Monday, September 30, 2019

Aphasiology: Disorders and clinical practice Essay

Acquired Aphasia Introduction Abstract   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The paper describes aphasia in details and also the challenges that are faced by the individuals who suffer from aphasia. The paper also describes about the executive functioning and what it entail including the relationship between productivity outcomes and executive functions. The paper also highlights the challenges that aphasia patients face in their day to day lives. For instance, how these individuals handle their daily tasks. The paper shows that these patients face a lot of challenges including discrimination since they are misunderstood by many people. Also this paper shows how these patients can undergo therapy treatment as a way of improving their language and also to be educated on how to cope and interact with other people who do not have aphasia. Finally the paper describes the implications of this therapy treatment on aphasia patients.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Aphasia refers to comprehension impairment and language production which is usually led by damage in language constituent brain hemisphere. Aphasia is a family of disorders involving varying impairment degrees in four fundamental areas: Spoken language comprehension Spoken language expression Reading comprehension, and Written expression   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   An individual who have aphasia usually have comparatively nonlinguistic cognitive skills which is intact like executive and memory function skills even though these and other cognitive discrepancies may co-occur together with aphasia. Sensory deficits like visual and auditory agnosia and visual field deficits may also be present (Bhagal et al, 2003).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The result of aphasia is challenging to predict due to the wide symptoms variability. Aphasia result varies extensively from individual to individual depending on the brain insult severity and the lesion location. The indicator of the long- term recovery which is easily predictable is initial aphasia severity together with lesion size and site. Other factors which are usually considered concerning prognosis consist of the individual’s education level, gender, age among other comorbidities (Retrieved from http://www.aphasia.com/about-aphasia/who-gets-aphasia). When scrutinized properly, however, these factors appear to be weak predictors of the degree of recovery. Assessment of aphasia is goal-oriented, organized appraisal of the variety of pragmatic, linguistic and cognitive components of language. Executive function refers to the abilities and skills which enables individuals to achieve activities which are goal-directed. Prior to a head injury or traumatic brain, these abilities can be adversely affected (Simmons et al, 2010). Executive Functioning and completing a task Completing a task involves some steps as follows: Planning: planning and/ or knowing the steps for a specific activity Initiation: initiating an activity Doing the task: Executing the plans and at the same time self regulating and self monitoring. Evaluating- checking the outcomes of your work. Changing and improving- checking ways of simplifying the task next time and keeping away from any errors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The above executive functions are used for all types of everyday tasks like shopping, laundry and cooking. In order to complete a task an individual must initiate each step, put in order, follow through and as this continues adjusting and monitoring of actions should be done. Most individuals do these activities without planning or any thought. However, for a person who is suffering from a brain injury he or she may face a challenge while initiating the task in the initial place. Such individuals may not have a thought of going food shopping and doing the washing even if their fridge is empty or there is a pile of laundry which is dirty, these clear cues may not initiate the thought process which makes them start a plan of action (Dickey et al, 2010).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   People with acquired aphasia may start an activity however not have thought it through therefore they make errors. A simple illustration would be going for shopping however forgets carrying a shopping list or wallet. Although this can also happen to any individual however it occurs more frequently if an individual have a brain injury. Individuals with acquired aphasia may not learn from past errors and they end up repeating similar mistakes over and over again while they try accomplishing a task (Mesulam, 2001).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   An individual with aphasia usually lack insight into their own capabilities to execute tasks, even in a case where individuals make suggestions which are positive. Treatment and rehabilitation usually involves executing systems and strategies to assist individuals with executive functioning difficulties: Daily organizers and planners Home information centre which includes calendars, notice boards etc. Reserve time each day purposed for planning Use a Dictaphone and timers for reminders Using step by step checklists Executive functions and regulating thinking and behavior   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another purpose of executive functions is that they assist individuals to control their behavior to respond and act properly. Problems with self regulation can result to verbalizations and impulsive behavior and may happen in numerous ways: Uttering inappropriate statements or remarks Dominating the conversation Being rude Being unable to stay on topic Continuously talking about a particular subject   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   With an aid of a duly qualified language and speech therapist some people with aphasia can be trained on picking up on a listener’s facial expressions or reactions thus realizing when they are making error in their communication. Recovery from aphasia may imply re-learning what facial expressions and social conventions signify, however it may imply just re-learning how to react appropriately to particular facial expression for instance, if a certain person say something and his or her communication partner seems to be shocked this may imply that the person have spoken a wrong thing (Hurkmans et al, 2012). Functional communication and executive function in aphasia   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Functional communication refers to the capability of receiving and conveying a message, in spite of the mode, to converse successfully and independently in a particular environment. Broca and wernicke perceived language to be different from cognition where they argued that patients who have aphasia are cognitively integral however they deficits in their language. On the other hand, recent studies shows that cognitive impairments like attention, working memory and sequencing are possessed by individuals who have aphasia. Outcomes illustrates that diminished executive function capability may be linked to declined functional communication capability in individuals with aphasia. The executive function usually depends in communication success (Cherney et al, 2011).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to Davis et al (2004) functional communication and executive function ability are associated closely in individuals with aphasia. Language impairment may not correlate always with real like communication capability. Thus, executive function may be an ideal functional communication ability indicator (Davis, 2004).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In a case where there is impairment of Executive function in aphasia patients, this may be due to the fact that functional communication capability is more impaired than what is indicated by severity of language impairments.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Relationship between executive functions and productivity outcomes following stroke, disability and rehabilitation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This study shows the need of assessing executive functions thoroughly in order to direct cognitive rehabilitation interventions as a result of a stroke. This is different from carrying out a cognitive screening incorporating merely one or two elements of executive functions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Additionally, the findings show that more comprehensive evaluation of executive functions may be acceptable for younger people that have suffered from stroke. The evaluation will establish their ability to return to productive tasks which include tailor rehabilitation and employment to provide aid to needs consequently.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Future research is suggested in order to study efficacy of approaches which evaluate the interactive and separate influence of fundamental executive functions and cognitive processes. In addition, methodical assessment of rehabilitation practices to help management of individuals of executive dysfunction in everyday’s life is recommended.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Relations between semantic processing, short-term memory deficits and executive function   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Allen et al (2012) shows that semantic processing capabilities, semantic short-term memory deficits are highly related to general or specific executive function deficits. A research was conducted involving a total of 20 patients with STM deficits and aphasia were evaluated on basis of semantic processing, short -term retention and both simple and rigid executive function activities. The study found no evidence that semantic STM deficits result due to deficits in executive function (Brady et al, 2012).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Executive function tasks performance was found to relate with some semantic processing tasks performance proposed that a relational combination function may bring about performance on both sorts of tasks. Correlation between some executive function activities and phonological STM was realized where phonological rehearsal and storage play great role in executive function activities with verbal element (Engelter et al, 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Clinical repercussions for the elucidation of the executive function role in language-processing activities and the achievable contributions of executive function deficits and STM in treatment regimes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Executive function capabilities depend on fundamental cognitive resources. Relational integration- role in discourse   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   EF role in treatment of language deficits depends on aspect of language which is being treated.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Found no relation between performance and semantic STM on complex and simple executive function activities (Pedersenet al, 1995). Instead they realized that executive function tasks and phonological STM were related in activities that had a verbal element recommends that performance in several executive function activities depends on rehearsing or maintaining phonological codes. Although semantic STM was unrelated to executive function capability, semantic processing tasks performance was connected to the executive function (Moxley, 2002).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   After the completion assessment stage, a plan for treatment is obtained from the outcomes of the assessments. Clinician must assess the form of treatment approach they will utilize. It has been investigated that early intervention is more ideal compared to late intervention. The basic goal in aphasia treatment is to improve functional communication so as to participate in tasks of daily living. The main goal of the patient is to recuperate enough language to carry on with their life normally as possible (Faroqui-Shah et al, 2010). Treatment of executive function and language   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Impairment based Approach:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This approach uses cognitive processing to find out the processes and components which have been fractioned as a result of brain damage. The approach also uses normal cognitive processing models to come up with the processes and components, which are damaged. Treatment is determined on basis of these outcomes. The approach argues that brain has ability of reorganizing and that reorganization is shaped directly by the environment. There is a perception that language and executive function will return as a successful treatment product (Teasell et al, 2011). Consequence Approach   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is also known as social, functional, psychological, life participation approach. This approach targets the outcomes of life participation impairment and creates treatment goals on basis of these impairments. A therapist who uses consequence approach should comprehend fully the limitations aphasia has on the life of an individual. The consequences approach influences values and principles which are separate it from impairment based approach (Hier et al, 1994).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There is growing support for the notion that executive/attention function skills in people with aphasia are remediable. Moreover, there is a significant relationship between functional communication and executive/attention function in individuals with aphasia. The outcomes recommend that treatment of executive/attention function in aphasia may lead to measurable variations in these skills and in the conversation communication success. References Bhogal, S. K., Teasell, R., & Speechley, M. (2003). Intensity of aphasia therapy, impact on recovery. Stroke, 34, 987-993. Brady, M. C., Kelly, H., Godwin, J, & Enderby, P. (2012). Speech and language therapy for aphasia following stroke. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 5, CD000425. Cherney, L., Patterson, J., & Raymer, A. (2011). Intensity of aphasia therapy: Evidence and efficacy. Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports, 11, 560-569. Cherney, L., Patterson, J., Raymer, A., Frymark, T., & Schooling, T. (2010). Updated evidence-based systematic review: Effects of intensity of treatment and constraint-induced language therapy for individuals with stroke-induced aphasia. ASHA’s National Center for Evidence-Based Practice in Communication Disorders. Rockville, MD: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Civil Rights Act of 1964  § 7, 42 U.S.C.  § 2000e et seq (1964). Davis, G. A. (2007). Aphasiology: Disorders and clinical practice (2nd ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Dickey, L., Kagan, A., Lindsay, M. P., Fang, J., Rowland, A., & Black, S. (2010). Incidence and profile of inpatient stroke-induced aphasia in Ontario, Canada. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 91, 196-202. Engelter, S. T., Gostynski, M., Papa, S., Maya, F., Claudia, B., Vladeta, A.G., †¦ Phillipe, A. L. (2006). Epidemiology of aphasia attributable to first ischemic stroke: Incidence, severity, fluency, etiology, and thrombolysis. Stroke, 37, 1379-1384 Faroqui-Shah, Y., Frymark, T., Mullen, R., & Wang, B. (2010). Effect of treatment for bilingual individuals with aphasia: A systematic review of the evidence. Journal of Neurolinguistics, 23(4), 319-341. Framework for Outcome Measurement (FROM). Aphasia Institute. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. OR Kagan, A., Simmons-Mackie, N., Rowland, A., Huijbregts, M., Shumway, E., McEwen, S., †¦ & Sharp, S. (2008). Counting what counts: A framework for capturing real-life outcomes of aphasia intervention. Aphasiaology, 22(3), 259-280. Hier, D. B., Yoon, W. B., Mohr, J. P. & Price, T. R. (1994). Gender and aphasia in the stroke bank. Brain and Language, 47 , 155-167. Hurkmans, J., de Bruijn, M., Boonstra, A., Jonkers, R., Bastiaanse, R., Arendzen, H., & Reinders-Messelink, H. (2012). Music in the treatment of neurological language and speech disorders: A systematic review. Aphasiology, 26, 1-19. Intercollegiate Stroke Working Party. (2008). National clinical guidelines for stroke (3rd ed.). London, United Kingdom: Royal College of Physicians. Limited English Proficiency – A Federal Interagency Website (2013). Available from www.lep.govLingraphica (n.d.). Who gets aphasia? Retrieved from http://www.aphasia.com/about-aphasia/who-gets-aphasiaMoxley, A. (2002, November 05). Make your grant count: Igniting change through research. The ASHA Leader. Murray, L. L., & Chapey, R. (2001). Assessment of language disorders in adults. In R. Chapey (Ed.), Language intervention strategies in aphasia and related neurogenic communication disorders (pp. 55-126). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins. Mesulam, M. (2001). Primary progressive aphasia. Annals of Neurology, 49, 425-432. National Aphasia Association (2011). www.aphasia.orgNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. (n.d.). NINDS aphasia information page. Retrieved from http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/aphasia/aphasia.htmNational Stroke Association. (2008). http://www.stroke.orgNational Stroke Foundation (2010). Clinical guidelines for acute stroke management 2010. Melbourne, Australia: Author. Stroke Foundation of New Zealand and New Zealand Guidelines Group (2010). New Zealand Clinical Guidelines for Stroke Management 2010.Wellington, New Zealand: Stroke Foundation of New Zealand. Pedersen, P. M., Jorgensen, H. S., Raaschou, H. O., & Olsen, T. S. (1995). Aphasia in acute stroke: Incidence, determinants, and recovery. Annals of Neurology, 38, 659-666. Plowman, E., Hentz, B., & Ellis, C. (2012). Post-stroke aphasia prognosis: A review of patient-related and stroke-related factors. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, 18, 689-694. Rogers, M. (2004). Aphasia, primary progressive. In R. D. Kent (Ed.), The MIT encyclopedia of communication disorders (pp. 245-249). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Taylor-Goh, S. (Ed.) (2005). Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists Clinical Guidelines: 5.12 Aphasia. Bicester, United Kingdom: Speechmark. Simmons-Mackie, N., & Kagan, A. (2007). Application of the ICF in aphasia. Seminars in Speech and Language, 28, 244-253. Simmons-Mackie, N., Raymer, A., Armstrong, E., Holland, A., & Cherney, L. R. (2010). Communication partner training in aphasia: A systematic review. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 91, 1814-1837. Catalan Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Research (2007). Stroke: Clinical practice guideline (2nd ed.). Barcelona, Spain: Author. Teasell, R. W., Foley, N. C., & Salter, K. (2011). Evidence-based review of stroke rehabilitation (14th ed.). Retrieved from www.ebrsr.comManagement of Stroke Rehabilitation Working Group (2010). VA/DOD clinical practice guideline for the management of stroke rehabilitation. Journal of Rehabilitation Research & Development, 47(9), 1-43. World Health Organization. (2001). International classification of functioning, disability and health. Geneva, Switzerland: Author. Bhogal, S. K., Teasell, R., & Speechley, M. (2003). Intensity of aphasia therapy, impact on recovery. Stroke, 34, 987-993. The book reveals the significance of therapy. Intense therapy over a short time frame can improve outcomes of language and speech therapy for stroke patients suffering with aphasia. Brady, M. C., Kelly, H., Godwin, J, & Enderby, P. (2012). Speech and language therapy for aphasia following stroke. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 5, CD000425. The book shows the evidence of appropriateness of SLT speech and language therapy to patients suffering from aphasia due to stroke in regard to improvement functional communication, expressive and receptive language. Cherney, L., Patterson, J., & Raymer, A. (2011). Intensity of aphasia therapy: Evidence and efficacy. Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports, 11, 560-569. The book emphasizes the need of determining the intensity of treatment for any treatment program for aphasia. The intensity may vary depending on the specific stimuli, type of intervention and response needed by the patient. Cherney, L., Patterson, J., Raymer, A., Frymark, T., & Schooling, T. (2010). Updated evidence-based systematic review: Effects of intensity of treatment and constraint-induced language therapy for individuals with stroke-induced aphasia. ASHA’s National Center for Evidence-Based Practice in Communication Disorders. Rockville, MD: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. The book explains the impact of intensity and constraint-induced language treatment to patients with aphasia induced by stroke. Civil Rights Act of 1964  § 7, 42 U.S.C.  § 2000e et seq (1964). The act outlines how people with disorders should not be discriminated against. The law prevents applicants and employees from discrimination in all terms, privileges and conditions of employment. Davis, G. A. (2007). Aphasiology: Disorders and clinical practice (2nd ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon. The book outlines the fundamental principles and approaches for assessment of six neurologically based disorders. Every disorder reveals different order of revealing signs of communicative behaviors. The book emphasizes the need of placing the needs according to hierarchy in order to prescribe the appropriate treatment. Dickey, L., Kagan, A., Lindsay, M. P., Fang, J., Rowland, A., & Black, S. (2010). Incidence and profile of inpatient stroke-induced aphasia in Ontario, Canada. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 91, 196-202. The book explains the factors that determine the incidents of stroke-induced aphasia. The book also highlights the clinical and demographic features for stroke patients with or without this disorder. Engelter, S. T., Gostynski, M., Papa, S., Maya, F., Claudia, B., Vladeta, A.G., †¦ Phillipe, A. L. (2006). Epidemiology of aphasia attributable to first ischemic stroke: Incidence, severity, fluency, etiology, and thrombolysis. Stroke, 37, 1379-1384 The book explains the relationship between aphasia and first ischemic stroke. Cardioembolism and advanced age showed a positive relationship, where they have a great risk for this condition. Fluency and severity of aphasia were not influenced by demographic variable. Faroqui-Shah, Y., Frymark, T., Mullen, R., & Wang, B. (2010). Effect of treatment for bilingual individuals with aphasia: A systematic review of the evidence. Journal of Neurolinguistics, 23(4), 319-341. The book is about managing of stroke induced aphasia in a cultural diverse world. There is an increased likelihood of bilingual patients due to the cultural diversity. Framework for Outcome Measurement (FROM). Aphasia Institute. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. OR Kagan, A., Simmons-Mackie, N., Rowland, A., Huijbregts, M., Shumway, E., McEwen, S., †¦ & Sharp, S. (2008). Counting what counts: A framework for capturing real-life outcomes of aphasia intervention. Aphasiaology, 22(3), 259-280. The book reveals the incidents of distinguishing of stroke-induced aphasia. The book explains how stroke patients are more susceptible to this disorder. Hier, D. B., Yoon, W. B., Mohr, J. P. & Price, T. R. (1994). Gender and aphasia in the stroke bank. The book is about the relationship between gender and stroke-induced aphasia. Aphasia incidence is high in females than in males especially to women with infarcts. Brain and Language, 47 , 155-167. The book explains the coordination between brain and language. The book reveals how organization of brain is vital for language. Hurkmans, J., de Bruijn, M., Boonstra, A., Jonkers, R., Bastiaanse, R., Arendzen, H., & Reinders-Messelink, H. (2012). Music in the treatment of neurological language and speech disorders: A systematic review. Aphasiology, 26, 1-19. The book explains the significance of music therapy in rehabilitation of speech disorders. Music is a common treatment of apraxia and aphasia of speech. Music usually stimulate brain functions associated to speech. Intercollegiate Stroke Working Party. (2008). National clinical guidelines for stroke (3rd ed.). London, United Kingdom: Royal College of Physicians. The book highlights the guidelines which clearly provide the necessary management skills for stroke patients. The guide contains the recommendations for language and speech therapy. Limited English Proficiency – A Federal Interagency Website (2013). Available from www.lep.govLEP. gov encourages a cooperative and positive understanding of the significance of language access to federally assisted and federal conducted programs. Lingraphica (n.d.). Who gets aphasia? Retrieved from http://www.aphasia.com/about-aphasia/who-gets-aphasiaThis site explains the factors that make people more prevalent to aphasia. The most common cause is stroke while other symptoms include some neurological conditions, brain tumors, and head injuries. However, the disorder can occur to people of all age brackets, nationalities, races and genders. Moxley, A. (2002, November 05). Make your grant count: Igniting change through research. The ASHA Leader. The article is about the report from an examination carried out between Spanish Latinos and English speakers. The English examination was administered to test their fluency. Murray, L. L., & Chapey, R. (2001). Assessment of language disorders in adults. In R. Chapey (Ed.), Language intervention strategies in aphasia and related neurogenic communication disorders (pp. 55-126). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins. The book reveals that there is a relationship between stroke-induced aphasia and ageing. Old people suffering from stroke are more susceptible to the condition. Mesulam, M. (2001). Primary progressive aphasia. Annals of Neurology, 49, 425-432. The book define primary progressive as a focal disorder characterized by gradual and isolated disbanding of language function. The condition starts with anomia, proceeds to impair of grammatical structure finally difficulty in semantics. National Aphasia Association (2011). www.aphasia.orgIts is a non-profit organization that praises research, public education, support and rehabilitation services to aphasia patient and their families. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. (n.d.). NINDS aphasia information page. Retrieved from http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/aphasia/aphasia.htmClearly explains the causal effects of this disorder, the symptoms as well as the relationship between stroke and aphasia. National Stroke Association. (2008). http://www.stroke.orgIt is a non-profit organization that helps with research, education and services to the aphasia patients as well as their families. National Stroke Foundation (2010). Clinical guidelines for acute stroke management 2010. Melbourne, Australia: Author. These guidelines explain the appropriate therapy for language and speech. They are guidelines to the clinicians for easy identification of the aphasia stage in order to prescribe appropriate treatment. Stroke Foundation of New Zealand and New Zealand Guidelines Group (2010). New Zealand Clinical Guidelines for Stroke Management 2010.Wellington, New Zealand: Stroke Foundation of New Zealand. The network aims at enhancing the implementation of appropriate treatment in stoke care all over New Zealand by improving the expertise of stroke physicians as well as maximizing their effectiveness. Pedersen, P. M., Jorgensen, H. S., Raaschou, H. O., & Olsen, T. S. (1995). Aphasia in acute stroke: Incidence, determinants, and recovery. Annals of Neurology, 38, 659-666. The book explains the causes, determining factors and recovery methods of aphasia. Stroke is the major contributing factor. Plowman, E., Hentz, B., & Ellis, C. (2012). Post-stroke aphasia prognosis: A review of patient-related and stroke-related factors. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, 18, 689-694. The book recommends the recovery procedure for people suffering from post-stroke aphasia. Predictive factors are challenging due to their constant variability making prognosis of aphasia recuperation troublesome. Rogers, M. (2004). Aphasia, primary progressive. In R. D. Kent (Ed.), The MIT encyclopedia of communication disorders (pp. 245-249). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. The book highlights the progressive stages starting with initial to the aphasia stage. It clearly explains aphasia as a communication disorder. Taylor-Goh, S. (Ed.) (2005). Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists Clinical Guidelines: 5.12 Aphasia. Bicester, United Kingdom: Speechmark. These guidelines provide the recommendation for the appropriate care attention to the aphasia patients. The guide explains suitable therapy for speech and language. Simmons-Mackie, N., & Kagan, A. (2007). Application of the ICF in aphasia. Seminars in Speech and Language, 28, 244-253. This approach is used as a rehabilitation method to the people suffering from aphasia. It explains its effectiveness and how to understand the patient response after application of this method. Simmons-Mackie, N., Raymer, A., Armstrong, E., Holland, A., & Cherney, L. R. (2010). Communication partner training in aphasia: A systematic review. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 91, 1814-1837. The book clearly outline different approaches towards aphasia recovery and treatment. The clinicians should be well endowed with expertise to treat this disorder. Catalan Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Research (2007). Stroke: Clinical practice guideline (2nd ed.). Barcelona, Spain: Author. These guidelines provide the recommendation for appropriate treatment for aphasia. The guide also provide the necessary therapy for speech and language. Teasell, R. W., Foley, N. C., & Salter, K. (2011). Evidence-based review of stroke rehabilitation (14th ed.). Retrieved from www.ebrsr.comHighlights different methods of dealing with this disorder. It poses difficult to prescribe appropriate treatment due to variability of this condition, thus doctors are required to understand different methods of treatment. Management of Stroke Rehabilitation Working Group (2010). VA/DOD clinical practice guideline for the management of stroke rehabilitation. Journal of Rehabilitation Research & Development, 47(9), 1-43. There should be good management of people suffering from aphasia. Cultural diversity is one of the challenges. People should not be discriminated against due to condition, race, religion or any other factor. World Health Organization. (2001). International classification of functioning, disability and health. Geneva, Switzerland: Author. This is a non-profit organization that fights for the rights of people with disabilities. It not only provide support in terms of funding, but also in educating and advising affected people. Source document

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Black Swan Green Letter to a Poet

Through reading excerpts from Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke and Black Swan Green by David Mitchell, Rilke's counsel to the young poet applies greatly to the main character in David Mitchell's story, Jason Taylor. Both of the works are to poets from someone who is giving advice, however, Jason Taylor does not seek advice, while the young poet does. The advice given to the poets is similar and helpful to their cause.In Rilke's letter to the young poet, Rilke tells the poet that his poetry must be unique in style and words, â€Å"Don't write love poems; avoid those forms that re too facile and ordinary: they are the hardest to work with, and it takes a great, fully ripened power to create something individual†¦ â€Å"( from Letters to a Young Poet 34-36). This advice applies to Jason because Jason tries to make his poetry â€Å"pretty' with beautiful words to try and make them better. â€Å"Beautiful words ruin your poetry.A touch of beauty enhances a dish, but you throw a hill of it into the pot! † (Black Swan Green p. 147). Rilke's advice that beauty is within him and surrounding him by nature also applies to this. Instead of using beautiful words, work from things in nature, â€Å"For the creator must be a world for himself and must find everything in himself and in Nature.. † (LTAYP 6162) Rilke explains to the young poet in his letters that you need to be yourself in your poetry and bring yourself into it. If you're everyday life seems poor, don't blame it; blame yourself; admit to yourself that you are not enough of a poet to call forth its riches.. † (LTAYP 41-43). This advice to be yourself and find things within your life is advice that also applies to Jason Taylor. Jason already expresses ome emotion in his poetry, but he hides behind a pseudonym. Rilke's advice of being yourself in your poetry would assist Jason. By putting his real name on his poems and becoming more personal, his poetry will become better.Oth er advice Rilke gives to the young poet is that in order to write good poetry, you need to find yourself and work of experiences, for the things that you have dealt with personally, make better poetry. Rilke also says that someone's best piece of art comes from when they were lowest in life in a dark place, like if you were placed in prison. This is ecause you still have all your experiences and childhood and your home is always within you, therefore, you'll always be able to find the inspiration within yourself to write great poetry. â€Å"†¦ ecause for the creator there is no poverty and no poor, indifferent place. And even if you found yourself in some prison, whose walls let in non of the world's sound -wouldn't you still have your childhood, that Jewel beyond all price, that treasure house of memories? Turn your attention to it. Try to raise up the sunken feelings of this enormous past; your personality will grow stronger, your olitude will expand and become a place where you can live in the twilight, where the noise of other people pass by, far in the distance† (LTAYP 43-50).This advice applies to Jason and his writing because Jason needs to work on being himself in his poetry, being honest, and finding inspiration to make his poetry better. Rilke using words such as ‘price, treasure, riches, and Jewel' to show how important one's own childhood and memories are. This is important to Jason because he is still in his childhood so he could make a beautiful work of art out of these years. To Jason, these ut his peers won't accept him if they found out about his poetry or his stammer.Rilke would tell him that in this moment of life, if he was true and honest, his best poetry would form. Rilke most important piece of advice that would apply to Jason is his emphasis's that writing poetry needs to be something more than what you want to do, but instead writing should be something a poet needs to do, â€Å"Go into yourself. Find out the reason that commands you to write; see whether it has spread roots into the very depths of your heart; confess to yourself whether you would have to die if ou were forbidden to write.This is most important of all: ask yourself in the most silent hour of the night: must I write? † (LTAYP 24 – 28). This is important to Jason and his writing because Jason is embarrassed about his writing and hides behind a misnomer. If Jason realizes he MUST write, he needs to be true and start putting ‘Jason Taylor' on his poems instead of ‘Elliot Bolivar'. If he looks within himself and realizes he doesn't have to write and he could live on without, Rilke suggests to â€Å"renounce becoming a poet† (LTAYP 64).Jason uses his poetry because he does not tammer and â€Å"Hangman† does not come out in his writing, but if he can live without it, Rilke would tell him to set down the pencil. Jason Taylor would find Rilke's advice and mentoring very beneficial. In Black Swan Gr een, Jason get's similar advice from Madame Crommelynck but I think Rilke's advice would have helped Jason more. Main pieces of advice that would help Jason are that he needs to be true and himself and fgure out if he needs to write, and to remember, that no matter where he is in life, his home and inspiration is within him. He will always have what he needs to write inside of him.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Global Financial Crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Global Financial Crisis - Essay Example Many professionals and experts around the world believe that a true economic recession can only be confirmed if GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth is negative for a period of two or more consecutive quarters. The roots of a recession and its true starting point actually rest in the several quarters of positive but slowing growth before the recession cycle really begins. While the "two quarter" definition is accepted globally, many economists have trouble supporting it completely as it does not consider other important economic change variables. For instance, current national unemployment rates or consumer confidence and spending levels are all a part of the economic system and must be taken into account when defining a recession and its attributes. An economic recession is primarily attributed to the actions taken to control the money supply in an economy. The Central Bank is the agency responsible for maintaining the delicate balance between money supply, interest rates, and inflation. When this delicate balance is tipped, the economy is forced to correct itself. In an environment where inflation is prevalent, people tend to cut out things like leisure spending. They also budget more, spend less on things they usually indulge in, and start saving more money than they did. As people and businesses start finding ways to cut costs and derail unneeded expenditures, the GDP begins to decline. Then, unemployment rates will rise because companies start laying off workers to cut more costs, because consumers are not spending like they were. It is these combined factors that managed to drive the economy into a state of recession.(Sources: Recessiom.org) The paradigm shift in the US economy was a big contributing factor. The economy shifted to a service based economy from a predominant manufacturing sector. By the year 2009, manufacturing and agriculture constituted less than 10% of the whole economic base. Decline in manufacturing took place mainly due to off shoring or outsourcing but vastly increased productivity was the bigger factor. Lack of security became an issue as the employments trend changed from a long term employment relationship to a short term attachments. The result of the shift from manufacturing to service, in short, has been a disaggregation of employment in which the attachments of workers to particular firms is more tenuous, expected tenures are shorter, and workplaces themselves are often on a smaller scale. The new portable employment included portable pensions; that is a pension plan that moves with an employee when he or she changes the employer. Pension investment became a big business dominated by institut ional investors. With a portable defined contribution systems pension is based on investment returns which created pressure for high returns and also removed employee incentives to stay with a single firm. This resulted in a vicious circle of profit pressure and employment instability. (G.F. Davies, 2009) Following a period of economic boom, a financial bubble-global in scope-has now burst. A collapse of the US sub-prime mortgage market and the reversal of the housing boom in other industrialized economies have had a ripple

Friday, September 27, 2019

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 7

Assignment Example 4 Part D 5 Describe the single most important/useful thing about organizational behavior. 5 Part E 5 Assuming this is true, what would a culture look like for shaping high ethical standards? 5 What could top management do to strengthen that culture? 5 Do you think it’s possible for a manager with high ethical standards to uphold those standards in an organizational culture that tolerates, or even encourages, unethical practices? 5 Works Cited 6 Name of the Student Name of the Professor Name of the Course Date Part A Summarize article It is very important to bring about major changes within organizations. Otherwise, they tend to remain locked within the old patterns and lag behind their competitors. In some other cases, they end up in poor alignment with the business objectives or markets. In such cases, one of the best courses of action includes making big changes within organizations. The decision of bringing about a change within the organization is very risky. However, it i s better than lagging behind the competitors. Higher attention is required for the maintenance of team psychology during taking change initiatives or restructuring. Some of the necessary steps in this context include retaining talented employees, hiring new employees and building team cohesiveness. These are the important points to be considered as they might pose as big challenges to the organization and put restraints on the organizational changes. The article states that it is very important to consider how rewarding and motivation can be incorporated within organizations effectively. Motivational drivers are the reasons responsible for the performances of team members. Each and every team member has his/her own motivational driver. These drivers help in building elegant solutions with quality, creativity and skill. The motivational drivers for the managers include how to bring an effective change within an organization and leave their mark in it. Individuals within an organizati on require stability and knowledge regarding their specific functions along with their respective positions. The article states that organizational change is nothing but a race of stability. Part B What are the key signs of culture in your organization? Explain. Culture is a significant factor in an organization which helps in bringing together a group of different individuals (Hofstede 22). It is comprised of aspirations, beliefs and languages. In an organization, establishment of a unique prevalent culture is very important as cultural values are different for individuals belonging to different backgrounds. Organizational culture is of great significance in today’s world (Hofstede 48). In order to seek new opportunities, it is very important to respect the mission and values of the organization in which an employee is working. This is the first sign of positive working culture. It is essential to create a supportive environment for all employees, so that they can feel comfo rtable to work in it. It is vital to determine different ways to make the workplace comfortable and genial. These are the important signs of positive organizational culture. If much of the literature is accurate and ethical/moral values and behavior are shaped at an early age, how do you explain what has happened in recent business history? (Tyco, WorldCom, Enron, etc.) Ethics and moral values are very essential for shaping effective organizational behavior. However, the recent deceptive activities suggest that

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Economics Analysis when Chicken food price is going up Term Paper

Economics Analysis when Chicken food price is going up - Term Paper Example The intersection point of the demand and supply curves is called the equilibrium point (Thomas & Maurice 2008). In the given scenario, there is an increase in the input cost for products made from chicken. The input costs are higher as the chicken feed price goes up. There are certain input costs and the increase in their prices results in a reduction of the supply of the products in which they are used. An increase in input cost causes the supply curve to move towards left. In other words, an increase in input costs reduces the overall profit to the supplier and hence, the supplier reduces the level of supply. The quantity demanded, as a result, does not satisfy and remains unchanged. In our case, the result of an increase in chicken feed prices will reduce the chicken output. Relating this to the Restaurant industry, the reduced supply of chicken will result in higher prices of chicken and eggs related cuisines like Burgers, Omelets, Sandwiches and most of the baked items like cakes. The equilibrium price in the restaurant industry for the foods containing eggs goes up due to the shift in t he demand curve. The equilibrium quantity, however, has shown a declining trend. The increment in feed cost moves the supply curve to the left. The reduced supply of chicken will lead to change in the price and demand of certain products. The price of all products in which chicken is used will go up and the quantity will also be reduced as shown in the figure above. Assuming Beef as a major substitute to chicken, it is obvious that with the rise in prices of chicken products, the demand for substitutes like beef-made products will rise. The demand curve shifts towards right (Krugman & Wells 2009). The consumer demand to have meat products will then be satisfied by the consumption of beef hence an increase in the demand for beef boosts up. The poultry industry will definitely be affected adversely due to the rise in

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Strategic IT Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Strategic IT Management - Essay Example The Harvard Guru Michael Porter (1985) described in his book 'Competitive Advantage' that value for the customers can be created by efficiently linking and managing the series of primary and supporting activities in an organisation. Porter's Value Chain Model is represented in the diagram below. (NetMBA, 2002) This model shows that inputs are taken in, processed and converted into outputs and finally sold to the customers to maximize profits. Lets take an in depth view of these activities to analyse the role of information technology. By analysing the value chain of the company, we can identify that primary activities of the delivery team would be system architecture, system requirements, development of the system, test and implementation and finally deployment. After-sales service and technical support is the on-going facility that the company provides. In each and every activity, the company adds value to the previous stage to develop a differentiated product that satisfies the customer's needs. (Jenz, 2003) Inbound Logistics - The inbound logistics for the software development company include the system architecture, the IT infrastructure and the system requirements.

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Compare and contrast the three sky's religions Essay

Compare and contrast the three sky's religions - Essay Example From these stories, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity have a reference point, the Hebrew Bible. In light to this argument, it is justified to argue that the Abramic god is the centerpiece of the three religions. Additionally, the three religions believe in God being eternal, omnipresent, and the sole creator. They are of the belief that God is holy and exists in all places, is powerful, present at all times. These aspects link the three religions to the concept of God and the role of Abraham in religion- the founder. They also believe that in prayer, the transcendent God can answer the prayer of all individuals. This means that God is the creator and controller of all humans. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are referred to as self-described monotheistic religions. They, however, have varying views in terms of their understanding of God (Ridgeon, 2003). According to the Muslims and the Jews, God is just in one form. Their doctrines emphasize on the unity of God. On the other hand, the Christians believe in the three manifestations of God- the trinity. This entails God the father, son and Holy Spirit. The Muslims and the Jews argue that the Christians do not uphold the doctrine of oneness. This means that Muslims and the Jews argue against the fact that Christians separate the concept of the unity of God. However, the Christians argue that God is a divine being and cannot operate in wholeness deviant of the three explanations. They also argue that just like Judaism and Islamism are singular existences, the same case is the Holy trinity. Christianity, Judaism, and Islam also have varying opinions on the concept of afterlife and the end of the world. According to Ridgeon (2003), Christians believe that the kind of life one leads on earth determines the kind of afterlife they will lead. Those who end up in hell are the ones who led a wicked life, and that those who repent their sins and lead a godly life will enjoy eternal satisfaction in heaven. In the case of

Monday, September 23, 2019

The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leardeship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leardeship - Essay Example This has made me to spend my time studying and reading motivational books that has really expanded my horizon and changed my perspective about life. The Law of Process has been enacted in my life as I have learnt that life is a transformational phase as I have developed over time. Just like the world is not stagnant, my life has evolved over time and now I believe in the Law of Process. The first law, which is the Law of the Lid is the one that I have found out that I am relatively weak in. The Law of the Lid as postulated by John Maxwell states that, one’s leadership ability is the lid that decides how effective one would be in the position of leadership (Maxwell). I have never been a leader before and this makes me feel that I don’t have any leadership quality. The Law of the Lid also postulates that, talented people would make effective leaders and I feel that I am not talented enough for the position of leadership. This is actually a feeling and I would have to work on this weakness in order to increase my effectiveness in this regard. I would believe more in myself and I would have the I CAN attitude. I believe by doing this, I would have worked on my weakness and increase my level of effectiveness as a

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Use of water from underground Essay Example for Free

Use of water from underground Essay Water from underground sources has been exploited for many years to be used in homes, for livestock as well as irrigation. As Howsam (2007) clearly explains, though, the exact way of how water occur underground may not be well understood by the people using the water, successful abstraction methods has been used to abstract water from various sources and under varying conditions. However, there is need to treat and assess the quality of the ground water before using the water. Generally, the method of treatment will highly depend on the source and the properties of abstracted water. Consequently, for water abstracted from upland reservoir in an area of a sheep farming area which is known to be soft and to have unacceptable taste and colour with a pH of 5. 5, its treatment strategies will differ from that from a network of pumped wells delivering anaerobic groundwater from a chalk aquifer. This paper thus aims at comparing and contrasting the various treatment strategies that could be used. Quality tests recommended Turbidity measure: Turbidity of water involves measuring the amount of light that could pass through water; this will indicate how â€Å"cloudy† that sample of water is. Turbidity results from particles that are suspended in water being assessed and it is a crucial control measure of how water disinfection has performed. Water turbidity measurement occurs at two varied points; at the treatment plant and at the consumer taps. Chemical quality water assessment The regulations set by the water Quality of 2000 outlines all the minimum tests that are needed for each chemical as well as physical parameter. The parameters that are measured include but are not limited to: colour, odour, taste, ammonium level, aluminium level, iron, manganese, sodium among other chemical properties. An critical aspect in quality assurance of water when using chemical in water treatment is make sure that the used chemicals are those that are specified and does not harm consumers or change the properties of water. Treating water form upland reservoir Tastes and odours In water from the ground like from sheep reservoir, the taste and the odors come from the hydrogen sulphide and other organic substances together with dissolved minerals such as manganese, iron, zinc and copper. Even though these substances are usually not dangerous in amounts normally found in the many of the groundwater, the presence of these substances could result in consumers refusing such water. Thus, such water has to be treated. Adjustment of PH Adjusting the pH is very important in water treatment especially that those meant for drinking. The removal of coagulation, corrosion and controlling softening all are aspects that assist in adjustment of pH. Stabilizers Waters from the reservoir that is considered to be soft could be hardened slightly through use of cation resin exchange. To improve the level of â€Å"softness† in the water, calcium magnesium is added to the water to give the water the right texture Adsorption This is a treatment strategy that involves physical process that happens when liquids are suspended or dissolved in a matter so that the particles in that water could be adsorbed in an adsorbent medium. In most cases carbon filters are used as adsorbent medium Pumped wells delivering anaerobic groundwater from a chalk aquifer Ultraviolet treatment This water treatment method uses ultraviolet light in order to disinfect water. That is to decrease the amount of bacterial that is found in the water. Removal of algae The bad taste could be due to toxic or because of odorous algal blooms that could be present in the reservoirs. In many cases, copper sulphate. However, before using chemical treatment, the possible impacts on water reservoir biota (Faust and Aly, 1998). The build-up of chemicals used in water treatment such as copper could have a negative impact on the downstream treatment. More so, the quality of water treated has to taken into consideration. Coagulation and flocculation The main application of coagulant as well as flocculant chemicals is removing the suspended and also the colloidal solids like clays. In particular, coagulate are significant in treating surface waters. The elimination of the solids is attained through aggregating small suspended substances into big flocs. The coagulant as well as the flocculant chemicals at the same time is able to eliminate various organic substances, color and other micro-organisms like bacteria, algae and viruses. The amount and strength of the formed floc is able to be controlled and managed according to the treatment method used. Sedimentation or filtration could be used to remove the floc. Disinfection Generally, disinfection of water is used alone or as the last step in treatment of water subsequent to either clarification or filtration. In many cases, disinfection is mainly applied to prevent bacterial, viruses or any other protozoa that could get into the distribution system. Generally, chemicals that are used to disinfect drinking water are strong oxidants like chlorine, ozone as well as hydrogen peroxide. However, the effectiveness of disinfection mostly depends on the sources of water that is being treated. In addition, the effectiveness of disinfection also could be affected by the turbidity of the water, pH and the organic substances. The objective of water treatment processes applied before disinfection ought to result in water that has the lowest level of turbidity and organic substances. Too much particulate substances in water could result in protection of micro-organisms against the disinfection chemicals. Conclusion However, as Howsam (2007) states, all chemicals that are used in water treatment whether in chalk or reservoir, ought to be assessed for possible contaminants and restrictions ought to be known. Generally the main aspect of carrying out water treatment is to ensure that the quality of the water is right and does not adversely impact the consumers. Water treatment chemicals are mainly used in treating water to essentially reduce or remove the cases of waterborne disease, public heath issues, and also to improve the taste and quality of that water. However, as American Water Works Association (1997) notes any chemical that is used in treatment of water has to be effective, to produce the desired wishes, should not present any public health worry and ought not to result in any chemical or contaminants that exceed drinking water stipulated values. Reference: AWWA (American Water Works Association) (1997): and ASCE (American Association of Civil Engineers): Water Treatment Plant Design, 3rd edition. McGraw-Hill Professional, USA Faust, S and Aly O (1998): Chemistry of Water Treatment, 2nd edition. Ann Arbor Press, Michigan Howsam, P (2007): Bio fouling in Wells and Aquifers: Water and Environment Journal Volume 2 Issue 2, Pages 209 215 (Available online). Letterman R (2002) 🙠 Ed). Water Quality and Treatment: A Handbook of Community Water Supplies, American Water Works Association, 5th edition. McGraw-Hill Professional, New York

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Conclusion Morrison Essay Example for Free

Conclusion Morrison Essay Presents other characters in Beloved who are mothers, either biologically or through their actions; however, their role is either limited or their influence is. For example, Beloved appears to be pregnant and Patsy, the Thirty-Mile Woman, is pregnant during the course of the novel. However, since the reader neither sees them giving birth, nor actually mothering anyone, they exert no motherly influence that can be pinpointed and analyzed. Ella, mentioned briefly, refuses to mother even though she does, in fact, give birth to a child. Nan othermothers Sethe, but the reader sees very little of her. In addition, Lady Jones serves to mother Denver to a point (and potentially others), through her schoolteaching. The fact that Denver comes to her first when she needs help is demonstrative of this. However, her role, though vital, is limited. Finally, Amy plays a caretaking role for Sethe when she delivers Denver, but like Lady Jones, her role is transitory. Unlike Lady Jones, whose role does influence Denver, Amys role is truly limited to the physical assistance and emotional support Sethe needs during childbirth. All of these women who act in some capacity as mothers must not be overwhelmed and determined by an oppressive past but must be able to live in the present and conceive of a future in order to assert themselves into a male-dominated patriarchal society, that although a post-slavery society (except for Sethes mother), nevertheless imposes restrictions on womanhood, on motherhood (Kubitschek 144). They may lack the perspective to comprehend historical experience as a part, rather than the whole of, their identities, yet they must persevere (Kubitschek 144). And, in some way, to some extent, they do. Perhaps through their own methods, but they do. Amy tenderly ministers to Sethes excoriated back which has been etched by Nephews whip into the image of a chokecherry tree containing a wild tangle of branches, leaves, and putrid blossoms. The tree, formed by pus, blood, and raised welts of flesh, becomes a perverse symbol of life and female experience, with pain, suffering, and fertility mixed together. Sethes wounds also represent an inscription of sorts and demonstrate how the slave mothers body painfully serves as a text written upon by white patriarchal culture. The wild and bloody image of the tree graphically symbolizes the tangled, purulent relationships that slavery often fostered between black women and white men. The tree serves as a branding which declares that Sethes body, like her children, is not hers to claim. This thesis evaluated the socially constructed mothering of mother figures: Sethes mother, Sethe, Baby Suggs and Denver. Like real mothers, each in her own way, and as a result of historical conventions, they affect the development of subsequent characters, of biological offspring or of children over whom they have chosen to assume responsibility. All are different, yet share commonalities associated with motherhood. These mothers take it upon themselves to determine who is their own, who they will accept as or make their own, and then they mother those children, passionately, forever. They are not real mothers addressing real life, real tragedy. Yet they are art imitating life, the real life of motherhood, not in a vacuum, but socially constructed by history, by family, by patriarchy, by imposed value systems. Real mothers do make immediate and impossible decisions about children in their care in real life. Real mothers can define their own value through breastmilk. Thus, rather than question or degrade any of these mothers, one must applaud them for persevering in motherhood under duress or the ramifications thereof. They achieved life, reproduction of life, and the goodness they could provide as essential mothers, socially constructed by a society that disempowers them consistently. Then, if aspects of mothering are universal, is mothering essentialist or socially constructed? Well, perhaps both. Mothers are undoubtedly constructed by the society in which they act as caregivers, nurturers. Nevertheless, some of the actions they take in this society become, without question, essential to their being, once they are mothers. To save, to protect ones child is essentialist, like the stork who will guard only her own. To have circumstances under which a mother must do this suggests socially constructed events. Thus, one must ascertain with respect to these culturally diverse mothers whether the essential aspects of being a mother transcend the socially constructed aspects of motherhood and thus their desire and ultimate goal of keeping their children and themselves alive. Essentially, humans want to be alive, but mothers who accept motherhood are taught to keep their children alive by the implicit role and social definition of mother. Ultimately, then, the concept of mothering is essentialist, but actual mothers, including those analyzed here, are socially constructed. Each woman identifies herself as a mother or othermother and thus subsumes motherhood into her personal identity. Bibliography Collins, Patricia Hill. Black Feminist Thought. New York: Routledge, 1991. Eckard, Paula Gallant. Maternal Body and Voice in Toni Morrison, Bobbie Ann Mason, and Lee Smith. Columbia, MO: U of Missouri P, 2002. Eyer, Diane. Motherguilt: How Our Culture Blames Mothers for Whats Wrong with Society. New York: Random House, 1996. Fultz, Lucille P. Images of Motherhood in Toni Morrisons Beloved. Double Stitch: Black Women Write about Mothers Daughters. Ed. Patricia Bell-Scott. New York: Harper Perennial, 1993. 32-41. Furman, Jan. Toni Morrisons Fiction. South Carolina: U of South Carolina P, 1996. Fuss, Diana. Essentially Speaking: Feminism, Nature Difference. New York: Routledge, 1989. Garner, Shirley Nelson. Constructing the Mother: Contemporary Psychoanalytic Theorists and Women Autobiographers. Narrating Mothers: Theorizing Maternal Subjectives. Eds. Brenda O. Daly and Maureen T. Reddy. Knoxville.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Home Guard in Britain 1940-1944

Home Guard in Britain 1940-1944 The Home Guard in Britain 1940-1944: Simply Dads Army or Valuable Fighting Force On the night of 14th May, 1940, Anthony Eden, then in his role as Foreign Secretary, made his first speech as Secretary of State for War, in part broadcasting a message asking for volunteers for the LDV (Local Defence Volunteers): We want large numbers of such men in Great Britain who are British subjects, between the ages of seventeen and sixty-five, to come forward now and offer their services in order to make assurance [that an invasion would be repelled] doubly sure. The name of the new force which is now to be raised will be the Local Defence Volunteers. This name describes its duties in three words. You will not be paid, but you will receive uniforms and will be armed. In order to volunteer, what you have to do is give your name at your local police station, and then, when we want you, we will let you know (Arthur, 2004) The Home Guard was formed when there was a clear and present threat of invasion by the German forces. Britain had watched from the relatively safety of its island position as many European countries succumbed to the Blitzkrieg, culminating in the devastating occupation of France. Most British men who could fight were already in the forces, those that were left were either too young, too old, or in reserved occupations vital to the war effort, however, many possessed the desire to in some way play an active role in Britain’s defences. Neither Churchill nor his government had previously shown any enthusiasm for policy which involved a civilian militia, fearing imminent invasion, being allowed to actively arm themselves and possess the right to confront, detain, arrest and even attack the enemy on British soil, instead of relying on the orthodox forces of security and public order from the police and the regular army. When reports began reaching the War Office regarding the disturbing appearance up and down the country of bands of civiliansarming themselves with shotguns (Steele,2003), it had been clear that the government needed to address this very real public concern. It is still unclear whether the aim was to support and nourish this burgeoning grass-roots activism, or to restrain and curb the unofficial, unsanctioned and technically illegal actions which may result from unregulated, armed civilians under the grip of fear from invaders. Nonetheless, Eden and his advisors proceeded to improvise the initial plans to endorse a civilian defence force and, as one observer put it, thus evoked a new army out of nothingness (Carroll, 1999). The publicly released rationale for the formation of the Home Guard, though vague, made references to delaying an enemy invasion force for as long as possible, thereby giving the Government and the regular army the crucial time to form a front line from which the enemy invasion could be repelled. When they were first formed, under the epithet of the Local Defence Volunteers, the Home Guard were allegedly expected to fight highly trained, well-armed German troops using nothing but shotguns, old hunting rifles, museum pieces, and a collection of unorthodox, makeshift weaponry involving pikes, sawn-off shotguns and Molotov cocktails (MacKenzie, 1995). Subsequently, these unconventional arms were officially sanctioned unintentionally, following an instruction from Winston Churchill to the War Office, in 1941, that â€Å"every man must have a weapon of some kind, be it only a mace or pike. â€Å"Initially intended to focus efforts towards the appropriate equipping of the Home Guard, this instruction was unfortunately interpreted literally, and resulted in the War Office ordering the production of250,000 long metal tubes, including gas pipe, with surplus sword bayonets welded in one end (Carroll, 1999). The issue of the pikes generated an almost universal feeling of anger and disgust from the ranks of the Home Guard, demoralised the men and led to questions being asked in both Houses of Parliament. In many instances the pikes never left Home Guard stores as area and unit commanders were aware of how the men would react (Steele, 2003). However, this incident illustrates the conflicting appreciation of the capabilities and value of the Home Guard from Churchill and his wartime Cabinet. While Churchill appeared, both officially and unofficially, to acknowledge the driving need of some civilians to actively participate in practical defence strategies, the War Office continually conveyed its view that the Home Guard was nothing more than a hobbyist faction of retired soldiers, to be tolerated, humoured and indulged without expending valuable resources, time or effort better served towards the regular army. Winston Churchill, in contrast, saw the Home Guard as an example of the British resolve, seen, in part, by his changing their title, in the summer of1940, from Local Defence Volunteers to the more proactive, aggressive-sounding name of Home Guard. The Home Guard exemplified the â€Å"nation at arms ideal, and it was hoped that the presence of the Home Guard would send a signal to both the United States and Germany that the British would indeed fight German invaders on the beaches, fields, and streets. Whether deliberately or unintentionally, the reputation of the Home Guard as an amateurish, unprofessional and crude mismatched collection of elderly soldiers ineffectually attempting to defend the country was only exacerbated by the War Office’s apparent deficiency of any comprehensive planning with regards to the logistics of such a defence force. The Local Defence Volunteers was launched without any staff, or designated funds and premises of its own. Listeners to Eden’s broadcasting the spring of 1940 had only the scantest of instructions to follow, to hand in their names at a local police station and wait to be called upon. In agreement with the popular post-war public and media opinion, the wartime reality was shambolic. Eden’s message was considerably more welcome by the British populace than the government may have realised, and, before the broadcast had ended, police stations in all regions of the nation were deluged with eager volunteers. By May 15th, twenty-four hours after the initial broadcast, 250,000 men had registered their names, a number which equalled the peacetime Regular Army (Calder,1969). Officially, it was the intention of the government that this new defence force would only accept citizens within the age range of 17 to65, however, this was not strictly enforced in the early stages of the development of the Home Guard, and several pensioners, such as Alexander Taylor, a sprightly octogenarian who had first seen action in the Sudan during 1884-5, contrived to serve (MacKenzie, 1995). Membership continued to grow at a remarkably rapid rate, and by the end of May, 1940, the total number of volunteers had risen to between300,000 and 400,000. By the end of the following month registered volunteers exceeded 1,400,000, a number approximating 1,200,000 more than any of the Whitehall bureaucrats had anticipated (Donnelly, 1999).The majority of new recruits were forced to wait several weeks before official uniforms were sent out, and even when they arrived many were missing essential elements. In many instances, the denims came without the caps, or vice versa, and the volunteers were resigned to donning armbands in an attempt to differentiate between Home Guard and other civilians. While the uniforms were necessary to impart a sense of coherency and organisation, however, the most frustrating aspect of the initial Home Guard involved the severe lack of equipment’s and weapons. The men, who had been called upon at a time when both the government and the public were in experiencing the fear of imminent and overwhelming invasion by the German army, were now facing the possibility of having to defend king and country armed only with homemade or debilitated weaponry. While the War Office searched for suitable arms from abroad, the eager volunteers proceeded to improvise, with rolled umbrellas, broom handles and golf clubs adapted for military service, and all kinds of antique fowling-pieces, blunderbusses, carbines and cutlasses dusted down for action (Smith,2000). The Home Guard was eventually issued with more conventional weapons, but these also had their problems, with many having first been issued to the British Army in World War One. The British infantry rifle of World War One, the .303 SMLE, was issued to the Home Guard, and in addition, a number of World War One era P14 and P17 rifles were also supplied from the US and Canada later that first summer. The P14 andP17 looked almost identical, the only real difference being that theP14 took the SMLE .303 ammunition whilst the P17 took the American.30 (30-06) ammunition. To prevent accidents, the P17 had a red band painted on it to identify the 30-06 calibre. Eventually, the War Office supplied Home Guard units with such cheaply-made devices as the Stengel and the North over projector. The Stem gun experienced a pitiable reputation among the Home Guard volunteers, and was summarised by one resigned volunteer as a spout, a handle and a tin box (Carroll,1999). Similarly, the North over projector, which fired grenades with the aid of a toy pistol cap and a black powder charge, in addition to being considered unsafe for the user, was likened to a large drainpipe mounted on twin legs (Steele, 2003). With such a chaotic start, it is scarcely surprising that the first enthusiasm of the volunteers quickly waned. The lack of uniforms, weapons and training syllabus resulted in the majority of the public, Home Guard volunteers and civilians alike, questioning the Government’s commitment to the defence force. These problems were exacerbated by the nature of the Home Guard membership as a high proportion of the volunteers had previously seen service in war, World War One and the Spanish Civil War among others. Former officers enlisted as Home Guard soldiers, for example, the Kensington-Belgravia unit had some eight retired generals in its ranks (Long mate, 1974), and these decorated, experienced officers were not hesitant in indicating the shortcomings of higher authority. It rapidly became apparent that the Government, in responding to one political difficulty, the need to respond to invasion fear, had created a new, more articulate and influential pressure group. In its formative months, the LDV may have had virtually no comprehensive military utility, but it carried great political weight and was not restricted by the normal restraints of military hierarchy. Matters became so difficult, potentially damaging to British morale at home and reputation abroad, that Churchill focused on the new force. His personal interest, in turn, became problematic for those charged with bringing it into being, and documentary evidence indicates prolonged arguments between Churchill and Eden. Although Churchill forced through, against considerable opposition, a change in name from Local Defence Volunteers to the Home Guard, he also gave priority to uniforms and weapons and assisted the Home Guard in becoming a more cohesive, structured fighting force. The feelings of frustration, however, never faded: too many men, for too long a time, found themselves continually mismanaged and poorly equipped, many using unfamiliar, makeshift and unorthodox firearms forth duration of the war. The enduring image of Britains home guard defences during World War Two remains that of Dads Army; an amateurish and uncoordinated operation staffed largely by old men and incompetents (Donnelly, 1999). To some extent the image from the classic 1970s comedy television series reasonably reflects Britain ‘slack of preparedness for hostilities in June 1940. But by the middle of1941 the British mainland was virtually a fortress, with a public mentality of confronting the enemy in any guise he chooses. However, The Dads Army image is a false one: had German forces managed to cross the channel in 1941, they would have found considerable resistance on British soil, their passage effectively blocked in many locations, and would have faced unorthodox and unfam iliar weaponry in the hands of determined, experienced and highly indomitable civilians. Chapter 2 Historiography The study of World War Two is extensive, and has been comprehensively researched and analysed for many decades. Less well-documented, however, is the Home Guard, with only a select number of influential texts available for scrutiny. The Home Guard is, primarily, discussed as part of a greater abstraction of the Second World War; a review of the military, or a generic analysis of the Home Front. Less common is the committed and detailed account of the Home Guard and its effect during the war. Similarly, those literature pieces that do exist appear to focus, predominantly, on the related shortfalls of the contemporary government, the lack of equipment and the disorganised structure of the volunteer units. An example of this can be seen in Graham McCann’s Dads Army: The Story of a Classic Television Show. McCann approaches the comparison of the real and fictional Home Guards in a relatively derogatory fashion, implying throughout that the volunteers stood very little chance against any official invading army. The implication throughout this text is that the fictional Dad’s Army bore more than a passing resemblance to the real Home Guard; a collection of ill-equipped, elderly men who fortunately never faced combat on home soil. The Home Guard is presented here as comical and ineffectual, and McCann insists that ‘if Hitler had invaded in strength, it is unlikely that the Home Guard, casting around for lengths of tram line to incapacitate tanks, or hurling lethal glassware at motor-cyclists, would have lasted long’(McCann, 2002). As the initial fear of invasion receded, the Home Guard was left with fewer bridges and reservoirs to guard and fewer checkpoints to control, and McCann focuses on the mistakes of the Home Guard, regaling the fatal challenges at Home Guard checkpoints during the ‘early nervous days’ (McCann, 2002)). As such, McCann’s presentation of the value of the Home Guard relies predominantly on the Civil Defence projects in blitzed cities, and the manning faint-aircraft guns by ‘some of the more able-bodied’ of the volunteers, allowing them to finally engage the enemy ‘if only at five miles up’(McCann, 2002). Though McCann concedes that the Home Guard volunteers numbered 1,793,000 at its peak, that a total of 1206 volunteers were either killed on duty or died from wounds, and that the unit had nationally been awarded two George Crosses and thirteen George Medals, the overall presentation of this section of British history is remarkably disparaging. Relatively few references are made towards thematic-tier purposes of the Home Guard, the bravery of the volunteers or the successes during a substantially stressful and tumultuous period for British citizens. Comparatively, Simon Mackenzie’s analysis of the Home Guard during World War Two contrasts markedly with the Dad’s Army view of the volunteers. In his publication The Home Guard: A Military and Political History (2005), MacKenzie recognises that the Home Guard during the Second World War entered the memory of that nation more through a BBC television comedy than reality, however, his intention to reintroduce the reality of the World War II Home Guard to the national conscience is admirable. MacKenzie traces the Home Guard from its origins as locally organized militia groups preparing to meet the invader, through its evolution into a component of His Majestys forces, and its final disbandment at the end of the war, and also includes the re-creation of the Home Guard for domestic service in response to the growing threat from the Soviet Union during the 1950s. The result is a mostly political history of support and opposition of the Home Guard in British society and government. By the time that the Home Guard is unreasonable military order and has a better allocation of weapons, Mackenzie asserts, the threat of invasion has totally passed. The problem then existed in how the government was to keep the members motivated. Documenting arguments in Cabinet about the diversion of 1.8million men to playing soldiers when the country desperately needs to increase industrial production, MacKenzie is generous in his conclusions, believing that the advantages to national morale and there leasing of regular soldiers from guarding duties outweighed the costs. He accepts that there is no evidence to show the existence of the Home Guard had any effect on German invasion plans, and to many it will seem that Mackenzie’s catalogue of muddled professional advice, political posturing and misallocation of scarce resources during a war of survival is a lesson for the future. His concluding section on the short-lived successor Home Guard of the early 50s suggests that few of the lessons had been learned. While MacKenzie concedes that the men of the Home Guard were never given an opportunity to prove themselves in battle, and that there are many more distinguished units that had actual disasters in war, the television comedy series Dads Army virtually destroyed the post-war reputation of a dedicated home defence organisation. Events commemorating the Home Guard war effort are scarce, and Mackenzie claims that it seems Churchill was mistaken in forecasting that: â€Å"History will say that your share in the greatest of all our struggles for freedom was a vitally important one. Professor MacKenzie has written a serious analysis of the policy history of the Home Guard. Inman ways this well-researched, cross-referenced, academic study shows that the saga of this volunteer force was funnier and more confused than any scriptwriter could invent. Yet the topic is an important one, not just for the historian but also for todays military planner, particularly with regard to the allocation of priorities made between the front line combat forces and this last ditch defending army of civilians, the sensibility of the operational concept, and the existence of such a force having a deterrent effect on the enemy. MacKenzie, as an American professor, compares and contrasts the British Home Guard with their American counterparts, and a primary similarity involved the general lack of opportunities to confront the German invaders. The British Home Guard did, however, become heavily involved in the less glamorous but nevertheless necessary work of civil defense and manning anti-aircraft weapons. Despite Mackenzie’s contention that the Home Guard existed more out of political than military necessity, the Home Guard became increasingly valuable to the British Army as regular soldiers became scarce on the home islands. For this reason, Churchill, as well as many Members of Parliament who also belonged to Home Guard battalions, supported the Home Guard in its quest for a combat role, though this part of the Home Guard’s history is only briefly mentioned by MacKenzie. Primary sources indicate that Home Guards relished the idea of fighting the Germans and did not quietly accept War Office plans for using the Home Guard for guarding bridges or simply reporting the presence of Germans. The question over guerrilla warfare or static defence was never completely settled. The War Office always pushed for static defence, with units fighting to their last bullet, while many Guards, as well as their political supporters, clearly favoured partisan warfare behind the lines after a German invasion. MacKenzie does, however, illustrate that the Home Guard formed as a result of local initiative, but survived and sometimes thrived because of government support. However, when local enthusiasm waned, such as the removal of the threat of German invasion after the Allied invasion of Normandy, government support could not keep it alive. From a non-academic perspective, A. G. Street’s From Dusk Till Dawn: The Sedgebury Wallop Home Guard Platoon Prepare for War (1989) records the history to the Home Guard from personal experience. In this text, Street has recorded the story of the Home Guard from its birth in 1940,through its teething troubles and adolescence, to the mature and efficient force that it quickly became. As a farmer and an enthusiastic country Home Guard, Street recounts the story of the Sudbury Wallop Platoon in the Wessex district. According to Street, the force itself was an example of British improvisation, and every one of the early volunteers, officers and men alike, improvised in various ways to give his unit the highest possible efficiency in the shortest possible time, in expectation of the universally predicted invasion by German military forces. As a non-academic, first person account, Streets text is unashamedly biased in favour of the Home Guard’s role in World War Two, however, compared to many academic research pieces, which tend to focus on the problems, assumed in competencies, and believed ineffectuality in the event of an invasion, this text redresses the balance and avoids focussing overwhelmingly on the inabilities of the Home Guard. Addressing the history of the Home Guard from the perspective of photographic evidence, David Carroll’s research in The Home Guard recalls the activities of the auxiliary force otherwise known to the British public as Dads Army. The book draws on the early days of the Local Defence Volunteers from the moment when Anthony Eden broadcast an appeal, to the official stand-down of the Home Guard in 1944. This title evokes memories of World War Two in a domestic setting and asserts life on the Home Front from the perspective of those left behind to defend it. Carroll approaches the historiography of the Home Guard by the analysis of more than 200 photographs of Home Guard duties. After a brief introduction to the Home Guard, this 125 page paperback book displays page after page of photographs and detailed annotations showing the Home Guard in its different forms and fulfilling many different functions. While not the dissecting analysis expected of academic research, this methodology allows the historian to review the history of the Home Guard from a form of primary evidence otherwise unobtainable. One of the most influential historiographies of the Home Guard, with regard to its efficiency in the event of a significant invasion, is Norman Long mate’s If Britain Had Fallen (2004). The question of what would have occurred if Germany had invaded the British Isles has long preoccupied writers, but few have dealt with the subject as comprehensively and effectively as Long mate. If Britain Had Fallen attempted to cover every phase of the subject, from the Germane-invasion manoeuvring and preparations, and the landing of troops, to the German seizure of power. Long mate has endeavoured to present contemplation of what may have occurred following an attempted invasion by the German army, and how Britain may have been able to repel such an attack. Under the supposition of the Luftwaffe defeating the Royal Air Force and winning the Battle of Britain in the summer and early fall of1940, Long mate provides an in-depth recount of what might have happened if this â€Å"counterfactual† event had occurred: that the Germans would have successfully launched Operation Sea lion in September 1940 and occupied Britain. As a result, the British Isles would not have become the â€Å"unsinkable aircraft carrier† from which the Allies could launch their own invasion of Fasting Europa, and the history of both World War Two and the world would have been drastically different. Although other authors have written about a successful invasion and occupation of Britain, these works cover a single phase, the preparations, landing, or subsequent campaign. Long mate, however, has attempted to address all aspects of a successful invasion and the defence strategies in place to counterattack them. Only three of the seventeen chapters are fictional, and although it is uncertain what actual effect the Home Guard volunteers would have had on repelling an invasion, Long mate has addressed their value in a counterstroke campaign, and during the initial invasion stages. Although Long mate has drawn on documents collected by the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), which produced television film of the same name, the key to this alternate history is Goring and Hitler’s decision during the Battle of Britain to continue attacking Fighter Command and British radar stations until German forces defeated the RAF, rendering it unable to stop a cross-channel invasion. The Nazi leaders realized they needed air superiority over the English Channel for a successful invasion. However, they in fact ordered the Luftwaffe to bomb cities, especially London, in early September 1940, a critical decision that gave the RAF breathing room to recoup its losses and prevent the Luftwaffe from establishing air superiority. As a result, the Germans postponed Sea lion several times, finally cancelling the operation (Cox, 1977). There are only two blatant criticisms of such an approach to historiography. While valuable in the sense of a hypothetical, this form of historiography reneges on crucial factual accounts of the capabilities of the Home Guard. Additionally, although the author discusses his references in bibliographical essay for each chapter, Long mate provides no notes to identify the sources of specific passages. However, his acknowledgement that, despite the presence of the defensive and committed Home Guard, Britain would probably have been successfully invaded should the English Channel have been secured illustrates the continued awareness that the Home Guard provided no adequate defence in a full-scale invasion scenario. Regimental records, while not complete, do assist in the analysis of the Home Guard during the Second World War. In addition to records commemorating decorations awarded to Home Guard volunteers, there are also primary sources in the form of newspaper accounts, particularly with regard to civil defence during blitzkrieg incidents, andante-invasion records to the defence strategies of the British Isles. Acknowledging that Britain was existing during a time of extreme propaganda, where civilians were frequently and routinely warned that ‘walls have ears’, newspaper accounts of civil defence can only be relied upon to a limited degree. Morale in Britain would have severely suffered had the media regularly reported, correctly or incorrectly, that the civil defence measures, including the Home Guard, were in some way failing. However, the anti-invasion records provide something of asocial history of the pillboxes and other roofed defence structures which are so widespread over great tracts of the landscape. Many lie in remote locations, overgrown, and with easy access through unblocked entrances and other openings, and can be readily seen as providing ideal sites where misdeeds and accidents might happen. The database records one wartime tragedy: a pillbox at Kenmore in Perth and Kinross was the scene of a fatal Home Guard shooting of a tramp who did not respond to a sentrys challenge. First comes the understanding of the intensity of the militarisation of Britain, in particular during the Second World War. In particular, an appreciation of the structure of the anti-invasion defences of 1940-41 shows not a few badly sited pillboxes manned by gallant, octogenarian Home Guards with pikestaffs, which is still the popular mythology, but an intensely planned and implemented defence strategy, involving a totality of defence over the entire landscape that can only be appreciated when the original documentation is analysed. It is true to say that there was not one square foot of the United Kingdom that was not included in some military or civil defence scheme. By the summer of 1941, when the defences had reached their most complete state, most of Britain had been planned, measured, and armed for defence roads were blocked, fields were strewn with obstacles, bridges were mined, factories, railways, airfields, and ports were protected, the coastline, towns and villages, the length and breadth of the country bristled with fortifications and with troops and weapons to man them. If the Germans had invaded in June 1940, then there would have been few defences, and even fewer weapons, to stop them. By the end of the year, however, and into 1941, the situation had changed dramatically. Even if the Germans had managed to cross the Channel, they would have had a very hard battle to fight themselves ashore. Records relating to the Home Guard volunteers frequently include detailed lists of defence works with the Home Guard units who were responsible for manning them, often with maps. However, contrary to the popular view that the majority of Home Guard regimental records were destroyed, it is imperative to understand that certain aspects of World War Two were only semi-documented. It has also been ascertained that the Home Guard deliberately set out to be a â€Å"paperless army†, and thus its records are relatively sparse. (Lord,1999). It is, therefore, necessary to analyse as many reliable sources as possible, and hence literatures, such as Carroll’s The Home Guard, which rely on non-orthodox historiographies have value within this period of research. When analysing events from an era where spies abounded and there was the continual fear of the enemy gaining access to valuable material evidence, it is important to not disregard unusual or unofficial evidence without extensive consideration. Records suggest that the relationship between the Home Guard and active army differed from the American practice. While the U.S. War Department insisted on the distinctness of State Guard uniforms, British Home Guards were soon required to wear the standard British khaki uniform. With the heavy threat of invasion in the early years of the war, the training schedule of the Home Guard was far more intense than that of their American counterparts. Home Guards were expected to train 48hours each month, exhaustive when compared to the infrequent and limited training required of American State Guardsmen. The American State Guardsmen complained when the federal government replaced rifles with shotguns, however, the British Home Guards found themselves issued an odd assortment of cheap weapons, including homemade Molotov Cocktails, sticky bombs and self-igniting phosphorous grenades, designed more to give each man a role rather than a real weapon. The lack of effective weapons caused Home Guard supporters to question whether the War Office truly expected the Home Guard to provide creditable opposition to a German landing (Calder, 1969). Although most Britons realized that British industry and finances were hard pressed to arm all active forces, some suspected that the Home Guards role had more to do with channelling enthusiasm and creating propaganda, than in providing real security. Official and unofficial primary sources indicate that the inclusion and official acceptance of the Home Guard was neither immediately nor warmly embraced by all in the Home Guard or in the government. Many of the initial enthusiasts of the Home Guard had served in the Spanish Militia during the Spanish Civil War and hoped to see the Home Guard become a similar leftist militia of British workers. The War Office, by gaining control over the Home Guard, effected the exclusion of radicals on the left as well as the right. The inclusion of the Home Guard into His Majestys forces never placed the Home Guard on equal status with the army. Originally, Home Guard units functioned without commissioned officer or NCO ranks. Instead, leaders held authority only by their position. As a result, discipline remained almost wholly voluntary. Many in the Home Guard preferred the situation as it was, but records indicate that the movement for greater control and efficiency led tithe introduction of ranks. However, whereas American State Guard officers held comm

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Social Changes: Body And Helath (IN SPANISH) :: essays research papers

Cambio Social: Cuerpo y Salud Aà ±os atrà ¡s, una persona saludable era una persona "rellenita", con las mejillas coloradas y feliz. Hoy en dà ­a, sin embargo, sabemos que ser gordo no es bueno y puede traer consigo muchos problemas. De todas formas muchas personas no se conforman con mantener un peso normal y constante sino que viven haciendo dietas, ejercicios, etcà ©tera, hasta llegar a situaciones muy peligrosas como la anorexia o la bulimia.  ¿Por quà © ocurre esto? Esto es lo que voy a intentar analizar a continuacià ³n para demostrar que situaciones asà ­, ocurren, en gran medida por culpa de la sociedad, de la forma que veremos mà ¡s adelante. En cualquier trabajo, especialmente en aquellos en los que se debe interactuar con otras personas, clientes, por ejemplo, se pide junto con el currà ­culum para la postulacià ³n adjuntar una fotografà ­a del postulante. De esta forma se le da preferencia a una persona con mejor apariencia fà ­sica sobre otra que tal vez no tiene un bello fà ­sico, pero muchas veces tiene un mejor currà ­culum o mà ¡s experiencia. Otro caso que podemos citar es el de la alta costura: grandes diseà ±adores crean ropa de tallas increà ­blemente pequeà ±as que sà ³lo pueden usar modelos extremadamente delgados, muy pà ¡lidos y que dan la impresià ³n de estar a punto de desmayarse. Asà ­, se crea un patrà ³n poco o nada de saludable que ademà ¡s, es seguido por muchà ­simas personas, en el caso del modelaje, adolescentes (muchas veces sin criterio formado) que buscan adaptarse a à ©ste sin importar las consecuencias fà ­sicas o psicolà ³gicas que pueda traerle. En el caso de las bailarinas o atletas, muchas de à ©stas llegan al extremo de convertirse en anorà ©xicas, la mayorà ­a de las veces debido a que sus entrenadores o profesores son demasiado exigentes controlando en exceso la vida de los atletas e incluso humillà ¡ndolos en pà ºblico si sobrepasan el peso là ­mite, necesario para mantenerse competitivos. En el caso de las mujeres la situacià ³n se agrava aà ºn mà ¡s. La promocià ³n profesional es mucho mà ¡s asequible para las delgadas que para las que no lo son. Como podemos ver, la presià ³n social sobre las mujeres es mucho mà ¡s acentuada "ha podido tambià ©n verificarse que las mujeres mà ¡s emprendedoras y social y laboralmente activas son las que prefieren un cuerpo delgado y a las mà ¡s voluminosas se les atribuye funciones de madre, esposa.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Early Childhood Education and its Impact on Technology Essay -- essays

Early Childhood Education and its Impact on Technology Early childhood education is a time where young children develop important learning skills. Young children, aged birth through approximately 8 years (young children, 2004) interact with one another to develop social and even motor skills that they will carry with them later in life. Development in young children involves the early years in a child's physical, social-emotional, language, and cognitive development (Baur, 1998). Developmental aspects can be assessed by technology. Technology is growing everyday in our society, it is becoming a big factor in the use of early childhood education. Computer use is most popular in the classroom because it is easy for children to learn and develop learning (Clements, 1992). Computers increase social interaction and help children explore writing. Until age eight, activity of young children is symbolic since they communicate with gestures, language, and play (Shade & Caruso, 1994). The computer; therefore, provides a symbolic tool for children to use in school, which is very beneficial. As technology is a useful aspect in early childhood education, there are also negative effects. Overall, the use of technology in early childhood education has positive effects on children because it plays a major role in the learning development of young students from pre-school through out elementary school. Learning Development Learning development during early childhood is a very important part of learning. Activities and experiences that help the developmental changes in children through these years form birth to elementary school, around grades kindergarten to third grade, are aspects of early childhood education (early chil... ...that are less fortunate and can not afford technology equipment. It explains how computers in poor communities, such as cities, use computers in a negative way for drill practice on standardized tests. Clements, D.H. (1992). Technology as a learning tool. In The encyclopedia of early childhood education. (Vol. 504, pp. 369-371). New York: Garland Publishing The entry in the encyclopedia mentions why computers are a cooperative tool for children to use in the curriculum of teaching. Early childhood education (2004). Ebsco Publishing, Retrieved November 23, 2004 from ERIC database. The database gives a detailed definition of early childhood education in its thesaurus. Young children (2004). Ebsco Publishing, Retrieved November 23, 2004 from ERIC database. The database gives a detailed definition of young children in its thesaurus.