Epistemology and Knowledge Essay

Epistemology, or the study of knowledge, requires the scholar analyze the what, how, and why’s of their own knowledge. Asking these questions of themselves is essentially applying that which they have learned. There are different origins of knowledge as conceptualized by philosophers, educators, and scientists. Early philosophers defined knowledge as â€Å"justified true belief† (Cooper, pg. 23). In order for an individual to know something it must be true, he or she must believe it, and the belief in it must be justified or rationally reasonable. Later, early modern philosophers required knowledge to be proven and absolute. The scientific method was employed to provide proof for ideas and beliefs. The means by which knowledge is acquired varies. Feldman cites sources of knowledge as perception, expert testimony, memory, reasoning, and introspection (Feldman, 2003). As an educator, instructing primary age students on a daily basis, I must not only have great insight into what I believe, but I also must have insight into my student’s knowledge as well. Instructors need to know a number of things about their students, such as: Do the students have adequate prior knowledge to understand the new material being presented? Are the students sufficiently motivated to engage in the cognitive tasks required of them? Does the information fit an existing scheme of knowledge or will it require some alteration of current understanding? Understanding what my student know and at what depth they are able to apply that knowledge guides my instruction. My natural curiosity, a natural inclination for question, and a need for answers motivate the search for explanations. Knowledge and wisdom give an understanding of our position, role, and function in the world. Achterbergh and Vriens (2002) stated, â€Å"The role of knowledge in generating appropriate actions is that it serves as a background for articulating possible courses of action (articulation), for judging whether courses of action will yielded the intended result and for using this judgment in selecting among them (selection), for deciding how actions should be implemented and for actually implementing action (implementation)† (pg. 223). Knowledge enables interpretation of experiences, predictions of consequences, and provides the ability to make informed decisions. My own personal epistemology is a product of each of these views. Personal experiences have a major influence on beliefs and should be an acceptable source of knowledge but not the only consideration when acquiring knowledge. There is also a place for the scientific method which offers proven data to base knowledge. For me, knowledge is a product of reasoning (Feldman, 2003). I derive knowledge from information imported through different modes and from various sources, such as personal experiences, advice from experts, and data. These inputs of information are cognitively processed and filtered with the reference to past experience and prior knowledge to become new â€Å"justified true beliefs† (Cooper, ). Thus, knowledge acquisition is a process involving the collection of raw data or information, reasoning, and judgment making. For example, after my students have taken a test, I look at the data, think about the patterns in the data, or the lack of a pattern using prior knowledge and experiences as a filter. Finally, I decide what my next step or strategy will be. Do I need to reteach the subject because the pattern suggests that most of my students did not fully understand the skill or concept? Or do I move on to another more complex skill or concept because my students have proven themselves knowledgeable? It is in this way that I acquire knowledge and apply that knowledge to planning lessons for my students. Many of my colleagues rely solely on the scientific method to make decisions in regards to student learning. They are satisfied with looking at a spreadsheet full of data and believe that it tells the complete story in regards to students. They are also under the assumption that scores derived from a series of multiple choice tests given on a set of skills will reveal if a student has acquired the desired knowledge. Basing grades on these tests is also appropriate. I do not believe that this tells the full story of my student’s knowledge. These tests may demonstrate the ability to regurgitate this knowledge within a certain context, but out of this context this may not be true. I do, however, use this data to help inform many of my decisions, however, I do not make decisions based exclusively on this data. There must be a balance  of reasoning, using my 16 years of experiences and training, as well as raw data tells a more complete story of my student’s knowledge and abilities. I have worked for Porterville Unified School District (PUSD), in Porterville, California, my entire career. PUSD’s vision and mission statements read as follows: â€Å"PUSD students will have the skills and knowledge to be prepared for college and career and to make a positive impact in a dynamic global society. The mission of PUSD is to provide students a dynamic, engaging and effective educational experience that prepares them with the skills to be productive citizens in a global society. † As a result, it is perceived that all students will develop and demonstrate â€Å"critical thinking and problem solving skills; cultural awareness and the ability of collaborate with diverse groups; effective communication skills of listening, speaking and writing; creativity and innovation; leadership, self-management and organizational skills obtained through real world applications and community involvement; (and) the ability to navigate the global world of work and further their education (Porterville, 2012). † Porterville Unified (PUSD) has given explicit expectations for what students should know at the end of their educational career with the district, how students get to these end goals is a little less clear and left to the judgment of the teachers. There are some expectations of teachers and lessons presented to students given by the district. Many professional development hours have been spent on instructing teachers about the specific things that administrators will look for as they do brief observations of classroom instruction. The expectations include teaching explicitly to the essential standards; posting of the essential standard being taught; 80% student engagement during the lesson; display of exemplary work; higher order questioning and thinking skills. Administrators collect this data and share it with grade levels and school wide to help teachers focus on areas that are lacking. Administrator walk-throughs give a quick snap shot of the type of teaching and learning taking place during a lesson and they help to build a holistic picture of the teaching methods and resources being used (Hetzner, 2011). PUSD has placed an emphasis on the strategies needed for effective lessons and, in turn, effective student learning. As a 4th grade teacher for Porterville Unified School District, my task is to create daily lesson plans that serve to guide me as I teach my students. My first step in creating these lessons is to determine my student’s level of prior knowledge. I can accomplish this by looking at formal and informal assessments and data. Observation of this data gives me a better understanding of what my next steps with my student should be. In some cases, I need to go back and reteach skills, while in other cases I can teach my students a new skill. I have to make an informed decision as to what cognitive level I need to teach to next. Awareness of how my students are performing as well as where I need to be as far as pacing and staying on track to get through all the skills needed to be taught within the year are vital to my daily task as a 4th grade teacher. As I compare my personal epistemology with that of my district, I realize that I spend more time assessing data after the lesson has been taught while the district places more emphasis on data collected during a lesson. Both of these approaches are valuable and, in fact, the district does place value on the end result (i. e. State test scores), however, there is little action that can take place after the end of the year data is collected. PUSD has placed and emphasis on good instruction because they see it as the road to a good education, as well as, the skills and goals they have set in the mission and vision statements. Our epistemologies align in that we both rely on the research of experts. I trust, as does PUSD, that the data given by experts is valuable to our own knowledge and it should guide how I teach my students. The district also views its teachers as experts in the field and has given many freedoms in the presentation and uses of resources when teaching students. As I reflect on my school districts focus as compared to me I realize that even though our epistemologies are not exactly aligned we are aligned in our focus of the students. Students come first. That means I will use whichever strategies I need to in order to create effective student learning. Reviewing test scores and planning lessons are vital to student learning, however, I have been so centered on what I am teaching that my students have not been engaged as well as they could be and thus have not learned the subject matters to their full potential. Also, although pacing is important, it should not be of top priority. Top priority should be assessing my students during the lesson and changing strategies, or even the skills being taught, if my students are not engaged. There is no point in plowing through a lesson if the majority of my students are not listening to what is being taught. This new insight will definitely help to drive my instruction and will help make me a more effective teacher. References: Achterbergh,J. , Vriens, D. (May-June 2002). Managing viable knowledge. â€Å"Systems Research and Behavioral Science. † V19i3p223 (19). Cooper, D. E. (Ed. ). (1999). Epistemology: The classic readings. Malden, MA: Blackwell. Feldman R. (2003). Epistemology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Hetzner, Amy, 2011. Walk-throughs give school administrators firsthand view of staff in action. JSOnline: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Journal Sentinel. May 14, 2011. Retrieved on November 20, 2012 from: http://www. jsonline. com/news/education/121843078. html Porterville Unified School District, 2012 . PUSD: Vision and mission statements. Retrieved on November 20, 2012 from: http://dnn. portervilleschools. org/dotnetnuke/District/VisionMission. aspx.

Social Anxiety

Anxiety With awareness of different mental and psychologically disorders on the rise, one in particular caught my eye. Social anxiety disorder has always intrigued me due to its close relationship to shyness and has sparked many different questions pertaining to how this disorder differs from Just being shy. For my research paper, I would Like to explore how this disorder's symptoms are different from being shy as well as explore why people with social anxiety exhibit these symptoms.In exploring why people exhibit symptoms, I hope to find different studies that show how social anxiety disorder affects the brain and how people with the disorder's brains differ from people who do not suffer from it. Along with this, I would also like to be able to thoroughly explain how the disorder affects the dally lives of sufferers and when symptoms of the disorder begin as well as how to recognize that these symptoms correlate to having social anxiety disorder. For my research paper, I would like to explain different treatments for the disorder and figure their effectiveness as well as why they are effective.I will also examining the correlation between social anxiety and many other different mental or psychological disorders and determining if there is a direct relationship between any two. Amiss, P. L. , M. G. Gelded, and P. M. Shaw. â€Å"Social Phobia: A Comparative Clinical Study. † The British Journal of Psychiatry 142. 2 (1983): 174-79. Print. This article discusses a study in which symptom's of people with social anxiety were compared with symptoms of people with agoraphobia. The study was conducted to prove that certain symptoms were distinct to a certain disorder.The homonyms were assessed through clinical, questionnaire, and demographic data. The results showed that symptoms of social anxiety differed from agoraphobia as social anxiety symptoms were more apparent and voluble to others. This source will be helpful In my research as I will be able to referenc e this when I am explaining different symptoms of social anxiety disorder. With the support of this article, I will be able to make claims that indicate that many symptoms of social anxiety disorder are unique to this disorder only. Connors, K. M. Psychometric Properties of the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN): New Self-rating Scale. The British Journal of Psychiatry 176. 4 (2000): 379-86. Print. Before this study, no social phobia scales Incorporated variables such as fear, avoidance, and physiological symptoms. The author of the article created a new scale called the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN which incorporated each of these previously unused variables. A study was conducted to assess the validity of this new scale and results were obtained which indicated that this test correctly measured social phobia levels and was responsive to change over time.This source will be helpful for my research paper as it gives many efferent examples of different tests used to determine If an Indi vidual suffers from correctly diagnose someone with the disorder. I will incorporate this in my paper when talking about how people are diagnosed with social anxiety disorder. Craig, Ashley, and Woven Train. â€Å"Fear of Speaking: Chronic Anxiety and Stammering. † Advances in Psychiatric Treatment 12. 1 (2006): 63-68. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment. Web. 31 Mar. 2014 This article reviews the relationship of stammering as a child and the prevalence of social anxiety.Stammering when young is usually caused by higher anxiety levels of the child in question. The article shows that children who stammer when they are younger are at a higher risk of developing social anxiety disorder. It also talks about why children stammer and identifies the social fears associated with it. I will use this in my research paper to identify early onset symptoms of people with social anxiety. The article goes into great detail over the social fears experienced by the children who stammer and expl ains the relationship between this and social anxiety.From this, I will be able to go into further detail over the social anxiety symptom of stammering and explain what causes the behavior. Marilyn J. Essex, Marjorie H. Klein, Marcia J. Clattery, H. Hill Goldsmith, Ned H. Kaolin; Early â€Å"Risk Factors and Developmental Pathways to Chronic High Inhibition and Social Anxiety Disorder in Adolescence. † American Journal of Psychiatry. There has been evidence that suggests that high levels of behavioral inhibition act as a precursor for social anxiety disorder.The authors of this article took it upon themselves to evaluate and identify the different risk factors that may also play a part in development of the disorder. They conducted a study which evaluated 238 children who they followed from birth until the 9th grade. Different behavioral factors were evaluated in each participant. After evaluating each factor in the children, results showed that each factor examined accounted for greater and chronic inhibition. By the ninth grade, the study indicated that chronic high inhibition was associated with a lifetime of social anxiety disorder.Conclusions were made that high levels of inhibition were directly related to the development of social anxiety by adolescence. I will be able to use this source in my research paper to show the early signs of social anxiety. How the disorder develops will also be expanded upon using this article in my paper. Mark Olefins, Mary Guardian, Elmer Strutting, Franklin R. Schneider, Fred Hellman, Donald F. Klein; â€Å"Barriers to the Treatment of Social Anxiety. † American Journal of Psychiatry. 4. 1 57(2000):521-527. 22 Mar 2014.Despite the advancement in availability to treatments for social phobia, many adults do not seek help for their problems. The authors of this article evaluated the barriers to treatment for adults with social anxiety disorder and conducted a study that involved adults who participated in the Na tional Anxiety Disorders Screening Day in 1996. Background characteristics of individuals with symptoms of social anxiety were compared to those who participated in the screening who had no symptoms of social anxiety disorder. The barriers to previous mental health treatment for all participants in the study were evaluated and compared.The results of the study indicated that people with social anxiety have a higher risk of functional impairment and feelings of isolation as well as run a higher risk of suicide. They also reported financial barriers, uncertainty of where to seek help, and fear of what others may think which decreased the likelihood for them to seek help. Conclusion were preventing sufferers from seeking the proper help needed. From this study, I will be able to take the results and relay them into my research paper to show the different barriers people who suffer from the disorder have.I will also be to show that without properly sought out help, many people are left with serious symptoms that affect their daily lives. Michael, M. , and M. Brushwood. â€Å"Social Anxiety Disorder in First- episode Psychosis: Incidence, Phenomenology and Relationship with Paranoia. † The British Journal of Psychiatry 195. 3 (2009): 234-41. Print. For people with psychosis, the prevalence of social anxiety disorder poses a big problem. However, it is unclear if this is a byproduct of persecutory thinking. A study was conducted to determine the significance of social anxiety on people who suffer form psychosis.The results of the study showed that social anxiety is a significant commodity in first-episode psychosis. This study showed that there was a definite relationship between psychosis and social anxiety. I will be able to incorporate this into my research paper when comparing social anxiety with different diseases and will be able to note the different shared symptoms and the effects that both disorders have on the brain to define why he disorders are re lated. Psych Central Staff. â€Å"Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia) Symptoms. † Psych Central. Com. Physic Central, n. . Web. 24 Mar. 2014. Psych Centrals article over social anxiety begins by giving a general overview of symptoms of social anxiety. The article explains that people who suffer from this disorder have an extreme fear of becoming exceptionally anxious or humiliated in certain social situation. Sufferers of social anxiety also have different symptoms than a person who is shy. Social anxiety differs from shyness as individuals who are only shy do not experience the extreme anxiety from social situations and do not go to extreme lengths to avoid social situations.The article then goes on to list symptoms that people with social anxiety must have. People with social anxiety have an intense fear of being scrutinized in social or performance situations in which they are around people they are unfamiliar with. Social anxiety also makes an individual go to extreme lengths to avoid these situations, which interrupts their normal routine. This article will be helpful in writing my research paper as I will be able to use it to identify common signs of social anxiety disorder.This source will also be helpful in comparing and contrasting the differences between the disorder and shyness. The article is a good overview of the disorder that helped give a general understanding of what social anxiety disorder is. Richard Dolman, Ph. D. , Joseph Himself, Ph. D. , Deborah Beebe, Ph. D. , James Babbles, M. D. , Ph. D. , Jody Hoffman, Ph. D. , Michelle Van Tenet-Lee, Ph. D. ; â€Å"Impact of Social Anxiety Disorder on Employment Among Women Receiving Welfare Benefits. † Psychiatric Services. 22 Mar 2014.Social anxiety disorder can affect many different aspects of life and is a common disorder that is disabling and costly. The authors of this article decided to examine the different obstacles of employment of women in Michigan receiving welfare. The Composite International Diagnostic Interview-Short Form aided the authors in establishing the psychiatric diagnoses of the different women in question. The study surveyed 609 different women who suffered from social anxiety and completed at least one-third of the Women's Employment Study.The surveys of the women with social anxiety were demonstrated that the women with the disorder worked fewer months than those without the disorder and indicated the severity of social anxiety as it had a greater impact on life than depression. Conclusions were made that indicated that social anxiety posed significant problems to sufferers, making it hard for them to go to work. From this source I will be able to access how social anxiety affects the lives of those who suffer from it.I will incorporate this source into my paper as an example of the type of people who normally suffer from the disorder and its impact on their lives. Samuel Lilies, Ph. D. , Jessica Eleven's, B. A. , Rater Biggs, B. A. , Linda Johnson, B. A. , Reagan Amelia, Ph. D. , Daniel Pine, M. D. , Christian Grilling, Ph. D. ; â€Å"Elevated Fear Conditioning to Socially Relevant Unconditioned Stimuli in Social Anxiety Disorder. † American Journal of Psychiatry. 1. 65(2008):124-132. 22 Mar 2014. Conditioned fear is a classic symptom of patients with social anxiety disorder.The authors of this article decided to perform a study to examine the differences in general conditionality by using socially nonspecific, unconditioned stimuli. A model for conditioned fear was made by the authors using unconditioned stimuli of facial expressions and verbal feedback. In the study, patients with social anxiety disorder as well as subjects used hat worked as healthy comparisons underwent different classical conditioning consisting of three different facial expressions: one happy, one neutral, and one angry. Each of the expressions was paired with audio that reflected the nature of the facial expression.The results o f the study showed that only the social anxiety patients suffered from fear conditioning from the facial expressions. The conclusion of the study indicates a conditioning contribution to social anxiety disorder. I will be able to incorporate this study into my research paper as experimental proof of symptoms of people with social anxiety. The study showed that individuals who suffer from the disorder are more frightened and effected by facial expressions than normal. Sinclair, Leslie. â€Å"Treating Social Anxiety Doesn't Decrease Alcohol Consumption. † Psychotherapists.Psychiatric News, 06 July 2012. Web. 25 Mar. 2014. In Sinclair article, she examines the relationship between social anxiety disorder and alcohol consumption. In the article, she lists psychiatrist Sarah Book as defining that social anxiety puts people at a higher risk to abuse alcohol in order to decrease stress and feel more relaxed and that different effective treatments should be more deadly available to s ufferers of social anxiety disorder. In order to back her claims, Book took it upon herself to conduct several different studies to analyze this relationship.In one study, she and some of her colleagues determined whether social anxiety serves as a detriment to successful outcomes in traditional forms of alcohol and drug use therapy. The results from the study showed that there was clear correlation between social anxiety and alcohol abuse. I will use this article in my research paper to show that social anxiety disorder has other indirect symptoms. From this, I will be able to make claims over the seriousness of the disorder and show that some symptoms cannot be cured through the disorders different treatment options.Smith, Melinda, and Ellen Gaffe-Gill. â€Å"Social Anxiety Disorder & Social Phobia. † Social Anxiety Disorder and Social Phobia: Symptoms, Self-Help, and Treatment. Gaffe-Gill begins by defining what social anxiety disorder is. Social anxiety, which is also kno wn as social phobia, is the extreme fear of certain social interactions. There are certain triggers which spark symptoms of the disorder such as meeting new people, performing on stage, taking exams, or even eating or drinking in front of others. Once triggered, people who have the disorder experience emotional, behavioral, and physical symptoms.The article continues by presenting different treatment options for social anxiety disorder which include challenging negative thoughts, breathing control, changing one's lifestyle through the building of new relationships. This article will be helpful as it will allow me to examine the different treatment options given to sufferers of social anxiety. This source also discussing the effectiveness of each treatment. With these different treatments, I can do further research into exactly how each one works and include this in my research paper. â€Å"Social Phobia (Social Anxiety Disorder). NIMH IRS. National institute of Mental Health, n. D. Web. 22 Mar. 2014. This article by the National Institute of Mental Health begins by defining what social anxiety is. The article defines social anxiety disorder as the strong fear of being Judged by others or embarrassed. The causes for the disorder are not completely known, however studies have shown that it tends to run in families. Researchers have found that there are several parts of the brain involved with fear and anxiety and have examined them in order to try and find effective cures for the disorder.The second portion of this article by the Institute of Mental Health talks about how somebody is diagnosed with the disorder. Sufferers of social anxiety usually start having symptoms during their youth. Doctors are able to diagnose the disorder if one has had persistent symptoms for longer than 6 months. I will be able to use this source to assess how social anxiety effects the brain and how different treatments work on the brain to relieve symptoms. The way that people are d iagnosed is also mentioned in the article, which I will be able to use in my research paper.Stefan Plaint, Leonardo Coercion, Eric Hollander; â€Å"Social Anxiety in Outpatients With Schizophrenia: A Relevant Cause of Disability. † American Journal of Psychiatry. 2004):53-58. 22 Mar 2014. Many people who suffer from schizophrenia exhibit many symptoms of social anxiety disorder, which are often looked past due to the other more serious symptoms of schizophrenia. The authors of this article conducted a study to examine the relationship between the two disorders and determine if they are linked.In the study, 80 people diagnosed with schizophrenia and 27 people diagnosed with social anxiety disorder were assessed with the different mental health tests. The results of the study indicated that social anxiety is often prevalent in people who have schizophrenia, but is unrelated to the clinical psychological symptoms. This study will also be very helpful in comparing social anxiety disorder to different mental disorders. It will also be used to assess the correlation between the two disorders and with further research I will be able to ampere the effects of both disorders on the brain.Stein MOB, Putsch M, MÃ'Ëœleer N, H ¶fleer M, Life R, Witches H. â€Å"Social Anxiety Disorder and the Risk of Depression: A Prospective Community Study of Adolescents and Young Adults. † Arch Gene Psychiatry. 3. 58(2001): 251-256. 22 Mar 2014. This article examines the correlation between social anxiety disorder and depression. The authors of the article noticed that perform a study to assess the relationship between the two disorders. To begin, data was collected from a longitudinal, epidemiological study of people aged 14-24 to use as baseline.Follow up interviews were given to determine if these individuals suffered from symptoms of both depression and social anxiety and to assess the extent of their disorders. The results from the study showed that individuals with no depressed symptoms at baseline had an increased likelihood to exhibit symptoms of depression. Those who suffered from social anxiety disorder and depression during baseline also showed worsened depressed conditions. This article will help me in my research as it gives a very detailed study over the relationship between social anxiety and depression.I will be able to use this when discussing the various side effects that the disorder gives. This source will also be helpful in discussing the relationship between different mental disorders. Veal, David. â€Å"Treatment of Social Phobia. † Advances in Psychiatric Treatment 9. 4 (2003): 258-64. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment. Web. 31 Mar. 2013. This article begins be explaining what social anxiety is and how it effects the lives of people who have it. It gives statistics over the disorder, such as explains that it is the 3rd most common mental disorder in the word, has a lifetime prevalence of %, and has an equal gender rati o.The article lists a very detailed description of the different symptoms and why sufferers exhibit them. The article's focus is put on the different treatments and how they work as well as which treatments work better for different people based on symptoms. Some of these treatments include pharmacopoeia and cognitive therapy. I will use this article to note the relationship between symptoms exhibited and the most effective treatments. Since the article goes very in depth over each symptom and its best treatment option, I will be able to show why each treatment is effective.

Rallying the Masses (1 January 1992) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Rallying the Masses (1 January 1992) - Essay Example f the Republic) This creative process will afford us great opportunities, which the people of Kazakhstan merit for sure, but we are also going to face great challenges, which I’m sure the people of our country will rise to. One of the greatest opportunities that lie ahead and will directly result in people’s prosperity is the development of an independent republican economy based on the market principles. Kazakhstan is abound with natural resources – uranium, chromium, copper, coal, iron, oil and natural gas (International Crisis Group, r.133) – which, if managed properly, could provide a steady inflow of foreign currency and thus, along with our wheat, textiles, and livestock exports, to predetermine our success in the economic field. As to which way is the proper one such wealth to be managed, I vote for profit-orientated management, but with strong regard for the national interest. In that connection, what we need is to attract large foreign investments into the national economy, under strict governmental supervision, as well as to help the formation and growth of domestic private capital. Therefore, we are going to face some of the greatest ever challenges. First and most impor tant is the matter of stepping out of the centralized economical structure of the former Soviet Union, which matter should be carried to its logical conclusion with perseverance, as well as with a certain dose of cautiousness – in order to be minimized the shock for the Republic’s economy, hence to protect the living standard of the people against collapse. In that train of thoughts, as major obstacles ought to be mentioned our exports’ exclusive dependence on trade partners within the ex-Soviet Union, the vast distances between Kazakhstan’s coalfields and the European industrial centers, the existing infrastructural deficiencies, etc. Second and not less important is the process of privatization of many industries hitherto owned by the state. The correct manner of

CAFE Standarsd Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

CAFE Standarsd - Article Example They think that car manufacturers should be spared the painful task of spending a large amount of money to improve their cars’ design in order to make them more efficient. They think that because research has to be done, people have to be displaced, and profits will have to shrink, that the task of designing more fuel-efficient cars is not worth doing... just because it is too hard. I am a single mother, with a four-year-old son. I also have a physical disability which imposes upon me what other persons might call â€Å"limitations† or â€Å"constraints†. It is not easy for me to go about as able-bodied people do. I am not so rich as to hire people to do things for me. But I always find a way to get things done. In fact, I am pursuing my masters degree in counselling, something many â€Å"normal† people will hesitate to even attempt. Is it hard? Yes, it is. But that is not an excuse for me to just lay back and leave things as they are. I get up every day and do what has to be done, because it has to be done. Does Congress have what it takes to get things done, my dear Representative ? I am but one small voice among many, so I am counting on you to be my voice. What the big companies hesitate to do has already been done by other countries which have mustered the needed political will. Only we have hesitated, the most powerful country on earth, because we find it too hard to change. If despite all my disadvantages I can raise my son to be a good citizen of this earth, then I expect that our Congress will find a way to provide him with a portion of this earth in which to thrive that is safe and sustainable. I am , from . I am writing you today about the Corporate Average Fuel Economy, or CAFÉ, bill, which I understand is currently being considered in the House. I feel very strongly about this issue, so much so that I am taking the pains to make my sentiments known to the Congressman

The Ancient Art and Its Forms Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Ancient Art and Its Forms - Essay Example The first Indian art is believed to be 5,000 years old, which included stone carving and bronze castings. With a great history of Hinduism and Buddhism, the Indians produced many religious pieces of arts. People in ancient Central America around Mexico region began their artistic work 1000 years BC. The region is famous for the production of wonderful ceramics with kilns burning it over 900Â °C (Henry M, 2012, p. pg 123). The Christian era began during the ancient times and is believed to have continued evolving until the modern times. The most striking features of this period include monuments produced by Indians, Egyptians, Romans and many other groups. However, we shall concentrate on two striking monuments like the Minoan Snake Goddess and Totem Pole. Minoan Snake Goddess is an ancient cultural piece of art that depicts the Goddess holds two snakes in each hand. The first production of Minoan Snake goddess dates back to 1600BCE. The piece of art resembles a totem pole by the manner in which it is decorated. An interpretation of the open breast reveals the fertile nature of the Goddess. The snakes are a symbol of renewed life since the snakes are regarded as immortal whenever they shed their skin and renew their strength. The above pieces of art resemble each other in the manner in which they are decorated (Richerson, 1992). They are also symbols of religion. Indians in their temples use the Minoan Goddess symbol. The two pieces of art are 3-dimensional carvings mostly done using the stone. Indians used the stone to produce most of their ancient art and so was Minoan Snake Goddess. Use of colors was highly emphasized ancient artists because colors and decorations brought out the beauty aspect of the intended art. Use of line and shape has also been used in the two pieces of art. Shapes like triangle and cube boxes have been employed in the Minoan Snake Goddess. The same also applies to the Totem Pole piece of art.

Atlanta's Historical Preservation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Atlanta's Historical Preservation - Essay Example Take no other metropolis for example than Atlanta, the grandiose heart of the South. "Parkside Partners Inc. and The Carter Real Estate Fund I LLC have formed a partnership to develop a two-building, class A office condominium project on about 3.5 acres in Technology Park/Atlanta in Gwinnett County. " The gem of the South is quickly turning into smog-ridden monument to consumerism. And lost in this shuffle of Starbucks-lifestyle is one of the richest histories in the United States. We can only hope that the Swan House and the Tullie Smith Farm will never be bulldozed in favor of a Gap. This is the travesty that modern-day Atlanta has become. This is what we have retained after two-hundred years of fascinating and sometimes violent history. We can see the now, let us examine the then. Late in the September of 1906, the energy that had been pent up by years of slavery and civil war exploded in Atlanta when mobs of whites assaults black citizens, killing dozens, wounding many more, and causing untold property damage. The racial tension began to build during the Reconstruction, when blacks started to exercise their newly found rights, giving rise to a group of wealthy black elites; a group that assaulted the sensibilities of the then-racist denizens of Atlanta. It was because of this that headlines on September 22nd, 1906 read, "...Frequent Assaults" But not all of Atlanta's past has been so radically violent.

Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 55

Journal - Essay Example He then says he can name countries that can consume the whole nation without regardless of the preservation (Lynch n.d.). He uses allusion to confront England due to its proximity. His allusion directly hits the English for misusing Ireland. He, however, does not spare his wrath to Ireland. In the course of his literature, he presents various alternative solutions that it can use to solve its problems. He puts that none of his suggestions was put into practice. In his literature, he stresses on the extent and number of Ireland’s social problems, neglect, and indifference that the citizens had to encounter (Lynch n.d.). Swift uses an adopted persona to ridicule the people who recommend economic and political solutions to Ireland without considering the human cost that will be involved. With an overwhelming irony, he demonstrates the inhumanity of patterns meant to alleviate the sufferings from the poor. Absurd principles form the basis of the schemes (Lynch