Natures Impact Essay Example for Free

Natures Impact Essay The outdoors contains many wonders that a child explores throughout the early years of life; therefore, a person’s childhood tends to position his path for the future. As a result, occurrences seen on an average day sitting at school, exploring in the woods, or examining the stars have the potential to be life changing. An American Childhood (Dillard), â€Å"Two Views of a River† (Twain), and â€Å"Listening† (Welty) all allocate this thought, yet the works juxtapose each other with different morals. Annie Dillard writes of the expectations of her to return after completing college and settling in the same town in which she resides her entire life before attending college: â€Å"It crawled down the driveway toward Shadyside, one of the several sections of town where people like me were expected to settle after college, renting an apartment until they married one of the boys and bought a house† (2). Dillard feels essentially unpermitted to broaden her horizon of a future. She believes she had been restricted too early and therefore Dillard feels she is not allowed to live up to her possible potential. Mark Twain, on the other hand, writes of the river and its influence upon him: This sun means that we are going to have wind tomorrow; that floating log means that the river is rising, small thanks to it; that slanting mark on the water refers to a bluff reef which is going to kill somebody’s steamboat one of these nights if it keeps on stretching out like that [†¦]. (1) Within his piece, Twain wonders if he were to have noticed all the diminutive and revealing things of the river as a child, whether it would have foreshadowed the future from the perspective from which he sees the past now. Twain wishes he had respected the river further as a child rather than simply viewing it as an effortless beauty. Eudora Welty also writes of her childhood, explaining her love for the sky and all that dwells within it. She states, â€Å"I could see the full constellations in it and call their names; when I could read, I knew their myths† (Welty 1). Even with all the knowledge she had of the ominous unknown that seems endless and vague to the common child, it still takes Welty until she is already a published writer before she realizes the moon does not rise in the west. Learning of this alters her perspective. However, without believing that the moon rises in the west, less delight and excitement would have occurred within her childhood. Dillard, Twain, and Welty write of their upbringings and how certain changes, if varied, could have fashioned a different future. They outwardly realize the options they had, and the elements they would have distorted in the past to assist themselves in the future. Where Dillard, Twain, and Welty’s works mutually contain the reference to their childhoods, they contrast each other with the morals of their writings. Dillard’s extended metaphor places her in an equivalent situation as the Polyphemus moth whose overgrown wings span wider than the Mason jar that withholds it. The piece uses the bit about the moth to foreshadow her telling of her confinement to Shadyside. The moral of her piece is that one’s parents, friends, or even society’s restraints should not oppress one’s aspirations to what is simply considered to be correct: Conversely, Twain’s piece concludes one should not take life for granted because it can exceed so hastily, that a large quantity of imperative information and experiences can be neglected and missed: The world was new to me, and I had never seen anything like this at home. But as I have said, a day came when I began to cease from noting the glories and the charms which the moon and the sun and the twilight wrought upon the river’s face; another day came when I ceased altogether to note them. (1) Welty teaches in her piece that a child’s learning is made of specific moments in time and she shares her involvements with this learning: â€Å"There comes the moment, and I saw it then, when the moon goes from flat to round. For the first time it met my eyes as a globe. The word â€Å"moon† came into my mouth as though fed to me out of a silver spoon. Held in my mouth the mood became a word† (Welty 1). Eudora reveals that moments like this which seem miniscule can alter one’s personality and interests. Each instant of learning creates a change in one’s mental makeup. Dillard, Twain, and Welty are each eloquent and sophisticated writers. Their works are relatively alike in the fact that they each converse of their childhoods and what they would have altered within them; however, they juxtapose each other with diverse morals veiled within the pieces. Works Cited Dillard, Annie. An American Childhood. New York: Harper Row, 1988. Twain, Mark. â€Å"Two Views of a River. † Life on the Mississippi. New York: Harper, 1896. Welty, Eudora. â€Å"Listening. † Agents, Russell Volkening. Welty: 1984.

Futility of the American Dream Exposed in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby :: Great Gatsby Essays

The ideal of the ‘American Dream’ has hardly changed over the past century. The dream is a unique American phenomenon. It represents a nebulous concept that is exemplified by a number of American values. Many deem wealth and success to be the means to this paradigm. When stability, security and family values also become part of the suburban lifestyle, the American Dream comes close to becoming reality. Nick Carraway, the candid narrator of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby analyzes the legitimacy of this principle through the inevitable downfall of Jay Gatsby. The novel takes place during the ‘roaring twenties’ in two sophisticated, affluent Long Island neighborhoods. The people in these neighborhoods epitomize the superficiality and arrogance that distorts the American Dream. Fitzgerald utilizes this environment and its people to examine the negative attributes of the American Dream. Fitzgerald portrays two neighborhoods, East Egg and West Egg, to display the slowly evolving corruption of the American Dream. East Egg houses old money sophisticates, and West Egg accommodates the less fashionable â€Å"nouveau riche† types. The apparent differences cause the two neighborhoods to develop a seeming rivalry. The different neighborhoods are connected through the characters becoming entangled with each other. Both Carraway, and his wealthy, yet enigmatic neighbor, Jay Gatsby live in West Egg. Carraway lives in a modest bungalow, which is overshadowed by Gatsby’s extravagant estate. In his magnificent manor, Gatsby indulges in an excessive and exaggerated lifestyle including many lavish parties: â€Å"In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars† (43). Gatsby considers his prodigious wealth and stature to be the means to regain his one true love, Daisy Buchanan. Daisy's aura of wealt h and privilege--her many clothes, her perfect house, her lack of fear or worry—attract Gatsby's attention and gradual obsession. Gatsby realizes that his own capacity for hope made Daisy seem ideal to him. He does not realize that he is pursuing an image that has no true, lasting value. This realization would have made the world look entirely different to Gatsby, like "a new world, material without being real, where poor ghosts, breathing dreams like air, drifted fortuitously about† (169). Daisy and her unfaithful husband Tom live in a large East Egg mansion directly across from Gatsby’s estate. In this environment, Gatsby’s destiny with Daisy becomes his individual version of the American Dream. Futility of the American Dream Exposed in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby :: Great Gatsby Essays The ideal of the ‘American Dream’ has hardly changed over the past century. The dream is a unique American phenomenon. It represents a nebulous concept that is exemplified by a number of American values. Many deem wealth and success to be the means to this paradigm. When stability, security and family values also become part of the suburban lifestyle, the American Dream comes close to becoming reality. Nick Carraway, the candid narrator of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby analyzes the legitimacy of this principle through the inevitable downfall of Jay Gatsby. The novel takes place during the ‘roaring twenties’ in two sophisticated, affluent Long Island neighborhoods. The people in these neighborhoods epitomize the superficiality and arrogance that distorts the American Dream. Fitzgerald utilizes this environment and its people to examine the negative attributes of the American Dream. Fitzgerald portrays two neighborhoods, East Egg and West Egg, to display the slowly evolving corruption of the American Dream. East Egg houses old money sophisticates, and West Egg accommodates the less fashionable â€Å"nouveau riche† types. The apparent differences cause the two neighborhoods to develop a seeming rivalry. The different neighborhoods are connected through the characters becoming entangled with each other. Both Carraway, and his wealthy, yet enigmatic neighbor, Jay Gatsby live in West Egg. Carraway lives in a modest bungalow, which is overshadowed by Gatsby’s extravagant estate. In his magnificent manor, Gatsby indulges in an excessive and exaggerated lifestyle including many lavish parties: â€Å"In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars† (43). Gatsby considers his prodigious wealth and stature to be the means to regain his one true love, Daisy Buchanan. Daisy's aura of wealt h and privilege--her many clothes, her perfect house, her lack of fear or worry—attract Gatsby's attention and gradual obsession. Gatsby realizes that his own capacity for hope made Daisy seem ideal to him. He does not realize that he is pursuing an image that has no true, lasting value. This realization would have made the world look entirely different to Gatsby, like "a new world, material without being real, where poor ghosts, breathing dreams like air, drifted fortuitously about† (169). Daisy and her unfaithful husband Tom live in a large East Egg mansion directly across from Gatsby’s estate. In this environment, Gatsby’s destiny with Daisy becomes his individual version of the American Dream.

Aids/Hiv Essay 6

Kimberly S. Johnson SOS 313: Social Implications of Medical Issues Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection and Its Deadly Effects Deanna Swinford March 14, 2010 Over the past few decades Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection & Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) prevention strategies has focused on helping high risk individuals including individuals uninfected with HIV. The responsibility of National programs is to inform the public regarding prevention strategies, identify priorities, plan, and implement disease prevention strategies. It’s common knowledge all over the world that HIV infection is the leading cause of death. â€Å"Human immunodeficiency virus HIV and AIDS remain the leading causes of illness and death in the United States. As of December 2004, an estimated 944,306 persons had received a diagnosis of AIDS, and of these 529,113 (56%) had died† (Center for Disease Control, 2010). Approximately 40,000 new cases of HIV infection occur each year and 40 million people worldwide are now living with HIV† (Falvo, 2010, pg. 318). Everyone knows, or should be aware that there’s no way to restore their damaged immune system, and no cure for HIV, nor for AIDS. Advances in medical systems today have shown improved life expectancy. â€Å"Since 1995, the number of deaths from AIDS in the United States has declined so sign ificantly that HIV/AIDS is no longer treated as a terminal illness but rather as a chronic condition to be managed† (Falvo, 2010, pg. 18). â€Å"A virus is an infectious organism that cannot grow or reproduce outside living cells. To survive, it must enter a living cell and use the reproductive capacity of that cell for its own replication. Consequently, when a virus enters a cell, it instructs the cell to reproduce the virus† (Falvo, 2010, pg. 313). Normally the body recognizes these as foreign, this is how a healthy immune system is suppose to work, as I remember from anatomy and physiology, then will destroy the foreign cells. Some will remain dormant, sometimes for long periods of time, and without causing problems, but still will remain in our body with other cells and can replicate at any time. â€Å"HIV infection is caused by a retrovirus called HIV. A retrovirus uses a complicated process called reverse transcription to reproduce itself. This process uses a viral enzyme called reverse transcriptase to integrate the virus’s genetic material into the other cells. HIV essentially takes over these cells—primarily the CD4 cells to produce more HIV. They multiply extremely rapidly and some errors caused by this rapid generation of ells are not corrected, so there are constant mutations of the virus. Some of the cells containing the virus burst, releasing HIV directly into the blood stream. Consequently, there can be both infected cells and virus in the blood traveling to other sites† (Falvo, 2010, pg. 313). This rapid generation of cells explain why some patients who may have been somewhat stable, then they rapidly deteriorate or their medications do not seem to work anymore. The symptoms of HIV and AIDS vary depending on the phase of the infection. â€Å"Early infection—when first infected with HIV, you may have no signs or symptoms at all, although it’s more common to develop a brief flu-like illness two to four weeks after becoming infected. Signs and symptoms may include: * Fever * Headache * Sore throat * Swollen lymph glands * Rash Even if you don’t have symptoms, you’re still able to transmit the virus to others. Once the virus enters your body, your immune system also comes under attack. The virus multiplies in your lymph nodes and slowly begins to destroy your helper T cells (CD4 lymphocytes) —the white blood cells that coordinate your entire immune system† (Mayo clinic, 2010). In my opinion, this phase is when most HIV is transmitted, sexually people don’t know they have it, they are engaging in unprotected sex and it’s just too late. This among others is a priority needed regarding informing public awareness. â€Å"Later infection—you may remain symptom free for eight or nine years or more. As the virus continues to multiply and destroy immune cells, you may develop mild infections or chronic symptoms such as: * Swollen lymph nodes-often one of the first signs of HIV infection * Diarrhea * Weight loss * Fever * Cough & Shortness of Breath This phase is scary in itself; it could be a multitude of conditions, an individual wouldn’t know, depending on their lifestyle, probably have a clue that they have aides. I do not think any of our physicians would guess HIV infection either. Thinking back, I have taken care of a few HIV patients, and if I didn’t already know they had the infection, I don’t think I could have guessed it! But they do have a dark circles around their eyes, deathly look, and very pale. A number of the signs and symptoms are just what you would guess for the flu, or respiratory infection. Just think for so many years, they are carrying the virus, and not knowing! â€Å"During the last phase of HIV—which occurs ten or more years after the initial infection, more serious symptoms begin to appear, infection may then meet the official definition of AIDS. In 1993 the CDC redefined AIDS to mean the presence of HIV infection as shown by a positive HIV antibody test plus at least one of the following: * The development of an opportunistic infection-an infection that occurs when your immune system is impaired. Such as: Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) * A CD4 lymphocyte count of 200 of less (normal 800-1200) By the time AIDS develops your immune system has been severely damaged, making you susceptible to opportunistic infections. The signs and symptoms of some of these infections may include: * Soaking night sweats Shaking chills or fever higher than 100*F for several weeks * Dry cough and Shortness of Breath * Chronic diarrhea, Headaches * Persistent white spots or unusual lesions on your tongue or in your mouth * Blurred or distorted vision, Weight loss You may also begin to experience signs and symptoms of later stages HIV infection itself, such as: * Persistent, unexplained fatigue * Soaking night sweats * Shaking chills or fever higher than 100*F for several weeks * Chronic diarrhea, persistent headaches Everyone should get tested especially if they are engaging in high risk behavior, like IV drug use, unprotected sex. Every community should also make their people knowledgeable about services available to them. High risk individuals also need to know these test are private and not released to anyone else, including the federal government, employers, insurance companies and family members, unless of course the individual gives permission or consent to do so as stated by the Mayo Clinic. (2010). There are several ways to become infected with HIV: Sexual Transmission: Vaginal, anal or oral sex with an infected partner whose blood, semen or vaginal secretions enter your body. * Infected blood: Since 1985, American hospitals and blood banks have screened the blood supply for HIV antibodies. * Needle sharing: Needles and syringes contaminated with infected blood. Sharing intravenous drug paraphernalia puts individuals at high risk * Accidental Needle sticks: HIV positive people and health care workers through needle sticks are low. Experts put the risk at far less than 1%. Mother to child: Each year nearly 600,000 infants are infected with HIV, either during pregnancy or delivery or through breastfeeding. If women receive treatment during pregnancy, the risk to their babies is significantly reduced. â€Å"In the U. S. most pregnant women are prescreened for HIV, and antiviral drugs are given. Not so in developing nations, where women seldom know there status, and treatment is limited or nonexistent. When medications aren’t available, Caesarean section is recommended instead of vaginal delivery. Other options, such as vaginal disinfection, haven’t proven effective† (Mayo clinic, 2010). Other sources of transmission can be sexual devices that are not washed or covered with a condom. The virus also can be present in vaginal tears or the rectum, which places the person at greater risk of developing HIV. Needle users also should be informed that some communities have a needle exchange program where they can trade used needles and syringes for new ones. Most individuals diagnosed with HIV/AIDS use a test to predict their prognosis called viral load. This measures the amount of virus in the blood, of course the lower the load the better their prognosis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) encourages adolescents and adults ages 13 to 64 as a part of their routine medical care for these ages. Yearly testing should be done. Several tests can be done, including ELISA, and Western Blot tests. ELISA looks for antibodies to the virus in a sample of your blood. If the test is positive, meaning you have the antibodies to HIV, they would repeat the test, and then do the western blot test, which checks for HIV proteins, combining the two tests confirms the diagnosis† (Mayo clinic, 2010). There are home tests in which you mail in a drop of your blood, and call a toll free number to receive the results in three to seven business days. This test is marketed by Home Access Health, is as accurate as a clinical test, and if positive, they are all retested. We all know, there is no cure for HIV, nor for AIDS, which was first identified sometime in the 80’s. Since that time a number of drugs have been developed to treat both HIV, and AIDS. The other problem, and a big one, with this condition, is the secondary infections that come along with HIV/AIDS. According to current guidelines, treatment should focus on achieving the maximum suppression of symptoms for as long as possible. This aggressive approach is known as highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART). The aim of HAART is to reduce the amount of virus in your blood to very low or even nondetectable levels, although this doesn’t mean the virus is gone. This is usually accomplished by three or more drugs . The first anti-retroviral drugs developed: Nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI’s). They inhibit the replication of the HIV enzyme called reverse transcriptase. They include zidovudine (Retrovir), Iamivudine (Epivir), didanosine (Videx). A newer drug emtricitabine (Emtriva), which must be used in combination with at least two other AIDS medications, treats both HIV and hepatitis B† (Mayo clinic, 2010). Treatment should be also aimed at quality of life in my opinion, as most of these drugs cause a number of side effects, including the most common nausea, and diarrhea. Another drug, the Protease inhibitor, which interrupts HIV replication at a later stage in the life cycle by interfering with an enzyme known as HIV protease. It causes HIV particles in your body to become structurally disorganized and noninfectious. Protease inhibitors are usually prescribed with other medications to help avoid drug resistance. â€Å"A clinical trial with a Chemokine co-receptor inhibitors (CCR5 antagonists) make up a new class of drugs used to treat a type of HIV infection call ed CCR5-tropic HIV-1. The only drug in this class—maraviroc (Selzentry) was used in this trial , approximately twice as many people with CCR5-tropic HIV-1 infection who received maraviroc had undetectable viral loads after 24 weeks as did those who received more standard therapy in the control groups. The side effects of maraviroc may include liver and cardiovascular problems, as well as cough, fever, upper respiratory infections, rash and abdominal pain. â€Å"The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is the most recent international social program instituted by the U. S. Government to combat HIV/AIDS. Since its inception in 2003, this foreign policy initiative has dedicated $63 billion for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment in foreign countries. Despite PEPFAR’s many accomplishments, it continues to promote controversial prevention strategies† (Barney, Buckingham, Friedrich, Johnson, Robinson, Sar, 2010, p. 9). The most important thing to remember, and to be able to implement is to get individuals, and doctors to coordinate HIV testing into routine medical care. The CDC has initiated several strategies for prevention: Strategy 1: Incorporate HIV Testing as a Routine Part of Care in Traditional Medical Settings. CDC will issue recommendations strongly encouraging all health care providers to include HIV testing, when indicated, as part of routine medical care, like other routine medical tests by: * Promoting removal of real and perceived barriers to routine testing, including â€Å"de-coupling† HIV tests in the medical setting from extensive, pre-test prevention counseling. In some jurisdictions, statutory requirements, e. g. for pretest counseling, can serve as barriers to testing. * Working with professional medical associations and others to promote adoption of the recommendations. CDC will work with public and private payors to promote appropriate reimbursement incentives. Strategy 2: Implement New Models for Diagnosing HIV Infections Outside Medical Settings. * Encouraging the use of HIV rapid test—Some persons do not have access to traditional medical settings * Funding pilot projects in 2003, aimed at identifying the most effective models for HIV diagnosis and referral for medical and preventive care which CDC grantees can employ outside traditional medical settings Strategy 3: Prevent New Infections by Working with People Diagnosed with HIV and their partners. CDC will promote preventive and treatment services within and outside traditional settings by: * Working with HRSA to reach those who have been diagnosed with HIV but who are not receiving treatment and care * Conducting demonstration projects through health departments to provide prevention case management and counseling to people living with HIV. * Standardizing procedures for prevention interventions and evaluation activities to ensure that such measures are appropriate and effective. * Ensuring that requirements related to partner notification in grant guidelines are fully met. Piloting new approaches to partner notification, including rapid HIV testing for partners and using peers to conduct appropriate partner notification, prevention counseling, and referral. Strategy 4: Further Decrease Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission: Treatment of pregnant women and their infants can substantially reduce the number of babies born with HIV infection. * Promote screening of every pregnant wom an for HIV, using the â€Å"opt-out† approach. Make prenatal HIV screening a routine part of medical care. * Promote screening of newborns whose mothers HIV status is not known (Center for Disease Control, 2010). Historically, HIV and AIDS have been treated differently from other diseases or conditions. Since the last decade or so, it has changed, as far as how it is viewed medically. No longer is AIDS viewed as a deadly condition, rather it’s more looked at as a chronic, long term condition, that is treated like other diseases, we treat the symptoms, and the secondary infections. The problem with AIDS/HIV is the public doesn’t have the knowledge that the medical community has, and will probably never understand, or believe the real ways of contracting the infection. We as health care professionals need to continue to inform the public regarding prevention, and encourage more public awareness of the need to be tested before it is too late. References: Barney, R. , Buckingham, S. , Friedrich, J. , Johnson, L. , Robinson, M. , Sar. , B. (2010, Mar). The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR): A Social Work Ethical Analysis and Recommendations. Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare. 37(1), 9-22. Retrieved from Ebscohost database. Bashook, P. , Linsk, N. , Jacob, B. , Aguado, P. (2010, Feb). Outcomes of Aids Education And Training Center HIV/Aids Skill-Building Workshops on Provider Practices. Aids Education and Prevention. 22 (1), 49. Retrieved from ProQuest database. Center for Disease Control. (2010). A Career with the CDC Global Aids Program. Retrieved from http://www. cdc. gov/globalAIDS/johs. html Falvo, D. (2009). Medical & Psychosocial Aspects of Chronic Illness & Disability. Boston: Jones & Bartlett. HIV/AIDS: ALL. (2010) . Retrieved from http://www. mayoclinic. com References Insert References Here.

Popular, Fine, Folk: Making Do and Thinking Out of the Box Essay

Once upon a time, at the turn of the 20th century, Marcel Duchamp brought a urinal into the museum. As expected, it was banned from being shown in a major exhibition at that time. Today, the urinal is called a ‘found object,† a fine arts category that has become standard practice for contemporary artists, especially those who are working on media and techniques spawned by Duchamp’s rebellion: conceptual art, installations, and the readymade. One of the most famous latter day versions is that of Andy Warhol’s Campbell soup and Brillo boxes – those mass consumer items that found their way into the domain of the fine arts, and in their turn spawned another academic art historical category: Pop Art. Once upon a time, at the turn of the 19th century, the Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh, who has not sold a single painting during his lifetime (with the possible exception of one work bought by his brother Theo), died a pauper. In the 1980s, his Sunflower fetched millions of dollars at an auction. Today, he is not only a bestseller; he is also considered one of the best artists of all times. Once upon a time, Madonna was just any other upstart, who with her limited vocal range was singing seemingly superficial songs like â€Å"Like a Virgin† and â€Å"Material Girl. † Today, she and her ‘bad girl’ image, as well as her numerous personas, is the subject of numerous academic papers on popular culture. This and examples from Charlie Parker, as well – Shakespeare, the Shaker furniture, the quilt, Amazing Grace, photography – tell us not only that values change through time, some for the better, others for the worse, depending on one’s point of view. The more important point is that, while terms like popular, fine and folk arts are valuable as terms of convenience, they are unreliable – perhaps even superfluous or unnecessary – as terms of judgment or standards, as in say, low and high art, good and bad art, truthful and false art, among many other boundaries. On one hand, these boundaries are important because they guard against extreme relativism, an intellectual indolence that results in people thinking that anything can be art, and that art is anything and everything that you can get away with. On the other hand, boundaries prevent us from looking at art forms more productively, or think out of the box. As Parker’s essay suggests, it is more productive to suspend our received judgments or templates – if only for a while – and analyze each art form on their own terms: as part of certain domains (popular, fine, folk and their combinations) with their own specific dynamics, gatekeepers, institutions, forms and contexts of production, reception, creativity and artistry and their own specific systems of producing and making meanings. These elements – domain (popular, fine, folk), field (gatekeepers and institutions), artistry (form, content, context) – clash and intersect with each other in an uneven world, characterized by unequal power relations. In this context, extreme relativism – that anything and everything can be art – is problematic. While it is true that anything – say, the urinal – can be art, its transformation required a movement from one domain to another: from the everyday to the museum, where it was lit and put on a pedestal, was signed and given a title (The Fountain) and in the process, became a candidate for appreciation, contemplation, and later, legitimation by the gatekeepers – the people (art historians, critics) and institutions (media, museums, schools) who had the power to rethink its meaning, and bestow on the urinal the term â€Å"art,† under the rubric â€Å"found object,† â€Å"readymade,† â€Å"conceptual art. Such legitimation was later confirmed by artistic, critical and curatorial practice: today, the Fountain, which started out as a rebellion against art and its definitions, is now ironically an academic, art historical and critical orthodoxy. Boundaries between domains are therefore simultaneously porous and self-contained. Everyday objects enter the fine arts, and vice versa. What used to be â€Å"folk† and popular, as in Shakespeare and Bob Dylan are now classics. When the urinal became The Fountain, it ceased to become a mundane object and entered the domain of the museum and the academe, subject to their terms and conditions. When elements of popular culture – the Brillo box, Campbell soup – crossed the boundaries, it became an art-historical category: Pop Art. And when Madonna crossed over from the Billboard charts to academe, her feminist radical potential was recognized, but at the same time, again quite ironically, tamed because her pop rebellion is now academic. Parker mapped the domains according to class – fine arts is a product of the elite, folk, of common folk and popular, of the masses. In real life of course, soap operas (popular) are viewed by different classes and sub-classes; jazz and hip hop, which started out in the ghettos were co-opted by American Top 40s; the Mona Lisa, the epitome of the Classic Masterpiece, found and continue to find its way into t-shirts and tabletops. Thus, instead of bemoaning that standards of excellence are being eroded, it may be more productive to chart these movements of objects and images, not only in terms of content, expression or truths that they contain, as question No. 3 leads us to suspect, but also in terms of how these truths are expressed (form), and the circumstances within which these truths are produced (context). Put another way, instead of persuading the â€Å"masses† that Hamlet is as entertaining as My Fair Lady, it would probably be better to find out why and how My Fair Lady ticks today and why and how Hamlet, which caught the imagination of royalties and subjects alike, clicked during the Elizabethan period and no longer does so today. I suspect this is not because standards of excellence have waned; it is just that each epoch, age, society and culture has its own way of defining, producing, valuing, consuming and receiving art. To be an intellectual therefore does not mean, being the kind of intellectual espoused by Arendt, one who imposes a top-down approach – imposing Hamlet on the masses, for instance. Instead, we need the kind of intellectual who will sit in front of the TV set, watch almost everything – from the seemingly most idiotic sitcoms to the most enlightening art film – and analyze and read the pictures, images and mediums, according to an oppositional and critical frame that works from and within, not from without and from the top. In other words, this is the kind of intellectual that challenges what is and sets out to suggest what is possible, not by imposing so-called alternatives (Hamlet instead of My Fair Lady), but by a process called bricolage – a process of thinking out of the box by making do with, pilfering, borrowing, and reconfiguring what is available, after a sensitive, critical and thorough analysis based on the parameters of form, content, context and domain, field and artist.

ACL Injuries in Athletes essays

ACL Injuries in Athletes essays The Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) attaches the femur, which is the thighbone, and the tibia, which is the shin, together (northstar). A torn ACL is one of the most excruciating experiences in an athletes life. It is the first thing that comes to mind when they hurt their knee on the field; for many it is their greatest fear. A torn ACL can sometimes mean the end of an athletes career. It can mean losing the chance to get that scholarship for young athletes, and it can also mean the end of those million dollar paychecks for those who have gone professional. A torn ACL can result in numerous surgeries, months of vigorous exercise and rehabilitation, and a sufficient amount of pain. It requires complete patience, for pushing too hard can result in further, more painful injury. Even after all that, an athlete is not guaranteed he or she will ever be able to play sports again. The anterior cruciate ligament is the reason that the knee only has one pattern of movement. Instead of moving sideways and up and down, the knee only serves as a pivot for flexion (bending) and extension (straightening); it holds the tibia and femur in place (northstar). In the northstar web page it is stated that, The anterior cruciate ligament is one of the most important ligaments to athletes because of its main function, stabilization of the joint while decelerating. In other words, it is the reason that we can stop abruptly without our leg collapsing. Obviously this asset makes it an essential to have a functioning ACL while playing sports. It is an especially common injury in soccer, which is a game of constant abrupt stops. Not only is soccer a danger to the ACL because of its constant stops and starts, it is also a game of jumps, falls, and slide-tackles, which put a continuous stress on the ACL for the entire 90 minutes of the game. ACL tears are also more common in women . It is said that the reason for this is because women...

My Unforgettable Trip Essay Example

My Unforgettable Trip Essay Example My Unforgettable Trip Paper My Unforgettable Trip Paper My most unforgettable Trip occurred about 3 years ago during the summer vacation, when I and my sister were embarking on our journey to Spain due to relocation. The day of the trip I laid in bed thinking about the friends of mine whom I was going to leave behind. Thoughts kept coming in. A night before we planned the journey from a city in Nigeria to the capital to catch the plane the next day. We didnt book to take a van. So thought of waking earlier to get to the station were they hire cars and taxis for travelling because we could drive down due to the far distance. So the day came when we had to travel and got to the station as planned. When we arrived at the hire station we seemed to have some problems with our luggage because they were too much for a car our taxi so we had to book for a van to be able to take our luggage. We waited for a long period of time to find the perfect car that would fit our luggage but they seemed to too small or parked up. My aunty who was going to accompanied me and my sister to the airport got so angry because she tend to get very hot tempered because we didnt have a very long period of time to waste before our plane could take off because the journey from were we where to the airport was about 3 hours long. And we had to be their before 7pm. It was about 12pm we hungry so we went for food everyone looking frustrated at the time hoping we leave soon. We where about to leave to another hire company when they assigned us to the perfect van that could take us to the place and fit our entire luggage. Before leaving we had to pray, and I felt very bad because I was going to a different country and was going to miss all my friends and family. I was not comfortable and I cried and wished I never moved. I then got used to the fact that I could come and visit them often and call them. So we took some pictures and we where very happy. The journey was almost perfect but they rain started and it was extremely heavy the drivers driving couldnt see as far due to the rain and that caused a huge traffic jam. I was sitting close to the window with my can of coke and eating my lunch which I had purchased earlier on from the shop. My aunty and my sister fell asleep. During that time I was bored and thinking about other things that were bothering me. My eyes moved into seeing the hill at were in font of us. A bus suddenly came into the picture and which was very close to us. Every car speeding by passing, no limit what so ever. At my side I could say lakes which were very deep inside: I wondered to myself what if something someone fell in side it Then suddenly the bus that was in front of our van suddenly stopped, due to the rain and the speed those cars where taking no one could see what was going to happen and, Boom we smashed into each other. Our car tumbled and we were in luck that the car didnt stumble into the lake. People came across to help us get out of the car because we where stocked and the driver was half dead. We struggled to get out of the car and our entire luggage went lost. Everything was very strange; I had never had that kind of experience before. It was like watching a horror movie. Some people who also participated in the accident started crying, looking for their children, tears beginning to increase, and my leg was deeply injured, my aunty was seeking some help, and my sister was full of injury. It almost seemed that the strategy was never going to end. It felt that I was dreaming and was confused. I was losing a lot of blood and then the emergency aid came and took me and some other people to the hospital where we where treated. We had to pay for some fees but someone came to our aid and did the payments. That was miraculous because we didnt have any money on our hands. We finally got to where we where headed to. And rested but didnt miss our flight. We were happy that we made it through because someone could have lost their life.

What Are College Prep Courses and Classes

What Are College Prep Courses and Classes SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips College prep is a confusing term because it can refer to three different things! Sometimes, calling something a college prep class is just a way to differentiate it from remedial classes on the one hand, and honors/AP classes on the other. Other times, college prep is a way of describing a bunch of government or private programs that are designed to increase access to college for those who would ordinarily be unlikely to go. And finally, college prep is a short name for high schools that place an overwhelming emphasis on getting their students into college. But don’t worry. Whether you want to read about standard high school classes, learn about programs that will make college easier, or are curious about public and private high schools that really stress college admission, you've come to the right place. #1: College Prep = Standard Core High School Curriculum Since the goal of high school is to prepare students for college, it makes sense that the classes that you take in high school are called "college prep classes." After all, the way you get ready for college is by learning what there is to learn in high school! Actually, those are books - they're for reading, not chinups. So, the first and most common definition of the term "college prep" is the core requirements of a high school education. They differ from school to school, but typically go something like this: 4 years of English 3 years of math 3 years of science 3 years of social studies In states and districts that require a high school exit exam in order to graduate, these are the subjects that this exit exam is based on. For example, Massachusetts doesn’t let students graduate unless they can pass the MCAS exam in English, math, and one science or technology subject. College Prep vs. Honors/AP vs. Remedial Classes Because "college prep" refers to the coreset of high school classes, this term has basically become the way to identify the standard class level. College Prep is the class you will take when you are not being challenged by the honors or AP version of a class, and when you are not placed into the remedial version of the class for catch-up. College Prep Classes and the Big Decision When you start planning your high school curriculum, you'll face a tough decision. Should you stick with the standard (or college prep) classes in order to have a higher GPA, or should you challenge yourself and take the Honors or AP course where you’ll probably do a little worse? The answer is: challenge yourself - within reason. Typically, you should go with the harder level class if you think you can earn a B or higher because generally,most colleges would rather see a B in an Honors or AP course than a set of straight A's in college prep classes. Straight As in all college prep courses looks like you are avoiding the challenge of honors/AP, and colleges don’t like challenge-avoidance in their applicants. Don't get trapped by the lure of easy A's! The idea is to demonstrate that you are challenging yourself, and also that you are mastering the material.Getting a B grade says â€Å"I’m just very slightly reaching past my grasp.† On the other hand, avoiding honors or AP classes where you will most likely geta C or D shows self-knowledge and mature judgment - another thing colleges tend to value. Taking too many honors and AP classes and ending up with mostly C's and D's implies that the standard classes would have been a better fit. So what should you do? Our advice is to try to take 1-2 of honors or AP courses, maybe in subjects you feel most comfortable in, or those where your strengths lie, or those you’re most interested in pursuing further. To check out the different options, check out our guides that break down each core subject progression: The high school math classesyou should take Thehigh school English classesyou should take Thehigh school science classesyou should take Thehigh school history classesyou should take #2: College Prep = Programs to Increase College Access Sometimes the term "college prep" is a way of referring to a set of programs that work to increase college access, especially for students who are least likely to enroll. These programs focus on building academic skills, handle college admissions or financial aid, involve families and mentors, and sometimes incorporate service projects. With the right support, anything is possible. Here are some examples, divided into federal, state, university, and community-based categories. The Federal TRIO Programs These programs are targeted to assist low-income, first-generation, and disabled students. Upward Bound is for students from low-income backgrounds that have inadequate secondary school preparation. Students from traditionally underrepresented groups areexposed to a simulated college experience that is rich in academic and motivational support. Students receive tutoring, counseling and individualized instruction to help get ready for college. Talent Search serves low-income, first-generation students. The program provides a range of counseling services to help students graduate from high school and earn a college degree. The Student Support Services Program (SSS) helps low-income, first-generation and disabled students attain a college degree. Support services provide students with needed help through academic advising, career counseling, mentoring, tutoring, financial aid guidance, and some financial aid. Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP). GEAR UP works to increase college awareness and preparation among low-income and minority students from seventh grade through high school graduation, providing them with intensive tutoring, mentoring, college/career planning information, and sometimes also scholarships. State Programs New York, California and New Jersey'sEducational Opportunity Programs serve students who have shown potential for success in college but have not completed typical college preparatory programs in high school due to economic or personal disadvantages. New York also has thePre-Collegiate Preparation Programs which develops collaborative partnerships between colleges, schools, community organizations, parents, students, business, and government so thatstudents in New York State have every opportunity to be successful learners. California Student Opportunity and Access Program (Cal-SOAP) seeks to raise the achievement of low-income and first-generation K-12 students and provide them with the opportunity to attend higher education. Florida’s College Reach-Out Program (CROP) provides educational support to low-income, academically disadvantaged students in sixth through 12th grade by helping students develop and maintain the knowledge, skills and attitude necessary to successfully pursue and complete a college education. University Programs The University of California Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP) is a pre-collegiate student academic development program that provides academic enrichment, entrance exams preparation, academic advising, and college knowledge. The University of Colorado's Pre-Collegiate Program is an academic enhancement program designed to motivate first-generation and underrepresented students middle and high school students to pursue higher education. Community and Nonprofit Programs Sometimes a little local support is what you need. Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) is a program to prepare mid-rank fifth to 12th grade students for college, bringing out the best in students and closing the achievement gap. The "I Have a Dream"Program helps children from low-income areas reach their education and career goals by providing a long-term program of mentoring, tutoring and enrichment with an assured opportunity for higher education. ENLACE increases opportunities for Latinos to enter and complete college. #3: College Prep = Schools Focusing on Successful College Application Finally, "college prep" can refer to a specific type of high school, where lots of focus is placed on the concept of college. These schools can be public, private, boarding, parochial, and charter schools - just as long as what they most emphasize is getting into and graduating from college. College admission - and graduation - makes the world your oyster. Here are some examples of these kinds of schools: At Gateway High School, a charter school in San Francisco, all 9th gradersvisit a college on their first day of school. At Cardinal Ritter College Prep High School in St. Louis, students earn up to 18 hours of college credit before they leave high school. At the Gary Lighthouse Charter Schools, every student researches colleges and develops a list of reach and safety schools and writes a paper outlining their plan for applying to college. In fact, students don’t earn a high school diploma if they aren’t accepted to at least one college. What’s Next? Interested in learning more aboutcollege preparatory programs in your state? The best place to start is searching NACAC'sdirectory of college access programs. Want to see how rigorous a curriculum you should go for? Check out our discussion of what makes course load challenging. Worried your GPA is too low to try for an honors or AP course? See how your numbers stack up in our good GPA/bad GPA roundup. Exploring your less-competitive college options? Learn about your options for the best colleges with low GPA requirements. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: Get eBook: 5 Tips for 160+ Points // Free eBook: 5 Tips to 4+ Points on the ACT //