Why Are There Two Congos in Africa

The Congo — when youre talking about the nations by that name — actually can refer to one of two countries that border the  Congo River  in central Africa. The larger of the two countries is the  Democratic Republic of the Congo  to the southeast, while the smaller nation is the  Republic of the Congo  to the northwest. Read on to learn about the interesting history and facts related to these two distinct nations. Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of Congo, also known as Congo-Kinshasa, has a capital called Kinshasa, which is also the countrys largest city. The DRC was formerly known as Zaire, and before that as the Belgian Congo. The DRC borders the Central African Republic and South Sudan to the north;  Uganda,  Rwanda, and Burundi in the east;  Zambia  and  Angola  to the south; the Republic of the Congo, the Angolan exclave of Cabinda, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The country has access to the ocean through a 25-mile stretch of Atlantic coastline at Muanda and the roughly 5.5-mile-wide mouth of the Congo River, which opens into the Gulf of Guinea. DRC is Africas second largest country and covers a total of 2,344,858 square kilometers, which makes it slightly larger than Mexico and about a quarter the size of the U.S. Around 75 million people live in the DRC. Republic of the Congo The smaller of the two Congos, on the western edge of the DRC, is the Republic of the Congo, or Congo Brazzaville. Brazzaville is also the countrys capital and largest city. It used to be the French territory, called Middle Congo. The name Congo stems from the Bakongo, a Bantu tribe that populates the area.   The Republic of the Congo is  132,046 square miles and has a population of about 5 million. The  CIA  World Factbook  notes some interesting facts about the countrys flag: (It is) divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a yellow band; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is red; green symbolizes agriculture and forests, yellow the friendship and nobility of the people, red is unexplained but has been associated with the struggle for independence. Civil Unrest Both Congos have seen unrest. Internal conflict in the DRC has resulted in 3.5 million deaths from violence, disease, and starvation since 1998,  according to the CIA. The CIA adds that the DRC: ... is a source, destination, and possibly a transit country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; the majority of this trafficking is internal, and much of it is perpetrated by armed groups and rogue government forces outside official control in the countrys unstable eastern provinces. The Republic of the Congo has also seen its share of unrest. Marxist President Denis Sassou-Nguesso returned to power after a brief civil war in 1997, derailing the democratic transition that took place five years before. As of fall 2017, Sassou-Nguesso is still the countrys president.

Manet s Bar At The Folies Bergere - 1401 Words

Manet’s Bar at the Folies-Bergà ¨re, one of the most perplexing and mysterious paintings to exist, holds deep meaning and reflects French social life in this era. This work of art illustrates a Parisian nightclub, the Folies-Bergà ¨re, which catered to a diverse set of acts including the circus and ballet. It is here that the Barmaid works and where we see the interaction between her and the gentleman. This is where an extremely important concept of the work appears- perspective. Throughout the years there have been numerous interpretations and claims concerning why Manet painted the scene as he did, whether or not the perspective is accurate, and how all of the elements including the mirror and woman come together. Another fascinating element that comes from this scene is the social aspects of French life during this time. This element comes into play in the relationship between the barmaid and the gentleman in the top hat, the woman’s expression, and the occupa tion of the woman. Although there are many enlightening interpretations of Manet’s work, there is one that is particularly strong. Manet’s use of perspective and inclusion of social matters both engages the viewer and leads them to ponder what it is exactly that they are viewing. A reason this painting has sparked so much interest and analysis is the mind-boggling perspective and reflection. One of the first observations the viewer makes is that the barmaid and the barmaid’s reflection do not go together. PullmanShow MoreRelatedThe Reflection Of Edouard Manet Painting A Bar At The Folies Bergere1465 Words   |  6 Pages The reflection of Édouard Manet s Painting Édouard Manet s painting A Bar at the Folies-Bergà ¨re has been a piece of artwork that has been debated among art historians for over a century; the painting is perplexing due to its ambiguous cultural meaning and therefore creates a discussion between art historians. A Bar at the Folies-Bergà ¨r deludes the spectator when first looked at, as if there is no uncertainty but then with further observation gives a sense of doubtfulnessRead MoreA Bar At Folies Bergere951 Words   |  4 Pages(Clark 206)) were a very popular destination for the people of Paris. Cafà ©s-concerts became an integral part of Parisian social life, as they were visited by hundreds of people each night, regardless of class. A bar at the Folies Bergà ¨re became the topic of Edouard Manet’s last painting, as Manet tried to portray the new, â€Å"modern† Paris, and the introduction of mass production during this time. A Marxist art historian, T.J. Clark finds this particular painting impo rtant because it revealed a lot aboutRead MoreManet at the Bar1216 Words   |  5 PagesPaper December 5, 2012 Manet and The Bar Edouard Manet’s painting A Bar at the Folies-Bergere, was completed in 1882 and is considered his last great painting. He displayed it at the Paris Salon just one year before his passing. This painting as vexed art historians throughout the years for its complex visual subject matter and leaves Manets true interpretation of his painting in the air for discussion. Although there are many interpretations, A Bar at the Folies-Bergere is an avant-garde; viewerRead More Manet Essay3413 Words   |  14 PagesManet Much of the art of Manet reflects the developments going on in Paris in the 1860s and 1870s. The rebuilding of Paris was being supervised by Baron Haussman, as much of the old medieval centre of the city was being destroyed so that the new city could be rebuilt. In his book The painting of modern life TJ Clark argues that modern art of the 20th century evolves from the art produced by Manet during this period of great change in Paris. Manets scenes of Parisian cafes, bars and streetsRead MoreThe Bar At The Folies Bergere1450 Words   |  6 PagesThe Bar at the Folies-Bergere shows a young lady who works at the Folies-Bergere, a Paris cafe. The lady is the sole focus of the work. Manet has depicted her in a manner that seems both thoughtful and aloof. Her mind seems elsewhere while she is focused on serving drinks and appetizers to the noisy crowd. The viewer’s attention is focused on her locket pendant, which makes us think of a situation and place far away from this, whe re she is someone’s beloved, not one of many servers in an overcrowdedRead MoreAppropriation in Art Essay1015 Words   |  5 PagesDuchamp, Yasumasa Morimura, and Maria Kozic. Such artists as Edouard Manet, Pablo Picasso and Leonardo Da Vinci have inspired these artists to the extent that they have used the Great Artists actual artworks in their own works. Appropriation seemed to have flourished in the 1980s and was a very popular technique to use in commercial and advertisement. For this reason the Pop Art Movement (that was most popular in the 1950s and 60s) can also be seen as an excellent instance of appropriation, withRead MoreArt History Study Guide3003 Words   |  13 Pages–[and Polydoros, Athanadoros] Laocoon and His Sons * S Chapter 10 China * 6 Dynasties (220-579) * Gu Kaizhi – Imperial Instructress to Court Ladies * Wang Xizhi –Letter Feng Ju album * Song (960-1279) * Fan Kuan –Travelers Among Mtns and Streams * Xia -12 Views from a Thatched Hut * Xu Daoning –Fishing in a Mtn Stream * Zhang Zeduan –Spring Festival on the River * S Chapter 11 Japan * Asuka (552-646) *

Franklin Delano Roosevelt and His Allies Free Essays

FDR Research Notes * The Jews Standpoint * The Debates never end to the reasoning of why the 6 million Jews were not saved by the US Government * The Jews had already taken heavy fire, and now their voice cannot be heard * In 1942, as details of Hitler’s Final Solution reached the Allies, it was difficult for the public and many government officials to grasp the extent and significance of the Nazis’ systematic, mechanized killing. * On December 17th, 1942, the US joined 10 other Allied governments in issuing a solemn public declaration condemning Nazi Germany’s â€Å"bestial policy of cold-blooded extermination† of the Jews. Franklin Delano Roosevelt t believed that the surest way to stop the killing of innocent civilians was to defeat Hitler’s Germany as quickly and decisively as possible. We will write a custom essay sample on Franklin Delano Roosevelt and His Allies or any similar topic only for you Order Now * Assessment of Roosevelt’s role during the Holocaust is made difficult by the relative lack of communication. * Roosevelt and Churchill chose not to single out German mistreatment and mass murder of the European Jews as a key focus of the conflict, preferring to refer in general to the aim of ending the mistreatment and murder of civilians under Axis rule. From the American Standpoint * Most Americans at this time were clueless about World War II due to the Government’s president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, by our 32nd president not informing us on many things, may have just had prevented the 2nd Civil War in history * The President did not also inform many government officials due to the germination of the news at the time. * The President also had many in-depth conversations with the British Prime Minister to make sure that the Allies can certainly win this war. The President is also reminded by the British Prime Minister to not forget the lives that were lost durin g this World War and also to save the rest * Once the World War was finally making some progress with the 101st Airborne, the riots began. * The Americans were not impressed with the government’s president and the officials could only say, â€Å"Do not lose faith in the nation we lie in, the United States of America. † * The Americans did finally come to an agreement with the situation, and that is, â€Å"try harder. † * The Other Allies The 3 major allies, or known as â€Å"The Big Three†, are Joseph Stalin, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Winston Churchill * Joseph Stalin at this time during WWII was in charge of the Soviet Russian’s, which have been recently betrayed by Nazi Germany. * Franklin Delano Roosevelt at this time during WWII was in charge of the United States of America, and has kept many secrets from the Nation that can never be seen. * Winston Churchill at this time during WWII was in charge of the British Commonwealth and has many q uestions on why FDR had backed out on rescuing millions of Jews. Soviet Russia (WWII) * The man with the heart for the mix of democracy and communism. Joseph Stalin was the Soviet Union leader until his death in 1953. * In August 1939, the Union had gone into a non-aggression pact with Nazi Germany that was violated in 1941 and the Union was being attacked by Nazi Germany. * After the capture of Berlin in 1945, Soviet Union became the 1 of the 2 Superpowers with the Allies (the other being the United States of America. ) * The British Commonwealth Winston Churchill, Born on November 30th, 1874 and Died on January 24th, 1965 * The one of the few prime ministers to actually serve twice as the prime minister. * Fought in WWII and had a very good relationship with FDR and was basically the provider of Ammo and supplies to the US during the time of Nazi Germany. * When Hitler invaded the USSR, Winston famously said, â€Å"If Hitler invaded hell, I would at least make a favorable referen ce to the Devil in the House of Commons. † * Franklin Delano Roosevelt * Born January 30, 1882 – April 12, 1945 Was involved with the Holocaust and was also partnered with the USSR and the British * FDR was not preparing to save the Jews anytime soon not because of their race, but because of the expenses. FDR had to make sure that Allies win this War and do it with as little money as possible. * FDR was being supplied by his good friend, Winston Churchill, while the Russian Joseph Stalin, provided experimentation so that the Allies could be far more ahead than the Axis (even though we were 2 years behind the Airplane)† Bibliography How to cite Franklin Delano Roosevelt and His Allies, Essay examples

A level media studies book Essay Example For Students

A level media studies book Essay Pretty Woman is an American romantic comedy motion picture that was one of the top films at the box office in 1990. The title character, a prostitute named Vivian Ward, was played by Julia Roberts, who received a Golden Globe award for her role. She was also nominated for an Academy Award, Best Actress.  The male title character is a businessman Edward Lewis who is played by Richard Gere. While ruthless in business he is an Asset striper.  Pretty Woman is the highest-grossing film of the romantic comedy genre, and probably the most well-known. Set in Hollywood during the 1990s, its themes include the tension between romantic love and social class: the main characters are complete opposites in social class and money, while both working in occupations which do absolutely nothing for the environment they live in. The sequence itself runs for approximately 13 minutes. It is preceded by the name of the company which produced the motion picture, Touchstone pictures. The opening shot is a close up of 3 palms which all have what seems to be money and the first words uttered in the entire movie are Its all about the money. Straight away the theme of money is established. The camera then zooms out and follows Edwards lawyer Philip. Philip begins to suck up all the glory for the party. The viewer can already notice even after a few seconds that he is going to be a very devious and selfish character. This establishing shot then cuts to a medium shot of Edward on the phone to his girlfriend. They have an argument and come to a mutual agreement to end the relationship. This points one of Edwards flaws as a person. He seems to be a very busy man and one who is not very good with relationships. Afterwards Edward heads downstairs where once again in a medium shot he is seen greeting and talking with guests at his party in a very friendly mood.  The camera zooms out to a full shot and Edward is seen leaving his party. He then takes the keys to his lawyers car but Philip is not pleased about this and begins trying to get Edward to take the limousine instead. A sense of comedy is now introduced to the movie. There are close ups of both Edward and Philips faces with ones face very calm and joyous and another very stressed and worried.  Edward drives off and slowly the camera zooms out into a low angle crane shot following the car and as He comes to a corner Edward stops and says Shit because he is going the wrong way. Then finally continues on and eventually the camera cuts to a birds eye extreme long shot of Hollywood at night. Nearby, in a small hotel an alarm clock goes off. This established shot cuts to a close up of a shapely pair of thighs, they turns to reveal black lacy panties and a red T-shirt on the upper half of the girls body. An arm stretches out from the bed silencing the alarm at five to nine. Around her a few torn snapshots of herself with different men. Their faces have been scratched out. The girl eases on a stretchy cream top, attached by a metal ring to a short blue skirt. Whilst the girl is only glimpsed partially as if in a peep show. This is Vivian waking up at a peculiar time. Obviously viewers see straight away that Vivian is not getting ready to go to any ordinary job. Shes a prostitute. Constant extreme close ups of her eyes and mouth appear as the camera cuts from one shot to another. .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8 , .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8 .postImageUrl , .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8 , .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8:hover , .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8:visited , .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8:active { border:0!important; } .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8:active , .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8 .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u7f807a634f10ed81b1ef524f0652eab8:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Animal Farm: Imagine you are an animal on the farm EssayVivian tries to leave her apartment when she sees the land lord she then takes a u-turn and goes the back way out to try avoid paying her rent. Once again the issue of money pops up. The camera cuts to a long shot and Vivian is climbing down a ladder. This is very ironic as this is also how the movie ends with Vivian being rescued on a ladder.  At the end of the sequence the last words you hear are Welcome to Hollywood the city of dreams. Excuse me whats your dream. Its clear that at some point in this movie dreams are going to come true like a classic fairytale. There are a lot of similarities between Vivian an Edwards opening sequences. For example both of them seem to have relationship problems. With Edward it is him braking up with his girlfriend but with Vivian it is all the pictures on her wall with faces cut out.  Also they both seem to be staying in the top rooms of their apartments or offices.  Lastly most obviously they are both escaping from someone e.g. Vivian running away from land lord and Edward running away from his lawyer.  Their characters are also very similar as later in the movie Edward points out how very similar their occupations are. He says We both screw people for money! The music also plays an important part in the opening sequence.  At the end of Edwards opening sequence the song King of wishful thinking is playing in the background whilst he is driving. It seems to be a kind of cheering song as he has just broken up with his girlfriend. It says the message that I will get over you  During Vivians opening scene the song Wild women do is playing also in the background. It seems to just show how Vivian is not really like an ordinary woman and that she is very adventurous, uncontrollable and wild.

Hybrid Engine an Example of the Topic Science and Technology Essays by

Hybrid Engine by Expert Prof. Excellence | 20 Dec 2016 Hybrid technology in cars is really not a big thing today. During World War II, submarines ran on diesel engines while cruising at or just below the surface; the diesels charged banks of batteries that propelled the subs underwater, where the diesels are inoperable. Hybrid cars also integrate, through use of computer control, a gasoline engine, a set of batteries, and one or more electric motors. The engine charges the batteries, and the car can be propelled by the gasoline engine alone, the battery-powered electric motor(s), or the two together. Because batteries are charged by the operation of the vehicle, the hybrid does not draw charge from an electrical outlet, an inconvenience of conventional electric vehicles. Need essay sample on "Hybrid Engine" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed The hybrid vehicle concept squeezes miles from gasoline in other ways. The electric motor may grab energy typically squandered as heat in braking to charge the batteries in a concept called regenerative braking. Hybrids can shut down the gasoline motor when idling, for example, at a long stoplight. Hybrids are lightweight and shaped to reduce aerodynamic drag. Some have a more efficient, electronically controlled variable-gearing transmission. Low-drag, stiff tires also increase fuel efficiency, but they may not be best for road adherence in snowy weather. Some of these concepts can and have been used in improving gas mileage in fully gasoline-powered vehicles. For example, Honda's Insight and Civic and Toyota's Prius travel over 50 miles per gallon in freeway use (Cole 36-40). Ford will soon be offering hybrid SUVs; The Escape SUV by ford was recently released in 2004. Ford's 2004 Escape SUV may deliver 40 miles per gallon in city driving (Wechter 17). General Motors offered their hybrid versions of their cars in 2006 when they offered Saturn VUE and later Chevrolet Malibu and Tahoe. Also General Motors distributed around 240 hybrid buses in Seattle. The basic purpose was to reduce the consumption of oil up to 65%. Other than these cities General motors offered Houston, Portland and Philadelphia with the same hybrid bus models (The Daily Herald). Hybrid engines are being considered because of their low contamination levels and quiet operation. These engines operate smoothly, produce high torques at low speed, can tolerate a variety of fuels and exhibit superior cold weather starting performance. Steam generators now available practically eliminate the delayed starting problem which plagued earlier steam vehicles, and are entirely safe. At present, however, they are both bulky and costly. Since no major technical obstacles are foreseen in manufacturing suitable engines, costs no doubt would decline as production increased (Gilles 202). Hybrid technology has been under development for most of the last decade but there is no standard system under the hood of each of these vehicles. Automakers are developing competing and sometimes complementary technologies for hybrid electric vehicle propulsion. One system uses a small gasoline-burning engine that directly drives an alternator to generate electricity. The electricity is stored in batteries or sent to an electric motor which in turn powers the wheels at all times. A second system is configured with two power paths so that the gasoline engine, an electric battery pack or both may be used to produce the motive power to turn the wheels. The gasoline engine also is used to charge and recharge the electric batteries. Under this dual-power or parallel-power system, the vehicle is powered by the electric engine at lower speeds and switches to the gasoline engine for quick acceleration and once it reaches cruising speed. Reducing the total weight of the vehicle is one of the most important factors in achieving greater fuel efficiency. Replacing steel engine and frame components with advanced aluminum, and strategic uses of other materials such as magnesium, carbon fiber and titanium has helped hybrids shave pounds for greater efficiency. Although these types of structural changes have been simultaneously developed and tested alongside hybrids, they will be equally applicable to use in conventional vehicles. (Ruffino 16-18) Some may be concerned that lightweight materials used in hybrids could create safety concerns. Not so, according to Terry Penny All materials on the hybrid vehicles have to meet structural and other performance requirements identical to conventional vehicles." There is one other specific safety issue, says Penny. "Some people worry that in a rescue situation the 'jaws of life' could be electrifying if they cut into the vehicle's high voltage line." But others say that rescuers would be aware of the electric nature of hybrids and act accordingly in an emergency. (Penny 25) Finally, one of the most attractive and intuitively pleasing features of having an electric motor onboard is a function called regenerative braking. As the brakes are applied under normal driving conditions, the HEV captures energy expended to slow the vehicle down. It is then routed to the battery pack, recycled and applied in the passing lane or in climbing that next big hill. In the near term for Ford Vehicles, the likeliest option for the fuel cell vehicle is an onboard converter that plucks hydrogen from natural gas. The technology does produce carbon dioxide emission, however, and its use would lead to questions about the possible security risks of an expanded role for natural gas. An added concern is the expansion of pipeline infrastructure for delivery of great quantities of natural gas. (Arnold 17) For at least the next decade fuel cells unless their hydrogen is supplied through nuclear power, will not replace fossil fuels without major environmental and economic impact. Costly hybrid vehicles offered by Ford and General Motors may make transportation less affordable for fixed- and low-income households; subsidies for the vehicles would have economic costs and could even undermine petroleum conservation efforts. Petroleum seems to be indispensable to prosperity, health, welfare, and a clean environment. Even as petroleum use has increased dramatically, the emissions of six important (criteria) pollutants monitored by the EPA have declined. Technological advances have continued to deliver greater economic output per amount of energy used. Technology may make reductions in carbon dioxide emission affordable. The National Academy of Engineering ranks the electrification of the United States as the greatest engineering achievement of the twentieth century. Following electrification are the automobile and airplane, energy-using achievements that have helped to generate prosperity. Those great achievements were made possible by fossil fuels, especially petroleum, as the largest share of energy supply for the United States and the world. The debt owed to petroleum is immense, as it has reduced the coarseness of nature and contributed much to the blossoming of humanity. Works Cited Leon, Monroe Cole. Tomorrow's Transportation: New Systems for the Urban Future. United States. Urban Transportation Administration. U.S. Government Printing Office. Place of Washington, DC. 1998. Wechter, Arnold. Ford Escape to Feature New Platform, Hybrid Engine. The Washington Times. 2000. 17. Daily Herald. General Motors Plugs into Hybrid Vehicles. Publication Date: November 28, 2005. 1. Ruffino, Norma Carr. The Hybrid Phenomenon: High Gas Prices and Shifting Consumer Sentiment Point to Bright Prospects for Hybrid Cars. The Futurist. Volume: 41. Issue: 4. 2007. 16. Gilles, Tim. Automobiles/ Maintenance and repair. Thomson Delmar Learning. 2003. 202-204 Penny, Terry. Low Grade Heat Power Cycles. Amer Solar Energy Society. 1985. 25-27. Miller, John. Propulsion Systems for Hybrid Vehicles. Institution of Electrical Engineers. 125-128

A Tale of Two Homes Professor Ramos Blog

A Tale of Two Homes SOURCE Not so long ago, I used to have two places I called home. No, my parents weren’t in a custody battle. No, we didn’t have some distant vacation home that we visited twice a year. And no, I was not in the foster care system growing up. Right about now, you are wondering what the hell am I talking about? The second home in question that I am about to mention involves a building filled with endless texts of fiction from awesome adventures to fantasy worlds and fairy tales to comedies and thrillers as well as non-fiction. This could include books about recorded events in history, biographies, textbooks, encyclopedias or anything else you could possibly begin to imagine! Well, obviously now you know that I am clearly talking about a library. This was and truly still is, my second home no matter how old I get. I remember the very first library I walked into as if it were just yesterday. A quaint little hole in the wall next to my childhood home. Just thinking about it sends me into a trance. I can even remember that specific smell of books from new to ancient. The sweet sound of fresh paperbacks being cracked open for the first time in their existence along with the chorus of constant pages turning in anticipation of what is to come next. I relive my whole adolescence again in just the blink of an eye. So you might be asking yourself, â€Å"well†¦.why did it feel like your second home?† This is where I found my first love. READING! For not only did I learn how to read here but learned that books held the power of imagination. My mother was the one who brought me here day after day just to teach me how to read. Now to anyone who has met my mother, they would know that it seems a tad farfetched for her to read all the time. I can hear you saying â€Å"What are you talking about† right about now. Well, she must wear glasses that are  ½ an inch thick. So medically, she is considered legally blind. Yes, you read that right. LEGALLY BLIND. How can one love to read so much even though it is so physically hard to see? That is because no matter what you are reading, it can take you away from this physical world into one that is completely imaginary! Where the story appears to fly right off the pages and into a homemade movie playing inside your head that you can change in real time. Even though it felt normal at the time, each and every day my mom would ask me, â€Å"Would you like to walk to the library again today?† and of course I would just scream enthusiastically â€Å"YES!!!!! Please, please, please!† as I jumped up and down and around the house. Almost as if I was bouncing off the walls before we finally departed on our journey. It was pure love at first fight. So off we went, just like any other day to my second home to find more books that she could read to me. By constantly reading to me, she knew it was only a matter of time before I wanted to do it on my own. So eventually, I got taught the ABC’s and how to read before I even got the chance to learn it in school!! This is when my whole life changed as if someone had just flipped on a light in a dimly lit room. Thankfully, my mother was always right by my side helping me along each step of the way. I went through all the stages. Joy, sadness, appreciation, frustration and gratitude. The immense joy of finally being able to read a whole book by myself. The overwhelming sadness when I found out that libraries were closed on Sunday. The endless appreciation I had for each and every word. The unwelcomed frustration of not being able to pronounce simple words. Words like; through, together, friends and anymore. Yet it was through those stages that the final one appeared. As if it were the warm sun coming up from the cool night. Gratitude. Gratitude for my mother, for the library, for the books, for all the words and lastly for the lifelong lessons learned from the morals of each story. Through the thick and the thin, she was there to make sure that I would win in every battle against the mighty book. Making me feel like a gladiator using the books as my shield when the words came at me like a li on ready to pounce. It’s all thanks to my mom who would keep me busy with reading a different book each and every day of my childhood. Always guiding me in where to find all types of books from A-Z that I wanted to read and conquer next. By first grade it was just more than second nature. It was a way of life for me. It has even followed me all the way through college. So not only has it helped me as a child but it still continues to show me the way when I feel lost. The vast knowledge inside the covers of a book not only shows you something about the author but it also shows you something about yourself. The library will always be like my second home and reading will always be my true love. If you are ever looking for me, chances are, I AM AT THE LIBRARY!

To What Extent are Tutors and Students Responsible for the Learning Essay

To What Extent are Tutors and Students Responsible for the Learning Experience in Higher Education - Essay Example Many experiments have been done on the same and several critics have given the drawbacks and necessary steps that need to overcome them to have a better learning experience. On keeping this as a starting note, it is high time that equal importance is given to students and their learning experience at a higher education level. The primary factor that determines the scale of the learning experience of every student is their boredom factor. So, in order to identify the extent to which the students and teachers are responsible for the learning experience in higher education, an analysis has to be made with boredom as a critical factor.( Mann & Robinson 2009) To give a brief explanation of what boredom is, it can be attributed to person's state of mind when he has nothing to do that he likes. On an analysis on what causes boredom among students which in turn leads them to have a bad learning experience, it was found out that the teaching techniques of the lectures and the methods they fol low to be the primary reason. Some of the teaching methods followed by teachers evoke a passive environment of learning. Also, a one-way relationship between teachers and students could also lead to a dip in their learning curve. On the other side, a student's individual interest also plays a part on the grade one earns in learning. (Gjesne 1977) If the student is not open towards learning new things, irrespective of whatever the teacher presents. Then, the student is at the receiving end for all the blames of having a lean learning experience. Hence a cognitive analysis is required on both sides to determine the extent of impact on learning experience. ( Mann & Robinson 2009) Teachers' effect on learning experience The main teaching method that is followed in most of the universities is converting text to computer PowerPoint presentations and presenting them. Although studies have shown that these methods have improved the learning outcomes of students, there have been cases where it has had a negative impact on students. Hence a factual study of whether these presentations have improved the learning outcomes have not been provided yet.

Electronic Waste Management Approaches Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Electronic Waste Management Approaches - Essay Example The disposal of electronic waste affects the health of humans in two ways. First, one can get contaminated through the food chain. Secondly, direct exposure to workers carrying out the duties at the disposal site. Since the discovery of toxic substance in electronic waste, there has been inadequate laws all over the world governing effective management of electronic waste. This has exposed the environment to risks. Large quantities of electronic waste are majorly recycled in developing nations. The number of landfills has been on the rise in both developing and developed countries. Presently there is extensive research on electronic waste management in order to minimize the problems, both at the international as well as the national levels. Research involves sorting components that could be precious metals and those that can be recycled. Several tools such as LCA, MCA, MFA and EPR approach can greatly improve most of the problems related electronic waste. Studies conducted using LCA in various countries indicate that, recycling is the most recommended plot for managing electronic waste. Finally to mitigate the electronic waste, its the role of every citizen to take responsibility in matters related disposal of electronic

Report project for PepsiCo, INC Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Report project for PepsiCo, INC - Research Paper Example The company charged a depreciation expense of $ 1,500 million for the year ended December 26, 2009 on its property, plant and equipment while the depreciation charge for the year ended 2009 and 2007 was $ 1,422 million and $ 1,304 million respectively. These amounts do not include the amortization expense which is charged separately. The current ratio of the company gives an overview of the liquidity conditions of the company and is calculated as a proportion of the current assets of the company over the current liabilities of the company and is represented as a ratio. This ratio of the company expresses the sales that the company has generated through the use of the assets of the company and is computed by division of the revenue of the company with the total assets. This shows the efficiency of the company with respect to its assets. This ratio determines the proportions of the company debts over the availability of its equity in order to assess the company’s going concern and the performance of the company in the long-term with its reliance on debt as compared to equity. The company has a favorable working capital and liquidity ratio as the company has enough working capital as a surplus over its current liabilities to expand its business as well as a current ratio of 1.44 represents that the company is well off when it comes to meeting its short-term obligations as well as other needs. The authorized share capital of the company as at December 26, 2009 is 3,600 million shares while the company has issued 1,782 million shares to public and other stakeholders of the company as at December 26, 2009. The dividend payout ratio of the company for the year was 46.58% as company declared a dividend of $1.775 per common share compared to an EPS of $3.81 for the year 2009. This indicates that the company has distributed almost half of its profits to the common shareholders. The net cash utilized by the company for its

Misuse Of Opiates Health And Social Care Essay

Misuse Of Opiates Health And Social Care Essay The misuse and abuse of illicit and prescription opiates is a growing problem in the United States. Even though Americans make up less than 5 percent of the worlds population, we consume close to 100% of the worlds supply of hydrocodone and nearly 80% of the worlds supply of legal and illegal opiates . Because of the vast availability of drugs and its impact on many facets of healthcare and the economy, it is imperative that health care providers and policy makers understand what drugs are being abused, who uses these drugs, where the drugs come from, and the health and economic burden on the United States. It is becoming exceedingly important for those directly involved with substance abusers to understand the physiological consequences, psychosocial consequences and withdrawal consequences of drugs. Opiates and opiate derivatives in particular, whether illicit (such as heroin) or prescription (such as Oxycontin) are being heavily abused across the country. These drugs can have serious health implications during use and during abrupt cessation (detoxification or withdrawal). This paper will present a review of the literature on the epidemic of heroin and prescription opiate abuse. Through a critical review, concepts such as the prevalence of the problem, the physiologic consequences of abuse, the current trends in management of the problem and implications for nursing and healthcare will be explored. Background Before proceeding, it is important to briefly discuss the basic pharmacology of opiate drugs. Opiates, otherwise known as narcotics, include the drugs heroin, morphine, codeine, oxycontin, hydrocodone, methadone and other chemically-related derivatives. All opiates are considered dispensable only by prescription in the United States with the exception of heroin, which is illegal in all circumstances. Opiates wield their effects by activating pleasure centers in the brain. The neurobiochemical model of addiction suggests that over time, the brains chemistry changes so that it yearns for the substance when it is not there and can produce physiologic effects of withdrawal when stopped. Heroin for example, which is chemically-related to morphine (the chemical name for heroin is diamorphine) readily crosses the blood-brain barrier to cause a rapid spilling of dopamine into the dopaminergic receptors of the brains neurons. For this reason, the drug is easily addictive and absence of the dr ug causes a sensation of craving and can cause feelings of illness, such as nausea and diarrhea, when stopped abruptly. . Prevalence of the Problem Several researchers in the nursing, allied health and economics disciplines have explored and discussed the prevalence of prescription opiate abuse and hypotheses of the origin of the problem. However, there is a large gap in the literature related to the prevalence of illicit drug abuse (heroin) among different populations. The prevalence data for heroin abuse in the US is largely reported by national survey trends, such as the National Institute of Drug Abuse (part of the National Institutes of Health) Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). Even so, the massive survey document pays little attention to the problem of heroin abuse and reports only two percent of the 67,500 survey respondents using heroin in the month preceding the survey (National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2009). The etiology of prescription drug misuse and abuse is discussed more heavily in the literature than is heroin abuse. According to the NSDUH, in 2009 4.8% of the survey respondents aged 12 and older reported using prescription opiates for non-medical reasons. Of those, over 55% reported obtaining the drug for free from a friend or relative, and 4.8% reported purchasing the drug from a dealer on the streets (National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2009). Researchers at Columbia University surveyed adolescents aged 12 to 17 in 2005 and found that 9.3% reported the misuse of prescription opiates over the past month. In exploring the adolescents motives for abuse, the researchers found that the most commonly reported motives were ease of attainment and affordability . Among young adult college students, prevalence of non-medical prescription opiate abuse has been reported between seven and nine percent in the past month to twelve to fourteen percent lifetime prevalence . One of the most at-risk groups for misuse of and addiction to prescription opiates is the chronic pain population. When used appropriately, opiate pain medications are a gold standard of care for serious pain-related conditions (such as post-operative pain, neuropathic pain and so on). In an effort to better manage pain, the number of prescriptions for opiate medications increased 154% in the ten-year period from 1992 to 2002, even though the population of the United States increased by only 13% . Although prescription opiates have been used to treat pain and improve the quality of life among acute and chronic pain patients, the advent of the drugs misuse has led to a wide body of literature on prescriptive practices and monitoring of opiate drugs. There delicate balance between managing pain adequately and the risk for misuse, addiction and diversion has been discussed in the literature recently, largely among the adolescent/young adult and chronic pain populations. Although there is a general lack in the literature of the number of people prescribed opiates for chronic pain . There is a large body of literature which suggests that the increased number of prescription opiates for chronic pain patients has contributed significantly to the drug abuse problem. In studies to investigate the use of prescription opiates for chronic pain, it has been found that pain treatment plans are sparse, good documentation on the patients health history and history of substance abuse is rare, and opiates are sometimes improperly utilized or not indicated at all . Health Consequences of Opiate Abuse Both prescription and illicit opiates have the potential to exert a myriad of acute and chronic negative health effects for the user. Neurological decline, vision changes, cardiac abnormalities, vascular complications, pulmonary disorders and mortality have been studied and reported. In a study of over 500 opiate addicts, electrocardiographic changes were documented in 61% of the sample. These ECG changes included ST-segment elevation, which may indicate ischemic heart damage (or lack of oxygen-rich blood to the myocardium) and QTc prolongation (seen mostly with methadone addicts). Prolonged QTc intervals may lead to inappropriate triggering of the ventricles and may lead to potentially lethal ventricular tachycardia . The use of heroin and other drugs by injection with non-sterile or reused needles may produce powerful toxins in the bloodstream leading to endocarditis, left ventricular hemorrhage and death. Researchers in Ireland reviewed the autopsy findings from eight cases of heroin users and found rapid fatal illness caused by the endotoxin Clostridium novyi which caused fatal subendocardial hemorrhage, spleen enlargement and pulmonary edema in all of the subjects studied . Heroin can cause significant acute peripheral and central nervous system complications such as neuropathy and hearing loss. In a study six of intravenous and intranasal heroin users admitted to the hospital for acute illness, five had documented rhabdomyolysis between three and 36 hours after administration of the drug. In each of the five cases, there was no documented trauma. Typically rhabdomyolysis occurs after a traumatic, compression-type injury where enzymes spill into the musculature and cause rapid neurological decline, loss of muscle tone and coma. In each of the subjects studied, no trauma or compression injury occurred . In a group of patients with a reported history of speedballing (or mixing heroin and cocaine), 2 of the 16 studied experienced sudden, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss four hours after speedballing which resolved within three days. One additional participant experienced sudden hearing loss after speedballing but unilaterally. The mechanism by which th e hearing loss occurred was described as a possible cochlear toxicity or autoimmune reaction related directly to the drugs . Injection of drugs of any type can cause vascular complications, skin and soft tissue infections and infectious diseases such as hepatitis and HIV . In the most severe cases, opiate abuse may lead to death, generally from overdose. Heroin has been related to 1.65 deaths per 100,000 people in the Florida population alone over the last decade and in Alabama between 1986 and 2003, a review of medical examiners reports revealed those whos cause of sudden death was undermined were 5.3 times more likely to have a history of drug abuse . Researchers in the United Kingdom have further investigated heroin deaths and concluded that overdose related to heroin rarely occurs after the use of heroin alone- in 50% of the cases they reviewed, alcohol was also involved . Although studies have been published on the health effects of abuse itself, a review of nursing, medical and allied health literature shows a significant lack of studies on the health consequences of withdrawal (abrupt cessation) of opiate drugs. Several studies have been found relating to the use of pharmacotherapy to treat opiate addiction (such as methadone and similar programs) but no studies have explored the physiologic effects of withdrawal without medication assistance. Searching online databases for relevant articles on opiate withdrawal does not yield any studies other than those using medication-assisted withdrawal therapies (such as methadone and buprenorphine). This is important to populations such as inmates in a correctional facility where pharmacotherapy is not generally used during detoxification and requires further attention . In sum, the potential health-related consequences of opiate abuse can negatively affect a myriad of body systems. The risk of potentially fatal infectious disease, neurological and cardiovascular complications and death by overdose creates a public health problem that demands attention. Health care providers in all arenas must be able to rapidly and appropriately identify those at risk. Implications for Advanced Nursing Practice Nurse practitioners are allowed prescriptive authority in almost any state across the country. Depending on the practice setting, they may prescribe opiates to treat pain. Opiates are the gold standard for treating moderate to severe pain in both acute and chronic pain syndromes . There has been some discourse in the literature on the dilemma to treat or not to treat pain with opiates. On the one hand, effective pain management is not only ethical but also opiates are effective for many patients for pain management and on the other hand there is a fear of misuse, dependence and addiction issues . The ability for advanced practice nurses to identify drug-seeking behavior, issues with addiction and possible diversion of opiates is crucial to the problem of opiate abuse. As it has been documented in the literature, diversion of prescription opiates generally occurs with the patient selling, trading or giving away the medication to another. According to Annie Gerhardt, emergency room nu rse practitioner, drug seekers become victims of their own disease, becoming involved in a tangled web of addiction, drug-seeking, drug diversion and criminal behavior that escalates over time with increased drug use . Gerhardt (2004) suggests monitoring patients treated with opiates for refilling meds before their follow up appointments, patient reports of losing medications, attempting to see different providers for pain medications (which can usually be identified by pharmacies), and scamming providers for more medications by complimenting the provider or the office staff or displaying increased levels of pain in order to procure more medication. When prescribing opiates to treat pain in patients already known to have addiction issues, using sustained-released formulations may reduce dependency while adequately treating pain. Sustained-release formulations usually have a reduced street value and are less likely to be sold and diverted, and the withdrawal from sustained-release op iates is typically not as severe . In terms of advanced practice nursing, prescribers have the unique ability to screen for potential addiction issues, monitor those who are prescribed addictive medications and potentially control diversion of those medications to others for whom they are not prescribed. Ultimately, the knowledge of drugs of abuse and health-related consequences is important for nurses at all levels to possess. Implications for Research To further add to the body of literature on the subject of opiate drug abuse, addiction and withdrawal, several areas still need to be explored. First, patterns of drug use in individual populations and communities should be investigated. The types of drugs most commonly used, the routes of administration of these drugs and their negative health-related consequences should be studied in a variety of communities, both urban and rural, to gain a better understanding of the patterns of use across the country. More research is needed beyond simple prevalence studies on the number of people who use to expand on the actual patterns of abuse. Similarly, the psychosocial consequence of drug use across different populations needs further investigation in order to articulate the negative impact on individuals and communities. Because the abrupt cessation of opiate drugs without medication assistance occurs frequently in specific settings, more research needs to be done on the physiological effects of non-assisted detoxification. The patterns of symptoms of withdrawal and negative health effects among populations such as the incarcerated and the hospitalized need to be explored. The potential for the development of evidence-based protocols for the management of abuse and withdrawal in these settings can occur once the patterns of symptoms and health consequences are documented. Conclusion In sum, the problem of drug abuse (which extends far beyond even opiate drugs) has been reported in multiple sources, and prevalence studies seem rampant in the literature. However, much more work needs to be done on the consequences of drug abuse from a healthcare perspective across a variety of populations in different settings to begin to understand the impact of drugs on communities.

What Anti-Individualists Cannot Know A Priori :: Philosophy Philosophical Essays

What Anti-Individualists Cannot Know A Priori ABSTRACT: The attempt to hold both anti-individualism and privileged self-knowledge may have the absurd consequence that someone could know a priori propositions that are knowable only empirically. This would be so if such an attempt entailed that one could know a priori both the contents of one’s own thoughts and the anti-individualistic entailments from those thought-contents to the world. For then one could also come to know a priori (by simple deduction) the empirical conditions entailed by one’s thoughts. But I argue that there is no construal of a priori knowledge that could be used to raise an incompatibility problem of this sort. First, I suggest that the incompatibilist a priori must be a stipulative one, since in none of the main philosophical traditions does knowledge of the contents of one’s thoughts count as a priori. Then, I show that under various possible construals of a priori, the incompatibilist argument would be invalid: either a fallacy of eq uivocation or an argument without a plausible closure principle guaranteeing transmission of epistemic status from premises to conclusion. Finally, I maintain that the only possible construal of the property of being knowable a priori that avoids invalidity is one that fails to generate the intended reductio. I Compatibilism, or the attempt to hold both Burgean anti-individualism and common intuitions about privileged self-knowledge, appears to entail that a person (say, Oscar) could come to know a priori the premises of arguments of this sort: B 1. If I am now thinking that water is wet, then water exists. 2. I am now thinking that water is wet. Therefore, 3. Water exists. Naturally, from such premises Oscar could come to know a priori that water exists (i.e., by simple deduction) — yet nobody can know that a priori! Some take this to be a reductio of compatibilism (call them "incompatibilists"). But I shall suggest how anti-individualists could retain common intuitions about self-knowledge, without fearing that their views would entail unacceptable claims about the epistemic status of empirical propositions. First I shall ask why incompatibilists hold that, given both anti-individualism and privileged self-knowledge, each premise of inferences such as (B) are knowable a priori. I shall then argue that there is no plausible construal of "a priori" that could be used to generate the alleged reductio. II First, consider (B)'s second premise: could Oscar come to know a priori the proposition that he is thinking that water is wet, according to the criteria for "a priori" knowledge in the main philosophical traditions that invoke knowledge of this sort?

Network Design Project

Situation in which the Project Exists: This project is for a residential data communication network. The proposed network is designed to connect 2 workstations and 1 printer. It will provide internet access as well as multiple email addresses. The client has approved an initial investment of $5,000 to implement the networking project. The two workstations will be two HP Pavilion Laptops with AMD Turion II Dual Core Mobile processor, each for $529. 99. The printer will be a PIXMA Wireless multifunction printer/copier/scanner for $99. The client desires to have a mobile network with the ability to work virtually anywhere in the house. The laptops both come with internal wireless adapters, 500gbytes of hard drive space, and they feature 2 processing cores with 2. 2GHz processor speed per core. For multitasking power the laptops come with 4GB DDR2 DIMM memory, expandable to 8GB. The wireless printer prints up to 26ppm in black, and up to 17 ppm in color. It also prints, copies and scans for convenience. The printer also has built-in memory card slots that support various card capacities and sizes. The network will be designed to accommodate the client’s mobility needs and business/operational objectives. We have decided to implement a wireless LAN Architecture to provide the customer with maximum mobility. We have decided to use the Verizon FiOs Network which comes with a wireless router, and downloads up to 50 Mbps and uploads up to 20 Mbps for $139. 95 per month. All Verizon High Speed Internet packages include one account with eight additional sub-accounts, totaling nine accounts. A wireless router is a wireless access point with several other useful functions added. The router converts the signals coming across the Internet connection into a wireless broadcast, and steers data in an intelligent way, eliminating a lot of the sluggishness found in typical peer-to-peer networks. (Networks that don’t have servers are peer-to-peer networks because each computer has equal ranking) Like wired broadband routers, wireless routers also support Internet connection sharing and include firewall technology for improved network security. A key benefit of both wireless routers is scalability. Their strong built-in transceivers are designed to spread a wireless signal throughout the home. A general rule of thumb in home networking says that 802. 11b and 802. 11g WAPs and routers support a range of up to 300 feet, but obstructions in a home such as brick walls and metal frames can reduce the range of a Wi-Fi LAN by 25% or more. The router will be placed in an optimal location away from microwave ovens, 2. 4 GHz cordless phones and garage door openers which can all cause signal interference. In densely populated areas, wireless signals from neighboring homes can sometimes cause signal interference. This happens when both households set conflicting communication channels. When configuring an 802. 11b or 802. 11g router, you can change the channel number used. The default administrator password and username for the router will be immediately changed. All Wi-Fi equipment supports some form of encryption, and we will be using the128-bit WEP Encryption by assigning a WEP passkey. The passkey should be unique and long. For extra security we will be changing the default SSID or network name, which identifies the network. This should also be unique. Most wireless network routers contain the ability to filter devices based on their MAC address. By enabling MAC Address Filtering, this will allow the router to keep track of the MAC addresses of all devices that connect to it, and only allow connections from those devices. The MAC address is a unique identifier for networking hardware such as wireless network adapters. The SSID broadcast feature will be disabled as well. Many wireless routers routinely transmit the WiFi network name (SSID) into open air. This roaming feature is unnecessary as it increases the likelihood someone will try to log in to the network. The two laptops and the wireless printer will all be assigned a static IP address. DHCP will be turned off from the router to prevent network attackers from easily obtaining a valid IP address from the network. The Verizon network router comes with a built-in firewall capacity. Firewall programs can be very effective at keeping intruders out of the network and out of your computer. We will ensure that the router’s firewall is turned on, and for extra protection we will install and run personal firewall software on each computer connected to the router. Next the printer software will be installed on each computer and connectivity will be ensured. Implementation is complete once all nodes are connected to the router and functioning correctly. References http://compnetworking.about.com/od/wirelesssecurity/tp/wifisecurity.htm http://compnetworking.about.com/cs/wirelessproducts/a/howtobuildwlan.htm https://www.lifewire.com/home-network-diagrams-4064053

Flotation Method in Archaeology

Flotation Method in Archaeology Archaeological flotation is a laboratory technique used to recover tiny artifacts and plant remains from soil samples. Invented in the early 20th century, flotation is today still one of the most common ways to retrieve carbonized plant remains from archaeological contexts. In flotation, the technician places dried soil on a screen of mesh wire cloth, and water is gently bubbled up through the soil. Less dense materials such as seeds, charcoal, and other light material (called the light fraction) float up, and tiny pieces of stone called microliths or micro-debitage, bone fragments, and other relatively heavy materials (called the heavy fraction) are left behind on the mesh. History of the Method The earliest published use of water separation dates to 1905, when German Egyptologist Ludwig Wittmack used it to recover plant remains from ancient adobe brick. The widespread use of flotation in archaeology was the result of a 1968 publication by archaeologist Stuart Struever who used the technique on the recommendations of botanist Hugh Cutler. The first pump-generated machine was developed in 1969 by David French for use at two Anatolian sites. The method was first applied in southwest Asia at Ali Kosh in 1969 by Hans Helbaek; machine-assisted flotation was first conducted at Franchthi cave in Greece, in the early 1970s. The Flote-Tech, the first standalone machine to support flotation, was invented by R.J. Dausman in the late 1980s. Microflotation, which uses glass beakers and magnetic stirrers for gentler processing, was developed in the 1960s for use by various chemists but not extensively used by archaeologists until the 21st century. Benefits and Costs The reason for the initial development of archaeological flotation was efficiency: the method allows for the rapid processing of many soil samples and the recovery of small objects which otherwise might only be collected by laborious hand-picking. Further, the standard process uses only inexpensive and readily available materials: a container, small-sized meshes (250 microns is typical), and water. However, plant remains are typically quite fragile, and, beginning as early as the 1990s, archaeologists became increasingly aware that some plant remains split open during water flotation. Some particles can completely disintegrate during water recovery, particularly from soils recovered in arid or semi-arid locations. Overcoming the Shortcomings The loss of plant remains during flotation is often linked to extremely dry soil samples, which can result from the region in which they are collected. The effect has also been associated with concentrations of salt, gypsum, or calcium coating of the remains. In addition, the natural oxidation process that occurs within archaeological sites converts charred materials which are originally hydrophobic to hydrophilic- and thus easier to disintegrate when exposed to water. Wood charcoal is one of the most common macro-remains found in archaeological sites. The lack of visible wood charcoal in a site is generally considered the result of the lack of preservation of the charcoal rather than the lack of a fire. The fragility of wood remains is associated with the state of the wood on burning: healthy, decayed, and green wood charcoals decay at different rates. Further, they have different social meanings: burned wood might have been building material, fuel for fire, or the result of brush clearing. Wood charcoal is also the main source for radiocarbon dating. The recovery of burned wood particles is thus an important source of information about the occupants of an archaeological site and the events that happened there. Studying Wood and Fuel Remains Decayed wood is particularly underrepresented at archaeological sites, and as today, such wood was often preferred for hearth fires in the past. In these cases, standard water flotation exacerbates the problem: charcoal from decayed wood is extremely fragile. Archaeologist Amaia Arrang-Oaegui found that certain woods from the site of Tell Qarassa North in southern Syria were more susceptible to being disintegrated during water processing- particularly Salix. Salix (willow or osier) is an important proxy for climate studies- its presence within a soil sample can indicate riverine microenvironments- and its loss from the record is a painful one. Arrang-Oaegui suggests a method for recovering wood samples that begins with hand-picking a sample before its placement in water to see if wood or other materials disintegrate. She also suggests that using other proxies such as pollen or phytoliths as indicators for the presence of plants, or ubiquity measures rather than raw counts as statistical indicators. Archaeologist Frederik Braadbaart has advocated the avoidance of sieving and flotation where possible when studying ancient fuel remains such as hearths and peat fires. He recommends instead a protocol of geochemistry based on elemental analysis and reflective microscopy. Microflotation The microflotation process is more time consuming and costly than traditional flotation, but it does recover more delicate plant remains, and is less costly than geochemical methods. Microflotation was used successfully to study soil samples from coal-contaminated deposits at Chaco Canyon. Archaeologist K.B. Tankersley and colleagues used a small (23.1 millimeters) magnetic stirrer, beakers, tweezers, and a scalpel to examine samples from 3-centimeter soil cores. The stirrer bar was placed at the bottom of a glass beaker and then rotated at 45-60 rpm to break the surface tension. The buoyant carbonized plant parts rise and the coal drops out, leaving wood charcoal suitable for AMS radiocarbon dating. Sources: Arranz-Otaegui A. 2016. Evaluating the impact of water flotation and the state of the wood in archaeological wood charcoal remains: Implications for the reconstruction of past vegetation and identification of firewood gathering strategies at Tell Qarassa North (south Syria). Quaternary International In pressBraadbaart F, van Brussel T, van Os B, and Eijskoot Y. 2017. Fuel remains in archaeological contexts: Experimental and archaeological evidence for recognizing remains in hearths used by Iron Age farmers who lived in peatlands. The Holocene:095968361770223.Hunter AA, and Gassner BR. 1998. Evaluation of the Flote-Tech machine-assisted flotation system. American Antiquity 63(1):143-156.Marekovic S, and Ã…  oÃ… ¡taric R. 2016. A comparison of the influences of flotation and wet sieving on certain carbonized legume and cereal remains. Acta Botanica Croatica 75(1):144-148.Rossen J. 1999. The Flote-Tech flotation machine: Messiah or mixed blessing? American Antiquity 64(2):370-372.Tanker sley KB, Owen LA, Dunning NP, Fladd SG, Bishop KJ, Lentz DL, and Slotten V. 2017. Micro-flotation removal of coal contaminants from archaeological radiocarbon samples from Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, USA. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 12(Supplement C):66-73.

Herbert Lehman Post-Racial Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers

Herbert Lehman Post-Racial Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers Half a century ago, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. dared to imagine what few others of his time would venture to consider; he dreamt of a society in which one is judged not by the color of ones skin, but by the content of his or her character. Has Kings dream manifested itself as reality? Because President Barack Obama was elected in 2008, can a man of color walk anywhere in this, the United States of Americathe greatest nation on Earthwithout the slightest consideration as to the pigment of his skin? Contrary to popular belief, ones race was and still is a significant part of ones lived experience, despite the election of Barack Obama. Analysis of elements of popular culture and societys perspective substantiates this claim. Forty-three men served as president of the United States of America prior to the election of Barack Obama in 2008. Of those forty-three men, how many are addressed as the first of their race (Irish, German, English, etc.) to win the presidency? Yet, when society names the 44th president of the United States of America, perspectives change and the topic of race takes precedence. President Barack Obama is not merely another serving his country in the office of president; rather, he is a black man before the word president is even mention. While the fact that he is an African-American is significant, it should not characterize him more as president than it does as a person. Evidently, society still sees the color of the presidents skin, before noticing his title, his achievements, and even his failures. Elements of popular culture share a similar myopic view. Music, being one the most defining aspects of a culture, contributes significantly to the development of a society, in which race is almost always a factor. Ironically enough, African-American artists can be blamed for the attention given to differences in race and even racist mentalities. For example, Hip-Hop artist, Young Jeezy in his song titled My President, tells about the triumph African-Americans have made with the election of President Barack Obama in 2008. The first line of the song: My president is black. What is that to say to the millions and millions of African-Americans that seek refuge in the words of Jeezys music? The song did not focus on the fact that Americans elected a competent man, but rather, a black man. Such music, so vast a fan base fed with little more than transient triumph on a racial level, discourages the growth and maturation of society; rather it encourages the ignorant and stereotypical views t hat have come to characterize a race. With the election of President Barack Obama in 2008, headlines and talk shows were fraught with the excitement of an African-American being elected president of the United States. Yet, the headlines about a Harvard graduate and Civil Rights activist garnered significantly less emphasis. In addition, artists and musicians sought to proclaim the triumph of African-Americans as a people, and not America as a nation with Obamas election. Evidently, the road to a race-blind society is a long one, littered with cultural distractions and unyielding racial perspectives.

Elements in life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Elements in life - Essay Example Simone Weil, Martin Luther King and Mother Teresa have common qualities that make them exemplary. The elements of self-denial, service and spiritual enlightenment can be seen in the lives of these persons. Their reputations are founded on these qualities that enabled them to be considered as living saints. Although Weil, King and Mother Teresa came from respectable and affluent families, they denied self in order to reach out to others. Simone Weil exercised â€Å"detachment from material things† (â€Å"Simone Weil†, Wikipedia). In the latter part of her life, she was still actively involved in her social projects despite her physical sufferings. Martin Luther King also sacrificed time and his own safety just to help fellow black Americans gain their rights as citizens of the United States of America (Carson, â€Å"Biography of Martin Luther King Jr). Mother Teresa left home and school in exchange for the slums of India (â€Å"Mother Teresa – Biography†, Nobelprize.org). This ability to deny self for the benefit of others is rare among people. But during those times when underprivileged people were neglected, these three persons were willing to sacrifice. Because of their self-denial, they served people with all heart, mind and soul. This kind of service arose from their inner desire to help alleviate the sufferings of their fellowmen. Weil aided the working class in the demand for their social rights, even joining a local factory just to experience the lives of these people (â€Å"Simone Weil†, Wikipedia). King, in spite of the â€Å"increasing resistance he encountered from political leaders† – which could be the reason for his death - continued his objectives for the benefit of the black Americans (Carson, â€Å"Biography of Martin Luther King Jr). Teresa devoted her resources for India’s â€Å"poorest of the poor† (â€Å"Mother Teresa – Biography†, Nobelprize.org). Their labor of love resulted to fruits that other

Global Health Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Global Health - Assignment Example As the research stresses as part of traditional healing services, fork medicine entails healing ideas and practices of health and physiology preservation. In most cases, the practice remains common in few cultures and is mostly transmitted through practices and knowledge by specific individuals’ having prior experience. In Finland’s traditional towns and cultures, fork medicine providers are always trained by prior to fork medicine practices. Anybody in Finland can be a traditional healer. As the paper explores the process depends on various aspects. In most cases, traditional healers are chosen from the community. In some cases, traditional healers tend to inherit the practice from family members who were once healers. An individual must also undergo formal training and initiation by experienced healers. Training sessions is mostly conducted at home where the healing process takes place. On the other hand, the training period depends on how the healer feels the trainee is ready. The number of female and males practicing the service also vary. Clientele seeking traditional healing services especially the fork medicine services mostly depends with people’s location in the country. In some cases, it depends with cultural beliefs and traditions. Most people from rural regions in Finland prefer using the services due to their economic situations. It is evident that herbal remedies are important especially in improving health.