Smoking Cannabis Virtually Doubles the Risk of Developing...

The media are often guilty of presenting studies in a way that leads to misinterpretation by the public. A recent BBC news article reads â€Å"Cannabis use ‘raises psychosis risk’ – Study† and the Daily Mail warns â€Å"Cannabis use ‘doubles risk of psychosis for teenagers†. Such headlines give the impression that there has been a clear causal relationship found between smoking cannabis and the development of mental illnesses (News, 2011; Hope, 2011). Kuepper et al. (2011), the study referred to above, reported that cannabis use is a risk factor for the development of incident psychotic symptoms (short-lasting individual symptoms). They found that cannabis users were almost twice as likely to report incident psychotic symptoms (adjusted odds ratio†¦show more content†¦Due to the lack of experimental control, large participant samples are required in order to look for a connection between cannabis use and psychosis. This further reduces researchers’ ability do large-scale studies looking directly at the effects of cannabis use. It is not economically feasible to diagnose an follow a large cohort of participants using objective clinical measures. This means that the validity of the research is stretched further, as cost effective means of measuring psychoticism and cannabis do not use direct measures. Psychoticism is generally inferred by way of self-reports from individuals on whether they have experienced psychotic symptoms. This might introduce confounds, and further reduces the likelihood that self-reports of incidence psychotic symptoms are truly indicative of cannabis being a causal risk in developing a mental illness. For example, participants may become aware of the purpose of the study and worry about drug-use having an effect, thus start to actively look for and remember such incidences, more so than non-users. Due to ethical, funding and time constraints, it is incredibly difficult for researchers to get a clear picture of the effect cannabis use has on the development of mental illnesses such as schizophrenia. The field of research is marred with problems, there is stillShow MoreRelatedThe Common Serious Mental Health Condition2494 Words   |  10 PagesSchizophrenia What is it? Schizophrenia is one of the most common serious mental health condition. About 1 in 100 people will experience in their lifetime, although many continue to lead normal lives. It is most often diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 35. The exact cause of schizophrenia is unknown, however it is believed to be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. As with many other mental health conditions, it is hard to prove someone is suffering from it, and can beRead MoreThe Cannabis Debate Essay examples3978 Words   |  16 PagesThe Cannabis Debate The cannabis debate has never been a straightforward one. At the beginning of the 21st century, perceptions and preconceptions about cannabis and its uses have never been more blurred. Some see cannabis as a menace to society whilst others see it as a useful source of fibre, food and medicine. Doctors and scientists spend millions investigating its medicinal value yet for every positive piece of research, there is a negative. (Brownlee, 2003)

The Pulmonary Function Tests Health And Social Care Essay Free Essays

Development of our state has lead to rapid urbanisation and there is addition usage of cars that is worsening environmental pollution. Occupational exposure to automobile fumes and industrial fumes has been shown to impact operation of different systems of the organic structure. The present survey was taken up to measure the Pulmonary Function Tests ( PFT ) in car jinrikisha drivers of Gulbarga metropolis. We will write a custom essay sample on The Pulmonary Function Tests Health And Social Care Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now Methods: Fifty non -smoker male car drivers in the age group of 20-50 old ages for more than 5 old ages of car driving experience formed the survey group. Age and sex matched persons non exposed to car rickshaw driving [ administrative staff ] formed the control group. Pulmonary map parametric quantities FVC, FEV1, FEV1 % , PEFR, PIFR, FEF25-75, FEF50 and MVV were assessed utilizing computerized Spiro metre during their on the job hours and were statistically analyzed. Consequences: There was a extremely important lessening in FVC and FEV1 in survey group compared to command group. The lessening in FEV1 % , PIFR, FEF25-75 and FEF50 were statistically important but the lessening in PEFR and MVV were statistically non-significant. Decision: Our findings point towards the inauspicious effects of vehicle fumes on lung maps, chiefly on lower air passages with restrictive form of disease. Keywords: Cars, Auto drivers, Pulmonary maps trials. Introduction Numerous epidemiological surveies have documented decreases in pneumonic map and assorted other wellness jobs associated with long term air pollution exposure1.Health effects of occupational exposure to crude oil bluess and air pollution from vehicular beginnings is comparatively undiscovered among car jinrikisha drivers. To run into the present twenty-four hours demand, there is an addition car usage and because of the prevailing function of gasolene [ gasoline ] as a motor vehicle fuel, the effects of gasolene engine emanations are potentially even greater jobs. In the individuals exposed to these pollutants, pneumonic map trials are used as testing trials to find their effects2.Therefore, the present survey is taken up to measure the alterations in Pulmonary Function Tests ( PFTs ) like Forced Vital Capacity ( FVC ) , Forced Expiratory Volume in the first second ( FEV1 ) , FEV1/FVC ratio, Peak Expiratory Flow Rate ( PEFR ) , Peak Inspiratory Flow Rate ( PIFR ) , Forced Expiratory Flow in 25-75 % of critical capacity ( FEF25-75 ) , Forced Expiratory Flow at 50 % of critical capacity ( FEF50 ) and Maximum Voluntary Ventilation ( MVV ) of car jinrikisha drivers in Gulbarga metropolis. Materials A ; Methods: The present survey was conducted in Salgar infirmary of Gulbarga metropolis. Ethical clearance was taken from the Institutional Ethical Committee and each topic gave the consent. The survey group consisted of 50 males in the age group of 20-50 twelvemonth, who were driving car jinrikisha for 8 hours per twenty-four hours for more than 5 old ages in Gulbarga metropolis. The control group consisted of 50 males of same age group from administrative station, who were non exposed to car jinrikisha drive. The topics chosen in the survey and the control group had no history of allergic upsets, respiratory upsets like asthma, or any systemic disease, no history of smoke, masticating baccy and consumption of intoxicant. Age, tallness, and weight were recorded. All the Pulmonary maps were tested during twenty-four hours clip utilizing computerized Spiro metre [ MEDSPIROR ] .The topics were familiarized with the instrument. All the trials were carried out at the same clip of the twenty-four hours, between 10-11 AM. All the topics were in sitting place and have oning nose clips3. The topics were asked to take a breath forcefully following deep inspiration into the mouthpiece attached to the pneumatachometer. 3 trails of maximum Inspiratory and expiratory attempts were made and the best reading was taken for statistical analysis. Statistical method used in our survey was pupil ‘s odd T trial utilizing SPSS-16. The P lt ; 0.05 was considered statistically important and P lt ; 0.001 wa s considered extremely statistically important. Consequences: The average value of the ages of the topics was 36.4AÂ ±7.40 and that the average value of the controls was 34.8AÂ ±3.76. The average value of the highs of the topics was 170.40 AÂ ± 3.39 and the average value of the controls was 174.60 AÂ ± 4.15 and the average value of the weights of the topics was 72.60 AÂ ± 7.56 and that of the controls was 74.40 AÂ ± 8.24. The topics and controls did non differ significantly on above parametric quantities. Table-1: Comparison of lung volumes and capacities between survey and control groups Parameter Study group ( n=50 ) Mean AÂ ±SD Control group ( n=50 ) Mean AÂ ±SD p-value FVC ( L ) 2.77AÂ ±0.41 3.33AÂ ±0.50 0.001** FEV1 ( L ) 2.67AÂ ±0.46 3.11AÂ ±0.33 0.001** FEV1 % 88.25AÂ ±13.34 90.31AÂ ±10.12 0.050* MVV ( L/min ) 110.80AÂ ±18.63 130.16AÂ ±26.89 0.059 *P value lt ; 0.05 is statistically Significant, **P value lt ; 0.001 is extremely statistically Significant Table-2: Comparison of flow rates among survey and control groups Parameter Study group ( n=50 ) Mean AÂ ±SD Control group ( n=50 ) Mean AÂ ±SD P value PEFR ( L/min ) 5.47AÂ ±1.40 7.05AÂ ±1.59 0.15 PIFR ( L/min ) 2.21AÂ ±0.67 3.61AÂ ±1.10 0.04* FEF25-75 ( L/min ) 3.60AÂ ±1.33 4.85AÂ ±1.11 0.04* FEF50 ( L/min ) 4.16AÂ ±1.22 5.17AÂ ±1.32 0.05* *P value lt ; 0.05 indicates statistically Significant value. Discussion: Occupational wellness has been deriving importance for the fact that long term exposure to vehicle fumes, gasoline and dust can take to a lasting morbidity. The acute wellness hazards involved are minimum, provided that the precautional methods are used in conformity with appropriate wellness and safety patterns. Highly statistically important lessening in FVC and FEV1 was observed in car drivers when compared to their controls, and their ratio ( FEV1 % ) was important between the two groups. This determination indicates the restrictive form of pneumonic engagement in the survey group. Auto jinrikisha drivers are at hazard of dust inspiration, gasoline vapour inspiration and besides inspiration of car fumes for a longer period of clip that is at least 8 hours per twenty-four hours for more than one twelvemonth and they have more opportunities of chronic engagement of lungs as indicated by the consequences in the present survey. The benzine content of gasoline has typically been in the scope 1-5 % may be an aggravating factor for the lung map abnormalcies observed as the survey groups were nonsmokers. Smoking as an independent variable was found to impact FEV1 significantly and smoke has shown to speed up the diminution in lung map in a clip dependent manner4. As the car drivers are most of th e clip on busy roads and exposed to automobile fumes and other air pollutants. Automobile fumes is a complex mixture of different gases like Sculpture dioxide ( SO2 ) , Carbon dioxide, Carbon monoxide ( CO ) , Nitrogen dioxide ( NO2 ) and particulate affair. Some surveies have demonstrated that exposure to particulate affair combined with exposure to an irritant gas such as NO2 consequences in greater harm to the lung than when exposed to either substances individually5.In combination with particulate pollutants, SO2 and NO2 have a greater opportunity to make the deeper parts of the lungs. The gaseous pollutants may besides change the belongingss and concentration of surfactant and contribute to the early closing of little air passages. Much of the terminal bronchioles may be compromised before other pneumonic map trials such as FEV1 are affected6. Few histopathological surveies have provided grounds that the little air passages are the site of harm in people populating in countries of high air pollution7. Atoms generated from Diesel fumes are highly little and are present in the karyon or accretion manners with diameter of 0.02 am and 0.2 am severally. These little sized atoms, by virtuousness of their greater surface country to mass ratio, can transport a much larger fraction of toxic compounds, such as hydrocarbons and metals on their surface. Importantly they can stay airborne for long periods of clip and acquire deposited in greater Numberss and deeper into the lungs than big sized atoms. Hence chronic exposure to them can take to chronic redness of respiratory piece of land and lung parenchyma. These would lend to the significant lessening in lung maps in the signifier of restrictive form as indicated in the present survey. Rajkumar studied the consequence of air pollution on respiratory system of car jinrikisha drivers i n Delhi. The survey found that ( 19 % ) drivers showed normal Pulmonary Function Test ( PFT ) . ( 80 % ) showed mild and moderate to terrible obstructor, of which ( 48 % ) were non-smokers and ( 52 % ) were tobacco users and the consequence concludes that car jinrikisha drivers have a high respiratory morbidity due to exposure to pollution.8 In a survey, reduced mechanical belongingss of take a breathing were attributed to exposure to benzene in the bluess of petrol9. Bijendra Kumar et Al examined the pneumonic map trial in three Wheeler Diesel cab drivers in Bikaner metropolis. They found restrictive damage in 87 % of survey group, of which 50 % were tobacco users and 37 % were non-smokers, assorted form ( both restrictive and early clogging damage ) was found in merely 13 % of survey group, of which 7 % were tobacco users and 5 % non-smoker. So they concluded that when all the five parametric quantities ( FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, FEF 25-75 % and PEFR ) were taken together they were de clarative of assorted form ( clogging and restrictive ) lung impairments10. Chattopadhyay et al conducted a survey on garage workers, drivers and music directors of Kolkata metropolis to measure the pneumonic map position of these workers and found that FEV1, FEV1 % and flow rates, FEF 02-121, FEF25 % -75 % values showed gradual decrease as age and continuance of exposure increased11.From the present survey it was concluded that respiratory maps of car jinrikisha drivers who are continuously exposed to emanations from vehicles, gasoline vapour and dust were significantly reduced as compared to respiratory maps of age, weight and tallness matched control groups. Recommendation: To forestall the respiratory disfunction among car drivers, medical observation and periodic check-ups for pneumonic map trials should be performed. Control schemes should be adopted to cut down the vapour concentration in the air, like vapour adsorbents and to cut down the benzine concentration in the ambient air. Personal protective equipment must be worn by car jinrikisha drivers. Imparting wellness instruction to car jinrikisha drivers will forestall respiratory morbidity. Further long term position surveies on car jinrikisha drivers will assist in acquiring a comprehensive image of long term effects. Recognition: This research paper is made possible by the support from the participants of our survey. We dedicate our recognition of gratitude towards Mr.Shaik.Meera and Dr. Rashmi.C.G as they kindly read our paper and offered valuable elaborate advices on grammar, organisation, and subject of the paper. Finally, we unfeignedly thank Godhead, household and friends, who provided fiscal support and timely advice. How to cite The Pulmonary Function Tests Health And Social Care Essay, Essay examples

Hiding Edith Book Essay free essay sample

Hiding Edith a True Story by Kathy Kacer Elise Peterson I usually am reading a book that gushes over love or a creepy mystery novel, but this time I thought I would switch it up. I have always been really interested in World War two and the holocaust and thats why I picked up the book Hiding Edith, a true story by Kathy Kacer. I cant even come to image the fear that was planted in these childrens heads and would scar them for the rest of their life. In 1933, the Nazi party, led by Adolf Hitler, came to power in Germany. Hitler was a cruel man who believed that Germans were superior to all over races, but especially Jews. I wont go into a huge detail about the Holocaust because Im sure youve taken the class History! But anyways, the main character, Edith Schwalb was Jewish and was alive when Hitler slowly began to take over. We will write a custom essay sample on Hiding Edith Book Essay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Edith is a young Jewish girl living with her Papa, Mutti, sister (Threse), and brother (Gaston) in the city of Vienna. Ediths family is very close. Her Papa is a known soccer player and Edith and her sister both attend school while Mutti and her brother stay at home. Unfortunately, Vienna was slowly being taken over. One night, Nazi soldiers came to the Schwalb household and took away Papa. The girls soon stopped attending school and ran away to another city. Mutti soon realized that the children were no longer safe snow that Concentration camps were being established. The talk of the town among the Jews was that the town of Moissac had a â€Å"Boarding School† where Jewish families could take their kids for protection from the Nazis. The town of Moissac is actually a town of all Germans. All the Germans know about the secret house and keep it a secret. The house is run by Shatta and Bouli Simon who are very kind. At the house, they are properly fed, taken care of, attend school, and go to church. Shatta and Bouli pretty much become the parents of all of the children living at the house. The reason why the house is so safe is since the whole town is German, the Nazis will contact the Mayor before they come and search for Jews so it gives the children time to hide. So Mutti decides to drop Edith and Gaston off at the house. When they arrive Edith is 7 and Gaston is toddler. Threse and Mutti run off to another town to live in a farm house. Edith and Gaston come to love living in the house. Edith becomes good friends with a girl named Sarah. Over the years together Edith and Sarah practically become sisters. Every now and again Mutti will visit Edith and Gaston. After years of living there, Shatta and Bouli announce that they have to shut down the house. They both agree that the war will soon end since the Americans have joined the war. They send the kids to different secret homes to live. Sarah and Edith are moved to a German Boarding school. This is kind of dangerous since no one there knows they are Jewish. They have to change their names. There at the boarding school, they are treated badly and rarely eat. They both end up getting lice and having to dig food out of the garbage. Again, Edith and Sarah are moved to another place. This time, a real home. They move to the house of the Merleaus who treat Edith and Sarah kindly. She only stays there for a short while because the war ends! Edith is soon reunited with her brother, sister, and mother. They find out that there father was killed in a concentration camp. The family lives together and they all get jobs. Edith realizes that she wants to make a difference. Her and Gaston end up going back to Moissac. They volunteer to be consolers for the orphaned Jewish children. I literally recommend this book to anyone! Its a quick read and it really makes you see through the eyes of a child during World War Two. It makes you realize how lucky we are, here in America and not to take things for granted because they can be taken away any moment.

Of Idiocy and Wisdom free essay sample

A discussion on Platos philosophical theory of wisdom. This paper discusses Platos philosophical theory of wisdom and its distinction from ignorance. The author bases his analysis on dialogues from the trial of Socrates and Platos Meno. Thus the madness is done and the tea party over. What is most important to recognize here is the paradox of goals. We are to seek wisdom so that we might live the good life yet wisdom we will never have so long as we live. So we are to seek ignorance, so that we will recognize our inherent and inescapable lack of wisdom, and in so doing become wise by remembering the forgotten truths that lie beyond our training. One is very much reminded of the old saying, that to keep ones life, it is often necessary to lose it. In liberating ourselves from what we think we have learned and realizing that we know nothing, we have the chance of remembering what we knew before we were born, though never to the degree that we did then until at last we die. We will write a custom essay sample on Of Idiocy and Wisdom or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page

5th Grade Science Fair Projects

5th Grade Science Fair Projects By the 5th grade, students are expected to shoulder more responsibility in designing in doing a science fair project. There will still be a lot of parent and teacher help, but you want a straightforward project that ideally takes no longer than a week or two to complete. The ideal project is one the student can do pretty much by himself or herself, with guidance from adults as needed. 5th Grade Science Fair Project Ideas What household chemicals repel insects? Pick one particular type, common to your area, such as flies, ants, or roaches and test herbs, spice, etc. to see if you can come up with a non-toxic way to keep bugs away.Make a model tornado or vortex. You can use two bottles taped together or can make a cool tornado using water and vegetable oil. For the project, explain how the vortex works.Can people taste the difference between drinks sweetened with Stevia (a natural non-caloric  sweetener) and sugar? Which do they prefer?Are there any dyes you can add to water living plants that change the color of their flowers? Hint: Some modern orchids are tinted blue using dyes, so its possible.Do people have the same sensitivity to smell? Place people at one end of a room. Have another person open a scent, such as lemon oil or vinegar. Have your test subjects write down what they smell and what time they smelled it. Is the time the same for different scents? Does it matter whether the test subject was male or female? Use the streak test to try to identify different mineral samples. What other tests might you try to confirm your results?Does storage temperature affect popcorn popping? Store popcorn in the freezer, refrigerator, at room temperature, and in a heated location. Pop the same amount of each sample. Count how many unpopped kernels remain. Can you explain the results?Does food cooked in the microwave cool at the same rate as food cooked in the oven or on the stove top? Heat foods to the same temperature. Use a thermometer to measure the temperature at set times. Explain your results.Can you sip the same amount of liquid through two straws at once as one straw? What about 3 straws?Collect a group of different substances. Rank the materials according to best to worse heat conductors (or insulators). See if you can explain your findings.Does the color of a light affect how bright it appears in fog? in water?For your project, explain how traffic lights work. What is the reason for the delay b etween when a light turns yellow and then turns red? How many cars are needed to trip a turn arrow? If youre examining a particular light, does its behavior change according to the time of day? Where is the best place to store apples? Where is the best place to store bananas? Are they the same?Does the temperature of a magnet affect its magnetic field lines? You can trace the magnetic field lines of a magnet by putting iron filings on a sheet of paper over the magnet.What brand of battery lasts the longest?Make ice cubes starting with different temperatures of water. Does the starting temperature of water affect how long it takes to freeze?Make a homemade sundial and explain how it works.

Interesting Green Sea Turtle Facts

Interesting Green Sea Turtle Facts Green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) inhabit the beaches and offshore locations of 140 countries throughout the world. They are graceful and serene swimmers who migrate thousands of miles through warm subtropical and tropical oceans. All species of these beautiful reptiles are endangered or threatened. Fast Facts: Green Sea Turtles Scientific Name: Chelonia mydasCommon Name(s): Green sea turtle, black sea turtle (in the eastern Pacific)Basic Animal Group: ReptileSize: Adults grow to between 31–47 inches  Weight: 300–440 poundsLifespan: 80–100 yearsDiet:  HerbivoreHabitat: In warm subtropical and tropical ocean waters. Nesting occurs in over 80 countries, and they live in the coastal waters of 140 countriesPopulation: Two largest are the Tortuguero population on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica (22,500 females nest there each season) and Raine Island in the Australian Great Barrier Reef (18,000 females nest).Conservation Status: Endangered Description Green sea turtles are distinguished by their streamlined shell or carapace, which covers their entire body except for flippers and head. The adult green sea turtle has an upper shell that blends several colors, gray, black, olive, and brown; its undershell, called a plastron, is whitish to yellow. Green sea turtles are named for the greenish color of their cartilage and fat, not their shells. While sea turtles have fairly mobile necks, they cannot withdraw their heads into their shells.   The flippers of sea turtles are long and paddle-like, making them excellent for swimming but poor for walking on land. Their heads are light brown with yellow markings. The green sea turtle has four pairs of costal scutes, large, hard scales which assist in swimming; and one pair of prefrontal scales located between its eyes. Westend61 - Gerald Nowak/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images Species There are seven recognized species of sea turtles, six of which are in the Family Cheloniidae (the hawksbill, green, flatback, loggerhead, Kemps ridley, and olive ridley turtles), with only one (the leatherback) in the family Dermochelyidae. In some classification schemes, the green turtle is divided into two species- the green turtle and a darker version called the black sea turtle or Pacific green turtle.   All sea turtles migrate. Turtles sometimes travel thousands of miles between cooler feeding grounds and warm nesting grounds. A leatherback turtle was tracked by satellite traveling over 12,000 miles for 674 days from its nesting area in Jamursba-Medi beach in Papua, Indonesia to feeding grounds off Oregon. Habitats, diet and the number and arrangement of these scutes are the primary ways to distinguish different sea turtle species. Habitat and Distribution Green sea turtles are found throughout the world in warm subtropical and tropical ocean waters: They nest on the beaches of over 80 countries and live on the coasts of 140 countries. Efforts continue to emphasize the tracking of sea turtle movement using satellite tags to learn more about their migrations and the implications their travels have for their protection. This may help resource managers develop laws that help protect turtles in their full range. Diet and Behavior The only herbivore of the extant sea turtle species, green sea turtles graze on seagrasses and algae, which in turn maintains and fortifies the seagrass beds. They migrate long distances between a wide range of broadly separated localities and habitats during their lifetimes. Tagging studies suggest that ones that nest at Ascension Island in the Atlantic Ocean west of Brazil feed on the Brazilian coast, up to 1,430 miles or more away.   Reproduction and Offspring Sea turtles mature at around age 25–30. The males spend their whole lives at sea, while females mate with the males at sea and then go to selected beaches to dig a hole and lay between 75 to 200 eggs. Female sea turtles may lay several clutches of eggs during a single season, then cover the clutches with sand and return to the ocean, leaving the eggs to fend for themselves. The breeding season occurs in late spring and early summer; the males can breed every year but the females only breed once every three or four years. After a two-month incubation period, the young turtles hatch and run to the sea, facing attack by a variety of predators (birds, crabs, fish) along the way. They drift at sea until they are about a foot long and then, depending on the species, may move closer to shore to feed. Threats Climate change, the loss of habitat, and diseases such as fibropapilloma- which causes benign but ultimately debilitating epithelial tumors on the surface of biological tissues- threaten green sea turtles today. Sea turtles are protected by a variety of national and state laws and international treaties, but hunting of live turtles and harvesting of eggs is still underway in many places. Bycatch, the accidental entanglement in fishing gear such as gillnets or shrimp trawling nets, is responsible for hundreds of thousands of turtle deaths and injuries each year. In addition, oceanic pollution and marine debris have been known to disturb and disrupt migration patterns. Vehicle traffic and development of beaches and light pollution of nesting regions disturbs hatchlings, who often go towards the light rather than towards the ocean. Rising sea temperatures from climate change also affect turtle populations. Because the incubation temperature of eggs determines the animals sex, populations in the northern Great Barrier Reef have experienced imbalances of populations with 90 percent or greater females. Conservation Status All seven species of sea turtles are listed under the Endangered Species Act. Due to conservation efforts, some populations are recovering: Between 1995 and 2015, the Hawaiian green sea turtle increased at a rate of 5 percent per year. Sources Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas). ECOS (Environmental Conservation Online System) U.S. Fish Wildlife Service.Green Sea Turtle Chelonia mydas. National Wildlife Fund.Green Turtle, Chelonia mydas. NOAA Fisheries.  Green Sea Turtle. World Wildlife Fund.  Luschi, P., et al. The Navigational Feats of Green Sea Turtles Migrating from Ascension Island Investigated by Satellite Telemetry. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 265 (1998). Print.Sea Turtle Conservancy. Information About Sea Turtles: Green Sea Turtle. Seminoff, J.A. Chelonia mydas. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2004: e.T4615A11037468, 2004. Spotila, James R. Sea Turtles: A Complete Guide to Their Biology, Behavior, and Conservation. The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2004.Sea Turtles: Ambassadors of the Sea. State of the Worlds Sea Turtles, 2008. Waller, Geoffrey, ed. SeaLife: A Complete Guide to the Marine Environment. Smithsonian Institution Press. Washington, D.C. 1996.

Rhetorical analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Rhetorical analysis - Essay Example He established his logos or logic to be more credible with the help of ethos or credibility by inferring to his lineage that he is the grandson of former President John F. Kennedy. His used of concrete figures also helped in making his arguments in the essay to be more logical and thus, more credible. Scholossberg use emotional appeal or pathos is not through the use of dramatics that would move the audience to cry but rather on appealing to their patriotic sense and love for America. The primary purpose of the essay wasa to voice America’s youth of concern that they too would like to get involve that they care for their country because what is stake in the election is their future in the first place. They are not as apathetic or self-absorbed as they were projected. It is just they reject the petty posturing of politicians, their partisan gridlocks and political inaction to get things done. Give them real leaders and they will respond – through involvement and willingness to work. While the youth may seem unaware and apolitical, Jack Scholossberg clarified that his generation knows what is going on. They know that his generation is burdened with a misguided war that damaged [America’s] credibility abroad. This resulted to America’s numerous implacable enemies that resorted to terrorism out of their hatred for America. Those misguided wars also costed America billions of dollars that they it has to borrow to the point that its national debt has grown so large that they do not know if they can still pay it back. According to Scholossberg, the youth may be silent (evident with their previous non-particpation) but they are very observant. Thus, in writing an essay to the Yale Daily News and The Yale Herald as his contribution, he would like to relay to his fellow students and youth (the paper being an

Handscrolls in the Song Dynasty or in Tang dynasty or you can compare Essay

Handscrolls in the Song Dynasty or in Tang dynasty or you can compare - Essay Example Gu lived during the Jin Dynasty (265-240) and is known as a the founder of the classical Chinese painting. The predominant style of painting during the Jin Dynasty was scroll paintings. Gu was from Wuxi family and worked as a government official when still of a young age. Gu was not only a painter but also wrote several poems and essays. He had a chance to travel to many places and he would document his experiences as poems, essays or paintings. He is a very important figure in studying Chinese art history (McCausland, 43). This paper looks at Gu kaizshi works of art and analyses the specific characteristics of these paining as a way of getting insight into the style used by Chinese artist during the Jin dynasty. Nushi Zhen â€Å"Admonitions of the Instructress of the Ladies in the Palace†) This is one of the most documented paintings by Gu. This painting is adopted from Zhag Hua’s moralizing text that details the right behavior that ladies in the Imperial Harlem should show. This scroll is made of direct quotation from the texts which are followed by illustrations in terms of painting. The paintings were made with ink drawn on silk materials. The paintings in this hand scroll are very different from those of the Han dynasty. Unlike the previous paintings the figures in this hand scroll have characterized facial expressions showing emotions (McCausland, 560. This shows a development towards the creation of portraits with the figures showing individual characters and is not general like the previous pictures. An example of this portrayal is seen in scene 10 when a lady approaching the emperor was repulsed by a gesture of his raised arm. Gu uses long even strokes of his brush that show the swirling of the drapery. One can also read the expressions on the two characters involved. An important aspect of Gu painting in this scroll is the strokes. He uses evenly narrow and long strokes without a lot of diversification. This kind of line was named as spr ing-silkworm-spitting-silk line. It was the earliest line style used by Chinese artist and it was not until Tang dynasty where the artists started using more diversified line strokes. Gu was also limited in terms of the colors used to paint the apparel worn by his characters. This is because the color used was only ink either ochre or vermilion ((McCausland & Gu, 356). Gold was used in representing ornamentation in women. Gu paid a lot of attention to details as seen in his work of art and this explains why it was possible to characterize his figures. This was borrowed by other artist and it now possible to tell a person’s character from the manner they are displayed in portraits. Nymph Of Luo River This is another work of art which has contributed to the growth of the modern day Chinese art. This work of art was based on a poem written by Cao Zhi. This art can be seen as a milestone in the transition from figure painting to landscape painting. It is from the Jin dynasty that artists started to recognize the powerful influence of nature as setting was now seen to be an integral part of displaying themes in paintings. The originating is based on the story of the price Cao zhi meeting a nymph by the Luo River. This story is found in a poem written by Cao zhi himself. The nymph was the daughter of a mythical ruler called Fuxi. This is a doomed romance since the gods and human cannot marry as they live in different worlds. This form of art also shows the

Foreign and Traditional Music Fused Together Essay Example for Free

Foreign and Traditional Music Fused Together Essay The United States is certainly one of the most diverse countries in the world from a cultural perspective. Capable of speaking 300 languages, the Native Americans were the early settlers of the American land. Hundred years after that, the Europeans, Africans, Asians and other ethnic race from across the globe arrived and settled in America. These migrations have contributed greatly to the patchwork of modern day American Society. Carrying not only their belonging and property, various cultures from around the world merge with one another through friendships and inter marriages of races. Through these racial interactions, various cultures took different shape and evolve into what we known today. To examine and describe them all would take years to accomplish and tedious since culture co exist with time, it evolve as time goes by. This paper would then focus on two dominant races and their respective cultures, namely, Hispanic and Caucasian. Since culture is a vast term to explore, this paper would then focus on the musical culture of Hispanic and Caucasian race. It would focus on how foreign cultures have influenced the growth and development of traditional music. Hispanic and Caucasian culture have influenced each other throughout history. It is often said that both cultures were the patchwork of different cultures put together during the colonial times. Hispanic culture basically speaks or pertains to a larger community that is comprised of different subgroups, such as Mexicans Americans, Cuban Americans and other races that originated from the Latin American continent. Caucasian or American culture is also a patchwork of different cultures originating from various parts of the world. This was brought by immense immigration during 17th up to 21st century and spread, through interactions with various races. This is the basic theme that these two cultures share together and its music, architecture and literature are deeply influenced by foreign culture. The land of America became a melting pot for these two cultures, a place for previous identities to be melted down together with other cultures to create an integrated, uniform society. Their culture was not forgotten; it was just shaped through the influence of foreign culture. E: Hispanic Culture Since the 17th century, Hispanic people have been living in the United States. Some of them were forced to come as slaves and those who could afford the expenses of immigration settled in the United States driven by the opportunity presented by the new found land. Though years have passed since the colonial times, most of them still cannot forget the trademarks of their former masters. Aside from their native language, most of them could speak the Spanish language and to some extent has been incorporated in their native language as well. Another characteristic of Hispanic culture that was influenced by the Spanish regime is the mestizo lifestyle (Gallarga, 2007). The term Mestizo describe Latin American whose lifestyle combine ideas, values, practices and other cultural elements both European and indigenous (rural and urban) of origin (Latin American Culture, 2008). Aspects of the mestizo lifestyle are widely diffused in the musical culture of Latin America. Violin, guitar and other stringed instruments are of mestizo origin (Garfias, 1996). Over time, these instruments were combined to those of traditional instruments being used by the people to create new ensemble types. Rural band from villages started to include playing the guitar, vilhuela, one or two violins and a harp. This kind of ensemble was an example of the changes that were brought by mestizo lifestyle. Additionally, hemiola, a common feature in Latin America music originated or a product of mestizo lifestyle (Mintzer, 2005). A hemiola is the simultaneous or sequential juxtaposition of duple and triple and rhythmic patterns with a moderate or quick 6/8 meter. This kind of rhythmic pattern is present in different musical performances of Mexicans, singers in Chile, and other Latin American performers (Mintzer, 2005). Not only in music does this mestizo trend is present but also in dances genres such as contra dance, waltz and the polka. March based music was widely diffused so as Catholics songs and processionals. Dance drama was another feature of the mestizo musical life. Being influence by 16th century missionaries, people in the rural and also in urban areas perform dance drama to honor individuals who are connected to local history, myth, legend and religious stories (Musical Migrations, 2002). Accompanied by local ensembles and dance genres, drama like this gave new kind of entertainment and meaning to rural town festivals throughout Latin American Aside from the Spanish Language, the musical style that was heavily influenced by the mestizo trend attributed greatly to the creation or identity of a Hispanic musical culture. Though different in use and meanings, Mexicans, Cubans, Chileans and other individual of Latin Americans origins, could understand each other through these customs. Moreover, this musical trend has become a tool of understanding and unification for these groups of people in a foreign land. Caucasian or American Culture Just like the musical lifestyle of the Hispanic, the performing arts in the United States began to incorporate wider groups of people (American Root Music, 2008). For instance, the Latin American dances such as tango from Argentina and rumba from Cuba during the 1900 and 1940. The afro-Cuban mambo was the first step in incorporating jazz music with Latin elements and was later on refined by the Brazilian bossa nova singers (Jones, 1999). There are also the African American communities who greatly contributed and refined jazz music. There are also innovative Americans who incorporated both foreign music and traditional American music to create unique music style. Aaron Copland, for example, developed a unique musical style through incorporating certain jazz elements with American folk music (Five 20th century American composers: 1900-2000, 2002). Influenced heavily by traditional Greek dances, Isadora Duncan redefined the rigidity of classical ballet and promoted self expression, resulting into an expressive and free form kind of dance (Marcus, 2007). These innovations and fusions probably lead to the creation of the Broadway musical. Unlike the Hispanic musical culture, American music was not the product of colonial times but was the result of immigration of various races in the United States. They brought their culture to this place without the intention of changing or creating music genre or style but to serve as a remembrance of their family and native land. It was for this sake that foreign musical style and other foreign cultures were introduced to American people. New musical genres and styles were a mere product of racial interactions. If clearly analyzed, this new musical genre or style removed boundaries and limitations imposed by racial differences. For instance, it is a well known fact that the African American community was discriminated and received less recognition from American society since their origin implied the idea of being a slave. However, when it comes to jazz music, contributions from performers like Billie Holiday, Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong and other African American jazz-blues singers were recognized and accepted by white and black audiences alike (Titon, 1995). Whether it was a European, American or other race, their performances were cheered and enjoyed by thousands of people. Through music, people forgot their differences and simply enjoyed the beat and melody produced by the performers in front of them. Performing arts in the United States representsed the acceptance not only of these people but also their culture. F: Similarities of Hispanic and Caucasian Culture Based on the facts presented thus far, it could be said that both cultures, when it comes to their musical trend and lifestyle were heavily influenced by foreign subjects. Hispanic music reached new heights during the Spanish rule. Elements of European and Spanish music were introduced to the traditional style of Mexican, Cuban and to the rest of Latin American. It gave new meaning to entertainment and performances reached greater heights. On the other hand, the Caucasian musical culture was refined through racial interaction that was the product of immense immigration that occurred during the 17th up to 20th century. Most traditional styles of music evolved and took greater form when they were incorporated with foreign elements (Titon, 1995). Another similarity that these two culture share in the music world is that their music were usually directed or composed for religious practices. In Hispanic culture, festivals were always accompanied by performances that always involved characters and values taken from religious stories. These performances were a direct influence of Spanish missionaries trying to convert local people. On the other hand, early religious sects in Native American such as the Ephrata, Cloister, the Shakers and the Moravians have produced music that somehow grow and influence other people outside their communities. One example of this was shaker melody entitled â€Å"Tis the gift to be simple† which was used by the composer Aaron Copland in one of his plays and which instantly became famous. The Moravians, who were considered as the most prolific and sophisticated when it comes into their music eventually helped in recreating instrumental music that was used in Old world German culture. Though it was quickly forgotten when the jazz and other musical trend came in during the early 1900’s, it proves that early music developed and was influenced by religion of early times (Jones, 1999). Difference between Hispanic and Caucasian music One significant difference between Hispanic and Caucasian music lies on the foreign influence that they received. Hispanic music was the result of long Spanish rule that they experience during the colonial times. A Hispanic performance was characterized by Spanish style of music and was later on refined through incorporating traditional and foreign music. It was only the Spaniards that introduced the European style of music to these people. On the other hand Caucasian music was the result of immense interactions of various races living in America. Some musical culture was able to make it way into the American society and was adhere by the people. There are other musical cultures that were adopted by American performers and incorporate them into their works that resulted in some unique and different kind of music style. Second difference that these two have lies on the venue of their performances. Most Hispanic performer took their shows on the street and urban areas. Performances on these places are always characterized by loud music and cheery audiences. Public performances were the product of festival shows that was always played during festivities and continued in big cities. As it develop Caucasian music reach greater heights in theatre or stage plays. Most broadways musical for an instance was perform on large theatre house and places commonly located on large cities like New York. Lastly, the difference of these two culture lies on how they perform their music. Hispanic based music is well known through their colorful sound that is always accompanied by different instruments. This kind of performance started in festivals and was later on carried through streets by artist who seeks fame and fortune. Caucasian on the other hand is mostly highlighted by the use of different genre of music and dance style to create one stage performance. Broadway musical for an instance used rock and roll genre to capture the heart of young audiences who have been introduced to this kind of music genre during their early years. Use in Classroom Education Using these similarities and differences, instructors could create a surrounding in which learning could be easy and comfortable both for Hispanic and Caucasian students. First, they could create music lessons that would break down cultural differences that exist not only Hispanics and Caucasians but also to other ethnic race. Second, it is possible that social relationship could foster and grow through incorporating music in their daily life. Lastly, through music, it is possible that children could recognize and acknowledge the importance of their cultural heritage. Children nowadays tend to forget their history and culture which is unfortunate. Personal and Professional Relevance Since culture is a vast topic to be covered, it was best that this paper concentrated on each culture’s music history. The first thing that needed to be researched was the influence of foreign music to Hispanic and Caucasian traditional music. The primary tool that was used to gather the necessary data was the Internet. Up-to-date articles and journals can be found in the internet and it saved substantial time researching using this rather than going to huge places such as the library. The books that were used for this paper were accessed through an online directory for textbooks. Since the paper was set to discuss foreign influence on traditional music of Hispanics and Caucasians, the research began through a search of sources that explained the influence of foreign interventions and immigration, since it will clearly show how the traditional music of each culture was changed and developed when foreign factors exerted their impact. The article â€Å"Latino music: A View of Its Diversity and Strength† by Dr. Garfias summarized the important facts about Hispanic music and provided a detailed explanation about the influence of Spanish rule in Hispanic countries. The book â€Å"Blues People: Negro Music in White America† by Titon gave a detailed explanation about the influence of African American music and how Jazz developed in the United States of America. Since this paper was set to discuss the influence of foreign music to Hispanic and Caucasian traditional music, sources that contained useful information were saved for the purpose. To be able to review them carefully, information that may be useful were highlighted and were noted down in a sheet of paper. For organizational ease, the information were outlined just like how the task was outlined. For teaching reference, this report has set a new meaning for being a teacher. The profession of teaching does not exclusively lie on the need to produce a lesson plan that would cater to the educational needs of the students. Being a teacher also means that one must some how create an atmosphere and environment that would enable the student to enjoy learning and would support the growth of social relationships. This realization was brought by the cultural differences that exist not only between Hispanic and Caucasian students but between other races. Cultural differences somehow impede the growth of education and social relationships of students if not managed systematically. Being able to manage cultural differences is also a way of promoting effective inclusion. Positive interactions among teachers, as well as students, contribute to a sense of school and classroom community. Inclusive schools seek to encourage collaboration among teachers for the purposes of planning, teaching, and supporting students. With adequate support, collaborative teaching leads to positive outcomes for learners in heterogeneously grouped classes (Cipani, 1995). Implementing effective teaching collaborations, however, is time-consuming and complex. Teachers often express concern about changes in their roles and responsibilities; differences in teaching style and philosophical orientation; and logistical issues, such as scheduling, planning time, and resource allocation. There are a number of school-wide strategies to support collaboration, including (a) developing and adopting a set of rules, responsibilities, and privileges pertaining to collaboration, (b) providing teachers with designated time for co-planning and reflection, and (c) offering preservice and inservice training in collaboration. In all of these collaborative efforts, understanding culture is a critical backdrop that the teacher must fully comprehend (Cipani, 1995). G:References American Root Music. Retrieved on May 2, 2008 from Public Broadcasting Services: http://www. pbs. org/americanrootsmusic/pbs_arm_itc_historical_background. html. Cipani, E. (1995). Inclusive education: What do we know and what do we still have to learn? Exceptional Children, 61, 498 – 500. Galarraga, J. (2007). Hispanic-American Culture and health. Retrieved May 2, 2008 on http://www. case. edu/med/epidbio/mphp439/Hispanic_Healthcare. pdf Garfias, Dr. R. (1996). Latino music: A View of Its Diversity and Strength. Retrieved May 3, 2008 on http://www. pps. k12. or. us/depts-c/mc-me/be-hi-mu. pdf. Five 20th century American composers: 1900-2000. Retrieved may 3, 2008 from Boisestates: http://music. boisestate. edu/mus100/american_music. htm Jones, L. (1999). Blues People: Negro Music in White America Latin American Culture. Retrieved May 2, 2008 from Ipedia: http://www. ipedia. net/information/Latin+American+culture. Marcus, K. (2007). Music and American Culture. Retrieved May 2, 2008 on http://www. blackwell-compass. com/media? id=pdfs_HICO_Sample_Article . Mintzer, R. (2005). Latino Americans in Sports, Film, Music, and Government: Trailblazers (Hispanic Heritage) Musical Migrations: Transnationalism and Cultural Hybridity in Latin America, Volume I. (2002) . Titon, J. T. (1995). Early Downhome Blues: A Musical and Cultural Analysis (Cultural Studies of the United States)

Aldous Huxleys Brave New World Essay -- essays research papers

In the "Brave New World" of 632 A. F. (After Ford), universal human happiness has been achieved. (Well, almost.) Control of reproduction, genetic engineering, conditioning--especially via repetitive messages delivered during sleep--and a perfect pleasure drug called "Soma" are the cornerstones of the new society. Reproduction has been removed from the womb and placed on the conveyor belt, where reproductive workers tinker with the embryos to produce various grades of human beings, ranging from the super-intelligent Alpha Pluses down to the shorter and dumber semi-moron Epsilons. The story takes place in England where the new society lives. Due to a gigantic biological attack almost all of the world is destroyed except for england and parts of the U.S. In â€Å"Brave New World† civilization is controlled by conditioning and hatchery. Everyone is brought into civilization through a test tube, "the operation undergone voluntarily for the good of society." The D.H.C. (the Director of Hatcheries and Conditioning) decides which of the five castes in society the test tube babies will belong to. At a young age, the babies are conditioned to think and act certain ways depending on which caste they will belong to. The beginning chapters describe this brave new world as the D.H.C (Director of hatcheries and conditioning.) gives a group of children a tour of the facility. The reader meets Lenina Crowne who had been dating Henry Foster for some time, and ...

Argument for the Social Definition of “Medicate”

Of many terms used to denote the actions taken quickly and casually to mend serious problems, ‘medicate’ is a word extensively applied to such movements. The word has at least two meanings, a direct and indirect one, both joined by a common component of meaning.In both cases, â€Å"to medicate† means â€Å"to apply aid in order to remedy an undesirable condition†. In the direct meaning, â€Å"to medicate† is defined in Free Online Dictionary as â€Å"treat with medicine†. This meaning is widely accepted when the word is used in a general sense to refer to the idea of the process of treating medical illness with substances.In many cases, however, the word â€Å"medicate† takes on an additional meaning when it is used to denote the process in which people try to use medical methods in a random, casual way to solve serious problems. One can try to medicate a serious disease resorting to folk ways to medication, or treat a condition with ma gic or witchcraft.â€Å"To medicate† has become popular in today’s fast-paced society where people are tempted to jump to easy measures to ward off the constantly increasing stream of problems. This effort gave the word an additional connotation of a â€Å"quick fix†.This additional shade of meaning dramatically expanded the original meaning of the word. Now the action signified with â€Å"medicate† no longer needs to refer to those moves that involve medical substance. One can take drugs to medicate a love failure, or get a cup of morning coffee to drive stress away.Carl Eliott in his essay â€Å"Medicate Your Dissent† applies the word to the spreading inclination of many Americans to turn to antidepressants when they want to correct their depressed state. In many situations, antidepressants serve only as a temporary palliative that treat the symptoms, but not the real problem.Medicating one’s problems with antidepressants and tranquilizers , people try to isolate themselves from what really nags at their hearts, shoving the real issues of their lives into distant corners of their minds, striving never to retrieve them from there. This way of medication creates skeletons in cupboards – neglected matters that are pushed away but in reality often never forgotten.When a person tries to resort to medication, the short-term fix does not remove the real problem. It can disappear on its own, but will never retreat in the course of â€Å"medication†. This is the key difference between medication and real treatment. When a person is really treated, the root cause of the problem is addressed, whether successfully or not. In case of medicating, it remains there, triggering setbacks over the long run.Medicating arose in society because of people’s obsession with getting fast results without applying much effort. Medicating is driven by the speed of life that forces people to think of ways to â€Å"deceiveâ₠¬  time, accomplishing a lot in a short while. Spreading their efforts too thin over many things, people do not have the time and strength to attend to many matters seriously.Often, one problem will be addressed with detail while all the rest will be â€Å"medicated† or addressed without much detail. Taking shortcuts in treating medical problems, individuals realize that they can bypass usual ways to remedy their problems. More often than not, they are penalised for their self-confidence.This is why â€Å"medicating† often has disastrous consequences. A person can be assured that everything is going well, and he or she is on the way to recovery, while in fact the disease or other problem is growing into an even bigger one. Temporary solutions can place human mind in a state of blissful unawareness when a person revels about a problem being solved and fosters passivity with regard to real issues.In my experience, the most vivid example of â€Å"medicating† in th e latter sense of the word was a married couple that tried all kinds of short-term solutions to a problem they had. The wife moved to her husband’s place of residence in rural Austria, having lived all her life in the US. Her urban background left her totally unprepared for life in a rural community in a foreign land where she did not know the language and felt that the local residents did not accept her.They tried all kinds of solutions that would temporarily solve the problem – she joined various local clubs, engaged in community life, tried to work as a freelance designer taking orders online.   In the end, like so many people trying to overcome their problems, she took to anti-depressants so as to remove her worries and concerns. Surely, anti-depressants did not save her marriage that ended on the rocks after barely two years of family life, after passionate dating and a honeymoon filled with explosive happiness.Kara (my friend’s name) realized too late th at she should not have entered this relationship at all, for although they were enthusiastic about each other, they were two different people with differing backgrounds, which made family life difficult if not impossible.No matter what she tried when she got to Austria, her inner strength and communication skills were not enough to make her life there not only enjoyable, but even tolerable. Instead, her attempt at medicating her pain over separation with her relatives and her native culture with anti-depressants gave a serious blow to her health as she developed side effects associated with the drugs.Thus, â€Å"to medicate† means to invent short-term solutions to long-term problems. The term is more often used to refer to actions that involve the medical component to them; however, it is also used to denote actions that use other means than medical substances. A person can resort to any means to solve a serious problem, but as long as this action uses an ineffective, yet eas y trick for the resolution of the issue, the action is â€Å"medicating†, and not real treatment. Works CitedElliott, Carl. Medicate Your Dissent. 6 July 2006 .Medicate. Free Online Dictionary. 6 July 2006 .

My Favorite Hobby

Wind blowing into my face, my eyes where after few seconds the tears come out and I am speeding and crying but this are not the tears of sadness but the tears of joy. Stop. Here I am in the most beautiful place in the world, surrounded by mountains covered in snow. Sun is shining, even though it’s minus ten but I haven’t even noticed because I’m too happy. I have the feeling of being on top of the world and that there’s nothing that can stop me. It’s great to have a passion that makes you feel like this. I’m lucky to have one.During the time that most of people like to spend drinking warm tea and reading a novel, I’m cruising through snow, both my legs strapped to a wide plank of wood and fiberglass, practicing sport known as snowboarding. Writing this essay helped me to realize that I haven’t chosen this hobby by a coincidence. Both of the characteristics of this sport changed the world history. Events like the French revolutio n of 1789 or the uprising in the Jewish ghetto in Warsaw in 1943, would not have happened if people hadn’t had courage and belief in freedom.Courage. Many people who know me well say, that I have courage. I come from a family of entrepreneurs. I was raised in this spirit by my entrepreneurial parents who had big respect for hard work. I learned that hard work will always be rewarded. I helped in my family’s business, since I turned 14 and I learned the pros and cons of having your own business. Even though the disadvantages seemed big to me at that time, as an only child I knew that I would run the business one day. By the time I turned 18, I was fully at peace with this idea.It’s hard to imagine how big my shock was when one year later my father got a brain cancer and passed away and a year later our self-built family company. The shock was big and lasted long but I knew one thing – I had no plan and I needed one. I put myself together and made a new pla n – studying, developing myself, investing in what my father used to say â€Å"nobody will ever be able to take away from you† which is knowledge. Where I am today, doing what I do is the result of that experience and my patience, persistence and hard work. Freedom.During an exchange programme for students, we played a game in which each of us had to choose 3 words representing our values. Surprisingly I had no problem to choose the number one â€Å"freedom†. I found that amazing to discover, that freedom was more important to me than things like â€Å"family†, which was the number two, â€Å"love†, not to mention – â€Å"career† or â€Å"development†. Even today I know that only through â€Å"freedom† can I achieve all the other values that are important to me. It organizes my priorities and my moral system. It’s the freedom of my own choices and the freedom of always standing for what I believe in.Moreover, it i s also about honesty and respect to other people, which are my personal code of conduct. And when necessary it is the freedom to give up some of our freedom out of love and respect for others. Courage and all the notions of freedom described above are helping me to be successful in business. I am always a promoter of honesty and transparency in the workplace, as well a big supporter of the sustainable development agenda. What makes it different but not less exiting than my sport activities, is the fact that I don’t have to do it in minus ten degrees Celsius†¦

Free Essays on A Modest Proposal Jonathan Swift

for the first time. The utter irony, and sadism they must have felt, being compared to such perverse actions. It is probably safe to say that Swift threw more than a few stones with this essay, but more likely he directed a landslide toward the ruling government of that time.... Free Essays on A Modest Proposal Jonathan Swift Free Essays on A Modest Proposal Jonathan Swift Written in complete parody, Jonathan Swift addresses the issue of dealing with the poor in Ireland in his satirical work, â€Å"A Modest Proposal†. During a time when a caste system was a basis for government, and when the English who governed Ireland held Catholicism in disdain, Swift clearly threw stones with his essay. The author begins by blaming the existence of the poor for the hardships of the kingdom; this is complete irony, since it would be the existence of the government (as it were) that caused the hardships of the poor during this time period. In essence, the author is blaming the government and the politicians of murder by starvation of the poor due to heavy taxation. While it allowed the landlords and owners of the property, that the poor work so hard to cultivate, escape the heavy taxation, and only imposing what would amount to a token payment when compared equally with the taxes required of the poor. Swift even goes so far as to suggest that the way of life and suffering that is imposed on the poor is so bad, that they would trade an early, or easy death for the life the poor currently live. The reader is next drawn into a theory of being able to solve the problem of the overwhelming poor by saying that they can be â€Å"useful members of the commonwealth† (52). Going a step further, Swift states that his method will be easy in comparison to the high cost of caring for these individuals as proposed by others. And finally Swift reveals his theory to be the sale and consumption of the young infant stock of the poor. To be able to see the faces of the politicians as they read these words for the first time. The utter irony, and sadism they must have felt, being compared to such perverse actions. It is probably safe to say that Swift threw more than a few stones with this essay, but more likely he directed a landslide toward the ruling government of that time....

Free sample - The Growing Power of the Peoples Republic of China. translation missing

The Growing Power of the Peoples Republic of China. The Growing Power of the People's Republic of ChinaChina is a country located in East Asia. This country is considered one of the worlds oldest continuous civilizations with approximately four thousand years of history. The country’s rapid growth is largely attributed to a change in economic policies in the 1950’s which transformed the country into a technology based economy. China is actually the second largest economy in the world after the U.S and the world’s fastest growing major economy. The country’s population stands at 1,340,610,000 (Phang 20). This large population provides a good market for the country’s industrial products. The large population also ensures availability of manpower for the country’s military as well as labor for the industrial sector. Out of this population, 26% is urban. The presence of large rivers and arable land ensures adequate agricultural products to feed the high population. Principal rivers in the country include Yangtze, Huang He (yellow river), Amur, Pearl, and Mekong (Phang 22). The population of china is largely made of the Han ethnic group. The country’s large size has ensured availability of large agricultural fields. The climate is quite conducive for agricultural activities (Phang 25). The country is actually the world’s largest producer of rice. Other agricultural products produced in large quantities in the country are: cotton, wheat, maize, tobacco, soybeans, and peanuts. The country is also rich in mineral resources. Its renowned for the production of coal, crude oil, antimony, tungsten and other mineral resources. This ensures availability of foreign income to develop the country’s infrastructure (Henley 100). The country’s decision to loosen restrictions on private businesses ensured their growth hence contributing to the rapid economic growth of the country. Opening the door for foreign investment ensured the creation of numerous factories and other production centers hence the creation of jobs (Henley 105). Foreign investment also facilitated technology transfers and increased exports thereby contributing to economic growth. A research carried out recently by IMF concluded that increased worker efficiency has played a big role in the growth of the country. The report compiled by the researchers indicate that this efficiency led to high productivity gains which accounted for nearly 42% of the country’s growth in the 1990’s (Henley 106). The availability of cheap labor for the country’s industrial sector has ensured low production cost hence making products from the country very competitive in the international market (Henley 111). This availability is largely because of the high population in the country. As a result of this, manufactured products constitute a very large share of the country’s trade. Appreciation of the Yuan has also played a very big role in the development of the country. This appreciation has caused very favorable exchange rate against the dollar. China pegs its currency against the dollar but this is expected to change owing to the improvement of the country’s economy and the weakening of the dollar. The country is expected to do away with the peg system after the G- 20 summit (Henley 112). This step is expected to be accompanied by a further increase in the value of the currency. This increase is expected to spur more economic growth in the country. Conversely, this appreci ation is expected to affect negatively the economies of Chinese neighbors such as south Korea which happens to be China’s major trade partner (Henley 112). The country continues to receive aid from other countries despite its blossoming economy. for instance, the Australian government through the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) has provided support for china for the last thirty years. This body supports many development projects in china and also provides the required expertise (Chen 55). This helps china make up for deficiencies hence ensuring adequate resources for development. The country has formed a program called â€Å" China country program strategy†. This is a program that focuses on supporting the country’s development as well as reform agenda via targeted policy management, high level capacity building as well as partnerships in the economic key sectors. Alliances have therefore played a key role in helping the country realize its development goals (Chen 56). The country’s tourism sector has also played an important role in the country’s development. This sector is one of the fastest growing industries in the country’s national economy. Revenue from the industry reached about USD 67.3 billion in 2002, contributing about 5.44% of the GDP. In 2003, the number of tourists reached about 91.66 million. This placed the country among the world’s top five countries as far as revenue from this industry is concerned (Chen 58). China’s high regard for science and technology has seen a high priority awarded to modernization of the same. The country’s leaders have actually been described by many scholars as technocrats. There is a very good political will to advance the field. This has ensured a state of the art production systems in the industries thereby ensuring efficiency (Chen 59). Works cited Chen, B. â€Å"Determinants of Economic Growth in China: Private enterprise, Education and Openness†. China Economic Review (Elsevier Science, 2010 Henley, J. etal. â€Å" Foreign Direct Investment in China: Recent Trends and Current Policy Issues†. The World Economy (Blackwell Synergy, 2010 Phang, S. China overtakes Japan as Worlds Second- Biggest Economy. London: Oxford University Press, 2010

Local Lawsuit Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Local Lawsuit - Assignment Example This information was relayed to the company’s manager via a short message using a phone. The dealer though did not categorically state the mode in which he expected a response from the company. On receiving the feedback from the dealer, the company manager decided to respond to the offer by a means of e-mail. In his email, he indicated that the stated $550 amount was too high and that since the company needed 10 horses, he would consider paying $500 for each of the horses. This mail was also accompanied by instruction informing the dealer that if the company does not hear from them by Friday, then the company will consider the deal done and will process paying for the 10 horses (Berenson, 2005). When Friday reached, the company processed the payments, but later found out that the dealer had sold the horses to another third party. The company was disappointed on the grounds that the dealer had breached the contract and in that regard filed a suit in a court to reverse the trans action made between the dealer and the other party. The dealer on the other hand insisted that he did not reach any contract since he had not received any communication from the company and considered that the company withdrew from the deal. What the Management Would Have Done To Curb the Lawsuit Scenario from A Rising The management in this situation ought to have been aware of the way a contract should be communicated; this is in the sense that if a communication from an offeror is made in a particular pattern, it is prudent then that any response to the communication is made in the same way unless otherwise stated by the offeror. This is because ordinarily in contracts, when a communication is done using a different way other than that used by the offeror, then the offeror may not be liable for any miscommunication that may arise due to engagement of a different method. The management decided to use an alternative method to communicate back without the knowledge of the offeror. T hey ought to have observed this before communicating using the email. Again, in contracts, silence in not considered as a way of acceptance. It can only serve as a way of acceptance if there has been such earlier communication between the two and it is in their knowledge. This is accentuated by the fact that communication is done via the same means used by the offeror. Given that there was no such history between the two, it was wrong for the company’s management to construe that their communication was heeded to by the offeror. The management ought to have taken the precautionary measures of making communication via the same means. Making replies to communication should be informed by the method that has been used by the other partner, this is to the extent that if the same communication is done using another method, chances are that the intended recipient may not access on specific time bound because of some reasons. This may make the partner misconstrue that the informatio n is accepted as in the case of the company discussed in this paper. Legally, the offeror is required to unequivocally state the mode of communication to avoid any communication that will deviate from the initial means of communication. This is the issue witnessed in this case where the offeror makes an offer and does not dictate the mode of relaying acceptance enabling the offeree to choose mail - this is what led to misconstrued communication and

College application - please read the order instructions its all on it Essay

College application - please read the order instructions its all on it - Essay Example Critical thinking also requires approaching a problem rationally. This implies analyzing all that is known about a particular problem and making a judgment based on the evidence received after analysis rather than relying on non-factual opinions or emotions. In addition, critical thinking requires recognizing and avoiding unfairness in order to have a fresh and goal-oriented approach to a problem. Finally, critical thinking requires an individual to view the external environment as a whole and not focusing on the self. This requires empathy in which one puts himself or herself in another’s situation (Arp and Watson 2). Personally, I have encountered a number of situations in life that called for critical thinking. Firstly, critical thinking was demanded when I was choosing the right college to attend. In this case, I found myself in a dilemma on which college to attend since I had a number of options to choose from. However, since colleges differ in terms of quality and other aspects, I had to weigh all the advantages and disadvantages of each before settling on one. In this case, I used my critical thinking ability to analyze all the aspects I was looking for in each of the schools such as quality of education, distance from my place of residence, the tuition fees, scholarships available, my programs of interest, extra-curricular activities and ethical standards. It is after evaluating all these aspects that I arrived at a college that best suits what I was looking for.

F-14 Plane SHip and Missile Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

F-14 Plane SHip and Missile - Essay Example These planes are so huge that just one carrier has more air power than most other nations. Engineering advancements in aviation allowed the F-14 Tomcat to reach record speeds and have greater combat range, while using an extreme payload of missiles, than other U.S. aircraft. Installing a Phoenix AN-54 long range missile to the Tomcat’s onboard radar further utilized this highly adaptable platform. There was no greater employment of naval superiority than during the first Gulf War (1990-1991). From 1974 to the present, the combination of planes, ships, and long range missiles gave the U.S. the most powerful naval aviation industry in the world. Although naval aviation was developed by the U.S, it has taken a long time to become an integral part of the defensive strategies of U.S. In 1910, the U.S. Navy conducted a demonstration from a cruiser, the USS Birmingham (CL-2), and launched the Curtiss 1991 Model D aircraft from the deck. Though the ship was at anchor, â€Å"Eugene El y coaxes his Curtiss biplane from the ship†¦actually brushed the water before Ely gained altitude† (Reynolds 7). After this historic two minute flight, Ely would also go on to complete a carrier landing at sea two months after. This was an extreme test of man and machine. The landing was â€Å"made possible by ingenious arresting gear-ropes stretched between sandbags that slowed and stopped the plane† (Reynolds 7). ... The Chance Vought F4U Corsair was flown after 1942 and maintained combat superiority in the Pacific Theater of Operations. This U.S. Navy fighter bomber utilized America’s naval aviation advantage over the Japanese from mid-1943 until the end of the war. Flown by both the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps, squadrons were â€Å"quickly trained to operate their F4U Corsairs from a flight deck and assigned to fast carriers† (Remolds 159). This numerical advantage was further exploited by the quality of trained pilots and their ability to alter their battle plans in theater. Thus, the division of labor by the carriers and the subsequent rotation of experienced pilots proved too much for the Japanese military. A television show, The Black Sheep Squadron, depicted this segment of the war in the Solomon Islands, which is located in the South Pacific. Gregory "Pappy" Boyington, a character portrayed in the show, commanded the squadron, which was nicknamed â€Å"Boyingtonâ₠¬â„¢s Bastards.† Boyington received the Medal of Honor from President Roosevelt for his leadership along with an accredited â€Å"26 Japanese aircraft kills† (Geranios 2). This ingenuity, skill, and experience were evident throughout WWII, which ended with the use of the atomic bomb. During the Vietnam War conflict, the McDonald Douglas F-4 Phantom became the jet powered workhorse with its superior speed as a fighter-bomber. It was used by both the U.S. Navy and the newly formed U.S. Air Force. The F-4 was very successful and remained operational until the conclusion of the first Gulf War. This two seat fighter-bomber, with atop speed of 1,500 miles per hour, achieved numerous land speed records and provided a stable platform for new, emerging electronics.

Animal Farm: An Analysis

Animal Farm: An Analysis ‘Animal Farm’ is a novel based on the Russian Revolution, about a group of animals wanting to rebel against man. Snowball a smart, fair and strong leader gets ruled over by Napoleon, an unfair and selfish leader. This was the first error in the rebellion. Snowball would have defiantly made a better leader than Napoleon. The reasons for this are that he educated the animals, had future economic plans and knew how to keep a fair and smart community. Snowball genuinely believes in Old Majors message of animal equality and shared sacrifice for shared gain, and so his ideas represent an attempt to create an equally working farm. Although he shares the early luxuries of the pigs, such as the milk and apples which are kept from the other animals, he tries to make things better for the other animals with technological advances like the windmill. Napoleon on the other hand was a quite a contrary image, he was selfish cruel and corrupt. He would think of his and the pigs interest first and then that of the other animals and the farm. His way of ruling was inequality, completely contrary to the teachings of the Old Major and the Seven Commandments. Napoleon can be equated to Napoleon Bonaparte for his high ambition and his rule by fear and force. This political satire gives insight into two types of leadership; the democratic, Snowball, and the narcissist, Napoleon. They were both leaders of the revolution that happened at the farm in the beginning of the story. Napoleon is seen as the quite one who spoke rarely and only when absolutely required. Snowball on the other hand was a charmer and was able to capture the attention of the crowd with his words. He was full of new ideas to improve the way of life in the farm. As history has proven a narcissist leader, for example Adolf Hitler, is never a good leader. For someone to become a good leader the person has to care about all of the people he is representing but when someone only cares about themselves they will become corrupt and soon their ruling will end terribly. Snowball was devoted to the commandments and encouraged the animals to follow it to the dot. He tries methods to improve the way the animals lived by starting various clubs and trying to teach the animals to read and write. Napoleon on the other hand just adopts a few pups and teaches them on private. No one in the farm knows what he is up to. A very important factor in their leadership of the farm was that they never agreed with each other. Whenever, Snowball came out with his elaborate schemes to improve farm life Napoleon stood against it. However, most of the time Snowball was able to win over the support of the animals with his charismatic personality and play with words. He was able to win them over with comforting talk and some amount of reasoning. He tried to get the animals involved in the decision making through a voting system and thus had a more participative approach to running the farm. Napoleon on the other hand preferred to dictate and direct things. He was not good at getting the animals on his side with his talk. Because he knew that he would not be in leadership of the farm will Snowball was around he got rid of Snowball. He uses another pig called Squealer to speak on his behalf and mislead the animals into believing that everything Snowball did was harmful. Squealer was also used to tell great tales about Napoleon. Napoleon’s autocratic style of leadership, with lies and tales leading the farm, leave the animals confused. However, they carry on with their work more passionately than ever. He is a narcissist who makes the animals work mainly for his own benefit. When a comparison is made between the leadership of these two pigs Snowball comes out as a democratic leader while Napoleon comes out as a dictator. Snowball came out with good ideas and always presented it to the animals for a vote. He is a leader who is able to raise the entire group, including himself, into higher levels of morality, motivation and motives. He raised the motivational level of the farm animals with his inspiring speeches and led them to work and fight for liberty and the betterment of the farm in which he too actively participated. On the other hand Napoleon was corrupt and with false claims he forced his decisions on the animals. There was no voting or any suggestions taken from the animals. They were led to believe that everything that was happening was for their own good and made to do double work with lesser pay. Everything he did finally ended up in benefiting him and the pigs but not the other animals of the farm. Because Napoleon only cared about himself he could not become the greater leader on the farm. Snowball thought of all the animals as equal and helped the animals but Napoleon only corrupts the animals to get whatever he wanted. A narcissist style of leadership is never a good way to rule because sooner or later the people that the leader is ruling over will find out about his corrupt ways and kick the leader out of his ruling. Overall Snowball was a better leader than Napoleon. Snowball showed lots of the attributes of a good leader. He was a good speaker and listener, fair, gave constructive criticism and was a role model to the other animals. On Sundays when the animals had their meetings Snowball would give great speeches and make proposals on ways to make the Animal Farm a better place. He declared notes to make sure everyone agreed and listened to other people’s opinions. However, Napoleon eventually decided to cancel all Sunday meetings and make his own decisions without discussing. If animals spoke up and disagreed they would most likely be slaughtered by Napoleons guard dogs. This is against all morals of good leadership. Snowball also educated the animals so that they could achieve more and teach their next generations. Snowball was a much better leader than Napoleon because he enforced education whereas Napoleon thought it was unnecessary. Education is the key to nearly everything and if t he animals could read and write they would be able to help out more on the farm and they would get a better understanding of what is going on. They could read books on how to run a farm and on the world as well and write things to other animals or people. The most important difference between these two animal leaders is not their behavior but their beliefs, Snowball believing in what could be described as Democratic Communism and Napoleon following Dictatorship. This major difference between the ideas of these two pigs led to the abolishment and defaming of Snowball by Napoleon and his dogs. The time when Snowball was in Animal Farm the animals saw prosperity and peace, because their leader wanted to give the animals a better life than in that of Joness time. But Our Leader, comrade Napoleon(pg. 69) cared for no one else but himself and power, he gave the lower rations to the animals than what they received when Jones was their master. Earlier the animals used to vote on issues but with the expulsion of Snowball their voting rights and also the meeting on Sundays were abolished, their inspiration Beasts of England was forbidden, the animals were brought under slavery again without their knowledge. The opposing leaders in Animal Farm Napoleon and Snowball were always contrary to each other and had nothing in common other than the fact that they were both good leaders. Snowball has some lead over Napoleon in the sense that he was a much better speaker than Napoleon was and he knew how to convince the animals. He was an altruistic leader who showed courage and gave moral support to the animals. For an example, when Boxer had injured a stable hand and everybody thought he was dead Snowball cheered them saying, No sentimentality, comrade a war is war(Orwell pg. 49). He really believed that all animals are equal and acted and worked for the comfort of his comrades, he was a hero. Snowball is a careful and deliberate thinker and possesses a sharp intellect and talent for planning and design, the characteristics that Napoleon later takes advantage of. He is open to new ideas and not easily manipulated, again things that Napoleon cannot accept and reasons why he later drives him from the farm. His expertise is later seen as a threat by Napoleon who will continue to use him as a scapegoat after he drives him off the farm. Snowball has great ideas, he wants to unify and educate the animals. Snowball acts with great bravery and courage going into the Battle of Cowshed with great strategy and self-sacrifice. If we desire a society of peace, then we cannot achieve such a society through violence. If we desire a society without discrimination, then we must not discriminate against anyone in the process of building this society. If we desire a society that is democratic, then democracy must become a means as well as an end.  

Views on Colonialism in Donnes Elegy XIX and Wroths Sonnet 22 Essay

Views on Colonialism in Donne's Elegy XIX and Wroth's Sonnet 22 Introduction In the midst of Lady Mary Wroth's sonnet cycle, a sudden reference to the colonialist discoveries of dark skinned natives appears. Bringing to mind her participation in Jonson's "Masque of Blackness," she depicts dark-skinned Indians worshipping the sun as their god. In the midst of her ruminations on love and her preoccupations with her unfaithful lover, Amphilanthus, this sonnet touches on issues close to her personal life as well as some of the preoccupations of her era on the nature of colonialism. In particular the role of religion in England's colonialist efforts was of prime importance. An examination of John Donne's Elegy XIX, "To His Mistris Going to Bed" may give some insight into how Wroth's Sonnet 22, "Like to the Indians Scorched with the Sun" deals with the controversies surrounding imperialism. Historical Concerns Both authors had close personal ties to England's colonialist efforts in the New World. Lady Mary Wroth's uncle, Sir Philip Sydney, was an investor in Raleigh's attempted colony at Roanoke. This venture ultimately failed, however, and would later be followed under King James with the Virginia Company. John Donne was closely tied with the efforts following Raleigh's failed attempt. In 1608, after two failed attempts at securing a secretarial post, first in London and then in Ireland, "the report circulated that he sought to be made secretary of the colony, a position given instead to his friend William Strachey" (Johnson 127). If he had been awarded the position, he would have sailed with the new governor, Sir Thomas Gates. This was the ship that was shipwrecked in Bermuda and that winter the Jamestown colon... ...onne, John. "A Sermon vpon the VIII. Verse of the I. Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles" Greene, Thomas M. "The Poetics of Discovery: A Reading of Donne's Elegy 19." Yale Journal of Criticism. 2 (2) (1989): 129-143. Hester, M. Thomas. "Donne's (Re)Annunciation of the Virgin(ia Colony) in Elegy XIX." South Central Review: 49-63. Johnson, Stanley. "John Donne and the Virginia Company." ELH. 14 (2) (1947): 127-138. Raman, Shankar. "Can't Buy Me Love: Money Gender, and Colonialism in Donne's Erotic Verse." Criticism. 43 (2) (2001): 135-168. Roberts, Jospephine A. The Poems of Mary Wroth. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1983. Young, R. V. "'O my America, my new-found-land': Pornography and Imperial Politics in Donne's Elegies." Souch Central Review: 35-48. Warnke, Frank J. John Donne Poetry and Prose. New York: Random House, 1967.

Earth Essay

Earth is the planet on which we live. Earth is the third planet from the sun. The particles which compose of the mass of the earth but more particularly the particles which from the mould on the surface of Earth. The Earth is the largest member of the group of inner planets and is also the most massive. When the Earth is compared with its planetary neighbors, marked similarities as well marked differences are found. Of course, what singles the Earth out from any other planets is the fact that it has an oxygen-rich atmosphere and a temperature that makes it suitable for life of the kind we can understand. Were the Earth slightly close to the sun and slightly farther away, life here might not have developed. The purpose of this research is to let us learn more about our Planet that we are living and also aims to help us understand more about our planet. Even we have an idea what Planet Earth is all about, we must dig deeper and know the characteristics of Earth that we haven’t yet know. `The completion of this paper was made possible through my research in library, and computers. Some books, encyclopedia, dictionary, some magazines computer encyclopedia and other website, I got all I want to know. They are very helpful for my research, and thanks be to God for giving me wisdom to do this term paper alone and by myself. Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System’s four terrestrial planets. It is sometimes referred to as the world, the Blue Planet, or by its Latin name, Terra. Earth formed approximately 4. 54 billion years ago, and life appeared on its surface within one billion years. Earth’s biosphere then significantly altered the atmospheric and other basic physical conditions, which enabled the proliferation of organisms as well as the formation of the ozone layer, which together with Earth’s magnetic field blocked harmful solar radiation, and permitted formerly ocean-confined life to move safely to land. The physical properties of the Earth, as well as its geological history and orbit, have allowed life to persist. Estimates on how much longer the planet will be able to continue to support life range from 500 million years (myr), to as long as 2. billion years (byr). Earth’s crust is divided into several rigid segments, or tectonic plates, that migrate across the surface over periods of many millions of years. About 71% of the surface is covered by salt water oceans, with the remainder consisting of continents and islands which together have many lakes and other sources of water that contribute to the hydrosphere. Earth’s poles are mostly covered with ice that is the solid ice of the Antarctic ice sheet and the sea ice that is the polar ice packs. The planet’s interior remains active, with a solid iron inner core, a liquid outer core that generates the magnetic field, and a thick layer of relatively solid mantle. Earth gravitationally interacts with other objects in space, especially the Sun and the Moon. During one orbit around the sun, the Earth rotates about its own axis 366. 26 times, creating 365. 26 solar days, or one sidereal year. The Earth’s axis of rotation is tilted 23. 4 ° away from the perpendicular of its orbital plane, producing seasonal variations on the planet’s surface with a period of one tropical year (365. 24 solar days). The Moon is Earth’s only natural satellite. It began orbiting the Earth about 4. 53 billion years ago (bya). The Moon’s gravitational interaction with Earth stimulates ocean tides, stabilizes the axial tilt, and gradually slows the planet’s rotation. The planet is home to millions of species, including humans. Both the mineral resources of the planet and the products of the biosphere contribute resources that are used to support a global human population. These inhabitants are grouped into about 200 independent sovereign states, which interact through diplomacy, travel, trade, and military action. Human cultures have developed many views of the planet, including its personification as a planetary deity, its shape as flat, its position as the center of the universe, and in the modern Gaia Principle, as a single, self-regulating organism in its own right Formation The earliest material found in the Solar System is dated to 4. 5672 ±0. 0006 bya; therefore, it is inferred that the Earth must have been forming by accretion around this time. By 4. 54 ±0. 04 bya. The primordial Earth had formed. The formation and evolution of the Solar System bodies occurred in tandem with the Sun. In theory a solar nebula partitions a volume out of a molecular cloud by gravitational collapse, which begins to spin and flatten into a circumstellar disk, and then the planets grow out of that in tandem with the star. A nebula contains gas, ice grains and dust (includingprimordial nuclides). In nebular theory planetesimals commence forming as particulate accrues by cohesive clumping and then by gravity. The assembly of the primordial Earth proceeded for 10–20 myr. The Moon formed shortly thereafter, about 4. 53 bya. The Moon’s formation remains a mystery. The working hypothesis is that it formed by accretion from material loosed from the Earth after a Mars-sized object, dubbed Theia, had a giant impact with Earth, but the model is not self-consistent. In this scenario the mass of Theia is 10% of the Earth’s mass, it impacts with the Earth in a glancing blow, and some of its mass merges with the Earth. Between approximately 3. 8 and 4. 1 bya, numerous asteroid impacts during the Late Heavy Bombardment caused significant changes to the greater surface environment of the Moon, and by inference, to the Earth. Earth’s atmosphere and oceans formed by volcanic activity and outgassing that included water vapor. The origin of the world’s oceans was condensation augmented by water and ice delivered by asteroids, proto-planets, and comets. In this model, atmospheric â€Å"greenhouse gases† kept the oceans from freezing while the newly forming Sun was only at 70% luminosity. By 3. 5 bya, the Earth’s magnetic field was established, which helped prevent the atmosphere from being stripped away by the solar wind. A crust formed when the molten outer layer of the planet Earth cooled to form a solid as the accumulated water vapor began to act in the atmosphere. The two models that explain land mass propose either a steady growth to the present-day forms or, more likely, a rapid growthearly in Earth history followed by a long-term steady continental area. Continents formed by plate tectonics, a process ultimately driven by the continuous loss of heat from the earth’s interior. Ontime scales lasting hundreds of millions of years, the supercontinents have formed and broken up three times. Roughly 750 mya (million years ago), one of the earliest known supercontinents, Rodinia, began to break apart. The continents later recombined to form Pannotia, 600–540 mya, then finally Pangaea, which also broke apart 180 mya. Evolution of life Highly energetic chemistry is thought to have produced a self-replicating molecule around 4 bya and half a billion years later the last common ancestor of all life existed. The development of photosynthesis allowed the Sun’s energy to be harvested directly by life forms; the resultant oxygen accumulated in the atmosphere and formed a layer of ozone (a form of molecular oxygen [O3]) in the upper atmosphere. The incorporation of smaller cells within larger ones resulted in the development of complex cells called eukaryotes. True multicellular organisms formed as cells within colonies became increasingly specialized. Aided by the absorption of harmful ultraviolet radiation by the ozone layer, life colonized the surface of Earth. Since the 1960s, it has been hypothesized that severe glacial action between 750 and 580 mya, during the Neoproterozoic, covered much of the planet in a sheet of ice. This hypothesis has been termed â€Å"Snowball Earth†, and is of particular interest because it preceded he Cambrian explosion, when multicellular life forms began to proliferate. Following the Cambrian explosion, about 535 mya, there have been five major mass extinctions. [55] The most recent such event was 65 mya, when an asteroid impact triggered the extinction of the (non-avian) dinosaurs and other large reptiles, but spared some small animals such as mammals, which then resembled shrews. Over the past 65 myr, mammalian life has diversified, and several million years ago an African ape-like animal such as Orrorin tugenensis gained the ability to stand upright. This enabled tool use and encouraged communication that provided the nutrition and stimulation needed for a larger brain, which allowed the evolution of the human race. The development of agriculture, and then civilization, allowed humans to influence the Earth in a short time span as no other life form had, affecting both the nature and quantity of other life forms. The present pattern of ice ages began about 40 mya and then intensified during the Pleistocene about 3 mya. High-latitude regions have since undergone repeated cycles of glaciation and thaw, repeating every 40–100,000 years. The last continental glaciation ended 10,000 years ago.