Greater job satisfaction, this is done by tackling of interesting problems that seemed impossible until the dawn of the computer era. c) Businesses today rely on computer technology to assist them in almost every area of corporate life. Computers have invaded grocery stores, fast food restaurants, big businesses and small offices. They process data, store information, work out complex mathematical problems, track inventory, and even control temperature and lighting in office buildings. Reliance on the high-speed digital computer is so complete that the world of commerce would break up to a sudden stop if computers were removed. d) Use by Public Organizations, through avoiding waste and improving efficiency in government agencies, school districts and hospital units can also result in better services and a reduced tax burden for citizens. e) Home use, it’s used in entertainment and hobby purposes, for educational uses, for family financial applications and for countless other tasks. 2) Potential problems a) Threat of unemployment - The greater efficiency made possible by the computer usage can result in job obsolescence and displacement for some workers who are not in any way learned in the computer usage. b) Use of questionable data processing practices -Input data about individuals are routinely captured by many organizations, are entered into computer processed files. Inaccurate and incomplete data about people have been placed in files. c) WINNERS OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AREA AFFECTED HOW AFFECTED Financial institutions More free-based consumer and business services Programming Industry Proliferation of new packaged programs Larger Universities Programmed education opportunities Insurance Industry Lower life/ health/ property claims cost

The use of relaxation techniques to increase self-confidence and reduce performance anxiety in squash players

AbstractThe effect of transcendental meditation on self-confidence is reported; one-way ANOVA revealed that self-confidence increases over time but only after 2 weeks of the start of the intervention. Qualitative data on the mechanisms of this effect reveal that it could be due to increased time for reflective practice and enhancing executive control. This is consistent with control theory (Jones, 1995) on the nature of performance anxiety in sport.IntroductionIn the domain of Sport Psychology, there is a substantial amount of theory and practice surrounding performance anxiety in practically all sporting contexts. Here two individuals will be presented with an identified deficit in one particular mental faculty which research suggests is pertinent to performance in sport. These two individuals play squash in competitive tournaments at University. Performance anxiety can vary in intensity and direction, and is a feeling of apprehension open to psychological interpretation and marked by biological indicators such as increased heart rate and galvanic skin responsiveness (Jones and Swain, 1993). Relaxation techniques refer here to any intervention aimed at either reducing or reinterpreting the anxiety than an individual is feeling (Hanton and Jones, 1999). Jones (1995) advocated the multidimensional anxiety conceptualisation and subsequently developed a model of control to separate the nature and genesis of beneficial and detrimental anxiety in the literature. The multidimensional nature of anxiety in this model refers to the different qualitative ways in which performance anxiety can vary such as the presence and nature of cognitive intrusions and the temporal patterning of the anxiety response. The cognitive ability of an individual to appraise their anxiety and maintain executive control over their perceptions will ultimately define whether this anxiety helps or hinders them during performance. There is empirical support for the notion that facilitative interpretation of anxiety and greater executive control can elevate performance (Jones, 1995; Jones, Hanton and Swain, 1994; Jones and Swain, 1993) but this theory is developed from an overview of past research, and does not substantially acknowledge the potential weaknesses of this research. Moreover it fails to enter into a thorough debate over the mechanisms which could be responsible for the differing interpretations of anxiety between people. Without this, interpretation is left to completely determine the effect of anxiety and therefore the effect becomes inherently unpredictable. Martens, Burton, Vealey, Bump and Smith (1990) conceptualised cognitive and somatic anxiety as separate phenomena. They theorise that cognitive anxiety will be inversely related to performance and somatic anxiety will have an inverted U-shaped relationship with performance. Importantly these authors also found a positive linear relationship between self-confidence and performance. This suggests that some somatic anxiety is needed for optimal performance, and perhaps self-confidence is also needed to curb cognitive anxiety and maintain composure in the presence of somatic anxiety. It should be noted though that Martens et al. (1990) used an obsolete measure of anxiety (Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2) which does not incorporate measures of the athlete’s interpretation of their anxiety, focusing solely on intensity. This is a huge flaw since it is now widely acknowledged that psychologically talented and self-confident athletes can direct their anxiety towards facilitative ends (O’Brien, Hanton and Mellalieu, 2005). Jones, Hanton and Swain (1994) suggest that it is the interpretation of anxiety which is of upmost importance. But the causes of differences in interpretation are not explored in this research. There is some evidence to suggest that self-confidence; the belief in one’s own ability to successfully complete the task at hand has a substantial influence over an individual’s ability to control or direct their anxiety (Carver and Scheier, 1988; Jones et al., 1994; Hanton, Mellalieu and Hall, 2004). This study will therefore focus on the effectiveness of an often used intervention; relaxation strategies in improving self-confidence.HypothesisThere will be significant improvement in participants’ self-confidence after relaxation therapy. This increased self-confidence will significantly improve performance.Literature reviewWith the proposed theoretical frameworks outlined above in mind, there are many potential interventions which could be suggested to act on the propose d source of negative performance. This review will focus on research into the effects of relaxation therapies on the state of mind of athletes in competitive environments. These include stress inoculation training, mental imagery, massage, EMG biofeedback, progressive relaxation and various forms of meditation. Stress inoculation training involves guided relaxation, mental imagery and making self-statements, it has been shown to be effective in improving gymnastic performance (Mace and Carroll, 1986). Mental imagery (Jones and Stuth, 1997) and massage (Jooste and Khumalo, 2012) have also shown to produce positive results. The above research measures success mainly in terms of stress and objective distress reduction, it did not however aim to help athletes to reinterpret their stress. Also individual differences pose a serious risk in terms of confounding variables in such research. A very important study here is Eppley, Abrams and Shear (1989) who examined the effects of various forms of relaxation therapy against each other. The effect sizes of the reduction in trait anxiety were reported, making this piece of research particularly prominent since not every study will report this statistic. The authors found that most therapies had similar effect sizes, but transcendental meditation had a significantly larger effect size. At the least this has implications to inform the type of interventions which are most effective at reducing anxiety, and the authors even made efforts to control for confounding variables to strengthen their conclusions. However the justification for this research is in question (at least in a sporting context) because of other research to show that anxiety can be beneficial depending on how it is interpreted (Jones et al., 1994). This means that anxiety should not necessarily be seen solely as something to be eliminated; perhaps a better res earch question would examine the qualities which cause people to differ in their interpretation of their anxiety, and suggested coping strategies should focus more on appraisal than reduction of anxiety. Transcendental meditation therapy was therefore settled upon for use in this study because unlike other therapies of this kind it offers ample opportunity for reflection and direction of anxiety which is so often cited as important (Hanton, Cropley and Lee, 2009). The control model and the theory or Martens et al. (1990) provide the theoretical rationale for this investigation.MethodParticipantsThe participants in this study were two individuals; one male, one female recruited from the University squash club who frequently competed in highly competitive tournaments. These two individuals were specifically identified using a short questionnaire administered just before the start of the tournament to identify weaknesses in self-confidence regarding squash performance. Participants were both aged 18-20 and considered themselves to be playing at a non-professional club level in highly competitive tournaments. Participants were verbally advised on the nature of the experiment and their fr eedom to withdraw at any time.InstrumentationThe dependent variable to measure is self-confidence. Competitive state anxiety was measured with the Revised Competitive State Anxiety-2 (Cox, Martens and Russell, 2003) but only the self-confidence sub-scale was used. The questionnaire is available in the appendix.Design and ProcedureParticipants were tested pre-intervention, at one week intervals during the intervention to monitor changes, and finally at post-intervention. Participants were not tested around the time of a tournament to avoid confounding effects of anxiety. After the intervention, semi-structured interviews were administered to both participants. A full transcript of these interviews is available in the appendix. The intervention consisted of three weeks of guided meditation, in which participants were encouraged to think deeply about meaningful things in their lives and to let their thoughts wander. They were encouraged also to think of themselves in relation to the wo rld. This style of transcendental meditation involves little guidance and a quiet, supportive environment in which self-expression is encouraged. Sessions lasted one hour and took place 4 times a week.ResultsA one-way repeated measures ANOVA was performed for both participants. Table 1 shows the descriptive statistics for the variables at each measurement period. As can be seen mean self-confidence ratings gradually increase with time during and after the intervention. The standard deviation also appears to increase however, showing more variability in ratings of self-confidence as therapy progresses. Table 1 Descriptive statistics for self-confidence ratings IntervalMeanStandard Deviation Pre-test183.2 Week 1154.1 Week 2245.7 Post-test284.6 Table 2 displays the post hoc tests for the comparisons between the measurements at the four time intervals. The overall ANOVA showed a significant effect of the treatment (F(3, 3)=9.356, p

Love fashion Essay

In the early 90’s, Kate Spade began what would soon be an illustrious career that spurred thousands of women into a deep love affair with handbags and accessories. Born Katherine Noel Brosnahan in Kansas City, Missouri, Kate is a journalism graduate who began to love fashion at her job in Madamoiselle magazine. Being adept at her work, Kate quickly rose as the senior fashion editor of accessories and in her six years of working at the magazine, Kate saw a need for practical yet stylish handbags for ordinary women. Realizing this need, she quit her job in 1991 and went on creating her own line of handbags. With her husband Andy Spade, who became the creative director and advertising manager, Kate Spade hand bags, was born. The secret behind Kate Spade are the classically shaped bags that were extremely appealing to a wide class of women. Kate Spade Hand bags are lauded for its simplicity in construction, elegant and timeless designs and enduring quality. At the start of their company, Kate and her husband Andy first created six simple shapes that emphasized utility, color, and fabric. These original boxy designs would eventually be the building blocks of an empire. Since then, more variety was created using innovative fabrics and vibrant colors with inspirations from the op art movement of the sixties. Kate Spade easily became a fashion staple all over the world. [1] From the bag revolution that Kate Spade initiated, the company went on to produce other accessories as well. Today, the company prides itself with well crafted shoes, accessories, apparel, jewelry, baby items, fragrance, glasses and even a paper line that included stationery, organizers and pencil cases. Kate Spade at home is a collection that includes wallpaper, bedding, china, bath items, and other various items for the home. The company also launched â€Å"kate spade beauty† along with Estee Lauder in the spring of 2002. [2] Kate Spade is highly patronized by celebrities and models such as Vikki Eichmann [3] and Taylor Swift [4]. Even Sarah Palin, amidst the election ruckus, is spotted wearing Kate Spade shoes [5]. The ever famous bags have also made their way into TV series such as Just Shoot Me [6] and the more recent and widely popular Gossip Girl with Blake Lively. [7] References [1] http://www. katespade. com/ [2] http://www. top-fashion-designers. info/kate-spade. html [3] http://www. observer. com/2007/spokes-models [4] http://www. iheartthat. com/2009/01/29/taylor-swift-in-kate-spade/ [5] http://coolspotters. com/political-figures/sarah-palin/and/shoes/kate-spade-gesture [6] http://www. twirlit. com/2008/11/25/kate-spade/ In the early 90’s, Kate Spade began what would soon be an illustrious career that spurred thousands of women into a deep love affair with handbags and accessories. Born Katherine Noel Brosnahan in Kansas City, Missouri, Kate is a journalism graduate who began to love fashion at her job in Madamoiselle magazine. Being adept at her work, Kate quickly rose as the senior fashion editor of accessories and in her six years of working at the magazine, Kate saw a need for practical yet stylish handbags for ordinary women. Realizing this need, she quit her job in 1991 and went on creating her own line of handbags. With her husband Andy Spade, who became the creative director and advertising manager, Kate Spade hand bags, was born. The secret behind Kate Spade are the classically shaped bags that were extremely appealing to a wide class of women. Kate Spade Hand bags are lauded for its simplicity in construction, elegant and timeless designs and enduring quality. At the start of their company, Kate and her husband Andy first created six simple shapes that emphasized utility, color, and fabric. These original boxy designs would eventually be the building blocks of an empire. Since then, more variety was created using innovative fabrics and vibrant colors with inspirations from the op art movement of the sixties. Kate Spade easily became a fashion staple all over the world. [1] From the bag revolution that Kate Spade initiated, the company went on to produce other accessories as well. Today, the company prides itself with well crafted shoes, accessories, apparel, jewelry, baby items, fragrance, glasses and even a paper line that included stationery, organizers and pencil cases. Kate Spade at home is a collection that includes wallpaper, bedding, china, bath items, and other various items for the home. The company also launched â€Å"kate spade beauty† along with Estee Lauder in the spring of 2002. [2] Kate Spade is highly patronized by celebrities and models such as Vikki Eichmann [3] and Taylor Swift [4]. Even Sarah Palin, amidst the election ruckus, is spotted wearing Kate Spade shoes [5]. The ever famous bags have also made their way into TV series such as Just Shoot Me [6] and the more recent and widely popular Gossip Girl with Blake Lively. [7] References [1] http://www. katespade. com/ [2] http://www. top-fashion-designers. info/kate-spade. html [3] http://www. observer. com/2007/spokes-models [4] http://www. iheartthat. com/2009/01/29/taylor-swift-in-kate-spade/ [5] http://coolspotters. com/political-figures/sarah-palin/and/shoes/kate-spade-gesture [6] http://www. twirlit. com/2008/11/25/kate-spade/

Abdominal Aortic Aneursyms Essay

Aneurysms were first described by the 16th century anatomist and physician Vesalius, who believed they were simply a widening of the vessel (Collin et al 2009). An abdominal aneurysm (AAA) is a condition in which the abdominal aorta (a large blood vessel that supplies blood to the abdominal, pelvis and the lower limbs) becomes large and ballooning leading to the development of several symptoms. The condition more often occurs in males compared to females. It occurs more frequently in above the age 60. When the aortic aneurysm is larger than size, it is more likely to rupture causing life-threating problems. This is a medical emergency requiring critical care. This complication is present in about 20% of the people affected with AAA. Another complication with AAA is aortic dissection in which the innermost membrane of the blood vessel ruptures due to the intense pressure causing blood to be filled within the wall of the artery. The exact cause of the disorder has still not been unders tood clearly, but several risk factors may be present including:- See more:Â  The 3 Types of Satire Essay * Hypertension * High cholesterol levels * Obesity * Emphysema * Genetic factors * Smoking (Albright JL. 2006 & Hallett JW. 2008) Individuals affected with AAA initially may not have any symptoms. Symptoms of the condition usually develop suddenly due to rupture of the wall or breakage of the innermost wall. Sudden rupture of the abdominal aortic aneurysm, often without prior medical warning, is the 13th leading cause of morality in the US (Li, Z 2006). Some of the symptoms that can develop in AAA include:- * Abdominal pain (which may be severe, consistent and radiates to the legs, groin and the buttocks region) * Pulsations in the abdomen & palpitations * Nausea and vomiting * Anxiety and agitation * Abdominal rigidity * Cold and clammy skin * Presence of the abdominal mass * Excruciating pain in the limbs and back, when the AAA ruptures * Fatal outcomes in the case of ruptured AAA(Albright JL. 2006 & Hallett JW. 2008) When the AAA is small in size (less than 5 centimeters), no treatment is required. Antihypertensive may be needed to prevent any further complications from developing. Besides, if the individual has any risk factors that can worsen the condition, it needs to be rectified immediately (such as giving up smoking, weight reduction, lowering cholesterol levels, etc.). Periodic evaluations have been recommended to ensure that any risk can be identified and immediately taken care of (Albright JL. 2006 & Hallett JW. 2008). Surgery is required if the AAA is larger than 5.5 centimeters in size, as the risk for rupture or dissection is present. The Aneurysmal defect is repaired by inserting a surgical graft. This can be performed by two method namely the conventional approach or the endovascular approach. In the conventional approach, general anesthesia is utilized. A surgical incision is made below the breast bone, the aneurysm defect identified, and the graft material sutured in position. The entire procedure takes about 5 hours and a stay of at least a week in the hospital is required. The second approach is the endovascular stent grafting in which regional anesthesia is administered and a catheter is introduced through the femoral artery present in the groin region. This catheter contains the stent graft. It is gradually guided into position using imaging techniques. Once it is position, the stent graft is opened ensuring a stable blood flow. The procedure takes about 3 hours can require a stay of about 3 days in the hospital (Albright JL. 2006 & Hallett JW. 2008). Several imaging techniques play a very important role in diagnosing and treating AAA. These include ultrasound, CT scans and angiography. Abdominal ultrasound is one of the preferred examinations for AAA. Ultrasound of the abdomen is also required following convention surgery to monitor the repaired AAA closely. It is usually performed as an initial imaging modality due to several factors including:- * Portability * Absence of ionizing radiation * Low costs * Easy availability (Radvany MG. 2006) Angiography involves administration of a contrast media into the femoral artery present in the groin region and then taking X-rays to determine the condition of the abdominal aorta. It is very useful before conventional and endovascular surgery for planning. It also seems to be very useful in the case of aortic dissection. However, angiography also carries a few risks including:- * Damage to the artery * Hypotension * Infection of blood vessel * Embolism and clot formation * Bleeding and heart attack (Bentley-Hibbert S. 2007 & Radvany MG. 2006). If the abdominal ultrasound and AAA greater 5 centimeters, than a CT scan of the abdomen is required. The CT scan can better help to plan the surgical intervention as the images provide a lot of detail (including involvement of the renal arteries, size of the aneurysm, amount of calcification, presence of mural thrombi, etc.). The accuracy of CT scans is said to be 100%. They provide a lot of details regarding the size of the aneurysm and also about distal and proximal issues. CT even with contrast media cannot be utilized to study dissection aneurysm or the presence of the extent of mural thrombus. They are also required following endovascular graft surgery for a period of 6 months as a post-procedural follow-up measure (Radvany MG. 2006). MRI scans of the abdomen are required when the side-effects of the contrast media used in other techniques could be potential damaging to the patient (in case of kidney or liver problems) or when radiation is contra-indicated. The images provide a lot of detail and are accurate. However, MRI cannot be performed in individuals with cardiac pacemakers. CT and MRI scanning also have other advantages including:- * Provides details regarding extent of involvement * Determine involvement of major blood vessels (Radvany MG. 2006) Reference list Albright JL. Abdominal aortic aneurysm. Medline Plus. Available at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000162.htm Accessed October 20, 2012. Bentley-Hibbert S. Aortic angiography. Medline Plus. Available at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003814.htm Accessed October 26, 2012. Hallett JW. Aneurysms. 2008. The Merck Manual. Available at: http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec03/ch035/ch035b.html Accessed October 26, 2012. Li Z. Effects of blood flow and vessel geometry on wall stress and rupture risk of abdominal aortic aneurysms. Journal Of Medical Engineering & Technology [serial online]. September 2006;30(5):283-297. Available from: Computer Source, Ipswich, MA. Accessed October 24, 2012. Radvany MG et al. Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm, Diagnosis. E-Medicine. 2006. Available at: http://www.emedicine.com/Radio/topic1.htm Accessed October 24, 2012. Woodrow P. Abdominal aortic aneurysms: clinical features, treatment and care. Nursing Standard [serial online]. August 17, 2011;25(50):50. Available from: Advanced Placement Source, Ipswich, MA. Accessed October 24, 2012.