Disabilities and Dumbo Essays

Disabilities and Dumbo Essays Disabilities and Dumbo Essay Disabilities and Dumbo Essay Essay Topic: Pride and Prejudice Introduction: When thinking of films that portray disability Disney animated films generally are not the first titles that people think of. When thinking of Disney movies most people think of princesses, villains, magical places, and happily ever after, but there is another side to Disney that is not so clear and upfront, the side of disabilities, stereotyping and ultimately overcoming diversity. One of the earliest Disney movies portraying disabilities is Dumbo (Sharpsteen, 1941). The movie was released in 1941 when the world was going through World War II, society was looking for an escape and Disney provided just that. In the 1940s people with disabilities were considered freaks, abnormal, and not equal to the rest of society, in most cases they were ridiculed, judged and placed in asylums. It is ignorance, fear and stigma that drives society to ridicule a race, gender, disability or anything that seems to be different then what mainstream society considers normal. An Elephant That Can Fly: Dumbo tells the story of a baby elephant that is born different then all the other elephants (Sharpsteen, 1941). With very large ears, he is ridiculed, and is considered an outcast by the rest of the circus elephants. One day his mother stands up for Dumbo when a boy in the crowd starts calling Dumbo names, ultimately leaving him alone because the circus locks his mother away feeling that she is a danger to the gusts and circus animals and performers. Dumbo is left alone, with no support with the feeling of being subpar due to not being like everyone else. With the elephants not letting up on their ridicule and segregating Dumbo from the rest of the herd, Timothy the mouse comes in and befriends the little elephant. With Timothy becoming Dumbo’s friend and leading him to realize that he does not have to be like everyone else, Dumbo learns to fly and becomes accepted by everyone. Fear of Disabilities versus Normal: The fear of becoming disabled is something that seems to be inherent among the majority of able-bodied people (Morris, 1991). This fear stems from ignorance and misunderstanding about what is â€Å"normal†. The better part of  the twentieth century society was not sympathetic or in anyway understanding when it came to disabilities; Dumbo’s treatment among his circus peers was no different (Morris, 1991). One of the elephants actually pulls on little Jumbo Jr. ’s ear shortly after the stork had delivered him to his mother. The elephant is making sure that all the others can see what is wrong with the baby, that he is not normal. Another one of the on looking elephants says, â€Å"Just look at those E-A-R-S† (Sharpsteen, 1941) again making sure that everyone is aware of the little one’s problem area. The elephants start to comment on how silly his ears look, laugh about them, and nickname the baby elephant Dumbo, instead of Jumbo Jr. If it is society that determines what is disabling or not, it is clear that the circus society which Dumbo comes to considers him to be â€Å"different† and disabled (Norden, 1994). Disabilities, History and Societal Outlook: In the early twentieth century people with disabilities often had little to no choice but to go work for the circus, be put in asylums and institutions all because of society’s view of their differences (Raymond, 2008). In most cases people with disabilities were kept away from â€Å"normal† people, or the majority of society. Many people, especially those from a strict religious backgrounds, believed that if a person was disabled either they or their parent had done something to incur the wrath of God, which was the cause of the disability (Ingstad, 1995). The majority of the general public was not interested in allowing persons with disabilities to integrate into society. So much misunderstanding and fear surrounded disabilities that many countries had policies of sterilization for those individuals deemed to have genetic disabilities that could be passed on to their children; essentially people of the 1930s and 40s were trying to eradicate disabilities in any way possible (Ingstad, 1995). In the movie Dumbo the baby elephant portrayed disabilities in a way that garnered some amount of sympathy that was never seen before. This sympathy changed the way that disabilities could be seen or thought of by society. Disney made the baby elephant with big ears the innocent victim, something different for a character with disabilities at the time. People started looking past Dumbo’s disability and watched an outcast struggling to fit in to the circus world where he was supposed to be apart of. Once Dumbo’s ears make their appearance the little elephant is essentially shunned by the circus society. Dumbo’s only friends are his Mother, a mouse, and a group of crows. His only connection back to the circus is his mother and when she is taken away the little elephant is literally left alone to fend for himself. Perception of One Self due to Society: Dumbo’s loneliness teaches him indirectly that his ears are the root of his problems. He learns that his disability is something to be ashamed of. Although not every person with a disability experiences shame tied to their difference, general society convey the message that disability is shameful. Disability scholar and advocate, Jenny Morris (1991) explains the effect of this misrepresentation as a part of society’s general oppression of person’s with disabilities. She states: The way that the general culture either ignores of misrepresents our experience is part of our oppression. However, mainstream culture is also the poorer for this. Surely, the representation and exploration of human experience is incomplete as long as disability is either missing from or misrepresented in all the forms that cultural representation takes. (p. 85) Dumbo’s shame perhaps relevant for some with disabilities in many cases simply a misrepresentation and more likely tied to a more common shame that everyone feels growing up. Considering that most people grow up not liking something about them selves or had some part of their bodies ridiculed by others, Dumbo’s shame about his ears seems less tied to his actual disability and more tied to his opinion of self. Even when told by Timothy the Mouse (his friend) that his ears are beautiful, Dumbo hides behind them. Dumbo does not trust anyone not to make fun of him or his ears, something that has been systematically taught to him throughout his short young life. One Friend Looking Past Disability can make the Difference: Timothy feels sorry for Dumbo when he sees the other elephants picking on the â€Å"little guy† and wants to help him, â€Å"Lots of people with big ears are famous † Timothy tells Dumbo in order to make him feel more comfortable with his ears, but then struggles to come up with any examples (Sharpsteen, 1941). The idea to overcome the disability in order to be accepted by circus society introduces a new stereotype, the supercrip. â€Å"Supercrips are people who overcoming the challenges of disability and becoming more ‘normal,’ in a heroic way† (Martin, 2009). To help this idea along, Timothy decides that the only way to help Dumbo fit in at the circus and be reunited with his mother is for Dumbo to become the headliner of an act involving all the other elephants. Unfortunately the failure of this first attempt only makes matters worse, because Dumbo is reduced to a clown after he causes the big top to fall. Dumbo’s ears, his disability, once again become the thing that is seemingly holding him back from success, acceptance and his mother; a â€Å"normal† life. By being demoted to a clown it seems that the expectations for Dumbo overcoming his disability are nonexistent. This feeling of failure and hopelessness is reiterated to the crows in a speech made by Timothy: Why I ask ya why just because he’s got those big ears, they call him a freak, the laughing stock of the circus. Then when his mother tried to protect him they throw her into the clink and on top of that they made him a clown socially he’s washed up. (Sharpsteen, 1941) Without knowing how to overcome his disability, Dumbo seems doomed to go through life at the circus as a clown and a side show â€Å"freak†. However, finding themselves in a tree forces Timothy to try to sort out how it could have happened. While Timothy tries to figure it out, one of the crows mockingly yells, â€Å"Maybe ya flew up? †(Sharpsteen, 1941). As ridiculous as this idea seems to the crows Timothy believes it, and sees flying as the answer to all of Dumbo’s problems. â€Å"Dumbo you flew your ears are perfect wings the very things that held you down are going to carry you up and up and up †(Sharpsteen, 1941). The crows, however, make a good point, a point that could hinder Dumbo’s ability to overcome his big ears â€Å"have you ever seen an elephant fly? † This point does not deter Timothy and the crows acknowledge his determination. The crows are the one’s that give Dumbo the â€Å"Magic Feather† that will help him fly and lead to his ultimate fame and success. The â€Å"Magic Feather,† given to Dumbo by the crows, is ultimately a tool to help Dumbo believe in himself, and when lost in midair would have caused even more humiliation for the little elephant if he had not decided that he did not need it to fly. There are two important things to take away from this method of overcoming a disability. First, in order to overcome a disability it must be that person’s decision. The decision or the action of overcoming a disability is not something that can be forced on someone or expected of them; force and expectations can lead to the supercrip stereotype becoming problematic. The supercrip stereotype â€Å"focuses on a single individual’s ability to overcome, then puts onus on other disabled people to do the same† (Martin, 2009). Second, the responsibility or belief that all disabled people can overcome their disability to be â€Å"normal† is not realistic or rational for society to place on a person that has a disability. By placing the view that people can overcome a disability again puts â€Å"normal† as superior to anything less then that. Conclusion: Dumbo is looked at as the amazing flying elephant at the end of the movie, but in reality Dumbo is no different at the end of the movie then what he was in the beginning (Sharpsteen, 1941). The only thing that changed was the circus societies view that Dumbo was now not a â€Å"freak† but instead extraordinary. It took a little elephant to find a use for his disability and belief in himself to become someone that everyone would except, unfortunately real society is very similar. Instead of looking at people with disabilities as equals whether they do extraordinary acts or not, society looks down on peoples differences creating standards that people must live up to, to be considered a part of excepted society. Today people with disabilities are not forced into asylums, or left to join the circus sideshow but it is far from ideal. There is much more awareness regarding disabilities today compared to just ten years ago, but there is still a long way to go. For Society to become less judgmental society needs to become proactive in understanding what disability is, and stop placing stigma and assumptions on the disabled person. Once all of society is accepted as equal whether they are the same or different then everyone, society is truly not going to become an inclusive, thriving, equal opportunity world for everyone living within it. By not becoming aware of the importance of differences, society will miss out on opportunities to become a richer culture, gaining valuable insight and opportunities that people with disabilities have to offer us all. With knowledge, awareness, understanding, and acceptance there is less likely that people that are different will be colonized, segregated, or oppressed, that in itself is the most important reason for society to understand and learn from the mistakes from the past on the treatment and view of people with disabilities. References Ingstad, B. (1995). Mpho ya modimo- A gift from God: Perspectives on â€Å"attitudes† toward disabled persons. In B. Ingstad S. R. Whyte (Eds. ), Disability and Culture (pp. 246-265). Berkley, CA: University of California Press. Martin, R. (2009). Global Comment. No One wants to Play â€Å"Super Chip†. Retrieved March 16, 2013 from: http://globalcomment. com/no-one-wants-to-play-super-crip/ Morris, J. (1991). Pride against Prejudice: Transforming Attitudes on Disability. London: The Women’s Press Ltd. Norden, M. F. (1994). The Cinema of Isolation: A History of Physical Disability in the Movies. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press. Raymond, E. B. (2008). Learners with Mild Disabilities: A Characteristics Approach. Boston: Pearson Press. Sharpsteen, B. (Director). (1941). Dumbo [Motion picture]. United States: Walt Disney Productions.

The Invention of the Atomic Bomb

The Invention of the Atomic Bomb During World War II, American physicists and engineers began a race against Nazi Germany to develop the first  atomic bomb. Their secret endeavor, which lasted from 1942 to 1945, was known as the Manhattan Project. The project led to the invention of nuclear weapons, including two that were dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing or injuring over 200,000 people. These attacks forced Japan to surrender and brought an end to World War II, but they also marked a crucial turning point in the early Atomic Age, raising enduring questions about the implications of nuclear warfare. What Was the Manhattan Project? The Manhattan Project was named for Columbia University in Manhattan, New York, one of the initial sites of atomic study in the United States.  While the research took place at several secret sites across the U.S., much of it, including the first atomic tests, took place near Los Alamos, New Mexico. During the project, the U.S. military teamed up with the best minds of the scientific community. Military operations were headed by Brigadier General Leslie R. Groves, and  J. Robert Oppenheimer  acted as the scientific director, overseeing the project from concept to reality. In total, the Manhattan Project cost the U.S. over two billion dollars over just four years. A Race Against the Germans In 1938, German scientists discovered fission, which occurs when the nucleus of an atom breaks into two equal parts. This reaction releases neutrons that break up more atoms, causing a chain reaction. Since significant energy is released in only millionths of a second, it was thought that fission could cause an explosive chain reaction of considerable force inside a uranium bomb. Due to the war, a number of scientists emigrated from Europe and brought with them news of this discovery. In 1939, Leo Szilard and other American and recently emigrated scientists tried to warn the U.S. government about this new danger- but were not able to get a response. Szilard contacted and met with  Albert Einstein, one of the best-known scientists of the day. Einstein was a devoted pacifist and was at first reluctant to contact the government. He knew that he would be asking them to work toward creating a weapon that could potentially kill millions of people. However, Einstein was eventually swayed by concerns that Nazi Germany would develop the weapon first. The Advisory Committee on Uranium On August 2, 1939, Einstein wrote a now-famous letter to  President Franklin D. Roosevelt. It outlined both the potential uses of an atomic bomb and ways to help support American scientists in their research. In response, President Roosevelt created the Advisory Committee on Uranium in October 1939. Based on the recommendations of the committee, the U.S. government outlaid $6,000 to buy graphite and uranium oxide for research. Scientists believed that graphite might be able to slow down a chain reaction, thus keeping the bombs energy somewhat in check. Despite immediate action being taken, progress was slow until one fateful event brought the reality of war to American shores. The Development of the Bomb On December 7, 1941, the  Japanese military bombed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, the headquarters of the United States Pacific Fleet. In response, the U.S. declared war on Japan the next day and officially entered WWII. With the country at war and the realization that the United States was now three years behind Nazi Germany, President Roosevelt was ready to seriously support U.S. efforts to create an atomic bomb. Costly experiments began at the University of Chicago, U.C. Berkeley, and Columbia University in New York. Reactors were built in Hanford, Washington, and Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Oak Ridge, known as The Secret City, was also the site of a massive uranium enrichment laboratory and plant. Researchers worked simultaneously at all of the sites. Harold Urey and his Columbia University colleagues built an extraction system based on gaseous diffusion. At the University of California in Berkley, the inventor of the Cyclotron, Ernest Lawrence, used his knowledge and skills to devise a process for magnetically separating the  uranium-235 (U-235) and plutonium-239 (Pu-239) isotopes. Research kicked into high gear in 1942. On December 2, at the University of Chicago,  Enrico Fermi  created the very first successful chain reaction, in which atoms were split in a controlled environment. This accomplishment gave renewed vigor to the hopes that an atomic bomb was possible. The Manhattan Project had another priority that soon became clear. It was becoming too dangerous and difficult to develop nuclear weapons at these scattered universities and towns. Scientists needed an isolated laboratory away from the populace. In 1942, Oppenheimer suggested the remote area of Los Alamos, New Mexico. General Groves approved the site and construction began at the end of that year. Oppenheimer became the director of the Los Alamos Laboratory, which would be known as â€Å"Project Y. Scientists continued to work diligently, but it took until 1945 to produce the first nuclear bomb. The Trinity Test When President Roosevelt died on April 12, 1945, Vice President  Harry S. Truman  became the 33rd President of the United States. Until then, Truman had not been told of the Manhattan Project, but he was quickly briefed on the secrets of the atomic bomb development. That summer, a test bomb codenamed The Gadget was taken to the New Mexico desert, to a location known as Jornada del Muerto, Spanish for Journey of the Dead Man. The test was given the codename â€Å"Trinity,† a name chosen by Oppenheimer in reference to a poem by John Donne. Having never tested anything of this magnitude before, everyone was anxious. While some scientists feared a dud, others feared the end of the world. No one knew what to expect. At 5:30 a.m. on July 16, 1945, scientists, army personnel, and technicians donned special goggles to watch the beginning of the Atomic Age. The bomb was dropped. There was a forceful flash, a wave of heat, a stupendous shock wave, and a mushroom cloud that extended 40,000 feet into the atmosphere. The tower from which the bomb was dropped was completely disintegrated and thousands of yards of surrounding desert sand was turned into a radioactive glass of a brilliant jade green color. The bomb was a success. Reactions to the First Atomic Test The bright light from the Trinity test would stand out in the minds of everyone who was within even hundreds of miles of the site that morning. Residents in neighborhoods far away would say the sun rose twice that day. A blind girl 120 miles from the site said she saw the flash as well. The men who created the bomb were astonished, too. Physicist Isidor Rabi expressed worry that mankind had become a threat and upset the equilibrium of nature. The test brought to Oppenheimers mind a line from the Bhagavad Gita: Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds. Test director Ken Bainbridge told Oppenheimer, Now were all sons of bitches. The unease among many of the witnesses that day led some to sign petitions. They argued that this terrible thing they had created could not be let loose in the world. Their protests were ignored. The Atomic Bombs That Ended WWII Germany surrendered on May 8, 1945, two months before the successful Trinity test. However, Japan refused to surrender, despite threats from President Truman that terror would fall from the sky. The war had lasted six years and involved most of the globe. It had resulted in the deaths of 61 million people and the displacement of countless others. The last thing the U.S. wanted was a ground war with Japan- so the decision was made to drop an atomic bomb. On August 6, 1945, a uranium bomb named â€Å"Little Boy† (named for its relatively small size) was  dropped on Hiroshima, Japan  by the Enola Gay. Robert Lewis, co-pilot of the B-29 bomber, wrote in his journal moments later, My God, what have we done? traumlichtfabrik / Getty Images The target of Little Boy was the Aioi Bridge, which spanned the Ota River. At 8:15 that morning the bomb was dropped, and by 8:16 over 66,000 people near ground zero were already dead. Some 69,000 more were injured, most burned or suffering from radiation sickness, from which many would later die. This single atomic bomb produced absolute devastation. It left a total vaporization zone of one-half mile in diameter. The total destruction area extended to one mile, while the impact of a severe blast was felt for two miles. Anything that was flammable within two and a half miles was burned, and blazing infernos were seen up to three miles away. On August 9, 1945, after Japan had still refused to surrender, a second bomb was dropped. It was a plutonium bomb named â€Å"Fat Man† after its round shape. The bombs target was the city of Nagasaki, Japan. Over 39,000 people were killed and 25,000 injured. Japan surrendered on August 14, 1945, bringing an end to World War II. Aftermath The deadly impact of the atomic bomb was immediate, but the effects would last for decades. The fallout caused radioactive particles to rain on the injured Japanese people who had survived the blast, and more lives were lost to the effects of radiation poisoning. Survivors of these bombs would also pass radiation on to their descendants. The most prominent example is an alarmingly high rate of leukemia cases among their children. The bombings at Hiroshima and Nagasaki revealed the true destructive power of these weapons. Though countries throughout the world have continued to develop nuclear weapons, there have also been movements to promote nuclear disarmament, and anti-nuclear treaties have been signed by major world powers.

Should international non-governmental organizations (iNGO) be allowed Essay

Should international non-governmental organizations (iNGO) be allowed to act anywhere, at any cost - Essay Example t equaling, the enlarging role of inter-governmental associations in the political field and the expeditious globalization of commerce in the economic sphere. However, with the growing influence of INGOs on an international level, a number of controversies associated with misuse of power, liability and legitimacy issues, and corruption charges in some of the reputed INGOs have triggered widespread debate over the role and credibility of INGOs (Ritchie & Rice, 1995). International non-governmental organizations (INGOs) are non-profit voluntary organizations operating at the multinational or global level with participants from various countries. These organizations are involved in various activities which include analysis, advocacy, and awareness raising, conflict resolution, brokerage, capacity building, monitoring and evaluation at the regional, community, state, and global level (INGOs, 2008). Even though the popular INGOs concentrate on human rights (for instance, Amnesty International), disaster relief (the Red Cross), the environmental issues (Friends of the Earth), majority of INGOs are from scientific, industrial, professional, business, and medical sphere (INGOs, 2008). A large number of INGOs is also active in recreation, sports, women’s rights, education, and many other fields. The number of active INGOs has increased dramatically from mere 840 in 1940s to more than 20000 in 2006 (INGOs, 2008). Basically, INGOs are not elected entities, are not answerable to the public, and are not based on the principle of democratic representation. Due to the lack of international system of regulation and accreditation of INGOs under global acts, these organizations enjoy excessive freedom of action (Ben-Ari, 2013). As a result, anywhere, anyone can set up an INGO and begin publishing reports that would be later relied on by the international institutions and tribunals, the media, or by national organizations and courts (Ben-Ari, 2013). Many experts emphasize on the

Organisational change and development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Organisational change and development - Essay Example Center of discussion in this paper is organisational change management as the process necessary for an association to identify, to organise, to employ and to attain full benefit from the alterations taking place within or outside the organisational environment. The objectives of organisational change management is concerned with effective planning, execution, measurement and preservation of the initiatives of implementing change strategies as well as augmentation of the capacity required for managing changes. Organisational change can be observed when an organisation intends to streamline its available assets and enhance its capacity to generate value by augmenting effectiveness to a sustainable extent. Changes are considered as ubiquitous in nature that helps progressing as well as achieving experiences which escort to the acceleration of the overall organisational growth. In the current era of globalisation, the process of organisational changes is widely considered to be inevitabl e. In order to meet the technological as well as environmental challenges of the situations, the teams should be able to adopt changes in due course of time. The change management strategies of an organisation are often based on diverse approaches such as individualistic, socio-economic and structural aspects among others which help in the development of many theories and functions. Along with the advancement of technology as well as new practices, the organisational change management process continues to alter in order to cope with the enduring changes. There are various types of approaches such as traditional, socio-economic, socio-structural and socio-technical approaches among others which deal with organisational change management from differing perspectives. One of the mostly applied perspectives to organisational change management is observed to be the traditional approach that can be effectively described by the Kurt Lewin’s classical model (Friedman & Shcustack, 2008 ). Kurt Lewin’s classical theory is influential in organisational change management as it focuses mainly on the individual aspects and social psychology rather than observation and problem solving. Lewin proposed that populace respond to any imaginary situation or changes and intends to shape it accordingly. This includes mainly three phases such as unfreezing, moving and refreezing. Unfreezing is a type of challenge faced by every human beings in an organisation. This means that the individual employees are often examined to depict reluctance to change according to the changes occurring within the organisational environment or in its external business environment. However, the reluctant employees ultimately accept the change in order to sustain in the organisation. It involves creation of the preliminary motivation towards the change by communicating the existing problematic situation or scenario to the employees of the organisation. This facilitates to understand the varied viewpoints of the individuals as well as helps to progress people from the ‘frozen’ state to an ‘unfrozen or change’ state so that it can be adopted efficiently by all. Next is the moving or transition stage. It involves recognition of the need of change, that can be in terms of cultural change or structural change in order to ascertain new principles and rules. Refreezing refers to the fortification of the new adjustments in order to accomplish rehabilitated stability among the organisationa

Technology in the Next 100 Years the Futurologist’s View Essay Example for Free

Technology in the Next 100 Years the Futurologist’s View Essay Futurologist Ian Pearson discussed technologies of the future to more than 200 IT, security and finance delegates on the Aurora cruise ship. He spoke of IT security threats from smart bacteria, gadgets which are installed in the skin, the soaring of tax rates precipitating the emigration of graduates to low-tax economies, oil at 30 dollars a barrel, and the reversal of globalization. Gadgets of the future Electronics in the human body will record holiday and other experiences bungee-jumping for example and replay them into your nervous system, or someone elses. They will be able to feel the same sensations you did on holiday. This would surpass showing holiday snaps to friends and family. Games headsets are already recording some simple thought processes. Pearson also referred to active skin. Tattoos would be applied to the skin to provide interactive, touchsensitive video displays. One drawback: hackers may try to access your nervous system, though this threat will not deter all. Pearson referred to the digital mirror in which you see yourself as you want to, not as you are. And you could use active makeup to change your look during the day. Smart bacteria the biggest IT security threat to mankind? Pearson said that smart bacteria could be the biggest security threat known to mankind by 2025. They may land on keyboards and work out passwords. Even before [your password] signals reach the PC and get decoded by the software, they [smart bacteria] are already taking money out of your bank account. He told anyone in the audience who is working in IT security and is less than say 40-years-old: change your career. He referred to bacteria linked via infrared that form sophisticated self-organising circuits. Robots will replace IT workers the human-machine convergence Pearson referred to an optical brain in a conscious computer a billion times more powerful than the brain with emotions and senses. The conscious computer could be fully sentient benign or malicious. He showed on a slide the stages of man from homo erectus and homo sapiens to what he called homo machinus and bacteria sapiens within 150 years. By 2018 there may be a robot as smart as you are. Robots may have a higher IQ than humans and take over many intellectual and IT jobs today. Today many people work as smart machines. Machines will become much smarter. Research is being funded into making computers thousands and even a million times smarter than humans, he said. Why humans will still be needed the female-dominated economy But humans will add value because of the need for compassion. A robot will never be able to sit beside a patient, give them a cuddle and make them feel better. A robot can clear up a bedpan and give an injection, 2/6/13 Technology in the next 100 years: the futurologist’s view prescribe drugs. Compassion needs humans. A PC will be able to do what a human does today in an intellectual capacity. But a human will add value because of emotion and compassion. He said that workplaces will be designed for meeting people. Pearson spoke of the male-dominated economy coming to an end. Everything I do I could do with a piece of software if I spent enough time writing it. What my wife does, dealing with other people, I cannot do that at all. So she will have a job in 2020 whereas my job will be automated. We are heading very rapidly towards a female-dominated economy. Globalization in reverse Globalization is increasing. But it will soon start reversing. You cannot shake hands with someone or give them a cuddle across a network. Globalization, he said, will start to reverse thanks to the refocus on the care economy over a 100 year period. Oil at 30 dollars a barrel by 2030 Pearson made a case for the wo rlds energy coming from the Sahara and other deserts within 22 years, and oil at less than 30 dollars a barrel. He said that solar power from the Sahara, even at 12% efficiency, could replace carbon-based fuels such as oil, petrol and diesel. The Sahara alone could supply 40 times more energy than we need for the whole planet. One barrel of oil is the equivalent in energy of a solar panel, which measures one square metre, working in the Sahara working for six months. He spoke of solar farms in the Sahara, and super-cables to transmit the energy. By 2030 you cannot sell a barrel of oil for more than 30 dollars. At some point the maximum obtainable price will fall below extraction cost and the rest will be left in the ground. Obsolescence is great for IT and the environment Pearson said that the faster that technology becomes obsolete the faster miniaturisation will happen, which will reduce the drain on the worlds resources. Eventually we get a total sustainable future where everyone has all the IT they can dream of and almost no environmental impact. He added, The faster the obsolescence the faster we get there. If anyone tells you obsolescence is a bad idea, ignore them or argue with them but do not believe them. Do not ever limit your obsolescence cycle. That will slow down progress and increase environmental impact. As an example miniaturisation will bring everyday IT down to lapel-pin size. Agility is more important than being best-in-class Business will change faster. You should not focus on being best-in-class. You need agility. Optimisation is only a good strategy in a stable environment. Security too much will kill your company You cannot have a watertight security policy you have to give enough freedom to employees to do their jobs. In an extreme, your security department can kill your company better than any hacker. He said that boards of directors should beware of setting extreme goals for their heads of IT security. How can you have sensible security while making sure your employees can do their jobs well? Most blue chips do www.computerweekly.com/opinion/Technology-in-the-next-100-years-the-futurologists-view?vgnextfmt=print 2/4 2/6/13 Technology in the next 100 years: the futurologist’s view not do that very well at all. They stop their employees from doing their job. He warned that employees will bypass the corporate systems and do their jobs on home PCs, where there will not be any security at all, and then they will have their ideas stolen. Or they [employees] will be so inefficient you will not have a company. Tax rates will soar sending graduates overseas Pearson said there is nowhere near enough money in the governments pension funds to cope with a population that is living much longer.

Feminism: A Constant Stride Towards Equality Essay -- Gender Studies

â€Å"Women are the only oppressed group in our society that lives in intimate association with their oppressors.† -Evelyn Cunningham Feminism is an idea based on the assumption that women have the same human, political and social rights as men, furthermore, that women should have the same opportunities as men in their personal choices regarding careers, politics and expression (Reference.com). A feminist text states the author’s agenda for women in society as they relate to oppression by a patriarchal power structure and the subsequent formation of social ‘standards’ and ‘protocols’. It points out deficiencies in society regarding equal opportunity, and the author will make certain the reader will be aware of this motive (Bahar). In a work of fiction, the main character, or heroine, personifies the social struggle against male domination. Unfortunately, feminism is said to have too many negative connotations and thus it seems the term, and therefore the movement, is restricted by the glass ceiling, of which it aims to fight (Ferguson). Numerous works which we explored throughout t he semester possess characteristics of feminist works, in particular, the short story â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†, written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find†, written by Flannery O’Connor. These are both considered feminist texts because they aim to portray women as stronger, more independent subjects, and to defy the norms that have been created by men in the past. The feministic ideas that are touched upon help to strengthen the works as well as critique modern society. â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† tells a story about a woman’s struggles against male-centric thinking and societal ‘norms’. Feminist allusions are abundant throughout this s... ...y 36.3 (2011): 733-757. Literary Reference Center. Web. 11 Apr. 2012. Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper.† 1912. Making Literature Matter: An Anthology For Readers and Writers. 5th ed. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martins, 2012. 954-968. Print. Hinely, Susan. â€Å"Charlotte Wilson, the â€Å"Woman Question†, and the Meanings of Anarchist Socialism in Late Victorian Radicalism.† International Review of Social History 57.1 (2012): 3-36. ProQuest Military Collection; ProQuest Research Library; ProQuest Social Science Journals. Web. 10 Apr. 2012. O’Connor, Flannery. â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard To Find.† 1955. Making Literature Matter: An Anthology For Readers and Writers. 5th ed. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martins, 2012. 1283-1296. Print. â€Å"Reference.com - A Free Online Encyclopedia & Information Reference.† Reference.com. Web. 8 Apr. 2012. .

Music and Learning

TETTEH OKLEY CEPHAS TOPIC: MUSIC AND LEARNING; incorporating music rhythm into studies to aid memory and recall. Case Study at the University of Ghana,Accra. Submitted as research proposal to Mr Adotey, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Psychology. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction 1. 1 Background of the research 1. 2The study area 1. 3Problem statement 1. 4 Aims and objectives of this study 2. Literature review 3. Methodology 3. 2 Methodological considerations 3. 2. 1 Qualitative framework of study 3. 3. Data collection and procedure 3. 3. 1 Instruments,participants 3. 3. 2 Data analysis 4. Discussions;summary of discussion . INTRODUCTION 1. 1 background to the research Are people typically geniuses? Statistically, people probably are not. In fact, most people probably aren't even intellectually gifted at all. Most people are likely to be pretty much average, maybe a little bit above average, or a little below, but very average none the less. It is universally understood tha t people strive to learn to become wiser and more informed about the world around them. The more people learn, the more powerful they can become. It is the speed at which people learn that separates the geniuses from the average people from the learning disabled.Geniuses don't run into problems while learning, because they learn so fast. It is everyone else that could really use help. One solid way to increase the speed at which people learn is with music. People learn through music and their minds grow faster because of it. Some music, when implemented properly, can have positive effects on learning and attitude. Music is a powerful thing, and when we understand its significance, it can bring dramatic changes both positive and negative into our lives (Kristian David Oslon). Sceintific research on the neurological and developmental effects of music on learning has fascinated educators since long. rom soft music in the nursery to musical toys and dance lessons, encouraging music invo lvement in a fun way strengthens individual educational, physical and emotional development. Learning is the process of acquiring modifications in existing knowledge, skills, habits, or tendencies through experience, practice, or exercise. Learning includes associative processes, discrimination of sense data psychomotor and perceptual learning, imitation,concept,formation,problem solving, and insight. prominent psychologist and educationists have over the years propounded ways though which learning could be improved and made easy. f them music is no exception Music is one of the few activities that involves using the whole brain. It is intrinsic to all cultures and can have surprising benefits not only for learning language, improving memory and focusing attention, but also for physical coordination and development. Of course, music can be distracting if it's too loud or too jarring, or if it competes for our attention with what we're trying to do. But for the most part, exposure to many kinds of music has beneficial effects Music affects the process of learning and thinking.Listening to quiet and soothing music while working helps an individual to work faster and in a more efficient way. it has the ability to make the listener acts positively and feel motivated. The power of music to affect memory is quite intriguing. Mozart's music and baroque music, with a 60 beats per minute beat pattern, activates the left and right brain. The simultaneous left and right brain action maximizes learning and retention of information. The information being studied activates the left brain while the music activates the right brain.Also, activities which engage both sides of the brain at the same time, such as playing an instrument or singing, cause the brain to be more capable of processing information. Listening to music facilitates the recall of information19. Researchers have shown that certain types of music are a great â€Å"keys† for recalling memories. Informati on learned while listening to a particular song can often be recalled simply by â€Å"playing† the songs mentally. Further on,music has a calming effect on the mind and his even known to speed the recovery of health ailments. Studies have shown that music plays a vital core in enhancing creativity.It has a positive impact on the right side of the brain, triggering the brain centers responsible for the enhancement of creativity. Certain â€Å"ragas† are known to activate the â€Å"chakras† of our body, thus giving us an added advantage in other creative tasks. Music increases spatial and abstract reasoning skills. These are the skills required in tackling problems, solving puzzles and taking decisions. Listening to Mozarts is known to have a positive effect on the spatial-temporal reasoning, simply put,it makes you smarter. Have you tried learning anything by combining it with music or rhythm? or example, counting with a certain repeating pattern, or learning cer tain maths basics by giving it a tune, or learning poetry by reciting it musically. basically the combination of the rythm of a favorite song rhythm to something to be learnt makes it easier to remember since songs are are not plain words but are actually compositions with immediate catching rhythms. An interesting aspect of music is how it eliminates depression,which reduces brain activity and hampers the minds ability to plan and carry outs tasks, by increase the sorotonim levels of the brain making the brain alert. ensational rhythms can cause the brain waves to resonate in synch to the beat,thus leading to increased levels of concentration and increased mental alertness. This helps the brain to change speeds of processing easily as need be. Music as a whole usually helps increase discipline. Rythms are easy to catch and recall and if intertwined with subject topics would help a student to recall . Everyone who have been through elementary school can not deny the fact that the re citing of poem did not in one way the other help he. Most of us still vividly remember so well some of this poems.This is because this hard knowledge was presented in a way that sounded so well still sound pleasant to the ear. Students appear to learn and retain more when the subject matter is presented through rhythm and/or song. They can also retrieve information if taught the correct cues. Students do not have to be musical scholars or prodigies in order to benefit from the joys of being taught mnemonically. Students who have difficulty retaining information because they cannot read or have not been taught any memory strategies, can often learn effortlessly through rhythmic and musical mnemonics.When textual information is presented as the words of a song or familiar tune, it is better recalled and its memory is more durable. Also, when the lyric and melody are partnered and then rehearsed, the melody is an effective cue for retrieving the lyric. (Chazin & Neuschatz,1990; Gfeller , 1982; Wallace, 1994; Yalch, 1991; Gfeller, 1982). 1. 2. STUDY AREA The University of Ghana is the oldest and largest of the Ghanaian universities. It was founded in 1948 as the University College of the Gold coast, and was originally an affiliate college of the University of London which supervised its academic programmes and awarded degrees.It gained full university status in 1961, and now has nearly 40,000 students. The original emphasis was on the liberal arts, social sciences, basic science, agriculture, and medicine, but (partly as the result of a national educational reform programme) the curriculum was expanded to provide more technology-based and vocational courses and post graduate training. The university is mainly based at Legon about twelve kilometres northeast of the centre of Accra, Ghana.The medical school is in Korle Bu with a teaching Hospital and secondary campus in the city of Accra(Accra City Campus) meant for workers or the working class. It also has a gradua te school of nuclear and allied sciences at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, making it one of the few universities in Africa offering programmes in nuclear sciences. The university also has another branch of its Business school located in the Central city of Accra. The school can boast of big Department of Psychology upon its introduction into the University in 1967.It now is one of the fields with over thousands students. 1. 3PROBLEM STATEMENT †¢ Is it worth it all to use music to aid recall or improve memory †¢ which kinds of music rhythms are appropriate †¢ how can these rhythms be fashioned into the learning and teaching strategy to improve memory †¢ was the use of song rhythms able to aid recall and memory. †¢ If indeed it is shown that students benefit from learning subject matter in the classroom mnemonically through music rhythms, what is preventing teachers from using them more often in the classroom? 1. 4 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To conglomerate the knowledge of music into the learning strategy to aid concentration and cognition †¢ To precisely state methods by which music can be incorporated into learning to aid easy recall of stuffs learnt †¢ To examine whether the attachment of the knowledge of music and rhythms to learning really aids recall and memory improvementt †¢ To prescribe the kind of music rhythms to be used in learning which can aid cognition precisely recall and memory improvement †¢ To help lecturers to sufficiently use music rhythms in teaching their students 2. LITERATURE REVIEW Yates (1972) chronicles how the Ancient Greeks, who invented many arts, also invented the art of memory. Just like their other arts this was passed onto Rome and subsequently descended in the European tradition. This method of impressing place, image, and music on memory has been called ‘mnemotechnics’ or mnemonics. †¢ The reviewed literature reveals current and past studies on the subject of using musical mnemonics as an effective memory tool in the classroom and beyond. A musical mnemonic is a useful tool for disciplines that require a great deal of memorization.Mnemonics can be teacher created or students created and should not be introduced until the student knows how to use them correctly. The literature reports that in general students, who have been taught through mnemonic instruction, outperform students taught by traditional instruction techniques. Much of the prior research was conducted in the curriculum areas of science, history, geography, English, social studies and foreign language vocabulary. The literature is presented from two complimentary perspectives; medical and educational. †¢ Sacks (2007) researched the phenomenon of brainworms.Brainworms are overly catchy tunes designed to bore their way into the listener’s ear or mind and are not easily forgotten. They were described as â€Å"cognitively infectious music agents† by a newsmagazine i n 1987 (p. 42). Sacks (2007) searches for the qualities that make a tune become almost impossible to delete from memory. Is it timbre? Rhythm? Melody? Repetition? â€Å"Or is it arousal of special emotional resonances or associations† (p. 43)? He recounts a song from his youth â€Å"Had Gadya† a Hebrew song that was long and repetitive and that became â€Å"hammered† (p. 44) into his head.He queries: â€Å"Did the qualities of repetition and simplicity†¦ act as neural facilitators, setting up a circuit (for it felt like this) that reexcited itself automatically? Or did the grim humor of the song or its solemn, liturgical context play a significant part too† (p. 44)? †¢ Sacks (2007) reports on how our brains are helplessly sensitive to music, and how the â€Å"automatic or compulsive internal repetition of musical phrases is almost universal† (p. 44). The brain treats musical imagery and musical memory in a unique way that has no equivalen ts in the visual mind.Melody, with its unique tempo, rhythm and pitch â€Å"tend to be preserved with remarkable accuracy† (p. 47) whereas visual scenes are often not recalled as accurately. Because of this â€Å"defenseless engraving of music on the brain† (p. 47) musical imagery and memory even occur in people who that they are not musical. Neurologically, people tend to find those brainworms or catchy tunes completely irresistible and unforgettable. This comes as no surprise to the advertising world that makes their millions out of flooding our world with such nauseating jingles as â€Å"Rice-a-Roni; the San Francisco treat! or â€Å"800-588-2300 Empire, today! † †¢ Mnemonics 14 †¢ Hodges (2000) marvels at the new revelations that the latest â€Å"neural machinery† has shown us, on the effects of music on the brain. He derives the following premises from neuromusical research. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ The human brain has the ability t o respond to and participate in music. The musical brain operates at birth and persists throughout life. Early and ongoing musical training affects the organization of the musical brain. The musical brain consists of extensive neural systems involving widely †¢ †¢ istributed, but locally specialized regions of the brain: o Cognitive components Affective components Motor components The musical brain is highly resilient. In the same article he quotes a neurologist, Frank Wilson (1986) who states that â€Å"†¦ all of us have a biologic guarantee of musicianship†¦. we all have the capacity to respond to and participate in the music of our environment† (p. 18). Research from the Classroom and Learning Environment Gfeller (1986) did extensive research with learning disabled children and how musical mnemonics affect their retention and recall.She chose as subjects for her research both learning disabled and non learning disabled students. The study focused on the memorizing of multiplication facts through repetition either by chanting the numbers and product to a simple tune or standard verbal rehearsal. After the initial trial, the non disabled students reported significantly greater recall of the facts than the learning disabled participants (p ; . 05). By the end of the fifth trial however, both sets of participants who had learned their multiplication facts †¢ Mnemonics 15 usically, remembered significantly more (p ; . 001) than did any of the students using verbal recitation. Gfeller (1986) emphasizes the importance of teaching the students how and when to use a mnemonic. After all, the mnemonic is only effective if the student can access it, retrieve it and subsequently utilize it. She also encourages the use of familiar melodies in creating mnemonics. Students in her trial remarked that â€Å"†¦ the facts most easily recalled were those rehearsed to melodies reminiscent of songs they previousl †¢ Music and Learning TETTEH OKLEY CEPHAS TOPIC: MUSIC AND LEARNING; incorporating music rhythm into studies to aid memory and recall. Case Study at the University of Ghana,Accra. Submitted as research proposal to Mr Adotey, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Psychology. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction 1. 1 Background of the research 1. 2The study area 1. 3Problem statement 1. 4 Aims and objectives of this study 2. Literature review 3. Methodology 3. 2 Methodological considerations 3. 2. 1 Qualitative framework of study 3. 3. Data collection and procedure 3. 3. 1 Instruments,participants 3. 3. 2 Data analysis 4. Discussions;summary of discussion . INTRODUCTION 1. 1 background to the research Are people typically geniuses? Statistically, people probably are not. In fact, most people probably aren't even intellectually gifted at all. Most people are likely to be pretty much average, maybe a little bit above average, or a little below, but very average none the less. It is universally understood tha t people strive to learn to become wiser and more informed about the world around them. The more people learn, the more powerful they can become. It is the speed at which people learn that separates the geniuses from the average people from the learning disabled.Geniuses don't run into problems while learning, because they learn so fast. It is everyone else that could really use help. One solid way to increase the speed at which people learn is with music. People learn through music and their minds grow faster because of it. Some music, when implemented properly, can have positive effects on learning and attitude. Music is a powerful thing, and when we understand its significance, it can bring dramatic changes both positive and negative into our lives (Kristian David Oslon). Sceintific research on the neurological and developmental effects of music on learning has fascinated educators since long. rom soft music in the nursery to musical toys and dance lessons, encouraging music invo lvement in a fun way strengthens individual educational, physical and emotional development. Learning is the process of acquiring modifications in existing knowledge, skills, habits, or tendencies through experience, practice, or exercise. Learning includes associative processes, discrimination of sense data psychomotor and perceptual learning, imitation,concept,formation,problem solving, and insight. prominent psychologist and educationists have over the years propounded ways though which learning could be improved and made easy. f them music is no exception Music is one of the few activities that involves using the whole brain. It is intrinsic to all cultures and can have surprising benefits not only for learning language, improving memory and focusing attention, but also for physical coordination and development. Of course, music can be distracting if it's too loud or too jarring, or if it competes for our attention with what we're trying to do. But for the most part, exposure to many kinds of music has beneficial effects Music affects the process of learning and thinking.Listening to quiet and soothing music while working helps an individual to work faster and in a more efficient way. it has the ability to make the listener acts positively and feel motivated. The power of music to affect memory is quite intriguing. Mozart's music and baroque music, with a 60 beats per minute beat pattern, activates the left and right brain. The simultaneous left and right brain action maximizes learning and retention of information. The information being studied activates the left brain while the music activates the right brain.Also, activities which engage both sides of the brain at the same time, such as playing an instrument or singing, cause the brain to be more capable of processing information. Listening to music facilitates the recall of information19. Researchers have shown that certain types of music are a great â€Å"keys† for recalling memories. Informati on learned while listening to a particular song can often be recalled simply by â€Å"playing† the songs mentally. Further on,music has a calming effect on the mind and his even known to speed the recovery of health ailments. Studies have shown that music plays a vital core in enhancing creativity.It has a positive impact on the right side of the brain, triggering the brain centers responsible for the enhancement of creativity. Certain â€Å"ragas† are known to activate the â€Å"chakras† of our body, thus giving us an added advantage in other creative tasks. Music increases spatial and abstract reasoning skills. These are the skills required in tackling problems, solving puzzles and taking decisions. Listening to Mozarts is known to have a positive effect on the spatial-temporal reasoning, simply put,it makes you smarter. Have you tried learning anything by combining it with music or rhythm? or example, counting with a certain repeating pattern, or learning cer tain maths basics by giving it a tune, or learning poetry by reciting it musically. basically the combination of the rythm of a favorite song rhythm to something to be learnt makes it easier to remember since songs are are not plain words but are actually compositions with immediate catching rhythms. An interesting aspect of music is how it eliminates depression,which reduces brain activity and hampers the minds ability to plan and carry outs tasks, by increase the sorotonim levels of the brain making the brain alert. ensational rhythms can cause the brain waves to resonate in synch to the beat,thus leading to increased levels of concentration and increased mental alertness. This helps the brain to change speeds of processing easily as need be. Music as a whole usually helps increase discipline. Rythms are easy to catch and recall and if intertwined with subject topics would help a student to recall . Everyone who have been through elementary school can not deny the fact that the re citing of poem did not in one way the other help he. Most of us still vividly remember so well some of this poems.This is because this hard knowledge was presented in a way that sounded so well still sound pleasant to the ear. Students appear to learn and retain more when the subject matter is presented through rhythm and/or song. They can also retrieve information if taught the correct cues. Students do not have to be musical scholars or prodigies in order to benefit from the joys of being taught mnemonically. Students who have difficulty retaining information because they cannot read or have not been taught any memory strategies, can often learn effortlessly through rhythmic and musical mnemonics.When textual information is presented as the words of a song or familiar tune, it is better recalled and its memory is more durable. Also, when the lyric and melody are partnered and then rehearsed, the melody is an effective cue for retrieving the lyric. (Chazin & Neuschatz,1990; Gfeller , 1982; Wallace, 1994; Yalch, 1991; Gfeller, 1982). 1. 2. STUDY AREA The University of Ghana is the oldest and largest of the Ghanaian universities. It was founded in 1948 as the University College of the Gold coast, and was originally an affiliate college of the University of London which supervised its academic programmes and awarded degrees.It gained full university status in 1961, and now has nearly 40,000 students. The original emphasis was on the liberal arts, social sciences, basic science, agriculture, and medicine, but (partly as the result of a national educational reform programme) the curriculum was expanded to provide more technology-based and vocational courses and post graduate training. The university is mainly based at Legon about twelve kilometres northeast of the centre of Accra, Ghana.The medical school is in Korle Bu with a teaching Hospital and secondary campus in the city of Accra(Accra City Campus) meant for workers or the working class. It also has a gradua te school of nuclear and allied sciences at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, making it one of the few universities in Africa offering programmes in nuclear sciences. The university also has another branch of its Business school located in the Central city of Accra. The school can boast of big Department of Psychology upon its introduction into the University in 1967.It now is one of the fields with over thousands students. 1. 3PROBLEM STATEMENT †¢ Is it worth it all to use music to aid recall or improve memory †¢ which kinds of music rhythms are appropriate †¢ how can these rhythms be fashioned into the learning and teaching strategy to improve memory †¢ was the use of song rhythms able to aid recall and memory. †¢ If indeed it is shown that students benefit from learning subject matter in the classroom mnemonically through music rhythms, what is preventing teachers from using them more often in the classroom? 1. 4 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To conglomerate the knowledge of music into the learning strategy to aid concentration and cognition †¢ To precisely state methods by which music can be incorporated into learning to aid easy recall of stuffs learnt †¢ To examine whether the attachment of the knowledge of music and rhythms to learning really aids recall and memory improvementt †¢ To prescribe the kind of music rhythms to be used in learning which can aid cognition precisely recall and memory improvement †¢ To help lecturers to sufficiently use music rhythms in teaching their students 2. LITERATURE REVIEW Yates (1972) chronicles how the Ancient Greeks, who invented many arts, also invented the art of memory. Just like their other arts this was passed onto Rome and subsequently descended in the European tradition. This method of impressing place, image, and music on memory has been called ‘mnemotechnics’ or mnemonics. †¢ The reviewed literature reveals current and past studies on the subject of using musical mnemonics as an effective memory tool in the classroom and beyond. A musical mnemonic is a useful tool for disciplines that require a great deal of memorization.Mnemonics can be teacher created or students created and should not be introduced until the student knows how to use them correctly. The literature reports that in general students, who have been taught through mnemonic instruction, outperform students taught by traditional instruction techniques. Much of the prior research was conducted in the curriculum areas of science, history, geography, English, social studies and foreign language vocabulary. The literature is presented from two complimentary perspectives; medical and educational. †¢ Sacks (2007) researched the phenomenon of brainworms.Brainworms are overly catchy tunes designed to bore their way into the listener’s ear or mind and are not easily forgotten. They were described as â€Å"cognitively infectious music agents† by a newsmagazine i n 1987 (p. 42). Sacks (2007) searches for the qualities that make a tune become almost impossible to delete from memory. Is it timbre? Rhythm? Melody? Repetition? â€Å"Or is it arousal of special emotional resonances or associations† (p. 43)? He recounts a song from his youth â€Å"Had Gadya† a Hebrew song that was long and repetitive and that became â€Å"hammered† (p. 44) into his head.He queries: â€Å"Did the qualities of repetition and simplicity†¦ act as neural facilitators, setting up a circuit (for it felt like this) that reexcited itself automatically? Or did the grim humor of the song or its solemn, liturgical context play a significant part too† (p. 44)? †¢ Sacks (2007) reports on how our brains are helplessly sensitive to music, and how the â€Å"automatic or compulsive internal repetition of musical phrases is almost universal† (p. 44). The brain treats musical imagery and musical memory in a unique way that has no equivalen ts in the visual mind.Melody, with its unique tempo, rhythm and pitch â€Å"tend to be preserved with remarkable accuracy† (p. 47) whereas visual scenes are often not recalled as accurately. Because of this â€Å"defenseless engraving of music on the brain† (p. 47) musical imagery and memory even occur in people who that they are not musical. Neurologically, people tend to find those brainworms or catchy tunes completely irresistible and unforgettable. This comes as no surprise to the advertising world that makes their millions out of flooding our world with such nauseating jingles as â€Å"Rice-a-Roni; the San Francisco treat! or â€Å"800-588-2300 Empire, today! † †¢ Mnemonics 14 †¢ Hodges (2000) marvels at the new revelations that the latest â€Å"neural machinery† has shown us, on the effects of music on the brain. He derives the following premises from neuromusical research. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ The human brain has the ability t o respond to and participate in music. The musical brain operates at birth and persists throughout life. Early and ongoing musical training affects the organization of the musical brain. The musical brain consists of extensive neural systems involving widely †¢ †¢ istributed, but locally specialized regions of the brain: o Cognitive components Affective components Motor components The musical brain is highly resilient. In the same article he quotes a neurologist, Frank Wilson (1986) who states that â€Å"†¦ all of us have a biologic guarantee of musicianship†¦. we all have the capacity to respond to and participate in the music of our environment† (p. 18). Research from the Classroom and Learning Environment Gfeller (1986) did extensive research with learning disabled children and how musical mnemonics affect their retention and recall.She chose as subjects for her research both learning disabled and non learning disabled students. The study focused on the memorizing of multiplication facts through repetition either by chanting the numbers and product to a simple tune or standard verbal rehearsal. After the initial trial, the non disabled students reported significantly greater recall of the facts than the learning disabled participants (p ; . 05). By the end of the fifth trial however, both sets of participants who had learned their multiplication facts †¢ Mnemonics 15 usically, remembered significantly more (p ; . 001) than did any of the students using verbal recitation. Gfeller (1986) emphasizes the importance of teaching the students how and when to use a mnemonic. After all, the mnemonic is only effective if the student can access it, retrieve it and subsequently utilize it. She also encourages the use of familiar melodies in creating mnemonics. Students in her trial remarked that â€Å"†¦ the facts most easily recalled were those rehearsed to melodies reminiscent of songs they previousl †¢