Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant

AP Book Report 1. Title of Work: Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant 2. Author and date written: Anne Tyler, written during the 1970s-1980s. 3. Country of author: Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America 4. Characters: Pearl Tull (major)- The single mother of three children, Cody, Ezra, and Jenny. She is very independent and resourceful. Pearl sets very high standards for herself and does not want assistance from anyone. Ezra Tull (major)- Ezra is the middle child and the youngest son of Pearl. He is the most sympathetic character in the novel. Throughout the novel, Ezra is noted to be the favored child of the three. Cody Tull (major)- Cody is the eldest son of Pearl. He is the least sympathetic character in the novel is very straightforward. He grew up with a troubled childhood and usually takes most of his anger, hatred, and jealousy on his brother, Ezra. He dominates the novel because Tyler has given him more chapters on his point of view than others. Jenny Tull (major)- The is the youngest and only daughter of Pearl Tull. Jenny often recalls painful events of her childhood, most of which involves her mother. She grows up to become a pediatrician and is married three times. Towards the end, she realizes she has a lot in common with her mother. Beck Tull (minor)- The husband of Pearl and father of the three children. He is handsome, fragile man who is employed as salesman. Beck abandons Pearl after fifteen years of marriage claiming that his company has relocated. Mrs. Scarlatti (minor)- Ezra's business partner and the owner of Scarlatti's Restaurant. She is also like a mother figure to Ezra. Mrs. Scarlatti is a relaxed and flexible character. She leaves the restaurant to Ezra after she dies and he changes the name to Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant. 5. Major settings: The story is mainly set around Baltimore, Maryland. Pearl, Ezra, and Jenny, with the exception of her college and medical school years, have resided in Baltimore most of their lives. Cody spends the less time in Baltimore because his job requires traveling. However, he purposely decides to choose a place away from home. The novel takes place from the 1920s to 1979. 6. Plot Outline: The novel starts with Pearl Tull lying in the hospital bed dying. She is reminiscing while her youngest son, Ezra is by her side. The story then slowly flashes back to when her kids were younger. It begins when the Tull family is abandoned by their father. Pearl is left to raise three kids on her own ithout the assistance of others. The story progresses as each of her children tells of their past experiences. Her oldest son Cody, often criticized his mother on his upbringing. He is jealous of his brother, Ezra, claiming that he is his mother's favorite. Ezra, on the other hand is the most innocent child of the three. He is closest to his mother and apprecia tes her. Ezra was part of the military but later decided to come back to Baltimore and work at Scarlatti's Restaurant, owned by Mrs. Scarlatti. After becoming a favorite of his boss, who he also considers a surrogate mother, he ends up owing part of the restaurant. When Mrs. Scarlatti dies, Ezra is left with the restaurant and he renames it to â€Å"Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant†. Her youngest child, Jenny, is the first one of her children to get married. Jenny runs into trouble in all her marriages. She has divorced and married three times. However, Jenny seems to be the only one that is able to find happiness. She works as a successful pediatrician and is raising kids as well. The main goal in the novel is to complete a family meal. The Tulls will often gather together at Ezra's restaurant, but every time the dinner starts, it always ends in an argument. In the end, Pearl dies and is not able to join her children for a complete meal, but they have their father present to take her place. 7. Major themes: Alienation and Loneliness- Pearl Tull is portrayed as an extremely alienated individual. After her husband leaves her to care for three children, she is determined to raise her kids without assistance from anyone. She won't even inform her best friend about her husband, and when the neighbors ask about him, she tells them he's on a business trip. This distance she has with the community affects her children as well. They long to see her gossiping with other women or having some outside connection with others. Growth and Development- Each of the characters in the novel have grown or developed in one way or another. As time passes, Jenny begins to realize that she's acquired some of her mother's good and bad traits. Ezra, however, remains somewhat of a child as he grows up. Nonetheless, he shows the most concern for others, even non-family members. Cody still remains as competitive as he was as a child. He doesn't find much happiness and is confused about his motivation until he confronts his father. He then begins to realize his actions and reactions in the past. 8. Symbols in the book: One of the symbols in the novel is the restaurant. The restaurant is a symbol of togetherness in the family. The restaurant and the Tull family are not very stable, and both have Ezra trying to keep them from falling apart. After Ezra is left with the restaurant, her changes the name and tries to keep it running. In addition to that, he is also trying to bring his family together. He often calls them for a family dinner. However, the dinners always end up in some sort of argument. Another symbol in the novel is vision. In the novel, Pearl's vision is slowly dissapearing. This symbol represents that she is starting to lose her children. She only remembers them as children and doesn't know them as adults. However, when there's a lot of light in the room, she can see the silhouette of Ezra, which shows that he is closest to her. 9. Significant Imagery: Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant is a novel that suggests a homely, everyday activity. In this novel, the action is eating. Ezra, the cook in his restaurant is the central image. He serves food that is not only for consuming but also medicinal and curative. The colors, textures, and feel of the delicious food serve as an essential component in both cooking an eating. The novel revolves mostly around olfactory images. 10. Significance of title of work: The title of the novel is the name of Ezra's restaurant. â€Å"Homesick† can be interpreted in many ways, as it is in the novel. Someone can be â€Å"sick for home†, â€Å"sick at home†, and â€Å"sick from home†. The Tull family often has family dinners, but they always go unfinished due to an argument. However, these dinners are what keep the family together. In the end, everyone but Pearl has a finished dinner. The pressure might have lessened after she died. 1. Author's techniques that are important to this work: Anne Tyler tells Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant from many different viewpoints. Each of the chapters is told from a characters perspective. These chapters also reveals something that is unique or unusual about the character. By alternating the di fferent viewpoints, the reader understands the characters better than they understand themselves. Another technique Tyler uses is the emotional tone of the novel. Throughout the novel, majority of the conversations have an overwhelming emotion in it. This suggests that the family lives under a lot of pressure.

Prescriptive Grammar Essay

This lesson highlights the important fact that linguists describe the grammatical system of a language on the basis of what people actually say, not what they should say. To a linguist, grammar consists of those constructions judged acceptable by a native speaker’s intuitions. This is what it means to say that linguistics is descriptive and not prescriptive. Linguistics is descriptive, not prescriptive. Many people associate knowing a language with speaking and writing it according to the grammatical rules established for that language in grammar books and dictionaries. The study of linguistic competence does not include the study of prescriptive standards that claim that one sentence rather than another is correct. Instead, linguists are interested in what speakers of a language actually say and what they accept as possible in the language, regardless of whether the construction matches the grammar rules posited by the grammar â€Å"police.† This approach to grammar is descriptive rather than prescriptive. Descriptive grammar is what speakers say, and when, why and how they say it (and not whether they should or shouldn’t say it.) Linguists concern themselves with discovering what speakers know about a language and describing that knowledge objectively. They devise rules of descriptive grammar. For instance, a linguist describing English might formulate rules such as these: 1.Some English speakers end a sentence with a preposition (Who do you want to speak to?) 2.Some English speakers use double negatives for negation (I don’t have nothing.) 3.Adjectives precede the nouns they modify (red book, nice guy) 4.To form the plural of a noun, add -s (1 room, 2 rooms; 1 book, 2 books) 5.The vowel sound in the word suit is produced with rounded lips. Linguists don’t make judgment calls as to whether the speakers should or shouldn’t speak a certain way. Descriptive grammar, then, is created by linguists as a model of speakers’ linguistic competence. Prescriptive grammar is what speakers should or shouldn’t say. When most people think of â€Å"grammatical rules,† they think of what linguists call rules of prescriptive grammar. Prescriptive rules tell you how to speak or write, according to someone’s idea of what is â€Å"good† or â€Å"bad.† Of course, there is nothing inherently good or bad about any use of language; prescriptive rules serve only to mold your spoken and written language t o some norm. Here are a few examples of prescriptive rules; you  can probably think of others. 1.The subject of a sentence must agree with the verb (The instructions are clear NOT The instructions is clear.) 2.Use much for count nouns. Use many for non-count nouns (We don’t have much coffee AND We don’t have many cups of coffee.) 3.Capitalize the first letter of a sentence (The television is broken. It needs to be fixed.) 4.Use subject pronouns after the verb be (It was I who called you NOT It was me who called you.) 5.Use the definite article the before names of rivers and geographical areas but not before the names of lakes or continents (the Nile, the Middle East AND Lake Tahoe, Asia) Notice that the prescriptive rules make a value judgment about the correctness of an utterance. Descriptive rules, on the other hand, accept the patterns a speaker actually uses and try to account for them. Descriptive rules allow for different varieties of a language; they don’t ignore a construction simply because some prescriptive grammarian doesn’t like it. If linguistics is descriptive and not prescriptive, then why do we have prescriptive rules anyway? So, if prescriptive rules are not based on actual use, how did they arise? Many of these rules were actually invented by someone. During the 17th and 18th centuries, scholars became preoccupied with the art, ideas, and language of ancient Greece and Rome. The classical period was regarded as a golden age and Latin as the perfect language. The notion that Latin was somehow better or purer than contemporary languages was strengthened by the fact that Latin was by then strictly a written language and had long ceased to undergo the changes natural to spoken language. For many writers of the 17th and 18th centuries, the rules of Latin became, whenever remotely feasible, the rules of English. It is somewhat surprising that rules that do not reflect actual language use should survive. There are several reasons, however, for the continued existence of prescriptive rules. 1.Rules provide a standard form of a language that is accepted by most speakers of that language. Adherence to prescriptive rules allows a speaker to be understood by the greatest possible number of individuals. This is especially important for a language such as German, which has dialects so different from one another that their speakers cannot always understand each other. 2.A set of standard rules is necessary for students learning English (or any other language) as a second language. Imagine the chaos if there were no guidelines for learning English  (or Spanish, or Japanese, or Arabic, etc.) Thus, rules serve a very useful purpose for language teachers and learners as well. 3.Most importantly, there are social reasons for prescriptive rules. Nonstandard dialects are still frowned upon by many groups and can inhibit one’s progress in society. The existence of prescriptive rules allows a speaker of a nonstandard dialect to learn the rules of the standard dialect and employ them in appropriate social circumstances. Therefore, prescriptive rules are used as an aid in social mobility. This does not mean, however, that these judgments about dialects are linguistically valid. The idea that one dialect of a language is intrinsically better than another is simply false. From a strictly linguistic point of view all dialects are equally good and equally valid. To look down on nonstandard dialects is to exercise a form of social and linguistic prejudice. We’ll learn more about language and identity in our next module. According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, the term dates from 1706 and is defined as â€Å"a person who adheres strictly and often excessively to a tradition†, especially â€Å"one preoccupied with the purity of a language and its protection from the use of foreign or altered forms.† A purist is one who desires that an item remain true to its essence and free from adulterating or diluting influences.

Bibliography- Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Bibliography- - Essay Example The Geneva Conventions basically constitutes of international humanitarian regulations that seek to control the behavior of soldiers during armed conflict. Durham, Helen.  The Changing Face of Conflict and the Efficacy of International Humanitarian Law. The Hague u.a: Nijhoff, 1999. Print. Why did it come about? During the First and Second World Wars, prisoners from different nations across Europe were taken captive and brutally mistreated. The Second World War is perceived by most to be the worst war in history in terms of civilian casualties. The fact that so many innocent people in so many nations suffered from unspeakable brutalities inspired the proposals concerning respecting human dignity in the Geneva Convention. The source describes the fact that many countries were concerned about the cruelty meted out on defenseless men as well as civilians and began looking for ways in which they could maintain basic human dignity even in times of war (Durham 34). The Geneva Convention was the result of joint musings between nations on the right way to address violations of human rights that were common during war time. What is its purpose? Focarelii, Carlo. â€Å"Common Article 1 of the1949 Geneva Conventions: A Soap Bubble?† The European Journal of International Law 21.1 (2010): 136 The Geneva Convention binds all the states that signed it to a pledge that states that all civilians as well as prisoners of war captured in their nations in times of conflict shall be treated humanely. The source describes the Geneva principles as regarding the maintenance of the sanctity of human life were immediately accepted by the attending nations (Focarelli 136). This agreement essentially allowed the nations that signed it to pledge their agreement to ensuring that civilians as well as prisoners of war in any future conflicts would have their basic human rights respected. There were further endorsements by more than one hundred nations during the 1950’s and 60â €™s. The disintegration of the USSR during the early 90s would bring additional ratifications. The source further states that it is vital for all nations to understand the different policies that they have to ratify in order to implement the policies that were agreed upon during the Geneva Convention in 1949 (Focarelii 136). In the Geneva Convention, the member nations basically swore to maintain the prisoners of other nations in the best circumstances possible. To this day, it is basically this pledge of both negative and positive reciprocity that upholds the significance of the Convention. Have all nations upheld the Geneva Convention? Bennet, Angela. The Geneva Convention: The Hidden Origins of the Red Cross. London: Sutton Publishing Ltd, 2005. Not all nations have maintained this promise, but most nations actively work towards ensuring that they follow all the statues of the Geneva Convention. Apart from seeking to maintain human dignity, the convention also introduced equa lity in the treatment of different peoples. The source affirms that in the Second World War, American prisoners captured by Germans were often treated better than those of the USSR (Bennet 124). This trend was quite common in

Question about how Immanuel Kant defined problems and attempted a Assignment

Question about how Immanuel Kant defined problems and attempted a solutions - Assignment Example What changed the face of philosophy for the first time in history is Kant’s answer to the problems generated by these traditions. To begin with, Kant argued that the old division between posteriori truths and priori truths which were employed in both camps was quite insufficient in describing the metaphysical claims which were under dispute. Also, an analysis of knowledge requires a distinction between analytic and synthetic truths. Analytically, the claim lies within the subject. Considering this claim, "Everybody occupies space," the aspect of occupying space simply explains in an analysis of what it means to be a body. Synthetically, the subject of the claim does not contain any predicate. In the claim, "This tree is 120 feet tall," the concepts are brought together to form a new claim which does not have any of the individual concepts. Kant further argues that Empiricists did not succeed in proving the synthetic priori claims like the fact there is a cause behind every. Their major assumption was that the two resulting categories were exhaustive (Lucien, 100). According to Kant’s arguments a synthetic a priori claim must be true without appealing to experience, without having the predicate within the subject. This is where the empiricists failed as they did not give their justification. Similarly, rationalists made the same

Nursing. Why are you pursuing acareer in nursing What makes you Essay

Nursing. Why are you pursuing acareer in nursing What makes you capable to be a nurse - Essay Example Often people go wary of their professions because they are not able to satisfy their urge of contributing to the society in a positive way. I am pursuing a career in nursing as this career fills in all the boxes that are required for a suitable career. International Council of Nursing includes taking care of dying, sick and handicapped, prevention of disease, advocacy, research, partaking in the formulation of health policy and health system management and continuing education as parts of a nurse’s professional credentials (International Council of Nurses). Thus, it is obvious that as a nurse, one gets to touch upon countless lives directly or indirectly. This profession is not just about passion and humanity. It has strict codes of ethics, standards, skill and fitness and it requires one to update knowledge about his profession on regular basis. Since 1901, the profession of nursing has been under national regulation in most countries. As a result, working environment, pay sc ales and working hours have been modulated. These moves were aimed at maximizing the convenience of the nurses since they have been in a shortage for a very long time. Although much remains to be done, the profession of nursing is looked upon with great respect and worth in the society.

Hip Hop Dance (Documentary Responses) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hip Hop Dance (Documentary Responses) - Essay Example According to Williams, when the particular dance move or form was evolved in the 1970s, there was a lot of doubt theta whether this form going to last for too long or not. The starting of this famous dance step was associated with black & Latino teenagers, used to gather in a group and spin on their heads with a piece of cardboard with the tune of hip-hop music. At present, this dancing style becomes more and more attractive with mesmerizing choreography, complex and eye-popping acrobats into its gravity-defying routine. The planet B boy was a true homage or tribute to all the rubber limb performers of a hip hop act which was started by a poor kid somewhere in the ghetto with a radio and passion for self expression. Rize Documentary (The Birth of Krumping): The documentary movie Rize provides us a window to analyze the black culture in the city of Los Angeles and to it he introduction of krumping dance movement. This movie gives us a clear idea about the dancing form Krumping along w ith the black culture in USA. The documentary movie Rize was directed by David La Chapelles in the year 2005. This clearly indicates that Characterization of the dancers has a direct impact of the marketability. This film, with the help of its composition acted as a mediator between the viewers and the performers who was representing the problematic narrative dependent upon racial difference. The main focus of the documentary was on the African –American community of clowns and krumpers in South central Los Angeles. The dancers of this contemporary style are young, poor and can be termed as† at risk† and they opted this just to earn more money as well as to represent their own culture.. The krumping dance movement was a derivative of clown dancing, originated by Thomas Johnson who was more popularly known as Tommy the Clown. The reason behind originating this was to keep the young black children away from the streets. After this documentary was released the dance style cramping became a breakout dance form. Despite the fact that the movie incorporates both the dance form clowning and Krumping. The Krumping form of dance was evolved from the clowning with a special focus on self expression and social justice. Director of this documentary La Chapelle Interpreted that the dance form krumpings was a way of escape back to Africa, back to one's roots as he frames the movement of this particular dance steps as a representation of authentic blackness. Inclusion of poverty and violence of South Central America in this movie was very important to understand the context of the cropping and its bodily extremes. The History and Concept of Hip Hop: The History and Concept of the hip hop dance is a documentary directed by Moncell Durden in the year 2010. This documentary helps us to find out history and origin related to this worldfamous dance concept. The hip hop dance is not only associated with different attractive dance moves but also it represents a l ifestyle of young generation , how they want to see the life and how they want to live it accordingly. The dancing concept was first introduced in Bronx, New York city way back in the 1970s and 1980s. Hip hop can be considered as a cultural movement which was associated with music, dance dress up and speech of the American youth. This cultural movement was first originated in the South Bronx and also preferred as Boogie Down. The term

Does social media promote freedom Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Does social media promote freedom - Assignment Example On YouTube, he watches videos with content unsuitable for young people. On all his accounts, he posts comments, shares and likes on photos, videos, music, etc. he finds worth his attention. Lucy is 10 years old. She can only use her mother’s iPad after she is done with her homework. Using her information, Lucy’s mother created a Facebook account for her daughter. On Facebook, Lucy plays with free applications such as Farmville, Chefville and Pet Society. Some things she wants to get for her pet in Pet Society need to be bought with gold. Lucy’s mom doesn’t want to buy gold so Lucy is starting to be bored with this app. One time, Lucy posted a picture on Facebook. The picture did not appear on her Facebook page. Also, she got a message that the picture was offensive. Her mother had to help her reply to the message and adjust the settings of her profile. Vien is 18 years old and a student majoring in film-making. She has a YouTube account and primarily uses it to upload her home videos and do research for her distance learning classes. Since opening an account on YouTube was free, Vien didn’t need to figure it into her tight budget. Right now, she is very upset. The film her teacher assigned for a research paper was indeed available on YouTube. However, only a few minutes of it was uploaded by the user. There was a link to the full video but, when Vien went on the site, it asked her to pay $10 to access the full video. a. 21-year old Mark works as a freelance consultant. When meeting clients, Mark is available any time of the day. He lives alone in his comfortable & spacious apartment and pays all the bills from money he has earned. His consultancy fees vary, depending on the case. There is no curfew in this building so he can come and go as he pleases. This is perfect for his job which is the reason he decided to stay here. When he does not feel like meeting a client, he calls and tells them he is sick or has a sudden

Cnet report 221 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cnet report 221 - Essay Example This is why Nguyen will still have revenue even if he stops creating updates for the game. I think Nguyen decided well because Flappy Bird was turning out to be like Candy Crush and those other apps people lose time and sleep over. Nguyen was only doing what he thinks is morally right and I applaud him for choosing right over money. The article talks about how the remake of RoboCop proves that the kind of technology seen in the movie is actually not that unreachable or fantasy-like as in the original installment of the movie. Statt shares that because the scientists of today are actually conducting experiments on controlling prosthetic limbs and a human’s brain, the technological elements present in the movie are not as unrealistic as when the original movie came out. Statt continues to describe a few advances and milestones in science today, comparing them to some aspects of the new RoboCop. He writes, however, that creating killer robots like those in the movie are not that close to reality yet. Although the information in the article is amazing, it is a bit scary for me, thinking that we are close to developing half humans/half robots. A future world similar to RoboCop’s world is daunting because it lacks the sense of warmth brought by the thought of interacting with another human. Also robots have a way of malfunctioning so that can be dangerous and the world might be like that in the movie I, Robot instead. The article talks about how Apple is trying to come up with an iWatch which is not only designed to be fashionable but helpful in keep track of one’s health. Apple together with important people from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, fashion designers, medical sensor wizards, sleep researchers, exercise physiologists and fitness experts is making digital health accessible to consumers. I think Apple is doing something right this time. I am glad it is using its technology to help

Impact of Technology on Consciousness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Impact of Technology on Consciousness - Essay Example The cognitive theory, therefore, defines brain and the mind as two independent entities that work in tandem to produce actions and reactions of man, to an event. The need to know the working of mind becomes all the more important because of the fact that all our intentional and non intentional decisions and emotive expressions have a definite voluntary and involuntary actions associated with them. Hence our state of mental causation results in some form of physical actions. In other words, our beliefs and desires are linked with some definite actions that are designed to rearrange the physical aspects of our surrounding through the movements of our body parts which is caused by the directives of the mind. Hence, the concept of mental causation becomes relevant because of the sheer physicalitism of the world, surrounding us. â€Å"Physicalists, according to Jones, means people who believe that â€Å"this world of ours is only physical† (Jones, 2006). Since technology has become embedded into our system of ‘physicality’, the impact of technology on our consciousness can be explained through the impact of communication, inf ormation or other technology on our consciousness. Descartes treated body and mind of a man separately. He believed that body is inanimate object that acts only at the behest of the mind. It is also known as Cartesian dualism. He says that one cannot find out the nature of physical things without the participation of ‘intelligence’ which instead of ‘seeing’ judges them do be so. The mind therefore understands and recognizes other objects like technology because of its inherent ability to represent complex structures rather than relying on sensation and imagination (Descartes, 1901). The theory of dualism, though controversial at that time, was much appreciated and even corroborated by the later philosophers. Kim, through his theory of causal closure and overdetermination, has tried to correlate mind and body. The

Assess the Reasons for the February Revolution Essay Example for Free

Assess the Reasons for the February Revolution Essay He was also Anti-semitic, a quality which is why he did nothing about attacks by the black hundreds or the like, and this is also why many Jews joined the revolutionary parties. Nicholas also appointed many bad ministers, who actually worsened the situation, rather than keeping the better ministers such as Stolypin and Witte, who had aimed to reform Russia, instead dismissing them. He refused to grant political reforms such as those demanded in the 1905 revolution. His government’s failure to politically reform also led to problems. They promised reforms that weren’t carried out, didn’t pass reforms that could have been extremely helpful to Russia’s situation. They also didn’t accept ideas such as liberal freedoms, and Stolypin’s own reforms soon proved to be too little, too late. Nicholas’ Failure to reform due to his conservatism, as well as his government’s failure, proved to be its downfall. Lack of reform left the working classes in poor conditions, which let Socialism grow rapidly, with the middle class becoming Critical of the Tsar and his system. The Government didn’t deal with the peasantry and the land hunger, and Stolypin’s reforms did not aid the situation in the end. They increasingly used suppression as War grew closer, causing more and more discontent. As well as this, if Nicholas II hadn’t been the way he was, there wouldn’t have been the revolutionary parties that pushed for change. The First World War is a highly important factor, and Russia’s entry into it was due to its foreign policy, and it ties to France due to loans. There were three years of very little success, which demoralised the people. The army was highly inefficient and unorganised, with massive casualties in battles. The war caused a great strain on the economy, which affected the working class and the peasantry, in that the peasantry were pushed to produce food which was hard to produce in the harsh conditions of Russia, and the working class were pushed hard to produce weaponry in the factories. And this caused discontent among the many classes of Russia. There was also a strain on social cohesion, with people beginning to grow more discontent on the whole, and with less unity. As well as this the incompetence of the government was revealed, which was shown to all the people of Russia now that it couldn’t be hidden. To add to this, the government began to increase its use of suppression, forcing Russian culture on Minorities, persecuting Jews, using reactionary actions to deal with protest, and continuing with the oppressive Okhrana. The government also showed its lack of understanding on how to deal with protest, as it most often simply reverted to suppression rather than negotiation, which just led to more discontent and riots. Industrialisation is another important factor, as well as the working class. The proletariat was growing, with poor conditions and overcrowding, combined with the lack of reforms by the government. Socialism was becoming huge in working class circles, and they began to move for change. There were many working class strikes, especially during the February revolution. The higher industrial demand of the war as well as the growing industry put strains on the peasantry, with high taxes, which caused mass discontent. The peasantry as well as the land hunger in Russia was also a factor of fair importance. The Peasants wanted the land that belonged to the gentry, and Stolypin’s reforms hadn’t resolved this, as peasants began taking land for their own. As well as this, the peasants that were conscripted into the army became disillusioned and would eventually join the others in the February revolution against the Tsar and his regime. There was also a lack of food, and the failure to supply sufficient amounts of grain led to urban unrest. The Middle class’ opposition towards the government began to grow in the lead up to this period. There was a growth in Political debate, despite Autocracy’s ongoing reign, as well as a growing middle class involvement in the Zemstva and a general belief in the need to widen the basis of the regime. There began a development of Professions, and the Intelligentsia that had been educated in the Universities began to see what was going wrong. As well as this, Education was becoming more widespread, so more and more people were becoming disillusioned about the government and its actions. The lower classes began seeing what was wrong with the country and its government, and began wanting change. Alexandra and Rasputin were a strong influence on Nicholas II, and she reinforced his belief in autocracy. As well as this, Alexandra’s German origins led to fake rumours of her treason against Russia, which although fake, still sowed discontent among the people, especially in Petrograd. Rasputin gained influence over the Royal Family, leading to people being unsure who was really in power. Nicholas was influenced by both of these people, and this means they too contributed to Russia’s problems. The Revolutionary parties only really took control after the revolution, but they still had their part to play in it, albeit a more passive part. Their propaganda undermined loyalty to the Regime, and they reduced the quality of the Bureaucracy by drawing away the able young ministers. The Government grew afraid of them, and tried to use increasing amounts of suppression to try and control them, which just increased discontent. Overall, Nicholas II is the most important factor in the outbreak of the Revolution. If he had not been there, the other factors would probably not have existed. He caused the discontent and protest simply because of the failure of his government to reform, rather they chose to uphold Autocracy and not give any power to the people of Russia. The least important factor is the Revolutionary parties, as although they played a more active and important part in the aftermath of the Revolution, they were mostly passive in the largely spontaneous February revolution.

Impact of Aphasia on Health and Well-being

Impact of Aphasia on Health and Well-being Abstract This discussion paper considers the impact of aphasia on health and well-being, and following an in-depth exploration of relevant literature, provides suggestions for appropriate nursing interventions in respect of this relatively common condition following stroke. The introduction states that effective communication is essential to holistic care and positive outcomes for individuals affected by aphasia. However, when verbal communication is absent, nurses fail to adequately utilise alternative strategies so that the standard of nurse/patient communication is frequently poor. The discussion introduces the Theory of Human Scale Development. This theory emphasises that quality of life depends as much upon self-actualisation and relation-building as on physical health. The theory is used as a framework within the discussion in order to highlight the significance of communication to quality of life, and how its loss has profound psychological and social consequences. By utilising the theory, the discussion demonstrates that nursing care delivery must address loss of self-actualisation and relationship-building abilities, as well as physiological communication skills. The discussion reflects upon how aphasia results in loss of self, and how the situation is exacerbated by inadequate healthcare communication strategies such as nurse-controlled conversation, talking-over, and elderspeak. Suggestions are offered regarding more appropriate strategies. Efficacy of family input is considered; nursing competence regarding language practice therapies is discussed, and the quest approach is explored. Next, the discussion reflects upon the impact of aphasia on relationships. Aphasia denies access to support networks and results in isolation, stress, and loneliness. The individuals predicament is worsened by negative nursing responses such as communication filtering and avoidance tactics. The discussion reflects upon positive nursing strategies, which alleviate effects of aphasia on individuals social health. Concept analysis and self-awareness exercises as methods of enhancing compassion skills are explored. The social model of disability is discussed in order to highlight the benefits to individuals of environmental adaptations. Also, the social benefits of aphasia-group affiliation are discussed. The discussion concludes by emphasising that fundamental human needs involve social and psychological as well as physical aspects. Nursing interventions must therefore address all needs in order to provide holistic care in its fullest sense. Key Words Aphasia: nursing: relationships: self: Theory of Human Scale Development Summary Statements What is already known about this topic Good communication between nurses and patients is essential to the provision of quality healthcare that protects patients rights, autonomy and choice. Aphasia compromises nurse/patient communication leading to discrimination in health services, suboptimal care, poor long-term outcomes, and restricted rights. Communication difficulties faced by individuals with aphasia risks loss of self, and diminishes the beneficial impact of social integration on health. What this paper adds The multifarious impact of aphasia on the lives of individuals with the condition must be recognised and acknowledged by nurses. During their day-to-day nursing activities, nurses can facilitate the immediate communication needs of individuals with aphasia. Nurses can initiate aphasic individuals abilities to function independently and autonomously in the wider world via supporting the maintenance of personal identity and social integration. Introduction It has long been acknowledged and purported that good communication is essential to the provision of quality healthcare as it is integral to effective clinical assessment, health promotion, and patient choice and autonomy. Models of communication and research studies (Peplau, 1952; Fosbinder, 1994; Charlton et al, 2008) suggest that care delivery and health outcomes are improved when nurses use communication as a reciprocal interaction to express concern and commitment, and in return invite trust and human connection. These texts demonstrate that proficient interpersonal skills transform patients from objective clinical tasks to individuals meriting empathic, holistic care. However, because most communication strategies depend upon speech, the expediency of interpersonal relationships becomes severely compromised for individuals who experience aphasia as a consequence of stroke. Indeed, although the World Health Organisations (2001) definition of communication impairment encompasses verbal, non-verbal and graphic abilities, Finke et als (2008) systematic review finds that nurses continue to focus on stroke patients inadequate ability to verbally meet communication needs. Non-verbal messages are assigned a secondary, supporting role, and are therefore not adequately exploited as legitimate alternative strategies. The subsequent poor standard of professional/patient communication, described as appalling in the United Kingdoms National Sentinel Stroke Audit (Intercollegiate Stroke Working Party, 2009, p.12) has serious ramifications. O Halloran et als (2008) literature review suggests that health professionals inability or unwillingness to effectively enga ge with individuals affected by aphasia leads to discrimination in stroke services, suboptimal care, poor long-term outcomes, and restricted rights. Theory of Human Scale Development To avoid the suboptimal care of patients with aphasia, nurses must realise the necessity of effective communication to health and well-being. If nurses are to be motivated to explore, improve and exploit communication strategies as therapeutic tools, they must, in the first instance, understand the devastating impact of aphasia on quality of life. An analysis of aphasia in relation to the Theory of Human-Scale Development (Max-Neef et al, 1991) helps to illustrate its effect on the individual. According to the Theory of Human-Scale Development, quality of life depends upon the satisfaction of nine classes of interrelated ontological fundamental human needs (figure 1). Of these, only subsistence relates to physical health, the others being concerned with psychological and social issues associated with the sense of self and relationships. Because quality of life correlates with the number of satisfied needs, if a synergic satisfier (one satisfier that satisfies multiple needs) such as the ability to fluently verbally communicate, is removed, the impact on life quality is devastating (figure 2). Charmaz (1983; 1995; 1999) symbolic interactionist perspective reaches similar conclusions. These grounded theory studies of chronic illness demonstrate that the self is developed and maintained via self-actualisation and social relationships. Where illness reduces individuals participation in society, and prompts negative reactions from others, feelings of discreditation and loneline ss follow. Individuals beliefs that they are encumbrances on society rather than valuable contributors, lead to suffering and the loss of self. It is essential, therefore, that rehabilitative therapies should result in a synergic effect so that self, relationships, and thus quality of life are improved and maintained to the highest possible level (figure 2). However, many individuals with aphasia bemoan the fact that health professionals consistently focus on physical, biomedical definitions which view the condition as synonymous with physiological stroke events, rather than separate aphasia disability experiences (Liechty and Heinzekehr, 2007; Shadden et al, 2008; Wertheimer, 2008). This leads to the dismissal of psychological and social aspects of communication impairment and a thwarting of attempts to address them. Thus, the biomedical perspective, which defines aphasia as an inability to use or comprehend language as a consequence of injury to the cerebral cortex, results in the comment, I have aphasia, generating the response, You mean you had a stroke (Liechty and Heinzekehr, 2007, p.316). But, as Liechtys autobiographical account illustrates, aphasia is not an objective condition but a subjective reality, and focusing on the physiological brain damage both de-emphasises the pain that aphasia causes and denies the continual struggl es faced (p.316). Liechtys experience suggests that a psychosocial definition is more appropriate to describe the full extent of the consequences of aphasia to the individual. Sundin et als (2000) wider definition describes the condition as a defect in the use of language which causes extensive damage to psychological and social well-being resulting in isolation and depression. This study suggests that understanding the meaning of the illness for the individual rather than concentrating on the underlying physical causes, is the true initiator of holistic healing. O Halloran et al (2008) agree. This systematic review proposes that a biomedical perspective impoverishes care delivery because attributing communication breakdown to the disease process reduces nurses responsibility and motivation to develop ongoing communication strategies. The review suggests that a psychosocial perspective where nurses view communication impairment as an illness experience as well as a medical phenomenon, promotes the ide a that difficulties result from impaired interaction between nurse and patient. This increases nurses feelings of responsibility to overcome communication barriers and seek out the individual behind the disease. It is apparent, then, that reference to the Theory of Human-Scale Development helps to illustrate how a professional attitude which attempts to satisfy all fundamental human needs, not just the physical need of subsistence, subsequently leads to richer, more meaningful outcomes. Although fundamental human needs are to an extent, interrelated (figure 1), they are broadly split into three categories. The discussion paper will explore the impact of aphasia by focusing on self-actualisation and relationship needs. Self-Actualisation Needs Impact of Aphasia on the Self Rogers (1967) personality theory states that self-concept and self-perception are fundamental components of personal identity. He proposes that because life-meaning and behaviour are essentially purposeful, individuals require freedom to make choices, and create and develop their own personalities, in order to construct a valid presence in the world. Of course, language is the core of this process of self-construction. Without language, the ability to narrate lived experiences is lost. The individual cannot inform the world who and what he/she is, or understand who and what others are, hence is unable to find an appropriate place in the scheme of things. Shaddens (2005) literature review describes this predicament as identity theft, a state of affairs in which individuals with aphasia are ignored and invisible. However, Kagans (1995) masking of competence model refutes this, proposing that the individual is transformed rather than rendered invisible by aphasia. The model states that because communication impairment makes it difficult to perceive the individuals functional mind, it becomes difficult to envisage capacity. With capacity hidden, the individual is transformed from a person to a mere physical presence and is often viewed as a burden with little social value. According to Charmaz (1983), witnessing ones former self-image crumbling away is itself a fundamental form of suffering (p.168). Time and again, autobiographical narratives refer to the pain experienced when the self is reduced by an assumption that language loss is synonymous with the loss of intellectual and cognitive abilities (Neal, 1988; Bauby, 2008; Liechty and H einzekehr, 2007). Bauby (2008) summarises the feeling thus, [They] left no doubt that henceforth I belonged on a vegetable stall and not to the human race (p.90). Buber (1958) refers to this objectivising of people as an I-It relationship (as oppose to an I-Thou relationship defined by its reciprocal and mutually respectful nature). Aphasia renders the establishment of a nurse/patient I-Thou therapeutic relationship particularly challenging, because sharing and understanding become difficult to achieve. Unfortunately, this often results in I-It communication within the healthcare arena, which in nursing, is intrinsic to detached task-orientated care. According to Gordon et al (2008), this denies individuals with aphasia the freedom to control and direct their own lives. Gordon et als (2008) observational study concludes that staff control conversations and focus dialogue on their own nursing-task goals. The studys use of conversation analysis demonstrates that patients rarely initiate conversations and therefore have little influence over topics. In addition, due to heavy reliance on the sequential context of dialogue in order to maximise unde rstanding, individuals with aphasia find it difficult to alter the course of conversation to suit their requirements. Such asymmetrical, task-orientated communication is neither therapeutic or responsive to holistic needs. This results in a reduction of the self and a denial of individuals rights to participate in their own care or in the creation of their own future. According to Wertheimer (2008), curbing the freedom to express the self commonly leads to feelings of entrapment. Wertheimers (2008) detailed analysis of post-subarachnoid haemorrhage experiences suggests that language difficulties and loss of control during hospitalisation contribute to depression, and dreams and hallucinations, which frequently involve images of imprisonment and dictatorial authoritarianism. The negative impact of nurse-controlled conversation is exacerbated further by persistent occurrences of talking over patients. Flegels (2008) short article acts as a reminder that talking over is unethical because it contradicts health professionals codes of conduct that stipulate patient autonomy is paramount during care delivery. Quoting Kants (1785) argument that autonomy depends upon the hypothesis that all individuals have unconditional worth, Flegel (2008) believes that talking over signifies to patients that their presence is of no consequence and therefore they are not autonomous. Elderspeak also diminishes autonomy. This speech style is generally used as a means to communicate with elderly patients, but research confirms that it is commonly used by nurses when encountering individuals with physical, cognitive and communication disabilities (Kemper et al, 1998; Williams et al 2004; Melton and Shadden, 2005). Williams et al (2004) describe elderspeak as a demeaning mode of communication similar to baby talk that features exaggerated, simplified, repetitive language. Because elderspeak stereotypes elderly and disabled patients as incompetent and incapable, individual potential and progress may be ignored, thus reducing control and the sense of self even further. Reactions to Loss of Self Unsurprisingly, individuals with aphasia struggle to instigate the fight to rescue the self, and often surrender to discreditation. Charmaz (1983) explanation that self-concept depends upon reflected images of the self by others is confirmed by Simmons-Mackie and Damico (2008). This study of communication therapy sessions suggests that external negative responses to individuals with aphasia leads to internal negative perceptions of the self and a silencing of the voice. Poor nurse communication techniques based on task-orientated conversation, elderspeak and talking over compound this internalisation process. According to Ryan et als (1986) seminal literature review and subsequent theory of dependency over-accommodation, implications of incompetence and diminished capacity which arise from such condescending speech styles lower individuals confidence and self-esteem. This increases dependency and passive acceptance of care, and consequently promotes feelings of worthlessness and powe rlessness. Parr et al (2003) agree. This literature review reports that individuals faced with inadequate communication attempts of service providers, feel so diminished that they often apologise for their own existence. By reflecting on the impact of aphasia on self-actualisation needs, it seems that the nursing role in care delivery should involve supporting the individual to both recover the pre-aphasic self and connect this self to the new disabled identity. In order to achieve this, the nurse must firstly get to know the patient as a person, then secondly, empower that person to regain the creativity, confidence and freedom required to control his/her own life. Nursing Implications Use of Family Liaschenko and Fisher (1999) identify person knowledge as integral to the establishment of effective therapeutic communication and holistic care. The acquisition of this knowledge involves knowing the patients private biography with a view to revealing the unique individual. Where aphasia inhibits direct verbal interaction between nurse and patient, family and friends can relay information and re-construct much history, therefore contributing to the satisfaction of a range of fundamental human needs. According to Williams and Davis (2004), this indirect narrative is invaluable as it allows the nurse to participate in individualised communication when speaking directly to the patient. This deters any tendency for task-focused interaction or elderspeak, which in turn, reinforces the individuals sense of self. There are barriers to implementing such interaction however. Paradoxically, despite, for example, British Government calls for improved professional/patient/carer communication (Intercollegiate Stroke Working Party, 2009), some studies report that nurses efforts to personalise care by informal chat with patients and families are thwarted by sociopolitical systems that prioritise task completion over person knowledge. (McCabe, 2004; Speed and Luker, 2004). Also, Fairburns (1994) study of attitudes to visiting hours reports that nurses often feel patients and relatives resent staff presence as an intrusion upon their private time together. Perhaps the use of patient diaries can help overcome these barriers. Combes (2005) introduction of diaries in the intensive care setting demonstrates that by encouraging families to produce ongoing written narratives, which are left at the patients bedside, readily accessible relevant information concerning what is significant and individual to the patient is made available. This data can be utilised and built upon in later nurse/patient interactions. Research into the use of diaries in aphasia care should therefore be undertaken. Families are also useful when nurses are trying to ascertain the individual with aphasias immediate concerns and opinions. Goodwins (1995) well-cited case study illustrates that needs are more easily interpreted when relatives, familiar with the individuals gestures, facial expressions and idiosyncrasies, and who share common social contexts with him/her, are on hand to translate. Indeed, Finke et als (2008) systematic review finds that, where nurses are prepared to ask families for suggestions, or written directives, regarding the meanings of the individuals non-verbal strategies, communication is much more efficacious. In terms of advocacy, Hedberg et als (2008) study of multi-disciplinary care-planning meetings demonstrates that an in-depth knowledge of the individual with aphasias life and views, equips family members to act as advocates in the negotiation of care needs and future plans. The research therefore concludes that nurses require training in how best to involve relatives in the decision-making process in order to ensure individual needs remain salient. While the recommendation to involve families in the communication process is essentially sound, much of the proposing nursing literature quoted above nevertheless fails to fully explore the potential risks to patient autonomy of relying heavily on alliances with relatives. Translation literature (Englund-Dimitrova, 1997; Bradby, 2001; Leininger and McFarland, 2002) confirms that any form of interpretation via a third person amplifies the chances of misinterpretation. However, the risk is further heightened by relatives conscious or subconscious propensity to distort, omit or add to the patients messages and opinions in order to address their own concerns. Shadden et als (2008) review of autobiographical narratives reports that, while the well-being of patients is the central concern of most families, disability caused by stroke has a significant negative impact on the lives of all close family members. This may result in the interpretation of aphasic communication being influenced by the intermediarys own slanted perspectives. Thus, relatives feelings of guilt, fear, stress, and fatigue may filter out some of the true messages that the individual with aphasia is trying to express. Ryan et al (1986) offers a more cynical consequence to family advocacy by suggesting that it may undermine the individuals power to control situations, and can even disguise the sense of self by recreating and redefining elements of the individuals history, personality and wishes during the advocacy process. Hence, although it is helpful to use family knowledge to obtain patient information, nurses must recognise that individuals needs may not be adequately supplied by biased intermediaries. Nurses must therefore be able to use their own disinterested objective strategies to reach an understanding of the individual with aphasias meaning. Nursing Implications Competence Theory and research which explores the meaning of caring (Halldorsdottir and Hamrin, 1997; Brilowski and Wendler, 2005; Chang et al, 2005) states that a fundamental strategy when nursing any illness is the alleviation of the patients fear that nothing can be done to treat the condition. This literature reveals that while patients appreciate expressive caring behaviours, competence when performing instrumental therapies, is considered imperative to a secure caring base. As Halldorsdottir and Hamrin (1997) assert, caring without competence is meaningless (p.123). It is apparent that in aphasia, where preservation of the self is at stake, the nurse needs to convey competence and confidence in attitude and execution of language practice therapies, so that the individual with aphasia feels secure in the knowledge that recovery of identity is possible and in hand. Nystroms (2009) phenomenological study of interviews and biographies finds that such provision of security via nursing competence encourages patient hope, motivation, and fighting spirit (p.2509). Finke et al (2008) believes that nursing competence in language practice therapy requires training in basic speech therapy, familiarity with augmentative and alternative communication, and regular consultations with speech and language therapists. However, currently, none of these schemes are widely implemented. Hemsley et al (2001) suggests this is due to individual and organisational attitude barriers, which view specialised communication techniques as both too time-consuming and beyond the remit of nurses. Finke et al (2008), proposes that time and resources spent on enhancing nurses communication competence may prove more efficient than relying on minimal task-orientated interactions. This is because ineffective interactions are at high risk of misinterpretation, ineffective at meeting individual needs, result in frustration, fear and despondency, and may contribute to depression. Also, Nystrom (2009) finds that extended time periods required for personal care support, provide ideal opportunities for skilled practitioners to simultaneously offer language practice (thus reducing rehabilitation time and resources), while allaying patient fears. A participant in the research is quoted thus, One nurse talked to me while helping me to eat and get dressed†¦that made me feel calm and secure (pp.2507-8). Nursing Implications Quest Approach Aphasia traps individuals in the present. Struggling to express details of past achievements, individuals situations are worsened by an inability to shape the future. In effect, individuals have lost both identity, and the freedom and creativity to restore it. They have lost their place in the world. Nystrom (2009) believes that the optimal method of regaining place is to defer to individuals pre-stroke identities. An awareness of individuals previous competencies, allows the nurse to personalise language practice, communication strategies and conversation by basing subject matters on familiar contexts of family, work, interests, and achievements. This enables individuals with aphasia to grasp meanings more easily, but it also helps to maintain a sense of the old valued, accomplished self, thus providing a structure on which to base rehabilitation goals. This method, defined by Moss et al (2004) as a restitution approach, is fundamentally flawed because it overlooks the fact that for many individuals, aphasia remains a permanent disability. Preoccupation with the old self could therefore lead to a painful mourning for what is lost. It could even exacerbate feelings of worthlessness by highlighting comparisons between past abilities and present inabilities. Moss et als (2004) exploration of online illness narratives purports that a quest approach is more psychologically healthy. Here, individuals are encouraged to accept their changed circumstances, and envisage and create a different future. For the nurse, this involves using the individuals history, not as a source of goals, but a source of interests on which new modified goals can be built. This requires strong multi-disciplinary co-ordination skills to bring patient, nurse, speech therapist and occupational therapist together in order to fully explore interests, resources, potential and progress. Furthermore, according to Vickery et als (2009) quantitative analysis of self-esteem scales, the nurse must kindly but firmly guide individuals to a realisation of their limitations so that the risk of disappointment is reduced. However, simultaneously, the nurse should demonstrate motivating and commendatory attitudes that elicit a sense of pride from individuals in their gains and success es, which ultimately increases confidence, self-worth and a sense of freedom. Relationship Needs Impact of Aphasia on Relationships Berkman et als (2000) review of social integration theory demonstrates that relationships and affiliations are formidable influences on physical and psychological health. The study explains that relationships provide informational, instrumental (practical), appraisal (decision-making) and emotional support, as well as opportunities for social engagement. All these aspects are essential to the endorsement of meaningful roles, the reinforcement of participation and belonging, and the promotion of affection and pleasure. Charmaz (1983; 1999) reiterates that these factors add to the sense of self as a valuable entity. Any process or condition which leads to alienation, separation or disconnectedness from society, adversely impacts on mental well-being and mortality (figure 2). Generative studies by Durkheim (1952) and Bowlby (1991) suggest that relationships serve to buffer detrimental influences of stressful events. These texts illustrate that when consistent, reliable relationships are absent or damaged, psychological stability is weakened and the risk of depression increases. Berkmans (1988) hypothesis takes this concept further by suggesting that social isolation is itself a chronic stressor resulting in persistent heightened hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis responses which consequently accelerate physiologic aging and functional decline. Because conversation is pivotal to interaction and relationship building, aphasia inhibits individuals from exploiting the health benefits of social integration. Pound et al (2006) believe that conversation is primarily transactional, enabling individuals to participate within a supportive society consisting of mutually supportive relationships. Aphasia therefore, results in an inability to access support strategies resulting in isolation and stress. For example, appraisal support is compromised because individuals with aphasia are unable to talk problems over with friends. Likewise, informational and instrumental support may be inaccessible if individuals cannot express their opinions and needs, nor comprehend disseminated messages. While Laver (1975) acknowledges the transactional element of conversation, he also emphasises its interactional nature, which allows the development of social connections. He explains that it is a bonding ritual, which explores and categorises social position, conveys intimacy, conspiracy, affection and belonging, and as such, its loss can lead to a devastating sense of loneliness. For individuals with aphasia, whose health is already severely impaired by stroke, it is imperative that nurses are able to support the relationship-building process, and hence, diminish risks of further health problems associated with social isolation. Ramos (1992) research concludes that this is best achieved by establishing reciprocal or connected nurse-patient relationships which involve the development of emotional and cognitive bonds that persuade the individual to feel the nurse is taking on part of the burden (p.503). Reciprocation also encourages nurses to perceive coping with illness as a shared responsibility. Pound et al (2006) agree, stating that if professionals acknowledge patients are not solo performers, but part of a company of players (p.18), then this idea of joint responsibility is accentuated. However, poor therapeutic relationship development in aphasia remains a common problem. Perhaps this can be explained by Hindles (2003) suggestion that any phenomenon, which undermines nurses competence as communicators, leads to the implementation of communication filter barriers, such as rationalisation and projection. Sundin et al (2000) believe aphasia is a relationship leveller because both nurse and individual with aphasia have difficulty being understood by, and understanding, each other. This situation is uncomfortable for nurses working in a healthcare social construction that is founded upon competency achievement and proficient practice. Balandin et als research (2007) validates this idea. This small qualitative study finds that the undermining of competence and power results in rationalisation and projection in the form of defensive attitudes such as its not my job or the patient doesnt need to communicate (p.58). These avoidance tactics have been so widespread that Stock well (1972) included individuals with aphasia in her list of unpopular patients. Reactions to Diminished Relationships Charmaz (1983) research, confirmed by Davidson et als (2008) case study, reveals how unwillingness or inability of family, friends and professionals to establish effective relationships with individuals affected by aphasia leads to feelings of rejection. This in turn erodes patients perseverance to pursue support and comfort, often resulting in retreat and the seeking of solitude. Lyon (1998) refers to this behaviour as constructive because it provides a protective cocoon (p.12) in which individuals can rest and quietly contemplate their situation. Likewise, Shadden et al (2008) believe solitude-seeking is beneficial as it allows individuals to recapture the self which appears to bolster self-esteem. The authors quote from a patient interv

Importance of Shell Shock in Pat Barkers Regeneration :: Pat Barker Regeneration Essays

Importance of Shell Shock in Pat Barker's Regeneration Pat Barker's Regeneration contains references to people, places, and cultural elements of particular significance to her themes as well as to the study of the First World War. One cultural reference, that of shell shock, is made early in the novel. On page four, Dr. William Rivers learns that Siegfried Sassoon is being sent to Craiglockhart War Hospital with a case of shell shock. To prevent shell shock from crippling the patients, Craiglockhart emphasizes the value of therapy, a theme in the novel, as a way to fight back against the mental battles. The term shell shock was first coined in 1915 by C.S. Myers in The Lancet to describe the disorder found on the battlefield in soldiers who had been exposed to an exploding shell (Spiller). During the beginning of World War One, the disorder was common only among soldiers. Victims were often mocked and labeled cowards by their peers, causing many to desert the army. Around three hundred of these men were shot, and hundreds more were imprisoned for their apparent cowardness (Storr). Soon officers began falling ill as well, and by 1917, the ratio of shell-shocked officers to shell-shocked enlisted men was an astounding 1: 6 (Bourke). With this shift, shell shock became recognized as a legitimate medical disorder. The symptoms of shell shock were numerous and varied from soldier to soldier. Physical effects ranged from trembling, sweating, insomnia, diarrhea, and minor twitches to paralysis, blindness, and muteness. Victims also experienced anguish, anxiety, and the inability to control their emotions. As a result, most were unable to separate their past from reality. During the war, psychologist Karl Bimbaum observed "great weariness and profuse weeping, even in otherwise strong men" (Spiller). Many of the soldiers exhibited what Sigmund Freud termed conversion disorders, which were subconsciously-formed problems such as the inability to walk, talk, see, or hear (Stuttaford). These symptoms were beyond the patients' control. Shell shock had devastating effects on the British Army. Over 80,000 cases of shell shock were treated during World War One (Bourke). Even after the war, symptoms continued to surface in a majority of the victims. Years later, many veterans still complained of frequent nightmares and hallucinations. In 1927, over 65,000 men remained in mental hospitals suffering from shell shock acquired during the war (Spiller). In every military conflict since World War One, shell shock has been a problem among combat forces.

Internet and Cultural and Historical Diversity of Style in Composition

Internet and Cultural and Historical Diversity of Style in Composition The technological revolution of the late twentieth century has arguably caused some of the greatest changes in the global society. Few realize the full effects of the computer age. The Internet in particular has brought the corners of the world closer together. Even in the most remote areas of the globe, such as Katmandu, one can see an advertisement for e-mail (Stefik 235). One might begin to wonder what the social consequences of this pervasiveness are. The Internet brings many diverse groups of people together to participate in many aspects of life from trade to conversations. Some might wonder if these interactions might lead to an end of diversity. In chatrooms and instant messages, the push towards uniformity in style is undeniable. However, this change is far from limited to these small areas of the Internet. In order to evaluate the Internet’s effect on the culture of today, it is first important to define the composition of world today, in particular those that use the Internet. Upon thorough examination of the world today, one will come to a striking realization: American culture has infiltrated even the most remote areas of the world and created a global monoculture. American culture can be best defined as a pure lack of culture; it assimilates any other cultures it encounters and makes it secular. This fact makes it ideal to be the global monoculture. Furthermore, this dominance has led to an end of cultural diversity. The Internet, like television and film, is merely another vessel for the spread of Americanism. Rather quickly it becomes difficult to determine which medium directly affected particular changes in style, making it imposs... ...d> AOL Instant Messenger Interview. 23 Apr 2002. Etree.org | Main. Etree.org. 21 Apr 2002. < http://etree.org/faq_quick.html> Keniston, Kenneth. â€Å"Cultural Diversity or Global Monoculture.† Understanding the Impact of Global Networks on Local Social, Political and Cultural Values. Eds. Christoph Engel and Kenneth H. Keller. Munich: Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft Baden-Baden, 1999. 131-140. McDonald’s – Countries. McDonalds Corporation. 24 Apr 2002. MTV: Music Television. MTV Networks. 24 Apr 2002. Reuters | Breaking News from Around the Globe. Reuters. 22 Apr 2002. Stefik, Mark. The Internet Edge. Cambridge: MIT Press, 1999. Internet and Cultural and Historical Diversity of Style in Composition Internet and Cultural and Historical Diversity of Style in Composition The technological revolution of the late twentieth century has arguably caused some of the greatest changes in the global society. Few realize the full effects of the computer age. The Internet in particular has brought the corners of the world closer together. Even in the most remote areas of the globe, such as Katmandu, one can see an advertisement for e-mail (Stefik 235). One might begin to wonder what the social consequences of this pervasiveness are. The Internet brings many diverse groups of people together to participate in many aspects of life from trade to conversations. Some might wonder if these interactions might lead to an end of diversity. In chatrooms and instant messages, the push towards uniformity in style is undeniable. However, this change is far from limited to these small areas of the Internet. In order to evaluate the Internet’s effect on the culture of today, it is first important to define the composition of world today, in particular those that use the Internet. Upon thorough examination of the world today, one will come to a striking realization: American culture has infiltrated even the most remote areas of the world and created a global monoculture. American culture can be best defined as a pure lack of culture; it assimilates any other cultures it encounters and makes it secular. This fact makes it ideal to be the global monoculture. Furthermore, this dominance has led to an end of cultural diversity. The Internet, like television and film, is merely another vessel for the spread of Americanism. Rather quickly it becomes difficult to determine which medium directly affected particular changes in style, making it imposs... ...d> AOL Instant Messenger Interview. 23 Apr 2002. Etree.org | Main. Etree.org. 21 Apr 2002. < http://etree.org/faq_quick.html> Keniston, Kenneth. â€Å"Cultural Diversity or Global Monoculture.† Understanding the Impact of Global Networks on Local Social, Political and Cultural Values. Eds. Christoph Engel and Kenneth H. Keller. Munich: Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft Baden-Baden, 1999. 131-140. McDonald’s – Countries. McDonalds Corporation. 24 Apr 2002. MTV: Music Television. MTV Networks. 24 Apr 2002. Reuters | Breaking News from Around the Globe. Reuters. 22 Apr 2002. Stefik, Mark. The Internet Edge. Cambridge: MIT Press, 1999.

Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori means it is a sweet and glorious E

Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori means it is a sweet and glorious thing to die for your country. It is a poem written by an officer Connotations Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori means it is a sweet and glorious thing to die for your country. It is a poem written by an officer in the army in the world war one. The poem contains four stanza’s which all vary in their lengths. The first stanza is a description of a group of young soldiers retreating from the frontline. The lines are long which show how slow they are walking. The stanza focuses on the physical and psychological aspects of what it must be like to be in a war. The words that are used emphasise on this, haunting flares and also a sinister feeling. On the first line a simile is used as the poet refers to the young men to be ‘like’ old men. He also emasculates the men on the second line by calling them ‘hags’ which is a noun that compares them to old aged women who are in a very bad state. On the third line the adjective ‘haunting’ is used which adds a supernatural feeling to the poem. Following there is the word ‘flares’ which is ambiguous is it could symbolise an attack or it could mean flares as in the flames of fire. The word ‘backs’ is used also on that line as the soldiers maybe trying to get away from the bad that was happening behind them or maybe it was a war that was spreading as quick as a fire that is why the word ‘flares’ is used. The men marched asleep on the fifth line as they were exhausted and this exhaustion seemed to be trudging around with them while they’re in battle. Also on the same line, it says ‘many had lost their boots’, I think boots are a symbol of a man, this also could mean the men were emasculated an... ...eaks directly to the reader, showing they are both the same and they are both to blame. ‘Children’ is used on the next line as it shows they are still young, innocent, vulnerable and need protecting. On line 27 the word ‘Lie’ is used, the uppercase letter reinforces that the lie is not just a lie it is a large one. The words that come next in Italics is the actual title of the poem ‘Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori’, these words are written in Italics to they stand out. They also conclude the irony of the poem, as irony has built up to this point during the poem by using horrific images and language. The last stanza is one which is contemplative and reflective. The poem has a universal message as it can be related to situations all over the world. The situations could be in the past, present or the future however the moral will always stay the same.

Computer Security Incident Response Team Essay

In the last decade, more and more companies have started to look into e-commerce to connect them to the infinite world of global suppliers, partners, consumers and much more. This boom in technology has placed multiple assets are risk from a security stand point allowing hackers/crakers and anyone on the internet to gain access to these network and gain information or try to jeopardize business to a point where it stand stills. Increase in Denial of service attacks, child pornography, virus/worms and other tools used by individuals to destroy data has lead to law enforcement and media to look into why and how these security breaches are conducted and what new statutory laws are needed to stop this from happening. According to CSI computer crime and security Survey 2007, the average annual loss reported by security breach has shot up to $350,424 from 168,000 the previous year. To add to this, more and more organizations are reporting computer intrusions to law enforcement which inclined to 29 percent compared to 25 percent the year before. 1] To be successful in respond to an incident, there are a few things that need to be followed: 1. Minimize the number of severity of security incidents. 2. Assemble the core computer security Incident Response Team (CSIRT). 3. Define an incident response plan. 4. Contain the damage and minimize risk. [3] How to minimize the number of severity and security incidents: It is impossible to prevent all security related incidents, but there are things that can be done to minimize the impact of such incidents: †¢Establishing and enforcing security policies and procedures. Gaining support from Management in both enforcing security policies and handling incidents. Accessing vulnerabilities on the environment on regular basis including regular audits. †¢Checking all devices on certain time frames to make sure that all the updates were performed. †¢Establishing security policies for both end users and security personal and asking for security clearance each and every time an access is granted. †¢Posting banners and reminders for responsibilities and restriction of use of applications, and other systems on the network. †¢Implementing secure password polices thought the network. Checking log files on regular basics and monitoring traffic. †¢Verifying backups are done on regular basics and maintained in an appropriate manner. This would also include the new email backup policy laws. †¢Create Computer Security Response Team (CSIRT) [3] Security threat is the same for both large, small, and government organizations and therefore it is important that regardless of what the company has for its security measures, it also ha s a written document that establishes guidelines for incident response. Incident respond planning is a set of guidelines that document on security incident handling and communication efforts. This plan is activated when an incident that could impact the company’s ability to function is established. Computer Security Incident Response Plan (CSIRP) should contain the following: 1. Mission: Things the response team will be responsible for, including how to handle incidents as they happen and what steps are necessary to minimize the impact of such incidents. 2. Scope: this would define, who is responsible for which area of security, it can include things like application, network(s), employees, communication both internally and to the public and much more. . Information flow: How information will be handled in case of an emergency and how it will be reported to the appropriate authority, pubic, media and internal employees. 4. Services provided: This document should contain all the services that are either provided to the users or services that are used or bought from other vendors including testing, education, service provider issues to name a few. [2] The CSIRT team must contain several members including a Team leader which will monitor changes in individual’s actives and responsibility of reviewing actions. An Incident Lead, that will be dedicated as the owner of set of incidents and will be responsible for speaking to anyone outside the team while and corresponding changes and updates. A group of individual’s part of the CISRT team called members will be responsible to handle responsibility of the incident and will monitor different areas of the company. Other members of this team should include Legal help, public relations officers, contractors and other member of management both from business and IT that can help during security breaches. If an Incident has occurred, it is important to classify this as an incident severity. Most companies use between Severity 1-5. 1 being the highest and 5 being the research phase where no system or user’s are affected. For most system anything under Severity 3 is not a major impact of the system but if there is a system wide issue that requires immediate attention, a severity 1 or 2 would fall under the category of Incident response procedure and set up a high alert. The cost of an incident can be very high, depending on the loss of data, therefore identifying the risk and all the real threat fall under this category. Once the incident has been identified it should go into the assessment phase, where it should be determined if the system can be bought back up again and how much damage is done. If the business is impacted assessment should be done. The assessment includes forensic investigation usually involving a team of expert that look into the how many computer were affected, what kind of information was stolen or changed, entry level of attacks, potential damage done by incident, recovery process and the best way to assess this from happening again. The next phase of this is containment, which is the assessment of damage and isolation of other systems that can also be compromised including network. Backup of the system in the current state should be done at this time for further forensic investigation. Analyzing of log files and uncovering systems that were used like firewalls, routers should be identified. Any modification of files including dos, exe should also be carried out in this phase. Once all this is done, the next step is Recovery. Recovery is restoring clean data back the system so it can perform is function as required. After installing last good backup, it is important to test the system before putting this in production again. Further surveillance of network and application should be set in place as intruders might try this again. Every company today, weather small or big needs an incident response unity to defend itself against predators on the web. The government agencies has set some rules and regulations on such standards and are required that company follow these standards to avoid further disruption of the service. This becomes even more critical for companies that play important place in the economy like credit card, health, insurance and much more. Several regional companies today can help plan CSIRP plan that provide help creating a team of individuals that can act fast in such situations. The implementation of such plan cost less in the long run, when compared to companies that don’t have such response plan and loose data that is critical to their survival.

Windows 7 Check Your Understanding

Win7 Chapter 3Knowledge AssessmentFill in the Blank Complete the following sentences by writing the correct word or words in the blanks provided. 1. An image file that contains an entire workstation configuration, including all applications, packages, and configuration settings, is called a thick image. 2. The two programs that make up the User State Migration Tool are called scanstate. exe and loadstate. exe. 3. A build-to-plan installation is one in which the installers capture a single image file and deploy it to each computer with no changes. 4. Windows Deployment Services can reduce network bandwidth requirements while deploying install images by using . wim files. 5. Before you can modify an offline image file using DISM. exe, you must mount the image to a folder. 6. To partition a disk using an answer file, you must add settings to the WindowsPE configuration pass. 7. The Windows 7 AIK tool that you use to create answer files is called Windows System Image Manager (SIM). 8. To boot from an image transmitted over the network by a WDS server, a workstation must have a network adapter that supports Preboot Execution Environment (PXE). 9. The deployment scenario in which you save a workstation's user state data, wipe its disk, install Windows 7, and then restore the user state data is called the refresh computer scenario aka wipe and load. 10. A capture image enables a workstation to boot from a disk and connect to a WDS server.True / False1. To perform a Windows 7 deployment using ZTI, you must have a SQL Server on your network. F2. To create a capture image, you use the Deployment Workbench console. T3. The Windows 7 AIK script files used to perform unattended installations are called task sequences. F4. You can use the boot images created by Deployment Workbench to start workstations using either boot disks or WDS. T5. The computer that you use to capture an image of a workstation configuration is called the target computer. F6. An LTI deployment provides greater flexibility than a ZTI deployment. T7. ImageX. exe is a command? line tool that you can use to capture and deploy image files. T8. To use the upgrade computer scenario, a workstation must be running Windows XP SP2 or later. F9. Before you can capture an image of a Windows 7 workstation, you must run the Sysprep. exe program. T10. Sector? -based image files are spannable, editable, and bootable. FReviewQuestions 1. Describe the difference between an LTI and a ZTI deployment in terms of the activity at the target computer during the Windows 7 installation.LTI is lite touch deployment requires someone to sit there during installations and answer some questions where as ZTI is a zero touch installation is just that. The system installs without any one present at the workstation to monitor it.2. List the five basic steps in an enterprise Windows 7 workstation deployment.Build a deployed sharePerform a reference computer installationCapture an image of the reference computerBoot the target computersApply the reference computer image

Diet treatment for diabetes

People who are suffering the disease diabetes mellitus are not properly informed on the effects of their food intake, how their body works, and provided their best course of action. This means reading labels and sometimes creating personal diet plan without understanding the required quantity and portions of their choices. Planning the meal is a very tedious process especially if one has to memorize nutrients, food groups, and calculate percentages of fat against total consumption. Patients are just getting weary to all these fuss that they gradually revert back to old eating habits again.Information on how the body works when one has the disease is very important. The focus is to educate people on shifting to healthy lifestyles in the most convenient form. The main reason people do not practice good eating habits is simply because they lack the information and the means to achieve it. Diet treatment for diabetes Definition of Diabetes Diabetes mellitus often simply called diabetes i s a common condition that occurs when the body does not produce or use insulin correctly (ADA n. y. ). Understanding diabetes Glucose is the main source of fuel for the body (NDIC 2006).Blood sugar comes from carbohydrate and starchy foods. When we eat, the body breaks down carbohydrates except fiber into glucose which is absorbed by the intestine into the blood. Glucose is then carried to all the cells by the bloodstream. Insulin is a hormone release from the pancreas and released into the blood when glucose level rises. It functions to convert sugar into energy thus lowering the blood sugar level, promotes cellular uptake of amino acids and stimulates the conversion of these amino acids into proteins. Glucose which are not transported to the cells are being stored in the liver and muscles called as glycogen.The liver releases it into the blood when needed. Any change in blood flow also affects the adrenal gland. Symptoms of diabetes The symptoms of diabetes are usually extreme thi rst, extreme fatigue, blurred vision, weight loss, feeling irritable, urinating more than normal, and feeling hungry. One also experiences abdominal pain, pain in the chest or stomach, heavy or difficulty breathing, drowsiness or coma and vomitting. Complications and other illnesses brought by diabetes Patients suffer blindness, kidney failure, stroke, atherosclerosis, gum diseases and heart attacks.To some patients it could be worse like, nerve damage, limb amputation, and in severe cases, death. Patients are at high risk for skin inflammation, rashes, localized itching to even slow healing of the most minor abrasion. Diabetic neuropathy also happens when blood sugar levels damage nerves that carries signal to the brain, spinal cord, muscle, skin and internal organs. Damage is experienced by stabbing, tingling, and burning sensation in the legs, hands and feet especially at night. Fundamental problem of diabetes The fundamental problem of diabetes is the body’s inability to metabolize glucose fully and continually. Types of diabetesType 1 diabetes is noted when the body’s immune system turn against its own cells destroying them including the pancreas like foreign invaders known as autoimmunity. Type 2 diabetes still has the ability to produce insulin but the body becomes increasingly resistant to insulin. Another type is diabetes insipidus which is characterized by people getting thirsty all the time and urinate (polyuria) often waking up 2-3 times at night to urinate and most likely go through the night always drinking water. Another type is gestational diabetes characterized by high blood sugar that develops anytime during 24-28 weeks of pregnancy.Intervention and treatment for diabetes Goal /mission of diet treatment Diet treatment for diabetes aims to reduce the need for insulin and other medication and in the process serve to limit potential damage to the patient’s internal organs as well as boost their immune system. Role and import ance of proper food selection Glycaemic index and insulin index is used as an indicator when constructing therapeutic diets. It aims to control and taper down carbohydrate intake for the purpose of controlling one’s blood sugar tailored according to patient’s state of health.Nothing can be considered as a fully balanced diet unless it contains all the essential nutrients necessary for good health, knowing how much shall be taken and in what forms shall it be consumed. Diabetes cannot be cured but patients may achieve a normal and useful life. Processed food removes fibers and causes the pancreas to produce more insulin. The best way to control the sugar is eating a diet high in complex carbohydrates and low in refined carbohydrates in small but frequent meals. Methods of food and dietary analysisA better strategy is the recommendation of the AOAC method for dietary supplements and nutrition labeling as basis for quality control. Right food combination diets The Zone di et The zone diet centers on a 40:30:30 ratios of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats respectively where one experienced weight lost while simultaneously gaining muscle mass. The key factor in the Zone diet is achieving hormonal balance with a diet plan that actually controls insulin production. Zone diet suggests one eats breakfast within an hour of waking, a snack 30 minutes before exercise, and eat a small snack before bed.The Zone diet encourages one to take lots of fibers and whole grain restricting taking processed food which contains too much salt. This does not prompt the body to convert carbohydrates into fat that is normally stored into one’s gut, thighs, buttocks, or other areas. It is recommended that dieters should drink minimum of eight glasses of water everyday. Zone diet gives patients a hand Eyeball Method in determining the amount of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins they are going to eat (Zone diet info n. y. ). Measure the amount of protein to be consumed at each meal as equal to the size and thickness of the dieter’s palm.Measure favorable carbohydrates portion size as equal to two loosely clenched fists. Allow only one loose clenched fist for low favorable carbohydrates. Measure fats as equal to the size of the tip of your thumb. Dietary Fiber Diets high in dietary fiber are beneficial to both type 1 and type 2 diabetes patients. Dietary fiber refers to plant foods which the body can’t digest or absorb. Consumption of fibers leads to improved glycaemic control and increased insulin sensitivity. Soluble fiber dissolves in water and forms a gel like material and helps lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels.Dietary fibers has the effect of filling you up, slowing down eating, and satisfying the appetite by sending satiety signals to the brain. Conclusion Diabetes mellitus epidemic cornerstone of treatment is plainly diet and exercise. Zone diet best meet the complexities of diabetes balanced sugar requirements by promot ing complex carbohydrates that are high in soluble fiber, a portion of protein and a portion of fats. This insulin control diet returns the body to normal endocrine control by using both insulin and glucagons produced by the body more effectively.Furthermore the body begins to break down fat deposits and use that fat for energy. People are getting the disease and mostly are overweight because they are eating the wrong kinds of food combination and portion or wrong meal patterns. The Zone diet plan is the only plan that concerns itself with the ingenious works of the body’s insulin, proteins, and energy. The Zone diet provides easy ways to measure food intake by the hand Eyeball Method. A lot of diet plans failed because of the complexity of memorizing nutrients and their requirements in food labels.Although the Zone diet could be seen as very effective in treating diabetics, exercise still is a matter of priority. Diet combined with exercise reduces the loss of precious prote in and increases the burning of fat in the process. Other factors like reduction of stress, having adequate sleep contributes to development of insulin resistance. The change of lifestyle should be in addition to the pharmacological intervention of insulin or oral glucose lowering drugs. This is just a matter of understanding the illness, how the body works when one has the disease, and knowing the effects of food intakes with recommended portions.

Acceptable Pins

Read the Case – Acceptance Sampling of Pins of Complete Business Statistics and answer the following questions. Also use the templates to verify the answer. Check and see the effect on acceptance of pins, when the mean and standard deviations are manipulated. Identify the most profitable situation based on cost of reengineering. 1. What is the probability that a batch will be acceptable to the consumer and if the probability is large enough to be an acceptable level of performance?If the population mean and standard deviation of the length of the pins are adjusted in order to improve the percentage accepted, which one do you think in practice is easier to adjust, the mean or the SD and why? 3. If the lathe can be adjusted to have the mean of the lengths to any desired value, what should it be adjusted to and why? 4. If the mean cannot be adjusted, but the SD can be reduced, what maximum value of the SD would make 90%, 95% and 99% of the parts acceptable to the consumer? (Assum e the mean to be 1. 008 inches).5. Considering the cost of resetting the machines (to adjust the population mean involving the engineer’s time, re-engineering process and cost of production time lost): 1. Assume it costs $150 x2 to decrease the SD by (x/1000) inch. Find the cost of reducing the SDs to the values found in question no. 4. 2. Assume that the mean has been adjusted to the best value at a cost of 80$, calculate the SD necessary to have 90%, 95% and 99% of the parts acceptable and their costs. 3. Based on the above, what is your recommended mean and SD? Verify your answers by using excel templates.Format your report consistent with APA guidelines. CASE Acceptance Sampling of Pins A company supplies pins in bulk to a customer. The company uses an automatic lathe to produce the pins. Factors such as vibrations, temperature, wear and tear affect the pins, so that the lengths of the pins made by the machine are normally distributed with a mean of 1. 008 inches and a st andard deviation of 0. 045 inch. The company supplies the pins in large batches to a customer.The customer will take a random sample of 50 pins from the batch and compute the sample mean. If the sample mean is within the interval 1.000 inch  ± 0. 010 inch, then the customer will buy the whole batch. To improve the probability of acceptance, the production manager and the engineers discuss adjusting the population mean and Standard deviation of the length of the pins. The production manager then considers the costs involved. The cost of resetting the machine to adjust the population mean involves the engineers’ time and the cost of production time lost. The cost of reducing the population standard deviation involves, in addition to these costs, the cost of overhauling the machine and reengineering the process.