“To escape is nothing. Not to escape is nothing.” Louise Bogan Essay Example for Free

â€Å"To escape is nothing. Not to escape is nothing.† Louise Bogan Essay Hinduism is a body of religious and philosophical beliefs and cultural practices from India. It is a religion with many beliefs and practices. Hinduism is characterized by a belief in reincarnation, belief in a supreme being of many different forms, the view that opposing theories are aspects of one eternal truth, and a desire for liberation from earthly evils. Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus which is shown in the New Testament. Christians believe Jesus is the son of God, God having become man and the saviour of humanity. Hinduism has grown and is the third largest religion in the world after Christianity and Islam. It has about 837 followers in the world. Hinduism is regarded as the world’s oldest organised religion. Hinduism consists of thousand of different religious groups in India that have evolved since 1500BCE. It is the main religion of India, Nepal, and among the Tamils in Sri Lanka. The individuality of the Hindu world focus on 4 important ideas: anadi (beginninglessness), karma (the moral law of life), samsara (rebirth) and moksha (freedom or release). Hinduism believes in reincarnation. They believe that there is a cycle of birth, death and rebirth. Hindus desire for the release of suffering. Living in the world shows suffering because it implies the separation from the divine. Christianity was founded in the early 1st century AD. It came to be a religion with the teaching, miracles, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Today it is the largest religion in the world. Christianity has around 2 billion followers. It is most popular in the western world. Today, Christianity has a many different forms, beliefs and practices, but it is all centered around the belief and faith in Jesus Christ. Christians believe that there is one God. God created the world and everything in it, and we are also created in the image of God. There are difference and similarities with Hinduism and Christianity. First Hinduism is pantheistic, not theistic. Christianity believes that God created the world out of nothing, and humans out of the image of God. Christians believe that the world was corrupted by sin and is under Gods fate, moving towards perfection. Hindus believe the world is part of God and that the universe undergoes endless cycles of creation, preservation, and dissolution. Hindus believe that all people will be united with God, and Christians believe that those who are called to God will have eternal life and whoever rebels will be lost eternally. Hindus believe in karma. Whatever goes around comes around. And Christians believe that sins can be forgiven. Hindus believe that humans will die and go through a cycle until karma is resolved. Christians believe that you die once, and face judgement. Hindus worship different structures and Christians only worship God alone. There is quite a large difference between Christianity and Hinduism. Mainly because it does not have a single founder, a specific theological system, a single concept of deity, a single holy text, a single system of morality, a central religious authority, and the concept of a prophet. We are similar because we are all looking to be good people and worship our creator. Christianity is more based on faith and belief and Hinduism, although they have their faith and belief, is more of a lifestyle and a way of life.

Current Trend to Teaching Nutrition in Elementary School Essay Example for Free

Current Trend to Teaching Nutrition in Elementary School Essay Elementary schools have interesting aspects of putting across nutrition information to students through various methods. For instance, game theory is used to substitute healthier food for unhealthy foods currently consumed in various places including public places. Game theory in nutrition involves changing ones brain which eventually affects the body. This system entails mastering the guidelines of competitive practices mostly in purchasing, preparing or consuming good foods for our bodies. Game theory is used to motivate groups of people on their approaches to eating habits. In this theory, food is used to enable learners make decisions. It also examines the learners’ trust with regard to the fact that the body is molded depending on what one was fed on during his/her childhood and that the body is designed to fight diseases in times of infection. When using game theory, the teacher gives learners different examples of commonly used foods like the use of extra virgin oil by an individual or chicken fat for baking. In this example, the teacher is able to identify the individual who is at risk of developing diabetes (Brenowitz Tuttle, 2003). In elementary schools, teachers identify the most important nutrition topics and the materials required to teach nutrition. For instance, healthy food choices and food guide pyramid are important topics that ought to be taught in elementary schools. Teachers have got the ability to change dietary behaviors of students. Middle schools use the team nutrition curriculum â€Å"yourself† which has details on food groups, required servings, following USDA food guide pyramid and weight guidelines. It also has guidelines and activities that are employed while choosing snacks (Gutek Gerald, 1986). Elementary school teachers reward their students for good and presentable behavior. The teachers use food method and non food method to reward them. With food method the teacher chooses the students with good eating habits while with non food method those students with good interactive behavior are rewarded. As a result, most students will try as much as they can, so that they can improve and learn good nutritional habits. References Brenowitz, N. , Tuttle, C. R. (2003). Development and testing of a nutrition-teaching selfefficacy scale for elementary school teachers. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 35, 308-311. Gutek, B. Gerald, L. (1986). Education in the United States: An Historical Perspective. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.

Health Visitor Reflective Essay

Health Visitor Reflective Essay I attended a core group meeting for a family with complex needs. Parents Poppy and Richard had struggled to overcome a class A drug addiction and that there were grave concerns about the wellbeing of the 4 children in the family home. I sat opposite Poppy across a small table as this was the last available seat in the room. Richard was unable to attend but it had a very positive start for Poppy who discussed some of the improvements since the last official meeting. She appeared content and motivated to ensure things continued to improve. I was aware that an important discussion was going to take place about a serious incident which had occurred within the family and had been observed by a health visitor visiting the family next door. The purpose of the discussion was to support Poppy to understand the risks of leaving children unattended in the car and readdress the on-going issue of smoking around the children in confined spaces. The issue was broached by the social worker and Poppy immediately expressed unease. She denied having been involved until Poppy was informed it had been witnessed by another health visitor. Poppy became very angry, very quickly and made reference to the name the health visitor (her name had not been disclosed in the meeting). Her anger was then directed at my community practice teacher and me as the health visitor/student in the room. Poppy maintained intense eye contact with me and when I glanced away she noticed and it escalated her anger. Amongst the shouting and swearing Poppy was asking why Health visitors always interfere with her family and she was expressing that there was nothing wrong with what she was alleged to have done. As the main receiver of Poppys upset I tried to put active listening skills in to practice. Chosen Reflective Model and Rationale: Reflection is described by Boud et al (1985 p43) as a generic term for those intellectual and affective activities in which individuals engage to explore their experiences in order to lead to a new understanding and appreciation . It is deemed a particularly valuable tool within the health profession for many reasons. Reflection is a tool which can be used at all levels within the health care setting and is arguably imperative within practice (Ralphe et al 2011). It facilitates critical thinking (Cotton 2011) and by scrutinizing experiences professionals are then able to decipher the evidence within their own practice. Moreover it supports practitioners to make more sense of difficult and complex situations (Driscoll and Teh 2001). The collection of knowledge of individuals and groups through the form of refelction helps people to look not only at the situation but at how to understand it enough to be able to commit to improve similar situations which may arise again. Thus leading to improved practice (Ghaye and Lillyman 2010) Examples of reflective models include Gibbs (1988), Johns (2004) and Driscol (2000). Johns model is recommended for more complex reflection and decision making (REF). On one hand this would work well as a basis for this assignment however the model looks at the situation which has been resolved and it could be argued that it does not consider how the situation can be taken forward (Rolfe 2001). Although this could be adapted the Gibbs model of reflection (Gibbs 1988) has been chosen as a guide for this assignment. Despite being a fairly straight forward model, it is favourable because it aids a clear description of the scenario, analysis of feelings, evaluation of the experience, analysis to make sense of the experience and conclusion for each point that will be reflected upon. This enables careful consideration on what I would do if the situation occurs again. Communicating in Difficult Circumstances and Relevance to Health Visiting: According to the Department of Health (2007) one of the key elements to health visiting practice is to deliver the healthy child programme (Department of health 2009). This outlines the role of the health visitor and this includes the need for the health visitor to reduce health inequalities and protect children at risk (Department of Health 2009). The distressing conversation for Poppy was aimed to protect the children from potential harm caused by cigarette smoke and also to protect the children from the harm of being left unattended in a smoky car. It was acknowledged that smoking cessation had been suggested to Poppy but denied with such ferocity that the idea was to put things in place to protect the children from being harmed as a result of her smoking. After all as professionals we have to remind ourselves that Poppy has a right to smoke if she chooses to. The safeguarding of the children is paramount and therefore despite it being a tricky issue to address, it was an issue wh ich was vital to work with in order to safeguard the children. It is important to recognise that delivering these messages set out in the healthy child programme (2009) are not always straight forward. The people at highest risk of poor health are often those who have a lesser understanding of the consequences of their actions on the health of themselves and their families. They are perhaps less likely to comprehend the information which is delivered to them and the fact that this information is often changing (Knai 2009). Good communication is therefore crucial. Communication is defined by Porche (2004 pp266) as The transfer of Information and the understanding of the information from one individual another. It is the process through which individuals share thoughts, ideas, facts, beliefs, values and traditions. The department of health (2012) recently published Developing the Culture of Compassionate Care, which highlights Communication as one of the 6 Cs (Care, Compassion, Competence, Communication, Courage, Commitment) required to maximise compassionate care. It acknowledges that good communication skills contributes to better listening which results in people receiving care feeling valued and therefore happier with the service they receive (Department of Health 2012). Focusing on communication in difficult situations is very relevant to Health visiting practice as there are frequent barriers which can effect delivering the public health messages. In this case the barrier was Poppys resistance as a loving Mother to acknowledge the risks which her actions may have on her children and the emotions this consequently provoked creating a difficult situation in which to communicate not just the public health messages but to support Poppy in de-escalation. Resistance to accept information and support from health visitors is an on-going issue (REF) so having the opportunity to critically reflect on the situation will support me to ensure better practice in futur Eye Contact Initially Poppy seemed calm and positive about the progress she had made with her children avoided eye contact. However when angry, Poppy maintained strong eye contact with me in particular. I was surprised at how intimidated I felt, not by the shouting and verbal abuse but by the intense way in which Poppy was looking at me. I glanced away and looked towards my community practice teacher. This move that for me seemed quick and subtle had a profound effect on Poppy and she demanded I look at her when she is talking to me and this was followed with a threat. As specialist community public health nurses it is important to recognise that communication goes way beyond the verbal conversations that we have with people. Nonverbal communication plays a very strong role in the impressions that we give to people therefore having an understanding of what happened with Poppy is key to furthering my communication skills and awareness in future. Non-verbal communication is profound. Eyes and eye contact are a major part of non-verbal communication and many messages are consequently sent and received by the eyes (Sieh and Brentin 1997). The person who is listening holds eye contact with the speaker in order to express that they are listening and taking on board what the speaker is saying. The speaker holds eye contact with the listener so that they will know that the conversation is being directed at them (Lerner 2002). It is a real challenge to define normal eye contact as it differs from person to person depending on personal preference and aspects such as culture. (REF something on culture). It is not possible to create a text book advising when to look and how long for (Rungapadiachy 1999). Therefore responses to eye contact are open to interpretation and could lead to confusion within communicative situations (Sieh and Brentin 1997). Eye contact can have a positive impact on people. A good level of eye contact from the listener can make the person speaking feel as if they are being listened to and listener is interested and focused (Rungapadiachy, 1999). Alternatively, any form of eye contact can cause some people to feel uncomfortable, self-conscious and threatened (Rungapadiachy, 1999). Minimal eye contact may indicate lack of interest (Sieh and Brentin 1997) but it is important to acknowledge that eye contact may be less prominent when engaging in difficult or intimate topics (Rungapadiachy, 1999). Knapp (1978, cited in Rungapadiachy, 1999, pp206) recognises that when a person is disapproving of something it can be displayed in aggressive and intimidating eye contact. Furthermore early signs of anger can be shown via intense and threatening eye contact (Neild-Anderson et al 1999). Poppy initially avoided eye contact. She may have felt self-conscious being surrounded by professionals and despite the discussion being originally very positive, the subject matter was also intimate and personal. Similarly possible that she was able to anticipate what was about to be said. As Health visitors the heart of what we do is safeguard children physically and emotionally. The information discussed was vital within our role but it was not easy for her to deliberate and acknowledge. The intimidating eye contact displayed could have been because she was feeling intimidated or she was not accepting of the information being given to her. Moreover, I broke the eye contact momentarily and this may have upset the foundation of the conversation. For Poppy this could very easily be construed as non-compliance to listen on my part (Kidwell 2006). If we feel that something is unacceptable then it is likely that our eye contact will decrease (Rungapadiachy 1999). I acknowledge that I looked away from Poppy whilst she was communicating with me. Consciously I feel this is because I felt intimidated. However perhaps subconsciously I was not accepting of what she was saying. I attempted to communicate to Poppy through non-verbal communication that I do care and I appreciate that the situation was not an easy one for her. This is much like the view of Chambers and Ryder (2012 p106) who acknowledge that many nurses have become very skilled at communicating messages and meaning without words. However in this case, either I was not portraying myself in the manner that I intended, or it went un noticed as a result of Poppys heightened state of anxiety and upset. At the time I did not consider that Poppy could have misinterpreted my eye contact for staring. Poppys behaviour was intimidating but this did not exempt her from feeling intimidated herself. It is possible she felt under attack as a result of the raised concerns and prolonged eye contact on my part could have been threatening (Duxbury, 2000).Moreover, averting my gaze suddenly, may also have signalled fear in me which could also have distracted Poppy from getting her point across (Manos and Braun 2006). Alternatively I acknowledge that eye contact is also natural process and the anger which Poppy displayed did frighten me thus triggering a fight or flight reaction (Manos and Braun 2006). I did not escape physically but there was a shift in my gaze in order to avoid a threatening glare and it could be argued that this does not assist good listening. Although it was not possible in this situation because of the room space, I understand the importance of positioning within a meeting. I was positioned directly opposite Poppy which meant that I was the centre of her vision and she of mine. This meant that where less intrusive peripheral eye contact may have worked better, I was holding what could have been construed intimidating contact (Duxbury, 2000). My Community Practice teacher fed back that my expressions and levels of eye contact were acceptable and skilled. She viewed the reaction as unavoidable because of Poppys nature and the topic of the conversation. I acknowledge that there were a number of factors which triggered Poppys anger and it is because I deem eye contact so important that I have prioritised it. It is very difficult to know whether it directly correlated with the escalation of her emotions and if it did which of the above discussions applied to her. However as a result I am more aware of different personalities and how communication methods can be interpreted and it is this which is so vital for future practice. Seih and Brentin (1997 p5) reinforce this by stating Being sensitive to your own eye contact patterns and the patterns of those with whom you communicate will help you be more perceptive of what is occurring in the communication process, Active Listening I was aware that Poppy needed support to deescalate. I was not confident addressing this myself despite having had years of experience deescalating distressed people who displayed challenging behaviour. This was different. There was pressure on me as Poppy had targeted me and I was feeling increasingly intimidated by what was happening. Whilst Poppy was shouting I nodded a few times so she would feel listened to. She made some unpleasant threats to my community practice teacher and me and was suggesting that there was no problem with leaving children unattended in a smoky car or in smoking with them on her lap. I was equally careful as I did not want to give the impression that I was condoning what was being said. When active listening was used Poppy did respond calmly on occasion. Verbal contributions which I made in response to Poppy included: Am I right in thinking that you feel that your privacy has not been respected? Are you saying you feel health visitors dont think you are a good mother? Active listening is central to good interpersonal skills (Wondrak 1998). Where listening may be deemed passive when a person is talking and another listening it is in fact very active. Active listening is defined by Arnold and Boggs (2007 pp201) as a dynamic, interactive process in which a nurse hears a clients message, decodes its meaning, and provides feedback to the client based on their understanding of what has been said. It is deemed an empathetic means of communication where the listener understands and shares the feelings of the person talking whilst recognising they are not their own feelings and opinions (Balzer-Riley 2008.) A significant advantage of active listening is that it prevents misunderstanding. By relaying back to the person what they say they are feeling it ensures that there is no guess work and thus confusion over what is being said (Balzer-Riley 2008). Active listening is therefore a useful tool in attempting to defuse situations involving conflict (Reznic et al 2012). It allows the individual to communicate and get a response when conversation is not appropriate. In these instances the use of active listening enables the person talking to feel like they are being engaged with but without bombarding them with information they are not in a position to receive (McBride and Maitland 2002). Actively listening gave me the opportunity to be proactive. I was embarrassed and threatened and felt that it was my fault that Poppy was upset (as a result of me diverting eye contact). I had a personal battle because on one hand I felt sad for Poppy as she was clearly distressed and I understand that she has a lot of difficulties in her life. On the other hand I was shocked that she said that she did not care about the issues in hand. It could be argued that she was being defensive because she felt uncomfortable in the situation; however the issued in hand were very real and reflected what she was saying. As theory suggests, active listening in this instance was useful. It enabled Poppy to feel that she was being listened to and perhaps even understood. Although Poppy appeared fraught, the fact that I was relaying to her what she had just told us seemed to gradually calm the situation. It was my hope that by actively listening we would eventually get to a point where Poppy was ready to talk and receive advice and information. I acknowledge this was perhaps naÃÆ' ¯ve but Poppy was empowered enough to make the decision to walk away to calm down. Despite the challenging situation there was no obvious misunderstanding to be resolved, more a serious issue which needed to be addressed. I would like to have been able to offer Poppy some space to calm down but this would not have fitted in with the core group. I was very conscious that there were a room full of people watching and that this would not have supported Poppy to deescalate. It was a relief that by actively listening to Poppy, my CPT was able to encourage her to make the decision. In contrast to the recommendation I made for future practice regarding eye contact, it is recommended that the listener sits squarely in front of the person talking and maintains good eye contact when engaging in active listening (Duxbury 2000). I would agree that this is the case when the conversation is calmer however I learnt that in this scenario this was not appropriate as I was sitting directly in front of Poppy. The verbal communication I contributed through the active listening process had a more positive impact than the way in which I was sitting. Linking in with the above reflection about eye contact, it is recommended to maintain good eye contact with the person talking if it is within their cultural boundaries (McBride and Mailtland 2002). Active listening will be a dynamic part of my communication methods in future and I aim to learn more about the effects of active listening on people who receive care. I would like to attend further training in this area as I now see it as a vital aspect of communication and I acknowledge that active listening skills can be improved. As an active listener, sensitivity is a key concept and I believe it is a method which could be particularly beneficial when communicating with women who are suffering with post natal depression. The concept of active listening is consistent however the ease in which we do it will vary from case to case as will the outcome. The situation described above was tense and it took self-discipline for all those involved not to engage in a conversation which could have caused the incident to worsen further and the non-verbal communication methods varied from what is recommended. In future I will be aware of adaptations which may be required rather than solely facing them at the time. Ultimately active listening will be valued as much as any other forms of communication. Leadership As previously established, communicating in difficult circumstances and communicating information which may be difficult for families to acknowledge is not unique in health visiting. As health visitors embrace new leadership challenges it is important to acknowledge the above reflection and consider how what has been learnt can be disseminated through teams. Throughout the SCPHN course communication skills such as active listening are taught and these skills are useful not only in communicating with families but also with teams. Building relationships and having the ability to communicate and negotiate successfully are key skills in leadership and being able to gage appropriate eye contact and active listening both come under the umbrella of communication (Adams 2010). Effective communication is a core competence in good leaders (Sobieraj 2012) and this is demonstrated in the NHS Leadership Framework (REF) which prioritizes communication as a key component. Recommendations for future Practice as a leader: Further training in non-verbal communication skills needs to be available to teams as this will benefit communication used with families and further professional relationships. Non-verbal communication skills should be discussed with all of the team regularly for example in team meeting s or supervision and used as a measure for understanding and success. Critical reflection on various scenarios should be carried out in order to further understanding in these areas and support the application of evidence based practice. Empower team members to communicate effectively and understand the importance of non-verbal communication strategies As a leader I will take what I have learnt with regards to this reflection and use the skills in communicating with both families and team members. When making recommendations be sure it doesnt start to sound like a shopping list balance this with the demands and pressures of the real world. Maybe find examples of where these suggestions have been put into practiceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦this helps to justify your recommendations etc. The above recommendations support the notion of leading with compassion. Offering team members with the compassion we want them to provide enables each individual to feel empowered to give effective and compassionate care of which non-verbal communication is so important (Sobieraj, 2012).

Constructing a Greenhouse Window :: Papers

Constructing a Greenhouse Window Building and testing a sensor to determine number of degrees to which a window is open Introduction When making use of a greenhouse to grow plants out of season or on a large scale for commercial reasons, the temperature within the green house must be carefully regulated, in order to ensure that the plants are under the optimum growing conditions. With the windows shut permanently, the temperature may become too high, and the windows need therefore to be opened. This will allow the temperature to drop back to the correct level. Different numbers of degrees to which the window is open have different cooling effects. For example, if the window is open by 50 degrees, then there is probably a more rapid cooling effect upon the greenhouse than if the window was 10 degrees open. Thus, it is important to know how many degrees the window on a greenhouse is open. It could however be very time consuming for people to check the greenhouse(s) manually, or particularly problematic if the temperature should become a problem during unsociable hours. It would be extremely useful, then, if a sensor could be attached to the windows of a greenhouse, and a reading sent back to a control room as to how open the windows are. Someone could then either use a motor attached to the window to alter the setting, or adjust the window manually. My sensor could be used in conjunction with a number of other sensors, e.g. temperature sensors and moisture sensors, to send all the required reading back to a control room, thus allowing the control of the climate within in the greenhouse to be totally automated. [IMAGE] Text Box: Windows need to be opened and closed according to temperature [IMAGE] Above: a typical greenhouse Alex Furber 12HW Sensing Project 20-02-02 PLAN There a number of ways in which a sensor could be built to measure the angle at which a window is open.

breast cancer Essay -- essays research papers

Breast Cancer   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. The American cancer society estimates that in 2002 about 192,200 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed among women in the U.S. alone. Breast cancer also occurs in men. An estimated 1,500 cases will be diagnosed among men. In 2002, there will be about 40,600 deaths from breast cancer in the United States.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What is breast cancer? Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that has developed from cells of the breast. To make it easier I’ll put it this way. When the body needs new cells they will divide or reproduce. Sometimes the cells grow and divide out of control, which creates a mass of tissue called a tumor. Now if the cells that are growing out of control are abnormal and don’t function like the body’s normal cells the tumor is then called malignant or cancerous. Cells from the malignant tumors can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs. They may also travel through your blood stream or lymph system to other parts of your body. If the cells are normal cells the tumor is called benign or non cancerous. This Disease occurs mostly in women, but dose occur rarely in men. There are many stages of breast cancer. Stage 0 breast cancer is when the disease is localized to the breast and lymph nodes. Stage 1 is when the cancer is smaller than 1 inch across and hasn’t spread. Stage II is one of the following: the tumor is less than one inch but has spread to the underarm lymph nodes or the tumor is between 1-2 inches without spreading. Advanced breast cancer results after cancer cells spreads to the lymph nodes and to other parts of the body. Stage III breast cancer is also called locally advanced breast cancer. The tumor is now larger than 2 inches and has spread to the lymph nodes under the arm, or a tumor that is any size with cancerous lymph nodes that attach to each other or surrounding tissue.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Stage IIIB breast cancer is a tumor of any size that has spread to the Skin, Chest wall or internal mammary lymph nodes, which are located beneath the breast and inside the chest.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Stage IV breast cancer is defined as a tumor that has spread to places far away from the breast, such as bones, lungs or lymph nodes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are... ... no way to prevent breast cancer but there are a ton of things you can do to help reduce your risks of getting it. You should always eat foods high in fiber. Fiber helps reduce the amount of circulating estrogen in your body. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, also include soy in your diet. Studies say that soy may inhibit the development and growth of cancer cells. Limit the fat in your diet, limit alcohol, and stay physically active. The Nurses Health Study found that women who exercise for at least 1 hour a day reduce their breast cancer risk by 18 %. You should also maintain a healthy weight and avoid exposure to pesticides. Because the molecular structure of some pesticides closely resembles that of estrogen. This means that they might attach to receptor sights in you body. It is known that women with high levels of pesticides in their breast tissue have a greater breast cancer risk.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although there are many different things that go along with breast cancer. This paper really helped me understand more about the subject and helped me know some of the signs that I need to look for and ways to help me reduce the risks of getting breast cancer.

Abraham :: essays research papers

Abraham Abraham, also known as Abram is most commonly known for being the Father of the Jewish people. The majority of the information found on Abraham is located in the Old Testament's Book of Genesis. Other than that, there are no real historical records on the life of Abraham, so the history of his life was passed by word of mouth, and were there after made into biblical stories. There is also the question if Abraham really lived, do to the little information available on his life. Abraham is most famous for making his Covenant with God.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Abraham would have lived somewhere between the years of 2000 and 1500 BC. He was born in the city of Ur. Abraham's real name was Abram. The father of Abram , Terach, had two other sons , Haran and Nachor. While living in the city of Ur , Abram married his half-sister, Sarai who later took on the name of Sarah. The newlyweds later learned that Sarai was sterile. They then traveled north to Charan, accompanied by Abraham's father Terach. While in Charan Terach died. It was in Charan where God made his first of a series of revelations to Abram. God spoke to Abram, and told him that he would promise to bless him and make a great nation of him. Abram willingly decided to follow God to the city of Canaan. Abram not only traveled with his wife on this journey, but he also picked up his nephew, Lot. He lived his life in Canaan as a Nomad. Famine eventually struck the land of Canaan , forcing Abram and his family to move on to Egypt.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Egypt, Abram was fearful that the Egyptians would kill him and take his wife Sarai if they were to discover that the two were married. Abram attempted to cover this up by telling everyone that he and Sarai were just brother and sister. The Pharaoh demanded that Sarai be brought to his palace, and as result, God sent down plagues which devastated all of Egypt. In a desperate attempt to save his kingdom, Pharaoh decided it would be best to send Abram and Sarai away.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Abram and his family returned to Canaan after the Famine had ended. Both Lot and Abraham had great wealth in Canaan. The two both owned livestock, and large quantities of silver and gold. Eventually Abram and Lot found that the land could no longer provide the resources that the two men required of it. The two went their separate ways, Lot going to the Jordan Plain, and Abram staying

Advertising Analysis

Advertisements often find ways to sell their products by psychologically manipulating people. The advertising industry makes us envious of others and convinces us to be unhappy with what we have (Valko). Steve Madden ads usually feature women with absurdly large heads and hourglass bodies which try to force the audience to wonder what the ad is about. One of these odd ads appears in the March/April 2001 issue of Twist Magazine. It features a young woman with a big head helplessly running, as an airplane zooms over her at an abandoned airport. There are three characteristics within the ad that contribute the whole idea that Steve Madden shoes, clothes and accessories will improve your self image. The main purpose of Steve Madden ads is to suggest to its viewers that they will feel good about themselves by wearing his products. The model’s big head conveys self-esteem and self-pride and she challenges the consumer to look as good as she does. The young woman wears a face of apprehension and is running away from her old self to start her new confident life with Steve Madden products. The sleek black leather jacket on top of a sexy white shirt, short enough to reveal her stomach and curvaceous hips together with her tight low rider blue jeans, black pointy high boots, and trendy black bag complete her fashionable outfit. The embellished woman’s physique is aimed to appeal to women and girls between the ages of 16 through 25 in search of funky, hip, sexy clothes. Steve Madden likes to think of his clothes of as being distinctive and he illustrates his idea by setting an abandoned airport as the background for the ad. There is not a body in sight as the model runs across the old gum stained pavement. This calls attention to the idea that by wearing Steve Madden buyers isolate themselves from everyone else. She is too proud and conceited and cannot imagine being compared to anyone else. The Steve Madden logo in the ad also contributes to the main idea of the ad. It could have been anywhere on the page, why the sky. Steve Madden ads always have their logos imprinted on the sky to imply that the â€Å"sky is the limit† with Steve madden products (Liza). Steve Madden’s use of the airplane flying across the model’s head are to let his consumers know that the only thing to stop them from accomplishing the look they have in mind is the limit the set upon themselves. Steve Madden will help its buyers attain the appearance they have always envisioned. Furthermore, it can be said, in Bertrand Russell’s words that â€Å"Good advertisements will either make the audience envious of the lifestyle being advertised, or will generate within the audience the desire to be envied by others† (Harris). Many advertisers aren’t as successful but Steve Madden manages to persuade his buyers to buy his products through his eccentric ads.