CTC

To focus firmly on the â€Å"you† view, writers should scrub all uses of I and we from their writing. Do you agree or disagree? Why? I disagree with writers scrubbing out all uses of I and we from their writing, but they should try to use those words as little as possible. It is true as stated In the book the catchiest words you can use are you and your. When we as consumers, see an ad or talk to a representative, we want to know how or where we are being benefited ND not see or hear a bunch of Xi's or woe's.The flipped of removing those words are responses possibly becoming too wordy. There Is an example In the book on peg. 43 that I have put below where I believe the ‘You† view would have to be changed to; [Would you mind releasing your account number so your records can be located and this problem of yours can be solved? ] I changed It this way because If removing those two words you would also have to remove me as well.Now I believe It does not sound as polite as the original change. Some Xi's or woe's are necessary to sound polite and let consumers know that although this is about them, the business is not completely removed from interacting with them. â€Å"l/We† View â€Å"You† View I need your account number before I can do anything Would you mind giving me your account number so that I can locate your records and help you solve this problem?

Critically reflect on my managerial role within my job Essay

1. Introduction With the development of society and economics, our world has become much more complex and changeful than years before. Today’s managers have to be very sensitive to the changing of the environment, to understand and cope with the diversity of the world. As a result, the role management plays in private sector as well as public sector has become more and more important, both theoretically and practically. Elements of management could be found as early as in the building construction of the Pyramids in ancient Egypt. However, great progress has been made since last century in the study of management. The theories of management vary from culture to culture, from generation to generation. The following report is my understanding towards the principles of management and a reflection of my own managerial roles at work, referring to Mintzberg’s ten principles. 2. About management theory The first theory of management was delivered by Henri Fayol, a French industrialist, in 1916. He defined management as â€Å"to manage is to forecast and plan, to organise, to command, to co-ordinate and to control†(Mc Ilwee T. and Roberts I., 1991, p.117). The other important management theories, such as Elton Mayo’s human relations movement, Max Weber’s idealized bureaucracy, and Henry Mintzberg’s ten principles on management, have emerged subsequently. Here, I mainly want to introduce Henry Mintzberg’s ten principles on management. * What is it? Henry Mintzberg’s ten roles management theory was based on the study of five chief executives and a few others managers’ real lives. He described what he had seen as the roles a manager play, which were called ten principles on management. The ten roles are divided into three groups: interpersonal, informational, and decisional (see Figure 1). Figure 1 The Ten Managerial Roles The three interpersonal roles are radically considered the interpersonal relationships. In the figurehead role, the manager represents the organization in all matters of formality. â€Å"Duties that involve inter personal roles may sometimes be routine, †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Nevertheless, they are important to the smooth functioning of an organization and cannot be ignored by the manager† (Mintzberg H., 1989, p.15-16). The leader role defines the relationships between the manger and employees. In the liaison role, the manger maintains information links both inside and outside organization. The interpersonal roles make the managers more easily accept information. Thus, the three informational roles are primarily concerned with the information aspects of managerial work. â€Å"The processing of information is a key part of the manager’s job† (Mintzberg H, 1989, p.18). In the monitor role, the manager acts as the nerve centre for the organisation, receiving the latest, most concrete, most up-to-date information. In the role of disseminator, the manager transmits special information into the organization. In the role of spokesperson, the manager disseminates the organization’s information into its environment. â€Å"Information is not, of course, and end in itself; it is the basic input to decision-making† (Mintzberg H., 1989, p.19). The decisional roles make significant use of the information. The unique access to information places the manager at the centre of organisational decision-making. There are four decisional roles. In the entrepreneur role, the manager tries to improve their organization by seeking effective ways of using resources and technologies. In the disturbance handler role, the manger resolves unexpected problems that threaten organizational goals. In the resource-allocating role, the manager decides how organizational resources will be used to meet planned objectives. In the negotiator role, the manager negotiates on behalf of the organization. Although the Mntzberg’s ten managerial roles are described individually, they are hardly separated. â€Å"No role can be pulled out of the framework and the job be left intact† (Mintzberg H., 1989, p.19). So we should consider the Mntzberg’s ten managerial roles as both interactive and integrated. * Why do I choose it? There are many definitions of management, and most of them are relatively concise and simplistic. However, â€Å"management is a complex process – much more complex than this simple definition leads us to believe† (Griffin R. W., 1999, p.4). Although there are several other major approaches and theories that exist, such as the human resources, quantitative, and systems approaches, I believe that their impact on the management basics is not as greatly felt as that of the works of Mintzberg. Mintzberg focused on what the manager’s job and life is really like, applied the folklore and fact to managers, and got the ten managerial roles theory. Compared with other management theories, Mintzberg’s work is considered as the best reflection of the practice in the real manager life, which analyses the managerial roles comprehensively. Many of them can be found in today’s management ideas and practices. In addition, Mintzberg regards the ten roles as a whole, which makes us more easier understand the process of management. 3. Critically reflect on managerial role within my work I worked in Liaoning Provincial Financial Bureau, taking charge of government procurement. Although I am not at the position of manager yet, I actually shoulder the equivalent responsibilities in the administration of work. Most of the ten managerial roles, which Mintzberg had mentioned in his article, were involved in my daily work. In addition, these roles do not exist separately, they connect with each other. Here is an illustration of my managerial roles at work with regard to Mintzberg’s theory (see Figure 2). Figure 2 Firstly, the interpersonal roles help me get more useful information. With no title manager, the figurehead role seldom occurs in my work. But I actually perform the leader role. I should set goals and make plans to decide how the process of government procurement to be arranged. In the three interpersonal roles, I think the liaison role is the basic role in my work. From my personal experience, if I want to provide better services, I must contact with people both inside and outside. For example, I need make contacts outside to learn what the public sectors, which I am in charge of, want to buy this year, and then decide how government procurement can be arranged. In addition, I must connect with my colleagues to learn the other public sectors’ demands. In this stage, the communication is important. Communication is the exchange of information, facts, ideas, and meanings. Good communication is vital in organisations and lies at the heart of effective management. How to achieve effective communication? I conclude the following principles according to my work experience. > Know what your objective is, > Analyse situation, > Use effective communication tools, such as mail, phone calls, meetings, etc., > Make sure you understand what the others say properly. Secondly, the informational roles are the main constitution of my work. Everyday I seek and receive a great deal of information through interpersonal roles (monitor role), and then forward information to other organization members (disseminator role), and furthermore transmit information to outsiders (spokesman role). For example, I collect information from the suppliers and buyers, and then discuss this information with my colleagues. Afterward, I must pass on clear and definitive information to outside people who concern about it. In this stage, it is important for me to distinguish different kinds of information. Because I receive a great deal of information both internally and externally every day, I must tell immediately the informal information from those formal ones, so as to get precise and useful information for users both inside and outside. It is essential to establish a steady and efficient channel to achieve a free information flow. Thirdly, the decisional roles are the most important roles in my work. Of four decisional roles, I spend more time in the disturbance handler and negotiation role. I must deal with all the questions from suppliers and buyers, and coordinate among them. Sometimes, I get them together and make trade-off to get a win-win solution in some difficult transaction. From my work experience, I conclude that the ability to analyze, interpret, and solve problems becomes increasingly important for managers. It is crucial for managers to see the organization as a whole and the relationships among its various levels and visualize ways to make the organization more efficient and effective. These abilities are essential to effective decision-making. How to achieve effective decision-making? It depends on many factors. Quality of information, which you have received, is the key element of decision-making. In addition, the skill of disturbance handler and negotiation will help you achieve effective decision-making. 4. Conclusion We have learned lots of management theories. Mintzberg’s ten managerial roles are the synthesis of theory and practice. It is helpful for management work. But I think we should pay more attention to practice of management. We should synthesize our own methods and habits that are suitable for our own area. It will eventually make the public administration more effective and efficient. Reference * Griffin R. W., (1999) Management, 6th .ed., Houghton Mifflin. * Mc Ilwee T., Roberts, I. (1991) Human Resourse Management. * Mintzberg H., (1989) Mintzberg On Management: Inside Our Strange World of Organizations, London: Collier Macmillan Publisher.

Overall delivery of service Essay

My role helps to contribute to the overall delivery of the service provided because I can help to provide the best quality care to individuals, I can help them to make sure that they know everything that they need to know whilst they are in hospital and also communicate effectively to make sure that they are always comfortable with their care. This helps with other individuals who are working with me because when everybody is working in this way the service runs more smoothly and everybody is on the same page therefore the patients feel cared for and valued. While working alongside the nurses and other staff I can help to make sure that everybody is getting the best care and when this is maintained through every shift it helps to keep the standards high and also eliminate problems. With attending college and work regularly together this helps to understand everything better because other members of staff know that I am capable of carrying everything out effectively and to the correct standards therefore this also helps to contribute towards the standard of the service. I could influence the quality of the service provided by following best practice within my work role because I would be following procedures and doing everything correctly which ensures that there are no problems and everything runs to a high standard. If everything is done correctly those who I am working with and those who come on shift afterwards this makes the job easier for them and doesn’t make their work load to large, this makes the service run more smoothly because everybody is working together and combines together correctly to ensure that the standards are correct. If I don’t carry out the requirements of my job role then this would be passed on to the shift afterwards which would affect their routine and have a knock on affect by knocking things out of alignment because they would be carrying on my work when they have their own jobs to do and this could cause this to then knock onto the next shift because everything would be working out of sync. This could also endanger a patient or distress them because tasks aren’t getting done at the correct time or to the correct standard. It could also cause conflicts between myself and the patients or myself and other staff. If I did not carry out my jobs this could cause other staff to have a too heavy workload that they are not capable of which would then end in them not carrying out the best quality of care that they can provide.

Ethical implications of Sixth Sense Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ethical implications of Sixth Sense - Assignment Example As an inventor, Mistry did well. However, the invention might put the security and privacy of people at risk. This brings us, then, to the third dimension and third and fourth steps, which consider and link the principles to the associated applicable values (Backus and Ferraris 226). One ethical philosophy to be considered is the utilitarianism theory. Will the gadget bring happiness to the majority? The answer is most probably "no," because not everyone can afford such gadgets. Another ethical philosophy to be considered is the natural law. Will the SixthSense cause individual to respect others, or will the gadget cause an individual to do what is not naturally good and then suffer with his or her conscience? Owning such a powerful device can easily lure individuals to do things that could hurt another individual’s privacy and security. Finally, as according to the fourth dimension of the Potter Box, loyalties should be considered. Should one choose to be loyal to the majorit y? Is the public (majority) deserving of loyalty? The answer to both questions is â€Å"yes.† While it is true that progress should be supported, this progress should be for the betterment, and not the detriment, of the whole

Diversity Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Diversity - Research Paper Example Festivals function to meet particular needs, on top of providing amusement. These occasions of celebrations present a feeling of belonging for social, religious or geographical groups. A hobby refers to a habitual interest or activity, which is embarked on for joy, customarily done in one’s leisure. A mix of vegetables and meat and several kinds of white bread comprise the main diets. There is custom for baking white bread, which is flattened (tandyr, lavash,churek). Kuftebozbash (potatoes and meat in a reedy sauce) is also a widespread dish. Crammed pepper leaves, as well as soups likewise form a part of everyday meals. The broth borsch as well as other Russian food is part of the cookery too. Azeri’s restaurants offer numerous varieties of kebabas an international cuisine (WTG, 2013). At ceremonial occasions, steamed rice (Pulov) adorned with raisins and apricots are main dish during ritual festivities. It is taken alongside onions, meat and fried chestnuts. In the holiday of Novruz, wheat is sautà ©ed with nuts and raisins (gavurga) (Azer-embassy, 2012). Every homestead should have seven kinds of nuts upon a platter. Sweets like paklava (a rhombus-shaped finely coated pastry covered with sugar and nuts) as well as shakarbura (a pastry of thin bread covered with nuts sugar and nuts) are an essential part of festivities. On weddings, various kebabs and pulovare supplemented byshyra (a sweet nonalcoholic drink) as well as alcohol too. At burials, the major dish is usually meat and pulov, dished up with shyra and then followed with tea. The most observed traditional Azerbaijani festival is Novruz Bayram that is the customary festivity of the primordial New Year. Bayram Novruz is a festival celebrated by family. During the evening, a fore the feast the entire family assembles around the feast table arranged with numerous dishes to

Traditional Roman Republic Virtues versus Christian Virtues Essay

Traditional Roman Republic Virtues versus Christian Virtues - Essay Example Perpetua and Lucretia depict different virtues as women, wherein Perpetua is shown as virtuous because she willingly accepted suffering for her faith, while Lucretia took suffering in her own hands and asked others to avenge her marred integrity because she and her society assigned ultimate virtue on her sexual purity. Perpetua is different from Lucretia because she lived by the Christian virtue of suffering for her faith rather than renouncing it. She shows courage in accepting her suffering. Her punishment was to face gladiators, and, before they killed her, she told her brother and others: â€Å"You must all stand fast in the faith and love one another, and do not be weakened by what we have gone through.† She embraced her suffering with pride and love. Lucretia did not die for her religious beliefs, but because of her soiled sexuality. She did not even wait for others to punish her for being impure. She said this before committing suicide: â€Å"I will absolve myself of b lame, and I will not free myself from punishment. No woman shall use Lucretia as her example in dishonor.† She could not accept living anymore after being raped because she and her society believed that women must be sexually pure (i.e. have sexual relations only with their husbands). Lucretia killed herself because of her shame, while Perpetua sacrificed her life for her Christian faith.The male interlocutors in these women’s lives lived according to their cultural virtues, wherein Christian males in Perpetua’s life suffered with her.

Conservatism in American Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Conservatism in American Politics - Essay Example For instance, Farmer (2005) clarifies that after the struggle witnessed in the American Civil War where the North fought for the Union to stand while the South were in favor of intensifying slavery, the term conservative signified antagonism against the radical republicans with an intention of giving the freed slaves full citizenship rights (Glenn and Teles, 2009). On the other hand, within the Reconstruction Era, this term signified antagonism against Radical Republicans with an intention of giving the freed slaves political authority after snatching it from ex-confederates. For a long time now, the political history of America has been shaped considerably by conservatism. There are a number of constants that together, sum up the conservatism in American politics including the backing of the republicanism, Christianity and the rule of law, respect for customs, and the defense of westernization against challenges brought in by totalitarian governments and modernist culture (Durham, 2012). The conservative nature of American politics can be traced back to American history and this is very evident while comparing with other nations such as Britain. For instance, the American government is more incredulous of the state’s power stating that it should be left in the hands of an individual who then delivers it upward to the â€Å"government that is at the lowest level possible†. On the other hand, Britons are of the idea that authority starts above and trickles down through the positions. Additionally, Americans consider that the government is responsible for giving them the required freedom to pursue their objectives (Brinkley, 1994). Conservatives have for a long time supported Republicans because they believe they share similar views such as tough foreign policy, a powerful military and backing for Israel. It is important to emphasize that conservatism in American politics is characterized by conflicting ideologies and

Regulatory Measures Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Regulatory Measures - Research Paper Example Regulatory measures are guidelines set to control irregularities in organizations for the efficiency in their operations. The regulatory measures in the corporate world are meant to implement the ethical conduct in organizations. First is the Federal Sentencing Guidelines for organizations which involves an effective compliance program. The main objectives of the FSGO are to work aggressively to deter unethical acts, self-monitor, and police, and punish those members of organizations who engage in unethical behavior. There are four considerations made in sentencing of organizations. One is that the court orders the organization to remedy any harm caused by the offense. The second is that in the instance the organization operated primarily for the criminal purpose, fines can be high to divest all the firm assets. The third consideration is that fines levied against the organization are based on the seriousness of the offense and organization culpability. The fourth involves probation for an organization defendant to ensure there is reduced future criminal conduct.The FSGO has tried more than 280 cases. It is evident that the most frequent offenses include antitrust offenses, tax violation, fraud and environmental. Since the implementation of FSGO, 91 percent of organizations have pleaded guilty of various offenses. Statistics shows that 65 percent were placed on probation. The probation may be costly to the firms as consultants may be required by the court to improve monitoring activities.

Professional Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Professional Ethics - Essay Example However, as important as ethics are for any and all professions, the need and importance for ethics within the IT profession is arguably even more profound. As such, the following analysis will seek to engage the reader with an understanding of the way in which ethics is of such a vast importance within the IT profession and is so central to practice of good business behavior. Furthermore, the analysis will also draw upon some of the questions of value and how they are different from questions of fact. Lastly, examples of the IT profession in addressing issues of ethics will be utilized as a means of drawing further prints upon the situation and moral needs that might be illustrated. According to the ACM, the code of ethics for IT professionals includes nearly 24 points; among these contributing to human well-being, avoiding harm to others, honoring property rights and copyrights, respecting privacy, honoring confidentiality, and seeking to improve public understanding of computing and its consequences. Whereas this is by no means an exhaustive list of all of the determinants that the ACM seeks to put forward, it does provide a running commentary on some of the aspects that the ACM code of conduct understands as central to the application of ethical and morally responsible IT work. Arguably, one of the most distinctive facets of ethics, or even of ethical considerations, within the IT profession is concentric upon the overall amount of data and responsibilities that the IT professional has at his or her disposal (ACM, 2014). As a direct function of the way in which IT work is performed, it individual working within this particular career path will necessarily ha ve access to a broad variety of different personal, sensitive, and public information. Likewise, although it is somewhat dangerous to state that the ethical considerations for one particular career path are higher than another, it is fair to state that the overall level of responsibility that an IT

How public opinion and political movements are affected by social Essay

How public opinion and political movements are affected by social media in undeveloped countries - Essay Example There is additionally a feeling of correspondence despite the areas that individuals might be in, and consequently, long range informal communication destinations have made the world a significantly littler place. It is likewise feasible for people with similar interests to connect. By sharing preferences, detests, interests, diversions and so forth, individuals tend to draw nearer to each other despite the physical separation between them. From Twitter over Facebook to YouTube recordings, social media has turned out to be a standout amongst the most capable instruments for legislators and supporters in political battles. It has additionally proved to be prevalent among potential voters since they can connect with the applicant specifically and ask basic question clearly. Today, social media is active more then any other medium of technology. Any news or updates around the globe is easily and quickly available on social media. It is just because of its active participation around the globe. It is a modern technology from which the information is shared with the help of active participation and it gets spread quickly, no matter whether the information shared is genuine or fake.With interpersonal interaction destinations, political crusading adds to permeability to lawmaker's close to home and expert life.As they can record anyplace and these could be transferred at whatever time which circumvents like an illness among individuals and can be utilized for political additions.

What Influences the Health of a Community Assignment

What Influences the Health of a Community - Assignment Example Education is considered as one of the top most factors that influences and has a great impact on the Pennsylvania community and its members respectively. The state spends over $14 billion on public health insurance each year. Education plays an important role in every individual’s lives. If people are educated, the number of crimes committed is very less and there is an improved public health as well. People with higher levels of education tend to live longer, healthier lives and depend less on government-funded health programs than people with less education. (Mitra, 2010) Researches and many studies have showed that education is very beneficial to a human’s life in several ways. Educated people and an educated community will have an organized lifestyle and healthy diets. They are less likely to smoke, be obese, or engage themselves in drinking. For instance, if there is any health issue to any individual in the Pennsylvania community, education will help them to have that awareness that they would know what is better for them. What measures to be taken to improve their health therefore education effects in a way that it seeks to spread awareness.

A summer in Canada Essay Example for Free

A summer in Canada Essay All my life I have chosen to experience as much as possible to enrich myself, but the most memorable experience in my childhood was the summer following seventh grade in school. I went to a summer camp in Vancouver, Canada where I spent half the day immersed in cultural studies and the other half involved in outside activities. Then I went to my aunt’s house in Toronto for two weeks. That was the first time I had traveled abroad. I was very excited about this trip and learned a lot from it, including the benefits of teachers directly interacting with students, the rewards of trying new things, and having the time to appreciate nature’s beauty and urban life. I noticed several ways the culture of Canada differed from Chinese culture. First, unlike in China, Western people place heavy emphasis on interacting. For example, when I had a class in Canada, the teachers were more likely to communicate with the students instead of just teaching. We were not just listeners. I really admire this kind of education because it helped me better become involved in my studies. Second, the teachers often pushed students to go outside to do research. For instance, I went to the market to make a statistical comparison of the price for every kind of product. It forced me to communicate with the staff in the market. As a matter of fact, I improved my English. In addition, people in Western countries liked to try new things. In China, I spent most of my time indoors studying; I didn’t know the wisdom to be found in engaging nature and its environment. For instance, I went camping on a big mountain and spent a night there. I came across many new experiences such as making a fire or erecting the tent and conquering them both. After I experienced these activities, I not only captured the Canadian culture, but also learned many skills from it. Furthermore, as I was living in a homestay the first two weeks, I became more independent. I was forced to deal with my living conditions by myself. I learned to wash my own clothes, cook some simple dishes, clean my room, and do some housework. This helped me a lot on my future life. Apart from having some new ideas when I traveled in Canada, I saw many amazing views both in nature and in the city. I went to a place called Butchart Garden, which is near Vancouver with beautiful scenery. I took many pictures of flowers and trees. It was the most beautiful garden I had ever seen. What is more, I was attracted by the atmosphere on a street in the downtown of Toronto. When I was sitting in a chair near the street, I saw many people in the cafà © enjoying the moment. They were just drinking and talking. That suddenly reminded me that I should never stop looking around to what is happening right now. When I was in China, I was always concentrated with taking one exam after another exam, and never stopped to reflect on what was around me. Having time to think about myself and my needs now seemed to be necessary in my life. In conclusion, this experience in Canada taught me how to live a more balanced life and how to communicate more effectively with others. This trip changed me and made my childhood more meaningful as well as improving my abilities in both studying and living.

The Revolutionary Life of Che Guevara

The Revolutionary Life of Che Guevara Ernesto Che Guevara is universally renowned for his critical involvement in the success of the Cuban revolution. Venerated for his cause, he is considered by many to be a legendary hero whose name is equivalent to rebellion, revolution, and socialism. Others, however, see him as a ruthless murder. Regardless, his life as a revolutionary leader is an appealing subject that has been portrayed in a variety of books and films. This paper explains the story of Che Guevara, including his early life in Argentina, his motorcycle trips, his joining Fidel Castros army, his commitment to the revolutionary cause and the day he met his end in Bolivia. The paper also synthesizes and analyzes his contributions not only to the Cuban revolution but also to the world as a whole. Additionally, an investigation into his sinister part of life is also explored. Ernesto Guevara de la Serna, commonly referred to as El Che, Che Guevara, or just Che, is undoubtedly one of the most well-known and distinguished revolutionaries who ever lived. Famous for his legendary revolutionary life as well as his utter willingness to fight and die for his beliefs, Che Guevara has become the worlds icon of rebellion and struggle against social injustice, slavery, and ethnic discrimination. As a matter of fact, he was selected by Time magazine as among the most influential people of the 20th century, according to the website www.globalresearch.ca (December 19, 2010). Throughout history, few has died yet never ceased to have a profound impact on the living like he did, especially now that his revolutionary ideals, which he once lived by and died fighting for, have made their way to attract the contemporary men and women of the 21st century all over the world with the help of a variety of easily accessible means. It is the aforementioned reasons that formed the basis of numerous studies on Che Guevaras revolutionary legacy. However, rarely has any researcher included in their studies the approach from the opposite point of view. That is, although universally admired, exceptionally by people in Latin America, Che Guevara also receives serious vilification and criticisms from people in high places and in Cuban-exile communities throughout the Americas who still have deep hatred for Cuban socialist government in general and for Guevaras critical part in this system in particular (Harris, 2010, p.xiii). Some do not even hesitate to portray him as a ruthless dictator and opponent of freedom (Vega, 1997). This research paper analyses the legendary revolutionary life of Che Guevara, from the early days when he set out to pursue his adventurous dream on a motorbike till the very end when he was mercilessly yet valorously executed. But more importanly, a quantitative analysis of how his devotion ultimately affects Cuban society and the worlds perpective as a whole is presented. In addition, as aforesaid, a darker and more sinister side of Che Guevaras so-called legacy in which he is hated and reviled will also be discussed. Discussion Biography Ernesto Guevara, or Che Guevara as we all know him, was the Argentinean-born leader of the Cuban revolution. Born on June 14, 1928 in Rosario, Argentina, Che was the eldest of five children of a liberal, middle-class family. However, according to a different source, Julia Constenla, Ches actual date of birth was May 14 which was a month prior to the date stated in his birth certificate (Anderson, 1997, p. 3769). Constenla, who claimed she was told my Ches mother, Celia de la Serna y Llosa, strongly asserted that when Che was conceived, Celia and Ches father, Ernesto Guevara Lynch, were not married; therefore, they had to alter the certificate and kept this a secret in order to avoid criticisms not only for themselves but also for their dear son. As an infant, Che Guevara, or Tete as he was called by his family at the time, had suffered from serious asthmaticcondtionssince 1930, which kept haunting him interminably throughout his revolutionary life. His family was then, at his fathers suggestion,relocated to Alta Garcia, a mountain resort town near Cordoba. Full of hope that the new placesdrier climate would help improve Ches health, his father, thought that it would be best if he stayed and spent his youth there, and so he did. Moreover, it was this severe illness that drove him to be homeschooled, in 1934, by his mother who maintained left-wing political views just like his father (Bethel, 2003). Being closely attached to his mother from day till night, Che was gradually subject to her radical left-wing political perspectives. Deeply influenced by his parents views, alongwith an enormous library containing a plethora of controversial and leftist works available at home, Che soon discovered his political beliefs as a naturally developed interest.Of all the leftist literature, he showed particular interests in the works, especially poetry, of Walt Whitman, Federico Garcia Lorca, Antonio Machado, and especially Pablo Neruda (Hart, 2004, p. 98). It was later confirmed by his father that he began to explore Marxist and other socialist literary works at home (Bethel, 2003), during the presidency of Juan Peron, who ultimately was the greatest inspiration of Che. However, his homeschooling finally came to an end i n 1937, when the 9-year-old Che Guevara was able to enrol in a primary school and continued his education at the third grade. Sick as he was, Che Guevara was described tobear a restless characteristic, which his father referred to as the blood of the Irish rebels (Lavretsky, 1976, p. 5). It was this trait that boosted his will to conquer his ailment by occupying himself with tense physical exercises. As a result, he became a superb athlete, distinguished himself at swimming, football, golfing, and shooting, and was widely recognized for his outstanding rugby performance as well as his aggressive style of play for the sports club CUBA, or Club Universitario de Buenos Aires (Cain Growden, 2006, p. 293), in turn giving him the nickname Fuser, which is a contraction for El Fuibundo and de la Serna, which is his mothers first name. After graduating from Colegio Nacional Dean Funes high school in 1946, the Guevara family again relocated to Buenos Aires, where Che Guevara, at the age of 20,got accepted into the University of Buenos Aires a year later.In order to get a better understanding of asthma, the very ailment that plagued him for all his life, as well as cancer, the disease that led his grandmother to death, Che Guevarawas set on studying for a degree in medicine. However, this determination did not last very long. As the study went on, there was an overwhelming desire to take a break and travel the world that eventually caused him to put his education on hold until 1953 when he returned to finished his medical degree. Details of these trips, which play a vital part in forever changing his point of view in the society, along with his revolutionary activities, will be covered later in the following section. Che Guevara had two marriages, the first being with Hilda Gadea Acosta, an exiled Peruvian Marxist. The wedding took place in August 8, 1955, while Hilda was carrying their first and only offspring, Hilda Beatriz. They soon went their seperate ways after 4 years of marriage, which in turn led Che Guevara to have a destined encouter with Aleida March, who later became his second wife onJune 3, 1959. The couple was so in love that they traveled together, fought together, and more importantly, had a close-knit family with four children together. Throughout his revolutionary life from 1955 to 1967, the career of Che Guevara had varied greatly (Bethel, 2003). After joining the Cuban revolutionary army led by Fidel Castro in 1955, Che Guevara quickly got promoted to head of the industrial department of the Instituto Nacional de la Reforma Agraria, or the Cuban National Institute of Agrarian Reform on October 7, 1959, which was not long before he was made president of the Cuban National Bank on November 26. Appointed as head of the Ministry of Industry of Cuba in 1961, Che Guevaras career seemingly advanced non-stop until 1965, when he suddenly forsook all of his duties and decided to stay out of sight. A year later, however, Che continued on his revolutionary quest in Bolivia as a guerilla leader, which was a complete failure leading to his capture and execution on October 8, 1967. Che Guevaras Revolutionary Activities Despite being born and growing up in Argentina, Ernesto Che Guevara associated with Fidel Castro and the Cuban revolution in the armed struggle as well as in the construction of Cubas socialism. In 1967, Che Guevara died while leading the guerrilla movement in Bolivia at the age of 39. Then, he has become an immortal legend, a symbol of revolutionary heroism and international spirit, as well as a symbol of national liberation struggle of the oppressed peoples of the world. Thus, there are many legendary stories about his revolutionary activities. On January 1, 1950, Che Guevara began his first journey with a bike mounted motor. The journey, which crossed the Pampas plains in the north, has a length of 4,500 km. In this area, he had lived and assisted those who got infected by leprosy for a period of time, and worked in a group to build national highways in Argentina. According to the Che Mot hanh trinh cuoc doi (2012), in October 1951, Che reunited with a close friend Alberto Granado in Cà ³rdoba, then he suggested they made à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹the trip to North America together. Not long after that, on December 29, 1951, they started their journey to other Latin American countries with Albertos motor (Poderosa II 500 cubic centimeters). They went through most of the countries in this region. Two months later, they were in Chile and continued to go through Bolivia and Peru. In Peru, Che Guevara, together with Alberto, visited the people living with leprosy. After that, they went along the Amazon River to go to Colombia and Venezuela on the raft named Mambo Tanga. In Venezuela, they separated. Alberto stayed for caring leprosy patients while Che returned to Argentina to complete his college program. In his travelling diary named Motorcycle Diaries, Che showed his huge changes within himself. The journey formed his compassion for the poor people and the spirit of fierce anti-imperialism. After his college graduation on June 16, 1953, Guevara continued his journey back to Latin America with Carlos Calica Ferre, one of his childhood friends in Cà ³rdoba. The trip started on July 7, 1953. They took the train to go to Bolivia before coming to Lapaz capital on the 24th of the month (Ferrer Smith, 2005). At that moment, the political situation in this country is very tense. A few months later, they traveled around Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica, and then stayed in Guatemala for about 9 months. There, he met Hilda Gadea, an exiled Peruvian woman, who became his wife later. She introduced Guevara and his friend to a group of Cuban exiles in the revolutionary group M-26-7 (26 of July Movement), in which Nico Lopez was a person who later gave him the nickname Che. After the time working in a hospital, Guevara moved to Mexico. There, in July 1955, he was introduced to Fidel Castro Ruz, and not long after that meeting, he voluntarily participated in the expeditionary group of the C uban. In April 1956, he began the military training along with other Cuban people and was one of the best students. Two months later, on June 24, Che and Fidel and other Cuban exiles were arrested by Mexican authorities and detained in Miguel Schultz. On July 31, they were released from prison and resumed the training. Subsequently, Che, as a member of the guerrillas general staff, together with 82 others, returned to Cuba on the ship named Granma on November 25, 1956. After that, on December 2, they had secretly landed on the island of Cuba. After arriving in Cuba, they won many crucial victories. On July 21, 1957, Che was promoted to Major by Fidel Castro, and was assigned to establish one of the Army rebels. Only a month later, on August 30, he led his troops to the victory of the battle of El Hombrito. In the article Che Ernesto Guevara (Nosotro, 2010), it was mentioned that in August 1958, Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuesgos led their troops to launch the invasion from the west of the island. They marched 554 miles in 47 days with the lack of the military. According to an agreement later, to keep the forces, Che had to unify the command of the troops against the Batista regime. They began to attack on Santa Clara, an economic center as well as an important transport hub. On August 31, 1958, the rebels captured Santa Clara. This led Batista regime quickly into doom. Batista had to flee abroad and start an exile life. On January 4, 1959, Che, along with other rebel commanders, entered La Havana as the winners. After his great contributions, Ernesto Che Guevara was awarded the Cuba citizenship. This decision was supported by Cuban people. After the new revolutionary government was established, he was chosen as one of the three leaders (Che Guevara, Fidel Castro and Raul Castro) of this country. On October 8th, 1959, he was appointed to the head of the agriculture of the National Institute of Agrarian Reform. In this position, Che decided to confiscate all of the private property land. On November 26, he was selected as a chairman of the National Bank. The first position of Che, before becoming the chairman of the Cuba National Bank, after the national liberation in 1959, was the commander of the Havana Prison. According to the article named Che Guevara: A cold killing machine motivated by hate (Rollings, 2008), during six months, he gave the death penalty for between 180 and thousands of Batista prisoners. In April 1960, he concurrently held the commander of the revolutionary armed forces training. In February 1961, after being the Minister of Industries, Guevara decided to put hundreds of state-owned enterprises under the control of the government. At that time, he also resolved lots of matters affecting Cuba. In March 1963, when serving as a key leader in the Cuba state apparatus, Che decided to resign from all his positions including the Cuban citizenship to continue to devote his life to the fighting for freedom of oppressed people (Guevara, 1965). This decision was given at the right time when his career was at the peak of success, so there was some doubt. There were many ideas that behind Ches leaving was the coercion of Fidel Castro and Raul Castro. However, in the letter sent to President Fidel which was read in the establishment ceremony of Communist Party of Cuba, Che Guevara made à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹it clear that his resignation was completely voluntary, following his heart of freedom, peace and dedication for the revolution of human liberation from oppression and injustice. In early April 1963, Che and some others left Cuba and came to Congo. There, they pulled out after their failed plans (November 1965). In March 1966, he went to Prague (Czechoslovakia), and then secretly returned to Cuba (July 1966) to plan the campaign for Bolivia. In November 1967, Che and his comrades used fake passports to go to La Paz (the capital of Bolivia). In La Paz, they secretly formed a guerrilla group, with the aim of creating a pilot nuclear struggle for liberating Latin America. After 11 months of the campaign, whose details were recorded in his diary which was later popularized as The Bolivian Diary of Ernesto Che Guevara, his organization was gradually exposed, which finally led to failure. With the ambush tactics, Ches organization won some small battles. However, the head quarter and activities of the organization were exposed because of the insiders. Thus, to avoid the enemy raid, the organization decided to relocate the base, so his organization was isolated. Due to the disease and lack of food, they had to kill horses and donkeys, which were previously their means of transport, to eat. Ches comrades eventually died while he was living with asthma and was always in danger because of the lack of medicine. Finally, he was captured on October 7, 1967 when trying to find the way out of the forest in the Quebrada del Yuro. On October 9, he was executed by a joint CIA-Bolivian task force. Subsequently, Barrientos government buried his corpse, and thirty years later, on October 17, 1997, his body and six others were found and exhumed in a mass grave. Then, they were brought to Cuba and buried in Santa Clara, where Che had crucial victories that decided the success of the C uban Revolution (Llosa, 2007). The main causes that led to the failure of the Bolivian campaign were probably that Ches organization was not believed and supported by Bolivian people, and did not actually link the struggles. In addition, the forces were weak, the equipment was rudimentary, and the strategies and tactics were not appropriate, while the enemy was powerful. Furthermore, the time was not ripe for a widespread and successful revolution. In spite of this defeat, the reputation of Ernesto Che Guevara and his influence spread throughout not only Latin America but also the world day by day. He has become a symbol of the struggle, of the kindness against poverty and oppression in order to bring justice to other people. Che Guevaras Contribution to the Society For centuries, the hero Che Guevara is considered as a living legend, a symbol of the revolutionary hero of all peoples in the world, not just in Cuba and other Latin American countries. After being executed by the Bolivian army, he was regarded as a martyr by generations of leftist worldwide, and his image became an icon of leftist radicalism and anti-imperialism. He is always a true revolutionary, a true man of the 20th century and much later, for today and the future generations to follow. Guevaras contribution to the Cuban Revolution. Che Guevara was the leader of the Communist Revolution in Cuba, and also the hero of the most prominent leaders of the country Cuba attached to him. In a review of the book Che Guevara: A revolutionary life (n.d) by Jon Lee Anderson, the author emphasized that Che Guevara played a vital role not only in the seizure of power in 1959 but also in the social revolution which ultimately turned Cuba into a communist nation. It was his tactical mastermind, his experience in guerrilla warfare, his brilliant leadership of the guerrilla force and his socialist ideologies that lead to the success of the Cuban revolution. In 1950, Che Guevara decided to go on his first trip through Latin America to explore different parts of the continent. In this trip, Che witnessed many people who had to live in severe poverty and atrocious medical conditions, without any interference from the government. He also experienced the sight of exploitation, inequality, marginalization and penetration of mainly the United States. From these experiences, Che decided to seek the truth and fight for justice. He believed that the task was to turn these people into people with weapons in their hands to liberate themselves. No weapon cannot do anything This thinking of Che Guevara was confirmed and approved by the Cuban rebel Fidel Castro, a political exile who was preparing a plot to overthrow the Cuba dictatorship of Fulgencio Bastista, in their long-awaited meeting at Mexico city in 1955 (Richards, n.d.). Fidel and Che shared their revolutionary ambitions. They were set against the tide of revolution that swept across the wo rld during the middle of the twentieth century. It was the story of two men who shared a common goal, became brothers in arms, and finally made an epic decision between their friendship and beliefs. After this meeting, Guevara decided to embark upon Fidel Castros quest to overthrow the corrupt dictatorship of Batista in Cuba. Guevara began his career as a revolutionary in earnest when he signed up with Fidel to serve as a physician in the invasion army of 82 men (Richards, n.d.). Of these, Guevara was the only person who was not a Cuban native He assumed a position of influence which, together with his revolutionary goals and tactical brilliance, served to greatly support the revolutions cause. Guevara became Castrols chief lieutenant and distinguished himself as a resourceful and fearless tactician who not only was capable of ordering the execution of traitors and spies but also deeply cared for the welfare of his troops (Guevara, 2008). It was also mentioned in the article that with Castros forces pressing in, Bastista had to flee the country on New Years Day. It was the result of defeating a 30,000 strong and professional army by Castros 3,000 guerrillas. The rebel force gradually gained in strength, took the weapons and ammunition from Batistas troops, won the support of the local and got new recruits . At the time, Guevara became Castros right hand, one of the few who got his complete trust. Che Guevara was one of the first of the rebel forces to arrive gloriously in Havana on January 4, 1959, and claimed the capital for the revolutionary forces (Bethel, 2003). After this, Castros victorious troops entered Havana, and established a Marxist government; Guevara officially became a Cuban citizen. As one of the best lieutenants in the Cuban revolution, Guevaras reputation expanded very fast, not only in Cuba but also all over the world. He became a symbol of struggle for freedom and justice. Stories of his courage and leadership spread so rapidly that he was considered to be one of the most important figures in the revolution itself. In the new government established by Castro, Guevara served in a number of important positions. It was mentioned in a research named Ernesto Che Guevaras contribution to socialist political economy, industrial organization and economic development in Cuba 1959-1965 (n.d.) by Helen Yafe that in this period, Che Guevara was central in driving the structural changes which transformed Cuba from semi-colonial underdevelopment to independence and integration into the socialist bloc. Helen Yafe also listed some important positions and contributions of Che Guevara to the Cuban government system: Purging the old army; Agrarian Reform Law; Forging unity between internal revolutionary forces a process leading to the creation of what is today the CCP and UJC. Additionally, he was the first one to lead an overseas mission to expand trade and relation, according to Helen Che went to Yugoslavia and described it as decision-making imperialism with socialist allocation of the earnings and the rivalr y among companies would alter the socialist fortitude. Che Guevara became Head Department of Industrialization during nationalizations; Head of the National Bank all financial institutions were nationalized. He prepared in secret to change the countrys banknotes to prevent the financing of the counter-revolution and control inflation. In February 1961, he became Cubas first Minister of Industries. The objective of Ernesto Che Guevara in the economic reform of Cuba was obvious: to stir the financial system of Cuba away from its reliance on the trade of sugar with the United States particularly and on the export of sugar, generally (Bethel, 2003). This clear objective itself helped Cuba to be independent and started integration into the socialist bloc. To emphasize this remarkable step, in a speech by him, Guevara eloquently stated that the socialist learned and gained knowledge due to the struggle, and they developed into revolutionaries because of revolution, they became aware of the reality all the way through the experience. The socialist also read the situation in Cuba where must be having a popular armed force to stand up fighting against the armed puppets of the imperialist and called people upon to join the force and crush the oppressors. His spirit of fighting encouraged not only Cuba but also all the peoples in the world. Besides, it is clear that Guevaras contributions to the Cuban revolution were very considerable. With just a limited number of guerrilla soldiers, Che Guevara helped Fidel Castro to take over an entire country. After the old government was overthrown, Che continued to help Castro make his mind that communism was the right path for Cuba. He assisted Castro in quickly industrializing the country, setting up social reforms to try, and essentially making Cuba a better place to live for its citizens. He became the icon of the Cuban revolution; the architect of the Cuban Stalinist counter-revolution; the ruthless anti-imperialist fighter who was willing to sacrifice his own life for the sake of another country. The name Che Guevara will always be the pride of Cuba. Guevaras contribution to Latin American and the world. Before Che Guevara joined the Cuban revolution with Fidel Castro in Mexico, he gained a great amount of experience during his trips through Latin America and associated with many leftist movements. Observing the poverty, exploitation, inequality, marginalization here, Che Guevara was urged to find the truth and fight for justice. His disgust at the inequality and strong desire to fight for its eradication was indisputably an honorable and admirable cause. The duty of a revolutionary was to make revolution (Che Guevara about Cuban Revolution, 2003), Che liked to say. Indeed, his passion for balancing inequalities throughout Latin America is honorable and worthy of praise. After glorious victories in Cuban Revolution, Che Guevara still attempted to spread revolution. As the new Cuba is isolated on the world stage, and increasingly comes to rely on Soviet aid, Che looks to spread the Latin American revolution. In 1966, Guevara traveled on to Uruguay, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina and Bolivia, where he joined and became a leader of a communist guerrilla movement attempting to overthrow the countrys military government (Bethel, Kari, 2003). Sadly, his strategy that was so fortunate in Cuba, failed in both Congo and Bolivia. In 1967, Che Guevara was murdered by state forces as US representatives look on. His last words are reported ro be, I know you have come to kill me. Shoot, coward, you are only going to kill a man (Bethel Kari, 2003). Although the two rebellions which he tried to make in Congo and Bolivia was failures, Ernesto Che Guevara has become the great representation of a enthusiastic revolutionary, willing to give his life to find success for the rebellion. Moreover, Che Guevaras contributions played an essential parts to the socialism and imperialism, as well as his enduring political legacy and his involvement to the speculation and strategy of guerrilla warfare. Che Guevaras ideas is said to be having the crucial relation on the Cuban rebellion and all the revolutionary events following in Latin America and some parts of the word (Saunois, 1997). Ches protection of these ideas as a means of struggle to be taken up all over Latin America placed them right at the centre of a discussion in the revolutionary socialist movement throughout that continent and beyond. The Cuban rebellion, particularly the parts of it contributed by Ernesto Che Guevara, has numerous lessons for the insurrection in opposition to the over utilization, or exploitation in other words, which is happening commonly today, in almost every part of the world. In addition, Che Guevara also happened to be renowned in the West for his disagreement to every type of neocolonialism, and the attacks on United States foreign strategy (Saunois, 1997). Che Guevara created an international proletarian spirit that had motivated the desire for freedom of Latin America and all countries over the world. Until now, more than forty years after Che Guevaras death, his name and image remain popular. To some Che Guevara is idolized as a man of the people, a freedom fighter for the downtrodden, who gave his life in the struggle to free peoples of the world to live in a better civilization. In 1997, Che Guevaras T-shirts which demonstrated his portraits had been worn widely by lots of people in Europe and South America, especially the Latin America, and it turned out to be very well-liked these days all over the world. He is an icon for millions people who want a world free of poverty and oppression, the symbol of struggle and justice, and some even considered him as a modern day Robin Hood. Che Guevara is, as confirmed in the Time magazine, included in the list of the most 100 powerful persons in the world. His legend has continuously rising since his passing away in 1967, and the revolutionary ideals he spent most of his life on at the present appeal to a young generation of the twenty-f irst century. When speaking about that revolutionary legend, Nelson Mandela expressed his admiration and respect to Che, as his life inspired every human being that has the love for freedom. Che Guevaras Negative Sides Che Guevara is widely known as a generous, romantic and compassionate hero and he is also idolized by many people all over the world. According to Jean-Paul Sartre, Che was the most comple and perfect man of this era (Rawalpindi, 2006). However, there are arguments whether he only had the positive effects on humans lives or Che Guevara had his negative side. Although he was widely known to be a doctor from his mother country Argentina the author of several books and articles, Justin Stamm (2009) has given his ideas that Ernesto Che Guevara never actually did graduate from any medical school or university. In reality, he quitted school to take part in the fomenting Marxist rebellion in Cuba funded by Soviet communist Russia. The complex character of Che Guevara has been shaped by the contradictions of his philosophy at different points in his life. So, what do we really know and understand about Ernesto Che Guevara? Is he really that complete and perfect hero of humanity? The answer i s definitely no to the persons who regard him as a brutal killer and a racist. Ernesto Che Guevara a brutal murderer? Crazy with fury I will stain my rifle red while slaughtering any enemy that falls in my hands! My nostrils dilate while savoring the acrid odor of gunpowder and blood. With the deaths of my enemies I prepare my being for the sacred fight and join the triumphant proletariat with a bestial howl! (Guevara, 2004) Ernesto Che Guevara wrote the above statements in his famous The Motorcycle Diaries, and their effects are not quite similar with the former statements. There are many opinions which criticize Che Guevara to be a coldblooded killer. In 2005, Alvaro Vargas Llosa stated in his article that Che Guevara was not ever afraid of his death, and he took other peoples deaths as lightly as his (Llosa, 2005). According to the article Che Shows Only Glorifies Portrait of a Ruthless Killer (Vega, 1997), Ernesto Che Guevara cannot be considered as a hero, because he ordered the death sentence of incalculable human beings while he is in control of the prison in Havana, and moreover, Ernesto Che Guevara denied the freedom to thousands of citizens, whom are considered by Che to be deviants or anti-revolutionaries. Those acts of Che Guevara cannot be accepted under any circumstances, as said by the author of this article. Che always believed that rebellion cannot happen without violence. When Granado, Ches young friend, told Che about his idea to create a pro-Indian political party by fairly winning election, in order to develop the Latin American politics, he responded to his young fellow that to have revolution, it is impossible if there are no gun shots (C. Guevara, 2004). This answer can be regarded as the signal of the upcoming things in the future. Ches belief had been reinforced by his sincerity that because Arbenz had unsuccessful in killing and eliminate his potential enemies, he had lost all his power. When he arrived in Cuba, the president of Cuba was Fulgencio Batista. Fidel Castro was the leader of the rebellious left; he and his comrades were ready to overthrow the Batistas corrupt regime. Followin

Creatine Supplementation Do The Benefits Outweigh The Risks Biology Essay

Creatine Supplementation Do The Benefits Outweigh The Risks Biology Essay Creatine is a nitrogen based organic compound that is naturally synthesised in the body by the kidney, liver and pancreas. Over the past 2 decades creatine, usually in the form of creatine monohydrate, has become one of the most popular ergogenic aids used by amateur and professional athletes alike. A 2001 study involving over 600 high school students completing who completed surveys regarding the use of creatine. Over 75% of students had knowledge of creatine and its uses, 16% of whom admitted to using creatine as an ergogenic aid to improve athletic performance (Tracy et al,2001). Creatine combines with a phosphate to form phosphocreatine which is a vital way in which cells are able to store energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). This is via the reversible creatine kinase reaction, so called as it is catalysed by the enzyme creatine kinase (Sweeney, 1994). Creatine monohydrate supplements are most beneficial in short duration, high intensity exercises lasting less than 30 seconds. The phosphocreatine is broken down to its constituent elements and ATP is resynthesised allowing for improved muscular performance. Taking creatine as a sports supplement is beneficial because it increases the total amount of phosphocreatine stored in resting muscle cells allowing for greater ATP resynthesis in intense activities. As well as being a commonly used sports supplement creatine is a widely researched compound due to its potential benefits in various areas of medicine. Studies have suggested that creatine may provide neuroprotective benefits, often via a similar mechanism, by delaying the onset of motor symptoms and improving survival rates in conditions such as Huntingtons disease and Parkinsons disease (Wyss and Schulze, 2002). Creatine has also proven its benefits in other neuromuscular diseases where muscular dystrophy is common by improving strength of muscular contractions in key muscles used in everyday exercises such as walking and lifting (Kreider, 1 998) . Some research has led scientists to believe that creatine plays a role in atherosclerotic protection against cardiovascular based conditions (Wyss and Schulze, 2002). This might be caused by oral creatine supplementation decreasing levels of the amino acid homocysteine in the blood plasma. Homocysteine is a commonly known risk factor for atherosclerotic disease so this may be the reason creatine can offer atherosclerotic protection. There are risks associated with using creatine as a supplement which could be as minor as trouble with acne or muscular cramping to renal dysfunction or even failure. This is a controversial area with opinions often split on whether creatine does cause renal disorders as there are many studies done concluding opposing outcomes. Further research needs to be done into this area to fully assess the risk factor for using creatine as many of the studies have been relatively short term in their nature. What is creatine? Creatine is a nitrogen based organic compound that is most commonly associated with sports supplementation. It is believed to have been first identified by a French chemist named Michel Eugene Chevreul in 1835 (Hultman et al,1996). Chevreul was able to identify the presence of creatine in a meat extract. The compound is not generally regarded a protein but is made up of 3 amino acids and consists of 32% nitrogen (Poortmans and Francaux, 1999). The chemical structure of creatine can be seen in Figure 1. Figure 1 Chemical Structure of Creatine The figure shows the chemical structure of creatine. The molecular formula of creatine is C4H9N3O2. The amino acids found in creatine are arginine, glycine and methinione. Over the past twenty years creatine has become one of the most popular ergogenic aids taken in the world of sport . An ergogenic aid is defined as any means of enhancing energy utilisation, including energy production, control and efficiency (Silver,2001). It is now known that increasing the amount of dietary creatine available leads to an increase in total muscle creatine [TCr]. As well as this, there is also evidence that both total intramuscular creatine increases levels rise as well as levels of phosphocreatine [PCr] (Martini,2006). During intense exercise phosphocreatine is broken down to creatine and inorganic phosphate (combines with ADP to form ATP) which is the fastest source for the re-synthesis of ATP molecules during the first 10 seconds of high intensity exercise (Mougois,2006). As intense exercise continues and phosphocreatine stores become depleted, ATP is not resynthesised at the same rate and performance levels drop. This is where evidence suggests that creatine can help to increase performance by delaying the inevitable depletion of phosphocreatine stores. Creatine, as a sports supplement, has only been shown to be beneficial during such short duration exercises. These range from sprinting to power lifting so an array of athletes take advantage of the compound including sprinters, rugby players and weight lifters. Creatine is synthesised naturally in the body but only at a rate of 1 to 2 grams per day (McArdle, 2009). This takes place primarily in the liver, pancreas and kidneys. It is therefore im portant to eat foods rich in creatine as part of a healthy, balanced diet. Such foods include poultry and fish which contain around 5g of creatine per kg of food weight (McArdle, 2006). Approximately half of the creatine used by the body is replaced through the diet with the other half replaced via endogenous synthesis. Approximately 95% of stored creatine is found in skeletal muscle (Spillane et al,2009). As only meat foods contain creatine it is often difficult for vegetarians to obtain ample exogenous creatine via the diet. As a sports supplement, creatine is usually taken in the form of creatine monohydrate (CrH2O). Creatine monohydrate is taken in either capsule or powder form and, nowadays, is readily available online and in high street shops (Kreiber, 1998). When did creatine become popular? Creatine first came into the public eye after the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. Linford Christie, who won the Gold medal in the 100m event, admitted to taking creatine monohydrate supplements during his training program. The International Olympic Committee does not consider creatine an illegal substance so athletes are free to take it. 30% of high school athletes admitted to using it with the figure for both professional and college athletes is higher still. In terms of nutritional supplementation net annual sales of creatine are nearly 500 million dollars in the USA alone (Metzl et al, 2001) making it the most popular ergogenic aid used legally. In 2004, a new form of creatine supplementation was introduced to the market called creatine ethyl ester. This is now a very commonly used form of the supplement. It is said to be beneficial due to increased absorption rates compared with standard creatine monohydrate. However, studies have also shown that there is no advantage to be gained from taking creatine ethyl ester (Figure 2) compared with regular creatine monohydrate supplements (Spillane et al,2009). The study focused on claims that using the revolutionary creatine ethyl ester increases the bio-availability of creatine allowing for greater gains in performace. Subjects were randomly assigned in a double blind fashion to either a creatine ethyl ester group, a creatine monohydrate group or a maltodextrose placebo group. During the investigation both the creatine monohydrate subjects and the creatine ethyl ester subjects observed improvements in both muscle strength and muscle power but there was little difference recorded between the two creatine based groups. The authors were able to conclude that despite claims, creatine ethyl ester provides no benefits, as a sports supplement, compared with creatine monohydrate (Spillane et al,2009) Figure 2 Creatine ethyl ester As can clearly be seen from the diagram the chemical structure of creatine ethyl ester is slightly different to that of creatine. The molecular formula is C6H13N3O2. How to take creatine? Creatine monohydrate is widely available and is usually found in powder or capsule form. Unlike many protein supplements creatine is not usually flavoured and is just mixed with water. When starting to take creatine as a supplement the athlete must first undergo the loading phase which usually lasts no more than a week. This is necessary to elevate intramuscular levels of creatine phosphate and involves taking 5 grams of creatine 4 times a day. Taking 20g a day elevates both free creatine and creatine phosphate levels by between 10 and 30% (McArdle,2009). The short term mass gains experienced by users of creatine are likely to be primarily caused by water retention. Users of creatine should limit their caffeine intake because it is now well known that caffeine counteracts the ergogenic benefits that the substance provides. In 1996 a Belgian study concluded caffeine has the ability to completely eliminate the ergogenic benefit of creatine supplementation (Vandenberghe et al, 1996). Th erefore it is vital that athletes who use creatine limit their caffeine intake to a minimum if not exclude caffeine containing drinks from their diet all together to prevent the impact of the supplement being inhibited. It has also been proven that caffeine intake prolongs muscle relaxation time, therefore opposing the action of the creatine which is able to shorten muscular relaxation time (Hespel,2002). Does creatine possess other benefits? As well as the much documented use of creatine as a sports supplement, the compound is the basis of intense, scientific research with regards to its possible benefits in other areas. Among these is the potential use of creatine to protect against both neurological and atherosclerotic disease. It is thought that creatine administration may be beneficial in treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by increasing muscle mass (Fuld et al, 2005). Creatine supplementation displayed neuroprotective effects in various animal models of both Huntingtons and Parkinsons disease (Wyss and Schulze, 2002) as well as in McArdles disease (Vorgerd et al,2000). Also in this paper, the authors looked into atherosclerotic protection which may be provided by creatine by lowering the concentration, in the blood, of the amino acid homocysteine. Homocysteine has previously been identified as an atherosclerotic risk factor. A 2002 study focused primarily on the effects creatine had on transgenic animal m odels of Huntingtons disease. Again, this study found creatine to be beneficial in that survival rates increased and delayed the development of motor symptoms associated with the condition (Andreassen et al, 2001). Much research has focused on the possibility of creatine supplementation increasing strength and power in neuromuscular disease patients who often suffer with muscular dystrophy (Tarnospolsky and Martin,1999) . Handgrip and body weight, as well as other measures, were taken and showed significant improvement after the course of supplementation. As well as the potential neuroprotective benefits of creatine, research has also taken place to find other advantages of the creatine compound. Sullivan et al, for example found that creatine can help provide protection against traumatic brain injury (Sullivan et al, 2001). However, this evidence was only gathered using transgenic mice models so further and more extensive studies need to be conducted. Animal models were used during the study and post chronic administration of creatine cortical damage to the mice was reduced by as much as 50%. The potential use of creatine as a form of treatment in Huntingdons disease is revolutionary and vitally important. This is because there is no current effective treatment for the condition so all forms of potential therapy must be explored. A study in 2000 looked into whether, by increasing phosphocreatine levels, creatine could be administered to Hutingdons disease sufferers. Although there has been little research into the matter, there is a possibility that creatine supplementation can influence bone biology (Candow and Chilibeck,2010). Resistance training alone has previously shown to be beneficial, especially to the elderly to help reduce bone loss which in turn decreases the likelihood of bone fractures. Long term creatine supplementation, possibly coupled with resistance training may be a future method in helping to maintain bone structure and reduce the risk of falls and injuries (Candow and Chilbeck,2010). As well as this the aging process is also responsible for sarcopenia which is essentially a reduction in muscle mass resulting in decreased muscle function and muscle weakness (Evans,1995) (Tarnopolsky and Safdar,2008). Creatine supplementation, combined with resistance training may be able to reduce muscle wastage and increase muscular hypertrophy (Dalbo et al,2009). This is believed to be due to the activation of satellite cells. These were first discovered in 1961 during microscopic studies of muscle fibre tissue (Mauro,1961). Since then much information has been obtained as to their function. Satellite cells are believed to function as progenitor cells to the myofibre nuclei which are involved in muscle cell growth (Campion,1984). Muscle fibres are not able to divide, so new muscle fibres are formed through the division of satellite cells. This contributes to the ability of skeletal muscle tissue to repair itself following an injury (Martini,2006). Are there any risks to taking creatine in the long term? Despite the various benefits I have described creatine does have its critics. Numerous studies have focused on the worrying link between its use and renal dysfunction or even complete renal failure. In particular a study by Pritchard and Kalra concluded that creatine had been the underlying factor which led to renal dysfunction in their subject (Pritchard and Kalra,1998) . This was thought to be due largely to the fact that creatine is degraded to creatinine prior to excretion in the urine. This led to further studies on the issue but there is still no definitive answer as to whether the use of creatine as a supplement contributes to renal dysfunction. Another study by Thorsteinsdottir et al in 2006 focused on the alarming case of a healthy 24 year old who was diagnosed with acute renal failure while taking several dietary supplements, including creatine monohydrate. For example, a paper by Poortmans and Francaux (1998) looked into the findings from the Pritchard paper by supplementi ng subjects for as long as 5 years. They found no link whatsoever between the use of creatine and impaired renal function. The same paper also found there to be no impact on blood pressure either. Despite this it is generally accepted that those suffering with renal disorders should refrain from the use of the supplement. While use of creatine as a supplement for a period up to 8 weeks has shown no detrimental health effects, further work must be done to investigate any long term health implications which may arise. Studies focusing on creatine supplementation in endurance athletes have sometimes found that taking the substance could actually inhibit performance. This is thought to be due to the weight gain sometimes attributed to the use of creatine (Balsom et al,1994). There have also been numerous links between creatine supplementation and increases in acne, especially among adolescent athletes which could be another factor in a performer choosing to avoid supplementation. Creati ne use has been linked with outbreaks of acne especially among adolescents. A study by Kaymak in 2008 concluded that between 15-20% of subjects treated had high blood plasma levels of creatine phosphokinase. A clinical report by Landau et al in 2001 also produced similar results with up to 51% of patients being treated with isotretinoin having elevated blood creatine kinase levels. As creatine use became more prominent links began to be forged that the person taking the supplement could be more prone to muscular cramping and spasms, particularly during exercise (Poortmans,2000). However, there is also evidence to the contrary. In 2001 a study was carried out using 26 athletes from various sports (Schilling et al, 2001) . Although the authors focused on the long term clinical markers of creatine use they were able to conclude that there was no increased risk of muscular cramping through use of the supplement. These findings were backed up in 2003 when a paper was published following a 3 year study using elite college athletes (Greenwood et al, 2003). The data was collected between 1998 and 2000 and the authors looked into whether creatine use had any affect over the rate of muscular cramping and injury. Their results showed no significant difference between the placebo group and the creatine taking group allowing them to conclude that creatine had no effect over cramping rate. Similiar conclusions were made in a study by Dalbo et al(2008). Although the majority of evidence gathered suggests that using creatine monohydrate as a nutritional supplement does lead to performance improvements in high intensity, short duration exercise there is some evidence to the contrary. A 1995 study concluded that there is no benefit to using creatine during short term, high intensity bicycle riding (Cooke et al,1995). There was no difference between the power output of the control group compared with the group who had taken the supplement. These findings are interesting due to the large amount of research which concluded that creatine supplementation was advantageous during this manner of exercise. Creatine and endurance events Most of the evidence gathered has suggested that creatine is only beneficial in short, power based activities and has no known advantages with regards to endurance events. This is partly thought to be due to the weight gain attributed to creatine supplementation due to water retention. However in 2004 a novel experiment was conducted which investigated the potential use of creatine to reduce inflammatory and muscle soreness markers during a 30km bicycle race (Santos et al,2004) . The markers the scientists measured were creatine kinase (CK), lacate dehydrogenase (LDH), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and tumor necrosis factor alpha. The subjects used were all experienced road runners whose personal best times for a marathon distance ranged from 2.5 to 3 hours. The subjects undertook the standard creatine loading phase, as well as a small dose of maltodextrin, in the fortnight leading up to the race. Maltodextrin is a commonly used food additive that is used in both the creatine subjects and the placebo subjects so there is no difference in the flavour of the compounds taken. Santos et al found that, in their subject s, the markers of muscle soreness were significantly higher in the control group (who took maltodextrine but not creatine) than in those who had taken creatine. This implies that although creatine has not yet to prove any performance benefits during endurance events it may be beneficial in reducing soreness and improving recovery post exercise by reducing cell damage (Santos, R et al, 2004). In this project I will look into the array of benefits creatine can provide as well as investigating its negative aspects. I then hope to conclude in what situations the benefits outweigh the potential risks as well as where the risk factor may be too high to warrant using the substance. Creatine as a sports supplement As I have already mentioned, it is now known that creatine monohydrate supplements work by increasing the total amount of phosphocreatine available to resting muscle cells. During intense exercise this is broken down to its constituent elements (Phosphate and creatine) and the energy released is used to drive the re-synthesis of ATP, the universal energy currency (Kreider, RB, 1998). As only a very small amount (approximately 2g per day) is synthesised naturally by the liver, pancreas and kidneys extra phosphocreatine in the muscle cells serves to reduce fatigue during high intensity, short duration activities like sprinting. A study by Kerksick et al in 2007 investigated the impact of various different protein sources and creatine on the human body following a 12 weeks high intensity resistance program. 49 subjects were used who regularly attended the gym to carry out weight lifting exercises. Some subjects were administered with a colostrum protein blend, which is formed from the mild delivered by cows in the days following giving birth. Other subjects were given colostrums combined with creatine administration. A protein control group was put in place and Kerksick et al predicted that the inclusion of creatine with the colostrums blend would bring about greater improvements in both body composition and power than those taking colostrum alone. The resistance training program led to mass gains for all subjects but the greatest lean mass gains were achieved by those taking a blend of creatine and colostrums protein. However, there was no significant improvement in subjects one repetition maximum on the be nch press between the protein control group, the c colostrum group or the colostrums/creatine group. Due to the increased availability of phosphocreatine it would have been predicted that the colostrum/creatine group would have achieved the greatest improvements in this exercise over the 12 week study. In some cases as little as one week of supplementation can be enough to produce performance improvements (Volek et al,1997). Volek used 14 active, male subjects in a double blind fashion where 7 where unknowingly the placebo group and 7 were administered with oral creatine monohydrate supplement. Bench press and squat jumps were the chosen exercises to measure the effect of creatine on performance. As well as increases in the weight subjects could bench press, and increases in power output for the squat jumps there was also a noticeable increase in lean body mass among the subjects of up to 2.7 kg, possibly due to the water retention attributed to creatine use. Despite all the evidence which has been gathered implying that creatine does play a role in helping enhance ATP resynthesis during short term, high intensity exercises there is some evidence to the contrary. In particular a paper by Cooke et al in 1995 concluded that their subjects had experienced no benefit whatsoever to using the supplement for their high intensity, intermittent bicycle sprints. The authors focused primarily on the power output the subjects were able to exert as well as fatigue levels experienced. 12 healthy yet untrained male subjects were used for the study, 6 of which were the placebo group with the other 6 making up the supplemented group. The supplemented subjects used the loading phase technique to increase the levels of phosphocreatine in resting muscle cells faster, but the phase only lasted for 5 days. This may have been too short a period of time to load them as most manufacturers suggest a 2 week loading phase. However, as I have mentioned Volek et al, 1 997 found performance improvements could occur in as little as a week. Cooke et al found there to be no significant difference between the power output between the two groups, prior to or after the supplementation period. This led the authors to conclude that use of creatine as an ergogenic aid has no positive effect over a persons ability to exert more power in muscular contraction, which opposes much of the evidence gathered in other studies. Creatine and its neuroprotective effects In some studies creatine has demonstrated neuroprotective effects. In some animal models creatine has provided neurological protection against the onset of symptoms in both Parkinsons and Huntingtons disease (Wyss and Schulze,2002). There are three main steps involved in creatine metabolism with one being creatine transporter. The others are, firstly, AGAT which is L-arginine :glycine amidinotransferase. This forms precursors to the creatine molecule itself. Also, GAMT is involved in the biosynthesis of creatine molecules. Deficiency of either AGAT or GAMT leads to a deficiency in both creatine and phosphocreatine in the brain, which can lead to severe mental retardation (Schutz and Stockler, 2007). In the studies carried out by Wyss and Schulze there was a noticeable improvement in clinical symptoms of both AGAT and GAMT deficiencies but there was no change with the creatine transporter disorders. Dechent et al, 1999 also found that oral creatine monohydrate supplementation also inc reased creatine levels in the brain. Furthermore, in transgenic mouse models of Huntingtons disease, creatine administration has shown to improve survival rates, as well as prevent the inevitable onset of symptoms. (Andreassen et al,2001). This was concluded to be via a similar method to how creatine operates as an ergogenic aid, but by increasing phosphocreatine levels in the brain, rather than in muscle cells. A minimal dietary administration, of just 2% creatine was enough to provide positive results in the study and provide neurological protection. Huntingtons disease is often associated with loss in weight and the creatine presence also helped to minimise weight loss in the animal subjects. In 2002 a revolutionary study was carried out by Jacobs et al into the possibility of using oral creatine monohydrate to assist the recovery of patients with spinal cord injuries at the cervical vertebrae level. Sixteen subjects were used for the study who had suffered injuries between the C5 and C7 vertebrae. Results showed that VO2 max, VCO2 max, and time to fatigue were all greater in the supplemented group compared with the placebo group and Jacobs concluded that there is definite benefit in using creatine to assist with training in the rehabilitation of such severe spinal injuries. This again demonstrates the potential uses that creatine supplementation has in providing neurological protection and rehabilitation. Creatine supplementation may also be beneficial in patients suffering with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Rosenfeld, 2008). This is a neurodegenerative progressive disorder which is characterised by muscular dystrophy and can be fatal. An advantage of this trial was the large sample size, which was over 100 subjects. While creatine did not significantly improve motor or respiratory capacity there was a definitive trend toward increased survival rates among the creatine supplemented subject group. Rosenfeld called for further research to be considered into the increases survival rates that were linked to the use of creatine. Creatine and renal failure It has been predicted that a long term nitrogen rich diet lends itself to cause both structural and functional deformities of the kidney and may eventually cause renal hyperfiltration (Poortmans and Francaux,1999). Due to the high nitrogen content of creatine much research has been done into whether there is a long term danger to using the supplement. In 1998 a rather controversial paper was published by Pritchard and Kalra which researched into the possible links between use of creatine as a sports supplement, following the death of 3 American college wrestlers who were taking the substance. The article was published in the Lancet and became the topic of much debate in years to come. Pritchard and Kalra concluded that there was strong circumstantial evidence to suggest that creatine was responsible for the deterioration in renal function (Pritchard and Kalra,1998). The subject suffered with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis but despite this all markers of renal function were normal, such as creatinine clearance values. However, when the 25 year old subject was studied 8 years later creatinine clearance had decreased considerably. The male admitted to using creatine based supplements during a pre season football training program which Pritchard and Kalra felt was an underlying factor in the deterioration in the mans renal functio ning. This paper was a topic for much debate, due largely to the fact that the patient investigated by Pritchard and Kalra had underlying renal issues prior to the study, which the authors seem to ignore in their conclusions. The size of the study is also questionable due to the fact that there was only a sole participant therefore no a repeat or variety in results taken. There were also just 4 references noted at the end of the article suggesting that Pritchard and Kalra may not have taken into full account all other evidence that had been obtained by other studies. Due to the ever increasing popularity of creatine supplementation, along with its continued link with renal failure there have been a vast number of studies in this area. A study by Edmunds et al in 2000 focused on the progression of renal disease in Han:Sprague-Dawley (SPRD) rat models with cystic kidney disease. The rats undertook the loading phase of supplementation which I described in the introduction. This is the same technique used in humans to increase the amount of free phosphocreatine. Obviously, the intake of creatine was reduced, in comparison with humans, to 2g/kg of diet for the one week loading phase, followed by a 5 week period where the dosage administered was 0.4g/kg of diet to compare. The authors measured the progression of renal disease my taking kidney size records as well as determining cyst scores. The cysts often develop in chronic cases where the cysts grow and inhibit the blood filtering capabilities of the organ (Parker,2007).Edmunds hypothesis stated that due to the relatively short life span of the animals used, any impact that creatine supplementation has on renal function could be more readily detected. The findings supported this hypothesis as the rats that had been administered with creatine suffered greater renal disease progression than the control group. The kidney sizes were as much as 10% larger, in some cases, than the control group which is an indicator of further progression of the condition. The creatine was administered in a creatine/glutamine mixture which supplement manufacturers often do as glutamine is believed to significantly improve absorption of creatine. As expected all other markers of renal function agreed with the hypothesis. Creatinine serum clearance was 23% lower in the supplemented group and cyst scored were 23% greater compared with the control group. At the time of Edmunds paper there had still not been a long term controlled study into the effect creatine supplementation may have on renal function. Although the findings seem conclusive I feel it is important to consider that animal models were used as oppose to humans, although this was partially due to the time restrictions. Also the sample sizes are adequate but by no means large with 14 males and just 12 females making up the creatine supplemented groups. As well as this the length of the study is quite short with the supplementing period lasting 6 weeks in total. Therefore it remains unclear as to the long term risks that can be associated with creatine and renal issues. In spite of this, the paper exacerbates the advice that athletes with any form of renal condition should avoid using creatine as an ergogenic aid. In contrast there numerous studies have taken place which have focused on the potential link between creatine and renal disorders and concluded that there is no health risk to taking the substance. In 1999, Poortmans and Francaux conducted a long term study on the issue. This was important because some of the investigations done around this time were short term and didnt account for the potential long term health risks, if creatine were to be taken over a substantial period of time. Poortmans and Francaux refer to the controversial Lancet publication by Pritchard and Kalra in their introduction and used this to form their hypothesis that short and medium term creatine supplementation in men does not have any detrimental e

Diabetes in the UK Essay -- Research Essays Medical Health Diabetics

Diabetes in the UK Synopsis: Diabetes has recently become a focal point of health care systems around the world due to its high prevalence and the severity of secondary complications caused by the disease. Over the course of my project on diabetes, I have had the opportunity to speak with a group of diabetics to understand from a patient’s perspective how diabetes is managed in a rural community. While I found that while some patients ignored treatment and refused to make any dietary changes, the majority of the patients I interviewed were well-informed and actively managing diabetes in their everyday life. Background on Diabetes: Throughout the whole of the United Kingdom, between 2 and 3 of every 100 people have a known form of diabetes (DTC, 2004). What is diabetes? Explained simply, it is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. In the normal state of glucose function, there is a stable release and uptake of glucose, regulated by two hormones produced in the pancreas, glucagon and insulin. There are two distinct mechanisms which give rise to the abnormal blood glucose levels seen in patients with type I and type II diabetes. In type I diabetes, a deficiency in insulin production at the pancreas results in elevated blood glucose levels due to the lack of hormonal regulation. In type II diabetes, although the pancreas produces regular levels of insulin, the body resists the effect of insulin, inhibiting the ability of insulin to break down glucose in the blood. Because of the inherent differences in the biochemical mechanisms of these two diseases, the characteristics associated with type I and type II diabetes are very different. The typical onset of type I diabetes is usually ... ...gnosed with diabetes, with an estimated further 1 million people remaining undiagnosed, and by 2010 this number is predicted to more than double to 3 million (Department of Health, 2001). Clearly, diabetes is a disease that will inevitably pose huge economic burdens for nationalized health service in the future. I hope that with the increase in diabetes and complications associated with the disease will not prevent the NHS from continuing to provide the kind of comprehensive support that I hope someday my own country will emulate. Works Cited: DTC Primary Care Training Center. 2004. Diabetes Management in Primary Care (a handbook), West Yorkshire Department of Health. 2001. National service framework for diabetes: standards. London: HMSO Frooqui, A. and Vora, J. 2004. The changing role of primary care in the management of diabetes. Prescriber, 19: 11-21

Design Trends In Architecture Essay -- essays papers

Design Trends In Architecture The more things change, the more they stay the same. While art has always been an ever changing form, it has deep roots in traditionalism; whether an artist or designer looks at the art that came before him and is inspired to follow that form, is inspired to do something completely opposite, or sees the flaws which, if corrected, could make that work of art perfect, he is ultimately quite influenced by what came before him. Nowhere is this more evident than in the design styles found not only in art, but in architecture and interior design. The twentieth century has been a time of great innovation, and yet, very few eras have seen so many stylistic revivals. The popularity of these classical styles has often superceded that of the more experimental, modern ideas, reinforcing the idea that aesthetic beauty is absolutely timeless. The early 20th century saw a great deal of influence in terms of classical design. A classical revival had brought a return of emphasis on Palladian architectural motifs, which could be seen in large cities throughout the world, but especially in New York and Boston. In terms of interior design, Edith Wharton and Ogden Codman advocated a similar classical revival, which gave a sense of classical order to ornate interiors. (Severens, 85) Interior design at the turn of the century was very much concerned with aesthetics over simplicity, yet managed to maintain a sense of order and balance. Designers created interiors with a heavy reliance on French and Italian forms of furniture, floors, and panelling. This style, which was hugely successful, could be found in the work of interior designers over the next fifty years, and is the basis for much that is known as "traditional decorating" today. (Severens,88) One of the most successful revivals is the revival of the Gothic style, which is still quite apparent in architecture and interior design today. During the eighteenth and nineteenth century, England began to realize the importance of the Middle Ages. "The Gothic past offered an acceptable, if inferior, option for study by educated gentlemen; and Gothic began to be an acceptable alternative for country houses" (Girouard, 180). This was the Gothic Architecture Revival. As Gothic architecture became more popular, the style came up against stiff competition from Chinese architecture. In the en... ...: London. 1991. Keller,Diane. The American Modernists. Simon and Schuster: New York, 1998. Kidson, Peter. The Medieval World. McGraw-Hill Book Company: New York. 1967. Lane, Mills. Architecture of the Old South. Abbeville Press: New York. 1993. Loth, Calder and Julius Trousdale Sadler, Jr. The Only Proper Style: Gothic Architecture in America. New York Graphic Society: New York. 1975. Mahoney, Kathleen. Gothic Style: Architecture and Interiors from the Eighteenth Century to the Present. Harry N. Abrams, Inc.: New York. 1995. McDonald, Jane Anne. The Legacy Of William Morris. Rizzoli: New York, 1986. Newcomb, Rexford. Old Kentucky Architecture: Colonial, Federal, Greek Revival, and Gothic. Bonanza Books: New York. Robertson, John A. A Survey Of American Architecture After 1950. McGraw-Hill Book Company: New York, 1994. Rutman, Darrett B. The Morning of America, 1603-1789. Houghton Mifflin Company: Boston. 1970. Severens, Kenneth. Southern Architecture: 350 Years of Distinctive American Buildings. E.P. Dutton: New York. 1981. Wilson, Christopher. The Gothic Cathedral: The Architecture of the Great Church 1130-1530. Thames and Hudson: London. 1990.