Importance Of Stretching Before Exercise Physical Education Essay

Importance Of Stretching Before Exercise Physical Education Essay Stretching before participation in athletic activities is typical practice for all levels of sports, competitive or recreational. Athletes, coaches, trainers, physiotherapists, and physicians recommend stretching in an effort to both prevent injury and enhance performance. Several papers have been published which has produced a significant body of evidence that stretching may not be the way to improve performance and decrease risk of injury. Recent research demonstrates that stretching prior to physical activity decreases performance. However, these stretching bouts are not representative of athletes during warm up procedures, as they are usually time consuming. The aim of the this study is to examine whether the duration of acute static stretching is responsible for losses in sprint times compared to increased/decreased flexibility.   Research has shown the reduction of peak flow force when using static stretching but research has also shown the reduction of injury and the improve ment of flexibility in the long term which also assists in sprinting performance. Research in this area has sometimes been vague involving the time of the static stretched used. Bandy (1997) used 57 subjects from the age of 21 to 37 years old, 40 of these being male and 17 female with all participants having limited hamstring flexibility. These participants were randomly assigned to four groups. Three groups stretched 5 days per week for 15, 30, and 60 seconds, Group four served as a control group, and did not stretch. The test was ran over a six week period. The results showed that holding a stretch for 30 seconds was optimal as it had a greater effect on range of motion than the 15 seconds and control group and the same effect as the 60 seconds. Bandy (1997) concluded that because there was little difference between no stretching and 15 seconds coaches and athletes must raise the question of the effectivness of static stretching for periods less than 30 seconds. Although this study supports its hypothesis it is very specific to the hamstring and lower body. Muscle such as the gasrtocnemuis may show different results due to the higher percentage of fast twi tch muscle fibres which performs larger, more powerful movements REF. The study did not show the acute effects of static stretching so we cannot assume these results would or would not enhance range of motion/flexibility gains prior to any sporting events. Also this study is excessively narrow in subject focus and as all participants had limited amount of range of flexibility within the hamstring, with a higher majority of subjects being men. Therefore this makes the results only valid to this population. Due to the length of the study and the uncontrolled environment I would have to question the suitability of the research design and the effectiveness of the data collection. The subjects were only tested once after the six week period, therefore subjects were subjected to outside environmental factors during the six weeks which may have affected results. Testing and monitoring constantly throughout the six weeks would improve the reliability of this study. A more controlled study was done by Shirer (2005). This study focused on muscle performance rather than flexibility. He conducted a study using males from a university population who were pre and post tested for isometric force and surface electromyography activity. (Shirer 2005 pg 22) tests were performed on only lower limb muscles, range of motion in seated hip flexion, prone hip extension, ankle planter and dorsi flexion, no-counter movement jump height, and ground contact time. Male participants were tested 30, 60, 90, and one120 seconds after static stretching. The group partake in an 18 minute static stretch routine for the lower body (hamstrings, quadriceps, and planter flexors). 45 seconds was the protocol stretch time used for each muscle group and was repeated four times with a 15 second break in-between. Shirier (2005) found differences in the acute (just before exercise) and regular stretching (over a period of time). Results stated that there was no significant benefit o f acute stretching on isometric force production, isokinetic torque, or jumping height. In addition, (Shirer 2005 pg 25) concluded by saying that regular stretching after exercise may improve strength, jump height, and running speed. As a result these findings imply that acute stretching before exercise had no positive effects on strength and power while regular stretching after training or competition improved strength and speed. Results did not relate to the acute effects of static stretching but only the acute effects of isometric force. Again this study provides significant evidence for the effects of stretching on performance, however the time frame used for the stretches in this study was 45 seconds and 30 seconds has been proven in the previous study to be the optimal time. This extended period of time could therefore affect the force production and therefore the results. A similar study by Fowles (2000) that supports Shirer (2005) body of evidence showed the effect of stretching on muscular strength over time. (Fowles 2000 pg 1179) Subjects performed 13 stretches of the plantar flexors, holding each stretch for 135 seconds during a time frame of 33 minutes. Maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) was assessed 6 times during the ensuing 60 minutes. Fowles (2000) concluded that an intense extended stretch (of the plantar flexors) reduces MVIC for up to 1 hour after stretching. Although this evidence supports that of Shirier (2005) it is not relevant to sports performance as proven by Bandy (1997) the time for both holding the stretch and time spent on stretching is too long and therefore is not specific to sports performance and is not relevant. A more sport specific study was done by (Sayers AL 2008) who performed a study using 20 female football players to determine which phase of the 30 meter sprint (acceleration and or maximum velocity) was affected by performance static stretching. Participants were assigned at random to either a stretch or no stretch condition on two non-consecutive days. The athletes in the no-stretch condition completed a standard warm-up protocol and then performed three 30-m sprints, with a 2-minute rest interval between. The athletes in the stretch condition performed the standard warm-up protocol, completed a stretching routine of the lower limbs which included calf, quadriceps, and hamstrings and then without delay performed three 30-m sprints, also with a 2-minute rest between each sprint. The groups would then reverse the next day, and indistinguishable procedures were followed. A considerable statistical difference in acceleration maximal-velocity sprint time, and overall sprint time between the stretch and no-stretch conditions was seen. (Sayers AL 2008 pg 1420) concluded by stating that static stretching before sprinting resulted in slower times in all three performance variables. Although this study proves that static stretching diminishes spitting performance it does not state the time held with the stretches. Again this study is gender specific and as studies has proven significant differences between male and females relating in flexibility and spots performance we cannot assume these results are relevant for both genders. Favero (2009) took this further by relating flexibility to performance investigating the effect of stretching on sprint performance and baseline flexibility. 10 trained male subjects (age 22 to 23 yrs) were randomly designated to Rest and Stretch conditions. (Favero 2009 pg 52) A low intensity 5 min running warm-up procedure was followed by either 12 min of inactivity (Rest) or lower-limb stretches. No statistically significant difference in measures of sprint performance between conditions were seen, however there was a significant correlation between baseline sit-and-reach scores and mean change in mean velocity between conditions. There was an preference for stretching to a harmful affect on sprint performance in subjects with moderately high baseline flexibility. (Favero 2009 pg 54) concluded by saying an acute bout of stretching does not exert a significant effect on sprint performance under prescribed conditions. This research therefore disputes previous studies which state tha t stretching effects sprinting performance. Unlike the previous studies Favero (2009) compared the difference in flexibility compared to the sprinting performance, therefore making the results specific, reliable and valid. Unfortunately there is a lack of evidence and current data to support this conclusion. Kistler (2008) conducted a similar study to see what would happen to these performance effects at longer distances such as those seen in competition.(Kistler 2008 pg. 2281) This study investigated the effects of passive static stretching vs no stretching on the 60- and 100-m sprint performance of college track athletes after a dynamic warm-up. Results discovered a considerable slowing in performance with static stretching in the second 20 (20-40) m of the sprint trials. Following the first 40 m, static stretching exhibited no added affect on performance in a 100-m sprint. However, even tho there was no further time loss, athletes never retrieved back the time that was initially lost in the first section of the trials. Therefore, in strict terms of sporting performance, it is probable that including static stretching will have a diminishing affect of sprinting performance up to 100 meters. (Kistler 2008 pg. 2283) went on to say that the study found no additional inhibition during the final 60 m of a 100-m dash, therefore it is possible that performance in even longer events could actually benefit from static stretching. This study supports that of previous literature and supplies solid evidence to propose that static stretching has an effect on sprinting performance at short distances; however many athletes use stretching as a method of injury prevention and increase range in motion, and this study does not provide any information about the effectiveness of static stretching in this regard. Summary All but 1 study found that an acute bout of stretching diminished performance tests of sprinting, or jumping performance Even though most studies used a randomised cross-over design some studies used a pre-post design. Results were in general constant across designs. Static stretching was used in most of the studies, even tho there are many other appropriate methods used to stretch. Affects were however was observed with other forms of stretching as well. The review showed body of evidence suggesting that these affects were consistent across different types of stretching for isometric force, isokinetic torque, and jump height. Even though different types of stretching in running produced incompatible results, the main methodological difference was the duration of stretch, which was inconsistent and had no explanation for the use of the time used. As a result it was found that longer stretch produced worse results. In relation there was limited research on acute effects after stretching in relation to range of motion and flexibility. A huge variable to consider was the subject population as most studies found similar results across age, gender and level of athletic ability. This may suggests the results are due to fundamental physiological adaptations that occur in the muscle, a hypothesis that is supported by the critical science evidence on stretch-induced muscle damage and stretch-induced hypertrophy (Morgan 1999). Possible improvements in performance may be at the expense of an increased risk of injury. Therefore the advantages and disadvantages of stretching need to be considered for individual athletes, together with but not partial to competition level, competition timing (e.g., early or late in the season). Although different forms of performance were tested in these studies, including isokinetic, isometric force, jump height, jump velocity, acceleration, and sprint speed, these do not account for all aspects of performance. In addition, stretching may be a method of relaxation for athletes, and may possi bly affect performance. If this were a method to improve performance, then stretching should be compared with other methods of relaxation for quantifiable effectiveness. In summary, the literature suggest that for athletes who take part in sports that require power, strength, and explosive movements need to consider that static stretching before activity may cause a short-term decline in sprinting performance. Conversely, frequent stretching will advance the results for all activities. This is comparable to the fact that stretching directly prior to exercise does not diminish the possibility of injury, nevertheless regular stretching may reduce the risk of injury. Therefore, athletes should stretch after exercise, or at a time not associated to exercise. Further research is necessary to ascertain both the degree of pre-stretching necessary to cause a damaging effect, and the time-course between the preservation of the increased range of motion and the prolongation of the capacity to generate maximal power. Methodology The focus of this study was to test the length of time taken with a stretch and compare this to the performance of both sprinting and flexibility. 30 male participants were recruited from Cheddar Football club. Subjects were required to read and complete a health questionnaire and sign an informed consent document. The appropriate institutional ethics committee approved the study. The participants were not informed of the results until the study was completed. A convenience sample was used as a high volume of participants were readily available and allowed basic data and trends to be obtained without the complications of using a randomised sample. All participants regular play football and are subjected to sprinting. This makes my sample specific and relative to athletic performance where as an ideal sample results may differ due to gender, age, and athletic ability differences. A secondary observer was used to record the results and help time the pre stretches. This ensured subject were monitored, and therefore helped ensure the test procedure was followed correctly. The 30 males partaked in both a pre sit and reach flexibilit y test and a 40 meter sprint. Participants were subjected to a 5 min protocol warm up prior to the pre test comprising of jogging 400 m, forward skips 2 x 60 m, side steps 4 x 20 m, backwards skips 2 x 60 m. Participants only had 1 attempt at each of the pre test. To minimise variation in climatic conditions, all sprints were performed on an indoor track using running trainers. The sprints were initiated from a standard stationary split stance with the dominant foot to the front and foot behind the starting line, with no rocking movements and were timed with (Omoron electronic timing gates). Timing gates were used to ensure the most accurate readings as the difference in times will be minimal, therefore this will ensure there is no room for human error, therefore making the results more reliable. The time would start as soon as the participant travels through the first beam and then would stop when the participant travels through the beam 40 meters from the starting line. To control for error, the laser beam was positioned so the height above the ground approximated the height of the runners waist. The sit and reach test was then performed 2 minutes after the 40 meter sprint. A modified sit and reach test was used to control for the variable lengths of peoples arms and legs, which is a limitation of the standard test. The equipment was set up that, the zero mark is adjusted for each individual, based on their sitting reach level. This ensured that the result would be a positive number which is necessary for a statistical analysis. An (Acuflex) modified flexibility sit and reach test box was used to record the test. Procedure Three different stretch protocols were used, with each protocol being performed on a different day. Group 1 would hold the stretch for 30 seconds, group 2 for 15 seconds and group 3 would stretch for 5 seconds. All groups were given the same protocol warm up as the pre test. The stretching activities were ones that the athletes normally used in their daily warm-up rituals. All groups then stretch their hamstrings, quadriceps, and gastrconemuis for their given times. For each activity, the range of motion was increased until the person acknowledged a stretch-induced discomfort similar to that normally felt during their daily stretching activities. At this point, the stretch was maintained for their given times. The first stretch was a hamstring stretch. The subjects laid down in a supine position on the floor with a leg extended. The opposing leg was flexed at the patella at 90 degrees and hip 45 degrees, with the sole of the foot planted tightly on the floor. From this pose, the extended leg was raised to an upright position. The second was a quadriceps stretch. The participant adopted a vertical position, standing on one leg with the other leg flexed with the heel pulled close to the glutes with the help of the hand. The last stretch was the glastocnemius. The participant adopted a split stance shoulder width apart with the front leg slightly bent. The body weight is transferred forward whilst keeping the heel of the back foot on the ground. All stretches were performed in the order mentioned above, in accordance of a 30 second rest interval dividing each different stretch. Once this sequence of stretches was finished, the leg was rested for a further 30 seconds and then the sequence was repeated until all muscles were equally stretched 3 times. One full cycle of stretches on one leg was performed before changing legs. Following the stretching regime, the athletes were told to relax for 3 minutes before beginning the 40 meter sprints. The modified sit and reach test followed the 40 meter sprint. The test involved sitting on the floor with legs stretched out straight ahead. Footwear was removed. The soles of the feet were placed flat against the box. Both knees were locked and pressed to the floor with the palms facing downwards, and the hands on top of each other or side by side, the subject then reached forward along the measuring line as far as possible. The hands had to remain at the same level, not one reaching further forward than the other. The subject then reaches out and holds that position for two seconds while the distance is recorded.  Groups repeated the test 1week later changing the time of the stretch. 1 week wash out time was given to ensure significant time to recover. This was again repeated the following week with the groups changing the times once again. I have used repeated measure as it ensured the experiment was more efficient and helped keep the variability low. This therefore helped to ke ep the validity of the results higher, while still allowing for smaller than usual subject groups. It also allowed the experiments to be completed more quickly, as only a few groups need to be used to complete the entire experiment. It is important to make sure the experiment is completed quickly as changes in participants may occur due to practice effects. The two pre- and two post-sprint times were averaged. Data was analysed using qualitative measures. The reliability of the 40 meter times for each stretch condition was calculated using an intraclass correlation coefficient on pre test measures. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures was used to compare the times for each stretch condition. I have used this method of testing as it will reduce the likelihood of a false positive (type 1 error). For this reason using the ANOVA will help me compare three means. In addition to the above analysis on the average 40 m sprint times, a post-hoc analysis was done on the best time for each trial. I have used these methods of testing as they have been used in many of the reviewed literature. Therefore I know these methods are applicable and will therefore allow me to easily compare my results to previous literature. To prove my hypothesis, I have used a common alpha value of 0.05 (5%). Parametric (anova) or non Parametric

Different Forms Of People Management Commerce Essay

Different Forms Of People Management Commerce Essay At the end of the nineteenth century many workers were employed in the manufacturing sectors, where they had to put in long hours and conditions were often harsh. The welfare state did not exist and no work could mean destitution. However, even in such unenlightened times some employers did value their workers and took on a paternalist role for their employees. Such famous names as Cadbury, Rowntree and Bournville, all chocolate manufacturers, and Lever, a soap manufacturer, all took their employees` welfare very seriously and established the provision of health and education as part of their role as a responsible employer. These enlightened employers tended to be Quakers and were some of the first employers to employ welfare officers. The welfare officers were often women and were concerned not only with visiting sick employees but also with supervising moral welfare. We will take an overview of the state of debate. THE STATE OF DEBATE The question of whether human resource management has the capacity to transform or replace deeply rooted models of personnel management and industrial relations, or could become fully worked-through theory of management, is one that cannot be answered in a simple manner. Human resource management has many cogent critics and many sceptical supporters. Initial criticism which claimed that it was `old wine new bottles` ,the restatement perspective outlined earlier in this chapter, still has strong adherents (Keenoy and Anthony, 1993). Others see it as a version of `the emperor`s new clothes` (Legge, 1989) or a `wolf sheep`s clothing` (Armstrong, 1987) The 1990s have seen a growing sophistication in the nature of the debate involving HRM. One very strong characteristic is the desire on the part of a number of commentators to explore the consequences of implementing HRM techniques for organizations. Thus the nature of the argument now strongly incorporates the concept of HRM outcomes rather than relying largely on descriptions of styles or types of HRM philosophies. Part of this development has been promoted by the realisation that traditional sources of competitive advantage, such as technological supremacy, patents, capital and so forth, are very much less important than they were in a world in which many countries can display equal advantage in at least some of these critical aspects (Pfeffer, 1994). Thus the extent to which an organization can mobilise is internal human resources may hold the key to achievable advantage in the future (Prahalad and Hamel, 1990). The general managerial epithet that `people are our greatest asset` is a tried clichÃÆ' ©; what distinguishes the most recent work is its focus on the recourse based model of HRM and the particular mix ofskills and attributes that can be developed and applied to economic performance. Thus Huselid (1995) has argued that high performance work practices have an economically and statically significant impact on such employee outcomes as turnover and productivity and both short- and long-term measures of corporate financial performance. In my opinion is, the importance of HRM as rhetoric that speaks to the concerns of a wide range of stakeholder groups-personnel and line managers, government and academics-should not be underestimated. We will take an overview of the chances in external environmental factors and HR practices and strategies. CHANGE-MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES These are required if organizations are to be effective in developing an innovative and fast moving organisation that keep up with the fast pace of development in a modern society. Organizations need to be adaptable and flexible, which means that policies and objectives need to be place to manage change. Many of the IT industryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s need to be adaptable and fast changing to keep up with changes in modern technology. For example, Apple Computers` market share was in decline due to monopoly of the Microsoft windows operating system, but it has reinvented itself with the iPod, and is now leading the way in music technology. Without change management objectives Apple would have found it much harder to respond to rapid changes. For this reason the recruitment, selection and development strategies all need to feed into the change management objectives. Policy formulation and management of change This means using HR policy to identify and manage change in a business environment. This extends from Harward model, which has not identified change effectively to ensure competitiveness. Apple Computers managed to develop the iPod and gain competitive advantage by having policies for managing innovation and change. Nevertheless, these assumptions inform the practices and policies of management, and hence define the organizational and conceptual space that HRM fills and generate the multiple meanings of which HRM is constructed. We shall examine some of them in greater detail shortly. Competing interpretations of organisations and management When we stand back from the concrete world of managing to that of theories about organizations and management, we find that not only have very different interpretations been made overtime, but there exist simultaneously several strongly competing interpretations. Again, we can only skim over this material, but u can pursue the issues by reading, for example, Child (1969), who traces the development of management trough in Britain or Morgan (1986), who examines in a very accessible way eight different metaphors or ways that theorists as well as others have construed organisations. Brunsson (1989) throws a different light on the nature and goals of organising, based on his research in Scandinavian municipal administrations. He suggest that the outputs of these kinds of organizations are `talk, decision and physical products`. He proposes two ideal types of organization that depends on action for its legitimacy. Talk and decisions in the action organization lead to actions, whereas the outputs of the political organization are talk and decisions that may not lead to action. Having now examined some of the choices managers make to deal with the tensions within organizations and some of the competing interpretations offered by theorist of those tensions and choices, we need to stepback even further to become aware of the ways of thinking and of seeing that inform their assumptions. First, however, we shall examine the next layer of the context of HRM. THE CONTEXT OF HUMAN RECOURCE MANAGEMENT Human resource management cannot take place in isolation from the internal organization or the external environment where the political, economic, societal, technological and international context can have an impact on how the organization operates and how HRM is managed within that context. The context (the external and internal environment within which HR operates) within which HR takes place will impact on organizational polices and have implications for the functions of HR. this has been highlighted earlier in the example of the Beardmore conference Hotel, whose flexible benefits reflected the local society and culture as well as the economic environment, where managers recognised the need to attract and retain staff at that time. Context has many layers, which build up to impact on how the organization does business. THE ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT To operate successfully the organization needs to ask itself the following questions. What business are we in? How can we carry out our business to be as effective as possible and to meet out stakeholders`(identifiable clusters of people who have an economic and/or social interest in the performance of an organization) needs? The organizational context is also influenced by external context; it interacts with its environment and this in turn impacts on HR. for this reason, HR practices need to be designed to reflect the organizational context. However, in a fast-changing working environment this is often difficult to achieve: new technologies are developed, governments and attitudes change policy will, in turn, inform practice but needs to be flexible enough to respond to the influences of the external environment. For example, changes in practise, which in theory has meant a reduction in working hours for some workers. The approaches adopted by managers to resolve the tensions in organizations; The existence of several stakeholders in the employment relationship; Their differing perspectives upon events, experiences and relationships; Their differing aims, interest and needs; The interplay between formal organization and individual potential. These tensions have to be resolved through the process of management, or rather, continuously resolved, for these tensions are inherent in organizations. THE EXTERNAL CONTEXT The external environment influences the external context of the organization. An organization would not be effective if it ignored the external context of politics, economics, society and technology. In London and the south-east of England, there is a shortage of key workers, such as nurses and teachers, and many workers have been employed from abroad to fill the vacancies. For organizations, this means a review of policies to ensure that new workers` needs are considered. On a practical side, new aspect of training may have to be delivered to meet language needs. To do this an organization needs to operate as an open system (system influenced by the external environment and inputs, making it complex and difficult to control), which can change to meet the needs of its external environment. The political context The political context not only refers to the type of government in power at the time, but also, whether the country is democratic or not. In UK the political context changes depending on which political party is in power. In the past, the conservative government has tended to favour the employer over the employee; an example of this was the removal of the minimum wage. Traditional labour governments have focused on the employee and have had close links with the unions. With new labour the lines have become somewhat blurred: although they have reintroduced the minimum wage, they have also formed close links with industry by encouraging public/private partnerships. With every change of government the HR practitioner needs to identify the impact on the organisation and the HR department. The economic context The economic context refers to health of the nation. If business is booming and unemployment is low, it may be harder to find and retain staff. In times of economic decline, unemployment increases and greater choice of labour is available to the employer. However economic decline may also mean that your organisation has to downsize and HR department will than face the dilemma of dealing with redundancies. An organization may also need to answer to shareholders, who expect to see a healthy return on their investment. For the HR professional this could mean developing operations overseas where labour is cheaper, such as prudential moving its call centres to India. It may also mean outsourcing some or all of the functions of HR, as the organization pursues its competitive advantage. An example of outsourcing is discussed in the technology transformation box. The social context the social context refers to the culture, politics ,leadership and management style that influence the organization. An HR manager must be able to identify the culture within which the organization operates. This means he or she needs to recognise and understand the values the organization is trying to promote. However, they also need to understand the culture and society from which their employees are recruited. An HR manager should not underestimate the importance of the social context of business as, in many instances. Businesses have foundered due to a lack of understanding of the culture. Examples are Euro Disney Paris, whose lack of understanding of European culture and its failure to embrace all things American had a serious impact on business. Or, Wal-Mart in Argentina, which failed to understand how the argentines liked to shop, and could not understand why business was not booming in its bright and shiny new supermarkets. CONCLUSIONS HR goes in to decline-outsourcing and downsizing has removed the HR specialist from organisations and placed the HR role with the overworked line manager. The HR function will be closely integrated in to the vision and strategy of the organization and it will continue as it has done in the past, due to the limitations of labour markets, unions, legislation, etc. this implies that it stands still and does not develop. Whatever the view of HR and how it develops in the future, it is important to understand where it has come from and what has influenced it.

Humanism :: essays research papers

According to Encyclopedia.com humanism is, â€Å" a philosophical and literary movement in which man and his capabilities are the central concern.† While this simple definition certainly does convey the essence of the movement, it does no justice to the whirlwind of artistic and intellectual inspiration stirred up by it. There are many forms of humanistic philosophy in today’s society, but the origin of this school of thought traces its roots back to the days of the scholars of ancient Greece and Rome. It was the revival of and renewed interest in Greco-Roman culture around (during the western transition from medieval to early modern culture) that marked the beginning of the Early Renaissance. The humanists believed that the Greek and Latin classics contained all the lessons one needed to lead a moral and effective life. It was the profound respect for nature and scientific knowledge and of course the reevaluation of classical thought, literature, and art that gave the Renaissance its distinctively secular stamp. Many accomplished artists and intellectuals studied during the roughly 200 year period of the Renaissance, and while some are more recognized than others, it is their combined wisdom that created many of foundations on which modern society is based. Though there were many great intellectuals, and artists during the three Renaissance periods, there are a few who clearly stick out as representing the true attitude of the times. These â€Å"Renaissance Men† as they are now called didn’t limit themselves to one medium of study or expression. Rather they embraced many forms of science and artistry, and through their combined studies observed, recorded, and created many scientific theories about nature, man and nature, and man and himself that still hold truth and are the basis of many fields of study today. Of all the artist-scientists of the Renaissance Leonardo da Vinci best deserves the title. Born in Florence during the High Renaissance (1452-1519) he was most certainly not a man of â€Å"book learning† da Vinci spent his life observing the world around him, either imitating nature through art, or explaining nature through science. His hundreds of ingenious mechanical inventions and extensive knowledge in the fields of art, biology and the natural sciences immortalize his role as the father of the scientific revolution. Da Vinci’s work Embryo in the Womb (ca.1510) seems to be a perfect example of the impression classic humanism had on the works of the Renaissance.

Abortion Clinics Must Remain Open :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Abortion Clinics Must Remain Open    In 1973 the Supreme Court decision known as Roe vs. Wade, made it possible for women to have safe and legal abortions by well-trained professionals. This decision not only gave a woman the right to choose, but it drastically decreased pregnancy-related injury and death. Now the policy proposal has been made to close abortion clinics, thus making it virtually impossible for a woman to receive an abortion. Although this proposal's stated goal is to close the clinics, its hidden goal is to outlaw abortion altogether. It is very clear that abortions cannot be performed if there is no legal place to perform them. With abortion clinics closed, a women's right to choose is taken away. In order for women's right to choose to remain available, the abortion clinics need to remain open.    Closing abortion clinics makes it impossible for a lot of women to have an abortion. Whether or not to have the abortion should be the women's right, but when there are no providers of abortion around, the choice has already been made for her. Closing up the clinics higher the barriers of having an abortion. When the barriers get too high, this means for some women, the right to make their own choices in life is taken away. A women's life is her life, and she should be able to make the choices that will effect it. Up until 1973, abortions were illegal. Punishment of abortion did not greatly reduce the number of women who sought it. Between 1880 and 1973 thousands of women died and/or suffered medical problems after attempting to self-induce an abortion, or after going to an untrained professional who preformed cheap and unsanitary abortions. Women will continue to attempt and succeed in ending unwanted pregnancies. With this, a lot of women will risk their health and life doing so. W ith abortion clinics still available, women who do choose to have an abortion will at least do it in a safe and clean way. A woman should not have to put her life in danger in order to receive and abortion.    With local abortion clinics closed demand will stay the same but availability will be rapidly decreased. Thus women will have to wait longer to receive an abortion and get treated later in her pregnancy. Medical experts say that the longer a women waits to have an abortion, the higher the risk of health problems associated with that abortion.

Contrast of the Modern American and British House :: essays papers

Contrast of the Modern American and British House Modern American and British houses may appear similar from the outside, just as an American may appear similar to an Englishman. One cannot judge a house by its faà §ade, however, and beneath the surface, two altogether different design paradigms exist. The American house is a sprawling retreat that is designed for comfortable living. Compact and efficient, the British house embodies a conservative lifestyle. The two also differ in the amenities they offer. The modern American house overflows with built-in features; the modern British house is sparse in comparison. They are even constructed with dissimilar materials and techniques. Although modern American and British houses can appear similar, they differ significantly in the amenities they offer, their size, and in the way they are constructed. The modern British house typically has fewer amenities than that of its American counterpart. In the bedroom, walk-in closets organize the American's ensemble and accommodate his shoe collection. Conversely, the Englishman uses a pine wardrobe, possibly a family heirloom, which moves with him from home to home. In the American bathroom, a shower is a standard feature that is quite uncommon in the British home. When one is installed, the British shower is a point of significant difference as well. The pressurized American shower is powerful, and leaves one with a feeling of invigoration. The gravity fed British shower, however, is hardly capable of developing enough power to leave one with a feeling of satisfaction. In the modern American kitchen, one is certain to find a dishwasher. In the British kitchen, a dishwasher is the exception, not the rule. Americans also consider most kitchen appliances to be a part of the house. The Englishman holds a different view. It is not unusual for him to take the stove, refrigerator, or even the kitchen cupboards when moving to a new home. The modern British house lacks many amenities that Americans consider basic. It also offers less living space than the modern American house. The grand American house is designed for comfort, whereas the conservative British house is designed for efficiency. These contrasting design approaches yield houses that differ immensely in the amount of living space they offer. American houses have "mud" rooms, laundry rooms, dining rooms, formal living rooms, and family rooms. British houses converge and integrate these functional areas into their common rooms. The hall, or the "reception," is the "mud room." The kitchen is the laundry room and the dining area. Contrast of the Modern American and British House :: essays papers Contrast of the Modern American and British House Modern American and British houses may appear similar from the outside, just as an American may appear similar to an Englishman. One cannot judge a house by its faà §ade, however, and beneath the surface, two altogether different design paradigms exist. The American house is a sprawling retreat that is designed for comfortable living. Compact and efficient, the British house embodies a conservative lifestyle. The two also differ in the amenities they offer. The modern American house overflows with built-in features; the modern British house is sparse in comparison. They are even constructed with dissimilar materials and techniques. Although modern American and British houses can appear similar, they differ significantly in the amenities they offer, their size, and in the way they are constructed. The modern British house typically has fewer amenities than that of its American counterpart. In the bedroom, walk-in closets organize the American's ensemble and accommodate his shoe collection. Conversely, the Englishman uses a pine wardrobe, possibly a family heirloom, which moves with him from home to home. In the American bathroom, a shower is a standard feature that is quite uncommon in the British home. When one is installed, the British shower is a point of significant difference as well. The pressurized American shower is powerful, and leaves one with a feeling of invigoration. The gravity fed British shower, however, is hardly capable of developing enough power to leave one with a feeling of satisfaction. In the modern American kitchen, one is certain to find a dishwasher. In the British kitchen, a dishwasher is the exception, not the rule. Americans also consider most kitchen appliances to be a part of the house. The Englishman holds a different view. It is not unusual for him to take the stove, refrigerator, or even the kitchen cupboards when moving to a new home. The modern British house lacks many amenities that Americans consider basic. It also offers less living space than the modern American house. The grand American house is designed for comfort, whereas the conservative British house is designed for efficiency. These contrasting design approaches yield houses that differ immensely in the amount of living space they offer. American houses have "mud" rooms, laundry rooms, dining rooms, formal living rooms, and family rooms. British houses converge and integrate these functional areas into their common rooms. The hall, or the "reception," is the "mud room." The kitchen is the laundry room and the dining area.

John Proctor Tragic Hero Essay

In society today, most people can be themselves. Most do not feel the need to hide who they truly are anymore while some still can only â€Å"half express [themselves]† because they are embarrassed of the â€Å"idea which each of [them] represents† (186). I feel as if there is still too little emphasis on self-reliance and individualism in America today, because some are still ashamed of themselves and rely on others too much. As the years pass, fewer people discriminate, but there are still many that still do, causing others to â€Å"half express [themselves]† (186). Gays and lesbians are afraid to come out of the closet because they were told that it wasn’t right to be anything but straight. Society made them feel ashamed of themselves. They might give off hints and their friends might be able to tell, but they would never actually come out. If individualism was stressed more, gays or lesbians would no longer need to hide who they truly are. Even worse, proposition 8 restricts the definition of marriage to opposite-sex couples only. They would be accepted, but as of now, they are not because there is not enough emphasis on individualism. â€Å"No kernel of nourishing corn† will just appear out of thin air; only â€Å"through [their] toil bestowed† will something of that sort happen (185). People can’t expect to receive something when they didn’t work for it. For example, homeless people depend on other people’s sympathy and donations to survive. Rather than getting off their butts and finding a job, they sit around waiting for help to come to them. If self-reliance was strained some more, maybe we’d have less homeless people standing in corners begging for money in the world. They’d be out looking for jobs, but in the meantime, there are homeless shelters and soup kitchens to help them, until they can get back on their feet because there is not enough emphasis on self-reliance. If Emerson were still alive today, he would be disappointed, but he would feel as if he got most of his message through. Even though some are still a little uncomfortable with whom they are and too dependent on others, most people aren’t afraid to show off their individuality or depend on themselves. In society today, there is not enough emphasis on self-reliance and individualism because people still depend on others for help and are afraid to show their true colors. If life was based on Emerson’s ideas, the world would be full of hardworking citizens and discrimination would not exist.

Biblical Similarities in Hawthorne’s “Rappaccini’s Daughter” Essay

Biblical Similarities in Hawthorne’s â€Å"Rappaccini’s DaughterIn Nathanial Hawthorne’s â€Å"Rappaccini’s Daughter,† many biblical parallels can be found. This short story duplicates the first three chapters of Genesis in the Bible. The similarities range from the characters, to the setting, and even to the deadly plant in the story. The account of Adam and Eve in Genesis chapters 1-3 is extremely similar to the situation of Giovanni and Beatrice in â€Å"Rappaccini’s Daughter†. In both â€Å"Rappaccini’s Daughter† and the Genesis chapters in the Bible, lush, beautiful gardens are the setting. Both gardens are exotic and pretty, but the Garden of Eden is bright and tropical, whereas Dr. Rappaccini’s garden is dark and mysterious. Both gardens are home to a type of â€Å"forbidden† plant, but the Garden of Eden was created by God, whereas the garden in the story is created by a man with a god complex, Dr. Rappaccini. The forbidden plant in Genesis is a gorgeous fruit tree. The tree in the Garden of Eden is called the Tree of Knowledge and was extremely tempting to Adam and Eve. However, the tree was deemed prohibited by God. The plant in Rappaccini’s garden is a large flowering bush. The flowers on this bush are unlike any others and are extremely exquisite. The two plants share the trait of â€Å"forbidden,† but in different ways. The fruit on the tree in Genesis was forbidden because God said so. The plant in Rappaccini’s garden was forbidden because it was poisonous. The only person immune to the poison of this plant was Beatrice, then soon Giovanni. In Hawthorne’s story, a parallel between Giovanni and Adam is established. Both are young men, and each were tempted by a beautiful young woman. Giovanni in Hawthorne’s story was lured into the garden by Beatrice’s beauty. Adam was lured by Eve’s beauty to betray God. Beatrice and Eve also share similarities. They both are beautiful and young and are naà ¯ve to the evils of the world they live in. The serpent in â€Å"Rappaccini’s Daughter† is clearly represented by Dr. Rappaccini and Professor Pietro Baglioni. Dr. Rappaccini is responsible for luring Giovanni into the garden for his daughter, and also for exposing him to the toxin that led to him becoming like Beatrice, poisonous and stuck in the garden. Professor Pietro Baglioni is responsible for giving Giovanni the silver vial with the supposed antidote for the poisons. When Giovanni gives Beatrice the vial she then dies because the poison is too entwined with her body. Sadly, she was not given a second chance like Adam and Eve. The story of â€Å"Rappaccini’s Daughter† is an extremely enjoyable story with close biblical ties. The parallels are extremely apparent and also very important. What seems to be a story simply of fatal love is quite possibly a retelling of the opening chapter of Genesis in the Bible.