The DREAM Act Explained

The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act, also called the DREAM Act, is a bill last introduced into Congress on March 26, 2009. Its purpose is to give undocumented students a chance at becoming permanent residents. The bill provides students with a path to citizenship regardless of the status passed on to them by their undocumented parents. A previous version of the bill states that if a student entered the U.S. five years before the passage of the legislation and was under age 16 when they entered the U.S., they would be eligible for a six-year conditional residency status after completing an associates degree or two years of military service. If at the end of the six-year period the individual has demonstrated good moral character, he or she could then apply for U.S. citizenship. More information about the DREAM Act can be found on the DREAM Act Portal. Why Support the DREAM Act? Here are some of the points supporters of the DREAM Act make to justify it: These young immigrants are blameless for their current predicament. They were brought here at a young age by their parents and had no say in the matter. It makes no sense and is morally wrong to punish them for the offenses of their parents. The government should treat them as victims, not offenders. The country has already made a substantial investment in many of these young immigrants and it would be senseless to throw that away. Most of them have attended public schools. They have earned high school diplomas in the public system. Many have benefited from public healthcare and some from other public assistance. The government could get a return from these investments by allowing them to contribute to the U.S. economy and society. Many have completed high school but cannot attend college because of their undocumented status. Studies show DREAM Act immigrants could provide a powerful boost to the U.S. economy.Many of the typical complaints about immigrants don’t apply to these young people. Most are as American as the native-born citizens around them. They speak English, understand American life and culture, and they are fully assimilated. They tend to be highly motivated and prepared to accept the responsibilities of U.S. citizenship.DREAM Act legislation could transform this lost generation of young people into U.S. taxpayers. Even some conservative Republicans such as former Texas Gov. Rick Perry support the DREAM Act because it would make these immigrants taxpayers who contribute to the economy, instead of people forced to live unproductive lives in the shadows of a nation that won’t acknowledge them. â€Å"Are we going to create a class of tax wasters or are we going to create taxpayers?† Perry said. â€Å"Texas chose the latter. Every state has the freedom to make that decision.†Bringing these young immigrants out of the shadows would enhance national security. As long as the government considers them here illegally, they will not come forward. National security is strengthened when everyone in the country lives openly and contributes to society. To take advantage of the DREAM Act, young immigrants would be required to pass background checks and give their addresses and contact information to the government.Giving legal status to these young immigrants through the DREAM Act would not cost the government. In fact, the fees immigration officials could charge applicants could more than cover the administrative costs of running the program. Former President Barack Obama’s deferred action, DREAM Act alternative program already uses fees to cover its costs.Many of the eligible young immigrants are willing to give public service to the country, either through the U.S. military or non-profit enterprises. The DREAM Act could be the catalyst for a wave of service and social activism across the country. Young immigrants are eager to contribute their time and energy to a nation that embraces them.The DREAM Act is in keeping with the United States’ heritage as a nation that treats immigrants fairly and makes special efforts to reach out to young people. American tradition as a sanctuary for exiles dictates that we allow these innocent immigrants a chance to move on with their lives and not cast them as refugees without a homeland.

What are Anxiety Disorders - 1593 Words

ANXIETY DISORDERS Introduction: Anxiety disorders are a constellation of mental disorders which is marked by extreme feelings of apprehension and trepidation. It is a syndrome which has both physical and psychological modules. Psychological symptoms include anxiety that is beyond the control of the subject, impatience, disturbed sleep patterns, difficulty in staying focused, and hypervigilance. Physical symptoms include sweating, palpitations and dry mouth. Although a bit of apprehension is common among normal people, the level of anxiety and fear displayed by the patients of this disorder is beyond the usual response to the triggering events. In due course patients suffering from anxiety disorder happen to face severe psychological and physiological distress and it hampers their daily activities, inter-personal relationships and can also lead to underachievement and underperformance in their academic and professional pursuits. Age/Sex ratio: †¢ Anxiety disorder is more common in females compared to males. †¢ The female to male ratio is 3:2. †¢ Approximately 5.2 % females have symptoms of anxiety disorder globally. †¢ Approximately 2.8 % males suffer from anxiety disorder. †¢ Most of anxiety disorders subtypes have relatively earlier age of onset. †¢ Panic disorder has bimodal age of onset, once in 15-24 age group and another in 45-54 age group. †¢ Social phobia has its age of onset before 20 years of age. †¢ Agoraphobia has its age of onset in late teens to early adulthood.Show MoreRelatedWhat I Have Official Disability And Clinical Documentation For Generalized Anxiety Disorder ( Dsm 5 Code990 Words   |  4 PagesI have official disability and clinical documentation for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (DSM-5 Code: 300.02), Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Combined Type (DSM-5 Code: 314.01), and Autism Spectrum Disorder, Without Accompanying Intellectual Impairment, Rule-Out (DSM-5 Code: 299.00). During my time at Claflin University, I was a victim of intense physical abuse, harassment, intimidation, retaliation, personal vengeance and, finally, scamming in the amount of $900 by Ms. Ruby SimmonsRead MoreLong Term Effects of Childhood Separation Anxiety1230 Words   |  5 PagesSeparation Anxiety Abstract This report delves into the connection between childhood separation anxiety disorder and the long-term implications that it may have. To understand the connections I preformed secondary research through â€Å"Academic Search Complete†. I found that childhood separation anxiety disorder is connected with serious mental disorders, such as anorexia, bulimia, social phobias, depression, and behavior disorders. Many studies have shown that childhood separation anxiety disorder is linkedRead MoreAnxiety And Depression : Symptoms And Treatments Essay1252 Words   |  6 Pages Anxiety Depression Decrecia Nevels Morgan Mann Kristian Haynes Concorde Career College Abstract This paper explores anxiety and depression at length including a discussion on their similarities and differences. Other areas that will be examined in this research paper include describing just what anxiety is and how this mental disorder presents, different types of anxiety disorders and their symptoms and what treatment interventions are offered that help cope with this disorder. DepressionRead MoreSymptoms And Symptoms Of Anxiety Disorders986 Words   |  4 PagesAnxiety Out Line: Introduction: A) What if you woke up every morning B) What if you had impulsive C) affecting 40 million adults over the age of 18 Problem Statement: A) There are numerous kinds of anxiety disorders B) Everybody knows what it s like to feel anxious C) usually helpful emotion can do just the opposite Effects: A) Or the anxious feelings may be so uncomfortable B) . Anxiety disorders are the utmost common of all the mental health disorders C) Approximately 5.2 million people per yearRead MoreSocial Anxiety Disorder ( Sad ) Essay1221 Words   |  5 PagesSocial Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is the third largest mental health problem in the world. The latest government data shows that social anxiety disorders affect about 7% of the population at any given time. The lifetime prevalence rate (the chances of developing a social anxiety disorder at any time during their lifespan) stands slightly above 13% (Richards Ph.D., Psychologist, 2016). Social Anxiety is not shyness; it is a real disorder that involves interaction with others. It is a fear of being judgedRead MoreSymptoms And Symptoms Of Anxiety1319 Words   |  6 Pages Anxiety When asked to do a report on a health related subject I didn’t have to wonder. There was no concern on what subject I would pick. It is plain and simple. I would write on panic disorder. PTSD, or generalized anxiety. This would give me a stage to set some clarity to what is seen as just a group of people who are not as mentally tough as other people. Ever get nervous before a big test? Feel stressed and anxious about a situation. In a state of constant worry. Great because that isRead MoreEssay about Anxiety Disorder1082 Words   |  5 PagesAnxiety Disorder What is Anxiety? As defined by Understanding Psychology by Glencoe, Anxiety is a general state of dread or uneasiness that a person feels in response to a real or imagined danger. Anxiety affects 19 million Americans annually and anxiety disorder happens to be the most common mental illness in America. There are many different types of anxiety disorder such as: Panic Disorder, Obsessive – Compulsion Disorder, Phobias, and a few more. Although there is no cure for anxiety disordersRead MoreSymptoms And Symptoms Of An Anxiety Disorder Essay1593 Words   |  7 Pageshuman, you have most likely experienced anxiety. You know, that feeling you get in a nerve-wracking situation; such as speaking in front of an audience or having a stressful job. This is a normal feeling for many but when you are at the constant state of anxiety or have the feeling recur or prolong for an excessive amount of time, this is when a problem is present. An excessive feeling of worry and panic is a go od sign of an anxiety disorder. An anxiety disorder can be so crippling that physical symptomsRead MoreThe Stress Of An Anxiety Disorder ( Webmd )1129 Words   |  5 Pages Often times, it is just a term that is passed around, anxiety. When someone says cut down your anxiety do you actually know how? Well according to (WebMD) to prevent developing an anxiety disorder or just controlling anxiety you can do this in many simple ways. Start with living a healthy life. Take care of your body, eat a well-balanced diet and take a multivitamin on the daily. Limit or take out all consumption of alcohol, caffeine, and sugar. Spend 20 minutes a day on yourself, spend this timeRead MoreThe Effects Of Mental Health Counseling On Children Essay1539 Words   |  7 Pagescan be an important and useful tool in overcoming obstacles in life. The loss of a loved one, dissatisfaction in a career, anxiety in social situations, and the misuse and abuse of substances are all reasons someone may seek professional help from a clinician. The problem with these examples is that these are mostly â€Å"adult† issues. What happens is a child is suffering with anxiety in the c lassroom or a sadness they can’t shake? Children and adolescents are often thought to be carefree and absent of

Media’s Negative Effect on Women Body Image Free Essays

I. Images in the media are having a negative impact on female body image and has given society a blurred meaning as to â€Å"beautiful† A. Models 1. We will write a custom essay sample on Media’s Negative Effect on Women Body Image or any similar topic only for you Order Now Models give an unrealistic view of the ideal woman; they give the idea that you cannot be beautiful unless you are thin. 2. â€Å"The average model is taller and weighs 23 per cent, or almost a quarter, less than the average woman who is 5’4†³ and weighs 148 lbs. † (Canadian Women’s Health) 3. Model’s bodies have been getting thinner by the years, and as the bodys keep slimming down women and girls in society are becoming more unhappy with their selves. B. Economic goals . â€Å"There are no official statistics for spending on diet products, but estimates vary from $40bn to $100bn in the US alone – more than the combined value of the government’s budget for health, education and welfare. † (Cummings) 2. By the media presenting an almost impossible ideal to get and maintain, the cosmetic and diet industry becomes profitable. 3. Ads are directed mostly to younger girls purposely. C. Health issues 1. Exposure to images of thin, youn g, air-brushed female bodies is linked to depression, loss of self-esteem and the development of unhealthy eating habits in women and girls. . The American research group Anorexia Nervosa Related Eating Disorders, Inc. says that one out of every four college-aged women uses unhealthy methods of weight control (bulimia, anorexia, excess exercising, laxatives, skipping meals. ) 3. This has even affected younger girls, as low as 5-6 years old. 4. Nearly half of all preadolescent girls wish to be thinner, and as a result have engaged in a diet or are aware of the concept of dieting. (Tiggeman) 5. Researchers generating a computer model of a woman with Barbie-doll proportions, for example, found that her back would be too weak to support the weight of her upper body, and her body would be too narrow to contain more than half a liver and a few centimeters of bowel. A  real woman built that way would suffer from chronic diarrhea and eventually die from malnutrition. II. Although the damage has been well done, by eliminating the fake women pictures and providing the society with a healthier view of themselves, women’s views about themselves would be a lot healthier and they would feel uch happier. A. Although these campaigns have just started with their healthy ideas, many companies have tried to help with this problem and have received much positive feedback. 1. In 2004, Dove launched the very successful Campaign for Real Beauty which features real women, not models, advertising Dove’s firming cream. (Dove) 2. Dove has also recently launched a new campaign, 3. In September 2006, a news and media furor erupted when Spain banned overly thin models from its fashion runways. 4. Dove produced this video in response to the negative comments of the changes of the company’s models called Evolution which shows the transformation from a regular women to a model and how unrealistic perceptions of beauty are. 5. In 2010, Dove ® set out a bold new vision for the brand with the Dove ® Movement for Self-Esteem. ( Dove) III. Not everyone agrees, however, that this is something wrong. A. The people that prosper from these ideas say 1. Women need to have more self control. a. It’s not like women can just avoid these ads, they are everywhere and have come to dominate our society. Depression and low self-esteem is not something that women want to have. Not everyone is born the same. 2. Obesity is a problem, thinner is healthier. a. Thinner can be healthier because obesity has become a growing issue but the media has taken it to their advantage. b. The thinness shown in magazines and models is not healthy, the models are always underweight which leads to fainting and serious health conditions including malnutrition. Works Cited â€Å"Beauty and Body Image in Media. † Media Awareness Network. N. p. , n. d. Web. 20 Nov 2011. http://www. edia-awareness. ca/english/issues/stereotyping/women_and_girls/women_beauty. cfm. Cummings, Laura. â€Å"The diet business: Banking on Failure. † BBC news. N. p. , 05/02/2003. Web. 20 Nov 2011. http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/business/2725943. stm. â€Å"Body Image and the Media. † Canadian’s Women’s Health Network. N. p. , 2005. Web. 20 Nov 2011. http://www. cwhn. ca/node/40776. â€Å"The Dove Ca mpaign for Real Beauty. † Dove. Dove, n. d. Web. 20 Nov 2011. http://www. dove. us/Social-Mission/campaign-for-real-beauty. aspxgt;. How to cite Media’s Negative Effect on Women Body Image, Papers

King David And Jesus Essay Example For Students

King David And Jesus Essay King David and Jesus are alike in several ways. David was the youngest son of Jesse, a shepherd from Bethlehem. David was â€Å"discovered† by Saul when, according to one tradition, he played his harp to sooth Saul’s melancholy. He later went on to slay the giant warrior Goliath, a task which amazed many, since not even trained warriors were able to defeat him. After this, he became Saul’s armor bearer. He had a falling out with Saul because Saul is jealous of David and plans to kill him, but David finds out and ends up killing Saul in battle. The similarities between David and Jesus are as follows. First, both Jesus and David are connected to Bethlehem. David’s father was from there, and Jesus was born there. Second, both Jesus and David amazed elders when they were small children, a feat which shows that there was something special in store for them. In Jesus’ case, He astounded the elders in the temple with his advanced knowledge of the Scriptures. As for David he amazed others when he was able to slay the giant Goliath. This feat was incredible since he was only a small person with not much fighting experience, yet he was able to defeat a giant that other highly trained warriors had died in attempts to kill him. Third, both David and Jesus came out of no where and rose to power, thus making others fear them. Saul wanted to kill David out of jealousy, just as the high chiefs wanted Jesus dead for they feared that he knew too much. Finally, both David and Jesus met their turning points at the top of their â€Å"career.† By this point, Jesus had become very popular among the people, and it was at this point that he was put on trial, just as after David had gained a lot of power as king, he then met his turning point when he had his affair with Bathsheba. In conclusion, both Jesus and David were similar in several ways, chief among these being the fact that they both were kings in their own way. Religion Essays

Walmart SWOT Essay Example For Students

Walmart SWOT Essay SWOT Analysis Wal-Mart Strengths Wal-Mart is a powerful retail brand. It has a reputation for value for money, convenience and a wide range of products all in one store. Wal-Mart has grown substantially over recent years, and has experienced global expansion (for example its purchase of the United Kingdom based retailer ASDA). The company has a core competence involving its use of information technology to support its international logistics system. For example, it can see how individual products are performing country-wide, store-by-store at a glance. We will write a custom essay on Walmart SWOT specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now IT also supports Wal-Marts efficient procurement. A focused strategy is in place for human resource management and development. People are key to Wal-Marts business and it invests time and money in training people, and retaining a developing them. Weaknesses Wal-Mart is the Worlds largest grocery retailer and control of its empire, despite its IT advantages, could leave it weak in some areas due to the huge span of control. Since Wal-Mart sell products across many sectors (such as clothing, food, or stationary), it may not have the flexibility of some of its more focused competitors. The company is global, but has has a presence in relatively few countries Worldwide. Opportunities To take over, merge with, or form strategic alliances with other global retailers, focusing on specific markets such as Europe or the Greater China Region. The stores are currently only trade in a relatively small number of countries. Therefore there are tremendous opportunities for future business in expanding consumer markets, such as China and India. New locations and store types offer Wal-Mart opportunities to exploit market development. They diversified from large super centres, to local and mall-based sites. Opportunities exist for Wal-Mart to continue with its current strategy of large, super centres. Threats Being number one means that you are the target of competition, locally and globally. Being a global retailer means that you are exposed to political problems in the countries that you operate in. The cost of producing many consumer products tends to have fallen because of lower manufacturing costs. Manufacturing cost have fallen due to outsourcing to low-cost regions of the World. This has lead to price competition, resulting in price deflation in some ranges. Intense price competition is a threat. .

BMG

BMG BMG the World Wide Web of MusicTable of ContentsPage1. Executive Summary............12. Introduction and BMG Major Issues.............23. Industry Analysis................34. Internal Analysis................65. Financial Exhibits 2.1 and 2.2.....................76. Strategic Issues................87. Alternatives and Recommendation.............98. Implementation and Evaluation of Strategy........109. Bibliography....................11Executive SummaryThe introduction of the internet into the music industry presents issues that affect not only the industry as a whole, but each company including BMG. There are two major issues affect BMG, the first is that as technological advances of the internet continue to increase, BMG will increasingly be threatened. The second issue is the integration of the internet market into BMG's organizational structure. This can either occur by continuing with current distribution that exists or creating a new division to control the internet sales. Thes e issues present two alternatives that BMG could utilize as solutions, the first is to create a new distribution channel or division and the second is to maintain the current distribution channel.Members of the "Free Fiona" campaign, initiated in...The recommendation will come about as a result of which alternative will better assist BMG in attracting and serving the new digital customers as well as staying loyal to the traditional customers. With this recommendation comes the decision of whether to continue the multiple relationships they have with technological companies or enter into a partnership with only one. The major question that must be answered is what is the best method or strategy to serve the new internet marketplace and its customers?IntroductionThe purpose of this report is to analyze the major issues that have arisen within the company as well as the industry. There are both internal and external analyses performed in order to identify the strategic issues that exis t. In order to deal with these strategic issues within BMG, alternatives...

HOMEWORK 7 Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

HOMEWORK 7 - Personal Statement Example Other appropriate ratios include return on equity and return on capital employed. Return on equity is the percentage of net profits in relation to equity. This ratio is much more influential in the determination of return that investors releases to the company. The potential to this ratio extends to the determination of investors investment decision point. Return on capital employed is the percentage of net profit in relation to net assets. Return on assets in relation to cash is another ratio used in the determination of return. This ratio is used in advanced profitability issues. The ratio is used to compare return on investment and cash comparison. The ratio is usually stated on an accruing basis. It is crucial to note the fact that these ratios are used for comparative analysis through the data given. Comparison of ratios should be compared with historical data that belong to the company and or industry. Is it wise for a company to lose money on one product if the product is vital to the sale of another extremely profitable product? It is vital to conduct a net benefit analysis. This will determine the profitability level. A number of approaches can determine which product is profitable for the company. It is wise to employ the best decision strategy in arriving at the best point. Approaches used involve the net benefit analysis or the use of net present value method. In this approach, analysis is done for both products and discounting done by employing the best discount policy. The product that yields the highest net present value should be

Management accountant Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Management accountant - Assignment Example They are only recognized as expenses when they are sold and at that time they are recognized as cost of goods sold (Drury, 2008). According to the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) it is essential that a firm uses absorption costing to record the value of inventory in the books of accounts (Accounting Tools, 2014). The main components of this type of costing methods are: It is however possible to allocate expenses with the help of activity based costing method. But it is considered to be a more elaborate method and therefore more time consuming and costly. The costs allocated under the method of overhead absorption costing method may be over absorbed or under absorbed. The costs are allocated on the basis of rates of overhead. It may be seen that the actual expenses incurred and that which is recorded might not be the same. Also there might be costs that cannot be directly be traced to the products as they might not fall under the overheads. Under such circumstances direct costing is more helpful as it does not require any allocation. Absorption costing is also referred to as full costing or full absorption (Izhar and Hontoir, 2001). Overhead Costs- The next step is to calculate the over head costs of each department. This is done by multiplying overhead rate with the hours per unit. The obtained figure is again multiplied with the units produced of each product (Lucey, 2007). Rates per unit calculation- Under ABC costing, the first step is to calculate the rate per activity. As per the given problem, it is known that there are five activities. The total units in terms of each activity are known. The total cost is also known. Therefore it is possible to calculate the rate per unit. They are calculated by dividing cost pools by cost drivers given in the problem (Jain and Khan, 2006) Total Cost for each activity- Now that the rates are known

Sociology Dissertation Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Sociology Dissertation Report - Essay Example This report details my reasons for taking up this subject for my study and reflects on the conclusions drawn therein. While there were many issues I considered for the purpose of preparing a sociology dissertation, obesity appeared to be the one that had registered the sharpest rise in recent years and was also affecting the greatest number of people. At the outset, I recognized that obesity could also be classified as a medical problem rather than a sociological one. But there is one aspect in which obesity differs from other urgent medical problems that pose a danger to health. Such medical problems are restricted to limited sections of society; but obesity appears to be a prevalent condition, which is affecting a huge segment of American society, especially among young people who have traditionally been more active and thereby less obese than adults. The question that arose in this context was – what could be the possible reasons for such a dramatic rise in obesity, especially among children, in recent years? Applying Mills’ Sociological approach, the trend towards rising obesity is a feature of recent times, therefore it appeared likely that changing lifestyles with concomitant sedentary lifestyles were contributing to obesity. There are of course, medical reasons that can also be attributed as causal factors in obesity. But while some individuals may be obese due to medical reasons it is difficult, if not impossible, to explain away the increase in obesity among Americans across the nation, from different walks of life, purely on these grounds. There appeared to be indisputable sociological factors or elements in the environment that are causal factors of obesity. From this perspective, I began to explore the literature to discover the findings of other researchers on the causal factors leading to obesity. I found that there was a clear

Amniotic Fluid Volume In Pregnancy

Amniotic Fluid Volume In Pregnancy Objectives . To assess the relationship between the amniotic fluid volume (AFV) in low risk pregnancy and the perinatal outcome, using either AFI or SDP, and to evaluate the effects of different fetal positions and Attitudes on those measurements Methods . A prospective study was performed, in which a sample of 3000 low-risk pregnant women were studied using routine ultrasound, including fetal biometry and measurement of AFI, and SDP. Data were analysed using multiple linear regression, and constructing a curve for both the AFI, and SDP measurements, according to gestational age, the fetal positions and attitudes, in addition to the assessment of the final perinatal outcome. Results . The 50th percentile remained practically constant at approximately 150 mm between the 20th and 33rd week, after which there was a decline in volume, which became evident after the 38th week. At the 40th week, the 10th percentile was around 62 mm and the 2.5th percentile around 33 mm. Among the group with intact membranes, no significant differences in perinatal outcome could be seen in relationship to the AFI and SDP, although a 50% increase in emergency operations for fetal distress was seen in women with oligohydramnios. Fetal position had significantly affected the AFI, which was remarkably lower in breech pregnancies, but without similar effect on SDP. There was no significant difference for either SDP (P = 0.8) or AFI (P = 0.3) between fetuses lying on the right or the left side of the maternal abdomen. Conclusions . The percentiles incidence of amniotic fluid measurements in low-risk pregnant women showed significant decrease with gestational age, especially after the 33rd week pregnancy. Fetal position and laterality had affected significantly the AFI, but not the SDP. Key words: Amniotic fluid index, low-risk pregnancy, obstetric ultrasonography Abbreviations: AFI: amniotic fluid index, AFV: amniotic fluid volume, GA: gestational age, p: percentile Introduction The importance of variations in volume of amniotic fluid to fetal well-being has been particularly well-established, and are closely correlated to an increase in perinatal mortality and morbidity rates (1, 2), although some doubts have recently been raised (3). Fetal well-being is an important question that can, however, remain unanswered in many situations, but progress in diagnostic techniques has resulted in better perinatal outcomes, and has also contributed to understanding the complex physiological and pathological interaction between fetus and mother (4, 5). AFI and SDP are the sonographic parameters most commonly used to estimate amniotic fluid volume. Both use a two-dimensional measurement to estimate a three- dimensional parameter and are therefore subject to error. Amniotic fluid index (AFI), a semiquantitative ultrasound measure used to denote the volume of amniotic fluid, was first described in 1987 by Phelan et al. (6, 7). Since AFI involves measurements in four quadrants and SDP only measures the deepest pocket, it is possible that fetal position would affect these two indices differently. The relative accuracy of SDP and AFI is still controversial. Using invasive methods, some studies have shown these methods to be comparable, while others have shown that one index might be better than the other. However, none of these studies took into account the potential effect of fetal position on the amniotic fluid volume indices (8). Many studies have shown an increased risk of intrapartal fetal distress in parturient women with oligohydramnios, as identified by ultrasound examination. The exact pathophysiologic mechanism of olighydramnios has not been defined, but one likely explanation is an increased risk of umbilical cord compression during uterine contractions (7,9). However, doubts remain concerning normal values of AFI for each gestational age. The reference curves established some years ago are still in use in current obstetrical practice, but there is a need for new data, using a reliable reference low-risk pregnant women sample, to establish the limits of AFI that would indicate perinatal risk (9). Some existing curves (10 13), were based on relatively small sample sizes, and normal AFI for each gestational age was not yet definitely established. The purpose of this study was to estimate the curve for the amniotic fluid volume in low risk pregnancy, using a set of obstetric sonograms of women between the 20th and 42nd week, using two established parameters, the AFI and SDP, and to assess the effects of those measurements on the final perinatal outcome, in addition to studying the effects of different fetal positions and attitudes on those measured parameters. Material and methods A prospective study was carried out to estimate and evaluate the reference curve of AFI values in low-risk pregnant women, and to follow its effects on the final perinatal outcome. The study was performed at the Feto-maternal Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at El-Minya University, Egypt. Inclusion criteria were: gestational age clearly established by last menstrual period, and confirmed by early ultrasound examination performed in first trimester of pregnancy; and gestational age between 20 and 42 weeks. Women excluded were those with pregnancy-induced hypertension, diabetes mellitus, chronic hypertension, gestational diabetes, fetal macrosomia, ruptured membranes, placental senescence, twin pregnancy, fetal growth restriction, fetal abnormalities, fetal death, fetal isoimmunisation, or other conditions, such as metabolic disorders, kidney and heart disorders, and hypo- and hyperthyroidism. Amniotic fluid volume was measured using a 3.5 MHz linear transducer linked to a ALOKA SS 280. A scanner using the 4-quadrant technique for the assessment of AFV, described by Phelan et al.(6, 7, 9), with a modification proposed by Jeng et al.(11). A total of 3000 women between the 20th and 42nd week of pregnancy were evaluated in this study, between August 2008 and December 2010. In order to avoid any possible bias due to repetition of examinations in women with some undetected problem, an independent sample was chosen. Therefore, only the first ultrasonographic examination of each woman was included in the study, and different sample populations were used for each gestational age, in a cross-sectional design. A formal consent had been taken form the women included in the study, after full explanation and counseling, and approval of the regional ethical committee. The uterus was imaginarily divided into right and left halves along the linea nigra on the surface of the maternal abdomen. Using the mid-point between the fundus uteri and the pubic symphysis, the uterus was also divided into upper and lower halves. With the transducer head perpendicular to the ground, the largest amniotic fluid pocket in each quadrant was identified. The vertical diameter of this largest pocket of each one of the four quadrants was then measured. The AFI was defined as the sum of the measurements of each quadrant in millimeters. All examinations were performed by only one professional in order to avoid inter-observer variability. The intra-observer variability of the measures performed with this technique was estimated to be high (correlation coefficient 0.92) (14-18). Both AFI and SDP were measured at the same time during the examination. SDP was obtained by measuring the depth of the single deepest vertical amniotic fluid pocket that was clear of umbilical cord or fetal parts (19,20). AFI was calculated as the sum of the depths of the deepest pockets from each of the four quadrants of the uterus. The position of the fetal trunk was characterized by three parameters. Initially, the ultrasound probe was placed transversely on the maternal abdominal wall, with the midpoint of the probe over the sagittal midline of the maternal abdomen, at the level of the fetal abdominal circumference (Figure 1). A vertical line (Line Y) was drawn downwards from the center of the ultrasound probe. A horizontal line (Line X) was drawn across the maximum diameter of the fetal abdominal circumference. Line X was thus divided by Line Y into a shorter part (S) and a longer part (L). The first parameter to be determined was the position of the fetal trunk. This was assigned as either fetal trunk left or fetal trunk right depending on whether L was on the left or the right side, respectively, of the maternal abdomen (21-24). Next, we determined by how much the fetal trunk lay to one side of the uterus, by calculating the laterality score, defined as S/(S + L). This score ranged from 0 to 0.5; a score of exactly 0.5 meant that the fetal trunk was on the sagittal midline of the maternal abdomen, and a score of 0 meant that the fetal trunk was to the side and did not cross over Line Y. The use of the laterality score has not been reported previously. Finally, we determined the orientation of the ventral part of the fetal abdomen: a line (Line Z) was drawn from the fetal hepatic vein to the fetal spine, and the angle (A) between Lines Z and Y was determined. Fetuses were classified into one of three groups: ventral anterior (A = 300.1 360- or0-60-), ventral lateral (A = 60.1 120- or 240.1 300-) and ventral posterior (A= 120.1 240-). Figure I. The study population was categorized into different groups according to the fetal position, and AFI and SDP in the different groups were compared. Pearsons correlation coefficient between laterality score and AFI was considered the primary outcome measure. For an r of 0.25, a minimum of 62 cases was needed at a Type I error of 0.05. Based on the curve of Jeng et al. (25), and adopting a mean AFI measurement of 140 mm at 40 weeks, and a standard deviation of 48 mm, a sample size of at least 120 measurements for each week of pregnancy was estimated, assuming an ÃŽ ± error of 0.05 and a maximum difference of 10 mm between population and sample measurements. The AFI was correlated to perinatal outcome based on the Apgar score, umbilical cord blood pH, birthweight, frequency of cesarean section for fetal distress, operative delivery for fetal distress, including both cesarean section, vaginal forceps, and ventous extractions, and referral to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Fishers exact test was used for statistical evaluation. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The computer program nQuary Advisor Release 3 (Statistical Solutions Ltd, Cork, Ireland) was used to calculate the sample size needed in order to obtain significance levels at p < 0.05 and 0.01 with 90% confidence intervals (CI). Data were analysed using multiple linear regression, and by constructing a curve of the 2.5th, 10th, 50th, 90th and 97.5th percentiles of the amniotic fluid measurements according to gestational age. All statistical analyses were performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences for Windows version 10.0 (SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL, USA). Students t- test, Pearsons correlation coefficient, linear regression and ANOVA were used as appropriate. A P-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results The 3000 pregnant women included in the study had a mean age of 25.9 years (range 13 46), with low parity (45% were primigravida). The sample was basically from a low risk population because of the exclusion criteria used. The values of the 2.5th, 10th, 50th, 90th and 97.5th percentiles of the AFI, and SDP according to gestational age are shown in Figure II, III and IV show the data after being submitted to a smoothing process using quadratic polynomial adjustments. Analysis of the 50th percentile measurements of the AFI, and SDP curve at different gestational ages revealed that these values remained practically constant, at around 150 mm, between the 20th and 33rd week of pregnancy. At this point, values began to decrease, and this decline became particularly evident after the 38th week, reaching 130 mm at the 39th week, 120 mm at the 41st week and 116 mm at the 42nd week of gestation. Table I, and II The mean gestational age at the time of examination was 33.3 Â ± 2.8 weeks. The mean SDP and AFI were 5.5 (range, 2.8 9.3) cm and 14.5 (range, 6.7 29.3) cm, respectively. There were no significant differences in mean AFI measurements when these data were controlled for age, race, literacy, parity or previous caesarean scar (data already published elsewhere) (18). Measurements of the 10th percentile remained 100 mm until the 33rd week, when an accentuated decrease started, declining even more sharply after the 38th week of gestation, reaching values 80 mm and 40 mm at the 42nd week. According to the published normal ranges, six cases had polyhydramnios (AFI = 29.3 cm at 29 weeks gestation, SDP = 9.1 cm at 37 weeks and SDP = 9.3 cm at 33 weeks gestation) and two cases had oligohydramnios (AFI = 6.7 cm at 36 weeks gestation). Twelve hundreds and five (42%) cases were fetal trunk right and 1663 (58%) were fetal trunk left. There were no significant differences between these groups with respect to gestational age (33.1 Â ± 2.4 vs. 33.4 Â ± 2.7 weeks, P = 0.7), mean SDP (5.4 Â ± 1.3 vs. 5.5 Â ± 1.4 cm, P = 0.3) and mean AFI (15.1 Â ± 5.1 vs. 14.1 Â ± 4.0 cm, P = 0.8).Table III In fact, our results showed that fetal position had a significant effect on AFI but not on SDP; the more the fetus was positioned to one side of the uterus, the lower was the AFI. Both methods show good correlation between the measurements and the actual volume of amniotic fluid. The effect of laterality score on amniotic fluid volume indices was assessed by Pearsons correlation coefficient and linear regression. It had no significant effect on SDP (r = 0.13, ÃŽ ² = 1.1, standard error = 0.9, P = 0.23). However, it did significantly influence AFI (r = 0.31, ÃŽ ² = Transverse section of maternal trunk level of fetal abdomen8.7, standard error = 3.0, P = 0.005). The regression line is shown in Figure III. In other words, when the laterality score increased, the AFI increased proportionately. When the laterality score was 0.5 (fetal trunk positioned at the midline of the maternal abdomen), the AFI was, on average, 4.35 cm higher than it was when the laterality score was 0 (fetal trunk lay on the side and did not cross the midline of the maternal sagittal plane). Figure III, IV. There were two case of high AFI (29.3 cm) in the study population. In order to exclude the possibility that the results were influenced by this single case, we repeated the analysis quadrants of the ipsilateral side, the vertical depth of these two quadrants being be much shallower compared with those on the contralateral side. Although amniotic fluid should be displaced to the contralateral side, this may not be reflected completely in a two-dimensional measurement of the depth of the other two pockets. Therefore, it is not surprising to find that AFI measurement is lower when the fetus lies on one side of the uterus instead of centrally. The difference was statistically significant and is clinically important. When the fetus lay on one side of the uterus, the AFI was, on average, 4.35 cm lower compared with the AFI for a fetus lying centrally. On the contrary, SDP is apparently rather inert to fetal position. Since SDP only measures the deepest pocket, it is understandable that the effect of fetal position on its measurement is less. Based on the results of this study, SDP may be a better index for estimation of amniotic fluid volume than is AFI, because the association between SDP and laterality score remained non-significant (P = 0.4, ÃŽ ² = 0.8, standard error = 0.9). Further analysis was also performed with linear regression to control for the effect of gestational age. These results showed that the laterality score had a significant effect on AFI (ÃŽ ² = 9.6, standard error = 3.0, P = 0.002) that was independent of gestational age (ÃŽ ² = −0.4, standard error = 0.2, P = 0.019). AFI was significantly higher in cephalic fetal position, more than with breech ones. This result had been clearly apparent after 32 weeks gestation, and with less AFI with the ventral fetal trunk attitude with the breech position, than other. SDP had not show the same picture in different fetal positions, either breech or cephalic, so SDP as an AFV parameter had not been affected with the different fetal positions. Of the 3000 fetuses, 345 were ventral anterior, 1720 were ventral lateral and 803 were ventral posterior. The respective gestational ages of these groups were 33.5 Â ± 2.7, 32.8 Â ± 2.7 and 34.2 Â ± 2.8 weeks, the SDPs were 5.5 Â ± 1.4, 5.5 Â ± 1.3 and 5.5 Â ± 1.4 cm, and the AFIs were 14.5 Â ± 5.3, 14.4 Â ± 4.4 and 14.8 Â ± 4.4 cm. None of these was significantly different between the three groups (P = 1.0, P = 0.14 and P = 0.9, respectively). The 3000 pregnant women were divided into two subgroups according to the status of the fetal membranes. The membranes were found to be ruptured at the time of the examination in 1400 (44%) women; 750 (25%) had oligohydramnios. The membranes were intact in 1600 (55); 350 (15%) had hydramnios. Table I shows the maternal variables of the two groups. The median interval between the ultrasound examination and delivery was 4 h (range 0-24 h) in the group with ruptured membranes and 6 h (range 0-70 h) in those with intact membranes. In the group with ruptured membranes there was a significant difference in the frequency of operative delivery due to feta distress between the parturients with oligohydramnios and those with a normal volume of amniotic fluid [10.6% and 3.0%, respectively, p < 0.02, OR 3.86 (range 1.34-1.11)]. No significant differences were found regarding the other variables of perinatal outcome (Table II). In the group with intact membranes, there was a 50% increased risk of operative intervention due to fetal distress (OR 1.5), though not significant (CI 0.48-4.63) (Table III). Discussion There is a variation in AFI measurements according to gestational age. Values in the current study remain relatively constant until the 33rd week of pregnancy when a progressive decrease starts, becoming particularly evident after the 38th week of gestation. The normal lower and upper limit values of the AFI commonly used up to now, which vary between 50 and 200 mm, are similar to those found in the present study up to the 40th week of pregnancy. When adopting reference values between 80 and 180 mm for every week of pregnancy (19,20), incorrect diagnosis are likely to occur. Our findings, suggested a strong influence of fetal position on sonographic indices of amniotic fluid volume. Furthermore, we recruited women with apparently normal pregnancies and hence most likely with normal amniotic fluid volumes. Further studies should look at the relationship between fetal position and amniotic fluid volume indices in cases of oligohydramnios and polyhydramnios. Pregnant women, who are classified as having oligohydramnios by these criteria, may possibly be considered normal if a reference curve of AFI specific to gestational age were used, especially in term and post-term pregnancies. The adopted limit values indicating an alteration in the AFV are variable. For the fetal biophysical profile, the measurement of just one pocket is adopted, varying from 1 to 3 cm, and considered the lower normal limit by some authors (21,22); however, in this case, total volume would be considered decreased if the AFI were used. In fact, a RCT comparing both techniques showed an overestimation of abnormal results with AFI in post term pregnancies, increasing the number of obstetric interventions (23). These variations in classifying oligohydramnios reflect doubts regarding which percentiles best express the correlation between the decrease in AFV and poor fetal outcome. When the 50th percentile AFI was compared with that reported in a previous study (14), measurements were always higher in our study at all gestational ages by approximately 50 mm up to 28 weeks, and by 30 40 mm between 32 and 40 weeks of pregnancy. On the other hand, the current 50th percentile showed fewer variations, around 10 mm at all gestational ges, compared to the results of the indian study population (15). The importance of a curve that includes the 10th and 90th percentiles is reflected in its greater capacity to identify abnormal cases. Therefore, if the 10th percentile is used as the lower normal limit, there would be less likelihood of missing a case of real oligohydramnios. A curve that included the 2.5th and 97.5th percentiles would diagnose fewer cases of abnormal AFI, and this could result in more cases of oligohydramnios or polyhydramnios being included within the normal range. By adopting the 10th percentile of AFI as the diagnosis for oligohydramnios in our population, the values are higher than those found for the Chinese study up to 36 weeks, but similar around 40 weeks of pregnancy (14). When we compare the results of this study to previous published curves (10-17), similarities can be seen for the 50th percentile of AFT at all gestational ages. However, when comparing the 2.5th percentile, it is evident that the measurements in Moore and Cayles curve are lower up to the 35th week of pregnancy, after which they are higher than the values found in our study curve. The 97.5th percentile of the Moore and Cayle curve is slightly higher at all gestational ages except for the 41st and 42nd weeks. The lower limit of 2 standard-deviations and the mean values of the Jeng et al. (11) curve are slightly lower in relation to the present curve at corresponding gestational ages, except from the 37th to the 42nd week, when values remain higher than those in the present curve. The definition of normal AFI cannot, in itself, guarantee good perinatal outcome. For instance, a 42-week pregnancy with an AFI of 45 mm would be considered normal, but how physiological this value is and what real risk it represents are questions that still need to be fully answered. If the correlation between AFV and perinatal outcome can be established, this curve may have a broader clinical application in prenatal diagnosis and care. Moreover, the curve of the 2.5th, 10th, 50th, 90th and 97.5th percentiles of the AFI measurements shows a significant decrease according to gestational age, especially after the 32nd week. This measurement could, therefore, considered a normal reference curve for the evaluation of AFI. The results of the present study suggest that oligohydramnios after rupture of the membranes in low-risk pregnancies is associated with a nearly four-fold increased risk of operative delivery due to fetal distress. An ultrasound examination of AFI could thus identify those who may need intensified fetal surveillance during labor. The present study was performed on a selected group of women with low-risk pregnancy. As AFI is one of the parameters checked in high-risk pregnancies at our hospital, these parturients were excluded in order to make the study blind. By adding high-risk pregnancies, a much smaller sample size would be needed. The frequency of oligohydramnios in cases with intact membranes was unexpectedly high: 15% instead of 5% in the controls. Although our pregnancies were low-risk, a few showed signs of pregnancy complications on admission to the labor ward (Table I), which might explain the higher frequency of oligohydramnios in this group. Although there was a significant correlation between operative delivery due to fetal distress and oligohydramnios in cases of ruptured membrane (Table II), sensitivity was low (11%), and false-positive and negative rates were 46% and 23%, respectively. Thus the knowledge of oligohydramnios in these low-risk pregnancies did not cause any immediate action, only more intense surveillance during labor. In the present study there was a 50% increased risk of operative fetal delivery due to fetal distress in parturients with oligohydramnios and intact membranes. Teoh et al. studied 120 pregnancies as an admission study in early labor with intact membranes. The frequency of oligohydramnios (AFI < 5 cm) in their study was 22%, and operative delivery due to fetal distress frequency among these was 27%. Based on these data, a sample size of 100 would be sufficient. We chose, however, three times that size, as the low-risk status of their population was uncertain (9, 11). The pathophysiology of oligohydramnios before membrane rupture is unclear. One theory is that a reduced perfusion of the placenta causes hypovolemia in the fetus, and/or an automatic redistribution of fetal blood volume to vital organs with a resultant reduced blood supply to the kidneys. This in turn could lead to reduced production of urine, and thus reduce the volume of amniotic fluid. Bar- Hava et al. studied signs of redistribution, renal blood flow, and signs of oligohydramnios, but could find no correlation. There was no change in the renal artery pulsatility index (12, 14, 19). Oligohydramnios in labor after the rupture of membranes in a low-risk pregnancy is probably not caused by a reduced perfusion of the placenta, but is more probably caused by the loss of large amounts of amniotic fluid at the time of the rupture. One explanation for the significantly increased risk of operative delivery due to fetal distress in the group with ruptured membranes might be that there is an increased risk of the umbilical cord becoming trapped in an ad- verse position, at the time of the rupture, if a large amount of amniotic fluid is lost. Amnioinfusion may be a way to treat such cases in order to restore the volume of amniotic fluid and reduce the risk of compression of the umbilical cord, thus averting the need for operative delivery (11, 21, 23). As a conclusion of the current study, assessment of the AFV during pregnancy using the SDP appears to be more accurate than the AFI, especially the SDP evaluation has not been affected significantly with either different fetal positions or attitudes, but still we are in need for further controlled studies to compare the accuracy of the two modes of AFV assessment. Another conclusion drawn from our study is that an ultrasound examination, including measurement of AFI as an admission test for women presenting at the labor ward with ruptured membranes after an uneventful pregnancy, could help identify those with an increased risk of intrapartum fetal distress, namely those with oligohydramnios. Moreover Measuring AFI in low-risk pregnancies on admission to the labor ward might detect cases needing special surveillance. We are currently preparing a new ongoing study, as an extension to the current study, comparing the previous two parameters of AFV assessment in high risk pregnancies, and the preliminary results could confirm the previously mentioned results, but it is too early to get to a final conclusion.

Subliminal Messages :: essays research papers

Subliminal Messages in Advertising: The Case For and Against Lisa Caswell Syracuse University Running Head: Subliminal Messages Subliminal messaging and subliminal perception are controversial topics in the field of psychology. Many studies have been conducted to determine if subliminal messaging does in fact work. Many people think that subliminal messages in the field of advertising are much more successful than subliminal messages for self-improvement, such as tapes sold to help the consumer lose weight, gain intelligence, or do something else to improve themselves simply by listening to a tape. Subliminal advertising can be defined as "embedding material in print, audio, or video messages so faintly that they are not consciously perceived." Rogers and Smith (1993) surveyed 400 households. When asked if they believed advertisers deliberately included subliminal messages, 61.5% responded 'yes'. A 72.2% 'yes' answer was obtained when asked if subliminal advertisements were effective. Based on these results, it can be concluded that consumers are aware of subliminal advertising, and believe it is effectively used by advertisers to influence their decisions. The term "sub-threshold effects," first popularized by Packard in 1957, preceded the popular notion of "subliminal advertising," whose originator is James Vicary. Subliminal advertising first came to the public's attention in 1957 when Jim Vicary conducted a subliminal advertising strategy of interspersing "drink Coca-Cola" and "eat popcorn" messages on a movie screen so quickly that they could not be seen consciously by the audience. His research initially reported increases in the sales of both Coca-Cola and popcorn as a result of the subliminal messages. Later, however, when he was challenged and could not replicate or even produce the results, Vicary admitted that the results of the initial study had been fabricated (Weir, 1984). Key (1989) has more recently claimed that hidden or embedded messages are widespread and effective. Key's theories have been widely discredited by scholars who have examined marketing applications scientifically (Moore, 1982). Although a few scholarly studies have reported certain limited effects of exposure to subliminal stimuli in laboratory settings (Greenwald, Klinger, and Liu, 1989), most academic researchers on the subject have reported findings which indicate no practical or predictable effect in an advertising setting (Dixon, 1971). The 1957 Vicary study has been largely disregarded in the scholarly community due to lack of scientific documentation of methodology and failure to replicate. However, scholarly findings and industry assertions may have had little or no effect on the average American, who has been exposed to popular articles and books promoting the notion that subliminal advertising is used and is effective. In addition, Americans have been exposed to advertisements claiming that self-help audio-tapes and videotapes containing subliminal materials can help the purchaser with weight loss, better relationships, an improved golf game, quitting smoking, and even birth control. Awareness of Subliminal Messaging by the Public

Resdietial schools

This explaining what Residential Schools did for all these years. In the 19th century the Canadian government believed it was responsible for educating and care for the countrys aboriginal people. It though that native people best chance for success was to adopt Christianity and Canadian customs. This event was trying to make Aboriginal children talk, dress, think and act like Canadians.Children were the main targets, because it was believed that it would be asier to change a young child as opposed to an adult. At the time, the government and churches believed that residential schooling was the right thing to do for the Aboriginal children to be better and wiser people. â€Å"In order to educate the children properly we must separate them from their families†¦ Some people may say this hard, but if we want to civilize them we must do that. (A federal Cabinet Minister, 1883, CBC Learning DVD) Government and churches believed in the movement, due to their intent of educating, assi milating and integrating the Aboriginal people into Canadian society. The system was designed to â€Å"kill the Indian in the child. † Aboriginal families all across Canada were affected by the Residential Schools system, and still are affected. Children were forced to attend and live year round at these schools. Parents had to accept that their children would no longer be in their care and that they would be looked after by churches and funded by the Canadian government, or face imprisonment.The importance of this issue is that, Residential Schools had a high impact at the time to destroy the close ties in Aboriginal families and the strong sense of culture in communities. Our objective is to continue until there is not a single Indian in Canada†¦ that has not been absorbed unto the body politic†¦ and there is not Indian question and no Indian Department†(Duncan Campbell Scott, Deputy Superintendent of Indian Affairs Jan 1,1920, CBC Learning DVD) The governme nt wanted to blend the aboriginals in to the â€Å"norm† of Canadian society.If you are an â€Å"outsider† like a First Nations person, you are expected to follow to rules and social normalities of a Canadian. Life at Residential Schools was hard for the first nation's children. Children were taught that their spiritual practices were vil, and were banned from their practices. They were forced to speak English, and were punished if they spoke their own native languages. Many suffered physical, sexual and emotional abuse while living in the residential schools.Some children died from how horrible treatments were at the Residential schools. They couldn't take the abuse or the poor poverty anymore. Very few of the teachers were qualified to teach therefore the education was poor. It's important to note that the Residential School programs were disgraceful, not Just from the perspective of our times, but rom the perspective of their own. This policy has had a lasting and d amaging impact their homes, separate from the cultures and traditions that are created for many lives and communities.They government now recognize that, these institutions gave rise to abuse and you shouldn't change a culture Just because they are living in Canada. â€Å"As Aboriginal and non- Aboriginal Canadians seek to move forward together in a process of renewal, it is essential that we deal with the leagues of the past affecting the Aboriginal peoples of Canada, including the First Nations, Inuit and M ©tis. Our purpose is not to rewrite history but, rather, to learn from our past and to find ways to deal with negative impacts that certain historical decisions continue to have in our society today. (A Day at Indian Residential Schools in Canada, DVD) Many Aboriginal people had enough and wanted to take power over this issue. Families couldn't be a proper family anymore because they couldn't communicate with one another. The Residential Schools broke the. Children coming fr om Residential Schools, grew up, got married and had kids. But they couldn't be good parents because they didn't now how. They didn't have a role model of being a good parent when growing up in Residential Schools. A Day at Indian Residential Schools in Canada, DVD) This caused even more problem to the Aboriginal People. Protesters by Aboriginal parents, National Brotherhood and Inspectors from Indian Affairs making this world wide for Government to hear the people and know about this horrible issue the Aboriginal People had to go through. â€Å"Sadly, our history with respect to the treatment of Aboriginal People is not something is in which we can take pride. Attitude of racial nd cultural superiority led to a suppression of Aboriginal culture and values.As a country we burdened by past actions that resulted in weakling the identity of Aboriginal peoples, suppressing their languages, cultures and outlawing spiritual practices. We must recognize the impact of these actions thatonc e self- sustaining nations that were disaggregated, disruned, limited or even destroyed. â€Å"(A Day at Indian Residential Schools in Canada, DVD) After years of protests by Aboriginal parents, leaders, organizations, and the many the many reports of problems, the federal government knew that the Residential School system was being coming a big problem.Regional Inspectors from Indian Affairs recommended that the Residential School should be over and done with and they made sure the Government heard the voices about the issue. The National Indian Brotherhood's position paper of 1972, â€Å"Indian Control of Indian Education,† proposed to implement two principles of education that would make school more relevant to students and their communities: Parental responsibility and local control of education, including the right to hire staff and develop curriculum. (Aboriginal People in Canada, pg. 33-358) this went worldwide.The federal government and now recognizing that, what the y did before was wrong and that the Aboriginal People should take over. The Residential School system failed as a system of education for three reasons: Server underfunding, particularly during the two World Wars and the Depression, Inadequate management due to the rapid growth of the system and students. (Aboriginal People in Canada, pg. 358) Aboriginal People were not satisfied with Just the closure of Residential Schools, individuals and communities took action. In 1988, Residential School survivors from St.George's Residential School in Lytton, British Columbia, filed lawsuits against the Anglican Church for damages for sexual abuse. Canadians were shocked by news reports about routinely abuses by the Catholic Church. This case opened the accounts of abuse in the Residential school across Canada and, finally, national attention focused on the damages that this system had inflicted. Non- Aboriginal leaders and citizens condemned the abuse that had taken place for so long. It was time for the churches and government to respond, take action about the problem and hear the voices (Aboriginal People in Canada, pg. 8) The treatment of children in Indian Residential Schools is a sad chapter in history of Canada. Indian Residential Schools separated over 1 50,000 Aboriginal children from their families and communities. The primary objectives of Residential Schools system were to remove and isolate, transitions and cultures, and to assimilate them into the dominant culture. The government now recognize that this policy was wrong, had caused great harm and has no place in Canada. The legacy of Indian Residential Schools has contributed to social problems that continue to exist in many communities today.The government also recognizes the consequences of Residential Schools policy was negative and that it has had a lasting and damaging impact on Aboriginal culture, heritage and language. â€Å"On behalf of the Government of Canada and all Canadians, I stand before you , in this Chamber so central to our life as a country, to apologize to Aboriginal Peoples of Canada's role in the Indian Residential Schools system. â€Å"(Stephen Harper, CBC Learning, Stolen Children) Government policy destroyed the fabric of family in first nations, M ©tis and Inuit communities.Parents and children were made to feel worthless. Parents and grandparents were given no choice. Their children were stolen from them. â€Å"Today we live in a reality created by the residential schools system, stole from them. â€Å"Today we live in a reality created by the residential schools system, a present that is haunted by this tragic and painful heritage from those first nations, M ©tis and Inuit children, from their families and their communities, a dark and painful heritage that all Canadians must accept as a part of our history. (St ©phane Dion, CBC Learning, Stolen Children, DVD) For a pretty long, Canadian governments chose denial over truth, and when confronted with the eight of truth, chose silence. Canadian governments also refused to acknowledge their role in creating the residential schools system and perpetrating the goal of wiping out aboriginal identity and culture.Canadian governments ignored the consequences of this problem. Instead of trying to understand the Aboriginal People's suffering that continues to this day, they went into silence. Today, we, representatives of the Canadian people, apologize to those who survived residential schools and to those who died as a result of the laws enacted by previous governments and parliaments. By speaking directly to survivors and victims' today on the floor of the House of Commons, we apologize to those who died waiting for these words to be spoken and these wrongs acknowledged. † (St ©phane Dion, CBC Learning, people for accepting the apology that they are getting from Canada. Together we remember and honour them for it was they who suffered the most as they witnessed generation afte r generation of their children taken from their families' love and guidance. for the generations that will follow us, we bear witness today in this House that our survival as First Nations peoples in this land is affirmed forever. (Phil Fontaine National Chief, CBC Learning, Stolen Children, DVD) The First Nations now significance of the day of apology is not Just about what has been done, but equally important, what id to come.They know that never again will the House consider the First Nations the Indian problem for Just being who they are. The first Nations heard and know that the Government of Canada will take full responsibility for this dead chapter in their shared history. they heard the Prime Minister declare that this will never happen again. They finally heard Canada say it is sorry. â€Å"Everyone has still have o struggle, but now they are in this together. † (Phil Fontaine National Chief, CBC Learning, Stolen Children, DVD) The effects of Residential School last generations and healing will take as long.If is not possible for communities, families and nations to heal within a few years and will continue to grow. Steps to Healing that I think is good: Creating safety from violence, Showing respect and tolerance for differences, Being responsible and holding others responsible for actions and recognizing the hurt and the need to change. In conclusion, I think Residential School shouldn't been built in the first place. Even if you were trying to change a cultural to become Just like yours.There were different ways to d it; like teaching them your ways on your own time. Instead of doing it a whole culture and causing so much problems. Or not doing anything about the issue at all. When Canada was apologizing to the Aboriginal People, In my opinion, I think Canada's attempt was trying to close the Aboriginal identity and culture by taking away from their families when they were children and by building a system to punish them for whole they were. They didn't value the Aboriginal people as parents. Didn't trust and respect them.

Free Essays on The Rocking Horse Winner

Character Analysis Of Paul's Mother In â€Å"The Rocking Horse Winner". Imagine getting a knock on your door with someone outside yelling, â€Å"Open up it’s the police.† After you open the door, the police officer points a pistol to your head, and that’s when you realize that this guy is a phony and that you’re in trouble. This seems as though you’re watching a movie, but that’s exactly the way D.H. Lawrence depicts Paul’s mother in â€Å"The Rocking Horse Winner†. In the very first paragraph he mentions that she covers up her faults in the presence of her children. Everyone also considers her a good mother outside her family, while the facts is that she is very bitter. As a result, the mother’s character in the â€Å"Rocking Horse Winner† is portrayed as deceitful. One explanation for the mother’s deceitfulness is her lust for money. She never budgets her money, causing her to constantly run out and need more. This triggers a major conflict within her, which influences her family, to a point that the house becomes haunted and the kids begin hearing the house utter, â€Å"There must be more money! There must be more money!† As a result, the mother becomes very insecure. Usually when a person is in such a miserable situation, his self-esteem is lowered greatly, forcing him to lie and be a fake. This is the case with Paul’s mother, and this is why she’s depicted as phony. Another interpretation of the mother’s fake behavior is, perhaps, that her parents are a pair of phonies themselves. They bequeath their characters to their kids; hence the mother is the way she is. Both, her mother and father don’t love each other, so Paul’s mother also feels she can remain married without love. Her parents, probably, seek to hide everything from her, as does Paul’s mother with her kids. Therefore, the mother’s personality is all a matter of inheritance from her parents. Furthermore, a possible analysis... Free Essays on The Rocking Horse Winner Free Essays on The Rocking Horse Winner Live for money, die for money Through our life, we all strive to be wealthy, important, and to be loved. The story, â€Å"The Rocking Horse Winner†, written by D.H. Lawrence describes how a family relationship is affected by money, material gain and social position. Paul, the young son in the story, wants to be loved so much that he is willing to risk everything, even his life to try to earn his mothers’ love. At the beginning of the story, the family is not happy since money is a big issue with them. To be successful in the society in which they lived, you had to have a certain amount of luck to be rich. â€Å"Why don’t we keep a car of our own? Why do we always use Uncle’s or a taxi?† â€Å"It’s because your father has no luck† (Lawrence 588-589). Since Paul’s mother thinks that her husband and the children are not lucky, then therefore they are not rich in her eyes. Even though they live like they are rich, they are living a â€Å"champagne taste on a beer budget†. She also does not have the love that she should have for her children because of this. She married for love in the beginning. The love that was once there has now faded, and she can not find any love but for herself now. Because of her love for money, she has a very cold heart and is always thinking of a way to get more money. Because Paul wants to be loved, his drive to find luck was fueled by the whispers he heard throughout the house. â€Å"There must be more money! There must be more money† (Lawrence 588)! Paul thought that if he found luck, then he would be able to make the whispers stop and also make his mother happy. His method of searching for luck was rather unusual and would eventually lead to his downfall. Paul would ride like crazy on an old rocking horse he had. Eventually, it seemed as if Paul found what he was looking for. He developed a habit of betting on horse races. After he started winning, he knew no different. It wa... Free Essays on The Rocking Horse Winner Character Analysis Of Paul's Mother In â€Å"The Rocking Horse Winner". Imagine getting a knock on your door with someone outside yelling, â€Å"Open up it’s the police.† After you open the door, the police officer points a pistol to your head, and that’s when you realize that this guy is a phony and that you’re in trouble. This seems as though you’re watching a movie, but that’s exactly the way D.H. Lawrence depicts Paul’s mother in â€Å"The Rocking Horse Winner†. In the very first paragraph he mentions that she covers up her faults in the presence of her children. Everyone also considers her a good mother outside her family, while the facts is that she is very bitter. As a result, the mother’s character in the â€Å"Rocking Horse Winner† is portrayed as deceitful. One explanation for the mother’s deceitfulness is her lust for money. She never budgets her money, causing her to constantly run out and need more. This triggers a major conflict within her, which influences her family, to a point that the house becomes haunted and the kids begin hearing the house utter, â€Å"There must be more money! There must be more money!† As a result, the mother becomes very insecure. Usually when a person is in such a miserable situation, his self-esteem is lowered greatly, forcing him to lie and be a fake. This is the case with Paul’s mother, and this is why she’s depicted as phony. Another interpretation of the mother’s fake behavior is, perhaps, that her parents are a pair of phonies themselves. They bequeath their characters to their kids; hence the mother is the way she is. Both, her mother and father don’t love each other, so Paul’s mother also feels she can remain married without love. Her parents, probably, seek to hide everything from her, as does Paul’s mother with her kids. Therefore, the mother’s personality is all a matter of inheritance from her parents. Furthermore, a possible analysis...

Shylock a villain or a victim of the society he lives in Essay Example

Shylock a villain or a victim of the society he lives in Essay Example Shylock a villain or a victim of the society he lives in Essay Shylock a villain or a victim of the society he lives in Essay Essay Topic: Play In my opinion Shylock was a victim of the society he lived in. He was a victim because he was a minority in a Christian city where anti-Semitism played an important role in society. In the society in which Shylock lived, there was plenty of racism, so it was easy to paint a picture of Shylock as a villain on evil, based on stereotypical opinions for the society in which he lived. The target audience for which the play was written was largely a racist and a prejudiced audience, so they readily accepted Shylock in the role of Villain, without questioning whether this was an accurate assessment of his personality. Due to the target audience being racist, there is a bias in the way in which Shylock is portrayed, and does not always effectively portray what Shylock was feeling or thinking. Although in some cases Shakespeare did show that he did not have the stereotypical view of Shylock, which most certainly his audience did have. In this essay, I will be expressing my opinion on whether Shylock is a victim or a villain in the society that he lives in. I feel that, Shylock is a victim of the Elizabethan society in which he lived. He seems to be treated badly by everyone who he comes into contact with, including his own servant. It is really only his own kind who seems to respect and treat him properly. In Act 1 scene 3 Shylock is asked to loan 3000 ducats to Antonio by Bassanio. It looks or has been made to look as though Shylock is a villain, this is shown by using repetition, the repetition used in by Shylock is that he seems to mention well a lot, this makes Shylock look like he is planning something, for example how to get revenge on Antonio, also in the beginning of the act Shylock seems to come across as an evil character, this is when he is first introduced into the play. Shylock looks like a villain when he is asked by Bassanio to dine with Antonio, but Shylock replies I will not eat with you, drink with you nor pray with you this sentence made Shylock look like a villain, but if you had to look at it from his point of view, it would be that he has been hated and treated badly all his life by Christians. Then, when Antonio enters the scene you can see how Shylock is treated badly and is a victim in the society he lives in, this point is proven when Shylock says to Antonio You call me a misbeliever and Spit on my Jewish gabardine In the next few scenes in the play we find out that Jessica is ashamed of being Jewish, and consequently is ashamed of her father. She is not happy with her life, and she blames everything that goes wrong on the fact that she is Jewish. As she resents her difficulties and blames them on her religion she also resents her father, and blames him for being Jewish resulting in her also being Jewish, we find this out when Jessica says to Launcelot But though I am a daughter to his blood, I am not to his manners For example in Act 2 scene 3 we find out that Jessica thinks that where she lives is hell. She expresses her feeling to Lorenzo, saying to be ashamed to be my fathers child. This is another point which could make Shylock look like a villain because even his own daughter is ashamed to have him (Shylock) as a father, or this also could look as though Shylock is a victim because he has been victimized and arguments have been caused in his family due to his religion. Christians such as Lorenzo have changed his daughter they have made her ashamed of her own religion and her father. I also think that this does show that Shylock and Jessica do not have a very good relationship if their relationship was stronger she would be prouder of her heritage and less likely to blame everything that goes wrong on her father and their religion. She would accept the familys religion as an important part of her heritage and background, and not something to be ashamed of. In Act 2 scene 5 Shylock looks like a kill joy he seems to give Jessica no freedom and is always controlling her, and not leaving her on her own. This could be because he is in fear of what might happen to her, and thus his controlling her is just Shylocks way of making sure that nothing happens to her, as he wants her to be protected. However because Shylock is portrayed in such a negative way, his control over Jessica could be incorrectly seen as unreasonable and evil so one again he looks like a villain. In this scene there are very good examples which shows how much hatred Shylock has towards Christians for example But yet Ill go in hate, to feed upon the prodigal Christian. In this scene there is dramatic irony, this is when the audience know what is happening and some of the characters do not know what is happening. The use of dramatic irony is used when, Shylock explains his dreams, and he says that he is going to lose something. This is ironic because his daughter Jessica was planning to run away and take all of Shylocks money with her. In Act 3 Shylock seems to be loosing everything he has. His own daughter Jessica had run away and had also stolen all of his precious jewels, and he had done nothing to deserve this. To an audience in Shakespeares time this would look completely normally, they would not understand how upset Shylock probably was, but to a modern audience we can see that he is a victim of society, and there was nothing he could have done to prevent it from happening. The only thing he could do was take revenge from his bond, in my opinion this does not make him a villain because personally I think most people would want revenge on something or anything if that much had happened to them, as it is human nature. To bait fish withal. If it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge. This shows how he wants to take his revenge on Antonio because now he finally has the chance to do what ever he can do. In act 3 scene 3 Antonios attitude changes towards Shylock for example he says hear me yet good Shylock this shows that he is a coward and is willing to beg for his life, and he is begging to the person he once spat on, and swore at, so at this point Shylock deserves to be a villain and stand up against his sworn enemy. In Act 4 scene 1 at the beginning Shylock has been made to look like a villain, at this point it looks at though Shylock is going to get his revenge, the one thing he has been waiting for, for his whole life: making him look like a villain and yes I do think he is a villain at this point in time, but only because he has been pushed and pushed by the Christians. He also looks like a really bad villain towards a Shakespearean audience as he has been asked to show mercy but he doesnt. This is shown that Shylock wont give mercy as he uses repetition and repeats many times in six thousand ducats I would not draw them I would have my bond But then in the end or near to the end it seems as though Shylocks luck has changed, and there is dramatic irony used, as the audience know that Shylock is being tricked by Portia, whereas Shylock things that the young lawyer is from a distant city. In the end of the scene Shylock is a victim of society as he has been told that if a drop of a Christians blood is spilt then all his good will be taken away from him. So where he was the villain, then the tables had turned against him, and they not only took his bond away from him, but they also took all his possessions from him, leaving him with nothing and also making him a victim of society. This is also ironic, as when Shylock had the upper hand against his enemies they all begged him for mercy, and told him that what he is doing is wrong, but when the tables had turned against Shylock and he was now the victim, and the Christian society had the upper hand, they did not show that they were better than him and give him mercy, as they had begged him for. This all shows that in the end Shylock was the Victim, and that the society he lived in was the villain towards him, and other Jews. So to summarize in my opinion I believe that shylock was a victim and a villain of the society he lived in, he was a victim due to the fact that he was a minority amongst Christians, and during his time there was a lot of racism against him and his religion, I also believe that Shylock was a villain in some ways because the society had driven him to be villainess meaning that because he was treated so badly, that every time he could get his own revenge back against the Christians he did try to do that, making it look like he is the villain to a Shakespearean audience.

The Tenth Amendment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Tenth Amendment - Research Paper Example Without the Tenth Amendment, the Federal Government can actually dictate all the states’ behavior and laws, and the Founding Fathers did not want a remote, strange power to rule them over from afar. As much as possible, they wanted to retain their local laws; the ones that they made specifically for themselves. However, after several years and loopholes, the idea of preserving the local laws against the powers of the federal government has changed. Many people want to secede the Tenth Amendment because the Federal Government is still on everyone’s lives even if the Tenth Amendment is still on effect. History of the Tenth Amendment To better understand the modern-day issue of the Tenth Amendment, one should look back at its roots and check out the reasons why it has been added in the Bill of Rights. One should remember that there was no United States before, only states (colonies) that were under the British Empire, and they rebelled together. These thirteen colonies gai ned their independence from the British Empire on July 2, 1776. Now as soon as they declared independence, these thirteen colonies immediately became sovereign states. ... It was Richard Henry Lee of Virginia who proposed to Congress on June 6, 1776 that â€Å"That a plan of confederation be prepared and transmitted to the respective Colonies for their consideration and approbation.† During the summer of 1777, the Congress studied the plan and the bill was ratified and formally adopted by Congress on November 1977. This was now known as the Articles of Confederation. With this article, each state had to choose whether or not it wants to be a part of the new Union or not. On March 1, 1781, Maryland was the last state to join the Union and has ratified the article. Thus, on that date, the thirteen states became one nation. The major reason why the people took so long to decide whether or not they want to become part of the Union was their fear of losing their local rights to a new government, which is now â€Å"national†. One must understand that they were just freed from an imperialist government, and they were tentative about forming a ne w one, for the fear making another tyrannical government that they will help create. Thus, they made an effort to control the powers of their new government. The Founding Fathers included this statement in the Articles of Confederation as the Article II: â€Å"Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every power, jurisdiction, and right, which is not by this Confederation expressly delegated to the United States, in Congress assembled.† With this article, the Founding Fathers made it clear that they only wanted the Central Government to have limited power. However, this new form of government was so weak that it can’t even collect taxes that it eventually dissolved. In lieu of that, they made the Constitution of the United States. Like the Articles, the Constitution

IT Manager Perspective Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

IT Manager Perspective - Research Paper Example (b). The organizations is an early adopter of HIT because from the very beginning, it had been working on clinical computing. Further, major IT roll-outs took place between 1995-2007 and almost all IT developments like EMR, CPOE and others had been implemented by 2007. This supports its early adoption of HIT (Bohmer et al. 2007). Ans. 2. BIDMC relies heavily on custom-developed application because it feels there are certain shortcomings with vendor developed packages. Such shortcomings arise from trust factor, incompatibility issue with home application and vendor software and most importantly, availability of vendor to anytime upgrade or provide support to the system. Amidst such challenges, BIDMC considers it better to develop in-house capabilities than depending upon an outside vendor. Seeing the level of expertise and confidence of users in custom-developed applications in-house, this emphasis is not going to diminish or change. In fact, synchronization problems with the vendor a nd inability to manage the workflows with vendor managed software encourage the use of custom-developed clinical systems at BIDMC. Ans. 3 (a). The OMR constituted separate views for clinicians and patients for security and privacy purposes. Clinicians could track any information of patients, ranging from visits, test reports, alerts, lab results, follow ups or referring to any other physician.

Meeting for business ideas Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Meeting for business ideas - Coursework Example Smartphones and tablets are the devices that make the most sales, according to various business reports. This initiated the idea to create a mobile application known as SecureIT, to protect and promote IT security awareness online users in the course of their transactions. Different organizations are aware of the online security threats. They are embracing the relevant technology to mitigate the risks. Online hackers have the ability to capture the information that is in transit from servers to users. They have the ability to disrupt or manipulate the information, creating a negative impact to a given organization. In addition, the attackers have the ability to steal the data and deface web pages (Curtin, 2002). Through the SecureIt application, users could require the creation of an account that could enable them to access a feature that has the ability to encrypt data. The application has the capability to trace the geographical location of the attackers through their Internet Prot ocol address, in addition to their address books. Once the application collects the information, it informs the servers and the clients on the potential risks that exist. The other online security challenge relates to the faults and miscommunication between the servers and the clients. The server could fail in the screening of the clients’ data and the attackers could take advantage through their software that runs within the server. Using SecureIT, there could be the limitation or removal of the vulnerable software that exists between the connectivity of the server and the client. There is also a challenge of the determination of the receipt of genuine data from the clients. This is because the attackers could act as genuine clients and send vulnerable data to the server that in return accepts the data (Williams, 2007). The attackers could use the untrusted data to

The Summer Song Essay Example for Free

The Summer Song Essay When youre are young, it feels like life will carry on forever, and youre very happy. Immortal is used to reveal the boys inflated egos, as they show off to each other and Linda. Price shell have to pay This is adding to the idea of repaying debts, which is mentioned throughout the play, referring to different characters. It could also be a slight mention of Mrs Johnstone, Mickeys mother who gave birth to them both. She is still attached to both of them, even going so far as to give a locket with her picture to Edward, who is now Mrs Lyons son. What fate the later seasons bring, This is adding to the metaphor of the lambs in spring. It is hinting towards the inevitable fate of the slaughter house that lambs face, which the boys soon will. It is mentioned to worry the audience. The lyrics that fit into the foreshadowing category are: Young, free and innocent, This is to emphasise that the boys are still children. Chippy This tells us that Mickey is nearing the end of his life. In the Its just a game scene, Mickey is threatened by frying in chip shop fat, so this is a signal that the boys he will die soon. Last cigarette Cigarettes are associated with death. Last cigarette is a prisoners last luxury before theyre hanged. Its also an allusion to the biblical last supper. Ferry boat This is the idea that the three are being taken to the land of the dead on the River Styx. Broken bottles in the sand, Broken bottles in the sand are hidden, and when you accidentally stand on them they surprise you. This is referring to how unaware the children are of their futures. Oil in the water This brings ideas of pollution, and corruption and spreading fate. Oil and water dont mix, they will always separate. This is like Mickey and Edwards friendship. The use of we in the final paragraph reminds us that we are powerless, and it is the narrator letting us know that hes in the same situation as us, unable to let the characters know of their fate. We do not know whether he is being sarcastic, or would actually like to let them know. Predict no changes in the weather, This reminds us that this happy summer will come to an end. The song is made up of rhyming couplets, which make it sound childish, and adds a sense of finality, so after the last rhyme, you know its over. For young, free and innocent, theres one word for each child. It also makes them seem vulnerable. You know that the innocence will be lost after the song. dreams and fifteen. Have a jarring Para rhyme which interrupts quickly, like what will happen to their lives. The tune of the Summer Song is the first and the last song, Tell me its not true repeated in different themes. Our minds are taken back throughout the previous moments of the play and the first scene when we see Mrs Johnstone with the two dead boys. This connects the audience more to the characters, making it feel harder when the boys die. It suggests that this has happened before, and will happen again. After the first verse there is a pause in the music, to emphasise the narrators last words, The price shell have to pay for just being there. The audience dwells on the idea of the debt that Linda will have to repay, to make up for Mrs Johnstones debt. The line after the pause: But leave them alone, let them go and play, implies that summer is the peak of the year, when everything is at its best, and by the end of it everything is fully developed. It makes you think of leisure, fun, warmth and life. Unfortunately its fleeting, and is soon over, giving way to autumn when everything is wasting away, withering. Some of the lyrics could be portrayed as sarcastic. The song starts in Paradise, and then goes to a chip shop, then darkness, then a filthy beach. The environment seems to get worse and worse. It makes you wonder where they will be next. The first verse is played with a guitar and fairground music and the second is a sleazy saxophone, which clashes with what the narrator is telling us about them being innocent. The last verse is said in a wishful tone, which makes us regretful because we know that these innocent, promising children will soon be dead. At the start of the song, when the children rush on, it gives you an idea of their carefree nature. The narrator interacts with the children throughout the scene. When he is the rifle range man in the first verse, he offers the gun to the children, as if he is slyly hinting at their future. When Linda takes it and misses all three shots, we realise how they have changed, because when they were younger Linda was an excellent shot. The narrator throws them a coconut, and they begin a game of piggy-in-the-middle and Linda gets caught in the middle, at which point they freeze. This is when the narrator talks about the girl in the middle of the pair, the price shell pay just for being there. It emphasises and foreshadows that she will have to choose between the two. The theme of debt shows through here, with the debt transferring to Linda. In the next verse we see them lighting a cigarette, leaning on the lamppost, and suiting their actions to the words. It has a much more grown up feel than the previous verse. In the fourth verse they are at the beach, taking pictures, the first of the two boys, the second of Edward and Linda and the third of Mickey and Linda. Edward and Lindas seem much more genuine and well matched. Then the narrator takes a picture of the three. This makes the audience wish that the children knew of their futures and it makes the picture look empty, and meaningless. When the three exit he says, and only if the three of them could stay like that forever, As if the picture he took could have been more than just a snapshot. It makes you wish time could have stopped. The music of the song is matched to the actions and words. The narrator is always hovering in the background, waiting for a chance to become part of the scene. He is a constant presence throughout so the audience are never relaxed. They are always waiting for him to introduce another twist in the story. Before the Summer Song, he is quite far away, usually in a corner. During it though, he is allowed to come closer to them, and his threats become much more dangerous. The devils got your number hes staring through your window changes to Hes screaming right inside you. The proximity of the narrator to the characters affects the tension of the scene. The overall message of the play is that the inequality of classes is very bad thing, which is enforced as we watch the brothers grow from babies to men, and watch them die. We become attached to them, and regret their death, almost as if its our own fault. The song is when they make the transition from boys to men, and when they become their own people and their true feelings begin to show. Mickey represents the lower class, and Edward the higher. Linda is temptation and the narrator is fate. We see the lower class and the upper class tear each other apart. The second act is darker, as the dream world of child hood, which is reflected in the first half of the summer song, becomes the cold harsh reality of the 80s. I think that the message that Russell wanted to imprint upon the audience is: class is a cruel thing, tearing family and friends apart. The play made me feel sad, and shocked by how Mickey was driven mad enough to shoot his own brother.