Consider the meaning of liberty. What do these documents tell us about Essay

Consider the meaning of liberty. What do these documents tell us about the meaning of liberty in the United States during the late 19th century - Essay Example One of the significant meanings of â€Å"liberty† in the United States during the late 19th century is suggested by Emma Goldman’s essay on patriotism, according to which patriotism is a menace to liberty. In other words, liberty was comprehended as a concept which highlighted the anti-patriotic views of the people in the US during this time. According to Goldman, patriotism is all about a life of slavish submission, vice, and distortion, etc during peace, and a life of danger, exposure, and death, etc. at time of war. To her, â€Å"there is still enough of the spirit of independence and love of liberty left in the average American to risk starvation rather than don the uniform.† (Goldman, 7) Therefore, liberty is not possible for an individual when patriotism demands total submission of the individual freedom to the nation. In a reflective analysis of the law-system and the justice-system of the nation during the late 19th century, it becomes evident that individual liberty was cut back in the name of the public welfare. Thus, the concept of liberty was comprehended as something above the law-system and the justice-system which aimed at public welfare. â€Å"We have seen more than once that the public welfare may call upon the best citizens for their lives. It would be strange if it could not call upon those who already sap the strength of the State for these lesser sacrifices, often not felt to be such by those concerned, in order to prevent our being swamped with incompetence.† (Buck v. Bell, 2) The meaning of the term ‘liberty’ during the late 19th century was also affected by policies of the government in the United States of America, especially the foreign policies. Accordingly, the government policy for the immigration of foreigners to the nation also affected the enjoyment of liberty by the citizens of the

Industry review of retirement home industry Research Paper

Industry review of retirement home industry - Research Paper Example enture should aim at making profits to the investor, but it must also aim at the provision of quality services to the people in the immediate community (Scaffa and Reitz, 2014). There are two types of retirement industries available to individuals who have attained the age of retirement including the independent and the dependent communities. The independent communities consist of consist of the single family homes, condominiums, duplexes, or townhouses where these individuals live just on their own. This kind of industry may offer a number of services. These include provision of the recreation services, taking care of the lawn among other services. On the other hand, the dependent industry is bestowed with the responsibility of the provision of housing arrangements alongside other health care services. These constantly change with the change in the needs and the tastes of the community (Hillstrom and Hillstrom, 2002). In the retirement industry market, the communities are expected to increase especially in America to over 77 million in the next two years. The retirement group is expected to be shopping for the best option in the market regarding housing and health services in the next 2 decades. The venture into the retirement industry requires some capital to help run the facility in one way or the other. Therefore, this industry seems to be centered onto the senior citizens with some sizeable retirement incomes that are adequate to handle the expenses. For instance, in America, the most expensive retirement scheme requires a capital of between $ 100, 000 to $ 1 million (Scaffa & Reitz, 2014). There has been an escalating trend in the development and the expansion of the retirement industry in the American economy. However, in 2007, there was a recession in the US that spread up to the year 2013. This recession slowed down the growth in the retirement industry. This forced several individuals to delay the retirement due to the dwindling personal assets. There

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS): Physiology Treatment

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS): Physiology Treatment Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Physiological traits Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) more commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive and deadly disease. Many with ALS experience grief and many families of those affected endure the same. At present medical science has demonstrated great potential in finding a workable cure or efficacious therapy. However, at present no such cure or efficacious therapy exists. A number of treatments can prolong the fatal course of ALS but none can stop it and ALS continues to significantly shorten the sufferer’s lifespan. 3.9 in every 100,000 individuals will develop ALS in America, so while the prevalence is relatively low, ALS has generated a great deal of attention due in part to its severity, to numerous movements to raise funding for the disorder and for its generalized physiological symptoms and theoretical relation to other dementing illnesses such as Alzheimer’s. Definitive answers as to the causes of ALS are currently not known. Numerous theories have emerged and research has pinpointed causes which partially explain occurrence or have been found in rat studies but have yet to reach human testing. Promising treatments for the disease have been found however none have made it beyond the research stage. Exposure to different toxins has been suggested as a potential cause, ranging from occupational exposure and physical activity to military exposure and trauma. Males have a higher prevalence rate than females. Particularly, white males ages 60+ are at highest risk for the development of ALS. ALS is characterized by muscle spasticity, which rapidly progresses to muscle wasting and difficulty breathing, speaking, and swallowing. Most individuals with ALS live for 3 to 4 years. About 5% live longer than 10 years and a very select few live still longer. The disease’s symptoms are due to a result of the loss of upper and lower motor neurons. Present research effort include stage II testing in Israel and soon, the United States at the Mayo Clinic. Physiological Pathology A2A Adenosine receptors A2A Adenosine receptors have been thought to be a potential therapeutic objective but until a recent study (14) the neuromodulatory role of the aforementioned receptors has remained in question. A selective A2A agonist was applied known only as CGS 21680 at present. (Poff et al., 2014) The A2A agonist significantly enhanced average amplitude of endplate potentials (EPP’s) and enhanced frequency of miniature endplate potentials (MEPP’s) and giant end plate potentials (GMEPP’s). The A2A adenosine receptor is now under scrutiny for its potential therapeutic role for presenting symptoms of ALS (Poff et al., 2014). Cortical atrophy Cortical atrophy in patients suffering from ALS was linked to neuropsychiatric and cognitive changes. Acidotoxicity has been implicated as a potential cause or contributor to this phenomenon (Behan et al., 2013). With regard to patients with ALS-plus; cortical atrophy presented significantly across motor and somatosensory areas. Additional cortical atrophy was found in frontal and parietal areas of the brain. In patients with ALS no significant cortical atrophy was shown, only brainstem atrophy. In patients with ALS-FTD; atrophy also affected greater frontal area atrophy and temporal area atrophy in comparison with ALS-plus. Atrophy of the cortexes is implicated as a contributor to the presenting deficits of ALS (Mioshi, 2013). Genetic links The vast majority of ALS cases are sporadic and unrelated to genetics. However; 5-10% of ALS cases are thought to be hereditary. Mutations in TAR DNA-binding protein, fused in sarcoma (FUS), and superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) comprise the causes for about 30% of classic inherited ALS. A gene known as UBQLN2 which is responsible for the encoding of the protein â€Å"ubiquilin?2† can cause dominantly inherited, ALS and ALS/dementia. So although the majority of ALS cases occur from causes unknown, a select few cases can be explained by genetic mutation. Suggested from this data is the potential for retracing the steps of the gene and specifying the mechanism of action most exploitable in treatment for the disease. While genetically link ALS is rare the basic mechanism of action is widespread, thus insights into causes for the physiological outcome are valuable in treatment of ALS as a whole (Deng, 2011). White matter aberrations White matter has been examined for its aberrations in shape in patients with ALS. What has been found is a link between symptoms indicative of the disease however, not the physiological changes typical in the disease itself (Rajagopalan et al., 2013). Scientists suspect that the unidentified physiological link between white matter changes and physiological changes caused by ALS may play a large role in the disorder. White matter changes specifically have been correlated with the ALS-FTD-Q, a screening tool for behavioral disturbances in ALS. So while the behaviors correlate, the physiological changes beyond white matter shape change have not yet been linked specifically, leaving room for additional research in this area (Rajagopalan et al., 2013). Cervical roots and peripheral nerves A sonogram study found that in patients with ALS, cervical roots and peripheral nerves exhibit reductions in size in comparison to their former size and those in patients without ALS. The study found that the aforementioned both reduced in size and became physically thinner although more significantly the latter (Nodera et al., 2014). Although this phenomenon was measurable in patients with and without ALS it was not related to gender, progression of the disease, and severity of disease symptoms. Despite these setbacks it is suggested that peripheral root atrophy may present a viable marker for detection of the presence of the disease and thus increase progress made on treatment due to decreased false positive diagnoses (Nodera et al., 2014). Treatment Metabolic therapy (Deanna Protocol) Aside from motor neuron degeneration ALS is associated with metabolic dysfunction. A mouse study found that mice given the Deanna Protocol (DP); a metabolic therapy reported to result in some symptom alleviation in patients with ALS. The study found that mice given the treatment had significant extensions in survival time in ALS mice 7.5% (p Human stem cells Human stem cells have long been considered for their curative abilities toward various diseases. ALS is one such disease. The degeneration of motor neurons can theoretically be counteracted using motor neurons created from stem cells. (Lee et al., 2014; Morgan Srivastava, 2014). Stem cells present what seems to be a highly promising treatment for ALS. In one study, patients were injected with stem cells and followed up upon 12 months later and not acceleration of the disease was detected (Kim, Lee, Kim, 2013). A large proportion of future research will center upon investigation of this. Guanabenz Guanabenz is now under scrutiny for its therapeutic benefits to those suffering from ALS. Guanabenz was found to have an impact on post-apoptic protein synthesis such that scientists conducting the experiment hypothesized that its introduction would have therapeutic effects on ALS patients. In a mouse model female mice were given Guanabenz and were found to have delayed symptom onset, prolonged life span and increased motor ability (Jiang et. Al 2014). Thalidomide Inflammation from the cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha TNFÃŽ ± is believed to be a critical factor in the development and pathology of ALS. TNFÃŽ ± is reduced by thalidomide. Thus the rationale for research surrounding the efficacy of the use of thalidomide in ALS patients. The study found no results suggesting that this theorized mechanism may need revision (Stommel et al, 2009). Discussion ALS as aforementioned is a neurodegenerative disease which causes the motor neurons to atrophy and die. Victims of ALS typically suffer from motor impairments which eventually exacerbate to impairments in breathing, swallowing and speaking. Sufferers experience many psychological symptoms as secondary effects from the physiological damage which occurs. Physiologically, impairments typically relate to motor movement. In some cases movement changes but in most cases it becomes more difficult. Numerous treatments are emerging in the research phase due in part to massive donations to the research of a cure or treatment for this disorder. While ALS is unique to other neurodegenerative disorders scientists suspect that some aspects of the treatments used and developed will translate due to the similarities ALS shares. Evidence has suggested that certain cases of ALS are inherited while others are developed due to toxins which has helped scientists narrow down the possible mechanisms of action which facilitate this disease. While some are known, the cause of most cases is yet to be determined the outcomes have been more apparent. ALS outcomes include changes in shape of the white matter in the brain, cortical atrophy and thinning of cortical and peripheral nerves. The treatment has made relative progress. Perhaps most promising is the use of stem cells as replacements for motor neurons. Stem cell research has had difficulty using stem cells in large quantities as a corrective measure however motor neuron use requires the use of less cells than most treatments making it especially promising. Other theoretical treatments such as metabolic therapy and Guanabenz have shown some potential in improving the lives of ALS sufferers and perhaps prolonging them somewhat. Guanabenz, an intervention targeted sp ecifically at cell apoptosis has demonstrated an effect on symptoms, speed of progression, and lifespan. Metabolic therapy has demonstrated an effect on symptoms and lifespan. Together therapeutic treatments have a supplementary benefit until a more lasting solution is found. Future research Future research implications include additional research on stem cells. Stems cells are highly promising and may be an effective treatment and perhaps eventually have curative effects. Studies at present have found a link between symptom stabilization and treatment in human studies. As with all medical research clinical trials must be completed before anything is open to the public. Additional concerns for this treatment include the political implications of this treatment as some political groups disagree with stem cell research as a whole. Future research should also continue to focus upon the clinical implications of therapeutic treatments such as Guanabenz and Deanna Protocol metabolic therapy. Conclusion At present ALS presents future challenges to scientists, doctors, and the people who suffer from it. While promising research and clinical trial have received unprecedented support; the reality is that ALS continues to shorten and end lives. Researchers are far from finding the multiple causes of ALS however, researchers are rapidly gaining ground on how to treat the effects of the disorder. Aside from stem cells, therapeutic treatments have emerged such as Gaunabenz and metabolic therapies such as the Deanna protocol. References Ari, C., Poff, A. M., Held, H. E., Landon, C. S., Goldhagen, C. R., Mavromates, N., D’Agostino, D. P. (2014). Metabolic Therapy with Deanna Protocol Supplementation Delays Disease Progression and Extends Survival in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Mouse Model. Plos ONE, 9(7), 1-9. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.010352 Behan, à ., Breen, B., Hogg, M., Woods, I., Coughlan, K., Mitchem, M., Prehn, J. (2013). Acidotoxicity and acid-sensing ion channels contribute to motor neuron degeneration. Cell Death Differentiation, 20(4), 589-598. doi:10.1038/cdd.2012.158 Deng, H., Chen, W., Hong, S., Boycott, K. M., Gorrie, G. H., Siddique, N., Haines, J. L. (2011). Mutations in UBQLN2 cause dominant X-linked juvenile and adult-onset ALS and ALS/dementia. Nature, 477(7363), 211-215. doi:10.1038/nature10353 Lee, H. J., Kim, K. S., Ahn, J., Bae, H. M., Lim, I., Kim, S. U. (2014). Human motor neurons generated from neural stem cells delay clinical onset and prolong life in ALS mouse model. Plos ONE, 9(5), 1-9. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0097518 Jiang, H. Q., Ren, M. M., Jiang, H. Z., Wang, J. J., Zhang, J. J., Yin, X. X., Feng, H. L. (2014). Guanabenz delays the onset of disease symptoms, extends lifespan, improves motor performance and attenuates motor neuron loss in the SOD1 G93A mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neuroscience, 277132-138. doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.03.047 Kim, S. U., Lee, H. J., Kim, Y. B. (2013). Neural stem cell-based treatment for neurodegenerative diseases. Neuropathology, 33(5), 491-504. doi:10.1111/neup.12020 Mehta, P., Antao, V., Kaye, W., Sanchez, M., Williamson, D., Bryan, L., Horton, K. (2014). Prevalence of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis — United States, 2010-2011. MMWR Surveillance Summaries, 63(7), 1-13. Retrieved from: http://ezproxy.pcom.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=hehAN=97269966site=eds-livescope=site Mioshi, E., Lillo, P., Yew, B., Hsieh, S., Savage, S., Hodges, J., Hornberger, M. (2013). Cortical atrophy in ALS is critically associated with neuropsychiatric and cognitive changes. Neurology, 80(12), 1117-1123. doi:10.1212/WNL.0b013e31828869da Morgan, R. H., Srivastava, A. K. (2014). Clinical relevance of stem cell therapies in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neurology India, 62(3), 239-248. doi:10.4103/0028-3886.136895 Nodera, H., Takamatsu, N., Shimatani, Y., Mori, A., Sato, K., Oda, M., Kaji, R. (2014). Thinning of cervical nerve roots and peripheral nerves in ALS as measured by sonography. Clinical Neurophysiology, 125(9), 1906-1911. doi:10.1016/j.clinph.2014.01.033 Nascimento, F., Pousinha, P. A., Correia, A. M., Gomes, R., Sebastià £o, A. M., Ribeiro, J. A. (2014). Adenosine A2A Receptors Activation Facilitates Neuromuscular Transmission in the Pre-Symptomatic Phase of the SOD1(G93A) ALS Mice, but Not in the Symptomatic Phase. Plos ONE, 9(8), 1-10. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0104081 Raaphorst, J., Beeldman, E., Schmand, B., Berkhout, J., Linssen, W., van den Berg, L., de Haan, R. (2012). The ALS-FTD-Q: A new screening tool for behavioral disturbances in ALS. Neurology, 79(13), 1377-1383. Retrieved from: http://ezproxy.pcom.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=jlhAN=2011697440site=eds-livescope=site Rajagopalan, V., Liu, Z., Allexandre, D., Zhang, L., Wang, X., Pioro, E. P., Yue, G. H. (2013). Brain White Matter Shape Changes in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS): A Fractal Dimension Study. Plos ONE, 8(9), 1-11. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0073614 Stommel, E. W., Cohen, J. A., Fadul, C. E., Cogbill, C. H., Graber, D. J., Kingman, L., Harris, B. T. (2009). Efficacy of thalidomide for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A phase II open label clinical trial. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, 10(5/6), 393-404. doi:10.3109/17482960802709416

Prosopagnosias Affect on Daily Life Essay -- Psychology, Mental Healt

In Psychology, there are a wide range of disorders, all of which disrupt a person’s life at varying levels. As a result of this, the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is used to diagnose a person with a certain disorder and determine the extent to which the disorder affects their ability to function in society. However, the DSM-IV does not address all of the disorders that people can be troubled with. There are four axes to the DSM-IV: axis I which takes into account clinical disorders, axis II looks at personality disorders, axis III diagnoses acute medical conditions, axis IV is psychosocial and environmental factors and axis V determines a person’s ability to function in society. Agnosia is one of the many disorders that cannot be classified under the any of the axes of the DSM-IV although it is a brain disorder. A specific type of agnosia that has recently been heavily represented in the media is prosopagnosia. Prosopagnosia is a mysterious disorder as the etiology is unknown and there is much variance to the disorder by the individual. As the degree in which this disorder affects the lives of people cannot be determined using typical methods, to what extent does prosopagnosia affect a person’s life? Prosopagnosia is the scientific name for what is commonly known as â€Å"face-blindness.† It is a neurological disorder characterized by a person’s lack of ability to recognize faces (â€Å"Prosopagnosia Information,† 2007). What makes a person having prosopagnosia different than a person who is just â€Å"bad with faces† is that, with prosopagnosia, a deficit in face recognition in the presence of relatively normal object recognition exists (Righart & Gelder, 2007). This means that a person with prosopagnosia cannot recognize... ...Prosopagnosia and PET Study of Normal Subjects [and Discussion]. Philosophical Transactions: Biological Sciences. (pp. 55-62). Vol. 335. Royal Society. Shearer, D., and Peter M. (1996). Effect of Facial Familiarity and Task Requirement on Electrodermal Activity. The American Journal of Psychology (pp. 131-37). Vol. 109. University of Illinois. Simulation of Talking Faces in the Human Brain Improves Auditory Speech Rocognition. (2008) Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (pp. 6747-6752). Ed. Dale Purves. Vol. 105. National Academy of Sciences. Song, S. (2006). Do I Know You? Time. Weingarten, G. (2008). Losing Face. The Washington Post. Young, A., and Perrett, D. (1992). â€Å"Face Recognition Impairments [and Discussion].† Philisophical Transactions: Biological Sciences. (pp. 47-54) Vol. 335. Royal Society.

Fool Chapter 13

THIRTEEN A NEST OF VILLAINS Edmund. Edmund would have to be dealt with, forces turned on him, and I fought the urge to find the black-hearted fiend and thread one of my throwing daggers between his ribs, but a plan was already in place, or one of sorts, and I still held the purse with the two remaining puffballs the witches had given me. I swallowed my anger and led Drool into the castle. â€Å"‘Lo, Pocket! Is that you, lad?† A Welsh accent. â€Å"Is the king with you?† I saw the top of a man's head sticking through the stocks set in the middle of the courtyard. His hair was dark and long and hung in his face. I approached and bent down to see who it was. â€Å"Kent? You've found yourself a cruel collar.† â€Å"Call me Caius,† said the old knight. â€Å"Is the king with you?† The poor fellow couldn't even look up. â€Å"Aye. On his way. The men are stabling their horses in the town. How came you to be in the stocks?† â€Å"I tangled with that whoreson Oswald, Goneril's steward. Cornwall judged me the offender and had me thrown in the stocks. I've been here since last evening.† â€Å"Drool, fetch some water for this good knight,† said I. The giant loped off to find a bucket. I walked around behind Kent, patted him lightly on his bottom. â€Å"You know, Kent, er – Caius, you are a very attractive man.† â€Å"You rascal, Pocket, I'll not be buggered by you.† I smacked his bottom again, dust rose from his trousers. â€Å"No, no, no, not me. Not my cup of tea. But Drool, now he'd shag the night if he wasn't afraid of the dark. And hung like an ox, that one is. I suspect you'll extrude stools untapered for a fortnight once Drool's laid the bugger to ya. Supper'll dump through you like a cherry pit out a church bell.† Drool was returning now carrying a wooden bucket and a dipper across the courtyard. â€Å"No! Stop!† shouted Kent. â€Å"Villainy! Violation! Stop these fiends!† Guards were looking down from the walls. I scooped a dipper of water from the bucket and threw it in Kent's face to calm him. He sputtered and struggled against the stocks. â€Å"Easy, good Kent, I was just having you on. We'll get you out of there as soon as the king arrives.† I held the dipper for the knight and he drank deeply. When he finished he gasped, â€Å"Christ's codpiece, Pocket, why'd you go on like that?† â€Å"Pure evil incarnate, I reckon.† â€Å"Well, stop it. It doesn't suit you.† â€Å"I'm working on the fit,† said I. Lear came through the gatehouse seconds later, flanked by Captain Curan and another older knight. â€Å"What's this?† asked the king. â€Å"My messenger in stocks! How came this to be? Who put you here, man?† â€Å"Your daughter and son-in-law, sire,† said Kent. â€Å"No. By Jupiter's beard, I say, no,† said Lear. â€Å"Aye, by St. Cardomon's scaly feet[35] I say, aye,† said Kent. â€Å"By the flapping foreskin of Freya, I say, bugger all!† said Jones. And they looked at the puppet, confident on his stick. â€Å"Thought we was swearing by whatever we could come up with,† said the puppet. â€Å"Do go on.† â€Å"I say no,† continued Lear. â€Å"‘Tis worse than murder, to treat a messenger of the king so. Where is my daughter?† The old king stormed through the inner gate, followed by Captain Curan and a dozen other knights from his train who had come into the castle. Drool sat down in the dirt, splay-legged, his face even with Kent's, and said, â€Å"So, how've you been?† â€Å"I'm in the stocks,† said Kent. â€Å"Locked like this overnight.† Drool nodded, starting a string of his namesake down his chin. â€Å"So, not so good, then?† â€Å"Nay, lad,† said Kent. â€Å"Better now that Pocket is here to save us, innit?† â€Å"Aye, I'm a rescue in progress. Didn't see any keys in there when you were getting the water?† â€Å"No. No keys,† said Drool. â€Å"They've a laundress with smashing knockers works by the well sometimes, but she won't have a laugh with you. I asked her. Five times.† â€Å"Drool, you mustn't just go asking that sort of thing without some prelude,† said I. â€Å"I said [please],† said Drool. â€Å"Well done, then, glad you've kept your manners in the face of so much villainy.† â€Å"Thank you, kind sir,† said Drool in Edmund the bastard's voice, pitch-perfect, dripping with evil. â€Å"That's un-bloody-settling,† said Kent. â€Å"Pocket, think you could see about liberating me? I lost feeling in my hands a good hour ago and it won't go well for holding a sword if they have to be cut off from gangrene.† â€Å"Aye, I'll see to it,† said I. â€Å"Let Regan vent some venom on her father, then I'll go see her for the key. She quite fancies me, you know?† â€Å"You've weed on yourself, ain't ya?† said Drool, back in his own voice, but with a bit of a Welsh accent, no doubt to comfort the disguised Kent. â€Å"Hours ago, and twice since,† said Kent. â€Å"I does that sometime in the night, when it's cold or it's too far to the privy.† â€Å"I'm just old and my bladder's shrunk to the size of a walnut.† â€Å"I've started a war,† said I, since we seemed to be sharing privacies. Kent struggled in the stocks to look at me. â€Å"What's this? From key – to wee – to, ‘I've started a bloody war,' without so much as a by-your-leave? I'm bewildered, Pocket.† â€Å"Aye, which concerns me, as you lot are my army.† â€Å"Smashing!† said Drool. The Earl of Gloucester came himself to release Kent. â€Å"I'm sorry, good man. You know I would not have allowed this, but once Cornwall has set his mind†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I heard you try,† said Kent. The two had been friends in a former life, but now, Kent, lean and dark-haired, looked younger and more than a measure dangerous, while the weeks had weighed like years on Gloucester. He was near feeble, and struggled with the heavy key to the stocks. I took it from him gently and worked the lock. â€Å"And you, fool, I'll not have you chiding Edmund for his bastardy.† â€Å"He's no longer a bastard, then? You married his mother. Congratulations, good earl.† â€Å"No, his mother is long dead. His legitimacy comes from the treachery of my other son, Edgar, who betrayed me.† â€Å"How so?† I asked, knowing full well how. â€Å"He planned to take my lands from me and hasten me to the grave.† This was not what I had written in the letter. Certainly, the lands would be forfeit, but there had been no mention of murder of the old man. This was Edmund's doing. â€Å"What have you done to anger our father?† said Drool, pitch-perfect in Edmund's voice. We all turned and stared at the great oaf, the wrong-sized voice coming from his cavernous mouth. â€Å"I have done nothing,† said Drool in another voice. â€Å"Edgar?† said Gloucester. Indeed, it was Edgar's voice. I tensed at what might come next. â€Å"Arm yourself and hide,† the bastard's voice said. â€Å"Father has it in his mind that you have committed some offense, and he has ordered guards to seize you.† â€Å"What?† said Gloucester. â€Å"What dodgy magic is this?† Then the bastard's voice again: â€Å"I have consulted the constellations, and they foretell of our father going mad and hunting you – â€Å" At that point I clamped my hand over Drool's mouth. â€Å"It's nothing, my lord,† said I. â€Å"The Natural is not right in his mind. Fever, methinks. He mimics voices but not intent. His thoughts are a jumble.† â€Å"But those were the very voices of my sons,† said Gloucester. â€Å"Aye, but only in sound. Only in sound. Like a jabbering bird is the great fool. If you have quarters where I might take him – â€Å" â€Å"And the king's most favored fool, and abused servant,† added Kent, rubbing at the rash on his wrists left from the stocks. Gloucester considered a moment. â€Å"You, good fellow, have been wrongly punished. Goneril's steward Oswald is less than honorable. And while I find it a mystery, Lear does love his Black Fool. There's an unused solar in the north tower. It leaks, but it will be out of the wind and close to your master, who will have quarters in the same wing.† â€Å"Aye, thank you, good lord,† said I. â€Å"The Natural needs tending. We'll wrap him in blankets then I'll run down to the chemist for a leech.† We hustled Drool into the tower and Kent closed the heavy door and bolted it. There was one cathedral window with cracked shutters and two arrow loops, all set in alcoves, with tapestries pulled aside and tied to allow in the little light. We could see our breath in the winter air. â€Å"Drop those tapestries,† said Kent. â€Å"Well, go grab some candles first,† said I. â€Å"It'll be dark as Nyx's[36] bunghole once we pull the tapestries.† Kent left the solar and returned a few minutes later with a heavy iron candelabra with three lit candles. â€Å"A chambermaid is bringing us a brazier of charcoal and some bread and ale,† said the knight. â€Å"Old Gloucester's a good sod.† â€Å"And survivor enough not to speak his mind to the king about his daughters,† said I. â€Å"I've learned some,† said Kent. â€Å"Aye.† I turned to the Natural, who was playing with the wax dripping off the thick candles. â€Å"Drool, what was it you were saying? That bit with Edmund and Edgar plotting.† â€Å"I don't know, Pocket. I just says it, I don't know what's said. But Lord Edmund beats me when I talk in his voice. I'm an insult to nature and should be punished, says he.† Kent shook his head like a great hound clearing his ears of water. â€Å"What sort of convoluted wickedness have you set in motion, Pocket?† â€Å"Me? This isn't my doing, this villainy is authored by that blackguard Edmund. But it will work for our plan. The conversations between Edgar and Edmund lie on the shelves of Drool's mind like forgotten volumes in a library, we need only prompt the git to open them. Now, to it. Drool, say the words of Edgar when Edmund advises him to hide.† And so we pried events out of Drool's memory using cues like a cat's paw,[37] and by the time we had warmed ourselves over the brazier and eaten our bread, we saw the pieces of Edmund's treachery played out as in the voices of the original players. â€Å"So Edmund wounded himself and claimed that Edgar did it,† said Kent. â€Å"Why didn't he simply slay his brother?† â€Å"He needs to assure his inheritance first, and a knife to the back would have been suspect,† said I. â€Å"Besides, Edgar is a formidable fighter – I don't think Edmund would face him.† â€Å"A traitor and a coward,† said Kent. â€Å"And those are his assets,† said I. â€Å"Or we shall use them thus.† I patted Drool's shoulder softly. â€Å"Good lad, excellent fool-craft. Now, I need you to see if you can say what I say in the voice of the bastard.† â€Å"Aye, Pocket, I'll give it a go.† I said, â€Å"Oh, my sweet lady Regan, thou art more fair than moonlight, more radiant than the sun, more glorious than all the stars. I must have you or I shall surely die.† In a wink Drool repeated my words back to me in the voice of Edmund of Gloucester, the intonation and desperation in the perfect key to unlock Regan's affections, or so I'd wager. â€Å"Howzat?† asked the git. â€Å"Excellent,† said I. â€Å"Uncanny,† said Kent. â€Å"How is it that Edmund let the Natural live? He must know he bears witness to his treachery.† â€Å"That is an excellent question. Let's go ask him, shall we?† It occurred to me, as we made our way to Edmund's quarters, that since I had seen the bastard, the power of my protection, being King Lear, had waned somewhat, while Edmund's influence, and therefore immunity, had expanded when he became heir to Gloucester. In short, the deterrents to keep the bastard from murdering me had all but evaporated. I had only Kent's sword and Edmund's fear of ghostly retribution to protect me. The witches' pouch of puffballs weighed heavily as a weapon, however. A squire showed me to an antechamber off Castle Gloucester's great hall. â€Å"His lordship will receive only you, fool,† said the squire. Kent looked ready to bully the boy but I held up a hand to stay him. â€Å"I'll see that the door is left unlatched, good Caius. If I should call, please enter and dispatch the bastard with lethal vigor.† I grinned at the spot-faced squire. â€Å"Unlikely,† said I. â€Å"Edmund holds me in very high esteem and I him. There will be little time between compliments to discuss business.† I breezed by the young knight and into the chamber where Edmund was alone, sitting at a writing desk. I said, â€Å"Thou scaly scalawag of a corpse-gorged carrion worm, cease your feast on the bodies of your betters and receive the Black Fool before vengeful spirits come to wrench the twisted soul from your body and drag it into the darkest depths of hell for your treachery.† â€Å"Oh, well spoken, fool,† said Edmund. â€Å"You think so?† â€Å"Oh yes, I'm cut to the quick. I may never recover.† â€Å"Completely impromptu,† said I. â€Å"With time and polish – well, I could go out and return with a keener edge on it.† â€Å"Perish the thought,† said the bastard. â€Å"Take a moment to catch your breath and revel in your rhetorical mastery and achievement.† He gestured toward a high-backed chair across from him. â€Å"Thank you, I will.† â€Å"Still tiny, though, I see,† said the bastard. â€Å"Well, yes, Nature being the recalcitrant twat that she is – â€Å" â€Å"And still weak, I presume?† â€Å"Not of will.† â€Å"Of course not, I referred simply to your willowy limbs.† â€Å"Oh yes, in that case, I'm a bit of a soggy kitten.† â€Å"Splendid. Here to be murdered then, are you?† â€Å"Not immediately. Uh, Edmund, if you don't mind my saying, you're being off-puttingly pleasant today.† â€Å"Thank you. I've adopted a strategy of pleasantness. It turns out that one can perpetrate all manner of heinous villainy under a cloak of courtesy and good cheer.† Edmund leaned over the desk now, as if to take me into his most intimate confidence. â€Å"It seems a man will forfeit all sensible self-interest if he finds you affable enough to share your company over a flagon of ale.† â€Å"So you're being pleasant?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"It's unseemly.† â€Å"Of course.† â€Å"So, you've received the dispatch from Goneril?† â€Å"Oswald gave it to me two days ago.† â€Å"And?† I asked. â€Å"Evidently the lady fancies me.† â€Å"And how do you feel about that?† â€Å"Well, who could blame her, really? Especially now that I'm both pleasant and handsome.† â€Å"I should have cut your throat when I had the chance,† said I. â€Å"Ah, well, water under the bridge, isn't it? Excellent plan, with the letter to discredit my brother Edgar, by the way. Went smashingly. Of course I embellished somewhat. Improvised, if you will.† â€Å"I know,† said I. â€Å"Implied patricide and the odd self-inflicted wound.† I nodded toward his bandaged sword arm. â€Å"Oh yes, the Natural talks to you, doesn't he?† â€Å"Curious, then. Why is that bloody great oaf still drawing breath, knowing what he does about your plans. Fear of ghosts, is it?† For the first time Edmund let his pleasant and insincere grin falter. â€Å"Well, there is that, but also, I quite enjoy beating him. And when I'm not beating him, having him around makes me feel more clever.† â€Å"You simple bastard, Drool makes anvils feel more clever. How bloody common of you.† That did it. Pretense of pleasantness fell when it came to questions of class, evidently. Edmund's hand dropped below the table and came up with a long fighting dagger. But alas, I was already in the process of swinging down hard with Jones's stick end and struck the bastard on his bandaged forearm. The blade went spinning in such a way that I was able to kick the hilt as it hit the floor and flip it up into my own waiting weapon hand. (To be fair, that is right or left, whether it was the juggling or the pickpocket training of Belette, I am agile with either hand.) I flipped the blade and held it ready for a throw. â€Å"Sit! You're exactly a half-turn from hell, Edmund. Do twitch. Please do.† He'd seen me perform with my knives at court and knew my skill. The bastard sat, cradling his hurt arm as he did so. Blood was seeping through the bandage. He spat at me, and missed. â€Å"I'll have you – â€Å" â€Å"Ah, ah, ah,† said I, brandishing the blade. â€Å"Pleasant.† Edmund growled, but stopped as Kent stormed into the room, knocking the door back on its hinges. His sword was drawn and two young squires were drawing theirs as they followed him. Kent turned and smashed the lead squire in the forehead with the hilt of his own weapon, knocking the boy backward off his feet, quite unconscious. Then Kent spun and swept the feet out from under the other with the flat of his sword and the lad landed on his back with an explosion of breath. The old knight drew back to thrust through the squire's heart. â€Å"Hold!† said I. â€Å"Don't kill him!† Kent held and looked up, assessing the situation for the first time. â€Å"I heard a blade clang. I thought the villain was murdering you.† â€Å"No. He gave me this lovely dragon-hilted dagger as a peace offering.† â€Å"That is not true,† said the bastard. â€Å"So,† said Kent, paying particular attention to my readied weapon, â€Å"you're murdering the bastard, then?† â€Å"Merely testing the weapon's balance, good knight.† â€Å"Oh, sorry.† â€Å"No worries. Thank you. I'll call you if I need you. Take that unconscious one with you, would you?† I looked at the other, who trembled on the floor. â€Å"Edmund, do instruct your knights to be pleasant toward my ruffian. He is a favorite of the king.† â€Å"Let him alone,† grumbled Edmund. Kent and the conscious squire dragged the other one out of the chamber and closed the door. â€Å"You're right, this being pleasant is the dog's bollocks, Edmund.† I flipped the dagger and caught it by the hilt. When Edmund made as if to move, I flipped it again and caught it by the blade. I raised a suspicious eyebrow at him. â€Å"So, you were saying about how well my plan had worked.† â€Å"Edgar is branded a traitor. Even now my father's knights hunt him. I will be lord of Gloucester.† â€Å"But, really, Edmund, is that enough?† â€Å"Exactly,† said the bastard. â€Å"Uh, exactly what?† Had he already set his sights on Albany's lands, not even having spoken with Goneril? Now I was doubly unsure of what to do. My own plan to pair the bastard with Goneril and undermine the kingdom was the only thing keeping me from sending the dagger to his throat, and when I thought of the lash marks on poor Drool's back my hand quivered, wanting to loose the knife to its mark. But what had he set his sights on? â€Å"The spoils of war can be as great as a kingdom,† said Edmund. â€Å"War?† How knew he of war? My war. â€Å"Aye, fool. War.† â€Å"Fuckstockings,† said I. I let the knife fly and ran out of the room, bells jingling. As I approached our tower, I heard what sounded like someone torturing an elk in a tempest. I thought that Edmund might have sent an assassin for Drool after all, so I came through the door low, with one of my daggers at the ready. Drool lay on his back on a blanket, a golden-haired woman with a white gown spread around her hips was riding him as if competing in the nitwit steeplechase. I'd seen her before, but never so solid. The two were wailing in ecstasy. â€Å"Drool, what are you doing?† â€Å"Pretty,† said Drool, a great joyous, goofy grin on him. â€Å"Aye, she's a vision, lad, but you're knobbing a ghost.† â€Å"No.† The dim giant paused in his upward thrusting, lifted her by her waist and looked closely at her as if he'd found a flea in his bed. â€Å"Ghost?† She nodded. Drool tossed her aside and with a long shuddering scream ran to the window and dove through, shattering the shutters as he went. The scream trailed off and ended with a splash. The ghost pulled her gown down, tossed her hair out of her face, and grinned. â€Å"Water in the moat,† she said. â€Å"He'll be fine. Guess I'll be going away half-cocked, though.† â€Å"Well, yes, but jolly good of you to take time from chain rattling and delivering portents of bloody doom to shag the beef-brained boy.† â€Å"Not up for a spirity tumble yourself, then?† She made as if to lift her gown above her hips again. â€Å"Piss off, wisp, I've got to go fish the git out of the moat. He can't swim.† â€Å"Not keen on flight, neither, evidently?† No time for this. I sheathed my dagger, wheeled on my heel and started out the door. â€Å"Not your war, fool,† said the ghost. I stopped. Drool was slow at most things, perhaps he would be so at drowning. â€Å"The bastard has his own war?† â€Å"Aye.† The ghost nodded, fading back to mist as she moved. â€Å"A fool's best plan Plays out to chance, But a bastard's hope, Arrives from France.† â€Å"Thou loquacious fog, thou nattering mist, thou serpent-tongued steam, for the love of truth, speak straight, and no sodding rhyme.† But in that moment she was gone. â€Å"Who are you?† I shouted to the empty tower.

Social Phsycology

SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY FINAL EXAMINATION (CH 12, 13, & 14) SPRING 2011 MULTIPLE CHOICE: 3 points each 1. An act performed voluntarily to help someone else when there is no expectation of receiving a reward is known as a. nurturance b. altruism c. pro-social behavior d. modeling 2. True altruism is defined by a. the circumstances surrounding the behavior b. the person's intentions c. the person himself or herself d. culture 3. Pro-social behavior is defined as a. any act that helps others, even if it is done to make yourself look good b. a voluntary act to help others with no thought of reward . helping that serves to perpetuate one's genes d. none of the above 4. Ethan volunteers to help with the local Special Olympics in order to build up his resume for job hunting.His behavior would best be described as a. prosocial behavior b. altruism c. reactance d. reciprocity 5. Researchers have found that we are most likely to be helpful to a. anyone who asks b. strangers c. friends d. all of the above 6. Which of the following is NOT one of the theoretical perspectives on helping described in the text? a. evolutionary psychology b. a learning approach c. a decision-making perspective . social impact theory 7. Evolutionary psychologists have observed that a. prosocial behavior is rare among non-human animals b. prosocial behavior is common among primates, but not in other animal species c. prosocial behavior is observed among animals only when a mother is protecting her young d. prosocial behavior is common among non-human animals8. Evolutionary theorists believe that altruism among animals and humans persists because a. helping provides the helper with emotional rewards b. helping increases survival value c. helping is rarely risky to the helper d. elping makes an individual appealing to potential sexual partners 9. The notion that any genetically determined trait that has a high survival value will tend to be passed on to the next generation is a cornerstone of a. evol utionary psychology b. genetic determinism c. learning theory d. the nature/nurture debate 10. Sociobiologist Robert Trivers has argued that only ________ is biologically based. a. prosocial behavior b. reactive altruism c. reciprocal altruism d. maternal altruism 11. Laws that require bystanders to an emergency to help a potential victim are based on a a. norm of reciprocity . norm of social justice c. norm of social responsibility d. diffusion of responsibility 12. Which country has the highest murder rate?a. Finland b. Great Britain c. Canada d. the United States 13. According to materials presented in your text, _____ percent of violent crimes are committed by strangers. a. 0. 6 b. 44 c. 56 d. 90 14. In explaining the origins of aggression, Freud focused on the concept of a. childhood learning b. pathological behavior c. instinct d. self-esteem 15. The definition of aggression as â€Å"any behavior that hurts others† would be the preferred definition of a. ognitive disson ance theorists b. exchange theorists c. social impact theorists d. learning theorists 16. One problem with a behaviorist definition of aggression is that does not take into account a. displacement b. learning history c. intentionsd. sanctioned aggression 17. An unprovoked criminal act that hurts others would be considered __________ aggression. a. prosocial b. sanctioned c. aggressive d. retaliation 18. You see a television news report featuring a policeman foiling a bank holdup by killing two of the robbers. This is a case of a. reactance b. sanctioned aggression . prosocial aggression d. frustration-aggression 19. You see a television news report featuring a shopkeeper who shot and killed a masked gunman who was trying to rob his store. This is a case of a. covert aggression b. prosocial aggression c. social exchange d. sanctioned aggression 20. One of the most common sources of ________ is an attack or intrusion by another person. a. frustration b. anger c. low self-esteem d. rea ctance 21. The interference with or blocking of the attainment of a goal is known as a. frustration b. normative blocking c. reactance d. anger 22.A child who sees an adult on television hitting another person and then hits his little brother is engaging in a. disinhibition b. dehumanization c. imitation d. aggression anxiety 23. The realization that health is a psychological as well as a physical issue has given rise to the field of a. epidemiology b. oncology c. psychological anthropology d. health psychology 24. The study of health psychology focuses on a. preventing and treating illnesses b. promoting and maintaining health c. improving the healthcare system d. all of the above 25. The _____ model says health is social, biological, and psychological. . psychosocial b. sociological c. sociobiological d. biopsychosocial 26. Annual cancer deaths in the United States could be reduced by _____ percent if everyone stopped smoking. a. 5-10 b. 25-30 C. 55-60 d. 85-90 27. Your text descr ibes disorders such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes as a. preventable b. epidemic c. political d. ecological 28. Deaths due to vehicular accidents could be reduced by _____ percent if drunk driving were eliminated. a. 5 b. 20 c. 50 d. 85 29. Which of the following is described by your text as â€Å"preventable? † a. diabetes b. Heart disease c. Cancer d. All of the above 30.Which of the following is classified by your text as a â€Å"health behavior? † a. being no more than ten percent overweight b. not eating between meals c. eating breakfast each day d. all of the above 31. The reason many people do not engage in health behaviors is a. they do not know the behaviors most associated with better health b. they have biological predispositions that encourage unhealthy behavior c. the consequences of health behaviors often do not appear for many years d. all of the above32. Which of the following is NOT a basic health belief, as identified in your text? a. general health values b. sychological reactance c. self-efficacy d. personal vulnerability T/F (1point each) 33. It is very rare for people to offer help to strangers. F 34. Freud is the person most associated with evolutionary approaches to helping. F 35. An uneven distribution of economic resources in a country is associated with higher murder rates. T 36. Most scientists agree that aggression is learned; it does not come from inherited tendencies. F 37. Health beliefs have not done a very good job of predicting most health behaviors. F 38. Adolescents who engage in risky sexual behaviors are unlikely to use condoms consistently. T