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Character Strength

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Introduction

Character strength influences positive behavior. If developed and used correctly, character strength can help individuals navigate life challenges and ensure their wellbeing. Recent events over the last three years have shown that character strengths help individuals flourish regardless of the challenges they face. Character strengths are positive qualities that have the power to shape perspectives, promote positivity and ensure the wellbeing of individuals.

Important Concepts on Character Strengths

Character strengths affect feelings, thoughts, and behavior. Character strengths are universal, and they focus on the positive aspects of life, they influence wellbeing, and they help counteract negative emotions. According to Peterson and Seligman (2004) character strengths highlight the key elements of core values. They are measured through a survey of character strengths known as the values in action inventory (VIA). These values and traits are what people of all ages and cultures consider positive and good. As character strengths are universal traits, they are respected by people of all cultures and beliefs, and are evident through people’s feelings, thoughts, and behavior (McGrath, 2015). Character strengths are classified into twenty-four strengths that fall under six categories of virtue. People from all parts of the world classify these categories and traits uniformly, and they represent the different human characters that determine human values and traits. A standardized and uniform classification serves as a tool of common language. For instant, a kind person from one region and culture is viewed as kind across all regions and cultures. The use of a common language makes it easy to describe peoples’ characters and inspire positive change. For instance, by taking a VIA survey, one can easily make comparisons about their strengths and virtues and create an action plan that helps them develop their strengths (Truempy, 2014). Developing character strengths is crucial in ensuring personal and professional success.

Another important aspect is that character strengths directly influence wellbeing. By taking a VIA character strength survey, individuals can learn the strengths they have and equally measure the degree to which they possess these strengths. Understanding one’s strength is a form of self-awareness as one can easily describe the core of who they are. Self-awareness contributes to wellbeing (Niemiec, 2017). Various studies have shown that people that are self-aware are less likely to suffer from depression as they are happier and are aware of different aspects of their lives (Seligman, 2015). Over time, these positive effects foster self-confidence that further contributes to an individual’s wellbeing. Character strengths help people focus on positives, a trait that negates negative emotions. It is human nature to focus on the negative aspects of life, and this is evident through people’s tendencies to focus on negative experiences over positive experiences. Character strengths highlight positives, and this helps people focus on the good in their lives. Focusing on positive aspects of life counteracts human’s nature to focus on negatives experiences and emotions, and it helps people feel authentic to themselves and their beliefs ((Niemeic, 2017).

Some of the models and interventions used to identify and encourage the development of character strengths include the strength spotting and the aware-explore-apply model. Strength spotting is a technique that enables one to spot the character strengths in other individuals. Through this technique, people can be more conscious of how others use their strengths and emulate these positive traits. In a professional set up, strength spotting is important as it helps team leaders identify positive traits in different individuals and create efficient teams in which all team members have complimentary traits. This approach to creating teams ensures overall success and the attainment of goals. Other than promoting teamwork, strength spotting encourages people to compliment other individuals. Compliments serve as a means of appreciating other people’s skills and it helps strengthen work relationships. Also, strength spotting is beneficial in instances in which individuals are required to employ several character strengths. For instance, workplace conflicts are a common occurrence. To solve these conflicts effectively, individuals involved are required to focus on the positive and employ a variety of character strengths (Pawelski). A positive environment and the use of various character strengths allows for the use of various conflict resolution approaches. The result of this process is the use of efficient problem-solving methods that encourage the development of individual character strengths.

On a personal level, strength spotting is important in promoting happiness and personal growth. The ability to identify one’s positive traits boosts confidence, motivates one to be better, and contributes to individual happiness. Character strengths are dynamic in nature; therefore, one can identify various attributes about themselves that they want to nurture and develop. This approach promotes positive life experiences that are not dependent on prevailing life circumstances. For instance, during the onset of the pandemic, it was easy for people to fall into a state of paranoia and hopelessness. However, people that chose to develop their sense of gratitude focused on the positives in their lives. This focus on the positives helped them create cheerful memories and experiences.

The aware-explore-apply strength model involves a three-step process that promotes positive change. The first step in this model is awareness and it involves identifying character strengths and the common language used. Explore is the next step in this model and it involves connecting identified strengths to lived experiences and individual traits. The last step in this model is apply and it involves utilizing strengths in daily life. This model is repeatedly applied in all aspects of life, and it helps foster permanent character strength growth as one intentionally integrates various character strengths into their daily life.

Real Life Experience

A while back my friends and I decided to celebrate our reunion after spending time apart by going on vacation. I was tasked with the responsibility of choosing a vacation destination and planning the logistics of how we would get to the location I selected. I tend to take time when making decisions and often it results in delays. A week into the planning, one of my friends called to find out the location I had picked out. At the time, I had not yet decided on a specific location; therefore, my friend offered to help me fulfill my task. I was grateful for the help and given how excited she was I took a step back and let her take charge of making decisions.

In three days, my friend decided on a location and had started planning the logistics of the trip. A week into the planning, my friend called me angrily and expressed frustration and anger over my “lack of input”. While I agree that I had let her take full control of the planning, I felt angry that she did not notice the effort I put into planning the trip. The location she ended up choosing was a suggestion I had made. Also, I had sent her a detailed email that contained information on the travel agents we could use during our vacation. The email also contained details about suitable hotels that we could use. Her call made me feel disappointed, angry, and defensive because contrary to her view, I had fulfilled my obligation. During that phone call, I chose not to say anything and instead listened to all her grievances until she hanged up.

I had long noticed that my friend has a strong sense of leadership and teamwork. These qualities are useful in accomplishing tasks as one can take charge and ensure that goals are met. As I have previously highlighted, I had long noticed my friend’s sense of leadership and teamwork. As such, I was confident that letting her take charge of my duties would benefit our group as she would make good decisions at a faster rate. Also, as I was aware that she possessed these qualities, I was certain that she could perform my tasks better that I could.

Though my friend’s call made me angry I chose to utilize my sense of self-regulation by controlling my emotions and remaining silent. Self- regulation ensures that one uses appropriate actions (Truempy, 2014). In my case, it involved remaining silent and controlling my anger. Given a chance to go back, I would change this experience by becoming a better team member that participates more in the decision-making process. Increased participation would help show my friend that I was interested and invested in our vacation plans. I would also be more honest about my thoughts and my inability to make decisions quickly. Honesty would help me become more responsible for my actions. It would also reassure my friend that I had not intentionally left all my decision-making responsibilities to her. I would also practice appreciation of excellence. Through this strength, I could commend my friend for her skills and efforts in the planning and decision-making process. The use of this character strength would show my friend that I appreciated all her efforts in organizing a memorable vacation.

Character strengths influence positive change and shape people’s perspectives. Therefore, developing a multitude of character strengths is important as it ensures growth and encourages happiness and wellbeing. People should try to identify and develop their character strengths as it will guarantee positive life experiences.

References

McGrath, R. E. (2015). Character strengths in 75 nations: An update. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 10(1), 41-52.

Niemiec, R. M. (2017). Character strenghts interventions: A field guide for practitioners. Hogrefe Publishing.

Pawelski, J. (n.d.). James Pawelski: 3.3 Signature Strengths the Positive Psychology: Applications and Interventions MOOC from Penn ́s Positive Psychology Center (7min)

Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. (2004). Character strengths and virtues: A handbook and classification (Vol. 1). Oxford University Press.

Seligman, M. E. (2015). Chris Peterson’s unfinished masterwork: The real mental illnesses. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 10(1), 3-6.

Truempy, K. (Producer). (28 September, 2014). The Positive Psychology Podcast episode 006: Ryan Niemiec on Strengths. (Audio File) Retrieved from https://play.acast.com/s/thepositivepsychologypodcastbringingthescienceof happinesstoyourearbudswithkristentruempy/006-ryan-niemiec-on-strengths-the- positive-psychology-podcas

Muscle Fatigue

The purpose of the muscle function lab is to become familiar with basic properties of the skeletal muscle: such as types of contractions and muscle twitch. The main method behind this lab is to dissect a gastrocnemius muscle of a frog and stimulate it. Various results will show a threshold stimulus and a maximal stimulus. Contraction length, summation, tetanus, and muscle fatigue are also shown in this specific lab. Also, through this electrical stimulation we can visually see the relationship between length and tension with the presence of an isotonic and isometric contraction. Chemically, calcium ions have an effect on muscle contraction. A prolonged stimulation of the muscle, causing muscle fatigue, as we learned also affects muscle contraction. In this experiment we used a physiologic stimulator. This device delivers something like an electric shock directly to the frog’s gastrocnemius muscle. A force transducer was used to convert mechanical movements produced into a form of electrical signals. In this particular experiment we used a string to help measure the force of the muscle contraction, and with the help of the force transducer we were able to see this movement in electrical signals. The MacLab/4 is computer hardware that we used to help display the data in which we encountered. And lastly we used a Macintosh Computer to read and analyze the data that was found with the help of the MacLab/4 program.

The second part of this experiment was a direct stimulation of the human forearm muscle and induction of finger movements. Once again, this involved stimulation of the muscle with a direct electrical current. We placed the electrical stimulator on the flexor digitorum sperficialis muscle of the forearm. When we did this experiment we found the minimal electrical stimulus required to achieve a movement and contraction of the FDS. During this experiment there was a time from when the electrical charge starts to move through the sarcolemma to the time when the muscle contraction begins. The brief period of time we learned is called the latent period. We also found that there is a greater latent period in the human than the frog. In this experiment we used a stimulator, which is the same device as earlier stated. The McADDAM is part of the computer, which moves the signals from the Physiogrip trigger to electronic signal. With these electronic signals, the computer is able to recognize what is happening with the muscle movement. The Physiogrip Transducer is shaped like a pistol trigger and the twitching finger will be placed on and the transducer will help display the mechanical force to an electrical signal for the Macintosh computer to read. Therefore, in both labs we were able to determine an intensity-tension relationship, length-tension relationship, and frequency-tension relationship.

This lab was an excellent source to learn about how the muscular system functions and helps us understand how some muscular disorders come into play in our lives.

For the physiology mid term paper, we are focussing on the muscle function lab. In this lab, we became familiar with skeletal muscle, by isolating a frog’s gastrocnemius muscle. As a class, we learned about the use of direct electrical stimulation of muscle, the relationship between intensity-tension, muscle-length, and frequency-tension, stimulus, and muscle fatigue.

When an area of the body is stimulated, the message is sent to the brain by an electrical signal. This happens due to the nervous system. It is made up of nerves, “which connect the central nervous system with the periphery” (Germann 782), and neurons, which are cells of the nervous system. These cells have many parts, which aid in the transmission of messages throughout the body. The soma (cell body) is where the nucleus is found. The dendrites branch out from the soma, and form synapses with other neurons. This is important because this is how other neurons receive messages. The axon of the neuron sends the information down the whole cell. It is mylenated to speed up the process. This is why it does not take a very long time to feel a pain sensation, or to move a muscle. Between the mylinated portions of the axon are nodes of Ranvier. These areas of the cell are the places that the neurons are able to become excited, and make an action potential. This simply means that sodium ions flow into the cell, depolarizing it, so that signals in the form of neurotransmitters can be sent. An action potential only occurs in excitable cells, and follows the all-or none rule. This simply means that an action potential will occur only if the neuron is stimulated to the threshold or above. If the stimulation does not reach the threshold, there will be no action potential, and no message sent. A graded potential differs from this because it does not follow the all-or-none rule. Graded potentials are smaller then action potentials and result from the opening or closing of an ion channel. A single graded potential will not elicit a response or action potential (Germann 186). When they overlap, however, they can add together. This can happen in two ways. In temporal summation, “stimuli are applied in such rapid succession that the graded potential from one stimulus does not dissipate before the next graded potential occurs” (Germann 186). Spatial summation is closely related to temporal summation, except is occurs in when different synapses are stimulated simultaneously.

Ion channels are places on the neuron where sodium (NA+) flows in to the cell, or potassium (K+) flows out. These channels open when they see a change of voltage along the neuron. As this happens the Na+ channels on the muscle open so the acytlecholine can bind to its receptors. When the distribution of these ions change, the cell either becomes depolarized or hyperpolarized. When a neuron has been depolarized and begins to be repolarized, it enters an absolute refractory period, in which any stimulus will not elicit a response. This is because the neuron has reached its maximum threshold. After repolarization, there is a chance that the action potential may be excited again. This happens during the relative refractory period. In this period, an extremely large stimulus may elicit a response.

The body has many different types of neurotransmitters that have an array of functions. Some are excitatory, and others are inhibitory. As stated before, when a neuron becomes excited, Na+ flows into the cell, depolarizing it. Inhibitory neurotransmitters have the opposite effect, and inhibit neuron activity. They are released when the neurons are hyperpolarized, and an influx of K+ flows out of the cell (Kapit, 87). In the nerve lab, the neurotransmitters that were being tested were acetylcholine and norepinephrine. Acetylcholine can be found at the neuromuscular junction. It is involved with the contraction and twitch of muscles. When added to the muscle, it should increase the contraction. Norepinephrine can be found in the nerve, and when added to the nerve it should also increase muscle contraction. When acetylcholine is released, it binds to the acetylocholine receptors on the post-synaptic neuron. This is how the neurotransmitters are sent from the brain to the muscle. As acetylcholine enters the synaptic gap, acetylcholineserase breaks it down into acetate and choline, in order for it to be able to bind to its receptors. This is important because without all of these chemicals muscles would not be able to contract.

As the frequency was increased, the muscle went through summation. The twitches added together until they reached their maximum, and tetanus was achieved. This is because the calcium ions did not have time to go back into the Sarcoplasmic Reticulum and restart the entire process. The sarcomeres are the smallest unit of muscle cell that are separated by elastic fibers called z-lines. We can find within each sarcomere two typed of myofilaments. These myofilaments are positioned along the sarcomere’s length. Thick myofilaments are made up of myosin, and thin myofilaments are made up of actin molecules. A sliding movement of the thin filaments with the thick filaments causes contraction. This results in the shortening of the sarcomere.

This act of the muscle tissue being stimulated directly with electric shocks will then send a release of calcium ions and activate the muscle’s contraction. A twitch of the muscle shows a single muscle fiber or a whole muscle fiber activated.

The skeletal muscle is a fixed muscle attached to bones and skin and it is responsible for all voluntary and involuntary movements. The skeletal muscles are controlled by the somatic nervous system (Vander, 288). The gastrocnemius is a whole skeletal muscle, comprised of many single muscle fibers. “The gastrocnemius muscle is one of the frog’s extensor muscles and it aids the frog in its jumping movement” (Meisami, 100). It is possible to do the same experiment on a single muscle fiber, as well as the whole muscle fiber.

In the experiment we dissected the gastrocnemius muscle, attached it to the force transducer, and studied the effects of the intensity-tension relationship first. While doing this part of the experiment, we had to conclude what was going to happen to the tension amplitude when we raised the voltage. In the next part of the experiment, we tested the relationship between length and tension. While doing this part of the experiment we studied the effects of what would happen to the tension when the length of the muscle was increased. The last relationship we tested in this lab was the relationship between frequency and tension. In this part of the experiment, we determined what would happen to the muscle tension when the frequency of stimulation was increased. One is able to learn by looking at the graph on page 115, in the Laboratory Manuel, that muscle tension gradually increases with increasing frequency of stimulation. The highest frequency that we were supposed to test our gastrocnemius muscle at is 16 Hz. Therefore, we can conclude that at 16Hz the state of muscle contraction is called tetanus, meaning the contraction becomes continuous (Meisami, 114). The last thing that we tested in this experiment was muscle fatigue. “When a skeletal muscle is repeatedly stimulated, the tension developed by the fiber decreases even though stimulation continues” (Vander, 309). This stimulation in a muscle can resolve in muscle fatigue. We tested muscle fatigue by increasing the frequency of stimulation until tetanus started to occur. After tetanus was occurring in the muscle for a short time, the muscle tension decreased. This decline in muscle tension brought about muscle fatigue.

The general objectives of the muscle function lab are “to familiarize you with some of the basic functional properties of the skeletal muscle. By use of a frog’s gastrocnemius muscle, calf muscle, you will learn the properties of muscle including muscle twitch and maximal contraction, the isometric and isotonic types of contraction and the relationship between length and tension. Summation of muscle twitches, occurrence of muscle tetanus and muscle fatigue and the effects of calcium ions on muscle contraction will also be studied” (Meisami 116). Furthermore, there are a few specific objectives listed in the lab manual or found below. These include understanding procedures for dissection and isolation of the frog and its muscle, understanding the use of direct electrical stimulation, understanding the concepts of isometric and isotonic forms of muscle contraction, study the different relationships, and study muscle fatigue after prolonged stimulation (116).

The Muscle Function Lab involves the usage of three different pieces of scientific equipment. These three scientific pieces include the physiologic stimulator, force transducer, and MacLab/4-Chart. The physiologic stimulator works to provide electric stimuli at various strengths that are measured in voltage, durations that are measured in milliseconds, and frequencies that are measured in hertz. The force transducer works to convert the movements into electrical readings. The string that is attached by the experimenter to the frog’s gastrocnemius aids this. Finally the MacLab/4-Chart takes the electrical readings and forms them on a chart onto paper. In the first part of the lab dealing with the intensity-tension relationship, the voltage delivered to the frog’s gastrocnemius muscle is changed to a higher voltage to help determine threshold intensity and maximal intensity.

Bibliography:

Music and Psychology Paper

Student’s Name

Institutional Affiliation

Course

Instructor’s Name

Due Date

Part I: Introduction

Music typically has a significant connection with human actions, feelings, emotions, and the mind. It is a story narrated in a language comprehensible worldwide. Music connects individuals to their various personal past encounters, hence, manipulating their feelings and emotions (Greb et al., 2018). The manipulation can be negative or positive. The three songs that influenced my behaviors and thoughts positively are “Let Me Love You” by DJ Snake, “Not Afraid” by Eminem, and “Time” by Don Carlos. In the present paper, I will examine these songs’ lyrics utilizing three theoretical perspectives, which include Kohlberg’s theory, information-processing theory, and Piaget’s theory.

Part II:  Stories and Lyrics

“Time” by Don Carlos gives me positive thoughts daily. I listen to numerous reggae music, especially after waking up and in the evening. They are among my favorite songs as they keep me going in my daily struggles. “Time” by Don Carlos was released in 2012 and is among my top favorite songs. The song’s lyrics are inspiring and penetrating. There is also a well-arranged rhyme to make it easy to memorize the song while listening for the third time. Nevertheless, this song changed meaning when I began listening to it every morning at 6 am after waking up and in the evening at 8 pm after unsuccessful days. The initial listening of the song began some eight years back on one evening when my friend and I had had a bad day. Thus, I went that evening, lay on my bed, and typed in YouTube, “tomorrow is another day,” only to find the song as the second in the result list and these lyrics:

Tomorrow is another day, as the clock keep tickin’ away:

Time is so precious and so I say.

Tomorrow is another day, as the clock keep tickin’ away:

Time is so precious and so I say.

Let’s make it, when the sun is shining,

Get up let’s do something creative (O.D.M Lyrics, 2020).

From that day, whenever I needed some positive thoughts, I would ensure the song was among my top priority on the playlist. Every time I listened to the song, I felt inspired and strong again to keep pushing through the struggles. If I missed waking up, I would feel something is missing while the lyrics resonated in my mind concerning how precious time is. Therefore, listening to this song’s lyrics made me avoid wasting time and rise early in the morning.

Hip-hop music has been my workout song for a prolonged period. I can affirm that music truly increased athletic performance as I listened to the music every time during the morning run and gym. Specifically, the “Not Afraid” song lyrics by Eminem are essential in my workout and life opinions. The song was released in 2010 and have been among my top playlist for the last ten years. I have liked this song since the day I saw it on TV during a live performance and began memorizing it word by word. The song was a piece of fast music containing strong beats, which were essential. The musical tempo resulted in an increased heartbeat which facilitated my exercise early at 5 am and while in the gym. I made sure it was my workout song. Every time I got dressed for a workout, I thought of the song and its lyrics:

I’m not afraid (I’m not afraid)

To take a stand (to take a stand)

Everybody (everybody)

Come take my hand come (come take my hand)

We’ll walk this road together, through the storm

Whatever weather, cold or warm

Just lettin’ you know that you’re not alone

Holla if you feel like you’ve been down the same road (Tyz__official, 2012)

Moreover, when I listened to the song, I remembered my life decisions involving good morals without fear of losing bad friends. Thus, it contributed to good behavior. For example, the song resonated with various occurrences. I was tempted by friends to avoid being ‘clean’ and take drugs, but I took my stand. It also resonated with the multiple times I could carry out exercises while listening to the song’s lyrics. Therefore, the song’s lyrics have promoted endurance in my workout and strength and determination in making moral decisions.

References

Greb, F., Schlotz, W., & Steffens, J. (2018). Personal and situational influences on the functions of music listening. Psychology of Music, 46(6), 763-794.

O.D.M Lyrics. (2020). Don Carlos – Time Lyrics. Www.youtube.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-2UDti_COg

Tyz__official. (2012). Eminem – Not Afraid Lyrics (HD). Www.youtube.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYaSNZRbFsA

Muscular Dystrophy

At least 1 in 3000 people is affected by a serious inherited neuromuscular disorder; muscular dystrophy makes up an appreciable amount of these. (Azofeifa,1995)

Muscular Dystrophy is a heterogeneous group of inherited disorders characterized by progressive muscle wasting and weakness. There are six types of muscular dystrophy: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), Becker muscular dystrophy, Limb girdle, fasioscapulohumeral, distal, and oculopharyneal.

Duchenne type muscular dystrophy (also known a Meryon’s disease) is the most common form of dystrophy. It mainly only effects boys because it is inherited as an X linked recessive trait. It is probably the most serious form of dystrophy there is because it causes most boys to start using a wheel chair by the age of 12 and causing them to die by there 20’s. This disease causes some of the boys to have some degree of intellectual impairment. ( Kunkle, 1985) (Murray,1982)

Becker type muscular dystrophy is a lot alike with Duchenne but milder. The onset of this does not occur until they’re teenage years and early 20’s. Later in life they may lose the ability to walk, but they live until their middle ages and beyond (Murray,1982)

Over the past couple of years clinical features of weakness of the facial, scapulohumeral, anterior tibial, and pelvic girdle muscle have been extended to include retinal vascular disease, sensory hearing loss and, in severe cases, even abnormalities of the central nervous system. Most people are only mildly affected by this but many become dependent on wheelchairs later on in life. This is condition is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait. In 1990 the gene that is responsible was located on chromosome 4.14 restriction enzyme DNA fragments associated with the gene have been found to be greater than 35 kilobases in length in people who do not have muscular dystrophy. Then the people who are affected are always less than this (measured on an electrophoretic gel). We can then use the difference for suspected presymptomatic cases and in prenatal testing. (Murray,1982)

Limb girdle is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of conditions. Limb girdle is caused by a muscle specific protease deficiency. Less then 10 % of cases are inherited through autosomal dominant trait and are mostly mild. One sub type may be allelic to autosomal Emery- Dreifuss dystrophy. All other cases are inherited as autosomal recessive traits affecting both male and female. ( Azofeifa, 1995), (Matthews, 1996), (Perloff, 1967)

Distal myopathies are associated with wasting and weakness of the distal muscle, usually without the noticeable involvement of other muscle groups. Most people with this are only mildly affected although some may ultimately develop serious problem with walking and everyday life. (Padberg, 1997)

Oculopharyngeal (Bareau’s disease) is an autosomal dominant disorder that has been largely described as occurring in French Canadians descending from a couple who immigrated in 1634. The onset of this disease is late in adulthood of progressive ptosis and dysphagia, which is followed by involvement of other cranial and limb muscle. This gene is located on the 14th chromosome. This disease is likely to be genetically homogeneous but with different ancestral mutations in different populations. ( Bakker, 1997), ( Essen, 1997)

Molecular biological techniques have made the prevention of most forms of dystrophy possible through genetic counseling and prenatal testing. There also have been some major advances in the management of the disease. No matter what type of disease or what stage the disease is in certain things you should consider. Eat a well-balanced diet with plenty of fiber to help with constipation, especially when a person becomes immobile. You need to be on the lookout for excessive weight gain. Never let a person stay in bed for a long period of time because it can accelerate weakening of the muscles. You should have everyday activity that is within the person’s own limits. One sport that would be great would be swimming as long as it is supervised. You need to take good care of the respiratory system. Any time there is an infection it must be treated quickly and thoroughly. Surgical correction of scoliosis can make sitting easier and help preserve the lung functions. As the disease becomes older assisted ventilation may be something they might have to do. The quality of life of people with this disease can be much improved by a positive attitude to management, which includes respiratory care, physiotherapy, and surgical correction of contractures. (Bakker, 1997), ( Emery, 1969),

(Holding, 1993), (Kunkle, 1985), ( Reddy, 1984)

The research on this treatment has been mainly concentrated on Duchenne-type muscular dystrophy because of its frequency and severity. They have found that steroids help but they only slow the progression of the diseases for a time. They have not found a drug with any appreciably effects of the long-term course of the disease. Once they begin to understand the pathogenic pathways of the disease they may be able to come up with a drug that can interrupt those pathways. One prospect that looks great would be to upregulate a protein that would compensate for the deficiency of dystrophin. They can’t find a compound that will work in humans. ( Codd, 1989), ( Emery, 1993)

There are some things that a teacher may need to do if he or she has a child in their classroom that has muscular dystrophy. One thing is that most of the time the child will be a boy because the gene that has this defect is in the X chromosome and it that is a boy gene. This disease effects the muscles and causes them to become very weak. Which results in most boys being in a wheel chair by the time they are 12. You can prepare your other children in the classroom by explaining the disease to them and teaching them about wheel chairs and how they help the child to move freely and also teach them not to be afraid of them. Also with this disease some boys will have some intellectual impairment and in some cases special schooling may be needed. You may also want to teach the children about being overweight because some of these children may be overweight because excessive weight gain can sometimes be a problem because the child may be immobile. Another thing you may want to teach the children in your classroom is that they should help encourage the disabled student to engage in everyday activities that are within the children’s limits. For example if everyone is outside playing basketball you could encourage them all to play and then the child in the wheelchair can be included by being able to pass the ball and even shoot the ball. Another example is you could have the children have a race and get a chair on wheel that the other children could sit on and race the child in the wheel chair with. One last thing you could do is teaching all the children to encourage each other to eat a well-balanced diet because children with MS need to have a well-balanced diet to stay healthy.

Bibliography:

Azofeifa J, Voit T, Hubner C, Cremer M. X chromosome methylation in manifesting and healthy carriers of MS. Hum Genet 1995;96: 209-220.

Bakker E, Boten EJ, de Lange LF, et al. DNA probe analysis for carrier detection and prenatal diagnosis MS. JMed Genet 1997; 34: 805-812.

Bakker E, van Broeckhoven C, Boten EJ, van de Vooren MJ, Veenema H, van

Hul W, et al. Germline mosaicism MS mutations. Nature 1987; 329: 554-558

Codd MB, Sugrue DD, Gersh BJ, Melton IIILS. Epidemiology of idiopathic dilated and hypertropic cardiomyopathy. Circulation 1989; 80: 564-572.

Emery AEH. Abnormalities of the electrocardiogram in female carriers of MS. Br Med J 1969; 2: 418-420.

Emery AEH. MS. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993.

Essen van AJ, Kneppers ALJ, Hout van de AH, et al. The clinical and molecular genetic approach to MS: an updated protocol. Jmed Genet 1997; 34: 805-812.

Holding C, Bently D, Roberts R, Bobrow M, Matthew C. Development and validation of laboratory procedures for preimplantation diagnosis of MS Jmed Genet 1993; 30: 903-909.

Kunkle LM, Monaco AP, Middlesworth W, Ochs HD, Latt SA. Specific cloning of DNA fragments absent from DNA of a male patient with an X chromosome deletion. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1985; 82: 4778-4782.

Matthews PM, Benjamin D, van Bakel I, et al Muscular inactivation patterns and dystrophin expression in MS carriers. Neuromuscul Disord 1996; 96: 167-176.

Murray JM, Davies KE, Harper PS, Meridith L, Mueller CR, Wiliamson R.Linkage relationship of a cloned DNA sequence on the short arm of the X chromosome to MS. Nature 1982; 300: 69-71

Padberg GW, Lunt PW, Koch M, Fardeau M, Royal Society of Medicine, 1997:

9-15.

Perloff JK, Roberts WC, de Leon AC, O’ Doherty D. The distinctive electrocardiogram of MS. Am Jmed 1967; 42: 179-188.

Reddy BK, Anandavalli TE, Reddi OS. X linke MS in an unusual family with manifesting carriers. Hum Genet 1984; 67: 460-462.

World Book Ency. 1994. Vol 13. Pg.936-937.

Http://lef.org/protocols/prtcl-079.shtml.

Music: British Invasion

The British Invasion marked a remarkable revolution in the history of American music. The music industry in America was on a slow track and the Invasion saw music groups from England experience major breakthroughs in the United States. The radio waves were constantly dominated by these music groups. The Invasion was fueled by record companies that produced tamer and lower quality of music. This made the teenagers who loved pop idols like Fabian and Frankie Avalon start to lose interest in pop music. Many began to develop a liking for folk and jazz music. Artists like Brian Hyland and David Seville attempted to revive the industry with songs like “Witch Doctor” and “Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini” without success. In British, the music industry was also dragging slowly through the years, with music from Elvis Presley and Acker Bilk. In the mid-60’s, the pop musicians in British created a music craze behind artists like Lonnie Donegan, Silver Beatles and Quarrymen. These artists and many others then moved to the United States airwaves and before long, all radio stations were playing music by British artists. This was a unique phenomenon since the American music industry had never recorded British artists on all top music rating sites like Billboard awards and top hits (Schaffner, 3).

When talking about the British Invasion, mentioning the Beatles is inevitable. They were the face of rock and roll and remain recognized to date. They were, however, preceded by Dusty Springfield with her single “I only Want To Be With You.” The Beatles opened up American music industry to the British and brought with them the real feel of rock and roll (Schaffner, 11).Rock and roll marked the first school of American music while American blues marked the other. Rock and roll was a musical style that developed from the black population. The black people used rhythmic elements in oral storytelling that eventually influenced rock and roll. Slavery saw them interact with white people and consequently other styles of music like ballad. Soon, black artists began to integrate their music with that of the whites. The black artists used this music as a way to appeal to the white people to increase social interactions through activities like dancing. The music appealed to white teenagers and with the coming of British artists that better played and expressed rock and roll, the school of music became a sensation. Over time, rockers have replicated, expanded and exploded the boundaries of the genre. The music style involved a combination of African American rhythm and blues and American country music. The lead instrument was a guitar and music was played with a backbeat produced by a snare drum. Examples of great rock and roll bands are The Rolling Stones,The Beatles and The Yardbirds, while some great songs include “Put Your Hand in The Hand”, “Yesterday’s Papers”, “I Want to Hold Your Hand”, and “Got to Hurry.”

American blues also characterized the British Invasion, as a school of music. Though subtle, this music has grown over generations and managed to maintain its uniqueness (Schwartz, 244). American blues originated from the black population of African slaves south of the United States. It was a musical genre that soothed them through the challenges. Blues refer to a musical combination of African field hollers and work songs. American blues is a musical style that uses slow beats and meaningful lyrics. Initially, blues were meant for the African American audience after combining with gospel music. Blues slowly faded into the background as other blues styles like boogie-woogie and rhythm and blues.Pure blues faded until the British Invasion. British artists realized the power of American Blues and worked with American artists like Robert Johnson and John Lee Hooker to create British blues. This came after the war and Americans were at a vulnerable position and blues became very popular. American blues music style used the blue note that made this genre unique. British borrowed from American blues lyrics so as to ensure relevance of their music in the industry. Thy also used the AAB form of blues in rock and roll songs.After the war, blues began to fade into the background but paved the way for rock and roll. British blues developed because bands like The Rolling Stones played American blues in festivals and events. The members of rock and roll bands asked great singers of American blues to sing in their rock and roll songs. This is because American blues were an American favorite that guaranteed a large audience. Collaborations of artists in both genres gave music by British artists an advantage in the American music industry (Baker, 6). Examples of bands that specialized in this music include, The Animals, The Rolling Stones and Rory Gallagher. Some great blues songs are “Red House”, “It’s my Own Fault” and “Hellhound on My Trail.”

It is intriguing that Great Britain could use two different approaches to imitate American music. The non-committal candor of major record companies when dealing with American artists influenced this musical phenomenon. American artists were struggling to create music that would bring new life to the music industry but major record companies like King’s Record and Vee-jay were focused on other priorities. The companies were more interested in making money than producing good music. As the British Invasion began to pick up pace, British artists had to create music that the record companies would love to air. They therefore opted to imitate American music to get airtime on American airwaves. The need for diversity and the constant changes to music production pushed British artists into imitating two genres. Since American Blues and Rock & Roll were musical styles closest to British music, they adopted both approaches.

Both genres of music accrue their origin to back population of the African slaves who later intermarried with Americans and became African Americans. In transportations of slaves, they would pass through British before moving on to America. These exposed British artists to the two approaches, enabling them imitate American music.

Many artists used music styles already in existence to create their music, for example, ballad, jazz, pop and country. Great Britain was a country overwhelmed with ideas and energy. The music industry was one of the avenues the country expressed itself and invading American airwaves marked a victory for the country.

The British Invasion was a phenomenon that surprised America but was welcome because it included American culture expressed in music. The music schools characterized in the British Invasion were rock and roll and American blues. They used unique American template especially in the musical style with rock and roll using the guitar as a lead instrument and American blues using the blue notes. The British invasion eventually created music that combined the different styles and is highly appreciated to date.

Works Cited

Schaffner, Nicholas. The British Invasion: From the First Wave to the New Wave. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1982. Print.

Schwartz, Roberta F. How Britain Got the Blues: The Transmission and Reception of American Blues Style in the United Kingdom. Aldershot: Ashgate, 2007. Print.

Baker, Houston A. Blues, Ideology, and Afro-American Literature: A Vernacular Theory. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1987. Print.

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Chapter Four: Philosophy, Religion, and God

Chapter four of “A Text with Readings” by Manuel Velasquez discusses the philosophy of religion and God. According to this chapter, the choice between certainty and unbelief tend to influence an individual’s understanding of oneself. Different individuals have different beliefs, and this is one of the aspects used to define individuals in society. Also, it is normally hard to define religion because of the difference in religion and religious beliefs by different cultures. For example, there is Buddhism religion which does not believe in a personal God; some religions are not institutionalized, some lack common official beliefs, and also there are others that do not see the importance of personal commitment.

According to professor Smart, all religions are characterized by some or all of the following six scopes; myth, doctrine, morality, ritual, organization and also experience. Religion is therefore described by religious beliefs and certain religious experiences whereby every society seem to have their own religious beliefs and experiences. Religious beliefs denote the principles that are believed concerning a supernatural dimension while the religious experiences denote to the familiarity of the supernatural dimension. These cultures tend to differ on the existence of a supernatural being, some believing in the existence of God while others oppose the claim. Hence this leads to the issue of whether there is an existence of God.

The topic of the existence of God brings in the issue of theism and monotheism. Theism is termed as the belief that God exists and the believers of the reality are referred to as theists. On the other hand, monotheism is the belief that only one God exists and those who believe in it have been raised believing so. Currently, on the issue of the existence of God, scientific discoveries, as well as theories, tend to challenge the difference in religious beliefs. However, some of them seem to strengthen these beliefs. Some individuals need some proof for the existence of God while others the evidence of existence tends to reinforce their religious beliefs.

Consequently, the issue of the existence of God raises several arguments by different philosophers. The Anselm’s ontological argument contends that God must exist and exists in reality and nothing more significant can be conceived other than God. There is also Aquinas cosmological argument that maintains that the effects, as well as motions that are seen in the world, demand a source of origin. The argument further claims that God is the unmoving source of motion. Also according to William Paley’s argument, there is the existence of an intelligent deity, and this is supported by the order that is experienced in the universe. The intelligent deity that Paley discussed must be God, and he seems to acknowledge his existence.

Moreover, the chapter further discusses the issue of atheism, agnosticism and also the problem to do with evil. Agnosticism and atheism are described as reactions to the troubles in the traditional opinions concerning a theist God. According to atheism, there is no existence of God, and the presence of evil in societies implies it. Contrary, theists argue the necessity of evil for good and that humans are given free will to decide what is right and evil. The agnostics on the other side claims that individuals do not know whether God exists or not.

The chapter closes with a discussion on traditional and nontraditional beliefs and experiences. There are philosophers like William James who believe in traditional religious beliefs while others think contrary. In traditional religious beliefs and experiences, many individuals tend to believe in God because of an undeviating personal experience of the godly and not because of proofs. On the other hand, the nontraditional religious experience opposes the traditional ones. The nontraditional religious experience is thus backed by theologies such as feminist theology and the Eastern religious views like Buddhism and Hinduism.

Works CitedVelasquez, Manuel. Philosophy: A text with readings. Cengage Learning, 2016.

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Chapter FourGroup health insurance results in lower premiums for subscribers for several reasons. Small businesses can get group health insurance for their employees which lowers the costs for these employees. One reason why premium costs are lower is that a larger number of people means lower risk for the insurance company—group health insurance cover between one and 50 people, and the more people, the better for them. The premiums are also lower because both employers and employees contribute to the insurance plan, meaning shared costs between the two and reduced premiums for employees. One of the most critical variables in choosing a family insurance plan is the costs. An example of such costs is the minimum cost which one has to pay even when they do not visit the hospital. Another cost is the guaranteed cost, which is the out-of-pocket payments that one makes after a visit to the hospital.

Medicaid and Medicare are both federal programs that provide healthcare to vulnerable populations in the country, but there are some differences in how they work and the people they serve. Medicare covers all citizens over the age of 65, as well as those who might be younger but have some disabilities. Medicare differs from Medicaid in that it covers all who fall in this category regardless of income. On the other hand, Medicaid covers low-income individuals. When a person is eligible for both of these programs, they can use both of them for health coverage, although there are some differences in the types of services offered under each and the cost-sharing methods.

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Museum Category: Southern/Decorative

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Paintings and Drawings

Word Count: 1085

The Relevance of Painting and Drawings in Promoting Cultural Heritage

The Museum of American Architecture and Decorative Arts is located in Houston Baptist University. The museum contains various artifacts and artworks that are vital in a society that today. The museum enables people to see and learn different aspects of home decoration, interior design, and architecture. It is a place where people can learn the history of famous structures such as the Alamo Shrine in San Antonio, Texas, the Art Deco District in Savannah Georgia, the Washington Monument in Washington D.C., Carnegie Hall, and many other museums around the nation that are listed on this website. Moreover, it displays various artworks that were obtained through donations like posters by famous artists around the world such as Picasso and Monet who were both born during this century. Some of the artifacts and artworks found in the Museum of American Architecture and Decorative Arts are unlike anything you’d find at any other museum. Offering a glimpse into the lives and homes of the people who built our country, including Thomas Jefferson and his philosophy on architecture. Exhibiting designs from iconic architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan. This article will look at one artifact and describe its significance in enhancing the viewer’s appreciation of the artifact.

The Museum of American Architecture and Decorative Arts hosts the most comprehensive collection of drawings and paintings in America, spanning 1750 to 1940. The museum’s collection includes manuscript materials such as drawings and correspondence. Artists such as Thomas Cole (1801-1848), Frederick Church (1826-1900), Albert Bierstadt (1830-1902), Frederic Church (1826-1900) and John La Farge provide rare insights into their creative processes in correspondence with patrons or with each other and through the sketches and studies they left behind.

Some of the artifacts and artworks found in the Museum of American Architecture and Decorative Arts are the products of the Art Alliance of America and the Cooper Union, both of which were active in promoting an open-minded approach to American art and design. These collections include drawings and paintings by artists such as Thomas Hart Benton, George Bellows, and Edward Hopper; decorative objects made by Tiffany Studios; furniture designs by Frank Lloyd Wright for his family’s homes in Oak Park, Illinois; model buildings designed for urban renewal projects in Philadelphia. The Museum is the only institution that offers a comprehensive view of America’s architecture from colonial times to the present day (Castellano & Vessio, 2021).

The drawings and paintings in The Museum of American Architecture and Decorative Arts are made of a wide variety of mediums, such as chalk and charcoal, pastels, oils, watercolor and more. These drawings can range from a time period up to present day. One of the great things about throwing open the doors on these museums is that you are not limited to just looking at these pieces through a lens but are encouraged to really explore them with your eyes and create your own stories about what happened in this world many years ago or what might happen in the future. their sizes tend to vary from small to large. The pieces in this museum are from a bygone era, allowing us to look back in our history and learn from it.

These drawings and paintings were made for the general citizens of America to assist them to uphold their culture. These artifacts tend to be unique from other drawings and paintings in other museums around the world. This is since the museum can afford to buy exclusive materials from around the world. These artifacts are from 1948 and 1949. The museum began keeping it afterward. The museum is home to many other pieces of art and traces of construction. There is a piece that is in the form of a horse head which reflects the theme of ancient Rome. The official color of the museum is blue, but it has been changed on occasion. In addition to this, there are many paintings that exhibit scenes from around the world including Japan, Africa, China, and Korea to name a few.

The Museum of Art and Design was built to showcase the myriad materials and styles of American art and architecture for the general public. The museum has a range of indoor and outdoor exhibitions. The outdoor exhibitions are designed as a part of New York City’s High Line, an elevated park created on an old railway spur. It is located in Chelsea’s historic industrial neighborhood, along West 22nd Street between 10th Avenue and Eleventh Avenue, which are also the busiest streets in the area. The museum building sits at the intersection of West 21st Street and Ninth Avenue, just west of Tenth Avenue. The MetLife Building is direct across West 23rd Street from the Museum.

The historical context of the drawings and paintings in The Museum of American Architecture and Decorative Arts illustrates the cultural value of these artifacts. The Museum of American Architecture and Decorative Arts houses one of the most comprehensive collections of American drawings, paintings, plaster reliefs, cartoons, watercolors, and lithographs in the world. The museum emphasizes historic interiors decorated during all periods from 1825 to 1925.

As a museum piece, the drawings and paintings in The Museum of American Architecture and Decorative Arts illustrate a distinct impression to different people. Important figures such as Thomas Jefferson and Louis Sullivan will be highlighted for their contributions to the architectural world (McQuaid, 2002). For more than a century, The Museum of American Architecture and Decorative Arts has been housing some of the most significant pieces in American art history. It has continued to preserve its collection, which includes drawings and paintings spanning 1850-1950s by artists such as Abbott, Abbey, Ben Shahn, Charles Burchfield, and many more. These pieces come together in one location for both young and old alike who are interested in American art.

In conclusion, drawings and paintings in museums serves a significant purpose in enhancing the preservation of a society’s cultural heritage as it transmits knowledge, beliefs, and values from one generation to another. In addition, this type of art allows the viewer to become captivated with the artwork as it is at their own pace. It also provides a deep understanding on how those who came before us lived through their artwork. Drawings and paintings in museums is a major topic for museums because of its ability to tell a story about not only the artist but also about that era’s culture. It can be seen as an avenue for social change that provides significance in combating societal issues such as prejudice, discrimination, and ignorance.

References

Castellano, G., & Vessio, G. (2021, January). A brief overview of deep learning approaches to pattern extraction and recognition in paintings and drawings. In International Conference on Pattern Recognition (pp. 487-501). Springer, Cham.

McQuaid, M. (2002). Envisioning architecture: drawings from the Museum of Modern Art. The Museum of Modern Art.

Remembered, A., from Victorian, A. H. H. D., & Kuhlman, T. B. K. L. MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ARCHITECTURE AND DECORATIVE ARTS. “A PIECE OF THE PAST” UNIVERSITY MUSEUM ESSAY CONTEST, 30.

Museum of Brands

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Museum of Brands

This paper is giving a detailed report on the visit conducted to the Museum of Brands. During this time, we walked around all the sections of this place in order to ensure that we got a lot of education on various matters. However, this paper will focus on the lessons learnt from the branding section. It is true that our visit was quite informative because we got an opportunity to know a lot of things concerning branding which we had theoretically studied in class.

To begin with, it was so interesting to learn about the brands of various commodities in this museum. While some of them familiar to us, the rest were totally new. Hence, we got an opportunity to learn about the historical development of the museum and designs of various brands of commodities. This would be important to us since it would give us an opportunity to contextualize all that we had learnt in the branding class throughout the week.

I was particularly delighted to learn about the invention and historical developments of the Cadbury’s Drinking Chocolate. After its discovery as a one-man shop in the 1824, it was really interesting to learn that it is still popular to date. Many people still consider this brand as the most preferred choice over other substitutes and complementary goods. Cadbury’s drinking chocolate has been a very successful brand for a very long time since its inception. It has become a household name in many places today. It has gone a lot of transitions in its designs and brands especially during the Victorian, 1920s and 1990s. Hence, it is popular with many people who simply prefer it because of the kind of originality it has maintained since then. In other words, it has been consistent for a long time now. This has made it easier to appeal to the clients who often identify with its repeated adverts.

It managed to survive all the past eras because of the high level of creativity and originality witnessed in its designs. This made its advertisements be appealing to many people who have now embraced the use of this commodity. The consistencies in its designs have made it become popular over others. Hence, many buyers use it in their day to day consumptions. As a result, it has survived the past eras because of the honesty displayed in its designs. Its mega brands have been filtered to make them appropriate to the context in which they are used. Its logos and brand designs are relevant to the changing demands, tastes and preferences of the clientele seeking to use the product for clinical purposes.

Some of the photos for Cadbury’s Drinking Chocolate brands include the following:

A part from the Cadbury’s Drinking Chocolate, i also learnt a lot about different brands of Greeting Cards present in this museum. These are found in the Victorian Scrapbook and are attributed to the effects of mass production. These cards have also managed to survive during all the eras despite the challenges that have been experienced. According to the information we got, this has been possible because of the persistent improvements done in designing such brands.

Very many designs of Greeting Cards such as Standard Greeting Cards; Photo Greeting Cards, Personalized Greeting Cards, Musical Greeting Cards and Pop-Up Cards are used. Their use has been changing periodically depending on the demands of the market and changing technologies. Hence, their designs have changed over the years in order t cope up with the market demands. As a result, diverse needs of the clients have been met making it be so successful. Hence, it appeals to many people who stick to them because of their well designed adverts.

Some of the photos that can be used to illustrate this brand include the following:

On the other hand, during this visit, I also realized that there are a lot of brand designs that I had never heard of before. The knowledge about them was very important because it helped me to be more aware of the various commodity brands in the market today. Some of them included the following:

Ping pong

I have never known that there is a game called ping-pong. However, when I went to this museum, I realized that there are lots of materials used for playing this type of game. Hence, these brands are only applicable to the players of this game. Just like other brands, the designs of these materials have also undergone very significant changes. This has been in response to the changing demands of the clients. Hence, the museum stocks these designs and illustrates on how effectively they have been designed to create some uniqueness in the market. The changing designs in the brands and logos of these materials have enabled it to appeal to many clients.

The following are some of the Illustrations for the various designs of this product:

Royal souvenirs

Before I went to this museum, I did not know about this kind of product. However, my visit helped me because I realized that royal souvenirs are collection of gifts that can be bought by anybody willing to give an expensive gift to their friend or relative. These gifts can also be used to appreciate a person for doing something remarkable. At the same time, they can be used during wedding ceremonies.

However, the history of their use is very long because it began very many years a go. Hence, it is important for individuals to know that they may be very expensive to acquire. All the various brands have been used in advertisements for this precious product. That is why many people like to purchase it for various uses.

The illustration pictures are listed herein:

In conclusion, I would like to agree with the fact that Museum of Brands is an ideal place for practical sessions of this class. It equipped us with knowledge on the historical development and changing trends in branding and advertisements of a range of products. Even if much of these brands start from a very miniature level, they expand into mega brands in order to address the changing demands of clients. Surely, this museum is quite educative and should be used by anyone willing to learn more about branding.

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Chapter one and chapter nineteen passages of the Quran talk about the mercies and rewards of Allah on those who have faith in him. The passages also focus on the wrath and punishment that befalls believers who reject, ignore or ridicule the message conveyed to them by His prophet. Allah is portrayed as merciful and Compassionate. Allah listens to the prayer of Zacharia, who pleads with Him to grant him an heir. Allah sent his Angel to Zacharia to tell him that his barren wife would bear a son called John. In addition, these passages also show that Allah is powerful through the miracles he performed. Through His power, Mary got pregnant and bore a child called Jesus.

Islam is a very interesting religion. Its believers rely on the teachings of the prophet sent by Allah for guidance in their daily lives. They believe that living a righteous life, submitting wholly to Allah through acts of peace, and praying to Allah at least five times a day puts them right with Him on judgment day. Allah is portrayed as the judge of good and evil, and the believers strive to live a life on earth that is pleasing to Him. This religion value the relationship between Allah and His people, their destiny, and the afterlife promised by their Creator. The adherents of the Islamic religion also believe that God is the Creator of the universe and is unique to His creation.

Chapter one and chapter nineteen recitation of the Quran carries the message of love, faith, and true worship. The recitations also show that Allah sends his prophets to the world to convey His message to His people. The prophets sent by Allah manifest themselves in human form, such that they interact and deliver the message of Allah to the people through verbal and practical teachings. Every Muslim is expected to recite the teachings of the Quran as a prayer offering to Allah. The recitation is systematic, easy to read and remember, making it easy for the adherents of the Muslim religion to master and achieve uniformity in their gatherings. Furthermore, the recitation is guided by a sheik, who is the designated congregation leader. He guides the people on the prayers to be recited next and the practices that follow. These recitations bring Muslims together and draw them closer to their Creator.

Going through the Chapter one and chapter nineteen of the Quran has been educative and impactful for me. I have learned that the Islamic culture preaches peace and unity among its adherents. They believe helping one another is one of the ways of pleasing Allah hence gaining mercies and favor from Him. My perspective of the Muslim culture has also changed after reading the Quran. Unlike the negative narratives propagated by stereotypes in society, Muslims are kind, loving, and accommodative people. Reading these chapters has been an eye-opener for me and has enabled me to appreciate and embrace the Muslim culture more. Moving forward, I intend to read more chapters of the Quran and learn more about the religion.