White Matter and Your Brain

White Matter and Your Brain The brains white matter is situated under the surface gray matter or cerebral cortex of the brain. White matter is composed of nerve cell axons, which extend from the neuron cell bodies of gray matter. These axon fibers form connections between nerve cells. White matter nerve fibers serve to connect the cerebrum with different areas of the brain and spinal cord. White matter contains nerve fibers that are wrapped with nervous tissue cells known as neuroglia. Neuroglia called oligodendrocytes form an insulating coat or myelin sheath that wraps around neuronal axons. The myelin sheath is composed of lipids and proteins and functions to speed up nerve impulses. White brain matter appears white due to its high composition of myelinated nerve fibers. It is the lack of myelin in the neuronal cell bodies of the cerebral cortex that makes this tissue appear gray. Most of the subcortical region of the brain is composed of white matter with masses of gray matter dispersed throughout. Conglomerates of gray matter that are located below the cortex include the basal ganglia, cranial nerve nuclei, and midbrain structures such as the red nucleus and substantia nigra. Key Takeaways: What Is White Matter? White matter of the brain is situated beneath the outer cortex layer, also known as gray matter. Most of the brain is composed of white matter.White brain matter appears white because of myelin that is wrapped around the nerve axons of white matter. Myelin helps to facilitate nerve impulse transmission.White matter nerve fibers connect the cerebrum with the spinal cord and other areas of the brain.There are three main types of white matter nerve fiber tracts: commissural fibers, association fibers, and projection fibers.Commissural fibers connect corresponding regions of the left and right hemispheres of the brain.Association fibers connect brain regions within the same hemisphere.Projection fibers connect the cerebral cortex to the brainstem and spinal cord. White Matter Fiber Tracts The primary function of the brains white matter is to provide a pathway for connecting the different areas of the brain. Should this brain matter become damaged, the brain can rewire itself and establish new nerve connections between gray and white matter. White matter axon bundles of the cerebrum are composed of three main types of nerve fiber tracts: commissural fibers, association fibers, and projection fibers. This is a colored 3-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the white matter pathways of the brain, side view. White matter is composed of myelin-coated nerve cell fibers. Tom Barrick, Chris Clark, SGHMS/ Science Photo Library / Getty Images Plus Commissural Fibers Commissural fibers connect corresponding regions of the left and right brain hemispheres. Corpus Callosum - thick bundle of fibers located within the medial longitudinal fissure (separates the brain hemispheres). The corpus callosum connects the left and right frontal lobes, temporal lobes, and occipital lobes.Anterior Commissure - small fiber bundles that make connections between the temporal lobes, olfactory bulbs, and amygdalae. The anterior commissure forms the anterior wall of the third ventricle and is thought to be involved in pain sensation.Posterior Commissure - white matter fibers that cross the upper region of the cerebral aqueduct and interconnect the pretectal nuclei. These nuclei are involved in pupillary light reflex and control the diameter of the pupils in response to intense changes in light.Fornix - an arching band of nerve fibers that connect the hippocampus in each brain hemisphere. The fornix also connects the hippocampus to the mamillary body of the hypothalamus and projects to the anterior nuclei of thalamus. It is a structure of the limbic system and is important to the transfer of information between the hemispheres of the brain. Habenular Commissure - band of nerve fibers located in the diencephalon that are positioned in front of the pineal gland and connect the habenular nucleus of each brain hemisphere. Habenular nuclei are nerve cells of the epithalamus and a component of the limbic system. Association Fibers Association fibers connect cortex regions within the same hemisphere. There are two types of association fibers: short and long fibers. Short association fibers can be found just below the cortex and deep within white matter. These fibers connect brain gyri. Long association fibers connect cerebral lobes within brain regions. Cingulum - band of fibers located within the cingulate gyrus that connect the cingulate gyrus and frontal lobes with the gyri of the hippocampus (also called parahippocampal gyri).Arcuate Fasciculus - long association fiber tracts that connect frontal lobe gyri with the temporal lobe.Dorsal Longitudinal Fasciculus - thin fiber tracts that connect the hypothalamus with portions of the midbrain.Medial Longitudinal Fasciculus - fiber tracts that connect areas of the mesencephalon with cranial nerves that control eye muscles (oculomotor, trochlear, and abducent cranial nerves) and with spinal cord nuclei in the neck.Superior Longitudinal Fasciculus - long association fiber tracts that connect the temporal, frontal, and occipital lobes.Inferior Longitudinal Fasciculus - long association fiber tracts that connect the occipital and temporal lobes.Occipitofrontal Fasciculus - association fibers that branch into superior and inferior tracts that connect the occipital and frontal lobes.Uncinat e Fasciculus - long association fibers that connect the frontal and temporal lobes of the cortex. Projection Fibers Projection fibers connect the cerebral cortex to the brainstem and spinal cord. These fiber tracts help to relay motor and sensory signals between the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system. White Matter Disorders In multiple sclerosis or MS, the nerves of the brain and spinal cord are damaged by ones own immune system. Damage to myelin disrupts nerve signal transmission. ttsz / iStock / Getty Images Plus White matter brain disorders typically result from abnormalities related to the myelin sheath. A lack or loss of myelin disrupts nerve transmissions and causes neurological problems. A number of diseases can affect white matter including multiple sclerosis, dementia, and leukodystrophies (genetic disorders that result in abnormal development or destruction of white matter). Destruction of myelin or demyelination can also result from inflammation, blood vessel problems, immune disorders, nutritional deficiencies, stroke, poisons, and certain drugs. Sources   Fields, R. D. Change in the Brains White Matter. Science, vol. 330, no. 6005, 2010, pp. 768769., doi:10.1126/science.1199139.

When it’s okay to say no to a promotion

When it’s okay to say no to a promotion We all know that promotions are wonderful and momentous occasions on our individual career journeys- but are they always the right move for us? The answer might not be as clear cut as you think. Sure, promotions typically come with new challenges and opportunities (and usually more prestige and a bigger paycheck), and bring you one step further up the ladder to professional success, but the truth is, there’s a time and place for everything- including promotions. Depending on the situation, an opportunity for a promotion may arise at an inopportune time or under less-than-perfect circumstances, and it’s okay if you’re not sure if it’s the right move for you or if you’d like to turn it down.Yes, this may sound counterintuitive to everything you’ve been taught about getting ahead and moving forward, but the wrong move can actually have the reverse effect- and lead you in the wrong direction career-wise or make you feel less professionally satisf ied and fulfilled than you were before you accepted the offer.Still skeptical? Consider the following scenarios, which for many may reflect situations in which it might be wise to say no to a promotion.The â€Å"Second Job† PromotionSometimes, getting a promotion isn’t as much about shifting to a new job as it is about piling a bunch of new responsibilities on top of your current job- and chances are you aren’t going to earn two full salaries to reflect the fact that you’re about to be doing two jobs. This scenario is likely more of a â€Å"road to burnout† than a recipe for happiness, and you may be setting yourself up for failure if you can’t shoulder the weight of all your newfound job tasks in addition to the ones you presently handle. If you’ve been offered a promotion and have the sneaking suspicion that it may fall into this category, you may want to think twice before quickly accepting- the truth is, many folks who do just thi s find themselves in a much less enjoyable position than they were in before, so consider yourself warned.The â€Å"Off Track† PromotionAfter being in the job market for a while and getting to know the ins and outs of the industry we’ve chosen to work in, most of us have a pretty good idea of how we’d like our career paths to unfold- including the steps up the career ladder that promotions provide us. But what should you do if you’re offered a promotion that could take you off-track? This type of promotion happens more often than you think, and it typically means weighing a set of pros and cons as you work towards making a decision.A step up the career ladder might mean more prestige, responsibility, and pay, but it also might set you on a different professional trajectory. Are you okay with that? Some folks who accept such a promotion unfortunately find out that their new gains come attached with losses in job satisfaction and struggles to get back onto their original career paths. When deciding whether or not to accept an â€Å"off track† promotion, be careful of blindly chasing short-term gains at the expense of long-term setbacks. If a step up isn’t right for you in the long run, then turning down a promotion may be a wise move.The Unbalanced PromotionWhen we dream about our next promotions, we tend to automatically assume that the great new benefits it will bring will clearly outweigh any potential negatives. But what if this isn’t true? If the offer being made comes with a price tag that’s steeper than the rewards being offered (perhaps it requires a relocation or responsibilities that you’re not eager or ready to take on, or maybe the new salary and benefits aren’t quite what you were expecting), it may make sense to pause and think carefully before accepting. Remember, when most employers make an offer they are not averse to negotiating the terms in an effort to make both sides happy . If handled carefully and professionally you might just get what you’re hoping for- and if you don’t, it might make sense to say no.In many instances, an offer of a promotion is a real reason to celebrate- but sometimes it may not be. If you’ve been presented with an offer, resist the urge to quickly- and blindly- accept the offer and instead take some time to take a step back and fully weigh the pros and cons. If the deal isn’t in your best interests, then be bold and negotiate in your best interest. In the end, if the offer just isn’t right for you, it may be the wise thing to say no to a promotion and continue to do your current job to the best of your abilities until a better offer comes along.

Denial-of-service attack Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Denial-of-service attack - Essay Example There are a number of network activities which people carry out in order to prevent users from working with a particular website or virtual organization effectively. Denial-of-service attacks are not a new phenomenon in the technological industry. These attacks are launched to slowdown or affect the smooth running of a particular website. These attacks are really troublesome for the users who have an immediate need to launch a website and retrieve information or process a transaction online (Morley & Parker 2009, pp. 383-384). Such attacks are, hence, widely discussed by researchers and the debate relating to the causes, effects and prevention of such attacks has been continuously given attention. This paper aims to analyze the causes, effects and reasons behind denial-of-service attacks. Denial-of-attack refers to a situation created by an attacker with an aim to stop or make difficult for the legitimate users from accessing the information they require or using services offered onl ine (Komar et. Al., 2003, p. 99). An attacker may affect the performance of the network or the computer system of the user or the computers and network of the website that the user is trying to get access to (Zhang, Zheng & Ma 2008 p. 588). An attacker may be able to stop users from getting access to the emails, chat databases, websites, online services like banking, online educational websites etc and so on (Vacca 2007 p. 238). It is important to understand the ways in which an attacker manipulates or worsens the situation of the network and its working abilities. The most common method used by attackers of Denial-of-service attack is the use of massive amounts of information to slow down the network. The ‘flood’ of information or massive requests for access to a site for viewing the information uploaded there, prevents a number of legitimate users from gaining access (Das & Gulati 2004, p. 214). Servers are designed to process a limited number of access requests or in formation

Improving Sales for Huetiful Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Improving Sales for Huetiful - Research Paper Example Huetiful customers find the delight of accessing products specifically designed for them because the mainstream beauty and hair care offers them very little. Huetiful’s debut product is the Huetiful Hair Steamer. This steamer was the first of its kind and the company has made sales globally. Since Huetiful’s entrance into the market, competition has developed as expected. After continuous meetings and marketing strategies in attempt to drive sales, it is not difficult to identify Huetiful’s dilemma. The company’s dilemma is declining sales in the hair steamer from a year ago. A careful examination of the dilemma at hand reveals that several internal factors have caused the current problem. First, lack of awareness has led to the decline in sales. Now, the company has about 2% awareness in its desired target market. Secondly, positioning is one of the most crippling issues the company has. Most customers have pigeon holed the company into being a solution f or women with natural or transitioning from relaxed to natural hair only. Potential customers then count themselves out as being qualified to use the product, simply because they are under the impression it will not work for them. In addition, conversion potential is affecting sales. Huetiful is an online global beauty and hair care company. ... Since then there has been a competitive steamer offered at a lower price point. If consumers begin to perceive the competition as just as good then this results in loss sales. This thought brings about the economic factor. Consumers are extremely leery of buying a new product online at such a high price. It is a constant struggle convincing customers that a Huetiful hair steamer is a great investment that will ultimately save them money. After discussing these factors it is clear that the question at hand is how can Huetiful increase its debut product sales. Research Questions Should Huetiful expand its channel of distribution from online into retail stores to increase sales and profits? Should Huetiful participate in international expansion to increase awareness? Should Huetiful offer a mobile site to increase purchase conversion rates? Research Goals The most important goal of carrying out this research is finding solutions to Huetiful’s problem of declining sales. The proje ct seeks to identify ways in which the company can increase the sales of its debut product. The project can only achieve its objectives through a research into the issue. Research will involve a methodology that will provide reliable findings concerning the issue. After the research, findings from the research will help formulate recommendations that the company can use to solve its problem. Literature Review Available literature on increasing sales in electronic commerce provides useful insights. Experts in online marketing employ different strategies to convert website visitors into buyers (Ramos and Cota, 2009). Each company spends a large amount to create and manage a website and should have means of making customers from all the

Mass Communication Comparative Analysis Essay Example for Free

Mass Communication Comparative Analysis Essay 1. Introduction I believe that the purpose of my media audit was to take our initial idea of what we believed our media usage was and to measure and compare it to our actual quantified results. I believe this was excellent exercise to carry out in order to observe how much Media affects our everyday lives. Our society in America bases a large part of our adolescent learning process on what we acquire from outside sources. Therefore, to analyze, where the basis of many of adolescents’ perspectives derive from, was exceptionally insightful. Adolescents are bombarded daily by youth issues, such as: staying adhered to their morals, developing their character, self-image, self-respect, fitting in, feeling love, and avoiding brutality. Are these dilemmas not enough? The fact that mass media completely plays off human’s insecurities, in order to make a few extra dollars, baffles me. Although, we’re college students and have developed quite a bit since these problems were momentous, I still believe we are constantly facing struggles related to these. Therefore, the purpose of an experiment that monitored our time relating to each category of typically negative influences is immeasurable. People don’t take into account the importance of gaining knowledge for themselves. Considering the little girl at the beginning of My Media Audit who cared enough about the source of the â€Å"sea monster† and bubbling lake. She needed to gain the understanding of this monster came to be, and why her whole life she has heard rumors of death, yet never had any solid examples. This personal knowledge relates to our society’s topic of culturally transmitted knowledge. Strengths of culturally transmitted knowledge include: reserved knowledge, handed down to future generations, can become institutionalized, doesn’t have to be reinvented. However, the weaknesses of culturally transmitted knowledge, involve important points as well. Secondhand knowledge can be wrong; It is difficult to correct once it has been established, and it can be manipulating. Furthermore, mass media uses America’s culturally transmitted knowledge to sell their products. Anything looks appealing when you are only viewing it from its â€Å"good side.† Because people haven’t really bothered to investigate advertisers’ motives, or worse, actually enjoy the hype, mass media continues to flourish effortlessly, using naà ¯ve individuals, as its victims of prey. I believe the positive influence that My Media Audit will continue to have on its students, will make a difference. As students begin to constantly think critically and question, the intention of â€Å"The NEW Ipad!† and its employers, controversy will stir up debate. People will hopefully be more aware of when they’re being manipulated and â€Å"convinced† one way is the only way. Just as the girl who thought critically, instead of believing the town’s established idea, I am striving to inspire students and people to fight against the established idea of mass media influencing our every thought. The town was motivated by her bravery, which in turn. Changed people’s beliefs, and eventually, led a revolution. 2. Empirical Data  Objective: To measure the causes and effects due to the influence of mass media. Can mass media highly influence a persons attitudes or perception, by abundant daily solicited or unsolicited exposure? Procedure: Measuring media exposure, within a week span of 15-minute intervals. With sixteen hours equaling one day, I summarized the total minutes for the week at approximately 6,720 minutes. My total minutes not exposed to media were about 1,407 minutes, and my total exposure to mass media was approximately 5,1313 minutes. Individual categories concluded as follows: Audio estimated at 475 minutes, Film- 100 minutes, Internet- 1,778 min, Television- 0 minutes, Mobile Devices- 2,185 minutes, and Print Media approximated 775 minutes. Subjective observations were also incorporated, to measure external factors, and their influence on the subjects’ reaction in relation to media use. Main Outcome Measures: Risk of altered perception, influenced by, attitudes and b ehaviors idolized in society and the amount of exposure weekly. Also, coinciding with any external factors that proved as significant during this study. Results: Media Usage Total (min) I was thoroughly surprised by the way my media usage was dispersed, as a whole, in this graph. Considering, all of my class work is done online and I’m definitely a supporter of online radio, It doesn’t necessarily shock me that the internet has 34% of my time. However, I was a little taken back by the percentage of my mobile devices consumption. The mobile devices category dominated my time by 37%. I didn’t realize how much I used my Ipod and smartphone. Although, recollecting my thoughts, the old basic flip phones, which used to be â€Å"all the rage,† now compared to a Smartphone, it’s no contest. Having Internet access at your fingertips is an advertiser’s gold mine. Smartphone V.S IPOD Even though, the category â€Å"Mobile Devices† had the highest usage, I found it informative to see how much more my Smartphone was used than my IPOD. Obviously, our culture is driving full speed ahead, towards a â€Å"technology only† civilization. INTERNET USAGE: PANDORA V.S USF.EDU Considering, I have a full load of classes this semester, most of my time, in general, is spent either online researching a project, or actually doing the assignment. Yet, when I’m not online completing a task, I like to fill the time developing my talent, which is art. The catch is, whenever I’m developing an art piece, I have to be listening to music, hence Pandora. The reason why Pandora is so successful in mass media is because people get to listen to their type of music without having to tell the radio WHAT to play. Pandora has a search box, that isn’t case specific, artist, genre, or mood, you name it and it plays it. What person wouldn’t want a radio stationed to just them subjectively? Like we learned in our Radio module, â€Å" The Radio was a life-changing invention, Idealism Imagination, Greed Envy, Ambition Determination, what other instrument was able to create emotions through sound waves?† –Empire of the Air BOOKS GALORE I found this graph about print media being all books, and no magazines, extremely intriguing. Taking into account, from the age of 16 till the end of my 21st year, I was a Cosmopolitan JUNKIE. I literally bought the newest edition monthly, the second it was released. Coinciding with this behavior and influence, I also became extremely self-conscious and began to hate my self-image, this coming from someone, who has never had severe issues about my image. I also judged every person’s appearance effortlessly, gossiped, and my language was atrocious. Only until the middle of my 22nd year, did I realize that I was not content, nor satisfied with my lifestyle. I decided to cut out television, bad influences, and COSMO. I didn’t think I would be able to handle it, however, to my surprise, it taught me how to live life, the way it was intended, with freedom. Releasing myself from the burden of mass media was one of the most liberating decisions I’ve ever made. I decided to return back to my Jewish roots, which I ignored during that rebellious era, and become deeper aquatinted with my faith, additionally instead of useless reality shows, I dove deep into the profound knowledge of books. It is amazing to witness your character development transform when it relies on a stable foundation. â€Å"I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book.† ― Groucho Marx 3. Observations The first major observation I noticed in relation to my media data was the fact that my two most dominant categories increased on the weekend. This is most likely because my workweek is so hectic, that by the time I’m approaching the weekend, all my energy is geared towards relaxation. These emotions are then replaced with the action of increasing my phone/ casual conversation time. I also tend to research all those topics online, that I might have put off during the week, in order to complete my work on time. Another observation that was extremely consistent included listening to Pandora (Internet radio) whenever I worked on my art. In contrast, I would listen to my IPOD whenever I wanted to get schoolwork accomplished. On Pandora, my typical station I listen to when creating my art pieces, is always geared towards inspirational or spiritual genre. It is the only music I find, to empower me with such motivation, in order to finish my pieces with ease and in a timely manner. I also tend to listen to classical music on my IPOD, when trying to complete a class work assignment. I read an article one time that did a study on the brain and how it affects positive stimulation. The article was extremely informative and I have done it ever since. Another observation I realized, I tried to double task consistently while listening to some form of media and trying to complete concrete tasks. I believe this behavior has done more to hinder my personal effectiveness, rather than help it. It was helpful to be informed of this destructive behavior, after realizing the concrete facts. My double tasking always eventually lead to unfinished tasks, and then when I eventually became overwhelmed, I grabbed my IPOD and pulled out the classical music. It was interesting to become aware of these behaviors; I never knew I was such a creature of habit. Also, reflecting on all the realizations mentioned above, I believe that some of these destructive behaviors could be prevented, with a decrease in use of my media items, which in turn, would increase my focus. 4.Estimates Vs. Actual My Estimates were all underestimated compared to my actual data for my media usage. Like I previously stated, I didn’t realize I used my phone so much, I usually get confronted by my friends for â€Å"forgetting† to text them back, or not answering. Sometimes I feel like life would be much easier without our mobile devices. The only truly useful purpose is to locate and converse with friends that are long distance, however as far as â€Å"Smartphone,† I feel the epidemic needs to be cured. The other estimate that highly underestimated was my Internet use. I believe when I was filling those questions out, I didn’t necessarily take into account that EVERY time I click the APP button, that is using an internet resource. I guess this is a perfect example of how abundantly society has desensitized, since the Windows 98’ debut. I also believe the reason I anticipated my â€Å"No Media use† to be my highest value in how I disperse my time, is due to my deliberation to rebel against any more media influences. I refuse to passively let society manipulate my thoughts, with the slightest opposition. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the article about students and time management. This article served as a source of great insight because time management is one of my biggest character flaws. However, this is not due to the fact that I am not eager to do well on an assignment, I love learning, this type of procrastination is detrimental because it is attached to another flaw, perfectionism. Typically I procrastinate because I’m afraid the product of my hard work would not be â€Å"perfect.† I was raised with a very high academic work ethic, therefore, grades used to be where I found my id entity. This continually puts way too much stress on my life, and as I mature not just as a student, but also as a responsible adult, I’m drastically striving to improve this destructive outlook. A novel study done by Trueman Hartley (1996), focused on time-management skills and their relationship to a student’s age with the older mature students making the greatest use of time-management strategies. I also am striving to improve my organizational skills, this tends to be because, my highly creative brain, has so many ideas floating and bouncing and developing in my mind, that it becomes highly difficult to place all of them in a specific order. I also am trying to maintain control of my sporadic ideas and plan more situations out, instead of flying by the seat of my pants. Their results suggest that student planning is Integral to the prevention of academic procrastination. A student’s ability to plan is but one skillamong several for student self-management, the training of which is studied by Gerhardt (2007). 5. Summary Thomas Ruggiero’s Uses and Gratification Theory focused on this central definition- Media Use among audience members is selective and motivated by rational self-awareness of an individuals own needs and expectation that those needs will be satisfied by particular media types and content. I believe that this is highly accurate. When I had my life centered on a particular type of media, Cosmopolitan, I became dependent on it. Not just as a main source of entertainment, but also for the basis of how I perceived and looked at all subjects. â€Å"If that girl wears that shirt one more time, I’m calling the fashion police!.† – A little juvenile, I know, however that was how my thought process was developing. Now when I look back, I can’t even believe that I cared so much about what people wore? Does it honestly matter how many times a person wears a shirt? Our culture is shoving these ideals down our throat in order to instill the thought that every person has to strive to be â€Å"PERFECT.† Who even said beautiful is perfect? What if I believe imperfection is beautiful? These realizations in this past year of my life have shaped my thoughts to maturity and to become more concerned with what comes from each individuals heart. If you ask me, I believe actions speak louder than words, and gossip, slander, lying, and boasting echo across the nations. I do my best to separate myself from any person or organization that is trying to convince I HAVE to look like a prototype and think like a r obot. All in all, I fell my media audit was extremely insightful, and helped me become aware of how I truly engulf my time. It showed me where I have plenty of room to improve and how far I’ve come since the Cosmo days. The purpose of My Media Audit was to gain sincere and profound insight into the world of media influences. Media has a manipulative way of altering humanity’s view towards the accepted medium. Typically, our normal endeavors are beings striving toward acquiring the â€Å"latest technology,† yet society never stops to consider â€Å"Why do I NEED this so badly?† This is where our mass media influences, come into play. The intent of this audit was simply to gain understanding and to think critically when facing the culture’s constant barrage of â€Å"satisfactions.† Understanding is Power, to gain Wisdom is everything.

The Role of Women in Giants in the Earth Essay -- Giants in the Earth

The Role of Women in Giants in the Earth   Ã‚   Peter Mangus Hagen, a large Swedish immigrant carpenter, pushed back his chair, rose from the end of the long dining table in their kitchen, and announced, "And now for my dessert--."   He walked the length of the table past his thirteen children to the other end, bent his large frame down, and tenderly kissed his wife Maggie, who was fifteen years his junior and mother of those thirteen.  Ã‚   As he pulled himself to his naturally erect stance, he proceeded to thank her for her labor in preparing an excellent meal and in caring for their home and their thirteen children.  Ã‚   This conclusion to the meal was as much a ritual as was the blessing asked in Swedish before it began.  Ã‚   And if the "thank you" was customary, so was the bill of fare, i.e., a large bowl of navy beans, freshly-baked bread and freshly-churned butter, a bowl of home-canned tomatoes and a bowl of home-canned fruit, a very large bowl of mashed potatoes, two pitchers of milk, and c offee for the adults.   In that household a seven-course banquet was not mandatory in order to extract a word of appreciation.       This Scandinavian never pretended that his building of refrigerator boxcars for the Santa Fe Railroad in 1919 was more important or worthwhile than Maggie's homemaking, home management, clothes-making, food preparation and preservation, or care of their family.  Ã‚   In fact, it may have been Peter's respect and high regard for Maggie's "woman's work" that helped hold together and make easier a loving marriage that encompassed not only their thirteen children, but also his five children by an earlier marriage.       Of course, if looked at realistically, the couple's division ... ...probably all women are alike--they have no sense" (194).  Ã‚         The one important function Beret fulfills is having children.  Ã‚   Giving birth to Peder that Christmas on the prairie is her only noteworthy accomplishment.  Ã‚   But even then, Per Hansa takes over and names him with a name that poor Beret dislikes and regards as near sacrilege (279).       By looking at Beret in Giants in the Earth and certainly by looking at Peter and Maggie Hagen, it could be concluded that childbearing is the chief item of value in "woman's work."   By comparing those lives further, it might also be concluded that it is too bad that Beret was not told more often that she was Per Hansa's "dessert" and that her "woman's work" was appreciated.       Works Cited    Rolvaag, Ole Edvart.  Ã‚   Giants in the Earth.  Ã‚   New York: Harper and Row, 1955.

Education In The Early Soviet Union Essay

The early 20th century was a time of change for many parts of the world; advances in all areas of technology and changing mindsets made a huge difference in the way that human civilization progressed. One significant example of this was the overthrow of Czarist Russia and the establishment of the Soviet Union . While far from a revolution in freedom, the Soviet Union was revolutionary in many ways that are still worthy of discussion. With this in mind, this paper will present an account of the historical period of the Early Soviet Union and of the impact of education on that period. EDUCATION EVOLVES WITH THE BIRTH OF THE SOVIET UNION An understanding of the birth of the Soviet Union, as well as its educational system, requires first an overview of the political and educational system which preceded it. Russia, under control of the Czars, was a land of great darkness- politically, economically and educationally. For the Czars, the rule of law was intended to keep the masses as oppressed as possible; there were limited job opportunities, leading to widespread famine, poverty and deprivation from all vantage points. In many ways, these factors can be directly linked to a lack of available education for the masses , and vice versa. The insistence of the government in place to keep the populous ignorant and ill-educated kept the collective skill set of the people at a bare minimum, relegating them to menial jobs for low pay. Even with the oppressive taxation imposed by the Czars, there was little money available to support decent education, even if the Czars wanted to have such institutions in place. At any rate, the change of education definitely came with the change from Czarist rule to the establishment of the Soviet state. With the 1917 Russian Revolution, not only were the people shifted from the essentially dictatorial system of government they had known before to one that was largely driven by Socialism , a system which relied on the sheer power of the people to provide the muscle needed to power the factories, build the roads, and brandish the weapons that would keep the state economically viable, physically strong, and able to meet the challenges of enemies foreign or domestic. A key to this power, it was immediately discovered, would in fact come from the education of the common people. Previously, the upper classes were guaranteed education through private means, as they had the ability to pay for such instruction, but there existed an entire class of people for whom the books of knowledge had essentially been sealed shut for generations upon generations. To ensure that education would be delivered to towns large and small across the Soviet Union, from the earliest days of the Revolution, boards of education were established in each of the republics which comprised the Soviet Union. In this way, education could likewise be customized for the needs of any particular locality. This should not give the impression, however, that education was autonomous in each of the republics, or that there was no agenda behind education. As much as education aimed to teach marketable and practical skills to the average Soviet, it was also designed to indoctrinate impressionable minds about the superiority of the Soviet governmental systems, ideologies, and theories, for it was the compliance of the people that would allow the Soviet Union to grow to dominance over a period of several decades. A MISSING ELEMENT FROM SOVIET EDUCATION From the very beginning of the Soviet Union, its educational system and political ideology were unavoidably entwined. One of the key tenets of the Soviet philosophy, which was consequently built in to the educational system is the entire lack of a spiritual element, as Soviet leaders subscribed to the assertions of Dostoevsky that without having to wrestle with the idea of the existence of God, the mind is thereby free to imagine that anything is possible, as many of the moral dilemmas which complicate decision making are effectively erased. CONCLUSION In conclusion, what can be seen in the parallel development of the Soviet Union as a state and its accompanying educational system is the introduction of political ideology and practical instruction, both with the collective goal of advancing the state. This worked for decades and brought the Soviet Union to the status of world superpower in a remarkably short time. Therefore, in conclusion, what can best be said about education and the early history of Soviet Union is that they were inexorably linked, and each enhanced the other. 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