Free Essays on Thoreau And Emerson

Henry David Thoreau wrote in chapter 2 of Waldon: Time is but a stream I go a-fishing in. I drink at it; but while I drink I see the sandy bottom and detect how shallow it is. It’s thin current slides away, but eternity remains. I would drink deeper; fish in the sky, whose bottom are pebbly with stars. I cannot count one. I know not the first letter of the alphabet. I have always been regretting that I was not as wise as the day I was born. The intellect is a cleaver; it discerns and rifts its way into then secret of things. I do not wish to be any more busy with my hands than is necessary. My head is hands and feet. I feel all my best faculties concentrated in it. My instincts tell me my head is an organ for burrowing, as some creatures use their snout and fore-paws, and with it I will mine and burrow my way through these hills. I think that the richest vein is somewhere hereabouts; so by the divining rod and thin rising vapors I judge; and here I will begin to mine. In this passage, Thoreau is trying to Understand the complexities of our lives, as well as that of the time we spend here. He begins by comparing time to a stream, an ever-flowing endless body of water, yet he is still able to see the bottom. In saying this, I gather he is comparing his life span (the distance to the bottom) to the ever-flowing body of time. He is telling us our life is but a short period in the stream of time. It is important to understand that we are not as significant as we would like to believe. Thoreau believes the only way to cut through this insignificance is to use our intellect like a â€Å"cleaver†. Cut through the all of the social mores and beliefs that have jaded our view on this wonderful world in which we live. To cut through our own faults and fears and discover the vein of truth that is within us all. He teaches us not to bother with unnecessary busy work, and focus on the more important things in our lives. To... Free Essays on Thoreau And Emerson Free Essays on Thoreau And Emerson Henry David Thoreau wrote in chapter 2 of Waldon: Time is but a stream I go a-fishing in. I drink at it; but while I drink I see the sandy bottom and detect how shallow it is. It’s thin current slides away, but eternity remains. I would drink deeper; fish in the sky, whose bottom are pebbly with stars. I cannot count one. I know not the first letter of the alphabet. I have always been regretting that I was not as wise as the day I was born. The intellect is a cleaver; it discerns and rifts its way into then secret of things. I do not wish to be any more busy with my hands than is necessary. My head is hands and feet. I feel all my best faculties concentrated in it. My instincts tell me my head is an organ for burrowing, as some creatures use their snout and fore-paws, and with it I will mine and burrow my way through these hills. I think that the richest vein is somewhere hereabouts; so by the divining rod and thin rising vapors I judge; and here I will begin to mine. In this passage, Thoreau is trying to Understand the complexities of our lives, as well as that of the time we spend here. He begins by comparing time to a stream, an ever-flowing endless body of water, yet he is still able to see the bottom. In saying this, I gather he is comparing his life span (the distance to the bottom) to the ever-flowing body of time. He is telling us our life is but a short period in the stream of time. It is important to understand that we are not as significant as we would like to believe. Thoreau believes the only way to cut through this insignificance is to use our intellect like a â€Å"cleaver†. Cut through the all of the social mores and beliefs that have jaded our view on this wonderful world in which we live. To cut through our own faults and fears and discover the vein of truth that is within us all. He teaches us not to bother with unnecessary busy work, and focus on the more important things in our lives. To...

Definition and Examples of Epimone in Rhetoric

Definition and Examples of Epimone in Rhetoric Epimone (pronounced eh-PIM-o-nee) is a  rhetorical term for the frequent repetition of a phrase or question; dwelling on a point. Also known as  perseverantia, leitmotif, and refrain.In Shakespeares Use of the Arts of Language (1947), Sister Miriam Joseph observes that  epimone is an effective figure in swaying the opinions of a crowd because of its insistent repetition of an idea in the same words. In his Arte of English Poesie (1589), George Puttenham called epimone the long repeat and the love burden. See Examples and Observations below. Also see: CommoratioEpizeuxisSemantic SatiationSymploce EtymologyFrom the Greek, tarrying, delay Examples All his brains are in the nape of his neck, Simon Dedalus says. Welts of flesh behind on him. Fat folds of neck, fat, neck, fat, neck.(James Joyce, Ulysses, 1922)Mr. Dick shook his head, as utterly renouncing the suggestion; and having replied a great many times, and with great confidence, No beggar, no beggar, no beggar, sir!(Charles Dickens, David Copperfield, 1850)We forget all too soon  the  things we thought we could never forget.  We forget  the  loves  and the  betrayals alike,  forget  what  we whispered  and what  we screamed,  forget  who  we were.(Joan Didion, Keeping a Notebook, 1968)Epimone in Shakespeares OthelloPut money in thy purse; follow thou the wars; defeat thy favor withan usurped beard; I say, put money in thy purse. Itcannot be that Desdemona should long continue herlove to the Moorput money in thy pursenor hehis to her: it was a violent commencement, and thoushalt see an answerable sequestration: put butmoney in thy purse.(Iago i n William Shakespeares Othello, Act 1, scene 3) Epimone in Shakespeares Julius CaesarWho is here so base that would be a bondman? If any, speak; for him I have offended. Who is here so rude that would not be a Roman? If any speak; for him have I offended.(Brutus in William Shakespeares Julius Caesar, Act 3, scene 2)Here, under leave of Brutus and the restFor Brutus is an honourable man;So are they all, all honourable menCome I to speak in Caesars funeral.He was my friend, faithful and just to me;But Brutus says he was ambitious;And Brutus is an honourable man.He hath brought many captives home to RomeWhose ransoms did the general coffers fill;Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept:Ambition should be made of sterner stuff:Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;And Brutus is an honourable man.You all did see that on the LupercalI thrice presented him a kingly crown,Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition?Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;And, sure, he is an honourable man. . . .(Mark Antony in William Shakespeares Julius Caesar, Act 3, scene 2) Epimone as a FallacyThere is a figure of speech termed epimone . . . , the purpose of which is to render some word or thought ridiculous by its frequent repetition, and showing its grotesque character as an element of argument. But sometimes from the frequent repetition of a thought, is deduced one of the most subtle fallacies known to language. This fallacy is often resorted to by unscrupulous men during the excitement of political contests, when some idea or point is assumed without proof to the detriment and prejudice of a man or party; and though it may have no just foundation for support, yet is dwelt upon and commented on so frequently, that the ignorant assume that the charge must be true, else it would not receive so much consideration; they apply to the matter under consideration the old adage: That where there is so much smoke there must be some fire.(Daniel F. Miller, Rhetoric as an Art of Persuasion: From the Standpoint of a Lawyer. Mills, 1880)Calvinos EpimoneYou are abo ut to begin reading Italo Calvinos new novel, If on a winters night a traveler. Relax. Concentrate. Dispel every other thought. Let the world around you fade. Best to close the door; the TV is always on in the next room. Tell the others right away, No, I dont want to watch TV! Raise your voicethey wont hear you otherwiseIm reading! I dont want to be disturbed! Maybe they havent heard you, with all that racket; speak louder, yell; Im beginning to read Italo Calvinos new novel! . . .Find the most comfortable position: seated, stretched out, curled up, or lying flat. Flat on your back, on your side, on your stomach. In an easy chair, on the sofa, in the rocker, the deck chair, on the hassock. In the hammock, if you have a hammock. On top of your bed, of course, or in the bed. You can even stand on your hands, head down, in the yoga position. With the book upside down, naturally.Of course, the ideal position for reading is something you can never find. In the old days they used to read standing up, at a lectern. People were accustomed to standing on their feet, without moving. They rested like that when they were tired of horseback riding. Nobody ever thought of reading on horseback; and yet now, the idea of sitting in the saddle, the book propped against the horses mane, or maybe tied to the horses ear with a special harness, seems attractive to you.(Italo Calvino, If on a winters night a traveler, 1979/1981)

School counseling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

School counseling - Essay Example I know that many students face troubles in life because they never had anyone to really care for them. I believe I can become a counselor in the school system and make a positive difference in the lives of many such students. My pursuit of the Master of School Counseling program has been made easy and meaningful by my previous education and experience in the related areas. I have a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Alexandria in Egypt University. My experience of working with my students in the class has significantly helped me apply my theoretical knowledge in psychology in pragmatic terms, in a meaningful way. I have also realized from my experience as a teacher that society transits its cultural heritage to children and young adults. I have witnessed positively how people learn and behave, and learn as individuals. They learn quite as lot from their communities. With a Masters degree in School Counseling I believe that I will become even more innovative and skillful at developing and implementing programs to help others overcome problems. I will seriously consider learning about theories of psychology and how people learn from birth to adulthood. I hope to dedicate my time in the u niversity to understand theory development, which is an important goal of the course. I will try to promote thinking and problem solving in social situation and prepare to handle new concepts of reflective instruction. I understand there will be significant learning about assessment and how to identify individuals, and to move across a spectrum from statistical analysis to classroom narrative and social life, from evaluating the effectiveness of science curriculum to developing integrated prevention and treatment activities that reduce the risk of outcomes and improve social, emotional and academic functioning. I enjoy helping those students I need and I am very

University of new haven, soccer, moving to another town, upbeat Essay

University of new haven, soccer, moving to another town, upbeat program that helps the community ,playing the piano, going to polish school every saturday for s - Essay Example ersity of New Haven) It is considered the 2nd largest private provider of Protective Services Education which offers a unique combination of forensic science with criminal justice. At least 121 credits are required for a student to earn the BS degree in criminal justice. The most rewarding professions, a graduate of this course can look forward to, are employment in any of the following prestigious institutions: the FBI, the DEA, ATF, the Secret Service, and the U.S. Dept. of the Treasury Border Patrol Military Police, CID IRS, CID, and the CIA. UNH actually â€Å"sponsors 17 variety sports (8 men’s, 9 women’s) which compete at the NCAA Division II level in the prestigious Northeast-10 Conference† (Official Website of University of New Haven). At UNH, the administrators have explicitly emphasized the importance of a holistic approach to the development of the athlete’s life. Opportunities are continuously provided for â€Å"academic achievement, learning in high-level athletic competition and development of positive societal attitude in service to the community†. (Official Website of University of New Haven) The existence of a Polish School dates back to the heirs of Poland wanting to keep their culture, tradition, and heritage intact. The basic teachings include learning the language, literature, geography, history of Poland; as well as the traditional Polish folk dances, songs and catechetical lessons. (Walnut Creek United Methodist Church). The regular session in a Polish school is approximately 21 Saturdays within the school year. The program usually encourage the participation of the parents in activities which would With the onset of the internet age, playing the piano is really as easy as ABC. There are a variety of online keyboard lessons and even free online instructions. Lessons vary depending on the level of the student’s expertise – from beginners to advance. (Free On-Line Piano Lessons Copyright@Gregory D. Ramsey 1996 –

What Are the Benefits and Limitations of Using Second Life in Education Essay Example for Free

What Are the Benefits and Limitations of Using Second Life in Education Essay What are the benefits and limitations of using Second Life in Education? Use of the internet has increased exponentially in recent years, in both developed and developing countries, and educators are searching for ways of utilising the new technology and environment to enhance teaching and learning experiences. Second Life (SL) is a world which exists online. The world is complete with schools, universities, businesses and even criminal activity. As the use and popularity of SL grows, so too does the research regarding its viability as an educational tool. Both the apparent benefits and limitations have been considered in a variety of research papers (Baker, Wentz Woods, 2009; Taylor Chung, 2008). In order to determine whether SL is a useful option for educational institutions, the following aspects will be considered as part of this review: features of online learning, technical considerations and the overall potential uses. Some important features of online learning discussed by the authors include accessibility, popularity, and community. Access to online learning is an important aspect to consider, for both teachers and students. The flexibility of the online environment means that this type of technology can potentially be accessed at many different times and a variety of different places (Baker, Wentz and Woods, 2009). According to Baker et al. (2009), lecturers can make use of the technology by delivering their information via avatars. Taylor and Chung (2008) also consider the popularity of SL, and how this may encourage users to participate in online educational content. Indeed, as Baker et al. (2009) also suggest, students can be not only participants but can also â€Å"create their own content† (p. 60). They add that it is possible for students to meet together, attend discussion online and interact with tutors in an informal and relaxed way, as well as encouraging students who may otherwise be shy to have a ‘voice’. In this way they are building and sharing within their own communities and taking responsibility for their own learning. However, as Taylor and Chung (2008) assert, although SL might be popular, colourful, visual and interactive, students may not enjoy learning in this way, and using SL instead of more traditional methods may actually cause students to forget what they have learned. The authors suggest that the enjoyment of using an avatar and playing in SL may mean students do not focus on the aims of the lesson or lecture. Furthermore, Baker et al. (2009) suggest that there may be limitations of online interaction compared to face-to-face interaction. It is thus important for teacher to consider these issues before using SL. Not only that, there are also a few technical considerations such as cost and time, using SL and also technical knowledge been mentioned by the authors. Baker et al. (2009) claim that the cost of using SL could be differ. Anyone can use it for free yet there are also some charges for people to have a virtual land in SL. According to Baker et al. (2009), people need to consume time to get used to SL. There are initial times to create an avatar, control it, and communicate using computer. Taylor and Chung (2008) clarify that in order to get the benefits; people have to invest money and time for the programming content. Being failed to control avatar, learners might become de-motivated and not willing to use it. By using SL, Baker et al. (2009) remind teachers to consider the objective of online teaching, thinking if it is appropriate for the class or not, can they or the learners be familiarized with the technology and even developed new class management techniques. In fact, Baker et al. 2009) point out that the technical requirement of using SL is higher than basic requirement. Also, there might be some potential issues such as slow connection, slide show’s problem, and security issue. Taylor and Chung (2008) add that there are not a lot of document storages and the computer might get slow due to many graphics. In addition, the authors also insist that there are some overall potentials like new technology, uses in present fields and potential issues using SL in education and training purposes. Baker et al. 2009) reveal that SL is a new technology which launched in 2003, yet some educators already investigating the uses of SL in teaching and learning purposes. Its dominant is SL is not a game like Active Worlds, MMPORGs, and Whyville; it’s a space for social communication. There are some possible issues that people need to be careful as it may have serious effects. Students need to be informed the appropriate usage of the new technology–SL in learning. Besides that, they need to be taught the proper way to behave themselves and protect their privacy while using SL.  Furthermore, an emergency plan should be planned so that when the technology having problems and not performing well, students will not lost temper and cause severe impacts. Taylor and Chung (2008) suggest that SL is a powerful tool in helping training and development sectors. Nevertheless, they also discover that IBM still remains using text-based collaboration which leads to the efficacy of SL. It still has some difficulties to an effective transmission for instruction and content management. As a result, there are lots of potential to be found in the human-computer interaction, usability and instructional design. Through the articles reviewed it seems that the benefits and drawbacks of using SL are equal. Although SL can helps people in learning, people still have to pay much more efforts on it. To get used to SL, people have to spent money, time, and think out the appropriate way to use it wisely. Obviously, SL has the potential to facilitate people’s learning. In fact, to use it or not depends on the further research whether the benefits can overcome the limitations or not.

Diamond Mining :: Mine Mining Techniques Diamonds

All over the world are different locations where you can find this precious jewel, Africa being the main location. How do we get diamonds out of the earth you ask? By MINING them!!! The definition of Mining is the act, process, or work of removing ores, coal, etc. from a mine, glacial deposit, etc. Physical Properties of a Diamond Hardness: Diamond is a perfect "10", defining the top of the hardness scale Clarity: Diamond is transparent over a larger range of wavelengths more than any other mineral Thermal Conductivity: Diamond conducts heat better than any other mineral Melting Point: 3820 degrees Kelvin (the highest) Lattice Density: Diamond atoms are packed closer together than are the atoms of any other substance. Where are diamonds from? Diamonds have been found in every single continent. Most of the diamonds today are mined in African countries. They were formed by molten lava millions of years ago. Before any diamonds are found you must look for its indicator minerals. Different indicator minerals are found as you go deeper into the soil. The indicator minerals of a diamond include garnet, chromite, ilmenite, clinopyroxene, olivine, and zircon. What is alluvial mining? Diamonds can be found in alluvial, or loose earthy material deposited by running water, formations. Alluvial mining is done by the open-pit method. The process involves removing the overlying barren ground, digging up the bearing ground, and then extracting the diamonds. In Sierra Leone the technology involves shovel and pan, with some hand sloshing to gravitate diamond to the bottom of the pan so that it can be sorted out. What is kimberlite mining? Diamonds can be found in volcanic pipes filled with a blue rock called kimberlite. when mining a kimberlite pipe the initially loose and eventually hard ore material is removed with large hydraulic shovels and ore trucks. Hard rock is drilled and blasted with explosives so the broken material can be removed. When deep the mining goes underground with vertical shafts descending to horizontal drifts, or passageways that enter the pipe. It requires 20 tons of kimberlite to yield a diamond on average. How can you take part in this career? Be a Mining Engineer! Mining engineers mostly work in the mining industry, planning, designing and operating surface and underground mining operations. These mines, which are located in all 50 states and every country of the world except Antarctica, produce the minerals needed to help clothe, feed, and house the world's population.

Cognition, Memory and Perception Essay

Forgetting is the inability of a person to retrieve, recall or recognize information that was stored or still stored in long term memory. (McLeod, S. A. 2008). In terms of short term memory, forgetting is caused by interference between past and new information that most modern accounts that holding on to. In some older models, forgetting is explained using a process of passive deterioration of information. Comparing both accounts, interference seems to have a better explanation of forgetting. Secondly in terms of long term memory, forgetting occurs when one fails to remember and unable to reactivated the memory circuit of given information. In general, forgetting seems to happen in between short term and long term memory. It will occur when information is to be encoded or information is not linked to any memory circuit through interference. (â€Å"What is forgetting in psychology? †, 2008). However, nowadays, there are theories of forgetting in cognitive psychology that are still difficult to test by researches, because one may in fact not forget, but have trouble retrieving information from one’s memory storage. For examples, one forgets about an event such as attending a friend’s birthday party just because the individual were only remembering another event that is more important to him such as a wedding dinner. The examples of the theories of forgetting are encoding failure, decay theory, interference theory, retrieval failure, motivated forgetting and repression. The author of this paper will going to critically asses on the psychological theories on why people forget. According to Freud (1901), the father of the psychoanalytic school, believed that one will forget of what threatens them. For example, experiences that express in abusing, horrifying, hurtful, tense and ego-dissatisfying will pushed back to the unconscious. Based on the opinion of writer on this paper, it is not necessarily that one just forgets about what threatens them but also forgets the information that does not seem important to them. This scenario is similar to the theory of encoding failure whereas the particular information in short term memory that did not manage to encode in the long term memory and the information did not enter to the memory. Besides that, encoding failure also can be result of stress. Based on Yerkes-Dodson Law, too much stress results can cause performance to decline, sometimes sharply if cognitive or nervous breakdown is triggered. A downturn can also be caused by excessive attention to a task such that extra factors that are important get missed. Secondly, the decay theory, this theory suggests that memory traces in the brain will fade over time through lack of use and become inaccessible. Decay theory suggest that forgetting is a psychological process and it is an idea that when a memory has a physical or chemical trace of the experience in the brain when it is laid down. This traces will fade as time passes unless it is reinforced through repeated times of use. For example, when a person meets a new friend, the name of the friend is just like a trace to the brain. But when the person did not manage to meet up with that new friend for a few days, the name of the friend will slowly decay and might not recall it after. However, researchers have not shown that decay theory causes forgetting of something that is stored in the long term memory. In addition, based on the author’s opinion, memory such as driving skills, riding bicycle skills and swimming skills would not decay even though after a period of time, not every memory trace will fade over time. Some studies of the hippocampus have shown a pattern of rapid and then gradual decline of neutral pathways by Anderson (1995).Besides that, there are two types of the interference theory that is, proactive interference and retroactive interference. The definition of the proactive interference is when old information interferes with the new information that cause forgetting. Example of proactive interference theory is when a person who learned many formulas in additional mathematics for a year and learned new sets of formulas for modern mathematics for a month and the person will interfere with the knowledge of additional mathematics while doing modern mathematics. On the other hand, retroactive interference occurs when new information learned interfere with the old information that stored in the memory. Remembering the names of the new students by a lecturer is an example of retroactive interference where the new students name will nterfere with the names that were previously stored. However, researches pointed out that real life interference might not occur so readily. The retrieval failure theory was proposed by (Tulving & Thomson 1973). This theory is known as a cue dependent forgetting that explains forgetting as inability to retrieve material due to an absence of the right cues. In order that one person to retrieve information from the long-term memory, they must depend on the type of cue or prompt which they use and this theory explained that why sometimes that one who unable to remember the material that is certain in our memory. For example, a person cannot remember doing his homework until him or her saw the workbook on the table. This proves that the workbook provide the right retrieval cue. According to Freud (1901), the retrieval of the repressed memories is possible only under special circumstances using a few psychoanalytic techniques. On the other hand, there is a tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon (TOT) that could help one to retrieve forgotten memories. TOT is an example of how we intentionally search for cues that will prompt the retrieval of a specific memory. For example, a person that forgets their neighbor pet’s name and only remembers the dumbbell which hangs around the neck of the pet. By reading the word dumbbell, TOT assists the person to recall that the neighbor pet’s name was Dumble. Furthermore, the motivated forgetting is a case of retrieval failure referred to Freud, (1901). What it actually meant by motivated forgetting? According to Freud (1901), motivated forgetting is that we are motivated to forget the events or actions that is painful that cannot be solve in the memory by pushing it into the subconscious and actively repressing with it. In other words, these experiences are repressed in the unconscious and unable to retrieve when needed. Besides motivated forgetting causes oneself repression of memory, it is possible that one forgets is based on instructions of others and also known as the intentional forgetting or directed forgetting. Anderson, Baddeley and Eysenck (2009) stated that intentional forgetting also refers to forgetting which is initiated by a conscious goal to forget. McNally, Clancy, and Schacter (2001) also stated that loss of autobiographical memories, especially memories for unpleasant or disturbing events has used to explain the intentional forgetting. However, based on the author’s opinion, motivate forgetting on the memories of pain, unpleasant, and disturbing events are unhealthy to one’s body, physically and mentally. What if the capacity of the subconscious has a limit and it cannot continue to repress any more of the memory of negative events, it will causes an unwanted pressure and stress on the individual emotionally and lead to suicide if it reaches the limit. Last but not least, theory of repression, proposed by the psychologist Sigmund Freud. Freud (1901) stated that the unpleasant memories such as sexual abuse, bullying, torture or any traumatic experience which undergoes the psychological process which automatically and unconsciously prevents emotionally distressing memories from coming into our conscious awareness. In the event or experience in the present such as watching a video, hypnosis or hearing music may triggered the repressed memories back into conscious awareness. However, he stated that, repressed memories cannot deliberately bring back unless it was triggered. The memory researches pointed out that the retrieval memories come back into awareness through suggestion by the patient’s therapist in fact are false memories. In the nutshell, all the theories above that have discussed which are the encoding failure, decay theory, interference theory, retrieval failure, motivated forgetting and repression. Overview of this research, readers can determine that every theories of forgetting have relation between one another and it is all related to the short-term memory and long-term memory. If the short-term memory does not exist, there is no long-term memory. In the author’s point of view, some of the theories that have discussed above are too narrow in scope and did not manage to cover all the factors such as emotion of a person that will lead to forgetting. In the author’s opinion, every psychologist that is doing on the same research should investigate and plan the experiments together so that all the psychologists able to brainstorm on their findings and share their thoughts together in order to improve their theories. Besides that, I believe that, all the human being does not want to repress all those negatives events that had ever happened in their lives into their subconscious mind. This is because after repressing or suppressing those memories into the subconscious mind, it would not provide safety precautions in terms of physically and mentally to everyone. What if one day, one person those who suffer from sexual abuse and torture since childhood and triggered that memory back and do the same thing to others. This will lead to even more people suffers.

Increase in Tommy John Surgery Amongst Young Athletes

In order to keep up with the competition, athletes must constantly look for a competitive advantage. There are many ways to do this, both good and bad, legal and illegal. The hottest trend in today's society is very unique and out of the ordinary. Young athletes have been turning to a procedure called Tommy John surgey in order to get a boost in athletic performance. This surgery has been sought out by these young athletes even when not injured, and this has outraged many professionals and doctors around the world.This growing trend has been highly debated and will continue to be until some sort of guidelines are set. Tommy John surgery is reconstructive surgery of the ulnar collateral ligament in the elbow. This surgery has been common amongst college and professional athletes over the last few decades, most notably baseball players. The surgery was first performed in 1974 on former Major League Baseball star Tommy John by Doctor Frank Jobe. The surgery was so revolutionary, Doctor Jobe decided to name the surgery after his first patient.The process for Tommy John surgery is a quite simple process that has evolved over time. Basically, when ulnar collateral ligament in the elbow becomes damaged, a tendon needs to be taken from another part of the body in order to replace the damaged one. The new tendon is carefully woven into a figure eight pattern in the elbow bone. There is a slight risk of damage to the ulnar nerve, but if done carefully, the process is pretty routine these days. One of the key reasons why young athletes are opting for this surgery is the rising success rate ever since it has been in existence.When it was first discovered and performed, the surgery was given a 1 in 100 success rate by surgeon Frank Jobe. The success rate as of 2009 is an astonishing 85-92 percent. The time it takes to recover depends on the sport, and the position played in that sport. On average, it takes between 6 and 12 months to fully recover, with baseball pitchers tak ing the longest. The causes for this surgery can be a variety of situations. Through the repetitive stress of the throwing motion, the ulnar collateral ligament can become stretched, frayed, or torn severly.In pitchers, the total number of pitches thrown is the best way to monitor elbow issues. The type of pitch thrown, such as a curveball or a slider, also has an effect but not quite as much of one as the number of pitches thrown. Children these days are beind overworked more than ever, thus causing a dramatic increase in elbow issues in young athletes. The growing concern with this surgery as of late has been the urge of these teenagers who want to get this surgery even when they are not injured.The reason for this is because since so many athletes come back from this surgery playing at a much higher level than pre-surgery, these young kids figure that they might as well get the surgery before they can get hurt. Parents are also at fault here as well because there are many cases w here the parent is the initiator as well. Beau Wycoff, a freshman baseball player for his hometown high school Toms River North, is facing this same issue. His father believes that he should get Tommy John surgery because he doesn't throw as hard as the other boys on the team.He isn't looked at as a top player, and his father believes that this will make him stronger and throw much harder. Beau is not on the same page and is very torn about this situation. â€Å"I want to be the team's top pitcher, but having this surgery when I'm not hurt is something I am not sure about,† Beau said. This is just an example of what goes on all over the country with young athletes and their decisions to acheive a competitive advantage. In an e-mail response from the Center for Sports Parenting, they simply are irate about this situation.They believe that there should be a significant medical issue with the elbow for someone to legally go through with the surgery. Also mentioned was pressure f rom parents in order to get this surgery is a huge concern in dealing with this topic. The Center believes that operating on a perfectly healthy elbow in order to get some kind of advantage is an unnecessary risk for a young athlete. Situations like these make Tommy John surgery look like it's a bad thing, and that certainly is not the case. It should only be seen as a bad thing when it is abused by people who truly do not need it.This surgery has been proven by many studies to be very positive. In one study where a questionarre was sent out to 743 patients who had the surgery, 94. 5 percent were baseball players and the other 5. 5 percent were track, football, and other. Out of these people questioned, 622 patients or 83 percent, returned to their previous level of play or higher. The average recovery time of these patients was 11. 6 months. Also recorded was that only 10 percent of these patients had complications, which were mostly minor.Guisto Salicetti has been a baseball pitch er since he was 7 years old. He came to St. Peter's College on a baseball scholarship after dominating the high school ranks for 4 years. After arriving at school he soon had elbow troubles and found out he needed Tommy John surgery. The surgery went well and he is currently lightly throwing and should be able to pitch in a game in no time. â€Å"The surgery was a very positive for me and even though the recovery has been a lot of hard work, hopefull it will all be worth it in the end,† Guisto said.Tommy John surgery has become a phenomenon in the last couple of years. If done for the right reasons, the procedure is a great innovation is surgical medicine. There are some circumstances where this surgery can be abused and mistreated. This needs to be addressed in the near future because young athletes and parents are taking this too far. Tommy John surgery should be all about success stories and revitalizing careers, not about controversy and potentially ruining a young teenag ers's promising athletic experience.

Free Essays on Robin Cook - Brain

Robin Cook Brain Summary: Dr Martin Philips had just finished his morning routine when his friend William Michaels dropped in his office with a surprise. Over the past 2 years he and Philips had tried to design a computer that could read and diagnose x-rays and today their hard work had finally paid off. Michaels had designed the first prototype. He wanted Philips to run some x-rays through the program to see if there were any bugs. Philips felt very excited about his upcoming task†¦ He ran an x-ray and discovered that the machine had picked up something he had overlooked: some mild density variations. The patient, Lisa Marino, had just had major brain surgery. When Philips excitedly ran to Neurology to look if he could take some more tests, he was told that Marino had died on the operating table. Philips was very disappointed, he felt like he was on the verge of a breakthrough. He and Denise Sanger, a young attractive doctor, decided to get the x-rays anyway and head for the morgue. Without any complications they get Marino’s corpse up to the radiology department and put her under the CAT-scan, only to discover that her head was empty. Her brain had been secretly removed. Shocked by this discovery, they quickly take the body back down but get busted by the hospital diner, Werner. After making up an excuse for their presence, they started questioning Werner about the missing brain. Werner stated he didn’t have anything to do with it and that they’ll both be in serious trouble. The next day Dr Thomas, an ER doctor, presents Philips an unusual case; Lynn Anne Lucas came in yesterday complaining about a bad vision, a strange smell and dizziness which he couldn’t quite figure out because all her tests seemed normal. After reading her charts he finds out she had the same symptoms as Marino! Because it was already eaten, and the CAT-scan technician had gone home, he decides to admit her for the night to take the sc... Free Essays on Robin Cook - Brain Free Essays on Robin Cook - Brain Robin Cook Brain Summary: Dr Martin Philips had just finished his morning routine when his friend William Michaels dropped in his office with a surprise. Over the past 2 years he and Philips had tried to design a computer that could read and diagnose x-rays and today their hard work had finally paid off. Michaels had designed the first prototype. He wanted Philips to run some x-rays through the program to see if there were any bugs. Philips felt very excited about his upcoming task†¦ He ran an x-ray and discovered that the machine had picked up something he had overlooked: some mild density variations. The patient, Lisa Marino, had just had major brain surgery. When Philips excitedly ran to Neurology to look if he could take some more tests, he was told that Marino had died on the operating table. Philips was very disappointed, he felt like he was on the verge of a breakthrough. He and Denise Sanger, a young attractive doctor, decided to get the x-rays anyway and head for the morgue. Without any complications they get Marino’s corpse up to the radiology department and put her under the CAT-scan, only to discover that her head was empty. Her brain had been secretly removed. Shocked by this discovery, they quickly take the body back down but get busted by the hospital diner, Werner. After making up an excuse for their presence, they started questioning Werner about the missing brain. Werner stated he didn’t have anything to do with it and that they’ll both be in serious trouble. The next day Dr Thomas, an ER doctor, presents Philips an unusual case; Lynn Anne Lucas came in yesterday complaining about a bad vision, a strange smell and dizziness which he couldn’t quite figure out because all her tests seemed normal. After reading her charts he finds out she had the same symptoms as Marino! Because it was already eaten, and the CAT-scan technician had gone home, he decides to admit her for the night to take the sc...

Fahrenheit 451 Themes and Literary Devices

Fahrenheit 451 Themes and Literary Devices Ray Bradbury’s 1953 novel Fahrenheit 451 addresses complex themes of censorship, freedom, and technology. Unlike most science fiction, Fahrenheit 451 does not view technology as a universal good. Rather, the novel explores the potential for technological advancement to make humans less free. Bradbury investigates these concepts with a straightforward writing style, employing several literary devices that add layers of meaning to the story. Freedom of Thought vs. Censorship The central theme of Fahrenheit 451 is the conflict between freedom of thought and censorship. The society that Bradbury depicts has voluntarily given up books and reading, and by and large the people do not feel oppressed or censored. The character of Captain Beatty provides a concise explanation for this phenomenon: the more people learn from books, Beatty tells Montag, the more confusion, uncertainty, and distress arises. Thus, the society decided that it would be safer to destroy the books- thus restricting their access to ideas- and occupy themselves with mindless entertainment. Bradbury shows a society that is clearly in decline despite its technological advances. Montag’s wife Mildred, who serves as a stand-in for society at large, is obsessed with television, numbed by drugs, and suicidal. She is also frightened by new, unfamiliar ideas of any kind. The mindless entertainment has dulled her ability to think critically, and she lives in a state of fear and emotional distress. Clarisse McClellan, the teenager who inspires Montag to question society, stands in direct opposition to Mildred and the other members of society. Clarisse questions the status quo and pursues knowledge for its own sake, and she is exuberant and full of life. The character of Clarisse offers hope for humanity explicitly because she demonstrates that it is still possible to have freedom of thought. The Dark Side of Technology Unlike many other works of science fiction, the society in Fahrenheit 451 is made worse by technology. In fact, all the technology described in the story is ultimately harmful to the people who interact with it. Montag’s flamethrower destroys knowledge and causes him to witness terrible things. The huge televisions hypnotize their viewers, resulting in parents with no emotional connection to their children and a population that cannot think for itself. Robotics are used to chase down and murder dissenters, and nuclear power ultimately destroys civilization itself. In Fahrenheit 451, the only hope for the survival of the human race is a world without technology. The drifters that Montag meets with in the wilderness have memorized books, and they plan to use their memorized knowledge to rebuild society. Their plan involves only human brains and human bodies, which represent ideas and our physical ability to implement them, respectively. The 1950s saw the initial rise of television as a mass medium for entertainment, and Bradbury was very suspicious of it. He saw television as a passive medium that required no critical thinking the way reading did, even light reading done just for amusement. His depiction of a society that has given up reading in favor of the easier, more mindless engagement with television is nightmarish: People have lost their connection to one another, spend their time in a drugged dreamland, and actively conspire to destroy great works of literature- all because they are constantly under the influence of television, which is designed to never disturb or challenge, only to entertain. Obedience vs. Rebellion In Fahrenheit 451, the society at large represents blind obedience and conformity. In fact, the characters of the novel even assist their own oppression by voluntarily banning books. Mildred, for example, actively avoids listening to or engaging with new ideas. Captain Beatty is a former book lover, but he, too, has concluded that books are dangerous and must be burned. Faber agrees with Montags beliefs, but he is fearful of the repercussions of taking action (though he ultimately does so). Montag represents rebellion. Despite the resistance and danger he faces, Montag questions societal norms and steals books. However, its important to note that Montags rebellion is not necessarily pure of heart. Many of his actions can be read as resulting from personal dissatisfaction, such as angrily lashing out at his wife and attempting to make others see his point of view. He does not share the knowledge he gains from the books he hoards, nor does he seem to consider how he might help others. When he flees the city, he saves himself not because he foresaw the nuclear war, but because his instinctive and self-destructive actions have forced him to run. This parallels his wife’s suicide attempts, which he holds in such contempt: Montag’s actions are not thoughtful and purposeful. They are emotional and shallow, showing that Montag is a much a part of society as anyone else. The only people shown to be truly independent are the drifters led by Granger, who live outside of society. Away from the damaging influence of television and the watching eyes of their neighbors, they are able to live in true freedom- the freedom to think as they like. Literary Devices Bradbury’s writing style is florid and energetic, giving a sense of urgency and desperation with lengthy sentences containing sub-clauses that crash into each other: â€Å"Her face was slender and milk-white, and it was a kind of gentle hunger that touched over everything with a tireless curiosity. It was a look of almost pale surprise; the dark eyes were so fixed to the world that no move escaped them.† Additionally, Bradbury uses two main devices to convey an emotional urgency to the reader. Animal Imagery Bradbury uses animal imagery when describing technology and actions in order to show the perverse lack of the natural in his fictional world- this is a society dominated by, and harmed by, a total reliance on technology over the natural, a perversion of the ‛natural order.’ For example, the opening paragraph describes his flamethrower as a ‛great python’: â€Å"It was a pleasure to burn. It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed. With the brass nozzle in his fists, with this great python spitting its venomous kerosene upon the world, the blood pounded in his head, and his hands were the hands of some amazing conductor playing all the symphonies of blazing and burning to bring down the tatters and charcoal ruins of history.† Other imagery also compares technology to animals: the stomach pump is a snake and the helicopters in the sky are insects. Additionally, the weapon of death is the eight-legged Mechanical Hound. (Notably, there are no living animals in the novel.) Repetition and Patterns Fahrenheit 451 also deals in cycles and repeated patterns. The Firemen’s symbol is the Phoenix, which Granger eventually explains in this way: â€Å"There was a silly damn bird called a Phoenix back before Christ: every few hundred years he built a pyre and burned himself up. He must have been first cousin to Man. But every time he burnt himself up he sprang out of the ashes, he got himself born all over again. And it looks like were doing the same thing, over and over, but weve got one damn thing the Phoenix never had. We know the damn silly thing we just did.† The ending of the novel makes it clear that Bradbury views this process as a cycle. Humanity progresses and advances technology, then is destroyed by it, then recovers and repeats the pattern without retaining the knowledge of the previous failure. This cyclical imagery pops up elsewhere, most notably with Mildred’s repeated suicide attempts and inability to remember them as well as Montag’s revelation that he has repeatedly stolen books without doing anything with them.

The Ideas in Sandra Cisneross Only Daughter and Deborah Tannens Sex, Essay

The Ideas in Sandra Cisneross Only Daughter and Deborah Tannens Sex, Lies, and Conversation - Essay Example The purpose of gender plays different roles within Cisneros’s and Tannen’s pieces. Cisneros makes a big deal that she was the only daughter of a family of seven children. She desperately wanted to have her father be proud of what she did: writing. â€Å"I wanted my father to understand what it was I was scribbling, to introduce me as ‘My only daughter, the writer.’ Not as ‘This is only my daughter. She teaches.’ Es maestra— teacher. Not even profesora.† †¨ The structure of Cisneros’s story is short and to the point. The purpose of the essay is to show how Cisneros’s professional development progressed from being basically an unknown writer to, ten years later, having had a lot of success as a writer. The purpose of gender in Tannen’s essay is to show the difference in communication patterns between men and women. â€Å"The communication problems that endanger marriage can't be fixed by mechanical enginee ring. They require a new conceptual framework about the role of talk in human relationships.† Essentially, Tannen is saying we need to be able to rework the role of conversation between men and women. The structure of the essay begins by Tannen telling a story about how women talk less in public than in men. The purpose of the essay was to draw attention to why this mix-up in communications causes divorces. The explanation for the purpose of gender in these two essays is completely different betwixt the two—and the opposite sex (men) is mentioned in Cisneros’s piece but not nearly as much as in Tannen’s. The structure of the essays were different in that Cisneros’s piece was short and Tannen’s long. Both essays had a common purpose, however, which was to see the value in womens’ contributions. III. The Outcomes From the Two Stories ? The outcome from Sandra Cisneros’s story was her professional development. â€Å"Last year, aft er ten years of writing professionally, the financial rewards started to trickle in. My second National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship. A guest professorship at the University of California, Berkeley. My book, which sold to a major New York publishing house.†3 The outcome for Tannen was talking about what bound women together: conversation. â€Å"For women, as for girls, intimacy is the fabric of relationships, and talk is the thread from which it is woven.†4 The explanation that draws a line in the sand between these two different pieces is that Sandra Cisneros is talking about how she, as a writer, overcame her struggles in order to become a writer and to ultimately make her father proud—which was the sole greatest achievement that Cisneros found?worthwhile to achieve. The main attraction of Tannen’s article is that she is talking about how gender differences severely impair relationships and lead to divorce. In terms of theme, the outcomes from these two storied essays are vastly different. In fact, Tannen’s assertion at the end of her piece that people who cannot work things out should just get divorced, makes all of her prior assertions about relationships seem invalid—because she is advocating divorce. This proves that she doesn’t really value the male-female relationship enough to want to preserve it—