President Ronald Reagans The Challenger Address Essay

President Ronald Reagans The Challenger Address - Essay Example It was a speech given in the White House to console a grieving nation after the loss of the astronauts in front of the world. As expected, the speech was emotionally charged with the President seeming apologetic to the general public. Of all the elements in rhetoric, pathos or emotional appeal were used heavily in the speech. The speech was literally peppered with words of consolation and gratitude in a hope to at least console a grieving nation. It was also a day consecrated for mourning as President Reagan uttered †Today is a day for mourning and remembering. The second paragraph resembles a logos in rhetoric or reasoning that such accidents comes with the job by citing a similar incident in the ground where three astronauts also perished. Perhaps this was an attempt to console the grieving families and the public in general that what happened was not entirely unnatural because similar accident also happened before thus making it more easier accept. This was craftily followed by the speech of remembrance that the nation was forever ingratitude with what they did beginning with citing each of the astronaut’s name and following with the emotionally charged statement such as Your loved ones were daring and brave, and they had that special grace to impress to the audience that their death was not in vain.

Ferguson Case Study Essay Example for Free

Ferguson Case Study Essay Ferguson biggest reason for drop in income of 1980 was the cost of goods sold. It accounted for $2,568 (U. S. $millions) of cost and expenses on the income statement. The reason for this high cost of goods sold is because of the decline in value of the U. S. dollar in relation to other countries in which the firm was operating in. For instance a good majority of their product was made in England at a time when the pound was at an all-time high which made the cost of selling the good in the U. S. ollar extremely expensive to American firms. Also their operations in Germany were halted because they German mark was appreciating in value at the same time the United States dollar was depreciating which made it too hard to sell the products for Massey- Ferguson at a profit. 2. Massey- Ferguson market value of common stock at the end of the fiscal year of 1980 was 176. 9 million dollars. This number was much lower than its book value of equity because the market was unsure of the company’s ability to pay back its short and long term debt causing a plunge in its market value. The debt was being used to expand its operations before 1980 and because of this the book value of equity in the company was high because they had a lot of assets that they had purchased in the company’s growth period. 3. The Canadian government had a big incentive in helping to refinance Massey- Ferguson Company. They wanted to keep them operating in Canada because they provided a lot of jobs to Canada and because it was politically convenient because an election was about to take place. Another big reason was because Argus Company was invested in Massey – Ferguson and if they had to provide more cash for Massey- Ferguson to not go under they may scale back some of their growth and possibly lay people off or pursue other opportunities elsewhere so that cost of making their products is even lower than Canada. 4. It would be hard for Massey-Ferguson to pay down their debt by issuing equity because of the lack of new ways to pay for the new debt that they are acquiring. Many investors were already weary of the ability for Massey-Ferguson to become competitive again because of the massive amount of debt that they already had. Also borrowing more to pay the debt that is already owed is not a good strategy for reparining a decaying company. Furthermore they had failed to pierce the US market which provided a lot of new revenue and continued to fail at adjusting to foreign markets which were outperforming the US at the time making it hard for them to compete because of the exchange rate between the foreign country and the US firm.

Gun Control is Racial Discrimination Essay -- Gun Control Essays

Gun violence is one of the most serious problems in the United States. Each year in the U.S., more than 35,000 people are killed by guns, a death rate much higher than that in any other industrial nations. In 1997, approximately 70 percent of the murders in the United States were committed with guns. However, ironically, the United States also is the country that has the most gun control laws. Gun control laws generally focus on passing legislation—by local state, or national government—to restrict legal ownership of certain firearms. Seemingly, gun control laws may decrease criminals’ access to guns, but in fact the same laws also have their negative effects. Thus, the controversy over gun control is always heated. But my paper is not about whether guns should be controlled or not. From another angle, looking closely at those gun control laws and their enforcement, we can not only see the criminal problem in America, but also another important social problem in America—racial discrimination. The racial problem of gun control has raised attention of some American scholars in the U.S. For example, a black man, General Lancy, who is the founder of a little organization known as the National Black Sportsman’s Association, often called â€Å"the black gun lobby† said when asked his opinion of gun control: â€Å"Gun control is really race control. People who embrace gun control are really racists in nature. All gun laws have been enacted to control certain classes of people, mainly black people†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Some white men have said almost the same thing. Investigative reporter Robert Sherrill concluded in his book The Saturday Night Special that the object of the Gun Control Act of 1968 was black control rather than gun control. Congress passed the act... ...ontrol certain classes of people†¦Ã¢â‚¬  References: 1. Sam B. Girgus, 1981, The American Self. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press. 2. Michael Golay and Carl Rollyson, 1996, Where American Stands. Canada: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 3. Seymour W. Itzkoff, 1994, The Decline of Intelligence in America. London: Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. 4. Don B. Kates, Jr., 1988, Restricting Handguns. Durham, N.C.: Duck University Press. 5. Jonathan Rauch, 1994, Demosclerosis: The Silent Killer of American Government. New York: Time Books. 6. James D. Wright, Peter H. Rossi, and Kathleen Daly, 1988, Under the Gun: Weapons, Crime, and Violence in America. Colorado: Sage Books. 7. Zhu Yongtao, 1991, Essentials of British and American Cultures. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press. 8. http://www.handguncontrolinc.org/history.htm

Social Studies Form 2

Section A : INDIAN OCEAN 1. The largest ocean in the world is A. Pacific Ocean B. Arctic Ocean C. Indian Ocean D. Antarctic Ocean 2. The line of latitude that divides the world into two is A. Tropic of Capricorn B. Tropic of Cancer C. Equator D. Greenwich Meridian 3. Which stretch of water is found between East Africa and Madagascar? A. Mozambique Channel B. Red Sea C. Arabian Sea D. Persian Gulf 4. Very long ago , the eastern coast of Africa was peopled by a mixture of different tribes who spoke A.Creole language B. English language C. Arabic language D. Bantu language 5. The musical instrument used by Indonesians very long ago was known as A. flute B. valiha C. guitar D. tabla 6. Four thousand years ago , Egyptians used to sail to the country of Punt which is actually A. the coast of Somalia B. Kenya C. Tanzania D. Uganda 7. Four thousand years ago , Egyptians used to sail to the country of Punt which is actually A. the coast of Somalia B. Kenya C.Tanzania D. Uganda 8. From what an imal is ivory obtained ? A. Cattle B. Camel C. Sheep D. Elephant 9. Which one of the following statements describe plantation farming? A. A company like LONRHO cultivating sugar cane on a large extent in Mauritius. B. A planter cultivating vegetables on a small plot of land. C. A small land holder cultivating tea in Mauritius. D. A man cultivating pineapples for his own use. 10. The Arabs travelled in ships called A. Canot `a balancier B.Bateau cousu C. Dhows D. Chinese Janks 11. Why did Vasco da gama sail close to the Eastern coast of Africa ? A. They could stop in any country in case of difficulty. B. They had heard of its great wealth. C. They were the greatest European sailors of the time. D. They wanted to trade with Indians. 12. Why are some tankers not able to pass through the suez canal? A. Because are too big B. Because are too small C. Because the roads are renovated D. Because there was no petrol

Revised GRE

[pic] GRADUATE RECORD EXAMINATIONS ® Practice General Test #1 Answer Key for Sections 1-4 Copyright  © 2010 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved. ETS, the ETS logo, GRADUATE RECORD EXAMINATIONS, and GRE are registered trademarks of Educational Testing Service (ETS) in the United States and other countries. Revised GRE ® Practice Test Number 1 Answer Key for Section 1. Verbal Reasoning. 25 Questions. Question 1 Answer: A. In various parts of the world, civilizations that could not make iron from ore fashioned tools out of fragments of iron from meteorites.Question 2 Answer: A. An increased focus on the importance of engaging the audience in a narrative Question 3 Answer: C. speak to Question 4 Answer: A. People with access to an electric washing machine typically wore their clothes many fewer times before washing them than did people without access to electric washing machines. Question 5 Answer: C. insular Answer in context: In the 1950’s, the country†™s inhabitants were insular: most of them knew very little about foreign countries. Question 6 Answer: E. insincereAnswer in context: Since she believed him to be both candid and trustworthy, she refused to consider the possibility that his statement had been insincere. Question 7 Answer: A. maturity Answer in context: It is his dubious distinction to have proved what nobody would think of denying, that Romero at the age of sixty-four writes with all the characteristics of maturity. Question 8 Answer: C. comparing two scholarly debates and discussing their histories Question 9 Answer: D. identify a reason for a certain difference in the late 1970’s between the origins debate and the debate over American women’s status Question 10Answer: D. Their approach resembled the approach taken in studies by Wood and by Mullin in that they were interested in the experiences of people subjected to a system of subordination. Question 11 Answer: A. gave more attention to the experi ences of enslaved women Question 12 Answer: A. construe F. collude in Answer in context: The narratives that vanquished peoples have created of their defeat have, according to Schivelbusch, fallen into several identifiable types. In one of these, the vanquished manage to construe the victor’s triumph as the result of some spurious advantage, the victors being truly inferior where it counts.Often the winners collude in this interpretation, worrying about the cultural or moral costs of their triumph and so giving some credence to the losers’ story. Question 13 Answer: B. settled E. ambiguity G. similarly equivocal Answer in context: I’ve long anticipated this retrospective of the artist’s work, hoping that it would make settled judgments about him possible, but greater familiarity with his paintings highlights their inherent ambiguity and actually makes one’s assessment similarly equivocal.Question 14 Answer: A. a debased E. goose bumps Answer in con text: Stories are a haunted genre; hardly a debased kind of story, the ghost story is almost the paradigm of the form, and goose bumps was undoubtedly one effect that Poe had in mind when he wrote about how stories work. Question 15 Answer: C. patent E. improbable Answer in context: Given how patent the shortcomings of the standard economic model are in its portrayal of human behavior, the failure of many economists to respond to them is astonishing.They continue to fill the journals with yet more proofs of yet more improbable theorems. Others, by contrast, accept the criticisms as a challenge, seeking to expand the basic model to embrace a wider range of things people do. Question 16 Answer: B. startling D. jettison Answer in context: The playwright’s approach is startling in that her works jettison the theatrical devices normally used to create drama on the stage. Question 17 Answer: B. create F. logical Answer in context: Scientists are not the only persons who examine the world bout them by the use of rational processes, although they sometimes create this impression by extending the definition of â€Å"scientist† to include anyone who is logical in his or her investigational practices. Question 18 Answer: C. It presents a specific application of a general principle. Question 19 Answer: A. outstrip Question 20 Answer: B. It is a mistake to think that the natural world contains many areas of pristine wilderness. Question 21 Answer: C. coincident with Question 22 Sentence to be Completed:Dreams are BLANK in and of themselves, but, when combined with other data, they can tell us much about the dreamer. Answer: D. inscrutable, F. uninformative Question 23 Sentence to be Completed: Linguistic science confirms what experienced users of ASL—American Sign Language—have always implicitly known:   ASL is a grammatically BLANK language, as capable of expressing a full range of syntactic relations as any natural spoken language. Answer: A . complete, F. unlimited Question 24 Sentence to be Completed:The macromolecule RNA is common to all living beings, and DNA, which is found in all organisms except some bacteria, is almost as BLANK. Answer: D. universal, F. ubiquitous Question 25 Sentence to be Completed: Early critics of Emily Dickinson’s poetry mistook for simple-mindedness the surface of artlessness that in fact she constructed with such BLANK. Answer: B. craft, C. cunning This is the end of the answer key for Revised GRE Practice Test 1, Section 1. Revised GRE Practice Test Number 1 Answer Key for Section 2. Verbal Reasoning. 25 Questions. Question 1Sentence to be Completed: In the long run, high-technology communications cannot BLANK more traditional face-to-face family togetherness, in Aspinall’s view. Answer: C. supercede, F. supplant Question 2 Sentence to be Completed: Even in this business, where BLANK is part of everyday life, a talent for lying is not something usually found on one’s resume. Answer: B. mendacity, C. prevarication Question 3 Sentence to be Completed: A restaurant’s menu is generally reflected in its decor; however despite this restaurant’s BLANK appearance it is pedestrian in the menu it offers.Answer: A. elegant, F. chic (spelled C H I C) Question 4 Sentence to be Completed: International financial issues are typically BLANK by the United States media because they are too technical to make snappy headlines and too inaccessible to people who lack a background in economics. Answer: A. neglected, B. slighted Question 5 Sentence to be Completed: While in many ways their personalities could not have been more different—she was ebullient where he was glum, relaxed where he was awkward, garrulous where he was BLANK—they were surprisingly well suited.Answer: D. laconic, F. taciturn Question 6 Answer: D. spirituals Question 7 Answer: B. They had little working familiarity with such forms of American music as jazz, blues, and popular songs. Question 8 Answer: E. neglected Johnson’s contribution to classical symphonic music Question 9 Answer: C. The editorial policies of some early United States newspapers became a counterweight to proponents of traditional values. Question 10 Answer: A. insincerely Question 11 Answer: Blank 1 C. multifaceted Blank 2 F. extraneousAnswer in context: The multifaceted nature of classical tragedy in Athens belies the modern image of tragedy:   in the modern view tragedy is austere and stripped down, its representations of ideological and emotional conflicts so superbly compressed that there’s nothing extraneous for time to erode. Question 12 Answer: Blank 1 C. ambivalence Blank 2 E. successful Blank 3 H. assuage Answer in context: Murray, whose show of recent paintings and drawings is her best in many years, has been eminent hereabouts for a quarter century, although often regarded with ambivalence, but the most successful of these aintings assuage all doubts. Question 13 Answer: B. a doctrinaire Answer in context: Far from viewing Jefferson as a skeptical but enlightened intellectual, historians of the 1960’s portrayed him as a doctrinaire thinker, eager to fill the young with his political orthodoxy while censoring ideas he did not like. Question 14 Answer: C. recapitulates Answer in context: Dramatic literature often recapitulates the history of a culture in that it takes as its subject matter the important events that have shaped and guided the culture. Question 15 Answer: E. ffirm the thematic coherence underlying Raisin in the Sun Question 16 Answer: C. The painter of this picture could not intend it to be funny; therefore, its humor must result from a lack of skill. Question 17 Answer: E. (Sentence 5) But the play’s complex view of Black self-esteem and human solidarity as compatible is no more â€Å"contradictory† than DuBois’s famous, well-considered ideal of ethnic self-awareness coexisting with huma n unity, or Fanon’s emphasis on an ideal internationalism that also accommodates national identities and roles. Question 18 Answer: C.Because of shortages in funding, the organizing committee of the choral festival required singers to purchase their own copies of the music performed at the festival. Question 19 Answer: Blank 1 C. mimicking Blank 2 D. transmitted to Answer in context: New technologies often begin by mimicking what has gone before, and they change the world later. Think how long it took power-using companies to recognize that with electricity they did not need to cluster their machinery around the power source, as in the days of steam. Instead, power could be transmitted to their processes.In that sense, many of today’s computer networks are still in the steam age. Their full potential remains unrealized. Question 20 Answer: Blank 1 B. opaque to Blank 2 D. an arcane Answer in context: There has been much hand-wringing about how unprepared American studen ts are for college. Graff reverses this perspective, suggesting that colleges are unprepared for students. In his analysis, the university culture is largely opaque to entering students because academic culture fails to make connections to the kinds of arguments and cultural references that students grasp.Understandably, many students view academic life as an arcane ritual. Question 21 Answer: Blank 1 C. defiant Blank 2 D. disregard for Answer in context: Of course anyone who has ever perused an unmodernized text of Captain Clark’s journals knows that the Captain was one of the most defiant spellers ever to write in English, but despite this disregard for orthographical rules, Clark is never unclear. Question 22 Answer: A. There have been some open jobs for which no qualified FasCorp employee applied. Question 23 Answer: C. presenting a possible explanation of a phenomenonQuestion 24 Two of the answer choices are correct: A. The pull theory is not universally accepted by scie ntists. B. The pull theory depends on one of water’s physical properties. Question 25 Answer: E. the mechanism underlying water’s tensile strength This is the end of the answer key for Revised GRE Practice Test 1, Section 2. Revised GRE Practice Test Number 1 Answer Key for Section 3. Quantitative Reasoning. 25  Questions. Question 1 Answer: A. Quantity A is greater. Question 2 Answer: BQuantity B is greater. Question 3 Answer: BQuantity B is greater. Question 4 Answer: D.The relationship cannot be determined from the information given. Question 5 Answer: D. The relationship cannot be determined from the information given. Question 6 Answer: A. Quantity A is greater. Question 7 Answer: D. The relationship cannot be determined from the information given. Question 8 Answer: C. The two quantities are equal. Question 9 Answer: D. The relationship cannot be determined from the information given. Question 10 Answer: B. [pic] three halves Question 11 Answer: The answer to q uestion 11 consists of four of the answer choices. A. 12 ° B. 15 ° C. 5 ° D. 50 ° Question 12 Answer: A. 10 Question 13 Answer: D. 15 Question 14 Answer: A. 299 Question 15 Answer: In question 15 you were asked to enter either an integer or a decimal number. The answer to question 15 is 3,600. Question 16 Answer: A. 8 Question 17 Answer: In question 17 you were asked to enter either an integer or a decimal number. The answer to question 17 is 250. Question 18 Answer: C. Three Question 19 Answer: B. Manufacturing. Question 20 Answer: A:5. 2 Question 21 Answer: B. More than half of the titles distributed by M are also distributed by L.Question 22 Answer: A. c  +  d Question 23 Answer: In question 23 you were asked to enter either an integer or a decimal. The answer to question 23 is 36. 5. Question 24 Answer: D. [pic] two fifths Question 25 Answer: D. [pic] three halves This is the end of the answer key for Revised GRE Practice Test 1, Section 3. Revised GRE Practice Test Number 1 Answer Key for Section 4. Quantitative Reasoning. 25   Questions. Question 1 Answer: A. Quantity A is greater. Question 2 Answer: D. The relationship cannot be determined from the information given. Question 3 Answer: D.The relationship cannot be determined from the information given. Question 4 Answer: D. The relationship cannot be determined from the information given. Question 5 Answer: B. Quantity B is greater. Question 6 Answer: A. Quantity A is greater. Question 7 Answer: C. The two quantities are equal. Question 8 Answer: A. Quantity A is greater. Question 9 Answer: C. The two quantities are equal. Question 10 Answer: D:j  k  +  j Question 11 Answer: In question 11 you were asked to enter a fraction. The answer to question 11 is the fraction [pic] one over four. Question 12Answer: The answer to question 12 consists of four of the answer choices. B. $43,350 C. $47,256 D. $51,996 E. $53,808 Question 13 Answer: E. 676,000 Question 14 Answer: E. [pic] s squared m inus p squared Question 15 Answer: B. [pic] k minus 1 Question 16 Answer: B. 110,000 Question 17 Answer: B:3 to 1 Question 18 Answer: E. 1,250 Question 19 Answer: C:948 Question 20 Answer: The answer to question 20 consists of two answer choices. B. Students majoring in either social sciences or physical sciences constitute more than 50 percent of the total enrollment.C. The ratio of the number of males to the number of females in the senior class is less than 2 to 1. Question 21 Answer: B. [pic] 33 and 1 third percent Question 22 Answer: A. 12 Question 23 Answer: D. 4,400 Question 24 Answer: In question 24 you were asked to enter either an integer or a decimal number. The answer to question 24 is 10. Question 25 Answer: The answer to question 25 consists of 5 answer choices. B. 3. 0 C. 3. 5 D. 4. 0 E. 4. 5 F. 5. 0 This is the end of the answer key for Revised GRE Practice Test 1, Section 4.

Good TOEFL Scores for Top Universities

Good TOEFL Scores for Top Universities The TOEFL, or Test of English as a Foreign Language, is designed to measure the English proficiency of non-English speaking people. Many universities require this test for admittance for people who typically speak a language other than English. Although the test isnt necessarily a competitive exam (college admissions officers arent using the scores like they would the GRE or SAT), it is an incredibly important  exam because a good TOEFL score is not subjective.  Among the 8,500 universities that accept TOEFL scores, each university to which you submit your TOEFL score has a published minimum score they accept. There are no, Is my score good enough? worries because universities and colleges publish the absolute minimum scores they will accept on this exam. The TOEFL process is pretty straight-forward. The only reason youd need to retake the test is if you did not make the minimum score requirement of the university or college to which you are thinking of applying.   To find out the minimum TOEFL score requirement for the school to which youre interested in applying, contact the universitys admissions office or check out the website. Each school typically publishes their minimum TOEFL requirements.   Here are a few examples of good TOEFL scores, based on the best universities in the United States. Good TOEFL Scores for Top Public Universities University of California - Berkeley TOEFL iBT: 68TOEFL Paper:570 University of California - Los Angeles TOEFL iBT: 87TOEFL Paper:560 University of Virginia TOEFL iBT: 80TOEFL Paper:550 University of Michigan - Ann Arbor TOEFL iBT: 88 - 106TOEFL Paper: 570 - 610 University of California - Berkeley TOEFL iBT: 79TOEFL Paper:550 Good TOEFL Scores for Top Private Universities Princeton University TOEFL iBT: 108TOEFL Paper: does not typically accept Harvard University TOEFL iBT: 100TOEFL Paper: 600 Yale University TOEFL iBT: 100TOEFL Paper:600 Columbia University TOEFL iBT: 100TOEFL Paper:600 Stanford University TOEFL iBT: 100TOEFL Paper:600 TOEFL Score Info for the Internet-Based Test As you can see from the numbers above, the TOEFL iBT is scored much differently from the paper-based test. Below, you can see the ranges for high, intermediate and low TOEFL scores for the test taken online.   Reading Skills: High: 22-30 points; Intermediate: 15-21 points; Low: 0-14 pointsListening Skills: High: 22-30 points; Intermediate: 14-21 points; Low: 0-13 pointsSpeaking Skills: Good: 3.5-4.0; Fair: 2.5-3.0; Limited: 1.5-2.0; Weak: 0-1.0Writing Skills: Good: 4.0-5.0; Fair: 2.0-3.0; Limited: 1.0-2.0 The Speaking and Writing sections are converted to a 0-30 scale like the Reading and Listening sections. If you add them all together, which is how the scores are tabulated, the highest total score possible you could receive is a 120 on the TOEFL IBT.   TOEFL Score Info for the Paper-Based Test The TOEFL paper test is quite different. Here, scores range from from 31 on the low end to 68 on the highest end of three separate sections. Hence, the highest total score you can hope to achieve is a 677 on the paper-based test.   Listening Comprehension: Score range: 31 (low) - 68 (high)Structure/Written Expression:Score range: 31 (low) - 68 (high)Reading Comprehension: Score range: 31 (low) - 67 (high)Total Score:  Score range: 310 (low) - 677 (high) Boosting Your TOEFL Score If you are on the fringe of getting the TOEFL score you would like, but have taken the test or numerous practice tests, and just arent quite getting to that minimum, then consider using some of these test prep options to help you out. First, figure out which method of test prep suits you best - an app, a book, a tutor, a test prep course or a combination. Then, use the TOEFL Go Anywhere free prep offered by ETS to get started on preparing for this exam the right way.

Free Essays on WOMEN OF THE MIDDLE AGES

â€Å"WOMEN OF THE MIDDLE AGES† Dr. James Pavlin Women of the Middle Ages Many argue and assume that the position of women hardly changed throughout the Middle Ages. According to various researchers and historians, there was definitely some form of a revolution toward the female sex. Up until the twelfth century, women were ignored in literature. Either they were briefly mentioned in passing, or they were used to describe subservient status. They had no say in marriage issues and were unable to inherit any possessions. Many other restrictions prohibited women to have many of the rights and freedoms males were able to exercise and enjoy. According to Jo Ann McNamara and Suzanne F. Wemple, â€Å"Women were able to ensure their independence within the limits of whatever social sphere they occupied by their control of some property of their own† (Sherman 145). This proves that the lives of the women of the Middle Ages had greatly improved from previous centuries. All though many aspects of their lives seemed to be changing for the better, there was always that one that would place a restraint on the women of that society. This minor restraint was social class. Social status influenced the sort of life a medieval woman might lead. Many women either belonged to the upper class, referred to as the urban patriciate class, or to the lower class, named the artisan class. The women who belonged to the urban patriciate were very isolated from society and were by far, the most economically dependent. As widows, these women were given the right to inherit property, sign contracts, and were able to sue anyone in court, on their own behalf. The patrician widows were able to become investors, unlike the women of the artisan class. All though of a lower social status, the roles of women among the artisan class were equally important to the society of the Middle Ages. Among the interdependent peasant communities, medieval coun... Free Essays on WOMEN OF THE MIDDLE AGES Free Essays on WOMEN OF THE MIDDLE AGES â€Å"WOMEN OF THE MIDDLE AGES† Dr. James Pavlin Women of the Middle Ages Many argue and assume that the position of women hardly changed throughout the Middle Ages. According to various researchers and historians, there was definitely some form of a revolution toward the female sex. Up until the twelfth century, women were ignored in literature. Either they were briefly mentioned in passing, or they were used to describe subservient status. They had no say in marriage issues and were unable to inherit any possessions. Many other restrictions prohibited women to have many of the rights and freedoms males were able to exercise and enjoy. According to Jo Ann McNamara and Suzanne F. Wemple, â€Å"Women were able to ensure their independence within the limits of whatever social sphere they occupied by their control of some property of their own† (Sherman 145). This proves that the lives of the women of the Middle Ages had greatly improved from previous centuries. All though many aspects of their lives seemed to be changing for the better, there was always that one that would place a restraint on the women of that society. This minor restraint was social class. Social status influenced the sort of life a medieval woman might lead. Many women either belonged to the upper class, referred to as the urban patriciate class, or to the lower class, named the artisan class. The women who belonged to the urban patriciate were very isolated from society and were by far, the most economically dependent. As widows, these women were given the right to inherit property, sign contracts, and were able to sue anyone in court, on their own behalf. The patrician widows were able to become investors, unlike the women of the artisan class. All though of a lower social status, the roles of women among the artisan class were equally important to the society of the Middle Ages. Among the interdependent peasant communities, medieval coun...

Formatting Book Titles in the Digital Age

Formatting Book Titles in the Digital Age Formatting Book Titles in the Digital Age Formatting Book Titles in the Digital Age By Maeve Maddox A reader wonders why he is seeing book titles presented in all capitals: Ive even seen publishers and editors do it, so I started thinking maybe I was misinformed. Typing book titles in all caps is a peculiarity of the publishing industry. According to The Chicago Manual of Style, the practice originated in the days of the typewriter when titles that are now easily italicized on a computer had to be underscored; typing the title in all caps for industry correspondence and interdepartmental memos saved time. The all-caps practice has continued into the digital age, perhaps because early email programs transformed italics into gibberish; typing titles in all capitals insured that they would be readable. Most of today’s email programs handle italics perfectly well, but the practice persists. Many sites offering advice to writers recommend the all-caps approach when corresponding with publishers and agents. Here’s an example from a model query letter on the Writer’s Digest site: I’m currently seeking representation for my YA [Young Adult] novel, FALLS THE SHADOW. Given your interest in science fiction, I thought it might be a good fit for your list. CMOS does not approve, not even for email. Their recommendation â€Å"when italic type is unavailable† is to type an underscore at the beginning of the title and another at the end of the title, as in this example: When I first read _The History of the Siege of Lisbon_, I was so grateful to discover a book about a proofreader that Saramago’s hypnotic stringing together of sentences nearly sent me into an ecstatic trance. Here is the CMOS stance on the formatting of titles of creative works: 1. The titles of novels, long poems, movies, and television series are italicized. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (a novel) Flowers for Algernon (a novella, but still long enough to warrant an italicized title) Paradise Lost (a poem of about 10,000 lines) Enoch Arden (a poem of about 900 lines) To Have and Have Not (a movie) Downton Abbey (a television series) 2. The titles of short stories, short poems, songs, chapter titles, and television episodes are enclosed in double quotation marks. â€Å"Lucy Looks into a Wardrobe† (chapter title from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe) â€Å"Ulysses† (short poem of 73 lines) â€Å"Deus ex Machina† (episode title of television series Person of Interest) â€Å"When You Wish upon a Star† (song) Note: British usage prefers single quotation marks (e.g., ‘Ulysses’). As with certain other matters concerning mechanics, The Associated Press Stylebook does not concur with CMOS. AP style recommends enclosing the titles of all of the following in quotation marks: books computer games movies operas plays poems albums songs radio and television programs lectures speeches works of art AP does not enclose the following works in quotation marks: the Bible catalogs almanacs directories dictionaries encyclopedias gazetteers handbooks software programs As with apostrophe use, it’s up to the writer to choose a style guide to follow. Writers in search of publication are probably wise to do as the Romans do. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Yours faithfully or Yours sincerely?Confused Words #3: Lose, Loose, Loss"Wracking" or "Racking" Your Brain?

US minority Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

US minority Politics - Essay Example This term usually gets used negatively and gets associated with race based prejudice, discrimination, violence or oppression (Bonilla 63). US politics gets affected by the way citizens have continued to view themselves racially through the years. This in turn affects them socially, economically, and, culturally. Racial theories Racism began way back in the 19th century when many scientists began to believe that human populations got divided into separate races. At this time, the idea of racism had fully matured (Spielberger 59). They used this to justify the belief that some races were less than others and deserved to get differential treatment. This theory got termed as the scientific racism. Scientific racism is a technique or hypotheses used to classify individuals into different phenotypes into discrete races or ethnicities. There is also proof that in the 18th century race existed. It became invented to magnify the differences between people during the American slavery (Egelman 46). They used this to get Africans to function as slaves. Authority at this time got based on reason rather than superstition or religion. The scientific racism got further supported by a German professor who created a science called craniology. This tried to use shape and dimensions of human skulls to measure intelligent ratios. He came up with the conclusion that the shape of the human skull limited his capacity for intelligence. He then placed the European at the top of all the civilized beings (Balogh 105). Another theory of racism is institutional racism. This is the treating certain groups preferentially or withholding benefits to certain groups based on racial characteristics gets institutionalized. It takes into account the belief that humans get divided into separate biological entities called races (Karim and Solomos 78). This causes people to think that inherited physical traits, traits of personality, morality, intellect, and other cultural behavioral features are linke d. Institutional racism gets displayed in nation states that become grounded in the racist ideology. This played a crucial role in colonialist times. It also came into picture in the fascist and Nazi regimes in Europe. The Marxist theory is the most common theory of racism. Racism directed towards African Americans, and other people of color has been the key and continuing feature of the U.S society. Its forms have changed from the obvious maltreatment to indirect inequalities. It is this sector of people that experience the highest rates of life expectancies, infant mortality rates, unemployment, poverty rates and stereotypes in the mass media. This outlines the Marxist theory that states that racism serves the interests of capitalist or employer class. This gets done by dividing black and white workers reducing their potential unity thus bargaining power (Egelman 120). The fact that the colored people in society suffer most injustices of life clearly shows that the Marxist class s ystem still carries through. Much of the social analysis that focuses on the inequalities and injustices in the U.S society has become influenced by the ideas of Karl Marx. There are jobs which get reserved for the whites who control production, capital and continually try to increase their profits. There are also psychological theories, which argue that, racism is a form of prejudice on the extreme. Psychologists also argue that it is an expression of the psychological process

WHAT IS FEMINISM AND HOW MIGHT IT INFORM POLITICAL ANALYSIS Essay

WHAT IS FEMINISM AND HOW MIGHT IT INFORM POLITICAL ANALYSIS - Essay Example Having identified and adopted as basic, the need for a greater recognition of the woman, certain grey areas still exist among feminist. Issues like roots of inequality, best approach to attain equality, the criterion or criteria to serve as basis for evaluating gender related issues, probably all of these differences emanate from increasing pressures for women to be aligned to traditions which may have originated as a result of the male dominated society. A particular school of thought with liberal inclinations believe that both sexes should be considered as equals socially, socio-politically and economically, without regards to whatever differences there might be when physiological analyses are made. The elimination of a society where certain groups dominate as elites is the driving force behind certain radical feminists. Still there are the modern feminists whose primary concern is centered on the right of women on the integrity and autonomy of their bodies as pertaining reproducti ve health rights that incorporates abortion rights, contraceptives use right maternity cares etc; rights of women at workplace that entails the right to maternity leave and equal pay; the right to be protected from violence within and outside a domestic relationship such as wife battering, sexual harassment and rape, ultimately encompassing all other kinds of discriminations that arise as a result of gender differences. With feminism, the advocates, through grass root mobilization intend to cross boundaries that are based on social status, race culture and religion, with the definition of an effective feminist movement as one that deals with issues which are universally recognized as detrimental to the women folk consisting of rape, prostitution and incest while at the same time addressing issues which may not be obtainable everywhere at the same time like Bureaucracies that seeks to impede the advancement of women beyond certain levels in the corporate world, as it obtains in the w est, female "circumcision" otherwise known as female genital mutilation observable in parts of Africa, and the middle-east. Feminists also abhor the scenario where women are viewed primarily as sexual objects neither do they appreciate patriarchy (2) and oppression against women (3) the core of the different kinds of feminism that obtained today is, the general well being of the women that takes into consideration their rights, interests and every other issue as it relates to them. The different feminist types have advanced different ideologies. Egalitarian and protectionist distinctions in feminism has been postulated by certain feminist who argue that while equality of both male and female gender is the primary pursuit of egalitarian feminism, the use of legal means to shield women against abuses such as masculinist (4) employment and divorce laws. Yet there are other schools of thought among feminist with a more radical approach who believe there is no clear cut distinction in fe minism and argue that without a legal framework in the first place egalitarian feminism would fail considering that it would need the law for a successful campaign. Within the radical feminist, advocates of separatism have also been observed whose major campaign thrust is the complete separation of human beings in the society based on gender differences. The definition and classification of a human being along gender lines is seen by yet another class of feminist as constructions of the society.

Discrimination Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discrimination - Article Example Actually, the word justice was originated from the Greek word ‘polis’ which has greatly been altered from its real sense. It was a gradual development that the concept of justice became the inevitable part of moral ideals beyond its mere political meaning. The key point that the writer puts forward is that all citizens must be ensured justice irrespective their class, strength, or ethnicity. However, reverse discrimination obviously ignores the majority groups while it attempts to favor the unwanted groups like the black. Apart from it, if some ethnic groups such as Americans, Indians, Chicanos, are to be considered as low classes the concept of minority seems to be the creation of ethnic groups. The term equality in legal perspective has less importance in the reverse discrimination concept. The writer wants to specify that the law must consider all citizens equal regardless of their wealth and talent, or ethnicity. In addition, the weaker sections should be equally considered by the law by means of special privilege; and they can not be considered as unwanted segments of the society. However, the writer does not purport a specific alternative to reverse discrimination which would preserve equality and justice in their true

Aboriginal youth gangs Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Aboriginal youth gangs - Term Paper Example ently so violent in nature, the manner of recruitment and the preventive programs taken up by civil society and governments alike to weed away impressionable youth from this menace. Data shows that there are approximately 800-1000 aboriginal gangs operating in the Prairie Provinces in Canada. (Totten Mark, 2009) The regions of Saskatchewan, Manitoba and British Columbia also have a significant presence of aboriginal gangs. Most members of these gangs are below 17 with 22% of these being aborigines. (Totten Mark, 2008) Police statistics show that between 1992 and 2001, criminal activity in the Saskatchewan area showed a significant increase by 17%. (FSIN, 2003) The gangs currently operating in this region include Indian Posse and Redd Alert who in turn keep their chain of command active by supplying its members with regular supply of marijuana and cocaine. Redd Alertt traces its origins to an organized prison gang in Edmonton back in the 90’s. (Totten Mark, 2008).These gangs have now spread to other parts of Canada including Vancouver, Okanagan and Winnipeg. Studies have shown that there is definitely a hierarchical structure to these gangs. There are smaller street gangs which indulge in spontaneous activity and acts of vandalism. These members are also recruited by the more organized higher criminal organization. The aboriginal gangs have however a fluid structure with no real core ideals except that the new recruit would have to prove his capabilities satisfactorily to the leader. (Totten Mark, 2008).The new gang member is judged and placed in the hierarchical structure based on the amount of cash he can bring or graver the degree of violence he can commit. The one who started the gang in most cases would be leader and would be assisted by his key associates on whom he has considerable trust. The gang has both the Hard-Core members and the Active members. (Totten Mark, 2008).While the hard-core members indulge in serious violent acts between rival gangs, the

Specific heat capacity laboratory Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Specific heat capacity laboratory - Assignment Example substance by 1 degree which is obtained through the equation Q = m*C*∆T where ‘m’ refers to the mass of material, C is the specific heat and ∆T is the change of temperature. ∆T in Kelvins is the same in magnitude as ∆T in Celsius, hence, the specific heat for water may also be reported as 4.18 J/g-Â °C. Because the specific heat values for a given substance can vary slightly with temperature, the temperature is often precisely specified. (3) Record the initial temperature of water prior to heating. Switch on the electric kettle and note down temperature reading measured after every 15 seconds until the instant is reached when the water starts boiling. The units for the special heat capacity based on C = Q / (m∆T) is J kg-1K-1 and by mere inspection, the rated power consumption of the kettle is 2200 Watts (or JÂ ·s-1). Thus, the maximum amount of energy that the kettle can be expected to transfer to the water over a period of 15 seconds is 33,000 Joules which is the product of power consumed and time elapsed. Actual energy transfer may be less than this amount due to the energy lost through heating the kettle itself, the surrounding air, and even the noise which take up some dissipated heat in the process. Assuming complete energy transfer with a 100% efficient kettle, 2200*(t) = (200 grams)*(4.2 J g-1Â °C-1)*(100Â °C - 10Â °C) gives t = 34.36 seconds or the time it would take to get a 200-gram water to boil. The indicated form y = 0.462x + 27.34 translates to T = 0.462*t + 27.34. Clearly, the graph is a straight line, which plateaus at ~ 100 Â °C while the gradient remains constant (linear) with time until it reaches the boiling point. Slope approaches zero or gradient flattens when the kettle is boiling. The gradient of this graph is the specific heat capacity of water 4610 J*kg-1K-1 or 4.61 J*g-1K-1(using the data points. Apparently, this makes an overestimate when compared to literature value of 4.2 J*g-1K-1 due to energy dissipation in the

Interest of Tree Growth along the Tagliamen River Statistics Project

Interest of Tree Growth along the Tagliamen River - Statistics Project Example Site A was the furthest upstream site, with the other sites following in an alphabetical order to the seventh, site G. Measurements were taken in two sessions; the first in 2005 and the second in 2010. 140 measurements were taken in each of the two sessions. The average tree height was 304.75 cm (std. dev. = 28.67), with the tallest being 407cm and the shortest 247 cm. The average trunk diameter for the 180 trees was 2.12 (std. dev. = 0.55), with the thickest being 5.0 cm and the thinnest 1.1 cm. The average number of annual growth rings was 8.38 (std. dev. = 3.38); the maximum is 20 and the minimum 3. Based on the ‘river data’, measurements of the various components of the river’s waters were done between the 65th and 90th years. The 90th year had the most measurements, with 19 (6.8%) occurring in that year. The 71st year had the least number of measurements (1, 0.4) recorded. Through the years, June and November recorded the lowest number of measurements taken ( 20, comprising 7.2% for each) while July and December recorded the highest number (26, comprising 9.3% for each). Most measurements were taken on the 1st day of any month (96, translating to 34.4%) while none were taken on the 21st and 25th days. The average depth of the water in the river was 0.389m (std. dev. = 0.147), with the deepest measurement taken at 0.782m and the shallowest 0.036m. The average discharge rate was 10.663m3/s (std. dev. = 4.203), with the highest rate reported at 22.653m3/s and the lowest at 3.751 m3/s. The research sought to investigate the research question: is there the significant positive correlation between the depth of water in the river and the rate of discharge reported? Correlation analysis was undertaken. The test hypothesis is: The Pearson correlation coefficient was statistically significant (Ï  = 0.764, p < 0.001). The null hypothesis was rejected at the 5% level of significance.  

Specific heat capacity laboratory Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Specific heat capacity laboratory - Assignment Example substance by 1 degree which is obtained through the equation Q = m*C*∆T where ‘m’ refers to the mass of material, C is the specific heat and ∆T is the change of temperature. ∆T in Kelvins is the same in magnitude as ∆T in Celsius, hence, the specific heat for water may also be reported as 4.18 J/g-Â °C. Because the specific heat values for a given substance can vary slightly with temperature, the temperature is often precisely specified. (3) Record the initial temperature of water prior to heating. Switch on the electric kettle and note down temperature reading measured after every 15 seconds until the instant is reached when the water starts boiling. The units for the special heat capacity based on C = Q / (m∆T) is J kg-1K-1 and by mere inspection, the rated power consumption of the kettle is 2200 Watts (or JÂ ·s-1). Thus, the maximum amount of energy that the kettle can be expected to transfer to the water over a period of 15 seconds is 33,000 Joules which is the product of power consumed and time elapsed. Actual energy transfer may be less than this amount due to the energy lost through heating the kettle itself, the surrounding air, and even the noise which take up some dissipated heat in the process. Assuming complete energy transfer with a 100% efficient kettle, 2200*(t) = (200 grams)*(4.2 J g-1Â °C-1)*(100Â °C - 10Â °C) gives t = 34.36 seconds or the time it would take to get a 200-gram water to boil. The indicated form y = 0.462x + 27.34 translates to T = 0.462*t + 27.34. Clearly, the graph is a straight line, which plateaus at ~ 100 Â °C while the gradient remains constant (linear) with time until it reaches the boiling point. Slope approaches zero or gradient flattens when the kettle is boiling. The gradient of this graph is the specific heat capacity of water 4610 J*kg-1K-1 or 4.61 J*g-1K-1(using the data points. Apparently, this makes an overestimate when compared to literature value of 4.2 J*g-1K-1 due to energy dissipation in the

Operations Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Operations Strategy - Essay Example For instance, it is not only enough to focus the whole energy of an organization on production activities, but considering that there are existing processes in the business world as it continuously evolves, other aspects need to be substantially focused and even strategic actions have to be implemented. History The existence of business itself paves way to the formulation of operations strategy. Businesses ended up to the creation of business strategies. These led to the formulation of effective operations strategies (Waters, 1999). Businesses have to function efficiently and this is the reason why strategies are necessary to be integrated with the whole business operation. In fact, this is evident on how the United States’ business evolved over time. The evolution of business policy and management started between 1930 and 1960 as highly influenced by American dominance in the global market (Amatori & Jones, 2003). It is during this period that business was considered as an is olated American subdiscipline. During this time, the United States has become one of the leading countries that introduced business sophistication into the world. This resulted to significant innovation and major changes how the business including its operations was conducted. Throughout history, businesses evolved and primarily this is sped up by the onset of globalization in the modern business world. In globalization, there is increasing interdependence between national systems through different aspects including trade, military alliance, domination and cultural imperialism (Waters, 2001). It is not surprising therefore that the business world has significant changes over time due to the fact that interdependence between nations existed. This includes maximization of resources and operation. This is the very reason why business has become international and has turned into a good opportunity for international organizations to maximize their operations and resources. As the effect, each organization that tries to compete with each other is trying to create competitive strategies for their competitive advantage (Porter, 1990). For instance, marketing strategies existed and companies are after of stimulating needs not just relying purely on production oriented operation approach (Boone & Kurtz, 2006; Kotler et al., 1999). In short, the need for operations strategy is necessary in order to compete. The need for innovation is not just on producing new service or product offerings, but there is substantial consideration on business operation approach in which strategies are become its integral parts in the process. In other words, as business itself evolved, its corresponding operation which has been an integral part in its existence has also become so involved with business strategic formulation. This is in line with the creation of competitive advantage due to spiraling growth of competition everywhere most especially that the world has become so compressed when it comes to interdependence in trade. Thus, every organization is expected to formulate their very own operation strategies in order to sustain their ventures and even maximize their full advantage in their respective industries. Relevance It is important to understand that the relevance of operations strategy at present can be traced back to how business has substantially evolved. Operations element of a business

Choose the Right Path in Life Essay Example for Free

Choose the Right Path in Life Essay Damion Booker is a 6’5 point guard from Rialto, California that is supposedly the best point guard since Magic Johnson. Magic Johnson was an incredible athlete he was versatile, had basketball IQ, he averaged a double double, and most of all a leader on the court. Damion Booker followed those same exact aspects. Damion Booker was the first round draft pick and was drafted to Los Angles Hokies and previously went to Rialto State University (RSU). Damion Booker majored in Business and had a GPA of 3. 9. Not only did he have great athleticism and skill, he was intelligent. He made honor roll every year and challenged himself more and more. Every teacher loved him and was very popular around campus. He was also involved in many activities such as karate, played piano, and volunteered at a senior citizen home a couple of hours every summer break. While being involved in many activities he met a guy named Elijah Hearth. Elijah Hearth was a good friend, but also a troublemaker. In addition, while Damion Booker was hanging out with his friend Elijah Hearth he met a new agent and felt he was fit for the job. His first agent was unreliable and not trustworthy. A few days later Damion Booker got a call saying there was an NBA Lockout while at home. His agent said he didn’t have an idea when the new season was going to begin. He was very shocked and heartbroken, He couldn’t believe it. Damion Booker had to find some way to make money so he decided to own a business that he’s been attempting since he was a senior in college. Damion Booker was bored so he became more involved. A few weeks later his resteraunt opened it was named Damion Booker Palace. He made big bucks and had a lot of money. As a result, he became very cocky in everything he did. It took a lot of his time to owning that restaurant. He took time away from basketball to put in work to own the Palace. He had earned money twice as fast as regular people who started their business. For most people it takes years to own a business, but for Damion Booker it took him a month. The background behind that was that he made this special sauce that attracted people all over the world. Damion Booker made a tasty, scrumptious sauce that was called the Damion Cold Killer Pasta Sauce. It was supposedly the best sauce nationwide and it’s the bestseller at Damion Palace. It attracted wild, bizarre eaters like Andrew Zimmern. The pasta sauce was so good Andrew Zimmern said it was the best pasta he ever tasted. As a result, to the Cold Killer Pasta Sauce it did have a secret ingredient. The secret ingredient was this famous pepper that came from Peruvia. It was called the Peruvian Puff Pepper. The Puff Pepper had this special flavor that made ingredients spicier and more flavorful. The sauce also had extra amounts of salt and other excessive ingredient but the extra salt and the puff peppers are the ones that made the sauce taste better and more addicting. The sauce became so addicting that it made skinny people fat and the fat people become fatter. The sauce is sort of in comparison to a big mac from McDonald’s. Lots of people bought it and it was very addicting. The Puff Pepper had a special element that made you beg for more and more. Damions Palace put many businesses on bankrupt because of how good their specialty was. The only business that remained standing were McDonald’s, Jack in the Box, Carls Jr, Taco Bell, Applebee’s, Panda Express, and Denny’s but th ey were losing the average customers because Damion Palace was taking over because of their special pasta sauce. They were also losing money to in which that was a bad thing and tried putting more advertisements onto TV commercials, radios, billboards, and blimps. People didn’t care to much about the advertisement of TV commercials, blimps, billboards, and radios all the people cared about was Damions Palace and their special pasta sauce. Damion Booker came up with the idea on one boring weekend and decided to cook. All of a sudden, he came up with making pasta sauce because that was his mother’s favorite thing to eat while she was young and she would make it on special occasions. He went into his cabinet and pulled things such seasonings such as salt and pepper, and all kinds of sauces that his mom had stored. Then, Damion pulled out a bowl and started mixing a concoction. He tasted a couple of mixes and didn’t like them to well. After a couple of more mixes he tasted a delightful sauce that he believed tasted quite amusing. They didn’t have much because they Damion’s mom didn’t make much money. They weren’t poor but they weren’t fortunate. After tasting the sauce he knew he was going to become successful in the future. While doing this he realized he needed a backup plan for when the NBA comes out of its lockout. His backup was to have his brother take over Damion Palace when the NBA lockout ends. By the time Damion got settled to being a business owner the lockout had ended and it was time for Damion to start basketball again. The first couple of weeks the Palace ran very smoothly. At one point they had more customers than ever recorded. Damion was getting settled with basketball and his brother was taking over the best restaurant in the nation. Life couldn’t get any better for the Booker family! As life ran smoothly they became extremely arrogant until a fire burned down the Palace. Damion was gloomy and felt like a complete failure, but still confident. Although the palace burned down, Damion didn’t know the place was burned down until the all-star break he checked in and called his brother to ask how the restaurant was running. Damion brother told him the place got burned down. Damion was furious! Damion’s Brother didn’t want to interfere with Damion’s basketball career. Their relationship was corrupted and didn’t talk to one another for a long time. They constantly would argue and have many quarrelsome disagreements. When The Bookers lost their restaurant, they became unfortunate again and were very depressed. Their family began to go on corners and beg for money for a living but not for very long. They were going through some tough times but they always overcome the tough situations. By the time the Bookers started making more money Damion had started preseason basketball with the Los Angles Hokies. He was a star on his team like the whole world already suspected. To modern times Damion Booker came to the NBA similar to Kyrie Irving. Kyrie Irving was a first round draft pick and immediately became a star in the NBA. Life became good for Damion Booker again he was getting fame and publicity. He was getting so much fame and publicity that he acted as if he forgot that his own restaurant got burned down and started treating his family very well. He started to be in magazines, commercials, and on the internet. Damion Booker became the face of basketball and more importantly the face of Rookies. Overtime Damion Booker became cocky bad things begin to happened to him again. Damion booker was going for a slam dunk on a fast break and hurt his ankle. He was on the ground for 10 minutes and couldn’t get up. He felt paralyzed and the medical staff had to pick Damion up put him on a stretcher. The next day he went to the doctor and they told him he had a ruptured Achilles tendon and that he will never be able to play basketball again. Damion Booker was upset because basketball was his life and if you took basketball away from him it was like taking his life away. Basketball was his Life! He played it almost every day and whenever he had the time. On the offseason of when Damion was in college he would always go to the park and have pickup games. He would dominate and win almost every single game. Damion didn’t want to listen to the doctors. He refused to listen to anything they said. Damion was going to come back and play in the NBA regardless if they said he could or couldn’t. The network technician believed that he was going to be out for his career and so did the whole world. Unbelievably Two months later, Damion stepped on the court and the nation was shocked. It was a remarkable return and on his debut from returning he had twenty- two points, six assists, and five rebounds. People knew this kid was special because nobody had ever recovered from a ruptured Achilles tendon and also because of how fast he recovered from his injury. Later, he got rookie of the year and averaged 18 points a game and became cocky again. In Addition, to Damion getting cocky after he won rookie of the year he began to get caught and this time he was messed up for life. He started getting influenced by his friends and thinking he was better than everyone in the world. That same night he won rookie of the year Damion went out partying with his friend. There was drugs and alcohol that he got into that just completely messed up his mindset. He started missing several practices, get to the team room late, disrespect the coaches, and many other things that got him into some trouble. Also, his numbers dropped, and appeared always tired. Instead of Damion averaging 18 points a game coming from the injury he averaged about 8 points a game. As he kept doing these actions they noticed a drastic change and ordered Damion to take a drug test. A couple days later the team got the results and he failed the drug test. After they got the results the Hokies released him to free agency and no other team wanted him. He realized he made a mistake and started to feel depressed. As a result, he got kicked out of the NBA and felt so lost he committed suicide.

Theatre Of The Absurd And The Homecoming English Literature Essay

Theatre Of The Absurd And The Homecoming English Literature Essay Firstly, to substantially answer the question above, it is indeed imperative to present a definition of absurdist theatre by which to draw comparisons from, to successfully evaluate Harold Pinters The Homecoming as a representative example. It should initially be brought to the attention of the reader that absurdist theatre in effect does not present a typical definition or strict rules or guidelines from which to conform, for example, a piece of play script to. However, there is an interpretation that has been most famously noted by Martin Esslin in his Theatre of the Absurd, from which he puts this term into some context of understanding, influenced from the French philosopher Albert Camus, in his Myth of Sisyphus, written in 1942. (Culik 2000). For example, Esslin in his Theatre of the Absurd comments on the use of the word Absurd describing its original meaning as out of harmony in a musical context. (Worthen 2004 p 907 -10) However, he hones in on Camus use of the word, which is used in the understanding of absurdist theatre that has a completely different notion behind it. For example, Ionesco defines this notion as, Absurd is that which is devoid of purpose Cut off from his religious, metaphysical, and transcende ntal roots, man is lost; all his actions become senseless, absurd, useless. (Worthen 2004 p 907 -10) Thus, the most central theme to Absurdist Theatre is awareness of this lack of purpose in all we do [and how this] produces a state of metaphysical anguish. (Ray 2005) Furthermore, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, the Theatre of the Absurd; the term essentially coined by Martin Esslin in his critical work, as mentioned above; defines the understanding that The Theatre of the Absurd strives to express its sense of senselessness of the human condition and the inadequacy of the rational approach by the open abandonment of rational devices and discursive thought. (OED 2010) Esslin continues to comment, in his study of Theatre of the Absurd, on the disorientating quality of [the] plays (Worthen 2004 p 907 -10) that are commonly grouped into the genre of absurd, and how so many established criticshave condemned the [absurdist plays] for [their] lack of plot, development, characterisation, suspense or plain common sense. (Worthen 2004 p 907 -10) Specifically Esslin uses Samuel Becketts Waiting for Godot as an example to demonstrate that those in society that are unsophisticated enough t o come to the theatre without any preconceived notions and ready-made expectations (Worthen 2004 p 907 -10) about a performance were thus able to look past the nonsense or mystification (Worthen 2004 p 907 -10) of these types of plays and find meaning and understanding in them, rather than their seemingly impertinent and outrageous imposture (Worthen 2004 p 907 -10). In terms of language, the Theatre of the Absurd, tends toward[s] a radical devaluation of language (Worthen 2004 p 907 -10), in other words reducing the value of language that logically, plays are so heavily reliant on. However, this is not to say that language is completely disregarded, because in fact it is not, its function is more poignantly used to contradict the action of the character voicing the lines. In terms of its historical context, Theatre of the Absurd has emanated from the avant-garde movements in art from the period of the 1920s 30s, originating from Paris. Yet, probably more central to its rise was the traumatic horror experienced from World War II. Furthermore, around this time the beginning of the loss of religious significance and dependence in peoples lives highlighted the opposite of purpose and meaning to life, alongside the resonating realisation of the uncertainty of life. As a consequence the Theatre of the Absurd aimed to present an anti- theatre, to reflect as the world was beginning to tear apart, with its morals, conventions and values, so too must theatre evolve out of its traditionalism and become surreal, illogical, conflictless and plotless. (Culik 2000). On first appearances Pinters The Homecoming, seems to fit the theory of the Theatre of the Absurd. It initially presents the reader with an absurd setting, whereby the back wall has been removed. The stage action is juxtaposed against the ridiculous language that seems to be discursive the character Max, seems to pass aimlessly between subject after subject. It almost satirises how language is the key to communication. However, the dialogue seems ridiculous with the stage action contradicting the words that are said by the characters. For example, Max says to Lenny: Dont you talk to me like that. Im warning you (Worthen 2004 p. 764) the understanding of the language implies Max aggressive attitude and embodiment, yet the stage action suggest a complete juxtaposition (He sits in large arm chair) (Worthen 2004 p. 764). Furthermore, the absurd dialogue exchanged by the principle protagonist Max seems to be shocking and the ability to comprehend impossible, thus adhering to the illogical sense instilled in absurdist language. He talks about his wife in a negative and oppressive tone, it made me sick just to look at her rotten stinking face, she wasnt such a bad bitch. (Worthen 2004 p.764) Lennys reaction seems to be completely oblivious to his fathers statement about his mother. Instead of the words he hears, its as if he hears irritating noise being expelled from Maxs mouth and wants him to be quiet. To add to the absurdity of the two characters we are presented with Max talks about himself in a manner that is bizarre, your lousy filthy father (Worthen 2004 p.764). The expression of this senselessness and repetitive discursive trend throughout the whole play creates an incomprehensible illusion that understandably baffles its audiences and readers. More so, in terms of language, the play adheres to the illogical trend absurdist theatre expresses, through the representation of the characters Teddy and Ruth. They are married, yet Teddy is not fazed in the slightest as his brothers start to have sexual relations with his wife. For example, Lenny says to Joey in front of Teddy, You didnt get all the way and youve had her up there for two hours! (Worthen 2004 p782). This ludicrous behaviour stimulates an even more baffling realisation for readers and audiences, as they begin to understand the senselessness of the human condition that Absurdist theatre seeks to express. Furthermore, the incomprehensible expression of language strengthens even more so towards the end of the play. This is where we see the family, excluding Teddy; gravitate towards Teddys wife Ruth, wanting her to stay in the household. Their objective for her is to turn her into a whore. This may be an act to replace the previous matriarch of the family, Jessie, who wa s both a mother and a whore. Teddys distinct separation from the meaning of the dialogue depicts the open abandonment of rational devices, as he decides that it is okay to leave his wife there. However, in opposition to the statement above, it is easy to see that Pinters The homecoming does reflect the trends of Absurdist theatre, yet something more new and exciting is emerging that does not just restrict itself to this category/genre. For example, throughout the play we can see the heavy mix of influence from the realist and absurdist genres that dominate the majority of the play. This juxtaposition reflected in the setting, exposes side by side everyday domesticity with a subtle undercurrent of animalistic violence (Gin 2008). Francis Grin, in his book Pinters Stage, A New Genre argues that if you read Pinters play without the already existent framework (Gin 2008) of realist and absurdist theatre, then you will discover the text for what it truly is, an entirely new kind of dramaturgy (Gin 2008). Gin continues to argue that Pinters play needs to be looked through an independent framework (Gin 2008)to discover the unique Pinteresque style of theatre e (Gin 2008). In addition Gins unique insight into this genre, and more specifically Pinters The Homecoming, allows a more comprehensive understanding to be gained from the seemingly incomprehensible read. For example, Gin clearly sees that Pinter creates a rhythm and tempo (Gin 2008) which mimics the strange patterns of real life dialogue, but allow[ing] the terrorto hit home as the spectator fills the Pinteresque pause with their own subjective imagination. (Gin 2008). It is true that the play is fragmented with what seems to be a burdenful amount of pauses. This in itself does not constitute the play being placed into an absurdist category, but more so into Pinters very own category. As (Bradshaw 2004) states, The characters speech, hesitations, and pauses reveal not only their own alienation and the difficulties they have in communicating but also the many layers of meaning that can be contained in even the most innocuous statements. (Bradshaw 2004) Theatre Critic Molly Flatt, also has an inspiring perspective on Pinters play that suggests there is much more to the play than just containing it to two genres of theatre form (absurdist/realist). She describes it as a dark, funny and recognizable portrait of 1970s masculinity (Flatt 2008) until another character Teddy the prodigal son (Flatt 2008) returns with his wife Ruth, whom disrupts the stage action from awkward to disconcertingly bizarre. (Flatt 2008) Indeed this is reflective of the theatre of the absurd with its naturalistic setting and dialogue (Flatt 2008) infused with the undercurrent of dim, bleak [domestic] horror (Flatt 2008). However its surrealism allows us to [capture] what is great and wacky and wrong and sincere that we understand what is human. (Flatt 2008) As Pinter himself states that there are many truths that seek to challenge, recoil, reflect, ignore, tease each other [and so on] (Flatt 2008) yet we never truly hold truth in our hands for more than a momen t. (Flatt 2008) In conclusion I think that it is clear Pinter is heavily influenced by the avant-garde and absurdist movements, yet his brilliance in making such weird and wonderful plays does not just lie in these genres, but in something that he has truly made unique and as Gin comments completely created an entirely new dramaturgy. Yes it is clear to see the influences of surrealism, realism and absurdist theatre in his work, especially in The Homecoming, but to what extent it is a representative example of Absurdist Theatre, would be to oversimplify Pinters work. Therefore, after studying the text it would be indecent not to acknowledge the influence of absurdist theatre, but also not to acknowledge Pinters the homecoming is ambivalent in [its] plot, presentation of characterbut [are also] works of undeniable power and originality. (Bradshaw 2004).

The Environmental Lobby and Voting Trends in the United States Essay

The Environmental Lobby and Voting Trends in the United States The environmental movement in the United States has typically focused its resources on public education, legislative lobbying and litigation. However, the movement’s success in the latter two is highly dependent on the quality and character of elected officials. Successful public education on behalf of the environment translates into greater environmentalist electoral success. This paper discusses national trends that impact and influence the environmental lobby’s ability to achieve favorable electoral results, and the manner in which the lobby has responded to those trends. Overall, the American public is receptive to environmentalism, but the political realm is crowded with many competing interests, and the environmental lobby has not yet found a reliable means of influencing electoral politics for the benefit of its policy preferences. Republican Voters The majority of all Republicans support some kind of federal environmental spending, either status quo or increased spending. The majority of all self-identified conservatives also support some kind of environmental spending. A visible gap in preferences regarding the amount of federal environmental spending exists between strongly and less strongly self-identified Republicans and this gap appears to have increased in the more polarized political world after 1994. Support for decreased environmental spending spikes significantly between strong Republicans and all other groups. The difference between weak Republicans and strong Republicans is about 10 percentage points. These differences between strong Republicans and all other groups including weak Republicans indicate that support for decreased en... ... Valtin, Tom. â€Å"After the Election: A More Visible Battlefield† Nov 6, 2002. Sieraclub.org/scoop/midterm_election.asp. Accessed 12/3/03 â€Å"A Big Fight for a Small Pocket of Voters in Colorado.† Nov 4, 2002. Online NewsHour. Pbs.org/newshour/vote2002/races/co. Accessed 12/3/03 Allard/Strickland Senate Debate. Oct. 4, 2002. rmpbs.org/campaign2002/debate_as.html#ads. Accessed 12/3/03 â€Å"Battle for the Senate.† Pbs.org/newshour/bb/congress/july-dec02/Colorado. Accessed 12/3/03 â€Å"Colorado Up For Grabs.† PBS Online NewsHour. Oct 15,1996. Accessed 12/3/03. pbs.or/newshour/bb/election/October/96/Colorado_race_10-15.html Election 2002 and the Environment: Colorado Senate Race. Greennature.com/article780.html. Accessed 12/3/03 Lcveducation.org/Programs/ProgramsList.cfm?c=23. Accessed 12/2/03. http://www.multied.com/elections/1992state.html. Accessed 12/7/03.

Human Cloning

Ashley Brackett Biology Ms. Lecco Block 1A Human Cloning: Helpful or Harmful? Human cloning, which was once thought of as the witchcraft involved in fictional stories, is a true thing in the real world. Human cloning involves replicating DNA of one organism into another one (Human Cloning). The controversial topic of cloning is seen by citizens that it could be beneficial for all humans, but by many people it is conceived as immoral and unsafe. Human cloning should not be allowed because the health risks involved, its depraved background, and errors that could occur during the cloning process.Cloning is potentially very dangerous to the clone being formed. For example, in mammalian cloning, at least 95% mammal experimental clones have had miscarriages, stillbirths, and life-threatening anomalies (Reproductive Cloning Arguments). No clones are perfectly healthy and will clearly have difficulty during pregnancies. Pregnancy problems will affect the clone and its child. Also, cloning ca n lead to birth defects to the clones themselves as well (Health Risks). Since clones are scientifically made, their organs are enlarged which is the most common reason for birth defects.Clones are also likely to experience an early death due to their weaker immune system (Health Risks). Clones will experience death possible before normally developed human. Health problems and early death is what makes human cloning unsafe. Along with all the health risks, human cloning is also immoral to a great amount of the populace. Clones are formed because of a nuclear donor and as a result, a clone will never be able to be its own self (Reproductive Cloning Arguments). This will affect a clone’s social development. Making an exact copy of someone is not morally right.Cloning could diminish the sense of uniqueness among human beings (Reproductive Cloning Arguments). People are supposed to have their own personality and physical features. Being an individual is ethical. As well as destro ying a sense of individuality, cloning also would fosters a person’s idea of a human being by how it’s made to how it looks (Reproductive Cloning Arguments). There will be a specific look that all people will believe is perfection. This forms unrealistic images in young children’s minds and also takes away self appreciation.Cloning is immortal and should not be used to create a human being. Cloning is now as an experiment and it is not always perfect. In cloning, many mistakes are made. The most common mistake is DNA imprinting (Health Risks). Improper imprinting on an embryo can lead to organ abnormalities. Because cloning can possibly have errors, a clone is never going to be what it is meant to be which is a copy of a person. Human cloning will never be just right. Human cloning is extremely hazardous, unethical, and can result in many errors. It posts many dangers and makes citizens lose sight of individuality.For these reasons, human cloning should not be a llowed in the United States. Work Cited â€Å"Human Cloning. †Ã‚  Buzzle. N. p. , n. d. Web. 15 Apr. 2013. . Pandey, Kundan. â€Å"Health Risks of Cloning. †Ã‚  Buzzle. N. p. , 16 June 2011. Web. 15     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Apr. 2013. . â€Å"Reproductive Cloning Arguments Pros and Cons. †Ã‚  Genetics and Society. Center for     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Genetics and Society, 15 May 2006. Web. 15 Apr. 2013. .

The Crying Tree

In the novel The Crying Tree Naseem Rakha A family goes through one of the hardest things ever, when their son Shep was found murdered. Nate, Shep's father insisted on the family moving to Oregon. Sheps death caused Irene and Nate to fall apart Bliss was too young to truly understand her brother being gone. The family moved back to Illinois, they continued their lives in a sort of trance, never discussing Shep or mentioning his name. Bliss was a forgotten child until she made her mother see that her life was bring wasted. Bliss went off to college defying the standards of her town. Irene struggled with living so she tried to take her own life, after this fail Irene decided that forgiveness of her sons killer was the only way for her to keep living. Daniel was on death row when Nate found out about the letters Irene and Daniel had been writing to each other, the two got into a huge fight that uncovered some secrets about Sheps death that only Daniel and Nate knew of. While finding out about the family you also learn about Superintendent Mason and his struggles of life and dealing with someone on Death row. In the end Irene, the family, Daniel and Mason find their peace. Point of View-The information is received through dialogue mainly and the way these people go through life. The perspective used was effective for this novel because it really gave the feel of the main character Irene and I do not personally connect to Irene because I do not know what it is like to lose a child but the perspective lets me get into her head and learn what she is feeling and what it is like. â€Å"My son is dead, and you want to tell me about justice? There’s no justice for this kind of thing† (Rakha 69). This dialogue really showed what Irene is going through. The novel also shows her husband but mainly through his actions and how he goes through life. Protagonist- The protagonist in this book â€Å"The Crying Tree† is Irene the mourning mother. Irene is mainly revealed through her thoughts and her actions throughout the story. She is a very round character meaning that she changes a lot in this book, for the better one quote that I think really shows Irene is when she finally forgives Daniel for killing her son â€Å"I forgive you for what you did to my son. For whatever it may be worth, I understand people make mistakes in life, Mr. Robbin, and I forgive you yours†(Rakha 126). It took a lot fir Irene to do this. Setting- This novel occurs in Blaine, Oregon and Carlton, Illinois. They are only a few locations describes, the house in Blaine and the house in Carlton, Illinois. The connection of the setting and characters are that the mother Irene and her husband both grew up in a town where almost everywhere a girls goal is to get married. Blaine and Carlton are almost opposite to each other Blaine is a very green beautiful city full of sights and nature while Carlton is a very dry farming state yet Irene felt more safe in comfortable in Carlton yet she felt very unsafe and uncomfortable in Blaine. Blaine, in contrast, looked incidental, an afterthought built by people who had no intention of staying† (Rakha 19). Theme – The major theme in this novel is forgiveness. After Irene’s son died she thought she could never forgive his killer, that he was the worst there was and he truly deserved to die, even said that she wouldn’t rest until he was dead. The death penalty can take years to go through in fact it took 19 years for Daniel to finally be given a death warrant. Throughout the novel Irene starts to realize that her life is horrible, she stopped speaking to her husband, stopped worrying about her daughter and stopped living her life. Irene tried to commit suicide and that is when she hit rock bottom she had to start admitting to herself what she was holding inside. â€Å"Shep died and we just stopped doing things. And now-now I’ve gone and thrown it away, and it’s broken, and, well, it’s gone. It’s all gone† (Rakha 122). After coming to a reality Irene proceeds to forgive Daniel after 10 years because she wants to get on with her life and stop focusing on living in the past. It is also showed through Nate because Nate must work through forgiving himself, for lying and for holding back critical information that could have saved a mans life. Forgiveness is also showed through Daniel and Mason. Mason because we learn about his past and how he feels as if he can ever forgive his brother for the way he used to torture him. Daniel because he needs to learn to forgive himself now that Irene forgave him when he did not deserve it. Title- This title is very appropriate for the book because the author uses the image to show what was going on in Irene’s mind at the funeral and The Crying Tree is used as an example to show how there are things in life you should never have to see. In the novel the title is mentioned at Shep's funeral his little sister is grieving her brother when hes sees a tree and runs to it coming back with her handful of pearls â€Å"They look like tears, like the tree’s crying† (Rakha 37). Personal Recommendation- This novel should be added to the AP curriculum because the book used many great examples of literary devices including scenery, character flat and round, metaphor, structure, narration and many more. This book allows you to see through another perspective and not just one many different perspectives. This book was also very enjoyable and I am sure many students would enjoy reading the story of Irene and her family.

Mexico: the Yucatan Peninsula

Mexico: The Yucatan Peninsula The Yucatan Peninsula is located in southeastern Mexico, which separates the Caribbean Sea from the Gulf of Mexico, on the northern coastline on the Yucatan Channel. The Yucatan Peninsula lies east of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, a northwestern geographic divider separating the region of Central America from the rest of North America. The Yucatan Peninsula comprises of the Mexican states of Yucatan, Campeche, and Quintana Roo; the northern part Belize; and Guatemala's northern subdivision of El Peten. Geology The peninsula is the exposed part of the large Yucatan Platform. The Yucatan Peninsula is an unconfined flat lying erosion landscape. Sinkholes, locally called cenotes are widespread in the northern lowlands. According to the Alvarez hypothesis, the mass extinction of the dinosaurs at the transition from the Cretaceous (K) to the Tertiary (T) Periods (the K-T Boundary) 65 million years ago was caused by an asteroid impact somewhere in the Caribbean Basin. The deeply buried Chicxulub Crater is centered off the north coast of the peninsula near the town of Chicxulub. The now-famous â€Å"Ring of Cenotes† outlines one of the shock-waves from this impact event in the rock of ~65 millions years of age, The presence of the crater has been determined first on the surface from the Ring of Cenotes, but also by geophysical methods, and direct drilling with recovery of the drill cores. Water resources Due to the extreme erosion nature of the whole peninsula, the northern half barely consists of any rivers. Where lakes and swamps are present, the water is marshy and is not suitable for drinking water. The thousands of sinkholes, locally called Cenotes throughout the region provide access to the groundwater system, and the cenotes have long been relied on by ancient and contemporary Mayan people. Vegetation The short and tall tropical jungles are the predominant natural vegetation types of the Yucatan Peninsula. The boundaries between northern Guatemala (El Peten), Mexico (Campeche and Quintana Roo), and western Belize are still occupied by the largest continuous tracts of tropical rainforest in Central America. However, these forests are suffering extensive deforestation. Etymology There is a popular myth that the name Yucatan comes from the Yucatec Maya phrase for â€Å"listen how they speak,† or â€Å"I don't understand your words† — supposedly said by contact period Maya, when the first Spanish explorers asked, what the area was called. The proper derivation of the word Yucatan is widely debated. However, it is also claimed that the actual source of the name â€Å"Yucatan† is the Nahuatl (Aztec) word Yokatlan, â€Å"place of richness. † People The Yucatan Peninsula comprises a significant proportion of the ancient Maya Lowlands. There are many Mayan archaeological sites throughout the peninsula; some of the better-known sites are in Chichen Itza, Tulum and Uxmal. Indigenous Mayans and Mestizos of partial Mayan descent still make up a sizable portion of the region's population, and Mayan languages are still widely spoken there. Economy In the late historic and early modern eras, the Yucatan Peninsula was largely a cattle ranching, logging, chicle and henequen production area. Since the 1970’s, the Yucatan Peninsula has fixed its economy towards tourism, especially in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. Once a small fishing village, Cancun in the northeast of the peninsula has grown into a thriving city. The Riviera Maya, which stretches along the east coast of the peninsula between Cancun and Tulum, houses over 50,000 beds and is visited by millions of tourists every year. The best-known locations are the former fishing town of Playa del Carmen, the ecological parks Xcaret and Xel-Ha and the Mayan ruins of Tulum and Coba. Climate Like much of the Caribbean, the Yucatan Peninsula lies within the Atlantic Hurricane Belt, and with its almost uniformly flat terrain, it is vulnerable to these large storms coming from the east. The 2005 Atlantic Hurricane Season was a particularly bad season for Mexico's tourism industry, with two forceful category 5 storms hitting, Hurricane Emily and Hurricane Wilma. The 2006 Atlantic Hurricane Season was a typical year which left the Yucatan untouched, but in the 2007 Atlantic Hurricane Season Yucatan was hit by the Hurricane Dean (which is also a category 5 storm); nevertheless Hurricane Dean left little damage on the peninsula despite heavy localized flooding. Strong storms called nortes can quickly descend on the Yucatan Peninsula any time of year. Although these storms pummel the area with heavy rains and high winds, they tend to be short-lived, clearing after about an hour. The average percentage of days with rain per month ranges from a monthly low of 7% in April to a high of 25% in October. Breezes can have a cooling effect; humidity is generally high, particularly in the remaining rainforest areas. Bibliography â€Å"Beautiful Underground Lakes & Rivers. † Wonderfulinfo. com. 5 January 2010. http://www. wonderfulinfo. com/photos/underground/ â€Å"Climate and Weather of Mexico. † yahoo. answers. com. 26 Sept 2009. http://answers. yahoo. com/question/index? qid=20090419162859AAZ2D7m&. crumb=eYF8u9vJN5s â€Å"Mapas de Mexico. † Mexicoadventourist. com. 5 January 2010. http://www. mexicoadventourist. com/Mapas/YucatanMap. jpg â€Å"Mexico’s Government. † Viva Mexico. 2 October 2009. http://staff. esuhsd. org/balochie/studentprojects/mexico/MexGovernment. html Parfit, Michael, â€Å"Yucatan Peninsula,† National Geographic. Aug 1996. 108-113. â€Å"Sunset over the Yucatan. † flickr. com/photos/afagen/. 5 January 2010. http://www. flickr. com/photos/afagen/2262221520/ The World And Its People. â€Å"Mexico – The Land Yucatan†. New York. Greystone Press. 1964. 34-35. â€Å"The World Factbook – Mexico. † CIA the World Factbook, 10 Sept 2009. ttp://www. cia. gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/countrytemplate_mx. html â€Å"Yucatani iguanaleso naplo. † atjeffs. blog. hu/2008. 5 January 2010. http://m. blog. hu/at/atjeffs/image/Yucatan_peninsula_250m. jpg â€Å"Yucatan Sunset. † flickr. com/photos/bjkresearch/. 5 January 2010. http://www. flickr. com/photos/bjkresearch/183792616/ â€Å"Yucatan Peninsula Sunset. † flickr. com/photos/kevmac66/. 5 January 2010. http://www. flickr. com/photos/kevmac66/3495944443/ â€Å"Yucatan Peninsula Resort. † Alwaysonvacation. com. 5 January 2010. http://www. a lwaysonvacation. com/LSS/images/29225/YucatanPeninsula3BedroomsSle

Ecosystems in South West Australia Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ecosystems in South West Australia - Assignment Example Climate change directly influences the rate of NPP and carbon storage. Drier and warmer climate results in undesirable parameters such as UV radiation, tropospheric and biotic factors that result in reduction in carbon storage in plant parts. Shifts in precipitation and temperature result in the conversion of soil carbon to CO2; therefore, carbon storage is decreased. Shifts in the disturbance regime also influence carbon availability in the ecosystem. Disturbances from wildfires, back beetles, and wind reduce carbon availability and t6he net primary production of other nutrients (Bernard, Leadley and Hungate, 2005). Question Two Mineralization is an important process in the long-term manufacture of nutrients required by plants for growth. Elevated levels of CO2 in the atmosphere stimulate biomass production, increased litter fall, and rhizodeposition. The delivery of labile organic matter increases and in turn, influences the deposition of soil microorganisms that enhance nutrient availability and carbon storage. An increase in the net carbon input in the soil causes decreased nitrogen mineralization, and subsequently increases temporarily immobilized nitrogen as well as carbon sequestration. The result of mineralization is the long-term immobilization of atmospheric nitrogen (Bernard, Leadley, and Hungate, 2005). Nutrient cycling is a highly localized process that involves exchanges between plants and soil in ecosystems.

EC Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

EC Law - Case Study Example It is essential to ensure that Community rights are enforceable against both the public and private parties to a lawsuit. Section 2(1) of the European Communities Act1 1972, which gave legal effect to EC law in the United Kingdom, states that, "All such rights, powers, liabilities, obligations and restrictionsprovided for by or under the Treaties, are without further enactment to be given legal effect or used in the United Kingdom shall be recognized and available in law, and be enforced, allowed and followed accordingly"2. It renders effective all directly effective Community law, irrespective of whether they were made prior to or after the passing of the Act. Section 3 of this act makes it mandatory for all the courts to interpret EC law according to the rulings of the ECJ. The UK courts have all along been applying directly effective provisions without any reluctance. However, their unwillingness to apply the Von Colson principle3 is clearly evident. The purpose of this Directive is to put into effect in the Member States the principle of equal treatment for men and women as regards access to employment, including promotion, and to vocational training and as regards working conditions This principle isreferred to as "the principle of equal treatment"5. Nevertheless, Duke's employer being a priva... In Von Colson8, the House of Lords were of the opinion that it did not provide a power to interfere with the method or result of the interpretation of national legislation by national courts. They observed that the Equal Treatment Directive was subsequent to the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and that therefore it would be unfair on Reliance to 'distort' the construction of the Act to accommodate it. The House of Lords applied similar objections in relation to the Northern Ireland legislation9, even though it was ratified after the Directive. "Direct effect means that someone may cite a Directive as law without having to cite any domestic legislation which was meant to implement that Directive"10. Indirect effect was described in Von Colson v Land Nordrhein-Westfalen11, where the ECJ observed that courts can interpret national legislation in the light of the Directive. Its exact status is unclear as it a judicial tool of interpretation rather than a static analytic method12. In respect of EC Law the ECJ's decision is final. Since, Treaty is generally couched in wide-ranging terms; the Court has to provide the necessary detail for the functioning of European law. Further, the decisions of the ECJ are binding on the courts of member states with no right of appeal. In a manner analogous to the House of Lords, the ECJ is not bound by its own previous decisions, although it usually follows them. It falls within the jurisdiction of the ECJ to hear complaints in respect of non fulfillment of treaty obligations by a member state. It is also the competent authority in deciding the legality of actions of the Council of Ministers and the

Sustainable Design Case Study Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Sustainable Design Case Study - Research Paper Example The main reasons behind people moving towards urban areas are to seek employment, make shopping for purchasing goods, seek entertainment as well as attain better standard of living. Simultaneously, existing environmental infrastructures related to work as well as services are quite insufficient to serve the rise in population as well as population densities. It can be observed in this context that overcrowding leads to environmental vulnerabilities as well as degradation unless strategies related to reversing the environmental deterioration can be applied. One of the determinants of the sternness of environment conditions in the urban areas has been their regional ecosystem types such as mountainous, coastal and riverine among others. It needs to be remembered that the urban ecological types are significant components in identifying the environmental strategies along with preparing the plans for precise and sustainable urban development. The project also discusses regarding the physi cal planning, environmental health management and sustainable development. The main objective of the project analyzed in the paper is to make the urban areas quite self-sufficient, enjoyable place to live and thus sustainable (Williams, 2000). Challenges and Opportunities The most important urban environmental requirements by the people in the developing countries would comprise provision of healthy accommodation as well as other built surroundings, access to environmental infrastructural methods as well as services. It is worthy of stating the fact that the most severe influences on urban environment concerning people and which is caused by human being as well as nature are water pollution as well as depletion, air pollution and energy use and wastage. Furthermore, urbanization leads to solid waste and resource losses such as groundwater contamination and depletion, land and ecosystem degradation among others. There are a few infuriating factors as well in relation to the project w hich lead to urban environmental degradation that are lack of public as well as political awareness, lack of efficient public education as well as involvement along with requirement for public pressure and political will. It is quite noteworthy to control such factors and make policies to minimize the impact of the factors on the environment so that the sustainability of the urban areas can be ascertained (Williams, 2000). Involvement of Numerous Stakeholders The efforts at enhancing the urban environment would comprise the involvement of numerous stakeholders such as governmental bodies, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) as well as the informal sector in defending the environmental problems. It also requires the efforts of numerous institutions, organizations as well as individuals. It becomes difficult for the isolated action to meet the requirements because of the swiftness and intricacy of change. It has been found that one of the most crucial causative factors to the prevai ling accumulation of urban developmental issues is the lack of synchronization of actions between various stakeholders as well as actors. In order to reduce this problem, it is necessary to have a major intention of working in harmony towards the attainment of the common objectives. When all the stakeholders collaborate in order to work towards the accomplishment of the goals of the particular project then it leads to greater synergy. It comprises