Ludwig Van Beethoven Essays - Ludwig Van Beethoven,

Ludwig van Beethoven The rise of Ludwig van Beethoven into the ranks of history's greatest composers was paralleled by and in some ways a consequence of his own personal tragedy and despair. Beginning in the late 1790's, the increasing buzzing and humming in his ears sent Beethoven into a panic, searching for a cure from doctor to doctor. By October 1802 he had written the Heiligenstadt Testament confessing the certainty of his growing deafness, his consequent despair, and suicidal considerations. Yet, despite the personal tragedy caused by the "infirmity in the one sense which ought to be more perfect in [him] than in others, a sense which [he] once possessed in the highest perfection, a perfection such as few in [his] profession enjoy," it also served as a motivating force in that it challenged him to try and conquer the fate that was handed him. He would not surrender to that "jealous demon, my wretched health" before proving to himself and the world the extent of his skill. Thus, faced with such grea t impending loss, Beethoven, keeping faith in his art and ability, states in his Heiligenstadt Testament a promise of his greatness yet to be proven in the development of his heroic style. By about 1800, Beethoven was mastering the Viennese High- Classic style. Although the style had been first perfected by Mozart, Beethoven did extend it to some degree. He had unprecedently composed sonatas for the cello which in combination with the piano opened the era of the Classic- Romantic cello sonata. In addition, his sonatas for violin and piano became the cornerstone of the sonata duo repertory. His experimentation with additions to the standard forms likewise made it apparent that he had reached the limits of the high- Classic style. Having displayed the extended range of his piano writing he was also begining to forge a new voice for the violin. In 1800, Beethoven was additionally combining the sonata form with a full orchestra in his First Symphony, op. 2. In the arena of piano sonata, he had also gone beyond the three- movement design of Haydn and Mozart, applying sometimes the four-movement design reserved for symphonies and quartets through the addition of a minuet or scherzo. Having confidently proven the high-Classic phase of his sonata development with the "Grande Sonate," op. 22, Beethoven moved on to the fantasy sonata to allow himself freer expression. By 1802, he had evidently succeeded in mastering the high-Classic style within each of its major instrumental genres -- the piano trio, string trio, string quartet and quintet, Classic piano concerto, duo sonata, piano sonata, and symphony. Having reached the end of the great Vienese tradition, he was then faced with either the unchallenging repetion of the tired style or going beyond it to new creations. At about the same time that Beethoven had exhausted the potentials of the high-Classic style, his increasing deafness landed him in a major cycle of depression, from which was to emerge his heroic period as exemplified in Symphony No. 3, op. 55 ("Eroica"). In Beethoven's Heiligenstadt Testament of October 1802, he reveals his malaise that was sending him to the edge of despair. He speaks of suicide in the same breath as a reluctance to die, expressing his helplessness against the inevitability of death. Having searched vainly for a cure, he seems to have lost all hope -- "As the leaves of autumn fall and are withered-so likewise has my hope been blighted-I leave here- almost as I came-even the high courage-which often inspired me in the beautiful days of summer-has disappeared." There is somewhat of a parallel between his personal and professional life. He is at a dead end on both cases. There seems to be no more that he can do with the high-Classic style; his deafness seems poised i nevitably to encumber and ultimately halt his musical career. However, despite it all, he reveals in the Testament a determination, though weak and exhausted, to carry on -- "I would have ended my life-it was only my art that held me back. Ah, it seemed to me impossible to leave the world until I had brough forth all that I felt was within me. So I endured this wretched

Free Essays on The Orgin Of Civil Society

In â€Å"The Origin of Civil Society,† Rousseau makes many debatable points regarding the benefits of a civil state over a state of nature. Rousseau states that humans living in a state of nature are only a short term solution for society and would not survive in the long run. Society living in a civil state of social contracts is a more secure and safe way of life in which the people have security and more importantly happiness. Throughout â€Å"The Origin of Civil Society,† Rousseau goes into great deal of detail regarding slavery and families including the social contracts that go into making a civil state along with the problems of a state of nature. Although the essay is presented well, Rousseau makes assumptions with no evidence to back them up and uses many writing devices to persuade the reader. Rousseau is adamant about the faults in a society that lives in a state of nature. In this state of nature, man is only a â€Å"stupid animal† whose existence is one of instinct and necessity for his own self interest and survival. In this state, man does have natural liberty to take anything he desires assuming he is the strongest. But when living in a civil state, man trades this natural liberty for civil liberty where he can secure property he can claim as his own. Rousseau goes on to explain how man has no security in this state of nature where only the strongest survive. Eventually, even the strongest would die or an outside threat or natural disaster would lead to the end of society. Yet, Rousseau fails to look at other possibilities of human nature and a family bond in a state of nature. In this argument, Rousseau makes the assumption that humans by nature are driven by self interest with no evidence or explanation. This may be argued that humans by nature are loving caring beings and not these â€Å"stupid animals† of which Rousseau refers to. Rousseau fails to mention the role of the family in a state of n... Free Essays on The Orgin Of Civil Society Free Essays on The Orgin Of Civil Society In â€Å"The Origin of Civil Society,† Rousseau makes many debatable points regarding the benefits of a civil state over a state of nature. Rousseau states that humans living in a state of nature are only a short term solution for society and would not survive in the long run. Society living in a civil state of social contracts is a more secure and safe way of life in which the people have security and more importantly happiness. Throughout â€Å"The Origin of Civil Society,† Rousseau goes into great deal of detail regarding slavery and families including the social contracts that go into making a civil state along with the problems of a state of nature. Although the essay is presented well, Rousseau makes assumptions with no evidence to back them up and uses many writing devices to persuade the reader. Rousseau is adamant about the faults in a society that lives in a state of nature. In this state of nature, man is only a â€Å"stupid animal† whose existence is one of instinct and necessity for his own self interest and survival. In this state, man does have natural liberty to take anything he desires assuming he is the strongest. But when living in a civil state, man trades this natural liberty for civil liberty where he can secure property he can claim as his own. Rousseau goes on to explain how man has no security in this state of nature where only the strongest survive. Eventually, even the strongest would die or an outside threat or natural disaster would lead to the end of society. Yet, Rousseau fails to look at other possibilities of human nature and a family bond in a state of nature. In this argument, Rousseau makes the assumption that humans by nature are driven by self interest with no evidence or explanation. This may be argued that humans by nature are loving caring beings and not these â€Å"stupid animals† of which Rousseau refers to. Rousseau fails to mention the role of the family in a state of n...

Proofreading Marks 101 What Do These Squiggles Mean

Proofreading Marks 101 What Do These Squiggles Mean What Are the Meaning of Proofreading Marks? Having your work come back from an editor covered in red pen is daunting to begin with. Receiving a manuscript that's covered in proofreading marks that might as well be hieroglyphics can be even more intimidating.But before you reach for your cipher wheel, remember that the purpose of proofreading marks isn’t to confuse you. It’s to provide a detailed roadmap to a professional and polished final manuscript. While independent authors are not likely to spring for large print runs which would be ruined by more than a couple of typoe - proofreading still remains an essential step for most serious self-publishers. What are the meaning of proofreading marks? Find out here! #amediting These days, it’s unlikely for the proofreading process to take place via pen-and-paper, meaning that the use of proofreading marks is also becoming increasingly rare. Most proofreaders used tools such a â€Å"tracked changes† to flag issues - and many indie authors choose to forgo professional proofers for software such as Grammarly or the simple red, dotted line that signifies a typo in processors such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs.That being said, screen fatigue is a real thing and there’s something about a hard-copy document that seems to draw the eye to errors more than a digital one. So if you’re working with a proofreader and want to ensure the collaboration fulfills its top potential, it’s worth getting to know the meaning of the more common proofreading marks.So, without further ado†¦ Once you’ve done all the proofreading work you can, we encourage you to consider working with a professional. Proofreading is the final stage of the editing process and will ensure your book fully meets its potential for success.The average costs of working with a professional proofreader on Reedsy are:$350 for a 40k-word book$520 for a 60k-word book$700 for an 80k-word bookHead to our marketplace to request quotes from a variety of professional proofreaders for free.Have you ever worked with a professional proofreader? Or do you prefer to go the DIY route? Leave any thoughts or questions in the comments below!

Several Medical Record Formats at the Healthy Facility Record Assignment

Several Medical Record Formats at the Healthy Facility Record - Assignment Example For instance, all agencies which are owned by the local government are supposed to keep a defined general retention and disposition schedule. The retention policy should give a guideline on how the records should be retained by all kinds of EMS services. All EMS agencies are supposed to have the policy which shall describe all the procedures which are in compliance with the retention of records required. The policy should also describe the time length needed to document the records. Additionally, the policy should have described well how the document will be stored, procedures for retrieving the stored document and how the records will be protected. The following are the physical/ technical measures which are used to secure HIM department; both internal and external departments should be taught the importance of computer security, one should ensure that all other staffs take seriously security he or she does, ensure that all the information in the system components are catalogued because there are no two medical practices which have the same information, one should be ready for the disaster even before it has struck this means there should be an alternative method of backing up all the information in the system. Lastly, one should ensure that all his or her communications and network safeguards are robust and intact. The following are the both physical and technical measures which should used to secure health records; there should be facility access controls such as alarms and locks, there should be proper policies in the workstation to make sure that there is proper access and use workstations, workstation security measures, such as computer privacy filters and cable locks, there should be a good plan on how to restore lost data. There several areas in HIM those are outsourced. These areas are; contractors and consultants, data technicians, and also programmers.  Ã‚  

Information System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Information System - Essay Example The people who create a software system are in immense pressure to come up with the software at a lowest possible cost (Dahanayake). The pace of the advancement in software engineering has increased so rapidly that the best practices that were known by the individual in creating a software system has deviated and has changed too fast. This is because in Information technology industry every time something new turns up and it is becoming difficult for the professionals in coping up with it. Most of the software systems are developed through an integrated channel of customer feedback and this makes the task more difficult for them to create exactly the same software system that is demanded by most of the customer (Downes). While creating software system there has also been some legal consequences in the issuance and the protection of the licenses. Bigger firms often negotiate for the software license due to the poorly defined law of license, which adds up more difficulties for the firms. The companies are struggling to survive in the market and they are relying on their professionals to get them a competitive advantage in the market which puts more stress on these experts which forces them to make decisions that are unlikely to favor the company while fulfilling customer’s demands (Downes). More often while creating a software system; the biggest problem is the lack of understanding the software system regarding both the managers and the information technology expert who are leading the development effort. To create software system one should analyze the software components because otherwise some software’s are known as ‘spaghetti code’, which are unstructured and complex. This gives rise to the quality and time tradeoff and affects the growth of the company. Some software’s are made for a particular environment

The Loneliest Character Essay Example for Free

The Loneliest Character Essay The loneliest character in Of Mice and Men is Crooks. Crooks is the loneliest character because he lives all alone and has no one to give him company. He is not allowed in the bunk house because he is black. In the depression era, blacks were segregated, keeping Crooks isolated and friendless. Crooks is lonely because of his race. He gets treated differently than others for example: Spose you didnt have nobody. Spose you couldnt go into the bunk house and play rummy cause you was black. Howd you like that? Spose you had to sit out here an read books. Sure you could play horseshoes till it got dark, but then you got to read books†¦ (Steinbeck 80). Crooks is treated differently in the smallest of ways. Many ways seem too small to affect some people, but they affect Crooks because of his isolation. â€Å"Maybe you guys better go. I aint sure I want you in here no more. A colored man got to have some rights even if he dont like em (Steinbeck 90). Crooks has few rights as a colored person and he desperately wants more rights. During the depression colored people were often isolated because of their race. Crooks never gets any company creating a feeling of loneliness. He even feels that he should not receive any company, for example, â€Å"You got no right to come in my room. This here’s my room. Nobody got no right in here but me† (Steinbeck 66). Crooks pushes people away creating even more loneliness. Because of this he gets bored and finally lets Lenny in. â€Å"Come on in and sit awhile† (Steinbeck 68). When Crooks lets Lenny in he feels relieved that he has someone to talk to. It is a short lived feeling. As soon as Lenny leaves he is lonely again. The seclusion created by Crooks fuels his feelings of loneliness. Crooks has inadequate social relationships, some of which is caused by his race. He is also lonely because he has no family or friends on the ranch like George and Lennie do. Crooks is defiant ly the loneliest character in Of Mice and Men.

William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew Essay examples -- Shakes

William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew Over the past 400 or so years since Shakespeare wrote _The Taming of the Shrew_, many writers, painters, musicians and directors have adapted and reformed this play of control and subjugation into timeless pieces of art. In _10 Things I Hate About You_ and Kiss Me Kate from two very different times in the twentieth century, and paintings of Katherina and Bianca from the late nineteenth century, the creators of these adaptations have chosen to focus on the role of the two main female characters in the play. The ideas surrounding these women have changed through the years, from Katherina and Bianca simply being young women who deviated from the norm of Shakespeare’s time to women who embody feminist ideals and stereotypes of the more modern world. From the beginning of the play, the differences between Katherina and Bianca are highlighted through their interactions via dialogue. Early in the second act, Bianca pleads with her sister to not â€Å"make a bondmaid and a slave of me† because, as deemed by society, Bianca is not supposed to marry before her older sister (2.1.2). Bianca asks Katherina to â€Å"unbind [her] hands† so that she can get rid of all the gawdy implements she is forced to wear as a polite woman of the time, because if she doesn’t want to follow one rule, she doesn’t see why she should follow any of them (2.1.4). This immediately sets up these two sisters by showing how one depends on the status of the other to be truly happy, or happy as deemed by the doctrines of society anyway. Katherina rebuts this whining after their father enters, and ends the scene with her own speech in which she argues that Nay, now I see She is your treasure, she must have a husband; I mus... ... About You_.† Shakespeare Bulletin: A Journal of Performance Criticism and Scholarship 22.2 (2004): 45-66. Expanded Academic ASAP. Westfield State College Library, MA. 15 April 2005. 15 April 2005. Ostlere, Hilary. â€Å"Taming The Musical.† Dance Magazine 73.12 (1999): 84. Expanded Academic ASAP. Westfield State College Library, MA. 15 April 2005. Schneider, Gary. â€Å"The Public, the Private, and the Shaming of the Shrew.† SEL Studies in English Literature 1500-1900 42.2 (2002): 235-258. Project Muse. Westfield State College Library, MA. 15 April 2005. Schuler, Robert M. â€Å"Bewitching The Shrew.† Texas Studies in Literature and Language 46.4 (2004): 387-431. Project Muse. Westfield State College Library, MA. 15 April 2005. Shakespeare, William. _The Taming of the Shrew_. The Riverside Shakespeare. 2nd ed. Ed. Dean Johnson. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1997. 142-171.

Stefan’s Diaries: The Craving Preface

Everything has changed. My body, my desires, my appetite. My soul. In seventeen short years, I've born witness to more tragedy than anyone should – and been the cause of far too much of it. With me I carry the memory of my death and that of my brother. I'm haunted by the sound of our last breaths in the mossy woods of Mystic Falls, Virginia, and the image of my father's lifeless body on the floor of his study in our magnificent Veritas Estate. I still smell the charred church where the town's vampires burned. And I can almost taste the blood I took and the lives I stole out of sheer hunger and indifference after my transformation. Most clearly I see the curious dreamer of a boy I once was, and if my heart could beat, it would break for the vile creature I've become. But though the very molecules of my being have morphed beyond recognition, the world continues to turn. Children grow older, their plump faces thinning with the passage of time. Young lovers exchange secret smiles as they discuss the weather. Parents sleep while the moon keeps watch, wake when the sun's rays nudge them from slumber. They eat, labor, and love. And always, their hearts pump with rhythmic thuds, the blood as alluring to me as a snake charmer's tune is to a cobra. I once scoffed at the tediousness of human life, believing the Power I had made me more. Through her example, Katherine taught me that time holds no sway over vampires, so I could become divorced from it, living from moment to moment, moving from one carnal pleasure to the next with no fear of consequences. During my time in New Orleans I was heady with my new Power, my limitless strength and speed. I tore through humans as if their lives were meaningless. Every warm drop of blood made me feel alive, strong, fearless, and powerful. It was a haze of bloodlust. I killed so many, so casually. I can't even remember the faces of my victims. Except for one. Callie. Her flame-red hair, her clear green eyes, the softness of her cheeks, the way she stood with her hands on her hips . . . every detail stands out in my memory with painful clarity. It was Damon, my brother and former best friend, who dealt Callie her final blow. In turning him into a vampire, I had taken Damon's life, so he took from me the only thing he could – my new love. Callie made me remember what it was to be human, and what it meant to value life. Her death weighs heavily on my conscience. Now my strength is a burden, the constant thirst for blood a curse, the promise of immortality a terrible cross to bear. Vampires are monsters, killers. I must never, ever forget that again. I must never let the monster take over. While I will forever bear the guilt of what I did to my brother – the choice I made for him – I must also avoid the dark path he is so hell-bent on following. He revels in the violence and freedom of his new life, while I can only regret it. Before I left New Orleans, I battled the demon my brother, Damon, had become. Now, as I remake myself up North, far from anyone who's ever known me as either a human or a vampire, the only demon I have to battle is my own hunger.

“In A Time Of War” Poem Essay

The title of Rothenberg’s poem â€Å"In a Time of War† seems to encapsulate the poem’s subject-matter, written with uncomplicated words of the English vocabulary makes the poem stand out in a stark manner. This method is used by Rothenberg to illustrate to readers exactly how he sees war, as it is. One outstanding feature of this poem is its structure. Rothenberg appears to want to isolate the first stanza from the rest of the poem. At a closer reading, the first stanza is concerned with the poet’s thoughts of war, while it is taking place, whereas the remaining stanzas talk about his feelings on the notion of war, irregardless of whether it is occurring or not. This distinction is further enhanced by the language and degree of imagery of the stanzas. Note that in stanza one, there is more emphasis on description, with the constant use of pastoral imagery, â€Å"daisies wilt† and â€Å"the war sucks up the dew.† The mood generated from it, is â€Å"dark†, gloomy and miserable. However, reading on, the mood apparently lightens up, especially from stanza three. The word â€Å"love† begins to appear. The pastoral imagery transforms to a more hopeful state, â€Å"a love that floats like butterflies† and â€Å"flowers in the endless night.† Rothenberg is probably telling the reader that all is not lost, â€Å"even a year of war won’t hide or tame [moon acacia water lily star].† There is hence, no predominant gloomy mood or atmosphere to this poem as there is a shift from a state of hopelessness to one with some optimism present. Even so, we cannot overlook the fact that Rothenberg is saying that since we can move on from the aftermath of war, we can then take war lightly. The poet, apart from telling readers not to lose faith when war comes, is also signaling to us that â€Å"war [is] waiting in the gateway to the hive.† The lesson Rothenberg is conveying to the readers that war may strike us anytime, and so we should prevent it at all costs if not things might return to how he describes it in stanza one. The structure of stanza one consists of many short lines, even a word alone  constitutes a line as seen in the tenth line â€Å"nightingales.† Rothenberg ‘compels’ the reader to pay attention to each and every line. He wants us to feel, as closely as possible of the horrific experiences that war can bring out. Wars sometimes take decades before it ends and the literal length of the stanza symbolizes this. And yet, as we move on the next stanzas, lengthwise, they grow shorter and the lack of commas causes the reader to move from one stanza to the next rather swiftly until we approach stanza seven where Rothenberg cautions us of the unpredictability of war. And if we fail to take his advice in hand, we return to the state that stanza one illustrates. The poem may have ended with stanza seven, but Rothenberg has cleverly twisted it. A vicious cycle is formed, if humans refuse to prevent war, â€Å"another war† will always emerge. The poem is overall an excellent portrayal of the world â€Å"in a time of war.†

General Omar Bradley in World War II

General Omar Bradley in World War II General of the Army Omar N. Bradley was a key American commander during World War II and later served as the first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Graduating from West Point in 1915, he served stateside during World War I before advancing through the ranks during the interwar years. With the beginning of World War II, Bradley trained two divisions before serving under Lieutenant General George S. Patton in North Africa and Sicily. Known for his understated nature, he earned the nickname the G.I. General and later commanded the First U.S. Army and 12th Army Group in Northwest Europe. Bradley played a central role during the Battle of the Bulge and directed American forces as they drove into Germany. Early Life Born at Clark, MO on February 12, 1893, Omar Nelson Bradley was the son of schoolteacher John Smith Bradley and his wife Sarah Elizabeth Bradley. Though from a poor family, Bradley received a quality education at Higbee Elementary School and Moberly High School. After graduation, he began working for the Wabash Railroad to earn money to attend the University of Missouri. During this time, he was advised by his Sunday school teacher to apply to West Point. Sitting the entry exams at Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis, Bradley placed second but secured the appointment when the first place finisher was unable to accept it. West Point Entering the academy in 1911, he quickly took to the academys disciplined lifestyle and soon proved gifted at athletics, baseball in particular. This love of sports interfered with his academics, however he still managed to graduate 44th in a class of 164. A member of the Class of 1915, Bradley was classmates with Dwight D. Eisenhower. Dubbed the class the stars fell on, 59 of the class members ultimately became generals. World War I Commissioned as a second lieutenant, he was posted to the 14th Infantry and saw service along the US-Mexico border. Here his unit supported Brigadier General John J. Pershings Punitive Expedition which entered Mexico to subdue Pancho Villa. Promoted to first lieutenant in October 1916, he married Mary Elizabeth Quayle two months later. With the US entry into World War I in April 1917, the 14th Infantry, then at Yuma, AZ, was moved to the Pacific Northwest. Now a captain, Bradley was tasked with policing copper mines in Montana. Desperate to be assigned to a combat unit heading to France, Bradley requested a transfer several times but to no avail. Made a major in August 1918, Bradley was excited to learn that the 14th Infantry was being deployed to Europe. Organizing at Des Moines, IA, as part of the 19th Infantry Division, the regiment remained in the United States as a result of the armistice and influenza epidemic. With the U.S. Armys postwar demobilization, the 19th Infantry Division was stood down at Camp Dodge, IA in February 1919. Following this, Bradley was detailed to South Dakota State University to teach military science and reverted to the peacetime rank of captain. Fast Facts: General Omar N. Bradley Rank: General of the ArmyService: U.S. ArmyBorn: February, 12, 1893 in Clark, MODied: April 8, 1981 in New York, NYParents: John Smith Bradley and Sarah Elizabeth BradleySpouse: Mary Elizabeth Quayle, Esther BuhlerConflicts: World War II, Korean WarKnown For: D-Day (Operation Overlord), Operation Cobra, Battle of the Bulge Interwar Years In 1920, Bradley was posted to West Point for a four-year tour as a mathematics instructor. Serving under then-Superintendent Douglas MacArthur, Bradley devoted his free time to studying military history, with a special interest in the campaigns of William T. Sherman. Impressed with Shermans campaigns of movement, Bradley concluded that many of the officers who had fought in France had been misled by the experience of static warfare. As a result, Bradley believed that Shermans Civil War campaigns were more relevant to future warfare than those of World War I. Promoted to major while at West Point, Bradley was sent to the Infantry School at Fort Benning in 1924. As the curriculum stressed open warfare, he was able to apply his theories and developed a mastery of tactics, terrain, and fire and movement. Utilizing his prior research, he graduated second in his class and in front of many officers who had served in France. After a brief tour with the 27th Infantry in Hawaii, where he befriended George S. Patton, Bradley was selected to attend the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, KS in 1928. Graduating the following year, he believed the course to be dated and uninspired. Departing Leavenworth, Bradley was assigned to the Infantry School as an instructor and served under future-General George C. Marshall. While there, Bradley was impressed by Marshall who favored giving his men an assignment and letting them accomplish it with minimal interference. In describing Bradley, Marshall commented that he was quiet, unassuming, capable, with sound common sense. Absolute dependability. Give him a job and forget it. Deeply influenced by Marshalls methods, Bradley adopted them for his own use in the field. After attending the Army War College, Bradley returned to West Point as an instructor in the Tactical Department. Among his pupils were the future leaders of the US Army such as William C. Westmoreland and Creighton W. Abrams World War II Begins Promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1936, Bradley was brought to Washington two years later for duty with the War Department. Working for Marshall, who was made Army Chief of Staff in 1939, Bradley served as  assistant secretary of the General Staff. In this role, he worked to identify problems and developed solutions for Marshalls approval. In February 1941, he was promoted directly to the temporary rank of brigadier general.  This was done to allow him to assume command of the Infantry School. While there he promoted the formation of armored and airborne forces as well as developed the prototype Officer Candidate School. With the US entry into World War II on December 7, 1941, Marshall asked Bradley to prepare for other duty. Given command of the reactivated 82nd Division, he oversaw its training before fulfilling a similar role for the 28th Division. In both cases, he utilized Marshalls approach of simplifying military doctrine to make it easier for newly recruited citizen-soldiers. In addition, Bradley utilized a variety of techniques to ease draftees transition to military life and boost morale while also implementing a rigorous program of physical training. As a result, Bradleys efforts in 1942, produced two fully trained and prepared combat divisions. In February 1943, Bradley was assigned command of X Corps, but before taking the position was ordered to North Africa by Eisenhower to troubleshoot problems with American troops in the wake of the defeat at Kasserine Pass. Lieutenant General Omar Bradley on the navigation bridge of USS Ancon (AGC-4), en route to the invasion of Sicily, 7 July 1943. With him is Captain Timothy Wellings, USN. US Naval History and Heritage Command North Africa Sicily Arriving, Bradley recommended that Patton be given command of the U.S. II Corps. This was done and the authoritarian commander soon restored the units discipline. Becoming Pattons deputy, Bradley worked to improve the fighting qualities of the corps as the campaign progressed.  As a result of his efforts, he ascended to command of II Corps in April 1943, when Patton departed to aid in planning the invasion of Sicily. For the remainder of the North African Campaign, Bradley ably led the corps and restored its confidence. Serving as part of Pattons Seventh Army, II Corps spearheaded the attack on Sicily in July 1943. During the campaign in Sicily, Bradley was discovered by journalist Ernie Pyle and promoted as the G.I. General for his unprepossessing nature and affinity for wearing a common soldiers uniform in the field. D-Day In the wake of the success in the Mediterranean, Bradley was selected by Eisenhower to lead the first American army to land in France and to be prepared to subsequently take over a full army group. Returning to the United States, he established his headquarters at Governors Island, NY and began assembling staff to assist him in his new role as commander of the First U.S. Army.  Returning to Britain in October 1943, Bradley took part in the planning for D-Day (Operation Overlord). Senior U.S. officers watching operations from the bridge of USS Augusta (CA-31), off Normandy, 8 June 1944. They are (from left to right): Rear Admiral Alan G. Kirk, USN, Commander Western Naval Task Force; Lieutenant General Omar N. Bradley, U.S. Army, Commanding General, U.S. First Army; Rear Admiral Arthur D. Struble, USN, (with binoculars) Chief of Staff for RAdm. Kirk; and Major General Ralph Royce, U.S. Army. National Archives and Records Administration A believer in employing airborne forces to limit German access to the coast, he lobbied for the use of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions in the operation. As commander of the U.S. First Army, Bradley oversaw the American landings on Omaha and Utah Beaches from the cruiser USS Augusta on June 6, 1944. Troubled by the stiff resistance at Omaha, he briefly considered evacuating troops from the beach and sending the follow-on waves to Utah. This proved unnecessary and three days later he shifted his headquarters ashore. Northwest Europe As Allied forces built up in Normandy, Bradley was elevated to lead the 12th Army Group. As early attempts to push deeper inland failed, he planned Operation Cobra with the goal of breaking out of the beachhead near St. Lo. Commencing in late July, the operation saw a liberal use of air power before ground forces smashed through the German lines and began a dash across France. As his two armies, the Third under Patton and the First under Lieutenant General Courtney Hodges, advanced towards the German border, Bradley advocated for a thrust into the Saarland. Lieutenant General Sir Miles C. Dempsey (right) with the 21st Army Group commander, General Sir Bernard Montgomery (center), and U.S. First Army commander, Lieutenant General Omar Bradley (left), 10 June 1944. Public Domain This was denied in favor of Field Marshal Bernard Montgomerys Operation Market-Garden. While Market-Garden bogged down in September 1944, Bradleys troops, spread thin and short on supplies, fought brutal battles in the Hà ¼rtgen Forest, Aachen, and Metz. In December, Bradleys front absorbed the brunt of the German offensive during the Battle of the Bulge. After stopping the German assault, his men played a key role in pushing the enemy back, with Pattons Third Army making an unprecedented turn north to relieve the 101st Airborne at Bastogne. During the fighting, he was angered when Eisenhower temporarily assigned First Army to Montgomery for logistical reasons. Promoted to general in March 1945, Bradley led 12th Army Group, now four armies strong, through the final offensives of the war and successfully captured a bridge over the Rhine at Remagen. In a final push, his troops formed the southern arm of a massive pincer movement which captured 300,000 German troops in the Ruhr, before meeting up with Soviet forces at the Elbe River. Postwar With the surrender of Germany in May 1945, Bradley was eager for a command in the Pacific. This was not forthcoming as General Douglas MacArthur was not in need of another army group commander. On August 15, President Harry S. Truman appointed Bradley to the head of the Veterans Administration. While not thrilled with the assignment, Bradley worked diligently to modernize the organization to meet the challenges it would face in the postwar years. Basing his decisions on the needs of veterans rather than political considerations, he built a nationwide system of offices and hospitals as well as revised and updated the G.I. Bill and arranged for job training. In February 1948, Bradley was appointed Army Chief of Staff to replace the departing Eisenhower. He remained in this post only eighteen months as he was named the first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on August 11, 1949. With this came a promotion to General of the Army (5-star) the following September. Remaining in this position for four years, he oversaw U.S. operations during the Korean War and was forced to rebuke General Douglas MacArthur for wishing to expand the conflict into Communist China. Later Life Retiring from the military in 1953, Bradley moved into the private sector and served as chairman of the board of the Bulova Watch Company from 1958 until 1973. Following the death of his wife Mary of leukemia in 1965, Bradley married Esther Buhler on September 12, 1966. During the 1960s, he served as a member of President Lyndon Johnsons Wise Men think tank and later acted as a technical advisor on the film Patton. Bradley died on April 8, 1981, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Adolescent Development

There are mutual influences between an individual and their social environment. There are also at-risk factors involved in the life of a developing adolescent that interconnects with a series of reciprocal systems. I can recall as a developing adolescent quickly maturing into adulthood, the many social, economic, external and internal influences that contributed to certain at-risk behaviors. These type of influences impacted me directly and indirectly. I was influenced by the several environments I was in, and I also contributed to influencing the environment around me. Attempting to exert control over uncontrollable circumstances only lead to desperate situations and weighty consequences. However, learning to accept my present circumstances, and how to appropriately respond to the hardship and temptations in life developed positive life changes. Individual human development occurs within interconnected and embedded ecological systems (McWhirter et al, 2013). The ecological systems include the individual, the microsystem, the mesosystem, the exosystem, and macrosystem (McWhirter et al, 2013). The individual consists of genetic and biological factors, and personality characteristics (McWhirter et al, 2013). The microsystem consists of the people that the individual comes into direct contact with and who the individual interacts with (McWhirter et al, 2013). The mesosystem is the embedded interconnections between different microsystems and the impact of the interactions that take place (McWhirter et al, 2013). The exosystem consists of the interconnections between one or more settings that indirectly involve the individual (McWhirter et al, 2013). The macrosystem represents the social blueprint of cultural values, societal structure, gender-role socializations, race relations, belief systems, and national and international resources (McWhirter et al, 2013). The chronosystem is the interconnection and interaction of the individual within different environments, and is the transitions that occur during the course of the individual’s lifetime (McWhirter et al, 2013). These interconnecting systems are referred to as the ecological model, and assumes that the individual is continually interacting with his or her environment  that produces constant change due to mutual influences (McWhirter et al, 2013). Part A – The Ecological Model The core of who I really am involves the combinations of my genetic predispositions, evolutionary and biological components, personality characteristics, and the ongoing process of behavioral, cognitive, and affective experiences (McWhirter et al, 2013). Who I am has a lot to do with my experiences in life, my responses to life events, and the social and environmental influences and interactions involved. The ecological model provides a greater understanding of how I influence my environment and my environment influences me. This is important because it is through the interactions of the ecological systems that help me better understand myself and others. The Individual. I entered the world with an umbilical cord wrapped around my neck, struggling to live due to insufficient oxygen intake. As a child I was very susceptible to illness. As an adult I discovered that I was living with an autoimmune disorder. I have very vivid fragmented memories as a child of several doctor office visits. At the personal level, I was a very fearful, anxious, angry, socially withdrawn child who experienced an unstable, insecure, neglectful, abusive, and dysfunctional home environment. The structure of personality develops in childhood and continues to develop in adulthood (Caspi, Roberts Shiner, 2005). I developed a combination of extraversion and introversion traits. These traits show themselves depending on how safe I determine the environment around me to be. As a child I experienced positive and negative emotionality. I at times struggle with viewing the world as a safe place and occasionally viewed it as threatening. I experienced anxious distress with a tendency toward anxiety, sadness, insecurity, and guilt. As a teenager I experienced darker emotions such as anger, frustration, and irritation. I developed agreeable personality characteristics as a child. In adulthood I sometimes struggle with the fear of rejection, self-acceptance, people pleasing tendencies, self-awareness, and feeling comfortable in my surrounding environment and own skin. I also developed a strong motivation to achieve academically, and have a strong sense of independence. As a child and through my teenage years I was not allowed to have an opinion or express individuality, which resulted in the inability or challenge to think on my own, questioning who I am through life stages, fearful of making decisions on my own and especially decisions I need to make on behalf of others, and codependency issues. The Microsystem. I grew up in a traditional family household for a time being that consisted of my mother, father, and sister. Although, it was considered a traditional two parent household, my father was rarely home, and when he was home he was unavailable. My mother was emotionally unavailable and suffered from manic depression. My mother stayed at home and my father was either out working or pursuing one of his addictions. My family was homeless until I was the age of 5. We had lived and slept in my father’s suburban, randomly stayed with strangers, and at times lived in a recreational vehicle. I assumed responsibility and care of my younger sibling, my mother, myself, and household chores. I entered the stages of maturity alone and without parental support. The lack of positive parenting during my adolescent years made me vulnerable to at-risk risk behaviors such as premarital sex, tobacco use, substance abuse, gang involvement and mental and social disorders (Clinton Clark, 2010). At the age of ten I was removed from my parent’s custody and placed in foster care where my sibling and I were separated and placed in different homes. In the foster system I was only allowed to socialize at school, and attended church depending on whether or not my foster parents at the time deemed it necessary. My sister and I went through several foster home placements which resulted in the loss of security, the loss of our personal possessions, and sense of belonging. Being bounced from home to home, it was difficult maintaining a close friendships with others. I developed an internal mechanism of being friendly with everyone, but not allowing myself to develop a close friendship with others. As I gained independence and freedom in my later teen years and early adulthood, I became more involved in church. The Mesosystem. I grew up in a rural community with a lack of parental involvement. There were no real established mesosystem relationships. The environment was inconsistently positive and very negative at times. Since school was my outlet, I strived for academic excellence and successfully achieved it. School seemed to be the only sense of stability. The Exosystem. Outside agencies that developed policies and created public resources were an indirect benefit to me as an adolescent and young adult. During childhood, I was able to eat lunch at school, and enjoy extracurricular activities such as Campfire Girls, cheerleading, and Key Club. I was given accessibility to the basic needs that my parents could not afford such as cloths, food, and shelter. As an adult, several community resources helped my daughter and escape and terminate a domestically violent relationship. The Macrosystem. During adolescence I was exposed to abuse, neglect, and violence first hand and via the television. My father grew up in the south and was very racist toward certain nationalities and races of people. The cultural context consisted of low socioeconomic status (SES), poverty, and experiencing our Native American ethnic background and being exposed to several conflicting belief systems. I grew up on a culture where corporate punishment was an acceptable practice. The culture valued individuality, independence, and self-reliance. I grew up in poverty with a prevailing crime rate not as noticeable as it is today. Social norms included the overuse of antibiotics (McDonnell Norms Group, 2008), and the use of drugs and alcohol were socially acceptable. Chronosystem. A pattern of environmental events, transitions, and sociohistorical circumstances contributed to my development over my lifespan. Both of my parents lived disloyal and adulterous life styles. Overtime, there unhealthy and dysfunctional patterns of relating to each other resulted in a separation. My father died when I was 17 years old. My parent’s marriage legally dissolved at the time of my father’s death. My mother remarried multiple times. My sister and I were exposed to their dysfunctional lifestyle, which tremendously impacted our lives. I personally, transitioned through many of life events by experiencing two divorces, being a single-mother of four children for quit sometime, remarrying and adjusting to a blended family, the loss of my oldest daughter, and facing the social political arena at work. The soil of my family growing up consisted of poverty, low socioeconomic status (SES), judgmental and racist attitudes, abusive and neglectful home environment, and conflicting belief systems. The three primary roots are family, school, and peer groups (McWhirter et al, 2013). My parent’s inability to raise my sister and me in a loving, secure, stable, and nurturing environment, and expose us to family conflict, abuse, neglect, lack of parenting, being emotionally unavailable, and an unstructured home environment contributed to my dysfunction and the at-risk behaviors in my life. The school system was unaware of our life circumstances and did not any support. My sister ended up dropping out and getting involved with drugs. I became sexually involved with my boyfriend at the age of 15 and became pregnant at the age of 16. My daughter gave me the drive to continue my education and succeed academically in order to provide her with a better life. I was withdrawn during my adolescence and teenage years. Although, I made intent to get along with everyone, I did not associate with everyone. The peer group I involved myself in strived for academic excellence and engaged in positive extracurricular activities. The trunk of the at-risk tree representing my life consisted of low self-esteem, and depression. The branches of at-risk categories in my life were high-school dropout, substance abuse, risky sexual behaviors, and suicide. I was at risk for teen pregnancy and became pregnant at the age of sixteen. I succumbed to sexual activity with one partner in high school that resulted in teen pregnancy. I was very fortunate that at risk behaviors did not escalate. My tree was broken and bruised and produced damaged fruit. Instead of running to quick gratification I learned to run to God. I found my value and security in Christ. My branches although bruised eventually healed and produced good, healthy fruit. It took a lot of effort, drive, motivation, will, and trusting God in the midst of temptation and hardship. I was fortunate to have a variety of Gardeners in my life from Christian counselors, law enforcement, human service workers, youth group leaders, Sunday school teachers, and church mentors who helped me redirect my lifestyle. I learned how to be academically successful, a loving, supportive, caring mother to my children, a hard worker of integrity, and to do the right thing when the wrong thing seems easier at the time being.

Key Areas Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Key Areas - Essay Example Town hall meetings are an effective strategy because they offer opportunities for the nurses to discuss a policy issue with a policy maker in the presence of community members (Stewart et al., 2009). These structured discussions offer the nurses and the policy maker to listen to the community and identify some of the concerns and ways of dealing with the issue. In addition, the nurses can inquire for follow up questions to clarify some of the responses (Mason et al., 2011). Additionally, when people are going for a town hall meeting, they are aware of the issue at hand and try to get more information to ask the host (Mason et al., 2011). In this regards, it acts as a way of helping people get more information within the society to learn about its effects, prevalence and ways on how to control it. However, town halls are not an effective strategy because the people may become â€Å"numb† to town halls especially if there have been numerous others that have not addressed their concerns (Stewart et al., 2009). Therefore, in order to make town halls effective, it would be imperative to address the concerns aired and adopt some of the solutions offered. Stewart, P. A., Salter, F. K., & Mehu, M. (2009). Taking leaders at face value: Ethology and the analysis of televised leader displays. Politics and the Life Sciences: The Journal of the Association for Politics and the Life Sciences, 28(1),