Culture of Kazakhstan

â€Å"Culture is a process for identity of living creatures and cultural evolution raises the identity of society, benefit goes to its individuals. Culture is the domain of human activity associated with self-expression of a person, a manifestation of his subjectivity. That's why every culture has additional features, as related to both the `creative person, and everyday practice, communication, reflection, generalization, and his daily life† (Religious Studies:Textbook / Ed. MM Shakhanovich. – St. Petersburg. Peter, 2006). On our planet, there are so many different countries with their own traditions, customs and culture, The relationship between these cultures and people rather strained, so there are national characteristics, specific to each nation. Actually, it’s not a secret that, traditions that are normal for Europeans, is totally unacceptable for Asian people. After the failure of etiquette, tradition and cultural heritage of the country, can lead to vari ous conflicts. The uniquences of individual nation, lies precisely in its cultural characteristics that are unique to him. ( Every culture 2011) â€Å"Kazakh ethnic group, held a long period of formation, in which participated many tribes and nations, has an important place in the history of Eurasia, and one of the oldest ethnic groups. It is the successor to the cultural heritage of all nations who took part in its formation, so that the Kazakh people – one of the richest nations in cultural terms. Kazakh culture until the twentieth century was a nomadic†. (Every culture 2011) According to the Kazakh traditions, guests are treated to the Kazakh national cuisine for dastarkhan (dinner table) in yurt.Yurt, adapted to nomadic life and a very effective tool in the process of nomadic meets all the requirements of the nomadic lifestyle can be easily disassembled and quickly installed a new location. Kazakhs have a lot of different traditional events, like Nauryz, or Spring Festival, Shildehana and so on. Nauryz falls on the vernal equinox. On this day, every woman cook a special dish, â€Å"Nauryz kozhe†, which consists of seven types of products: Siberian millet, wheat, rice, barley, millet, meat, and kurt.People go from village to village, eat this food, sing the song â€Å"Nauryz†, hug, congratulate each other a Happy New Year and wish a good offspring in the new year and prosperity at home. â€Å"Shildehana† – celebrated on the birth of son, wealthy people inviting people and organized contests of singers, trick riding on horseback. Also Kazakhstan like all countries where the spread of Islam, it was customary to   religious holiday – â€Å"Eid†. In this celebration, the sheep and lambs are sacrificed in the name of God..The meat is given to the poor, and partly used for the family. An obligatory ritual of the holiday is a common prayer in the mosque prior to sacrifice. In this day of celebration in ever y home preparing a meal, all congratulate each other. At that time, â€Å"the more you learn about French traditions and culture, the more you will be interested in. France has a long and varied history to draw upon, and countless legends and customs have been passed from generation to generation. In addition, each region of France is quite unique†. Easy-french 2011) They expect guests and foreigners to behave in the same manner that they do. The French are all about preserving their culture and being individualized. â€Å"France is culturally vivid and varied phenomenon. Various times, manifest in the architecture of France, calling each other, also appear the picturesque outline of the locks, bridges, towers† (Everyculture 2011). When the French come off the art, they are happy to deal with such sports as football, rugby, basketball, cycling. Bycicle race tour in France popular all over the world.Traditional games such as bowls, are also very popular. â€Å"France i s a secular state. The main religion is Roman Catholicism, but it doesn’t play a leading role in public life and experiencing a relative decline. Islam is the second most common religion, followed by Protestantism and Judaism† (Yakovlev, EG Aesthetics: A. Tutorial. – M. : Gardariki, 2003). So, people can notice, there are a lot of differences and similarities between European and Asian countries. In general, the greeting in both countries absolutely different.For instance, in France, â€Å"when people greet each other, they shake hands or embrace with a kiss on both cheeks . Kissing is only done when two people are close friends or relatives. For the most part, the embrace is done only the first time in a day in which one sees someone and is not repeated again until one says good-bye† ( Every culture 2011). Likwise in Kazakhstan, if you know the person very well, you should greet with a kiss on one cheek once and shake hands. Notably, in both countries, al most the same greeting.

‘Away’ by Michael Gow

Michael Gow’s play Away is the story of three different Australian families who go on holiday for Christmas in the sixties. By going away each family is hoping to resolve their issues. Although Away is set some time ago the themes and issues explored in the play are still relevant to a modern day audience, even one of a non-Australian background. Shakespearean plays that were written many hundreds of years ago and are still understandable and relevant to people all over the world today. Away is the story of three Australian families who go on holiday during the Christmas of 1968. Roy and Coral (the headmaster and his wife) are becoming increasingly close to breaking up. Their son was killed in the Vietnam War and Coral is still grieving for him. Tom and Meg were in the school’s production of A Midsummer’s Nights Dream. Tom has Leukaemia, and his parents, Harry and Vic, haven’t told him that he is going to die, but Tom has worked it out already. Tom and his family immigrated to Australia form England. They are going on holiday knowing that it could be their last together as a family, and are determined to have a good time. Meg is the same age as Tom and they both like each other. Meg’s parents, Gwen and Jim are going on holiday so Gwen can have a break. Gwen is a rather uptight and stressed person and thinks that to have anything good happen you have to make sacrifices. During each of the three families holidays there is a storm and they coincidently end up on the same beach. Away by Michael Gow is set in suburban Australia in the summer of 1968. However the specific time and place do not make it any less relevant to me. I could still relate to and understand what was happening in the play, even though it is set in a time before I was born. This is very much like Shakespearean plays that were written hundreds of years ago, even today people can still connect with the characters in them. It is interesting to note that Gow begins Away with a Shakespearean play, A Midsummer’s Nights Dream, and then choses to end it with another of Shakespeare’s plays, King Lear. Away, like Shakespearean plays is non-naturalism, a feature of this being the non-changing set. Throughout the production of Away that I saw the set remains the same except for basic props such as suitcases and a table. White sand covered the floor and lights were shone on the sails to show the hanges between scenes for the play. In the play Tom is compared to Chip Rafferty, a well-known Australian actor who died at age 62 in 1971. Younger people of today probably haven’t heard of him, but from watching the play and reading the script can safely assume that he was a famous actor. What makes Away relevant to an audience of today or from a non-Au stralian background are the universal themes present in the play. As long as the audience can connect and empathise with a character or understand a theme in the play then it will be relevant to them. Some of the themes in the play include death/grief/loss, racism, class systems, and relationships. The relationship between Gwen and Meg (mother and daughter) is quite strained during the play. Gwen is portrayed as a very uptight and stressed person, while Meg is in her late teens and has her own ideas about things. During Act Three Gwen and Meg begin arguing over Jim’s missing Christmas presents for everyone. The argument ends with Gwen saying how hard she tries to make things good for Meg, and Meg apologises. I feel that I can connect to Meg, especially in the scene where she is arguing with her mother. After that argument her father, (Jim) asks her why she did it, because he’d asked her not to upset her mother and she did. Meg replies that she couldn’t help herself. I know how she feels. You don’t mean to hurt the person or upset them but you just have to have your say, no matter what the consequences of that may be. I also feel that I can relate to Gwen, Meg’s mother as she reminds me of my own mum. The near constant stressing about everything, and wanting the very best for her daughter is very familiar. The issue of death is also covered in Away. Roy and Coral lost a son in the Vietnam was and Coral is still grieving for him. While Harry and Vic know that there son Tom is going to die from leukaemia. People all over the world, no matter what language they speak, what culture they come from, or which country they live in can understand and empathise with what these families may be feeling. The sense of loss and grief that comes with death is a universal feeling that can make the play relevant to so many people.

BTEX in an Urban Setting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

BTEX in an Urban Setting - Essay Example Furthermore, the chemicals are also widely used in the urban setting for several purposes. The components of BTEX have effects on both human and environment. However, the effects are more serious on human since the environmental effects also affects human indirectly. This is because human resides I the environment and uses most of the resources that BTEX has adverse effects on. For instance BTEX contaminates water and water is life to human. It also contaminates soils and this is one of the most important resources for human especially in agricultural production. However, these components have different effects on human depending on the degree of concentration. Furthermore, they have both long-term and short-term effects on human life. Human are greatly exposed to effects of BTEX because its components are encountered by man regularly. There are several short-term effects of these components. They include; respiratory effects especially nose and eye irritation due to inhalation. It may also cause problems to the central nervous system and this may further lead to dizziness, loss of coordination, headache and tiredness. Additionally, prolonged exposure to the chemicals may lead to other complications in the blood system, liver, and kidneys. However, these are the combined effects of the acronym, but the individual chemicals have other effects on human life. There are other individual effects that these chemicals cause the human life, for instance, benzene. Long-term exposure to benzene may lead to production of phenol after high concentration of the chemical in fatty tissues of the blood stream. This chemical produced is more carcinogenic than benzene hence harmful to human life. Furthermore, high exposure leads to fatality. Therefore, benzene is poisonous and toxic. Individuals have to be careful when exposed substances that produce the chemical. This is because even small quantities of the chemicals are harmful to human health. Furthermore,

The best of intentions Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The best of intentions - Case Study Example If Cynthia offers the job to Steve, the company has a very high chance of losing their customers and if this happens, then it means they will all be out of work. This is a dilemma as Steve is the most qualified candidate and can take their company to the next level but he also prevents the growth of the company in that region where discrimination is still high. Letting him go is the best decision for everyone. If Steve is hired, it means that he cannot carry out his job to avoid losing the customers which simply impedes his growth in the company and the end result either way will be to let him go. It is better to not hire him and give him false hopes but simply let him find a better place without discrimination where he can exercise his potential. I would not take the job for the simple reason that I would be a hidden employee who is not at liberty to meet the customers whom I am supposed to work with. I would not want to be an invisible employee because invisible employees have no room for growth. Growth in nay organization requires being on the limelight showcasing one’s work but since appearing in the limelight will drive away the white customers, and then it is better not to take the job than have regrets years later. Steve should look at his goals and what he wants to achieve in the next several years. If he wants to expand his career and develop, or if he has big dreams for his future, then he should not take the job as the dream and goals will not be achieved. The parties need to sit down and draw of plan on how best Steve can be fruitful to the company while at the same time not anger and drive away their customers if they are to remain in business. The will need to find the best position for Steve in the company, one which will not hinder his development and impede his future growth while still providing his best skills and abilities to the

Strtegic Position of BMW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Strtegic Position of BMW - Essay Example ustrin industrilist Frnz Josef Popp purchsed the compny in 1917 nd renmed it Byerische Motoren Werke. The Trety of Versilles, June 28, 1919, directly influenced the entry of Rpp Motoren Werke (lter to be known s BMW), into utomobile mnufcture s the terms of surrender by Germny resulting from World Wr 1 stipulted under rticles 198, 199 nd 201 tht ny militry or nvl ir forces were prohibited nd it lso stipulted the mnufcture of or importtion of ircrft. Rpp Motoren Werke, s result of sid bn, mde rilwy brkes until its fory into utomobiles in 1929. The hyperinfltion rising s result of the severe economic snctions imposed by the Trety of Versilles rered its hed in the 1920's nd helped to stgnte growth in Germny. This pper will nlyze the strtegic position of BMW with the help of five competitive forces of Porter, SWOT nlysis nd other mrketing nlysis in the utomobile industry. More prticulrly, it will be nlyzed how the forces hve n effect on the cr mnufcturer BMW. Bsed on this nlysis, the force with the most impct on the compny will be identified. Bsed on tht, it will be described how BMW uses informtion systems to offset the force. BMW, which stnds for Byerische Motoren Werke, hs mde well-known nme s luxury cr mnufcturer (Bernhrdt & Kinner, 1994). The hedqurters of the BMW group is in Munich, Germny, but the compny is present ll over the world. The compny built high brnd equity over the yers through continuous brnding efforts nd high qulity products. BMW is rgubly the most dmired crmker in the world nd BMW products inspire ner- fnticl loylty (Kiley, 2004). SWOT nlysis Strengths BMW is well-known compny with high sttus brnding tht hs very high recognition fctor. The compny hs been strengths in both reserch nd development nd design s well s in mrketing. For exmple when it comes to mrketing it ws BMW dvertisement tht ws the first e-dvertisement tht mde it to Cmpigns 'Pick of the Week' (Domn). However, in long-term purchse such s this there is need for moire substnce thn just mrketing, otherwise the life of the compny would be reltively short due to the nture of the purchse. It is in these longer-term systems nd strtegies tht we cn see mny of the strengths of BMW, we cn consider these by strting with the mrket position of the compny. BMW s well s Mercedes' nd few other compnies hve mnged too successful ttin m mrket position where they hve focus on nrrow rnge of exclusive crs. These cn be seen s imed t the mrket plce tht is not lso sensitive to price, nd s such we must rgue tht the mrket positioning my be seen s strength s there will not be such rection if the economic conditions chnge. The customers tht re in the trget group re hppy to py premium price for wht they perceive s premium product (Thompson). This my not be so true of the subsidiry compnies tht hve hd different problems, such s the ill-fted Rover group. However, the core product hs remined strong (Thompson). This my be seen s diversifiction, nd some of the diversifiction my lso be seen s strength, for exmple the purchse of Rolls Royce where there is similr strtegy, however the rnge nd trget mrket re even more focused nd exclusive. The strtegy of BMW is designed to be defensive ginst other cr mnufctures, nd s we will see when it comes to the section on threts this is defensive

Blog Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Blog - Essay Example 350). Therefore, breastfeeding is important to the health of the babies until they reach the recommended age for introduction of the artificial foods. However, it will be a surprise to find out that new studies show that breastfeeding might be associated with hyperbilirubinemia. Although the studies have not conclusively implicated breastfeeding to hyperbilirubinemia, considerable evidence indicates that feeding a baby on breast milk can cause the illness. Hyperbilirubinemia is an illness that causes the red blood cells in your body to breakdown, and release a substance known as bilirubin into the blood. Bilirubin refers to the yellow substance in the blood, and it is a by-product of the breakdown of haemoglobin contained in the red blood cells (Lindh 2010, p. 919). Haemoglobin supports the transportation of oxygen in the red blood cells. It is noteworthy that the liver breaks down the old red blood cells. The high levels of the bilirubin in the bloodstream cause the yellowing of the skin and the white parts of the eye. The condition that causes the eyes and skin to turn yellow is known as jaundice (Lindh 2010, p. 919). Although bilirubin does not affect the infants, the accumulation of the by-product can be toxic to your bodies. It is advisable for babies to receive treatment after their delivery. The accumulation of bilirubin is referred to as hyperbilirubinemia, which new studies have associated with breastfeeding in infants. Many pregnant mothers, friends, and family members do not know the issues surrounding breastfeeding as brought forth by the new studies. Similarly, the healthcare providers have limited knowledge regarding the negative realities of breastfeeding. Likewise, the popular lifestyle magazines have not captured the new facts as revealed by continued research on the breastfeeding. Specifically, the association of breastfeeding with the development of the

How Management Teams Can Have a Good Fight Article

How Management Teams Can Have a Good Fight - Article Example In particular, they studied the interplay of conflict, politics, and pace of strategic decision making by top-management teams (273-274). According to Kathleen, Jean, and Bourgeois, top executives are aware that conflict over issues is natural and honest disagreement lead the company towards best decision. Team members who challenge each other's ideas have more understanding of the issue at hand; they have more alternatives that clear the path towards effective decision. On the other hand, an honest disagreement can turn to be unproductive or even more conflicting. Here, the challenge is to keep the conflict constructive. Kathleen, Jean, and Bourgeois studied 12 companies for their research project. Four of these companies were suffering due to top executives' intense animosity. Top management was failed to cooperate with each other, and they rarely had conversation with each other. They socialize in specific cliques rather than having good relation with most of the individuals. More over, they only displayed frustration and anger about their competing executive. These companies failed to avoid interpersonal conflicts. On the other hand, companies with minimal interpersonal conflict not only managed a healthy conflict but also kept it professional (274). Kathleen, Jean, and Bourgeois observed that these companies maintained constructive conflict by six tactics which include: focus on facts; multiple alternatives; common goals; enlightened environment by using humor; balance in power structure; and to seek consensus by qualification. First tactic, focus on fact refers to maximum data collection in order to make informed decision. When executives are equipped with more facts and figures, the decisions will be based on facts rather than opinions. Extensive knowledge of happenings in the corporation, such as, in Star Electronics, gives strong controls. It is evident that there is a direct relation between reliance on updated facts and lesser interpersonal conflicts. Facts let the management to reach the core issues rather than arguing and guessing the facts (Kathleen, Jean, and Bourgeois 275). Contrary to common belief, companies with less interpersonal conflicts deliberately generate multiple alternatives. Research evidence proves that multiple alternatives lower the probability of interpersonal conflict. It is because ambiguity of multiple options divides the conflict and its solution into more than just black and white. This approach provides people with varying options and avoids rival group formation. In the process of generating alternatives, managers involve in a shared and stimulating task. Managers don't stop on just one solution; rather they keep on finding more creative and original options. The benefit is twofold: the process creates an overall substantive instead of conflicting tone, and company gets the original solution (Kathleen, Jean, and Bourgeois 275-276). Third tactic is to create strategic alternatives in an environment th at fosters collaborative rather than competitive spirit in the team. It leads to the best possible solution for collective gain, rather than anyone's personal ambitions. Research on group decision making and intergroup conflict reveals that common goals foster coherence by emphasizing common interests. In the absence of common goals, executives didn't share a vision. They were

Diabetes and Evidence-based Nursing Research Paper

Diabetes and Evidence-based Nursing - Research Paper Example The day following his admission, his blood sugar level was more than 999. As a patient advocate, I was concerned for the patient’s treatment and I approached the patient and his wife about seeking a second opinion from an Endocrinologist. I recommended this with the hope of ensuring that they would gain the best possible care for the patient’s condition. The couple agreed and several weeks later returned to thank me for making the recommendation. The patient was diagnosed by the Endocrinologist with Flatbush Diabetes which is a rare form of diabetes presenting among African-American males. It calls for insulin administration for a short period of time and later to be shifted to oral diabetic medications. When untreated, it can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis. The nursing situation in this case is based on the appropriate care of the diabetic patient, on the assistance given in the administration of the patient medications, and on the monitoring of the patient’s vit al signs, diet, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure. Since the patient’s blood sugar levels were not sufficiently being lowered by the oral medications, the nursing role extends to patient advocacy – helping protect the rights of patients and ensuring that they receive the best possible care. ... B. Description of Medical/health Condition Insulin is the hormone which regulates the uptake of glucose from the blood into the cells of the body (Medical News 2011). Deficient insulin or issues with its receptors therefore play a crucial role in the manifestation and development of diabetes mellitus. Most carbohydrates in food are broken down into monosaccharide glucose, which is the main carbohydrate which is found in the blood and used as fuel by the body (Medical News, 2011). When blood glucose levels in the body are high, insulin is released in the blood by the beta cells in the Islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. Insulin is then utilized by the body’s cells in order to absorb glucose from the blood and use as fuel, and later for conversion to other molecules, and for storage (Medical News, 2011). Insulin also serves as the control signal for the conversion of glucose to glycogen for internal storage in the liver and the muscle cells. Decreased glucose level leads to re duced release of insulin. This then leads to the reverse conversion of glycogen to glucose. Glucose is mostly managed by the glucagon which then acts in opposition to insulin. Glucose recovered by the liver is re-introduced into the bloodstream; the muscle cells do not have the necessary capacity for export (Medical News, 2011). Significant insulin levels highlight the anabolic processes, including cell growth and duplication, protein synthesis, and fat storage. Insulin serves as the main signal in the conversion of bidirectional processes of metabolism from the catabolic to the anabolic direction, and vice versa (Medical News, 2011). In effect, low insulin levels trigger the onset of

The research report Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

The report - Research Paper Example By June 20th, the secondary research and presentation of the research proposal was completed, and the project was headed for the next steps that included conducting interviews on the respondents chosen for the purposes of this study before documenting and analyzing the data obtained. Following your approval to conduct the research amongst residents of Beverly, the National Association of RELATORS was instrumental in providing the primary data for homebuyers who used various purchase methods to buy their homes. You also approved the proposal to conduct interviews on residents of Beverly, who had recently used one of the investigated purchase options to acquire property and those who had the intention to purchase a home in due time and were having one of the options in mind. The purchase options that were investigated for the purposes of this study include mortgage financing, lease purchase, FHA loans, VA loans and purchase in cash. After the data analysis, the project required a PowerPoint presentation of the report progress which was completed by the 26th of June this year. It is worth mentioning that the primary data was gotten from the certified website of the National Association of RELATORS. This was because the company had been assisting homebuyers in making decisive decisions on what purchase options best suits their circumstances. In the process, the company documented the number of buyers who used various purchase options. As a result, the project was able to obtain dependable data that played a significant role in the completion of this research project. In addition to that, I should not go without mentioning the fact that the respondents chosen for the purposes of this study were corporative and for this reason the project was able to obtain the intended results. My research revealed that it was imperative for potential

Automobile Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Automobile - Essay Example conditioning with climate control, audio anti-theft protection, smart card or smart key manual with central locking, and BMW’s customized RDS audio system among others. Car color comes in alpine white, imola red, jet black, and so on. On Chrysler’s front, the M3 may be matched with the Sebring and 300C. However, Chrysler’s Sebring may prove to be an inferior counterpart as it only comes with a 2.4-liter in-line 4-front engine that may produce only 150 horsepower at 5,500 rpm. Nevertheless, the Sebring model is rendered more economical with a fuel consumption of about 30 mpg for highway cruising and 22 mpg for city driving. The 2006 Chrysler Sebring has interior standard features comprising of cruise control, driver and passenger front airbag sensors and ventilation system. Similarly, the Chrysler 300C model may falter in comparison to BMW’s M3 in terms of engine power. This sedan has a 2.7-liter V6 front engine that can generate 190 horsepower at 6,400 rpm. With the lower engine power, this model also has lower fuel usage at 28 mpg and 21 mpg for highway and city driving, respectively. This sedan is built-in with audio anti-theft protection, cruise control, illuminated entry system and ventilation system with recirculation setting, among others. For the artistically inclined, both the Sebring and 300C come in a variety of colors in clearcoat and pearlcoat such as bright silver metallic, brilliant black crystal, inferno red, satin jade, linen gold and stone white. Price conscious car buyers may opt for these Chrysler models, which are marketed at a relatively lower price. The Sebring 2006 series is currently valued at $20,000 to $28,000 depending on the specifications. The 300C ranges from $23,000 to $39,900 for the latest series. On the other hand, the BMW M3 has a relatively higher price tag of $56,600 for the 2006 base two-door convertible L6, and $48,900 for the latest coupe L6 model. Among the M series, BMW’s top-of-the-line model is

Surreal vs. Real Life Essay Example for Free

Surreal vs. Real Life Essay Every normal human at one point in their life wishes and dreams of, and even craves the existence of a utopia, a surreal life. All (all as in reference to human beings, with a mature level of thinking) want a life that offers more of an upward stability compared to a current state of being, which in some aspect may be lacking. Where an ideal life may not include any troubles found today, and offers the cliche of clouds with a silver lining, real life includes not only troubles but also so much more, which provides many nameable contrasts between the two. In one world there is sunshine all year round, in the other a grossly challenging variety, often not wanting to be faced. In the perfect life, there is happiness and freedom from worry and hardships. Heaven on earth, long thought over and sought by many, a truly tempting mouth watering alteration of our existence that is so wanted, yet completely out of reach. Everyones daydream is comforting to dream, take them to this imaginary place where every home is of equal value, every car is built by the same manufacturer, and every family has the same number of children, and includes pets. This is where it never rains on game day, or on anyones parade. Its also the seemingly perfect place, sound economically as well as politically. A dream come true, for most, with an almost euphoric peace of mind. A world where it is safe to unlock your doors, take the bars off your windows, never fears that your car parked on the street will in some way be damaged, and go a walk well after dark. Children can play outside without fear of being viscously attacked, even by the neighbors dog. Where everything that does happens, happens for a reason, but is always beneficial. Everything is just as it should be, because another way would be unknown. All living things are never without, never wanting, never needy. There would be no competition to out do one another; no two people standing in opposite corners waiting to battle over who has greater stamina, or more power; everyone is equal. People are courteous and respectful, and have no reason for malice or greed. Grief and suffering over the loss of something, of someone, would never come, for in a utopia, there is no death, or even days filled with gloom. As a matter of fact there is nothing, and life such  as this is typical for this world from our point of view, but expected, and appreciated. Now the dream crushing normalcy, or life as we know it. Without a shadow of a doubt, life is not perfect no matter how outward appearances may seem. What is shown on the outside may be a shield to hide the turmoil within. Actors or actresses, singers, millionaires and even royalty encounter problems that they must face, and conquer just the same as the middle and lower class. Real life offers two extremes; overwhelming joy such as the birth of a baby; a marriage; a gathering of loved ones for a special celebration, and horrendous sorrow like death, loss of love, or any other unforeseen tragedy. With low-lying mediums where the day isnt any better, or isnt any worse then the preceding or possibly the following. Life brings trials and tribulations, which assist us in snapping back into the harsh reality of every day. Even the short spurts of good luck granted to us, the lost souls, are more of a burden then a pleasure, for we all know that one day all good things must come to an end. Happiness, the only comparison between real and the surreal, is merely a rock compared to the mountain of pain. Terrorist attacks, death, famine, destruction, starvation, murder, drug abuse, suicide, broken homes, just to name a few, would be a fictional horror stories told by campfire, and would never occur in the utopian world, which is why they are so different. Contrasting the surreal and the norm is like contrasting night and day. Think about it. In a utopian world everybody would literally be free of the shackles of normal life. Whereas in our lives, people are imprisoned for violent crimes committed and the masses are in a constant state of fear. Now not to be completely one sided, a surreal life and our everyday life have in common, a handful of things. We are not here to discuss the likeness, but the enormous range of differences that make a fairly tale life so desirable. Life grants everyone opportunities, but in return we must give up something, i.e., friends, family, that special someone, ECT, so either way we are, in a sense, constantly unhappiness. In a utopia we could have both. Actually we could have it all. This brings me to a question. Who would want to live in a world where everything is perfect, in a constant state of contentment? There  would never be any excitement; from a natural perspective life would be dull; boring. One must admit if given the choice to live in a perfect world described as a black and white movie or a fiction novel, or to live in a world filled with color, the choice would be carefully thought and not made in haste, and all pros and cons would be heavily weighed. Why, because the decision to live within or on a flat plane with no peaks and valleys, versus the spice if you will of reality would be difficult for some, for even though the challenge may be unwanted, there would be curiosity as to what will happen, and that is exciting. Given all aspects, most would choose to live in the world we currently inhabit, despite the drama, devastation, or glory we are never sure as to what we are going hear, of whiteness, from one day to the next, whether it is good or bad and with that we truly experience life. While it may not always be taken accordingly, it is fulfilling in all ways.

The United States Constitution Essay Example for Free

The United States Constitution Essay Introduction The Revolutionary War had come to a satisfactory conclusion, and no particular cause of urgency gripped the delegates to the Constitutional Convention, as they gathered in Philadelphia in the spring of 1787. The Continental Congress conducted all functions of the central government since the commencement of its first session in September of 1774, on the heals of the Boston Port Act. News of this latest move of the British Parliament, which ordered the closing of Bostons harbor pending the repatriation of losses suffered by the East India Company on account of Bostons infamous tea party, reached American shores in May of that year (Rakove 21). The rallying cry during the American Revolution was for American sovereignty to establish independence from Britain, while the major issues that motivated that cry centered on the protection of colonial property from the long arm of the British Parliament. Acts of Parliament in the 1760s and 1770s, such as the disturbingly invasive Stamp Act of 1765, struck many colonists as overly demanding, and intolerable violations of local control (Keane 89). While the Stamp Act was particularly inflammatory, Parliament passed numerous acts during this period, including the Sugar Act of 1764, the Declaratory Act and Townshend Acts from 1767 to 1769, and the Boston Port act of 1774 (Rakove 22). The predominant substance of these acts was taxation; the mother country felt such taxes should be expected from the colonists to assure they contributed their share toward supporting the empire and preserving the benefits all English citizens enjoyed from this empire. The safeguarding of global trade provided a prominent example; it augmented the wealth of the empire and her mercantile class. Parliament regulated this trade, and protected its continuation by the provision of war ships. But the extractions of wealth Britain demanded from her American colonists to support the empire were not seen as justified by many in America. Britain was embroiled in a long-standing war against France. The colonists believed they were being taxed excessively to support this war effort. Many colonists felt they paid their dues to the empire by suffering direct exposure to the French and Indians during recent conflicts, and resented the additional imposition of greater taxation (Keane 88). They demanded greater local control over the levels of revenue to be submitted to Britain, and an exclusive right to determine the means of collecting that revenue. Many patriots, such as Samuel Adams, worked for years to pull together a more unified American resistance to British claims. On the heals of the Boston Port Act, Adams noted that American response to it suddenly wrought a Union of the Colonies which could not be brought about by the Industry of years in reasoning on the necessity of it for the Common Safety (Rakove 40). Urgency beset the delegates as they gathered to coordinate a response to recent onerous Parliamentary measures, and government under the First Continental Congress got underway. Within a year they shifted from evaluating diplomatic responses to coordinating the American military preparedness for war against British troops. By the summer of 1776, they issued the Declaration of Independence, declaring for King and country that reform, compromise, and reconciliation no longer sufficed. Events now necessitated a clean break with the mother country. The Continental Congress, operating under the framework established by the Articles of Confederation, fulfilled American requirements for centralized government through the successful completion of the Revolutionary War in 1783, and until the fateful spring of 1787 (Bowen). What conditions caused the delegates gathered for the convention in Philadelphia in 1787 to propose a radically different government? What motivated them to propose the dissolution of the Continental Congress, and suggest that the sovereignty of their respective states be usurped by a newly formulated national government? How did issues of control over property enter into this dynamic? This paper examines and gives answers to these questions. Conditions Leading Up to the Constitution Radical in nature and revolutionary in result, the proposal formulated by the Convention of 1787 far exceeded the evolutionary goals set forth in the guidance given to delegates prior to their arrival. The state legislatures, firmly sovereign under the Articles, did not send delegates in the expectation that the result would be a Federal government subjecting the states to the will of a national sovereign. The Continental Congress sanctioned the Philadelphia convention for the sole and express purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation (Bowen 4). Instead of revising the Articles, the proposal emanating from the Convention turned the Articles into a dead letter, upon its adoption by state ratification conventions. Moreover, the delegates formulated a government so radically different in nature that its breadth and scope was not even contemplated as a realistic possibility by the population at large in the Spring of 1787 (Larson). Defects of the existing system, more than the pleasure of free intellectual discourse, provided the principle motivation for the delegates to generate the solutions contained in the new Constitution.  Ã‚   Two prominent problem areas compelled them to formulate this radical proposal for change. First, vices of the state governments, which could not be adequately restrained under the existing system, resulted in numerous problems motivating reform (Madison 4). The second set of forces at work for change was the insurmountable limitation besetting the Continental Congress in its effort to carry out its assigned functions. These forces formed pincers of change operating on the delegates. Property rights played an important role in both arms of these pincers. Many delegates at the Convention believed that the state governments often abused their authority by unjustly impacting private property rights; they looked for opportunities to curb these abuses through a newly formulated national power (Nedelsky 22-23).   Additionally, the Continental Congress lack of authority over property contributed substantially to its ineffectiveness. Restrictive trade measures pursued by both Britain and France within a year of the Treaty of Paris proved to be more detrimental to American interests than the British retention of forts on the new countrys frontier.   Britain discriminated against American commerce in numerous ways, including the closure of its own ports and those of the West Indies to ships from her lost colony. Such provocations should have been met with retaliatory commercial measures. Unfortunately, the Continental Congress lacked the authority to coordinate such measures, and since the impacts of various options fell with different force upon each state, no particular option would be readily agreed to or complied with by the various legislatures. While the British parliament coordinated trade policy to punish American commercial interests, the Americans could not coordinate a retaliatory policy to force the British to reverse their practices (Mee 30). Secure access to the Mississippi River was pivotal to the issue of commerce for all inhabitants of the Western frontier, and proved to be another source of consternation for those counting on the Continental Congress for solutions.  Ã‚   The movement of products to ports from interior lands relied on shipping them down the Mississippi, through the Gulf of Mexico, to ports on the Atlantic Ocean. Relying on over-land routes to ports on the Atlantic was unpractically expensive, in 1784, Spain declared that the Mississippi closed to American navigation (Keane 94-5). In addition to grappling with Mississippi navigational rights, Congress was also attempting to guide the development and settlement of Western lands. Setting up the framework of the nations expansion to the West, and the admission into the Confederacy of future states resulting from this settlement, was another key challenge facing Congress. As settlers streamed to the West, they required protection from the native populations, who were typically displaced without fair compensation, and who often heckled and attacked settlements in response (Mee 207-208).   Protection for such settlers could not be provided in earnest, due to the ever-present incapacity of Congress to find funds to appropriate to the cause, as well as substantial disagreement about the details of how Western settlement should proceed. During American history around the time of the crafting of the Constitution, poverty very likely did mean sloth and idleness (Bowen 70). At that time, land was an abundant resource and three-quarters of Americans earned their living in agricultural pursuits. Labor was relatively scarce; no large pool of unemployed people existed to keep downward pressure on wages. Eligibility to vote during this period typically required that one own enough property to qualify as a freeholder. Most citizens possessed property exceeding these prescribed thresholds. Robert Morris, one of the nations leading financiers, and a delegate to the Convention, estimated that ninety percent of those otherwise eligible to vote in America met the requirements to be considered freeholders (Nedelsky 77). To qualify as a freeholder in Virginia for the first elections held under the new Constitution, a white male over twenty-one years of age needed to own either fifty acres of property, or twenty-five acres with a house (Labunski 152). Even poor immigrants could normally find work that paid well enough to allow them to accumulate adequate savings to purchase land. Americans of the revolutionary era were particularly susceptible to political arguments stressing property rights. Easy availability of land had long characterized colonial society, and by the time of the revolutionary crisis the ownership of land was widespread. Indeed, this broad distribution of property was one of the most distinctive features of colonial life, in marked contrast with the situation in England. Even landless persons could reasonably hope to become owners eventually (Labunski 160-3). Achieving any reform through amending the Articles of Confederation required the agreement of all thirteen states. All prior attempts at amendments failed to achieve such a consensus. Rhode Island did not send delegates to the Convention, and for years openly admitted that the state had no interest in allowing modifications to the Articles. While the delegates ostensible purpose was to propose an evolution to government under the Articles, such a path already had a track record of failure. The performance of the state governments caused much concern. The Continental Congress lacked the authority to check the transgressions of the states or carry out essential national functions on their own accord (Bowen 235). These conditions convinced the gathering delegates that action was required. Many of their most significant concerns with governmental operations at the state level and national level were connected to the issue of property rights. The Founding Fathers gathered in Philadelphia with a desire to retain a government founded on the republican principle of majority rule, while also formulating new safeguards for the protection of property beyond those present under state governments. Previous attempts at evolution proving fruitless, the delegates turned to revolutionary proposals in pursuit of these aims. Constitutional Convention As Madison entered the Pennsylvania State House to attend the Constitutional Convention, in May of 1787, he struggled to resolve the tension between formulating a republican government based on the will of the majority, and preserving justice for the minority in matters of personal liberties, such as the protection of property. Establishing a strong enough tether to protect the minority from such measures while still preserving republican principles would not be easy. What steps did the framers take in establishing a republic to protect property rights from being plundered by the majority? They successfully pursued both explicit language to protect property, and a structural design that implicitly lead to the protection of property. The resulting construction left many particular questions about property unanswered, but bestowed to future generations a government framework that rested on republican principles while also assuring a relatively high level of protection for the rights of the propertied minority.  Ã‚   The success of Madison and his compatriots at this endeavor, in the form of our Constitution, placed American government on a strong foundation from which to proceed (Labunski 189-94). The Constitution contains explicit language establishing authorities related to property rights and safeguards for the protection of private property. Before addressing the way the new governments structural design implicitly protects the rights of those holding property, these explicit provisions will be reviewed. They are predominantly located in Article I of the Constitution, which outlines the legislative framework of the new government. The framers aimed to place significant new limits on the ability of states to enact legislation assaulting property rights or redistributing property, such as the troublesome wave of debtor relief laws states subjected creditors to in the years following the Revolutionary War. Language in Article I, Section 10, established specific restrictions on the power of states.   Included therein was a prohibition on forcing creditors to accept payment tendered in anything other than gold or silver coin, also known as specie (Larson 198). Section 8 of Article I, which delineated the powers given to the new national Congress, granted that body the power to coin money and regulate its value, while Section 10 prohibited the states from doing so.   This language took aim at the notorious practice of printing money, which often turned out to be valueless, and forcing creditors to accept it as payment for debt. The framers also attempted to protect the property of creditors from plunder by reinforcing contractual obligations binding debtors and creditors (Ely 45). In a move destined to have far-reaching implications relative to the sanctity of contract law, and its importance in protecting propertied interests under all contractual arrangements, Section 10 prohibited states from enacting any law impairing the obligation of contracts (Larson 207). These provisions, along with the assurance provided under Article VI that all debts valid under the Confederation remained enforceable under the Constitution, were all efforts to protect the property of creditors. They shielded the minority creditor class from the political muscle the debtor class brandished so successfully under the Articles of Confederation. The regulation of commerce impacts private property, by influencing its value in numerous ways and providing a venue for its fair trade. As with the production of coins, the framers both explicitly granted Congress the power to regulate commerce, and prohibited states from interfering with such regulations. The previous section explored many of the areas in which the limited authority the Continental Congress exercised over commerce between states and with foreign powers caused difficulties.   The gathering of the Philadelphia Convention of 1787 followed a Convention held in Annapolis, Maryland in 1786, which gathered primarily for the propose of proposing amendments to the Articles of Confederation that would allow for the national regulation of commerce (Larson 207). Delegates from only five states arrived at the Annapolis Convention; such meager participation made it clear that any substantive measures emanating from the gathering would be stillborn. But, instead of dispersing with no action at all, Madison and others present called on the states to send delegates to Philadelphia nine months later to devise such further provisions as shall appear to them necessary to render the constitution of the federal government adequate to the exigencies of the Union (Rakove 374). The weak Continental Congress could not prevent such measures, and commercial regulations between the various states and between states and foreign powers often despoiled the value of property by establishing regulations to assist some groups with little regard for the interests of others. The explicit limits in Section 10 on state powers included language clarifying that states could not lay any imposts on imports or exports or enter into any compacts with other states without the consent of Congress. Particularly important to delegates from the land-rich southern states, Section 9, which spelled out specific limits on the power of the national Congress, provided protection for the propertied agrarian interests by banning any tax on exports (Ely 43-4). The state governments demonstrated their lack of resolve to provide adequate protections to property rights under the Articles of Confederation. In all the areas discussed above, delegates attempted to remedy this within the republic being constructed by explicitly placing matters in the hands of the national government and limiting the power of state legislatures. Madison feared this would not be enough, and worked hard to achieve another safeguard from the destructive power of the states. While constructing a government based on the principle of majority rule inherently resulted in some threat to the personal liberties of the minority, Madison believed the new national government afforded better protection for such liberties than the state governments. He therefore fought to provide the national government with the power to veto any measures passed by the state legislatures, as a means of holding the untrustworthy state governments in check (Labunski 247). On the issue of taxation, those desiring more power be shifted to the central government won a major victory at the Philadelphia Convention. Experience under the Articles of Confederation demonstrated that for the national government to be effective, it must not be left to rely on the willingness of the states to provide revenue. Unlike the issues above, no language would prevent states from taking action in the area of taxes; this would be an area of mutual responsibility. The list of powers explicitly granted to Congress in Article I, Section 8, begins with the power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises (Larson 205). Under the Articles of Confederation, the central government lacked the means of carrying out most measures, because the states often refused to provide funds when requisitioned to do so. Alexander Hamilton, in Federalist Paper #15, claimed that this inability to raise revenue by acting directly on citizens was the great and radical vice in the construction of the existing confederation (108). The delegates agreed with Hamilton and others that this limitation must be remedied to allow any central government to operate effectively. Many believed the best solution would leave the power of direct taxation only in the hands of the state government, and grant a coercive power to the national government, by which it might force the states to comply with requisitions. However, the Federalists believed this position to fanciful, pointing out that coercing states resulted inevitably in coercing actual citizens. In mustering military force against a state that did not fulfill a requisition, it would inevitably be the citizens of that state receiving the blows, for example. The state, an ephemeral geo-political entity, can not itself be coerced (Doughtery 171). Worse yet, any measures meant to induce obedience would inevitably punish indiscriminately. It would not be only those unwilling to pay their share of a requisition in a state that would suffer from such measures. Applying coercive measures could not be a surgical exercise of carving out only the malignant specimen. It would instead be like a knight charging toward a phalanx landing his blow upon any member of the line present at the end of his lance. All citizens of a state would be subject to the suffering resulting from any coercive measures. Ratification of The Constitution Vesting the central government with the ability to raise taxes and thereby redistribute property directly, without working through the states, required achieving a proper balance between providing the central government with inadequate power and excessive power.  Ã‚   The resulting compromise required that any direct taxation by the national government would be apportioned according to population, which shielded those with land wealth from shouldering exorbitant shares of federal expenditures (Ely 43-4). Despite the efforts of those at the Convention, the issue of taxation proved to be one of the most contentious issues during the Constitution ratification debates held in each state. In the debate leading up to the slim margin of victory for the Federalists supporting the Constitutions ratification, the Anti-Federalists kept bringing this issue to the surface as a prominent example of the new governments excessive power. After this vote, the Virginians turned to developing Constitutional amendments to forward to the new government for consideration and adoption. The vote to forward an amendment limiting the central governments ability to directly tax passed by a wider margin than the vote on the ratification of the Constitution itself, indicating that even some of its supporters harbored concerns about giving the new government such power (Labunski 115). Though the word slave does not appear in the Constitution, three specific provisions strengthening the hands of slave-owners in the protection of their property interests were granted, in an effort to attain Southern support for the resulting document. First, it was agreed in Article I, Section 9, that importation of such persons as any of the states now existing shall think proper to admit could not be regulated by Congress prior to 1808 (Larson 206). Second, language in Article IV established that fugitive slaves must be returned to their owners, even in the event they cross state lines. While these two provisions treated slaves as property, the third provision dealt with determining the strength of each states representation in the House of Representatives. Southern delegates wanted them counted as people in formulating the distribution of representatives in Congress, to assure the adequate protection of their interests at the national level. On this last point, the delegates reached a compromise of counting three-fifths of the slave population for the purposes of Congressional apportionment (Larson 208). These provisions all strengthened the position of slave owners, and substantiate the claim that slavery was more clearly and explicitly established under the Constitution than it had been under the Articles (Ely 46).   However, it would be a mistake to accuse the delegates to the Convention of being oblivious to the moral implications of slavery. Indeed, the ability to hold other humans as slaves under established property law placed vexing restraints on the delegates ability to claim that property rights flow out of natural law. No one in 1787 defended the ownership of slaves as included among the natural rights of property. And yet most of the framers believed that since slavery existed as a matter of positive law, slave owners could claim the right to have their property secure. This painful reminder that not all positive rights of property were natural rights, or perhaps even consistent with natural rights, meant that the arguments for the security of property could not simply rely on claims of natural right (Nedelsky 153). It would be more accurate to conclude that slavery protections were an inevitable extension of the general importance the delegates placed on property rights, than to reach the conclusion that slavery itself was hotly contested, and that property protections grew out of any overarching debate on the topic of slavery. Many present at the Convention despised the peculiar institution, and most were morally uncomfortable with it, but accepted its existence as an extant political reality. Its management was incidental to the larger issue of protecting property rights in general, and its existence limited the ability of the delegates to claim that those protections flowed inextricably from mans natural rights (Larson). The framers achieved a desirable balance on the issue of property rights in the development of the Constitution. They enhanced the autonomy of individuals living under the resulting government by their efforts to balance governments power over property against the rights of individuals over property.   They substantially enhanced the power of the central government over property compared to government under the Articles of Confederation, while curbing the ability of state governments to impact property. They retained republican principles such as the rule of the majority. Thereby, no individual possessed absolute control over property. Nobody could think of themselves as a king with rights to property granted by God, and count on complete immunity from governmental impacts on property or redistribution of property (Ely). On the other side of the balance, explicit language and implicit structural safeguards were established to protect property rights and other essential liberties for everyone, even those in the minority. No large republics existed when the framers did this work, so they could not simply draw on the experience of others. They were familiar with a long history of monarchs and nobility holding onto power and wielding it to protect their property rights. They were also familiar with government under the Confederation, which brought the benefits of republican government to the citizens of America, but did not adequately safeguard property from the political agenda of a majority looking to improve their position at the expense of property owners. In the Constitution, the founders achieved a desirable balance, and succeeded in constructing a government that preserved republican virtues while also protecting minority liberties, such as the protection of property rights. Conclusion The framers of the Constitution placed a high priority on protecting the rights of individuals to acquire, accumulate, and appropriate property. Balancing the protection of property rights with the establishment of a national government founded on the republican principle of upholding the interests of the majority provided a key challenge for the members of the Constitutional Convention. The Articles of Confederation left sovereign power in the hands of each of the confederated states. The state constitutions, while far from uniform, all provided republican forms of government. As such, state legislative bodies responded readily to the outcries of their constituents. The majority wielded substantial power to achieve their aims, regardless of the justice of their cause. This often resulted in a lack of protection for the property of the more affluent minority, as they struggled against the will of the majority to redistribute property. The Founding Fathers judged many state legislative actions, pursued by the will of the majority, to be an unscrupulous taking of property from one group to benefit another. In particular, debtor relief acts, passed in the wake of the Revolutionary War, often heavily favored the debtor class over the propertied financiers of the war effort. The delegates that gathered at the Philadelphia Convention in May 1787, felt compelled to formulate a government providing greater protection for individual property rights. At the same time, they remained committed to retaining a system predicated on republican principles. No legitimate republican government could simply disregard the will of the majority by placing a cabal of the propertied few perpetually in power. The structure and operation of the government that grew out of the Constitution they created came about in no small measure due to efforts to balance tension between protecting the rights of individuals to safeguard property, and the rights of a republican government to exercise control over property for the benefit of the majority of the public. Viewed within the context of their place in history, the compromises they established in response to this tension were appropriately crafted to enhance the autonomy of those citizens living under the resulting government. Bibliography Bowen, Catherine Drinker. Miracle at Philadelphia: The Story of the Constitutional Convention May to September 1787. Boston, Massachusetts: Little, Brown and Company, 1986. Ely, James. The Guardian of Every Other Right: A Constitutional History of Property Rights. New York: Oxford University Press, 1990. Keane, John. Tom Paine, A Political Life. Boston, Massachusetts: Little, Brown and Company, 1995. Labunski, Richard. James Madison and the Struggle for the Bill of Rights. New York: Oxford University Press, 2006. Larson, Edward F. and Michael P. Winship, Eds. The Constitutional Convention: A Narrative from the Notes of James Madison. New York: The Modern Library, 2005. Madison, James. Vices of the Political System of the United States, 1787, Teaching American History, 2007 http://www.teachingamericanhistory.org/library/index.asp?document=802 Mee, Charles L. The Genius of the People. New York: Harper Row, 1987. Nedelsky, Jennifer. Private Property and the Limits of American Constitutionalism. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1990. Rakove, Jack N. The Beginnings of National Politics. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1979.

Kicking Performance and Kick Co-ordination Training

Kicking Performance and Kick Co-ordination Training The effects of a strength and kick co-ordination training programme on lower limb velocity, ball velocity and knee extensor strength: Differences between male and female football players. Football (also known as soccer) is one of the most popular team sports worldwide (Katis Kellis, 2007) with hundreds of millions purported to play (Masuda et al, 2005) and in accordance is watched on 6 continents (Ekstrand, 1994). Due to this popularity, football is a widely researched area with the volume of literature extensive. Various research programmes have been undertaken in the area of football kick biomechanics with a range of parameters being measured and analysed, in an attempt to understand the fundamental skills required by the sport, especially the maximal soccer kick (Lees Nolan, 1998). Although the field is widely researched gaps still transpire. One of these gaps is gender differences; little research is documented on the kick biomechanics of womens football as said by Barfield et al (2002), who states the rapid rise in female participation in soccer worldwide has not been followed by a corresponding increase in the number of studies biomechanically that target fema le kicking patterns to determine if differences exist between males and females. Lee and Nolan (1998) state that success in football depends on kicking performance, with new aspects of this being identified (Kathis Kellis, 2007). Shan and Westerhoff (2005) believe that the scientific understanding of the sport is not yet on the same echelon as its practice, subsequently its partakers acquire their skills not through research based instruction but through individual experience; suggesting that biomechanical feedback may facilitate an athlete further. Kicking performance and kick co-ordination Biomechanical kicking success in football has been measured predominately by maximum ball velocity (Markovic et al, 2006) with Dorge et al (2002) stating it could be this speed that is particularly important when kicking towards goal. When kicking a ball, players will use the most appropriate form dependant on the intent and nature of the outcome (Numone et al, 2002) and according to a study by Grant et al (1998), who analysed data from the 1998 World Cup, the instep kick (IK) (see figure 1) and sidefoot kick are the most commonly used techniques to score. The ball velocity of the maximum IK is the main indicator in kicking performance (Orloff et al, 2008) and has been said to be the result of various factors including technique (Lees and Nolan, 1998), gender (Barfield et al, 2002), muscle strength and power of players (De Proft et al, 1988; Dutta Subraminium, 2002). The IK is a fundamental skill that is used on many occasions during football (see figure 1), with Orloff et al (2008) stating that the mechanics in instep kicking are critical in determining kick performance. Transfer of momentum from the thigh to the leg is believed to play an important role in instep kicking, however these claims have not been conclusively quantified (Dunn Putnam, 1988). The IK involves a sequence of momentum from proximal (thigh) to distal (shank and foot) body segments in the kicking limb as it is a swing action (Barfield et al, 2002) that should be a natural fluid motion (Clagg et al, 2009). When a kick is performed the proximal segment initiates the movement taking the kicking leg backwards, with the distal segment lagging behind, forward movement of the leg occurs when the proximal segment has reached its potential at backswing and is brought forward whilst the knee continues to flex (Wickstrom, 1975; Dorge et al, 2002). This is followed by a deceleration of the proximal segment due to motion dependant moments from the shank (Putnam, 1991); upon ball impact the proximal segment is almost stationary, at which point the distal segment is accelerating and vigorously extending about the knee to almost full extension at ball impact (Wickstrom, 1975) (see figure 2). At the point of contact, of instep to ball, powerful kickers keep the foot/ankle compl ex locked and plantarflexed, as a consequence the forces that propel the ball are maximised (Hay, 1996; Tsaousidid and Zatsiorsky, 1996). Lower limb velocities (Levanon Dapena, 1988) are said to be an important determinant of ball velocity. Manolopoulos et al (2006) state that a greater shank velocity is indicative of a more powerful shot, the study conducted by Manolopoulous et al (2006) concluded that a strength and kick co-ordination training programme over a ten week period can cause an improvement in angular velocities of segments. A study conducted by Barfield et al (2002) found that a greater ball velocity was found with greater angular velocity of the distal segment (in male footballers). From this literature it can be assumed that a person with a high lower limb velocity should have a high ball velocity. It has been theorised that the length, speed and angle of approach are the most important aspects of the preparatory phase, before movement transpires, having a significant effect on football kick success (Isokawa Lees, 1988; Kellis et al, 2004).When a football kick is performed the athlete may kick the ball from a stationary position or approach the ball from a certain distance (Kathis Kellis, 2007), Opavsky (1988) states that higher ball velocities are established when there is a running approach, of at least two to three steps, to the ball in contrast to a stagnant approach. Another important point is that a ball will in most cases be moving towards the player; consequently the player will not be hitting a stationary ball as is often the case in laboratory conditions, supported by Tol et al (2002). Kellis and Katis (2007) state that higher ball speed values have been during competition in contrast to a laboratory setting. Isokawa Lees (1988) concluded that on average maximum swing leg velocity occurred at an approach angle of between 30 ° and 45 °, with a maximum velocity ensuing at 45 °. From this finding it can be alleged that 45 ° is the optimal approach angle for a maximal velocity instep soccer kick (Clagg et al, 2009). Maximum ball speed and its relationship with accuracy is one which has been investigated with interesting results. Asami et al (1976) reported that by demanding both speed and accuracy from players, an 80% drop of the maximal value occurs as a result, this is a considerable reduction; however is further supported in literature stating that accurate kicking is achieved through slower ball velocities and kicking motion (Katis Kellis, 2007; Lees Nolan, 1998; Teixeira et al, 1999). Katis Kellis (2007) deduce that a defined target, such as a goal, will determine the actual constraints on accuracy, with its manipulation leading to a trade-off between speed and accuracy of ki ck. Another factor that could inhibit a maximal velocity IK is the kicking limb chosen. Many studies have found that higher ball velocities are found when football players kick with their dominant limb as opposed to kicks with the non-dominant limb; this has been attributed to higher foot speeds and a better inter-segmental pattern (Numone et al, 2006; Dorge et al, 2002); Manopoluous et al (2006) state that ball speed is the result of several segmental actions of the body during a kick, figure 3 illustrates the movements of the body segments during different phases of the kick. Female and Male footballers Studies regarding male football performance in relation to kick biomechanics is a well researched area, however this does not correlate to the lack of knowledge gained when researching for female information. This statement is supported by McLean et al (2005) and Hewett et al (2006) who both acknowledge that few studies have characterised or examined female athletic performance in specific sports such as soccer, along with the assertion from Barfield (2002) that the rapid rise in female participation in soccer worldwide has not been followed by a corresponding increase in the number of studies biomechanically that target female kicking patterns to determine if differences exist between males and females. It is thought that the identification of kinematic differences between the sexes could potentially play a critical role in the teaching and training of aspiring female soccer players (Barfield et al, 2002). Consequently it can be assumed that female studies should be regarded to be o f high importance and those found could help to eradicate huge differences between the sexes. With this said there are a few studies that have compared male and females, and studies that have solely looked at females. A study by Barfield et al (2002) investigated differences between elite female and male soccer players. The study concluded that males kick the ball with greater ball velocity on the instep kick than women (see table 1 for mean ball velocity achieved in this study) and the differences in kinematic variables investigated were significantly different between the sexes, although this was small. However in this study there was one exception to the case, as it was found that one female generated greater ball velocity on two of her three kicks than the males on her dominant side, suggesting that not everyone follows the trend. A study by Tant et al (1991) supports Barfield et al (2002) findings, as it was found that male players produce greater ball speeds than their female counterparts, they attributed this finding to greater strength that males recorded; as tested on an isokinetic dynamometer. In contrast to these findings, a study by Orloff et al (2008) comparing the kinetics and kinematics of the plant leg position between males and female collegiate soccer player during an instep kick, found that ball speed did not differ significantly between the two sexes as was hypothesised. Table 1 illustrates mean ball velocities, ranging from 15 to 30 m.s-1, achieved during a number of studies most of which occurred with the instep kick. Only one study shown provides details of a mean female ball velocity once more indicating the lack of research on female football participation. Strength training It has been stated that kicking performance when measured by means of maximal ball velocity, can be improved by strength training (DeProft et al, 1988; Jelusic et al, 1992; Taiana et al, 1993), relating to Wisloff et al (2004) who states that maximal strength is an important factor in successful soccer performance; this is because of the apparent demands visible from the game. Strength has been defined as the integrated results of several force producing muscles performing maximally, either isometrically or dynamically during a single voluntary effort of a defined task (Hoff Helgerud, 2004); Schmidtbleicher (1992) states that strength influences all other components and thus it is located in an upper hierarchal level. The use of strength training is a common means of improving muscle function and has been said to develop performance of kicking skill through apposite training (Masuda et al, 2005). Gomez et al (2008) believe that the coalescing of strength training with technical training involving motor tasks is required for improvements in performances to occur, this relates to the traditional training principle of specificity; Behm Sale (1993) and Sale (1992) support this principle as they believe that training is intended to correspond to specificity in sport itself, this is in terms of contraction type, contraction force, movements and velocity. This can be related to football training, since the fundamental aspect of football is kicking and this involves a complex series of synergistic movements of the lower limbs, which in essence would be extremely complex to imitate with simple strength-training movements (Bangsbo, 1994). Therefore strength training should be integrated into football training with several types and speeds of training involving the actual movement pattern in order to increase performance (Masuda et al, 2005). If a relationship between muscle strength and performance exists then it can be assumed that positive effects should become perceptible when measuring ball velocity, if these performance enhancing training benefits are not evident then athletes may not be motivated to participate in strength training (Myer et al, 2005). Myer et al (2005) conducted a study that explored the effects that a comprehensive neuromuscular training programme had over a period of six weeks. The investigators measured performance and lower extremity movement biomechanics in female athletes, it was concluded that female athletes who trained with this six week programme could gain performance enhancements and significant improvements in movement biomechanics. Myer et al (2005) states that female athletes may especially benefit from multi-component neuromuscular training, as females often display decreased baseline levels of strength and power when compared with their male counterparts. The previous statement is supported by Kraemer et al (2003) and Kraemer et al (2001) who believe that a comprehensive training programme may significantly increase power, strength and neuromuscular control and therefore decrease gender differences in these measures. Campo et al (2009) conducted a study over a period of 12 weeks on female soccer players; this involved the undertaking of a plyometric program. It was found that this program produced improvements in explosive strength in the female athletes and consequently this improvement could be transferred to soccer kick performance in terms of ball velocity; this study also lends evidence to the use of plyometrics in a strength training program. Studies by Aagaard et al (1996) and Trolle et al (1993) found similarities within their results, since no significant improvements in kicking performance were established after knee-extension strength training. However De Proft et al (1988), Gomez et al (2008) and Monolopoulos et al (2006) all conducted strength training programmes that combined strength with another form of training, football training, plyometric exercises and technique exercises (kick co-ordination) respectively, found significant improvements in kicking performance (maximal instep football kick). The studies by Gomez et al (2008) and Myer et al (2005) took place over a 6wk period, with the study by Monolopoulos et al (2006) taking place over 10 weeks and Campo et al (2009) over a 12 week period, suggesting that the length of a training programme is interchangeable to gain relevant results. Hoff Helgerud (2004) state that research based on strength training is often not conclusive; this may be due to the variances in measurement techniques. Knee muscles Various studies have examined the muscle activation patterns that arise during a football kick; one of the findings to come from studies is the high activation of knee muscle groups (De Proft et al, 1988). To examine this further, maximal isokinetic data has been undertaken to study the moment of force of the knee extensors and flexors, this has been investigated in male players (Brady et al, 1993; Oberg et al, 1984; Oberg et al, 1986), female players (Reilly Drust, 1997) and in relation to football kick performance (Cabri et al, 1988; Poulmedis, 1988; Reilly Drust, 1997). Rapid knee flexion and extension is an important part of a football kick as the knee flexes then extends at impact, this movement is accompanied by a stretch of the knee musculature during backswing ensued by immediate shortening during distal segment movement (Katis Kellis, 2009). The action of the proximal segment being brought forward whilst the distal segment lags behind (as the knee is still flexing) serves to stretch the extensor muscles of the proximal segment before shortening of them is needed, this necessitates the generation of large end-point speed (Lees Nolan, 1998). It can be assumed that if the knee extensor muscles are powerful then they should facilitate in large end point speed (greater ball velocity). Isokinetic muscle testing is often used to evaluate strength within sport, with a range of data obtainable from its use (Ozcakar et al, 2003) however controversy surrounds its application. Wisloff et al (2004) believe that isokinetic tests do not reflect the actual movements of the lower limb segments during a football kick, and Dvir (1996) states that this is due to the nature of testing knee extensors, as it is a single-joint configuration, it is limited in functional scope. A study by Reilly Drust (1994), have reported results for female soccer players that show a high correlation between ball speed and knee extensor strength, this is supported by McLean and Tumilty (1993) who state that maximal strength of knee extensor muscles is an important determinant of kick performance. Asami et al (1982) report that the ball velocity and knee extensor strength relationship of the kicking limb may well depend on the skill level of the players, suggesting that the strength of the muscles in the knee has less input on ball velocity in football players whom are more skilled. This statement implies that less skilled players rely more on their muscular strength than skill. De Proft et al (1988) conducted a strength training programme for footballers and found a 25% increase in concentric muscle strength of extensors. Studies have shown that knee extensor strength and kick performance however did not have a positive relationship, as for example Masuda et al (2005) found that knee extension/flexion strength was not correlated with the ball velocity and Aagaard et al (1996) conducted a 12 week training programme on the isokinetic strength of the knee extensors and flexors, with an increase in isokinetic and concentric strength found, but it was concluded that this gain did not help facilitate improvements in performance. Expectations and hypotheses From current literature it is expected that the use of a strength training programme integrated with technical game play, will have a positive significant improvement from pre-test to post-test on both females and males as previous research has shown that a strength training programme improves performance (Manolopoulos et al., 2004; De Proft et al., 1988; Dutta Subramanium, 2002), however the female group are expected to have a bigger improvement as they often have lower level of strength to start (Myer et al, 2005) leaving more room for improvement, and men will have a better kicking performance determined by ball velocity as they possess more power (Barfield et al, 2002; Tant et al, 1991). It is also expected that an improvement in knee muscle strength, limb velocity and foot velocity at ball contact will lead to an improvement in ball velocity as it can be said that kicking performance can be related to leg muscle strength as it is the muscles which are directly responsible for t he increasing speed of the foot and therefore resultant ball velocity (Lees Nolan, 1998). This information leads to the hypotheses for this study. It is hypothesised that after a strength training and kick co-ordination programme both men and women will find significant improvements in their kicking performance and knee extensor strength, females will have a greater improvement in the pre to post test results than their male counterparts, men will have greater ball velocity both pre and post test than women, improvements in knee strength, limb velocity and foot velocity will lead to an improvement in ball velocity. Materials and methods Pilot testing Before any real data collection commenced two pilot tests were conducted. This was to enable any aspects of the testing procedure to be checked, allowing areas of weakness and uncertainty to be enhanced and/or changes needing to occur to be implemented before actual testing transpired. The first pilot test involved kinematic analysis data collection, using Qualysis Oqus 3D motion capture system, at a sampling rate of 500 Hz, under laboratory conditions. A participant was marked up with a lower limb marker set (see figure 7 and 8), a warm up and relevant instructions were given. 5 maximum velocity kicks were performed with the dominant foot at a target (1.82m x 1.2m) set 6 metres away from the position of the ball, a 2metre approach distance of self selected approach angle was allowed and a Sports radar precision gun (SRA 3000) was positioned behind the target. Uncertainties regarding target size, approach distance and quality of data collection were put under scrutiny. Collaboration with the participant allowed for uncertainties such as target size and distance of approach to be modified. Quality of data was checked and it appeared not all parts of the movement were captured or markers visible at all times (see figure 4). Due to these findings the pilot testing res ulted in changes to the planned protocol, such as approach distance (an extra metre allowance was given), bandage size (was halved to prevent covering of markers), calibration technique in regards to area dynamically covered was increased (to cover all movement performed) and appropriate marker placement took place (incorrect palpitation had previously taken place). The second pilot test was an extension of the first, relevant changes were made as noted in pilot test 1, with testing on the isokinetic dynamometer (ISOCOM- isokinetic technology, eurokinetics) included for strength data. A warm up was conducted prior to use, with the involvement of dynamic movements to help replicate the movement on the isokinetic dynamometer, once completed 5 practice trials took place followed by 3 trials that were collected as the data. This allowed for any time restraints for the two conjoined to be noted. It was found that the testing on the isocom took longer than the kinematic data, as it was expected that this would be roughly the same time; so implementation of a suitable time system could occur. Marker issues previously noted in pilot 1 were not problematic; this could be due to the increased area of calibration and anatomical landmark markers not being covered by bandages. Figure 5 shows that most data was captured and tracked, giving evidence to improve ments made being effective, when comparing figure 4 and 5 against each other. The extra metre approach distance allowance proved successful with collection of data running more smoothly. Participants Sixteen amateur football players volunteered to participate in this study, eight females and eight males. Participants were split with regards to gender and assigned to either the female control group (FCG) (n= 4 females; age 20  ± 0.8 years; height 169  ± 5.8cm; body mass 68.9  ± 11.1 kg; all mean  ± std), the male control group (MCG) ( n= 4 males; age, 21  ± 1 year; height 177.5  ± 7 cm; body mass 77  ± 10 kg; all mean  ± std), the female strength training experimental group (FTG) (n= 4 females; age 20  ± 1.3 year; height 160  ± 1.8 cm; body mass 58.1  ± 4.3 kg; all mean  ± std ) or the male strength training experimental group (MTG) (n= 4 males; age 17  ± 1. 2 year; height 174.9  ± 4.1 cm; body mass 73.1  ± 13.7 kg; all mean  ± std). All females were right foot dominant, with 6 males being right foot dominant and 2 left foot dominant. Foot dominance was self selected based on the players reply to which foot they preferred kicking with to gain a maxi mal ball velocity outcome. Subjects were informed about the requirements, benefits and risks of the study, and completed an informed consent form and Par- Q prior to any testing (see Appendix). Kick performance test / Biomechanical testing In accordance to the study of Masuda et al (2004) kick performance was evaluated by measuring the maximal and mean velocity of the ball, by the use of Sports radar precision gun (SRA 3000), and a set number of trials in which the ball hit the target (5 times). Other measurements from this maximal kick were also taken by means of Qualysis Oqus 3D motion capture system, this uses multiple cameras (an eight camera system) to reconstruct three dimensional movement data; this was captured at a sampling rate of 500 Hz for 5 seconds. This enabled human movement analysis during the execution of a motor task (instep kick) to be traced via the use of reflective markers, gathering quantitative information (Cappozzo et al, 2005). The calibrated anatomical system technique (CAST) marker set was used (Cappozzo et al, 1995), each participant was instrumented with 44 retroflective markers (see figure 7 and 8). All markers and clusters used when capturing the data was with the aim to: not significant ly modify the performance being captured and measured as stated by Brand and Crownshield (1981). These markers were placed on anatomical landmarks (medial and lateral side of proximal and distal end of segements) by palpation using guidance from Croce et al (2005), and on segments using clusters in accordance with Manal et al (2000) who state that a rigid shell with a cluster of four markers is the optimal configuration for a cluster set. Specific shoes were provided for all participants, with the anatomical landmarks placed on these prior to testing (figure 6). Before data collection of each participant commenced, the motion capture system was calibrated (see figure 9a) to allow information gathering of spatial location of anatomical landmarks in regards to a known frame of reference (Cappozzo et al, 1994). This occurred by the use of a wand, which carries two markers of a given distance (750.5mm), and is made to coincide with the target anatomical landmarks by moving dynamically through the volume of cameras (Cappozzo et al, 2005; Richards, 2008) over a calibration frame placed in the data collection area (see figure 9b), this is removed so data for the intended activity (instep kick) can be performed and recorded. A static of each participant with clusters and anatomical markers was then taken (see figure 10) asking participants to gain a posture where anatomical markers can be seen by two or more cameras for at least a frame. Once this was achieved only tracking markers were kept on (thigh and shank clusters, anterior superior iliac spin e (ASIS), posterior superior iliac spine (PSIS), greater trochanter, iliacs, foot markers except 1st and 5th metatarsals), as Cappozzo (1984) states markers used for identifying anatomical landmarks should be removed before physical movement is performed. Qualysis Track Manager (QTM) was the software used to capture the data including statics, dynamic movement and calibration. The set-up design for the kick performance test can be seen in figure 11. Specific instructions were given to participants regarding their kicks, it was stated that although the kicks that missed the target would be repeated, they should not sacrifice speed in order to improve accuracy. A ball of standard size and standard inflation (Fà ©dà ©ration Internationale de Football Association, FIFA, standard) was used. A warm-up was conducted, this took place on a treadmill (5-10 mins) followed by stretching, once the candidate felt they had been sufficiently warmed up practice trials took place. 2-3 practice trials were implemented allowing participants to acquaint themselves with test equipment and kicking conditions. Participants were allowed to self select their approach angle to the ball (between 0 ° to 60 °), the only restraint utilised was the approach distance to the ball; participants were allowed a run up of between 2 to 3 metres this distance was marked and made noticeable to the participants. 5 successful trials were recorded on the dominant leg, a successful trial was classed as one which hit the target and the motion capture data was seen to be adequate, only 3 of these trials were analysed (data deemed as poor quality was discarded). This testing took place both pre and post intervention. Once data collection had been completed in QTM, the information was used and markers labelled; including both static and dynamic data. For dynamic data, this took place through naming the markers in a dynamic frame and processing this to the corresponding data. An aim model was built, this was then generated and batch processed to all the dynamic trials, the checking of each anatomical frame ensued to ensure all markers were labelled correctly. Once this procedure was completed data was then exported to Visual 3D for further analysis and model building. Data from QTM (see figure 10) was built in to actual body segments that could be visually seen and recognised; this occurred through model building on Visual 3D. Figure 12 shows some examples of how the right hand side of the body was built; the same was done for the left side. Once model building had been completed, all trials were checked and different pipelines were put in place (a set of commands that can change or produce data wa nted). An interpolation pipeline was conducted on the data to fill in missing data points, a ten frame gap fill was instrumented, filling in gaps more than this suggest that data is of poor quality. A low pass filter (using Butterworth filter) pipeline was put in place on the data, to smooth and remove noise that could be due to relative and absolute errors (soft tissue artefacts) (Richards, 2008), with a cut of frequency of 6 Hz used. Cut off frequencies previously used in other literature are between 6-18 Hz (Andersen et al, 1999; Dorge et al, 2002; Nunome et al, 2002; Teixeira, 1999). To determine heel strike of the non-kicking leg at placement the event minimum pipeline was used on the non-dominant leg (heel), to find the lowest point of the heel in the z axis (see figure 13). For information between a range of movements to be determined, the event ball contact was defined (see figure 14). Segment velocity (in x axis) of the thigh, shank and foot was extracted from the data, in the reports section, using the range of events previously defined (non-dominant leg heel contact and ball impact) to visually see data between and up to those chosen points. Muscular strength test Isokinetic concentric peak torque of the dominant leg was measured using an isokinetic dynamometer (ISOCOM- isokinetic technology, eurokinetics) see figure 15. The strength test involved movement of the knee (extension and flexion) to detect muscular strength in the knee extensor muscle groups. The angular velocity used for the movement was 60 ° s-1; this angular velocity has been used by many investigators to evaluate knee muscular strength of football players (Kellis et al, 2001; Ergun et al, 2004; Dauty et al, 2002). Prior to undergoing the test a warm-up was conducted, consisting of a 10 min warm up of cycling and 5mins of dynamic stretching, completion of this lead to the familiarisation process of the test protocols for the isokinetic movements that were tested including practice trials. Three maximum voluntary repetitions of flexion and extension at 60 ° s-1 took place in a seated position, with five familiarisation trials taking place beforehand, the participants were war ned as to when the real trials were about to commence. The peak torque value was used to represent muscular strength; this is considered to be the gold standard in isokinetic measurement (ISOCOM testing and rehabilitation user manual). This testing took place both pre and post intervention with the same protocol applied for both testing. Training programme The training programme undertaken in this study was a synthesis of findings derived from published articles for example training books and journals (Manolopoulous et al, 2006; Zatsiorsky Kraemer, 2006; Chu, 1998). The FTG and MTG followed a 6-week training programme consisting of 1 session per week (each session consisting of up to an hour and a half) including a warm up and main activities. The main activity consisted of a circuit style fashion plyometrics, kick co-ordination and strength work ensemble, with exercises such as; lunges, squat jumps, resistance band work, core stability ball work and hurdle work included. Technical game play was incorporated into each session at the end of the circuit; with the aim of improving k

Eveline, Dubliners and James Joyce :: Joyce Dubliners Essays

Eveline, Dubliners and James Joyce    "Eveline" is the story of a young teenager facing a dilemma where she has to choose between living with her father or escaping with Frank, a sailor which she has been courting for some time. The story is one of fifteen stories written by James Joyce in a collection called "Dubliners". These stories follow a certain pattern that Joyce uses to express his ideas: "Joyce's focus in Dubliners is almost exclusively on the middle-class Catholics known to himself and his family"(the Gale Group). Joyce's early life, family background, and his catholic background appear in the way he writes these stories. "Where Joyce usually relates his stories to events in his life, there are some stories which are actually events that took place in his life" (Joyce, Stanislaus). James Joyce in his letter to Grant Richard writes:    My intention was to write a chapter of the moral history of my country and I chose Dublin for the scene because that city seemed to me the center of paralysis. I tried to present it to the indifferent public under four of these aspects: childhood, adolescence, maturity and public life. The stories are arranged in this order. (5 May 1906; Selected letters). (Ingersoll)    In the story, Eveline's family is described poor, and they probably don't live a very comfortable life. The dust and Eveline's struggle for money mentioned in the story all go to explain the misery in their life: "Besides, the invariable squabble for money on Saturday nights had begun to weary her unspeakably"(Joyce5). This misery also appears in other stories by Joyce like 'The Sisters' and 'Araby'. Joyce could have related his childhood days when his family was in some financial crises to the family background of Eveline in the story: "but the [Joyce's] family fortunes took a sharp turn for the worse during Joyce's childhood" (Gale Group). From the story, we are told that it is from this misery, and her father's attitude that Eveline decides she would leave home, although, she does not leave at the end of the story. Joyce could have been writing about the urge the had to leave Dublin during his youth because he: "[cites] the city of Dublin as the center of paralysis" (t he Gale Group).