Ancient Mesopotamia Flashcard

Ancient Mesopotamia

secondhand smoking essays

secondhand smoking essays A blockbuster study published in the January issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) examined the impact of exposure to ETS on the progression of athersclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and concluded, in part, that the arteries of non-smokers exposed to ETS thickened 20% faster than non-smokers with no second-hand exposure (JAMA). Another study published in Pediatrics in January estimated that, about half of the cases of early childhood cases of asthma, chronic bronchitis and wheezing are attributable to exposure to secondhand smoke (JAMA). Smoking in public areas such as bars and restaurants can be harmful to the health of not only the smoker himself, but everybody around him. Recent studies on the number of deaths as a result of smoking confirmed that eight out of ten people affected with diseases affiliated with smoking were a cause of second hand smoke. Laws are in the process of being passed to make certain places completely non-smoking. Why should a person who has been careful about their health be subject to smokers health problems? Why should a family going out to dinner have to smell the smoke from someone else when the family has just as much right to be there as the smoker does? Isnt there some way to compromise between the two? Wont someone be unhappy no matter what the decision about banning smoking is? The fact is that everyone has the right to smoke if they want to; but there is no way that a non-smoker should be forced to inhale smoke that isnt theirs. Although, wont a restaurant lose a lot of business if they cut out the smoking sections? The Institute for Social Research at York University for the Ontario Tobacco Research Unit at the University of Toronto performed a study on smoking attitudes and behaviors. First of all, only 19% of Toronto adults smoke, 15% daily (institute). The study pro...

Motivation, Stress, and Communication Research Paper

Motivation, Stress, and Communication - Research Paper Example Additionally, the position has the responsibility of staffing and directing a sales team, providing headship towards the accomplishment of utmost profitability and growth in tandem with the vision and values of the company. Furthermore, the individual will have the task of instituting procedures and stratagem to enlarge the client base in the marketing area and contribute to the advancement of training and instructive programs for consumers and account executives. Responsibilities and Accountabilities The individual will have the task of devising a business plan and sales strategy for the assigned areas that guarantee the attainment of the firm’s sales goals and profitability. The individual will be in charge of the performances and development of the account executives. Furthermore, the individual is expected to conduct and coordinate, at individual as well as team level, effectual searches of sales leads and prospects. In line with the company’s development plans, the individual has to prepare strategies aimed at penetrating new markets and maintaining already existing markets. Apart from the harmonization of sales activities, the individual has to perform personalized reviews with all account executives to institute effective communication. This will be in order to gain a clear understanding of training and development requirements, and to provide information in the improvement of Account executives sales and activity performance. He has the task of providing timely feedback of the performance of new products in his market region to the VP of sales. The marketing and sales manager, at the beginning of each month, will hold counsel with all sales persons in his region to establish realistic sales objectives. Consequently, by following the drafted course of action, or making alterations, the individual has to achieve the projected sales. He/she has to monitor the performance of the sales persons in his charge. Additionally, the person has to have a keen understanding of the company’s fiscal data to gain insight on what is happening in the assigned region. The marketing and sales manager will, apart from maintaining a high level of personal motivation, coach, counsel, prop, and motivate sales personnel in the region. Concerning the sales personnel, the manager will monitor their performance comparing it with the previous period’s performance and make suitable resolutions. Concerning products, the individual will bear the task of developing appropriate displays for the products where necessary. He/she also has the duty of handling all complains from customers regarding the products sold. Significantly, the individual must be capable of maintaining continual professional growth, improving sales skills, managerial skills, business skills and product comprehension. Relationships and Roles The Job requires an individual with familiarity of 5 years in sales supervision. The individual should be familiar with technolo gical trends, especially in the gadget field. Broad practice in all facets of SRM is a prerequisite. The individual should bear a confirmed record in managing and heading highly-trained, motivated, successful, and achievement oriented sales force. He/she should further demonstrate strong leadership aptitudes. A strong comprehension of consumer and market dynamics is a requirement, and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced and vibrant market setting. The interested individual should

Contracting and Procurement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Contracting and Procurement - Essay Example The second type of contract is the cost-reimbursement contract wherein all incurred costs that lie with a pre-determined ceiling are agreed to be paid. 1. Hiring of technicians to install and configure the software for a particular environment is indeed a critical task. While hiring people for this purpose, it is very much necessary that, the individual is assessed on different parameters which would help determine if that particular person has the capability and knowledge of how to configure and install softwares. It would be an added advantage if the person has a prior experience in the particular task. The type of contract that can be pursued for such kind of purposes can be a cost reimbursement category contract. In the cost reimbursement contract type, specifically a cost type or cost-plus-incentive-fee contract can be opted for (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2008). In these types of contracts payments of all incurred costs which range within a predetermined total estimated cost are paid to the people who are hired. 2. Whenever a training entity is hired for the purpose of teaching Project Management students about the techniques of using the newly installed software, it would definitely be for a particular duration, for instance a stipulated number of days or months. Cost sharing contract is the appropriate choice for such tasks. In a cost sharing contract, both the parties involved in the contract share or agree to split the cost of performance. In this case, it can be said that the company would agree to provide the required infrastructure and the trainer who is being hired for the purpose of training would agree to supply the course curriculum and instruction manuals etc. 3. Buying a new server and software to run the tool and house the project database involves identifying and locating both hardware and software. Identifying both hardware and software service providers involves market research. If a market research is done, then obviously various quotes would be obtained from different vendors from which the company would select the best optimum vendor depending on the quote and place the order. These kinds of contracts can be executed by cost reimbursement contracts and in this specifically, cost-plus-fixed-fee. According to the Cost-plus-fixed-fee contracts, all incurred costs are paid apart from a fixed fee which is not supposed to change all through the contract. 4. Hiring tool usage experts to transfer knowledge to the student PMs about the use of the tool on the job for the first 60 days after going "live" clearly states that it is for a stipulated period i.e. for 60 days. Here, the hiring of an individual is done for a particular time period. Hence, in this case it would be appropriate that the person is hired on the basis of an hourly rate i.e. a particular amount for the number of hours worked. The type of contract that can be pursued in this case would be cost type contract in which payments of all incurred costs which range within a predetermined total estimated cost are paid to the people who are hired. 5. Plan for the removal and disposal of the no longer to be used scheduling tool software and hardware also falls into the same category as to where a person is hired for the installation of the software. The person who

Case Analysis of Golden Year Village Research Paper

Case Analysis of Golden Year Village - Research Paper Example CCRC or ‘Continuing Care retirement Community’ projects have evolved as standalone industries that meet the growing demands of healthcare issues of people in their post retirement period. The Golden Years Village is a CCRC project that primarily provides multifaceted post retirement healthcare services to elderly population above sixty years of age in Portsmouth, Pennsylvania. The paper would discuss the project as ‘for profit organization’, using SWOT analysis. Key strategic factors of Golden Years Village Strengths GYV has more than 29 years of experience in the area of meeting the healthcare needs of elder population and understands the myriad problems of old age It runs cost effective programs that give residents options of individual services and housing facilities as well as meeting their wider needs of personal requirements of assisted living and personalized nursing. The vast campus of GYV is also equipped with state of the art recreational activitie s which help the residents to de-stress and actively enjoy life. Uses technology to enhance operational efficiency. Despite previous losses, its profitability indicator is better than its rivals. Weakness Due to stringent government rules and regulation, cannot increase prices of its product to meet the increasingly higher cost of healthcare deliverable. The organizational structure is mechanistic and prefers stability and resists change. The centralized power significantly reduces empowered decision making capabilities of employees which adversely impacts performance and efficiency. Does not have strategic market plans for its products and mainly relies on word to mouth publicity as its major market ploy. It lacks financial resources to meet new challenges Opportunities The increasing number of aged population offers huge opportunities to expand its products to suit the growing demands of the people. Threat The major threat is from the new entrants that are ‘for profitâ€℠¢ organizations and who are better equipped to offer customized packages to customers. Wider implications of key strategic factors Golden Years Village is endowed with sprawling area and has expert human competencies that can utilize space and become more creative in their products and services. Ward et al. (1984) claim that 20% of the population is between the age group (60-69) while 65% is above 80 years of age! With increased life expectancy, population of elderly has rapidly grown. Hence there are huge opportunities for GYV to expand its products and services to meet the fast changing preferences of elderly population. The advancing technology has created more awareness amongst aged people and empowered people with myriad options. At the same time, awareness has also resulted in advance planning of post retirement period. GHY therefore should introduce new products that meet the changing requirements of people. People want to be more active and maintain healthy lifestyle. Hence, introducing alternative healthcare imperatives like yoga, meditation, naturopathy etc, would be hugely attractive as they offer holistic healing that takes into consideration the physical, mental and social aspect of the individuals. Ernst et al. (2004) have defined alternative medicine as diagnosis, treatment and/or prevention which complements mainstream by contributing and satisfying a demand that is neither met by convention nor by widening the conceptual frameworks of medicine. It helps people with better sense of wellbeing. Since, CCRC has emerged as an

Role of Autotrophs and Heterotrophs

Role of Autotrophs and Heterotrophs Bacteria are unicellular micro-organisms that are found everywhere on earth. They are classified under prokaryotes. Prokaryotes are organisms which do not have a membrane bound nucleus unlike eukaryotes which possess a well formed nucleus. Though the bacteria do not possess the nucleus, they have genetic material in their DNA. The bacterial DNA is found in their cytoplasm. Though bacteria can cause diseases, only a small percentage of bacteria do so. The rest of the bacteria are harmless. The pathogenic bacteria are called parasitic bacteria and they thrive on the nutrition of other living matter for their survival. On the other hand, the saprophytic bacteria lead a symbiotic relationship with other living matter and do not cause any harm. Bacteria can be classified under various categories. They can be classified according to shape, nutritional and oxygen requirements, staining characteristics, motility, presence of cell wall and spore formation. Based on the nutritional requirements, they are classified in to: Heterotrophs Autotrophs Heterotrophic bacteria Heterotrophic bacteria grow on organic substances formed by animals and plants. They break down complex organic substances from these sources and derive carbon. Heterotrophic bacteria are divided in to Photosynthetic heterotrophs- These utilize the energy of light Chemotrophic heterotrophs These obtain energy from oxidation reduction reactions. The heterotrophic bacteria secrete enzymes which act on the complex organic substances and derive energy. Most of the heterotrophic bacteria are aerobic organisms and they need oxygen for their survival. Based on their relation with the energy sources they are again divided in to Saprotrophic bacteria- These bacteria derive nutrition from dead tissues. These are the common types of heterotrophs Saprophytic bacteria These bacteria live in close association with another species like plants and both of them get benefited. Most of the saprophytic bacteria live in association with the roots of the plants. The bacteria convert the atmospheric nitrogen in to nitrates which is utilized by the plants which in turn supply carbohydrates to the bacteria for their survival. Parasitic bacteria These bacteria live in close association with another species like plants and animals and derive their energy in expense of them. Heterotrophs exhibit two basic strategies for deriving energy from the organic substrates Fermentation In this process, the organic substrate acts as both electron acceptor and electron donor. There is no requirement of oxygen or other electron acceptor. Fermentation yields lesser energy (58 kcal/mole) Respiration This process requires external electron acceptor. The most common electron acceptor is molecular oxygen. When oxygen is used, the process is called aerobic respiration. If nitrates and sulphates are used, the process is called anaerobic respiration. Respiration yields more energy (686 Kcal/ mole). Most of the carbon in the atmosphere is derived by the process of respiration. 40%-80% of the respiration occurs under the soil. Autotrophs Autotrophic bacteria are organisms whose sole source of nutrition is carbon dioxide. They need only water, inorganic salts and carbon dioxide for growth. They are divided in to Photosynthetic autotrophs These bacteria utilize energy from light and are anaerobic organisms. This common among the two types and are quite diverse. These include cyanobacteria, green sulfur bacteria, purple sulfur bacteria, and purple non-sulfur bacteria. Suphur bacteria utilize hydrogen sulphide whereas others utilize water for nutritional process. Chemosynthetic autotrophs These derive energy from oxidation of inorganic materials like iron, sulphur, ammonia and nitrite. These organisms are anaerobic. These are usually found deep under the water and they are responsible for the food chain under the water. They derive the inorganic substrates from the volcanic vents. Soil biology Plants are terrestrial organisms and they obtain most of their nutrients from the soil. Animals derive energy indirectly from plants and other animals. This requires utilization of many elements such as inorganic compounds from the environment which are converted in to organic substances before they can be used as energy. The cycling of these elements is catalyzed by the bacteria present in the soil. Soil is the upper most layer of earth which varies in depth from a few inches to over twenty feet. The type of the soil depends on the four factors including the parent rock, the climate, the age and the biological factors like plants, bacteria and organic substances. Most of the biological activity occurs at the surface. Most of the organic substances are found in the upper layer or the upper horizon. Majority of the bacteria are found in the upper six to twelve inches of soil. Both autotrophic and heterotrophic bacteria are found in the soil. Among the two heterotrophic bacteria are more commonly found in the soil. The heterotrophic bacteria in soil belong to the order Eubacteriales and Actinomycetales. The Actinomycetales are represented by the genera Streptomyces, Nocardia and Micromonospora. These bacteria have an earthy odour. Maximum bacterial growth and activity in the soil are found around the roots of the plants. This region is called rhizosphere. Almost all the ecological interactions occur in this region. These interactions could be favorable, unfavorable, indispensable and sometimes lethal. The most important function of the soil microorganisms is to decompose various kinds of organic matter. As said earlier, cycling of elements is done by bacteria. This is done to make the elements available for reuse. The elements are usually found in the reduced state inside the cell. When they are mineralized, they are in an oxidized state. They serve three functions They form the basic components of the cell They provide energy They act as electron acceptors during oxidation reactions Bacteria are involved in three types of cycles in the cycling of the elements necessary for energy Carbon cycle Nitrogen cycle Sulphur cycle Carbon cycle About 50% of the dry weight of all living organisms is composed of carbon. The ultimate source of this organic carbon is the atmospheric carbon dioxide. Role of heterotrophs Reduce carbon dioxide by photosynthesis Fix carbon dioxide from preformed organic compounds Decompose the dead tissues of animals and plants and release the elements to be used again Role of autotrophs Reduce carbon dioxide by photosynthesis Utilize carbon dioxide from dissolution of carbonates and bicarbonates Nitrogen Cycle Nitrogen is the most important structural element of all living organisms. Though it is abundant in nature, it cannot be utilized by the plants and animals. The nitrogen cycle is concerned with incorporation of atmospheric nitrogen and organic nitrogen of dead plants and animals on to forms that are usable by higher organisms. Bacteria, both heterotrophs and autotrophs are involved in this cycle. There are five processes of nitrogen cycle: Ammonification The dead animals and plants are decomposed by the heterotrophs which release protein and other nitrogenous substances. These substances are broken down in to amino acids which are split to release ammonia. This release of ammonia from organic nitrogenous substance is called ammonification Nitrification The oxidation of ammonia in to nitrates is called nitrification. This takes place by two steps. The first step called nitrosification results in the formation of nitrites which are toxic to plants. The second step is oxidation in which the toxic nitrite is converted in to the non-toxic nitrates. Nitrate reduction The reversal process of nitrification is called nitrate reduction. The nitrate is converted in to nitrate which in turn is converted in to ammonia. Many organisms can assimilate cellular nitrogen from this ammonia. Denitrification -Certain microorganisms are capable of reducing nitrates in to nitrites and subsequently to gaseous nitrogen. This process is called denitrification. Nitrogen fixation Nitrogen fixation is a process by which the bacteria both autotrophs and heterotrophs fix atmospheric nitrogen. It is symbiotic of it is done by the bacteria living in the plant roots and non-symbiotic if it is done by bacteria independently. Role of heterotrophs in nitrogen cycle Primarily responsible for ammonification Cause nitrate reduction Involved in denitrification Involved in symbiotic nitrogen fixation Role of autotrophs Involved in ammonification under anaerobic conditions. The amine that is formed is oxidized to release ammonia Exclusively involved in nitrification. The family of autotrophs called Nitrobactericeaa is involved in this reaction Cause nitrate reduction Involved in denitrification Involved in non -symbiotic nitrogen fixation Sulphur cycle Sulphur is essential for all living organisms as sulphur containing amino acids are present in all proteins. It occurs in both organic and inorganic combinations. Cycling of sulphur is similar to nitrogen cycle. Transformation between organic and elemental states and between oxidized and reduced state are carried out by bacteria. Role of heterotrophs Heterotrophs in the soil degrade the proteins in the soil and liberate sulphur. Role of autotrophs Autotrophs oxidize various forms sulphur like hydrogen sulphide. The phototrophic autotrophs oxidize hydrogen sulphide in to elemental sulphur. The chemosynthetic autotrophs oxidize sulphur in to sulphates. Sulphate is the most suitable source of sulphur for plants. This sulphate is assimilated and converted in to proteins. Fresh water biology Fresh water is defined as water containing less than 1% of salt. The different fresh water zones include ponds and lakes and streams and rivers. Ponds and lakes Ponds and lakes consists of three zones: Uppermost littoral zone- This zone absorbs direct sunlight and contains algae, snails, insects, crustaceans and fishes. Middle limnetic zone This contains planktons Lower profundal zone- This zone contains heterotrophic bacteria. Very little enter this zone and hence it is very ideal for growth of the heterotrophs decompose the dead organisms by using oxygen through the process of respiration. Streams and rivers These are water bodies which move in one direction. The characters of these water bodies change during their course. There are three parts of these water bodies source, mid stream and mouth. The place where they reach and join another water source including ocean is called the mouth. The source of these water bodies contains high oxygen levels and hence the heterotrophs thrive here very well. Near the mouth, the light penetration and the oxygen content are very less and autotrophic bacteria are found in this region. Both heterotrophs and autotrophs exist and survive in the fresh water bodies. The processes are very similar to those that occur in the soil. In the fresh water bodies, these bacteria take care of the inorganic requirements of the algae which is similar to the plants on the soil. These organisms get in to these water bodies from air, soil, sewage, organic wastes, dead plants and animals. Climatic, geographical and biological conditions bring about great variation in the bacterial population. Rivers and stream show their highest count during rainy season. Dust blowing in to the rivers and streams also contributes to many bacteria. Animals contribute to the bacterial population by bathing and dropping their excreta. Among the various cycling of elements, the nitrogen cycle is most common one occurring in the water bodies. Role of heterotrophs They act on the dead animals and plants and other organic wastes and liberate nitrogen They can cause nitrate reduction resulting in the release of ammonia Role of autotrophs The nitrosomonas and nitrobacter species cause nitrification process Involved in ammonification under anaerobic conditions. The amine that is formed is oxidized to release ammonia

Comparative Analysis of Shall I compare thee to a summers day? and The

Comparative Analysis of "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" by William Shakespeare and The Flea by John Donne 'Shall I compare thee' by Shakespeare focuses on romantic love, whereas Donne's poem, 'The Flea' is all about seduction and sexual love. The situations in the two poems are very different. In 'Shall I compare thee', the poet is shown as a lover who is addressing his lady. His tone is gentle and romantic. He starts with a rhetorical question to which he must answer and therefore he does not put demand upon the lady. The poem gives the impression that it is set perhaps in his room, where he is composing his poem. One thing is for sure and that is that the woman he is addressing is not with him, because all the way through the poem, there is no response from her. Shakespeare wants to emphasize her beauty. In 'The Flea' the poet is directly appealing to the woman or his mistress. They seem to be in bed together with a flea, but no sex seems to have taken place. If it had, then the situation would be very different. The poet has seduced her as far as the bedroom and at this point, it seems as though he is going to try a new strategy. The woman does not appear to be very keen and is resisting his advances. Compared with Donne's poem, in 'Shall I compare thee' the poet is simply flattering the woman and wants her to like him. It is also one-sided, unlike in 'The Flea' where the woman gives her views as well. 'Shall I compare thee' is similar to 'First Love' by John Clare in this way. In 'First Love', only the poet's views are shown and therefore it is also one-sided. In 'The Flea' the poet's aim is to have sex with ... ..., and tetrameters, which are eight syllable lines. Donne uses an obvious three-part argument, or syllogism, where he uses the flea to structure it. Shakespeare uses a sonnet, which was a traditional way of writing about romantic love. Donne's poem is more intellectual in which he uses persuasive and rhetorical devices. The comparison's Shakespeare uses are passionate and interesting, but Donne's poem is more enjoyable to read since it uses wit and a clever structure to make it entertaining. The farfetched idea of using a flea to persuade a woman for sex is very unusual and makes the poem more enjoyable. Shakespeare's poem is more typical of a love poem, since the language he uses is more affectionate, but I have found Donne's more appealing to read because the wittiness and content of the poem is so unexpected. Comparative Analysis of Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? and The Comparative Analysis of "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" by William Shakespeare and The Flea by John Donne 'Shall I compare thee' by Shakespeare focuses on romantic love, whereas Donne's poem, 'The Flea' is all about seduction and sexual love. The situations in the two poems are very different. In 'Shall I compare thee', the poet is shown as a lover who is addressing his lady. His tone is gentle and romantic. He starts with a rhetorical question to which he must answer and therefore he does not put demand upon the lady. The poem gives the impression that it is set perhaps in his room, where he is composing his poem. One thing is for sure and that is that the woman he is addressing is not with him, because all the way through the poem, there is no response from her. Shakespeare wants to emphasize her beauty. In 'The Flea' the poet is directly appealing to the woman or his mistress. They seem to be in bed together with a flea, but no sex seems to have taken place. If it had, then the situation would be very different. The poet has seduced her as far as the bedroom and at this point, it seems as though he is going to try a new strategy. The woman does not appear to be very keen and is resisting his advances. Compared with Donne's poem, in 'Shall I compare thee' the poet is simply flattering the woman and wants her to like him. It is also one-sided, unlike in 'The Flea' where the woman gives her views as well. 'Shall I compare thee' is similar to 'First Love' by John Clare in this way. In 'First Love', only the poet's views are shown and therefore it is also one-sided. In 'The Flea' the poet's aim is to have sex with ... ..., and tetrameters, which are eight syllable lines. Donne uses an obvious three-part argument, or syllogism, where he uses the flea to structure it. Shakespeare uses a sonnet, which was a traditional way of writing about romantic love. Donne's poem is more intellectual in which he uses persuasive and rhetorical devices. The comparison's Shakespeare uses are passionate and interesting, but Donne's poem is more enjoyable to read since it uses wit and a clever structure to make it entertaining. The farfetched idea of using a flea to persuade a woman for sex is very unusual and makes the poem more enjoyable. Shakespeare's poem is more typical of a love poem, since the language he uses is more affectionate, but I have found Donne's more appealing to read because the wittiness and content of the poem is so unexpected.

Environmental Effects of Vegetarianism Essay

The world is currently in crisis. The consequences of man’s actions had began to resurface as the environment becomes seriously threatened. Global warming is the immediate concern, as the earth continues to warm up and cause severe changes in climate. There are also other environmental issues to be spoken of: the possible scarcity of land and water, deforestation, pollution and the like. The awareness of these problems have prompted many individuals to do their part: this includes using alternative energy and hybrid cars. However, it seems that the best way to help the environment can be done through the modification of one’s diet. Apparently, the consumption of meat does more damage to the environment than vegetarianism. This research paper aims to discuss the environmental implications of animal agriculture, such as raising animals like cattle, as opposed to growing soybeans. According to the United Nations, â€Å"The livestock sector emerges as one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global† (qtd. in Freston 1). Raising cattle is part of this sector, along with chickens and pigs (Freston 1). From the statement given by the United Nations, it is affirmed that indeed meat production has many environmental repercussions. So how is raising cattle, or animal agriculture in general, detrimental to the environment? To begin with, animal agriculture utilizes large areas of land. According to the Keith Akers of the Vegetarian Society of Colorado (VSC). in the United States â€Å"over 90% of all agricultural land is used for livestock agriculture. † In a global scale, of all the agricultural areas throughout the world, â€Å"about 69% is used to as pasture† (Ethical Vegetarian Alternative [EVA]). Therefore, a significant percentage of all the Earth’s surface is used for the purpose of breeding animals for meat consumption (EVA). The demand of land that comes with animal agriculture also results in deforestation (EVA). Because meat production requires more land area, forests have to be converted as agricultural areas. The forests are converted into agricultural land through a slash and burn technique which damages the forest (Freston). These forests are known to absorb the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, but when the trees are burnt, the absorbed carbon dioxide will be released back in the air. The amount of carbon dioxide released through the slash and burn technique outweighs the emission from fossil fuels (Freston). The rain forests transformed into animal agricultural areas also experiences a decrease in the quality of the soil (EVA). Due to the slash and burn method, the nutrients in the soil will eventually be lost and instead of grass, weeds will grow. Regeneration may prove difficult, while fertilizers can only serve as an initial remedy. Because of deforestation, half of all the Amazon meadows have been rendered infertile (EVA). Rain forests are destroyed to accommodate more cattle for grazing (EVA; Akers). It is said that the area of land damaged for this purpose is of the same size as â€Å"seven football fields† (â€Å"Meat†). From the year 1950, millions of hectares of forest land had vanished (EVA). In China, pine forests have been destroyed to accommodate animals and their crop food (â€Å"Meat†). However, the most distinguished damage of rain forests can be found in South America and Central America (EVA). In Brazil alone, land areas equal to the size of 5,000 soccer fields are disappearing at a daily rate. Again, this is because of deforestation to accommodate cattle grazing. As for Central America, the number of cows had increased just as the area for pasture had expanded from 1950 to 1995 (EVA). It is therefore no surprise that the prices for wood products had increased all over the world (Akers). It is merely the result of the growing demand of commodities from a resource that is slowly running out due to deforestation (Akers). Other environmental effects of animal agriculture are soil erosion and desertification (EVA). Animal agriculture is again responsible for soil erosion, which is directly caused by overgrazing of livestock (â€Å"Meat†). Over the last couple of years, numerous mouths and hooves have changed the landscape in more ways than man-made infrastructure such as freeways and strip mines ever did. Grazing per se is not harmful to the environment. In fact, it even has a positive effect on the landscape. However, overgrazing can cause intense erosion which can turn meadows into deserts (EVA). Cattle consumes a significant percentage of the vegetation; in doing so, the soil is damaged because of weight of the cattle. This, along with other factors to consider, enable erosion to occur in which the topsoil is removed. The topsoil is the most fertile layer which was made from rocks and created in a long period of time. It takes many years for the topsoil to be created again. Due to livestock grazing and crop production for livestock, a significant amount of topsoil is lost annually (VSC). As a result of extensive soil erosion, many lands all over the globe is currently undergoing desertification (EVA). Pastures from all over the world have been extremely eroded, which threatens the quantity of existing agricultural land. This posits a problem in a time when the population is continuously growing and food supplies are decreasing (EVA). Animal agriculture also causes the greenhouse effect, which in turn results in global warming (EVA). Gases, which are known as greenhouse gases, retain all the heat the earth accepts from the sun and sends it back to the atmosphere. This is essentially a natural occurrence. However, when the atmospheric levels of those gases increase, the heat will be trapped and the earth will warm up. The high temperature of the earth has negative effects in water levels, ecosystems, agriculture, and most specially, the climate (EVA). Four gases is known to contribute to global warming (EVA). Carbon dioxide is the primary greenhouse gas; other gases include â€Å"methane, halogenic compounds and nitrogen oxide† (EVA). Animal agriculture is responsible for most of the greenhouse emissions; this is because cows, among other animals, release methane in the air (EVA; Akers). Methane is derived from ruminants, such as buffaloes, goats, sheep and of course cows when they digest their food. Also, animal manure contribute to global warming as well (EVA). According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, 16% of global methane emissions come from animal agriculture (qtd. in EVA). Another environmental hazard that animal agriculture presents is eutrophication (EVA). It is characterized by the excessive amount of gases such as potassium, nitrogen and phosphur in the environment; as a result, ecosystems are affected. It posits a danger to biodiversity, water sources, and even soil development. The prime source of eutrophication is animal manure. Manure has metals in it, such as zinc and copper; these metals are added to fodder to enhance growth. The aforementioned elements are then transferred to land through manure, but it can also end up through residue in food intended for humans (EVA). Generally, animal manure is not harmful to the environment (EVA). It can actually used as fertilizers for the soil. However, at present, there is an excess of animal manure that it already presents a dilemma worldwide. Millions of kilograms of manure is created annually, but the space available cannot accommodate that excessive quantity. In Belgium, every kilogram of pork is equal to 16 kilograms of manure. That amount means that tons of both nitrogen and phosphor are released on Belgian soil every year. Such excess cannot be absorbed by the soil, making the heavy metal level in the country particularly high (EVA). Europe is not the only place in the world dealing with such problem. The global pig and poultry industries creates millions of tons of nitrogen yearly (EVA). In the United States, the manure produced by animals exceed that of people. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, 200 milk-cows create the same quantity of nitrates found in the village sewers which is occupied by 5,000 to 10, 000 citizens (qtd. in EVA). Consequently, 22, 000 hens can produce manure which releases an amount of phosphor equal to the manure of 6,000 individuals (EVA). Yet another environmental hazard that is caused by animal agriculture is acidification (EVA). It is caused by excessive amounts of sulfur and nitrogen in land, water, and the atmosphere. Acidification threatens ecosystems; trees die, forests struggle to survive and the quality of plants decreases. Lakes and other bodies of water suffer from this phenomena as well, posing danger to fishes and polluting the water sources. Acidification is best distinguished through acid rain (EVA). Again, animal agriculture plays a crucial part in acidification (EVA). It is the primary cause for such phenomena. So how does raising animals for food cause acid rain? Animal manure emits high levels of ammonia in the atmosphere. Two main contributors of ammonia are cows and pigs. Both animals produce 97% of all the ammonia in the atmosphere. Excessive amounts of ammonia is detrimental to the environment, as it is extremely toxic. Organisms such as reptiles, butterflies, even lichens are threatened by this compound (EVA). Ammonia is derived from the nitrates found in animal manure (EVA). The compound is mostly emitted to the atmosphere, but it can also affect both soil and water. This presents a danger to the human population, as the potable water supply may be contaminated with ammonia. Humans are not the only ones threatened by possible contamination. The fish population is also at risk, as the phosphates and nitrates can contaminate and decrease the quality of their habitat. Hence, manure derived from animal agriculture is responsible for acidification and water pollution due to the compounds found in the manure. If meat consumption is reduced, the methane will also be reduced as it only stays in the atmosphere for about ten years (Freston 2). This reduction will cause the planet to cool (Freston 2). Not only does animal agriculture pollute the waters, it also uses large amounts of it (EVA). In fact, it is the main consumer of sweet water. Water is actually used and abused by the meat industry (Akers). The consumption begins with watering the fodder crops (EVA; â€Å"Meat†). It is followed by the large amounts of water that animals need to drink. Then there is the need for water to maintain the factory farms, the trucks that transport the meat as well as the slaughterhouses (â€Å"Meat†). However, much water, approximately 80%, is also utilized for the creation of meat products (Akers; EVA). Meat processing also consumes too much water. In fact, for a single pound of meat to be produced, 5,000 gallons of water is used. Such great amount of water for such a small piece of meat is proof that the meat industry is wasting such a valuable resource. Compared to meat production, how does vegetarianism affect the environment? In essence, vegetarianism actually does not present any harm to the environment; in fact, it positively affects it. Vegetarianism works in this formula: â€Å" Land + Water = Crops† (Rutherford). There is limited land to be used, just as there is a limited water supply (Rutherford). A small area of land and a ample amount of water could produce a decent amount of crops. Planting of crops can be done in a small farmland; this endeavor does not need extensive territories for production, unlike meat consumption. The water to be used is also not wasted, as it will only be utilized to water the crops. In fact, 1 kilogram of meat uses 100 times the amount of water needed for 1 kilogram of vegetables (EVA). Hence, with limited resources, vegetarianism can be sustained and not endanger the environment. Not only does vegetarianism consider the limitations of natural resources but also it does not add waste that could be detrimental to ecosystems. In addition, the vegetarian lifestyle can actually help the environment. The crops will absorb the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and turns in into oxygen (Rutherford). Animal agriculture presents more disadvantages in the environment than vegetarianism. To begin with, meat production consumes limited resources that could be utilized for other endeavors. It also releases harmful elements and compounds in the air, soil and water. In the long run, the environment will suffer if this is continued. Therefore, compared to vegetarianism, animal agriculture is more detrimental to the environment. Works Cited Akers, Keith. â€Å"The Most Important Thing You Can Do For the Environment. † Vegetarian Society of Colorado. 14 May 2008 . Freston, Kathy. â€Å"Vegetarian is the New Prius. † Alternet. org. 7 Feb. 2007. 14 May 2008 . â€Å"Meat and the Environment. † Goveg. com. 14 May 2008 . Rutherford, Timothy. â€Å"Logical Environmental Reasoning for a Vegetarian Lifestyle. † Enviroveggie. com. 14 May 2008 . â€Å"Vegetarianism and the Environment. † Ethical Vegetarian Alternative. 14 May 2008 .

The Best (and Worst) Online AP Courses, Reviewed

The Best (and Worst) Online AP Courses, Reviewed SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips There are hundreds, if not thousands, of online AP courses. So how are you supposed to find the best one for you? To help you sort through your options, I’ll quickly go over what makes a good online AP course. Then I’ll discuss the best-reviewed online AP courses, some popular online AP class providers, and wrap up with some classes that you should avoid. 7 FactorsThat Make a Good Online AP Course If you're searchingfor the best online AP courses, these are the qualities you should look for. #1: It's Accredited There’s no reason why you can’t self-study for an exam with non-accredited online resources- but if you are going to take an entire AP course online, it makes the most sense to take one that is accredited by the College Board. This means that they have looked over the syllabus and course requirements and approved it, and that it can be listed as an AP course if your high school agrees to list the online course on your transcript. #2: The Material Is Presented Well You want the material to be interesting, engaging, and presented clearly. The coursework may not be your first choice of activity, but if you’re bored out of your mind, you won’t want to study, and if you’re confused, you will be frustrated. #3: Teachers Are Accessible and Give Good Feedback Teachers should be easy to reach and give useful, timely feedback. If you are waiting for them to return assignments from months ago when you take the AP, that’s not particularly helpful. #4: The Workload Is Reasonable Many AP courses are demanding, which is to be expected. But you want to make sure that you have a good sense of how many hours per week you have available to spend on online coursework and how many hours a week the class will take. #5: There's an Easy-To-Use Interface and Tech Support A good course will be easy to navigate on your computer. You should also have easy access to tech support resources should something go wrong. #6: The Class Preps You for the AP Exam If you can get any information on how students tend to score on the exam after taking the course, that will be very useful in making a decision on a course. #7: It's Well-Reviewed A good online AP course is one other students have had good experiences in! Check forum sites like College Confidential for reviews of a given course. With those seven criteria in mind, we’re ready for a more in-depth look at some of the best-reviewed online AP courses out there! You can master the universe...of online AP courses! 8 GreatOnline AP Courses Below I’ve compiled a list of someof the bestonline AP courses. Ideally I would be able to provide an option for every AP, but unfortunately, some APs have very few online options (if any). That is why, as you may notice, there are some popular AP courses like Calculus and English Language that do not appear on the list below. AP US History AP US History From the UC System’s Scout Program Students like the material, the pace, and the focus on AP exam prep. Multimedia lessons are praised for being engaging, and assessments and assignments are full of variety, which keeps things interesting. Students appreciate the consistent pace of the assignments. A special bonus is that the end of the course involves an AP workshop with study strategies, practice AP exams, etc. This is also one of the cheaper online AP course providers, and it’s discounted for CA students. AP Art History AP Art History From the Florida Virtual School Students appreciate that the course spends so much time on non-European art. The interactive gallery format is engaging and helps you retain the material. Finally, the class content is not overly difficult, but students still feel prepared for the AP exam. AP Human Geography AP Human Geography From the Florida Virtual School Students recommend this class, finding it interesting without being frustrating. They also praise the teaching staff and like that teachers are accessible by text, e-mail, and phone. AP Psychology AP Psychology From the Florida Virtual School This course is interesting and fairly easy. Some assignments are fun, and the online textbook has helpful interactive video components and simulations. Overall, this course is straightforward and will prepare you well for the exam. With that said, students advise that some of the course material does require boring rote memorization. AP Biology AP Bio From Johns Hopkins CTY Students felt that this course overprepared them for the AP Bio exam, but in a good way. They also appreciated that the two lowest grades on tests were dropped, so you could dive into difficult material without fear that some struggling along the road would completely tank your grade. AP Biology From Apex Learning This class hasa combination virtual/in-person lab component,which ishelpful given that many online courses do not have labs at all. Students do mention that this course is reading-heavy. AP Chemistry AP Chemistry From ChemAdvantage The main selling point of this class is that students get mailed a small lab kit and do at-home labs; lab components are often missing from online science courses. The course is taught and managed by a husband and wife team. Students receive lots of instructor attention and feel that instructors are flexible when necessary. The course is demanding, as AP Chemistry usually is, but students feel well-prepared for the exam. Unfortunately, this class is primarily offered to homeschoolers, but their FAQ says that they may be able to accommodate students whose schools simply don’t offer AP Chem. AP Computer Science A AP CS A From the Florida Virtual School This is one of the most highly-praised online courses out there. According to students, the FLVS course imparts a strong coding foundation, good habits, and conceptual understanding. Students find that they easily retain the material for months and feel very prepared for the exam. They warn that you may spend 10 hours a week or more writing programs, but that you will enjoy yourself and it is time well-spent. There you have it- a selection of some of the most popular online AP classes available. Still at a loss? Keep reading for a brief list of three of the most well-regarded online AP providers. We briefly interrupt this broadcast to bring you this mesmerizing jellyfish. 3High-Quality Online AP Course Providers In addition to some specific courses being like by students, there are also some online providers that are particularly well-regarded.It’s still a good idea to look for reviews and making sure a course has what you are looking for before you sign up, but these are some online schools that have a reputation for high-quality coursework. Pennsylvania Homeschoolers For homeschooled students in any state, PA Homeschoolers AP Courses are well-reviewed, with excellent teachers being the number one benefit. AP History and English classes are particularly well-liked, and they appear to have the only online AP Environmental Science course that is praised and not widely disliked. However, you must be a homeschooled student to register. Florida Virtual School Though there are a couple courses that aren’t highly reviewed (see below), most students found AP offerings from FLVS to be comprehensive, cost-effective, worthwhile, and adequate preparation for the AP exam. They also have a wide variety of AP courses available. It's one of the cheaper online providers, has no admissions requirements, and is free in Florida! Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth Johns Hopkins CTYis an online course provider for gifted students. To take courses, students need to get qualifying courses on the PSAT. In general, students found AP courses from this provider to be thorough and enjoyable. The material used is said to be top-notch. This is an expensive provider, though there is some financial aid available. Allow me to steer you away from AP online danger! 3BadOnline AP Classes Of course, not every online AP course is a great experience. There are some classes that are known throughout the world of high school distance learning as particularly terrible, and I’ll discuss why here. AP US History From Apex Learning There were two chief complaints here: logistical and technical issues with the course, and poor preparation for the AP. Students found that they lost points on quizzes due to technical errors when they had selected the correct answer. They were annoyed by all of the faxing they had to do, and that their faxed documents frequently got lost. Even more disconcertingly, students did not feel prepared to get 4-5 level scores on the exam, but only a 2-3. They found they learned more from prep books than the course! If you’re having better luck studying on your own, there’s no point in taking the class. AP Environmental Science From the Florida Virtual School This is probably the most widely disliked online course I saw. Students were frustrated by the workload, assessments, and lack of teacher accessibility. They found that lessons focused on information that was not relevant to the AP exam. They pointed to a high workload of busywork with low exam preparation payoff. Assessments were brutally long. Teachers took a long time to get back to students. The general consensus was that no one should take this course. AP Government From the Florida Virtual School This course, again, was disliked for its poor preparation value for the exam. Students found that assessments were frequently based on minor, unimportant details instead of major concepts. Even diligent students who carefully read the lessons and took notes felt that assessments were unfairly specific and did little to prepare them for the actual AP exam. As you can see, there are several running themes in what makes a course disliked: there are technical problems with the way the course is run, the material is presented in a way that is boring or overly specific, students do not feel prepared for the exam, and teaching staff is inaccessible or not helpful. If you see any of these issues cited in student reviews on College Confidential or elsewhere, these are major red flags. Keep this in mind to avoid any bad eggs! These eggs are good, so you don't need to avoid them. Choosing the Right Online AP Course: Final Thoughts There are high-quality AP online classes available out there, with excellent teaching, good exam prep, and engaging material. There are also less amazing online offerings, with frustrating technological meltdowns, vanishing instructors, and long assessments. I’ve listed some highly-praised options and some that aren't as well-liked, but this is by no means a comprehensive accounting of every course available. I’m sure you’ve noticed that some APs are easier to find online than others, and some have more options than others. This means a few well-known APs (World History, English Language) are conspicuously absent from this list of the best online AP courses. Keep in mind what’s available when you are planning your online AP coursework, and do research carefully! A smart investment in an online AP course can have a great payoff. What's Next? If you're not quite sure if online AP courses are for you, check out my pros and cons to online AP classes. Once you've selected your course of choice, you may need help registering for the AP exam. Want more information about the AP program before you decide? See our expert guide to AP classes and tests. Want to improve your SAT score by 160points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Texts often represent women as victims in a patriarchal society. Discuss.

Texts often represent women as victims in a patriarchal society. Discuss. The female perspective is a critical element that has been persistently neglected throughout cultures due to the prevalence of the patriarchy. This has meant that literature itself manifests as a male institution, shaped by men's minds and voices who view the female experience as trivial and unworthy of consideration. Therefore, being unable to express their own perspectives and discriminated against in their writings, women are a marginalized group. But, in their portrayal, are they truly victims of a patriarchal society? Certainly Sylvia Plath's Daddy (1962) paints a despairing picture of suppression and inner anguish, a woman driven mad by the men in her life - though is this really the case? For Ania Walwicz challenges this concept of a helpless damsel in distress by subverting the traditional fairytale in Little Red Riding Hood (1982), thus undermining masculine values about women and their sexuality. Through the examination of these two texts, the extent of women's victimizatio n by a patriarchal society can be determined.An engraving from the Cyclopedia of Wit and Humor.

Price Competition between online retailers and High St shops Essay

Price Competition between online retailers and High St shops - Essay Example ive stores went up by 18 percent while those that practiced online sales along with convectional shop keeping experienced 2 percent decline in growth (Passingham 2013). In spite of the increase in demand for online transactions, the amounts customers have to pay for the products keep dropping; the mean value at the checkout is estimated to have reduced by over 10% since 2011. This is evidence that the online customers are using the convenience of online stores to shop for deals. Online shops have a competitive edge in that they can afford to sell their goods for considerably less than their high street counterparts do (Kelsey 2013). The latter have to account for the cost of; lease, security, staffing and myriad other costs of doing business and the higher overheads ultimately weigh in on their competitive advantage. For online stores, there is the added convenience of transcending geographical boarders; a clothing shop in London will be mostly out of bounds for customers living far from the city but the online one is open to anyone anywhere. This way, the customer base for online stores is significantly larger than that of high street ones (Kelsey, 2013). Firm’s like ASOS, which deals in both men and women’s clothes, have capitalized on the online marketing sector. Today, it is one of the most profitable clothing stores in the UK because of its online presence, which allows it to cater for the needs of next generations shoppers. Many of these are used to getting everything online and as a result, ASOS provides an opportunity for them to easily and conveniently access fashion accessories. They also provide services, which allow customers to â€Å"try on† the clothes online virtually which makes them even less likely to go for a high-end street shop. High street stores on the other hand have also upped their efforts to remain competitive in the quickly digitalizing market, one of the main methods applied is the opening of websites and online stores so they

Canada's Dispute with the UAE Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Canada's Dispute with the UAE - Research Paper Example Furthermore, a study conducted by Etihad showed that in presence of more flights, the government would earn around 26 million Canadian dollars in taxes and would witness the creation of more than 1900 employees (Patrick & Lennox, 2008). Consequences Towards the end of fall 2010, the Canadian media got headlines when they aired the news that Canadian Defense Minister, Peter Mackay has been â€Å"thrown out† of the UAE. However, the reality was a bit different. Weeks before this incident happened, the lease, which allowed Canada to have a military camp in UAE for its soldiers in Afghanistan, expired. It meant that now if any military plane, which had to land in UAE, would have to take authorization from the UAE administration. However, Mackay did not have any such authorization and therefore, the UAE officials had no choice but to restrict the landing of Mackay in UAE (Abma, 2011). The consequences of this dispute have been adverse and if the parties fail to show any flexibility or if there is no intervention from any third party to solve the issues, then this pay the trailer of what is going to happen next. Recently, the Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper amazed the world by blaming the UAE government on being soft on terrorism. Furthermore, the Prime Minister also linked the introduction of visa restrictions and ending of lease arrangement for Canadian forces to fight in Afghanistan with blackmail to get the UAE’s subsidized airlines to suck money out of Canada. In fact, Prime Minister Harper has been really loud and angry on this issue and has gone on to raise doubts on the intentions of the UAE administration in helping Canada... Towards the end of fall 2010, the Canadian media got headlines when they aired the news that Canadian Defense Minister, Peter Mackay has been â€Å"thrown out† of the UAE. However, the reality was a bit different. Weeks before this incident happened, the lease, which allowed Canada to have a military camp in UAE for its soldiers in Afghanistan, expired. It meant that now if any military plane, which had to land in UAE, would have to take authorization from the UAE administration. However, Mackay did not have any such authorization and therefore, the UAE officials had no choice but to restrict the landing of Mackay in UAE (Abma, 2011). The consequences of this dispute have been adverse and if the parties fail to show any flexibility or if there is no intervention from any third party to solve the issues, then this pay the trailer of what is going to happen next. Recently, the Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper amazed the world by blaming the UAE government on being soft on terrorism. Furthermore, the Prime Minister also linked the introduction of visa restrictions and ending of lease arrangement for Canadian forces to fight in Afghanistan with blackmail to get the UAE’s subsidized airlines to suck money out of Canada. In fact, Prime Minister Harper has been really loud and angry on this issue and has gone on to raise doubts on the intentions of the UAE administration in helping Canada against the war on terror as part of the plan to ask for bigger favors (Kukucha & Bratt, 2011).