Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Baseball and the Changes made in 1968 Essay Example for Free

Baseball and the Changes made in 1968 Essay Baseball is America’s most favorite past time. It is America’s national sports. Among the non-contact sports being played today, it is the most popular and widely played around the globe. Since contacts are less baseball players get to play more games and eventually seasons compare to their baseball and basketball counterparts. Baseball owns style and uniqueness is what makes the game more special and closer to the heart of the people of America. It is the only sport with exception to softball, which traces its origin and roots to baseball – in which the defense starts play by putting the ball in play. The success being enjoyed by baseball as America’s most favourite past time can be attributed to the excitement and fun the way games are played through the years, from minor to major leagues. The techniques and strategies employed by coaches, team owner, players and sport’s organizer to uplift quality of games, all add color and spice to an already colorful sporting event. The sight and sound inside the ballpark are things to behold as players continue to provide entertainment to every spectator. From the first time baseball was invented and developed, the game had undergone and seen several and important changes and facelift all for the improvement of the game’s quality and for the purpose of bringing the game closer to the public. It is no secret that several changes that are made in baseball’s rule and guidelines are results of the growing clamour made by casual and serious â€Å"faniacs† (fans and maniacs alike). By adapting these changes games are played more interestingly and competition became tougher as games are now dictated and rely heavily on the shoulders of every batter (Newell). The game has now evolved to a batter’s dominated game. With the changes in the existing rule efficiency of pitchers was limited. By limiting effectiveness of pitchers more hits are made, eventually yielding to more runs scored and homeruns being made. The committee’s action emphasis the growing important they put on hits, run, homeruns and offense as they try to bring attendance back in on ball parks. Thus, a new phase in baseball history opens up as fans and spectators go frenzy with every swing of the bat. With the major transformation of the game from a pitcher’s dominance to a batter controlled and dictated tempo, it is fitting and necessary to understand the changes that are made that swing the tide to the offensive teams’ favour. It was in 1968 when major league officials, organizers and experts started re-evaluation of existing baseball rules that govern the sports. One of the rules the committee focus and re-evaluated was the scoring of homeruns in the ninth inning or bottom of extra inning. Prior to the 1920 season, homeruns that propel winning run of runners ahead of them were not considered homeruns and will only be scored as a singles, doubles or a triples depending on the base occupied by the runner ahead of the player who made the homerun (Titlebaum). For example, if a runner is positioned on the second base, bottom of the ninth inning, and his teammate hit a home run the batter would only be credited with a double. His score would depend on the number of bases needed by the runner to advance in order to complete the winning run. In 1968 the special committee restore the homeruns that were lost due to the above mentioned law (Titlebaum). This was the first step made by the committee that slowly shifted the dominance from the pitchers to the batters. The year 1968 was also known to baseball fans as the â€Å"Year of the Pitcher†. It was in this year Robert â€Å"Bob† Gibson dished out the lowest ERA ever made in the 20th century. Gibson who played for the ST. Louis Cardinals was widely known as one of the most dominant and prominent figure of a pitcher in his era. It was during that year the he compiled an amazing 1. 12 ERA, whish was the most dominant performance of a pitcher in a season (Schell). He also completed 28 games out of his 34 as the starting pitcher in which 13 of them were shutouts (Schell). In 28 starts he never allowed a single run. Tim McCarver, Gibsons long-time catcher in St. Louis once quoted I never went to the mound when he was pitching. What is a catcher going to tell someone like him how to throw a pitch? † (Schell). The dominating performance of pitchers in this year led by Gibson, prompted league officials and organizers to make changes in able to help hitters and thus creating an era of an offense minded games. The influx of pitching talents during the 1968 was one of the reasons why pitchers dominated the game. Gibson wasn’t alone in dominating the ’68 season. There was Danny Mclain which was Gibson’s opponent in the World Series, which poser a pretty impressive number with his 1. 96 ERA (Schell). Apparently the figure was only good for fourth ranked in the American League behind Dave McNally with 1. 95, Sudden Sam McDowell’s 1. 81, and Luis Tiant’s 1. 60 (Schell). With the abundance of talent coupled with scarcity in hitting talent the Year of the Pitcher was born. Due to this abundance of pitching talent, organizer provides batters the leverage they needed to slug it put with the highly touted and remarkable pitchers. Thus, in order to resolve this problem officials change the height of the mound. From 15 inches in 1968, the mound was lowered to 10 (Newell). For this reason the environment has become friendly to hitters as strike zone has become smaller. Pitchers then have to be more perfect with their throws and batters can wait more patiently, unlike before when strike zones was enforced from the height of the batter’s armpit to the level of the knees. With this strike zone, pitcher like Gibson giving big, riding fastballs can easily eat the offense alive. As a result of this change the occurrence of players being out because of â€Å"easy outs† has declined. Furthermore, higher pitching mounds favour pitchers as it means more leverage for them. With the advantage in altitude, pitchers can put more downward velocity and spin to the ball making it more difficult for the opposing team to hit the ball. For the next few years attendance in ball parks increases as offense dominated baseball. Today, offense has dictated the flow of the games. Fans love watching games loaded with offensive actions. Pitchers too found it hard to dominate games, unlike before because of the fatigue and beating they obtained throughout the year. They play more games today. The inclusion of aluminum bats also increased the capacity of hitters to make homeruns. The changing of laws in 1968 has great impact on the field of baseball. The changes made define modern baseball. Work’s Cited Page Newell, Kevin. Five Game-Changing Moments in Baseball. Scholastic administrators (2005). Schell, Michael J. Baseballs All-Time Best Hitters, How Statistics Can Level the Playing Field. Princeton, New Jersey Princeton University Press, 1999. Titlebaum, Dr. Peter. Rule Changes in Baseball: Spring Training Never Ends sports media (2006).

Monday, January 20, 2020

Elizabeth Hardwicks Criticism of Washington Square :: Elizabeth Hardwick Washington Square

Elizabeth Hardwick's Criticism of Washington Square Aristotle said that art was one step away from life, and criticism was one step away from that. So what does that make a criticism of a criticism? Carry the one, divide by a and move the decimal point†¦I don't know, I was never that good at math, but it seems like we may need to drop bread crumbs like Hansel and Gretel to find our way back to the original text. I enjoy criticism, sometimes for the purpose of learning something new and (factual and) exciting that I originally wasn't aware of in the text. Sometimes it is just fun to see where the critic's academic flight of fancy has taken them. Sometimes, and this is often true, a cigar is just a cigar†¦ Elizabeth Hardwick's (wasn't that Raleigh's wife's name?) article "On Washington Square" can't seem to decide whether it is fish or fowl; the reader has a hard time distinguishing between plot and character summary, New Historicist, Psychoanalytical, Formalist and all other manner of criticism. Nothing, I think was anything shockingly original or eye-opening, leaving me feeling that it was actually more review than actual literary criticism. Hardwick dances from discipline to discipline throughout the course of the article, leaving the reader feeling spun every which way, swinging for a pià ±ata that isn't even there. Interdisciplinary criticism is not necessarily a bad thing but, in two and-a half full pages of writing, the reader is given a whirlwind tour of too many subjects. She moves from an historical description of the time and setting of Washington Square to physical and psychological character summaries to a suggestion that the character of Austin Sloper may be James's portrayal of his brother William to a relatively long passage on the perfect balance and the source of the novel. Everything that was said was a complete thought, but there was no meat to the information; it was like gnawing on a soup bone while all you really want is a nice roast. Actually, Hardwick's article was not at all faulty, just dry and altogether too short for the knowledge that it was trying to impart. It could have been three or four times longer and given ample attention to each point.

Sunday, January 12, 2020

Nutritional Requirements of Individuals with Dementia Essay

1.1 Describe how cognitive, functional and emotional changes associated with dementia can affect eating, drinking and nutrition 1.2 Explain how poor nutrition can contribute to an individual’s experience of dementia 1.3 Outline how other health and emotional conditions may affect the nutritional needs of an individual with dementia 1.4 Explain the importance of recognising and meeting an individual’s personal and cultural preferences for food and drink 1.5 Explain why it is important to include a variety of food and drink in the diet of an individual with dementia 2.1 Describe how mealtime cultures and environments can be a barrier to meeting the nutritional needs of an individual with dementia 2.2 Describe how mealtime environments and food presentation can be designed to help an individual to eat and drink 2.3 Describe how a person-centred approach can support an individual, with dementia at different levels of ability to eat and drink Read more:  Essay on Role of Communication With Individuals Who Have Dementia DEM313 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Dementia Care Practice 1.1 Explain why it is important to recognise and respect an individual’s heritage 1.2 Compare the experience of dementia for an individual who has acquired it as an older person with the experience of an individual who has acquired it  as a younger person 1.3a Describe how the experience of dementia may be different for individuals – who have a learning disability 1.3b Describe how the experience of dementia may be different for individuals – who are from different ethnic backgrounds 1.3c Describe how the experience of dementia may be different for individuals – who are at the end of life 1.4 Describe how the experience of an individual’s dementia may impact on carers 2.1 Describe how current legislation, government policy and agreed ways of working support inclusive practice for dementia care and support 2.2 Describe the ways in which an individual with dementia may be subjected to discrimination and oppression 2.3 Explain the potential impact of discrimination on an individual with dementia 2.4 Analyse how diversity, equality and inclusion are addressed in dementia care and support

Saturday, January 4, 2020

The Tempest Summary for Students

The Tempest, written in 1611, is said to be William Shakespeares last play. It is a tale of magic, power, and justice, and some readings even see it as Shakespeares way of taking his own final bow. To touch on the most important aspects of this iconic play, here is a summary of The Tempest.  Ã‚   The Tempest Summary of the Plot A Magical Storm The Tempest begins on a boat being tossed about in a storm. Aboard are Alonso (the King of Naples), Ferdinand (his son), Sebastian (his brother), Antonio (the usurping Duke of Milan), Gonzalo, Adrian, Francisco, Trinculo, ​and Stefano. Miranda, who has been watching the ship at sea, is distraught at the thought of lost lives. The storm was created by her father, the magical Prospero, who reassures her that all will be well. Prospero then explains how the two of them came to live on this island: They were once part of Milan’s nobility—he was a Duke—and Miranda lived a life of luxury. However, Prospero’s brother usurped him and exiled them. They were placed on a boat, never to be seen again. Then, Prospero summons Ariel, his servant spirit. Ariel explains that he has carried out Prospero’s orders: He destroyed the ship and dispersed its passengers across the island. Prospero instructs Ariel to be invisible and spy on them. Ariel asks when he will be freed, but Prospero tells him off for being ungrateful, promising to free him soon. Caliban: Man or Monster? Prospero decides to visit his other servant, Caliban, but Miranda is reluctant—she describes him as a monster. Prospero agrees that Caliban can be rude and unpleasant but says he is invaluable to them because he collects their firewood. When Prospero and Miranda meet Caliban, we learn that he is native to the island, but Prospero turned him into a slave. This raises issues of morality and fairness in the play. Love at First Sight Ferdinand stumbles across Miranda and, much to Prospero’s annoyance, they fall in love and decide to marry. Prospero warns Miranda off and decides to test Ferdinand’s loyalty. The rest of the shipwrecked crew are drinking to simultaneously celebrate their survival and grieve for lost loved ones, as Alonso believes that he has lost his beloved son, Ferdinand. Caliban’s New Master Stefano, Alonso’s drunken butler, discovers Caliban in a glade. Caliban decides to worship the drunken Stefano and make him his new master in order to escape Prospero’s power. Caliban describes Prospero’s cruelty and persuades Stefano to murder him by promising that Stefano can marry Miranda and rule the island. The other shipwreck survivors have been trekking across the island and stop to rest. Ariel casts a spell on Alonso, Sebastian, and Antonio and derides them for their previous treatment of Prospero. Gonzalo and the others think that the spellbound men are suffering from the guilt of their past actions and promise to protect them from doing anything impulsive. Prospero finally concedes and agrees to the marriage of Miranda and Ferdinand and goes off to foil Caliban’s murderous plot. He orders Ariel to hang out beautiful clothes to distract the three fools. When Caliban and Stefano discover the clothes, they decide to steal them—Prospero arranges for goblins to â€Å"grind their joints as punishment. Prospero’s Forgiveness and Absolution At the end of the play, Prospero has forgiven his countrymen, pardoned Caliban, and promised to set Ariel free after he helps the ship leave the island. Prospero also breaks his magical staff and buries it, and  tosses his book of magic into the sea.  All of these things redeem his earlier behaviors and hearken back to the belief that hes not truly evil.  The last thing Prospero does in the play is to ask the audience to set him free from the island with their applause, for the first time leaving his future  in the hands of others. Major Characters Prospero While Prospero can be viewed as an evil character, he is more complex than that. His negative actions can be chalked up to his being angry, bitter, and controlling; the tempest that he conjures to shipwreck his countrymen is often said to be a physical manifestation of Prosperos anger.  Still, he doesnt kill any of his countrymen despite having the opportunity, and he even eventually forgives them. Miranda Miranda represents purity. Prospero is obsessed with keeping her virginity intact and ensuring that when she is finally handed over to Ferdinand, her new husband will honor and treasure her.  Miranda is often seen as a very innocent character and the antithesis of the witch Sycorax, the mother of Caliban. Caliban Caliban is the demon son of the witch Sycorax and the Devil, and it is unclear whether he is human or monster.  Some scholars believe that Caliban is an evil character because he has tried to rape Miranda in the past, is the son of the  Devil, and plots with Stefano to kill Prospero.  Others say that Caliban is merely a product of his birth and that it is not his fault who his parents were.  Many also view Prosperos mistreatment of Caliban (making him a slave) as evil and that Caliban is simply responding to his unfortunate circumstances. Ariel Ariel is a magical spirit that inhabited the island long before anyone else. He uses male pronouns but is a gender-ambiguous character.  Sycorax imprisoned Ariel  in a tree when he refused to do Sycoraxs bidding because Ariel viewed her desires as evil. Prospero freed Arial, and the remained faithful to Prospero the entire time the protagonist inhabited the island.  At his core, Ariel is a kind, empathetic creature, sometimes viewed as being angelic.  He cares for humans and helps Prospero see the light and forgive his kinsman.  Without Ariel, Prospero may very well have remained a bitter, angry man on his island forever. Major Themes The Tripartite Soul One of the major themes from this play is the belief in the soul as three parts Plato called this the tripartite of the soul, and it was a very commonly held belief in the Renaissance. The idea is that Prospero, Caliban, and Ariel are all a part of one person (Prospero). The three factions of the soul were vegetative (Caliban), sensitive (Ariel), and rational (Ariel and Prospero).  Sigmund Freud later adopted this concept into his id, ego, and superego theory.  By this theory, Caliban represents the id (the child), Prospero the ego (the adult), and Ariel the superego (the parent).   Many performances of the play after the 1950s have the same actor playing all three roles, and it is only when all three characters can come to the same conclusion (forgiveness) that the three factions are brought together. When this happens to Prospero—when the three parts of his soul unite—he can finally move on. Master/Servant Relationships In The Tempest, Shakespeare draws on master/servant relationships to demonstrate power and its misuse. In particular, control is a dominant theme: Characters battle for control over each other and the island, perhaps an echo of England’s colonial expansion in Shakespeare’s time. With the island in colonial dispute, the audience ​is asked to question who the rightful owner of the island is: Prospero, Caliban, or Sycorax—the original colonizer from Algiers who performed evil deeds. Historical Context: The Importance of Colonialism The Tempest takes place in 17th century England, when colonialism was a dominant and accepted practice, particularly among European nations. This is also contemporary with Shakespeares writing of the play. It is no coincidence, therefore, that the plot shows the deep influence of colonialism, especially in terms of Prospero’s actions: He arrives at Sycorax’s island, subdues it, and imposes his own culture on its inhabitants while calling them undignified and savage. Shakespeare also seems also to have drawn on Michel de  Montaigne’s essay  Of the Cannibals, which was translated into English in 1603. The name of Prospero’s servant, Caliban, may have come from the word â€Å"cannibal.† When picturing the storm in  The Tempest, Shakespeare may have been influenced by 1610 document â€Å"A True Declaration of the Estate of the Colonie in Virginia,† which describes the adventures of some sailors who had returned from the Americas. Key Quotes As with all of his plays, Shakespeares The Tempest contains plenty of pithy, striking, and moving quotes. These are a few that set up the play. A pox o your throat, you bawling, blasphemous, incharitable dog!(Sebastian; Act 1, Scene 1) Now would I give a thousand furlongs of sea for an acre of barren ground: long heath, broom, furze, anything. The wills above be done, but I would fain die a dry death(Gonzalo; Act 1, Scene 1) Canst thou rememberA time before we came unto this cell?(Prospero; Act 1, Scene 2) In my false brotherAwakened an evil nature, and my trust,Like a good parent, did beget of himA falsehood in its contrary as greatAs my trust was, which had indeed no limit,A confidence sans bound.(Prospero; Act 1, Scene 2) Good wombs have borne bad sons.(Miranda; Act 1, Scene 2) Hell is empty,And all the devils are here.(Ariel; Act 1, Scene 2)