A research on the issues of the black urban experience according to steven gregory Essay Example for Free

A research on the issues of the black urban experience according to steven gregory Essay Critical Reading Assignment #3 Chapter 5: Race and the Politics of Place Gregory, Steven (1999) Chapter 5: Race and the Politics of Place, in Black Corona, Princeton, NJ:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Princeton University Press, 109-138. The researchers conducted this study in order to challenge the depictions of the black urban experience in the media, academics, and public policy debates, which the author does frequently throughout the study. In this portion of the study, Gregory focuses on the struggles that black Lefrak City residents to disrupt the lingering stereotypes alluding to race, crime, and space in everyday politics. To conduct this research, Steven Gregory, an anthropologist, uses ethnography methods including open-ended interviews, participant observation in neighborhoods and political meetings, and archival research to collect the data used in this study. He interviews various residents and political members from this area and attends a meeting involving the Neighborhood Stabilization Committee and Community Board 4. The study takes place in the Corona neighborhood of Queens, New York, specifically in the Lefrak City are home to many African Americans residents as well as people from many other backgrounds. In this study, Gregory points out the struggles that Black Lefrak City residents had in disrupting the lingering stereotypes about, race, crime, and space in everyday politics. He explains how this area of Corona was viewed as a threat to the quality of life in the surrounding areas, which provides a link to urban decline and crime to black welfare dependency (Gregory 111: 1999). He focuses on struggles in the representation of identity and the meaning of place with the distribution of political power. As evidence, Gregory interviews and observes Edna Baskin, an African American woman eager to get involved and create a political organization to counteract these stereotypes and give black citizens from this area representation in the local politics. She establishes the organization called the Concerned Community Adults, where she would help inform residents of neighborhood issues. She faced many struggles in doing this, however, and was said to be â€Å"rubbing against the grain† (Gregory 118: 1999) while trying to promote her organization and get involved with the Community Board, made up of mostly white participants. Gregory talks about other problems this organizations faced, and the successes it achieved later on. This research has strengths in its overall comprehensiveness of the issues that Gregory is discussing. The topic he tries to tackle is very complex, and he does a good job at trying to try to explain the overall issues of the research. However, Gregory could organize his work in a fashion that is easier to comprehend that helps understand the overall concepts and issues he is focusing on in the research. He also only discusses in depth one example of the struggles that one area of this community faces. I believe that it would be interesting to instead compare the many different struggles that different areas of the community have and relate them to one another. It would be interesting to see the similarities and the differences between the different areas of this community.

Total Quality Management Essay Example for Free

Total Quality Management Essay Quality has become a significant element among the competitive factors in the operations system. Quality is now recognized as a powerful strategic weapon, enables the organization to continually sustain in a global competition. Quality can improve operation management by emphasizing the operation management to focus on producing product that is fit for the purpose of the users, based on Jurans view of quality. The issues of quality is defined by Deming as to produce product that is satisfy to the needs of customers, who plays an essence role in production system. To meet both of the issues of quality, operation management may employ Quality Function Deployment, which is part of the Company Wide Quality Control in Japan under a strict Japanese Industrial Standard, and is refer as the voice of the customers used to translate customers expectations in term of specific requirements, into instructions on how a product should be developed. Dr Mizuno, the Professor of Tokyo created the QFD system and was first applied in Mitsubishi, Heavy Industries, Ltd, in Kobe Shipyard, Japan in 1972.(Yoji Akao, 1990).

Distinction Between Realism and Naturalism

Distinction Between Realism and Naturalism 1. Is the distinction between realism and naturalism worth preserving in discussion of film and/or television drama? To argue that the distinction between naturalism and realism is worth preserving the intention in this case is to explore classic and contemporary texts and attempt to make clear that naturalism alone is insufficient when discussing key themes and elements. To first examine the work of la novelle vague at first glance this film and cultural movement does not seem to be in keeping with the theory and approaches to cinematic realism. Critics would perhaps argue that The French new wave is a stylistic movement born from a frustration to the mainstream â€Å"Hollywood† conventions or â€Å"cinema du papa†. Although on the surface this may indeed be true, but it can be argued, that many of the texts coming out of the French new wave movement were indeed the height of realism. To first examine jean luc Godards classic film a bout de suffle or â€Å"breathless† this to some epitomises the stylistic new wave movement that was happening in France, and soon after Britain. Layered with superfluous stylistic techniques and dislocated continuity, watching breathless is undeniably a challenge. But breathless certainly meets the criteria of being a film entrenched in social realism. Godard uses real interior and exterior locations here, naturalistic performances, improvised dialogue (although cinematographer raul cautard refutes this), natural lighting and action is not a constant motivator of the editing. Perhaps from a first viewing one would think that breathless is film with all the codes of naturalism at work. However, breathless deals with many societal and cultural issues which are generic conventions of a realist text Firstly breathless cinematic approach is certainly stylised but Godard fuses realistic camera techniques with stylistic flair, although the spectator is often jostled and at a loss at times with breathless as Godard subverts many traditional filmic conventions, but: â€Å"It is usually a â€Å"revolt† against previous conventions which characterises a break towards realism in the arts†. Raymond Williams. For example, Michel drives to Marseilles, the cinematography is a mix between the cars passenger seat as it jostles with the bumps of the road and right on top of the cars bonnet, bringing the spectator in the thick of the action, instead of at a distance from it, much like a naturalist approach. Michel sings and talks to himself in the car and shockingly looks directly into the camera and states â€Å"if you dont like the sea, if u dont like the mountains, if u dont like the big city, then get stuffed†. This acknowledgement by Michel is important as it alludes to him acting in a role, breaking the hermetic barrier between film and viewer, and reminds the viewer that this is actually a film, and this is one of many direct address shots within the film. This is a break of the â€Å"suspension of disbelief† and this is important because this is an act of defiance, normally associated with current affairs, fact based programming and Godard fuses this into a work of fiction . This fusion further makes claims of realism. Moreover, Godard here and elsewhere utilizes the theory of Bertolt Brecht, wherein this instant of direct address reminds the viewer that this is a â€Å"representation of reality† and not reality in itself, the viewer is not left passively complacent, but challenged to engage through the very nature if it being unfamiliar and startling. A further shock in this scene is Michels imitation of a pistol firing, and the noise is disturbingly loud compared to the soundtrack, and the spectator is given a visceral shock out of passivity. Although somewhat confusingly; on the whole the audience is never far from the characters, their world and their lives. to reinforce this claim Godard is a an exponent of continuous action and deep focus, for instance the scene in which Michel and Patricia walk along the champs Elsie Godard follows the couple in a continuous tracking shot, this level of deep focus and the way in which the audience stays with the couple allows the audience insight into the filmic world because of our proximity to the characters. Furthermore in a continuous sequence whereby Michel goes to retrieve a check from his friend tolmatchoff, they meet and are followed walking through the foyer, tolmatchoff is called out of the shot, leaving Michel on his own, yet still there is no cutaway until Michel leaves the agency and the police arrive, this may seem peculiar but it allows the audience choice on what or who to focus their attention on; either one of the men or the surroundings. This is in effect an unmedi ated, unbiased presentation, and a similar convention is again seen in Scorseses Goodfellas. A notorious scene within breathless is interesting in particular, as it continues for thirty minutes without a cutaway or change of scene, Patricia and Michel sit in Patricias bedroom, talking about very little, the dialogue provides no insight to further character development nor plot, but it could be deemed that this extraneous dialogue instead of being the usual enunciator of genre and / or narrative progress, that it is the enunciation of realism. By contrast within a naturalism text the cinematography would be dealt with subtly i.e, establishing and wide shot, eyeline matches, and sequences of shot / reverse shots, this is important as this is a classic continuity editing, with its purpose to be submissive to narrative action. To compare the grocery store scene in the very first episode of coronation street; to Michel meeting tolmatchoff in breathless. In each a character moves about the environment, in the first a cut is made when dialogue alludes to something important to plot, character or narration, in breathless, no cuts are made but fluid camera work keeps the spectator involved. In coronation street there is obvious care taken towards the mimicry of real life. â€Å"Kitchens sink† drama, and relatable content; on the surface should personify notions of naturalism. But the distinction between naturalism and realism in Coronation Street become too interweaved and blurred to maintain any distinction between the two. Cinematographically it is loaded with naturalist techniques, but thematically Coronation Street is infused with cultural and societal issues, the family, community, class frustrations and personal relationships. The transition of these would be none existent if naturalism is a sole a pproach. Both godard and the television soap: coronation street both employ realist conventions in different but interesting ways. Coronation Street is fuelled with notions of the â€Å"invisible observer†, this is indeed mediated but allows the communication of real themes: â€Å"The natural transference of attention of an imaginary observer.†.â€Å"an observer ideally mobile in space and time.†. p9 In stark contrast to the brechtian inspired Breathless, the invisible observer nevertheless a form that allows codes of realism to be transmitted. Instead of sneering at the passive spectator utilizes the concept to communicate themes entrenched in realism. In terms of cinematography breathless employs subversive techniques; from the very start of the film we begin in disequilibrium with the lack of a clear establishing shot, soon after the 180 rule is also broken, and throughout Godard uses constant close-ups, these halt narrative action. So these and other cinematographic techniques are not motivated by narration, but style. Godard on the whole is disinterested in the pursuit of the overall narrative, but the relationship between Michel and Patricia, this again is a defiance of classical forms of narration as traditionally cinematography are subservient to narrative. Editing is invisible and unobtrusive. But because the cinematography and editing are self conscious.. and editing which must by default further the layers of realism at work within breathless The characterisation at work within a bout de suffle is certainly not one dimensional, although both Michel could be defined as a sexist or misogynist but he is an outdated stereotype, although he succeeds with his active sexism, stealing from a woman he appears to know etc, he is inevitably punished by the end, although by far this is not activism in breathless, but it does blaze the trail for new thinking between the genders and more importantly these readings are available within the text which further solidify the need to maintain realism and Furthermore Patricias character could be deemed progressive in terms of realism rather than transgressive, she has a clear understanding of her own identity unlike the romanticism of Michel. she understands she must enrol in Sorbonne to study to maintain her life in France, and when she meets her business friend van doude, his lechery seems manipulated by her for her pursuit to further her journalism career, and critically she is indeed Michels demise in the end, this is one of the first representations of women that has not been submissive to patriarchy, Michel constantly lusts after Patricia but she constantly thwarts him but has no problem using her own sexuality to further her own cause, Patricia is in complete control of her fortune. Furthermore she does not take a supporting role like perhaps a young woman would in an Ealing Melodrama, nor does Michel conform to a traditional protagonist, for example his hero; bogart in Casablanca, appears in every single shot within the film, he drives the narrative, however, Michel appears in a small fraction, these further the pursuit of realism within breathless, cinematically and ideologically as godard again further subverts cinematic convention, with representation and sporadic use of his protagonist. Also the transgressive character types break the mould The causality seems bizarre in breathless, Michel is shown going about mundane tasks, irrelevant action is used by Godard instead of a classical mode of narration, i.e action motivates editing and narrative choices. Because Godard subverts this it again falls into a realism category, furthermore as Roland Barthes discusses: â€Å"The narrative process; providing neither narrative information nor character insight, it is, in effect, their function to signify â€Å"reality†, to furnish the â€Å"effect of the real†. Although fraught with ideologies, breathless is not an explicitly political text, the only political allusion is the presidential motorcade. For me this is realist convention not based in naturalism, it gives particularly Michel another dimension. It creates juxtaposition between the cultural youth enterprising psyche in France at the time, and disillusionment felt by many of the youth who didnt adapt to this dogma, but also conforms to the â€Å"new wave trope of the anti- hero. This leads to an issue of the individuals place within society, the audience learns very little about Michel and the information we do glean is questionable, he seems to have no real roots, but he and Patricia both seem socially alienated, and somewhat disenfranchised with society, others may read these characters as fairly simple, that they respond to and are influenced by just their surrounding etc, which would fit into a naturalist framework but i argue, they are both amoral but and disillusioned stemmin g from a larger societal problem: that of the cultural void left by world war two. Michel is metonymic for the French youth during the 1950s. For me this can only be qualified by Michels lust after Patricia, a young American woman, and the constant mimicry of his idol: Humphrey Bogart, also American. In other words, post WW2 France is a cultural vacuum and American consumerism / capitalism has replaced the â€Å"old† France. This reading into a bout de soufflà © is based on a realism school of thought, so the distinction between naturalism and realism is a pertinent one to maintain, otherwise the â€Å"real life† drama behind social realism texts cannot be found. In contrast to this, coronation street alludes to nothing global, political or religious, in this way it is the height of being secular, but because of this coronation street has â€Å"space† to concentrate on the universality of human emotion and dilemma. The lack of a traditional realism category in Coronation Street allows thematic space for â€Å"everyday† reality to be conveyed. To return to breathless and Michels emulation of Humphrey Bogart is evidence that godard is critically aware of Hollywood iconography and conventions, breathless is peppered with noir / gangster genre tropes, Michels trilby, and urban landscape, guns, the police investigation etc. Although this genre does not frame Godards text, however it is interweaved with the tradition of realism or rather the representation of the â€Å"real†, most importantly as Michel is punished and killed at the films climax. Furthermore, Godards use of the jump cut and other unsettling devices, these all disrupt the narrative and genre from doing their â€Å"conventional† roles. So the culmination of these must be that Godard is aware of these Hollywood tropes but either subverts them or denies them working at all for me this blazes a trail for social and socially extended realism to show through. But even this is morphed, as the spectator is not thrown into the film world much like the effect of Boyles Trainspotting, but rather the spectator oscillates between consuming narrative action and objectively engaging with it. It would be easy to mistake Coronation Street for sheer naturalism, or any television soap as a naturalist text, for many reasons. But as discussed below the surface there is a pool of depth that is in keeping with notions of realism. To contrast a assumed naturalist text in Coronation Street to a literal naturalist text in Shakespeares King Lear, the differences are stark, although a very old text, the contrast is still interesting, the subject matter is high class monarchy, the characters motivations are clear, money, power, love. And all characters are influenced by each other and their environment, there is little ambiguity nor psychological and philosophical depth. Contrasting Shakespeares classic work with Coronation Street where human emotion and interaction is explored this twinned with the ideological presentation of character in Breathless. It becomes clear that naturalism provides very little in terms of exposing any â€Å"truth† within an audio visual text. Continuing with naturalism, although with reference to theatre Jean Jullien (1854-1919) states: â€Å"A play is a slice of life put onstage with art.† This quote perhaps personifies Shakespeares work, in this case. It is a slice of life, a snapshot of the â€Å"real†, without the any of the characteristics of either being real i.e. Coronation Street; Or representing reality, I.e. Godards Breathless. To explore naturalism I wish to discuss the television drama: Coronation Street, specifically the very first episode as it is perhaps more suitable of the time period when considering Godards breathless, naturalism and its conventions are in stark contrast with regard to the issues previously discussed. Coronation Street is motivated by trying to recreate â€Å"real† life. Coronation street is not fraught with economic, political or ideological concepts, its main focus is on individual relationship and the interaction between them, and on there environment, and because of this there is a certain distance between viewer and there are obvious distinctions between these two texts on the exterior coronation street here makes use of indoor naturalist settings, furthermore the use of regionalised specifically northern characters, Coronation Street begins with an establishing shot of the street accompanied by extra digetic music, setting the particular setting and the regional place, i.e brass music, with its links to northern heritage. The audience enters a small shop, all camera movement and editing is submissive to dialogue and action, although most prominently shown within the dinner table scene with ken Barlow, rapid cuts are utilized to focus on whichever character speaks, this is classic continuity editing, this is an invisible unobtrusive technique and as the performances are naturalistic it forces the audience the focus of the â€Å"reality† at work. Although breathless deals with subversive character types, coronation street deals with existing stereotypes, for association in the audience, the working classes most prominently with â€Å"kitchen sink† subject matter. This is a form of socially extended realism. The material in Coronation Street is realistic: Poverty, economy and class are intimated within the drama but it always kept within the boundaries of how these issues effect the individual. For this reason it would be deemed Coronation Street is socially extended realism. For example Ken Barlows parents feel he is rejecting his roots, a class issue; dealt with within the confines of the dynamics of family relationships. So the primary focus of this television drama is the mimesis between screen and real life,

Canada Cultural Landscape :: essays research papers

Canada is the world's second largest country, and it is the largest country in the Western Hemisphere. It comprises of the entire North American continent north of the United States, with the exclusion of Alaska, Greenland, and the tiny French islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon. Its most easterly point is Cape Spear, Newfoundland and its western limit is Mount St. Elias in the Yukon Territory, near the Alaskan border. The southernmost point is Middle Island, in Lake Erie and the northern tip is Cape Columbia, on Ellesmere Island. Canada has an abundance of mineral, forest, and waterpower resources. The mining industry has been a major force in Canada's economic development in the past and is still the main force in the advance and economic activity and permanent settlement into the northlands. The principal minerals are petroleum, nickel, copper, zinc, iron ore, natural gas, asbestos, molybdenum, sulfur, gold, and platinum; in addition extensive beds of coal, potash, uranium, gypsum, silver, and magnesium are found. Fresh water covers an estimated 8% of Canada. The many rivers and lakes supply ample fresh water to meet the nation's needs for its communities and for irrigation, agriculture, industries, transportation, and hydroelectric power generation. Canada has four principal drainage basins: the Atlantic Basin which drains to the Atlantic Ocean by way of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River, the Hudson Bay Basin which drains northward into Hudson Bay via the Churchill, Nelson and Saskatchewan rivers, the Arctic Basin which is drained by the Mackenzie River and the Pacific Basin which drains into the Pacific Ocean via the Fraser, Yukon and Columbia rivers. Most of Canada's people live in the southern part of the country, in an elongated, discontinuous belt of settlement parallel to the U.S.-Canadian border. The most populated provinces are Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia. During the last couple years, the Canadian economy has been transformed from on based primarily on agricultural production and the export of agricultural products and raw materials to one based primarily on its manufacturing and service sectors, as well as a mining sector of continuing importance. Canada's economy reflects a high-tech industrial society and resembles the United States, with whom it has close economic ties. This is one reason why a large percentage of the population, live by the U.

Hamlet or the Epic of Son-Jara - The Biggest Influence on The Lion King

The Lion King is Disney's most successful movie to date. Many believe that the Lion King is Disney's only original movie; the only movie not previously a fairy tale from one country or another. In fact, The Lion King is in on based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Disney writers conceal the basic character archetypes and simplified storyline in a children's tale of cute lions in Africa. On the other hand William Shakespeare’s Hamlet was based on the Epic of Son-Jara or Sundiata. This lead to the debate is the Lion King based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet or the West African story, the Epic of Son-Jara. Simba, Hamlet, and Son-Jara are all heroes in their own story. All of them must take on a villain that knew very well, but who does Simba’s journey resemble the most Does Simba represent Hamlet, the prince of Denmark, or Son-Jara, the lion king. The characters in The Lion King closely resemble the characters in Hamlet. Simba, the main character in The Lion King, embodies Hamlet. Simba and Hamlet are the son of kings and both are the rightful heirs to the throne. â€Å"By pairing the play Hamlet with the Disney movie, The Lion King, students discover that both Hamlet and Simba represent the mythical archetype of exiled child whose role is to restore world order and who has a heroic task. Students also realize that they too are unique individuals on heroic journeys.†(Gavin 55) Hamlet and Simba, when he was a lion cub, were banished from their homes. Simba exiled himself because he believed that he killed his own father but, it was in fact his uncle scar that killed him. Hamlet, on the under hand, was sent off to college by his uncle Claudius. Claudius became the king of Denmark after death of Hamlet’s father. Claudius believed that Hamlet played a ha... .... Dir. Roger Allers. Walt Disney Pictures, 1994. Flim. Simon, Peter Ed. The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Shorter second edition, Vol.I. New York: W.W. Norton + Company, 2009 Nobumitsu .The Epic of Son-Jara. Simon 1552-1587 William Shakespeare. Hamlet. Simon 1782-1872 Gavin, Rosemarie. The Lion King" and "Hamlet": A Homecoming for the Exiled Child. The English Journal 3rd ser. 85 (1996): 55-57. Print. Paterno, Domenica R. "The True Lion King of Africa: The Epic History of Sundiata, King of Old Mali." Annual Meeting of the National Council of Teachers of English. Orlando. 16-21 Nov. 1994. Speech. "Q&A WITH THE DIRECTORS OF DISNEY'S THE LION KING!" Interview by Victor Medina. Q&A WITH THE DIRECTORS OF DISNEY'S THE LION KING! Web. 3 Apr. 2012. Hamlet or the Epic of Son-Jara - The Biggest Influence on The Lion King The Lion King is Disney's most successful movie to date. Many believe that the Lion King is Disney's only original movie; the only movie not previously a fairy tale from one country or another. In fact, The Lion King is in on based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Disney writers conceal the basic character archetypes and simplified storyline in a children's tale of cute lions in Africa. On the other hand William Shakespeare’s Hamlet was based on the Epic of Son-Jara or Sundiata. This lead to the debate is the Lion King based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet or the West African story, the Epic of Son-Jara. Simba, Hamlet, and Son-Jara are all heroes in their own story. All of them must take on a villain that knew very well, but who does Simba’s journey resemble the most Does Simba represent Hamlet, the prince of Denmark, or Son-Jara, the lion king. The characters in The Lion King closely resemble the characters in Hamlet. Simba, the main character in The Lion King, embodies Hamlet. Simba and Hamlet are the son of kings and both are the rightful heirs to the throne. â€Å"By pairing the play Hamlet with the Disney movie, The Lion King, students discover that both Hamlet and Simba represent the mythical archetype of exiled child whose role is to restore world order and who has a heroic task. Students also realize that they too are unique individuals on heroic journeys.†(Gavin 55) Hamlet and Simba, when he was a lion cub, were banished from their homes. Simba exiled himself because he believed that he killed his own father but, it was in fact his uncle scar that killed him. Hamlet, on the under hand, was sent off to college by his uncle Claudius. Claudius became the king of Denmark after death of Hamlet’s father. Claudius believed that Hamlet played a ha... .... Dir. Roger Allers. Walt Disney Pictures, 1994. Flim. Simon, Peter Ed. The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Shorter second edition, Vol.I. New York: W.W. Norton + Company, 2009 Nobumitsu .The Epic of Son-Jara. Simon 1552-1587 William Shakespeare. Hamlet. Simon 1782-1872 Gavin, Rosemarie. The Lion King" and "Hamlet": A Homecoming for the Exiled Child. The English Journal 3rd ser. 85 (1996): 55-57. Print. Paterno, Domenica R. "The True Lion King of Africa: The Epic History of Sundiata, King of Old Mali." Annual Meeting of the National Council of Teachers of English. Orlando. 16-21 Nov. 1994. Speech. "Q&A WITH THE DIRECTORS OF DISNEY'S THE LION KING!" Interview by Victor Medina. Q&A WITH THE DIRECTORS OF DISNEY'S THE LION KING! Web. 3 Apr. 2012.

Free Essay on Miltons Paradise Lost - Paradise Lost as an Epic :: Milton Paradise Lost Essays

Paradise Lost as an Epic  Ã‚   The Oxford English Dictionary defines "cosmos" as "the world or universe as an ordered and harmonious system," from the Greek, "kosmos," referring to an ordered and/or ornamental thing. Though Pythagoras is credited with first using this term to describe the Universe, probably since he is also the one most commonly cited for ideas of harmony and the Musica Mundana, cosmos is generally a contrast to "chaos"-"the first state of the universe." In explaining the theology and cosmology of Paradise Lost, Milton writes, "the heavens and earth/ Rose out of Chaos," describing the move from the formless mass to the ordered whole. (I:9-10) As much as this delineates the structure of the world, however, its culmination seems to appear in the Spirit, as Milton has conceived it-the free, reasoning, integrated Consciousness. Though many have found a hero in the English epic from its dramatis personae-from Adam to Satan to God/Son himself-the most encompassing heroism seems that of Milton himself, a s a manifestation of this most supreme of creations: the wholesome mind.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   An instance in which Milton's views on the sovereignty of the Spirit appear in some of the conversations of the Arch Fiend himself with his fellows-which is quite ironic, considering that the story is an extrapolation upon Christian Scripture. One of Satan's "compeers" says, during a discussion after their exile from Heaven: Too well I see and rue the dire event That, with sad overthrow and foul defeat, Hath lost us Heaven, and all this mighty host In horrible destruction laid thus low, As far as Gods and heavenly Essences Can perish: for the mind and spirit remains Invincible, and vigour soon returns, Though all our glory extinct, and happy state Here swallowed up in endless misery (I:135-140).    The invincibility of "the mind and spirit" is something which even the foes of God understand. Though the fallen angels corrupt their "heavenly Essences" with disobedience and revolt, they still have a keen understanding of the powers of perception, of personal reaction to one's environment-"for neither do the Spirits damned/ Lose all their virtue" (2:482-483). Satan boldly speaks to his fellows, asking What though the field be lost? All is not lost-the unconquerable will . . . And courage never to submit or yield (I:105-108).    Like a true hero, Satan refers to conquest and courage, a response to the tyranny he and his cohorts have received from the hand of God.

Common Accidents Among Children

Common Accidents Among Children A person would think the safest place on earth is a family’s home. Most accidents occur in and around the home. Most of the accidents that occur could have been prevented if a few precautions have been taken. Safety measures are often overlooked when a people are in a rush however protecting loved-ones from a senseless tragedy is worth the time. Most accidents that occur with infants are the use of mobile walkers. In 1997, mobile walkers need to be made wider than 36 inches, the size of a standard door. Accidents occur when a child in a walker falls down the stairs. The accidents can happen either inside a house, outside on the ground, or when on a deck or raised surface. Although it is the law that children are to ride in car seats when under the age of six or 60 pounds not everyone follows the law. Children are injured in motor vehicle accidents when the children are not placed in the car seats, the car seats are installed improperly, or the child is not wearing a seat belt. Many times when children are injured from not being in a car seat in an accident, there is an empty car seat in the back seat of the car. Burns are very common accidents with children. Parents should make sure their thermostat on the water heater is set below 120 degrees. Burns occur from scalding hot water in the bath tub. Many children suffer burns when adult’s accidentally spills hot liquids such as coffee or tea on a child. Children can also receive burns when they grab the handles of pots cooking on the stove. Parents should always make sure they all pot handles are turned toward the back of the stove so small children cannot pull them down on top of them. Another common way children receive burns are when the children pull the cords of curling irons or irons. Children riding on bikes with their parents are often injured. Children’s feet are caught in the spokes of the bicycle. Parents should always ride in seat. Parents and children should always make sure to wear their helmets. Poisoning is another accident that can be preventable. Cleaning products, paint thinners, pesticides, and medicines need to be locked up and out of the reach of children. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco should also be kept out of reach of children, if ingested it can be harmful to children. Children can also ingest plants that are poisonous. It is a good idea for parents to keep the phone number to poison control by the telephone in case of accidental ingestion. It is also a good idea to keep a bottle of Ipecac syrup in a medicine cabinet at all times. Parents should never induce vomiting unless instructed to do so by poison control. One of the most common causes of injury or death to young children is drowning. More males are injured than females, 3:1. A common misconception is that it takes a great deal of water for a child to drown. However, a child can drown in a few inches of water. Parents should Eradicate any standing water around the home. It sounds a little silly but even installing locks on the toilet bowl lids could prevent drowning. Children drown when left unattended in the bathtub. Parents should never leave their child unattended for any length of time when filling a bathtub full of water (Neifert, M. ,2003). Swimming pools should have gates with locks and have removable ladders. Children should never be allowed to swim by themselves. To maximize the security of children around the swimming pool, some parents have installed a water alarm. The alarm will sound when something enters the water. Electrocution is another common accident. Parents should put safety plugs in all outlets. This helps so that children cannot stick their fingers or metal objects into the outlets. Electrical cords should be hidden or out of the reach of the children. Children can pull at them or chew on them. Radios, curling irons and hair dryers should always be unplugged and kept away from the bathtub. Choking is another injury which occurs to children. Children especially those who have not started to walk yet pick up small objects off the floor and put them in their mouths. Toys that have small removable parts should not be given to children. Another toy children love that should be avoided is balloons. When balloons pop, the child can put a piece into his or her mouth. Once the balloon is swallowed it is very difficult to eject the balloon out of the child’s throat. Parents should always supervise their children when they are eating. Parents should avoid giving children hard candy, grapes, hot dogs, and peanuts. Children have also been known to choke accidentally themselves on the cord to the mini-blinds. Parents should not let their children play with long strings, ribbons, or ropes. Plastic bags should be thrown away or kept out of the reach of children to prevent suffocation. Keeping children safe is a difficult job. Parents and caregivers can make it easier by taking a few helpful precautions. If a house has a flight of stairs, parents need to put safety gates at the top and bottom to help prevent children from falling (LeBlanc, 2007). Keep the stairs free from toys or clutter to prevent falls. Loose carpeting should be tacked down and area rugs should have non-slip mats on the underside. The best way to prevent tragic accidents is to be aware about home safety. Supervision is the key with children. Children are quick and accidents can occur in a few seconds. References LeBlanc, J. (2007). Making Our Homes Safe For Children. Pediatrics for Parents, 23(9), 12. Retrieved from MasterFILE Premier database Neifert, M. (2003). Preventing common childhood injuries. Baby Talk, 68(8), 19. Retrieved from MasterFILE Premier database.