Who Needs Netflix Docos And Cool - 799 Words

Who needs Netflix? Docos and chill!By Sabrina Delgado I snuggle in for another movie night as the buttery smell of palm oil free popcorn wafts through the room. But I’m not waiting for the newest blockbuster to load, I’m waiting for an acclaimed documentary that has snagged my interest. No longer are they stifling classroom videos from the ‘golden ages’, but intriguing films that are enjoyed by many. Including me. As a twenty-year-old who can’t afford to travel, I have taken a liking to documentaries that allow me be anywhere in the world, even if it’s just for an hour or so. Years of Living Dangerously (2014), produced by James Cameron, Jerry Weintraub and Arnold Schwarzenegger, shows the scary reality of climate change and how the†¦show more content†¦Thanks to oceanographer Ben McCartney, I know now that to find the perfect wave one must know the â€Å"length, durations and speed of winds associated with a storm developing over open ocean.† Now all you need is a surfboard and bom.gov.au and you’re ready to let loose. Not only did I learn the science behind surfing, but also the life-threatening risk that Visser was putting himself into by attempting to ride a 10-meter wave at the perilous location of Jaws. The suspenseful non-diegetic sound alerted me to the dangers of the deep as Visser endeavoured in his first deep diving experience. The enthralling music played with my thoughts as I sat en the edge of my seat, biting my nails. This was truly a moment in surfing history. In this digital age of likes, comments and snaps, it’s extremely easy to lose focus on things that are right in front of you. Although, unlike many people of my generation, I don’t immediately turn my nose up at anything old, dusty or dull. In fact, I share a love for an old but intriguing man by the name of David Attenborough. In his newest documentary, David Attenborough: Natural History Museum Alive (2014), directed by Dan Smith, the fascinating facts of both creatures long gone and the museum itself and its development are exposed. With extinct animals brought to life through the magic of CGI, it felt more like an adventure movie than a documentary. I

Music as Propaganda in the German Reformation - 1059 Words

Music as Propaganda in the German Reformation The reformation was a religious and political movement that took place in the year 1517. This movement was spread by the Cristian humanist Martin Luther, when he posted his â€Å"Ninety Five Theses†. The reformation itself is one of those things everybody has heard about but no one quite understands, even nowadays, 500 years after this movement occurred. The main reason for this movement is unknown, however, some causes are being slowly known. First of all, as this movement occurred in the renaissance, humanism was on the air and all the humanist ideas were being spread, so people were thinking more rationally, thus questioning the church and its ways of working. Also, the printing press as†¦show more content†¦The lyrics of the chants were extracted from the bible only written in Latin by that time, and people learned the lyrics and the melody, even though a vast majority of population didn’t know Latin in general. Martin Luther took advantage of this fact, since he knew that music was a good way of spreading his ideas because he knew that people would learn them easily. He used the cantus firmus technique – which consists in borrowing someone else’s melody and place it on the tenor, replacing its lyrics – and replaced the lyrics to please his ideals. Since Luther knew that people already knew almost all the melodies, he took benefit of this fact by making people remember only the lyrics, so he made them easy to learn. This music also may involve parody to the original piece of music. He also translated a big amount of music into German so people could understand them. Thanks to this, songs way of also spreading news, because melodies were openly known. As it is obvious, the lyrics of the songs were often altered in order to please one side or the other, and thus those songs would have bias in one side or the other. Nevertheless, these songs were an important form of delivery of the current events. A few examples of cantus firmus melody â€Å"O du armer Judas with replacement on the lyrics are: O jr Munich von Pfaffen (1522), Ach du armer Murnar (c. 1523), and Ach du arger Heinze (1541)† .Show MoreRelatedThe Patterns Of World War II1214 Words   |  5 PagesThis is a persons music Who will not be a slave! When your heart beats resound There is a life that is about to begin When tomorrow comes! Soon France islamic revolution fire to burn all over Europe, and in the UK, occupied downing street, the prime minister for his opposition to the French revolution regime by crowds of angry people hang up the street, king see potential announced proselytize, pilgrimage to mecca, get the support from the origin, the UK was a top-down reformation, renamed the islamicRead MoreThe And Of The Light Brigade By Alfred Lord Tennyson2214 Words   |  9 Pagesto Septimus before the war when he was happy and interested in poetry-loving Shakespeare The character of Septimus was eager to prove himself a man through combat on the battlefield. The author reveals in the novel that the government would use propaganda pointed towards men s manliness to get people to recruit themselves for the war, but they were not ready for the aftermath. The trauma and mental struggle of this character show the unpreparedness of the government. (Woolf 1156) The pain and sufferingRead MoreIwc1 Literature, Arts and Humanities Essay10028 Words   |  41 Pagesattempting to draw conclusions. The study of the creative and intellectual contributions of human cultures. Humanism The creative and intellectual contributions of humankind. The Disciplines of the humanities include the formal arts (visual art, music, literature, theatre, cinema, dance, and architecture) and philosophy. Humanities Traditional stories of a people or culture that serve to explain some of the natural Phenomenon, the origin of humanity, or customs or religious rights. Myths theRead MoreThe Decline Of The Ottoman Empire5362 Words   |  22 Pagesbegan using oils on canvas instead of watercolors. Oil paints were common in Europe but not in the Ottoman Empire. Even the most religious places at the time, mosques, began to have modern architecture in them. One area that did not change much was music. Music did not change much because it was one unique aspect of the Ottoman culture and it heavily relied on religion. [10: Ibid, 61. ] An example of this modernization in government is that the bureaucrats are encouraged to wear more ?western? clothingRead MoreLenin13422 Words   |  54 Pagesfirst constitutionally socialist state. Immediately afterwards, the new government under Lenin s leadership proceeded to implement socialist reforms, including the transfer of estates and crown lands to workers soviets. Faced with the threat of German invasion, he argued that Russia should immediately sign a peace treaty—which led to Russia s exit from the First World War. In 1921 Lenin proposed the New Economic Policy, a system of state capitalism that started the process of industrialisationRead MoreLogical Reasoning189930 Words   |  760 Pagespoint, generate reasons for your own point, evaluate the reasons given by others, decide what or what not to do, decide what information to accept or reject, explain a complicated idea, apply conscious quality control as you think, and resist propaganda. Your most important critical thinking skill is your skill at making judgments─not snap judgments that occur in the blink of an eye, but those that require careful reasoning. You are not reasoning logically if, when you want a gorilla suit for

Essay on a Dolls House free essay sample

This use of simple diction becomes very evident to the reader as conversations between specific characters occur. At the very beginning the use of non-human names to refer to Nora becomes a common occurrence. This occurs in the scene where Helmer hears Nora â€Å"bustling about,† and says â€Å"When did my squirrel come home? †(Act 1). Ibsen’s choice of words to refer to Nora emphasized how unimportant women were in that era and even degraded her to the level of a pet, having no authority and dependent on the command of the owner. The owner here is her husband Helmer. Not only did his use of diction imply the explicit inferiority of Nora, the â€Å"doll† in the â€Å"dollhouse,† but he also displays her husband’s image of her as intellectually incapable. This is seen when Nora and Helmer are discussing holiday shopping and Helmer calls her â€Å"The same little featherhead,† for her thoughts on the subject (Act 1). We will write a custom essay sample on Essay on a Dolls House or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Diction as a tool to influence society’s point of view proved to be a powerful technique in â€Å"A Doll’s House. † In addition to the careful use of diction, Ibsen also wrote the play implementing realism. Using realism he appealed to the common person and grabbed the audience’s interest and attention. Gibson used everyday language during the character’s conversations, yet emphasized and at times dramatized specific parts that degraded women and showed their inferior role in society. For example, when Helmer tells Nora â€Å"My little songbird must never do that again. A songbird must have a clean beak to chirp withno false notes,† this showed how wrong it was for women to do anything behind a man’s back and also degraded once again a woman’s intelligence by speaking to Nora as if she was a child and this was the only way she would understand her supposedly â€Å"wrongdoing† (Act 1). This dramatization of certain events can also be seen in Act 2 where Nora tries to persuade her husband to give Krogstad his position back and he makes it clear he is capable of making his own decisions and her opinion doesn’t matter because at that moment he hands Krogstad’s dismissal letter to be delivered. Nora being the wife, whose role is only to serve her husband and take care of the children, has an opinion of no value in the household. Lastly, Ibsen also chooses a specific setting for his play to take place in. A Doll’s House,† is set in a household that was common in that Victorian era and is many times still seen in our present day. Nora is portrayed as the submissive wife of the house, seen as constantly in need of â€Å"someone to come to her rescue,† a pretty face, a mother to her children, and a woman with no individual identity, and basically the property of her husband. Helmer is the man of the house, the authority figure, the decisio n maker, having to protect and direct his fragile wife and also intellectually superior to Nora. By portraying the main character’s in this environment, Ibsen’s audience is more capable of connecting with the story and understanding the true role women had during that time period. Ibsen’s play was controversial because he challenged the norms society had on women. Through his play â€Å"A Doll’s House,† that included a careful selection of diction, the use of realism as the main writing style, and the all-important setting of the play, he strived to modify his readers’ feminist views and their thoughts on what the role and place of a woman should be.

Temperance Essays - Christian Ethics, Virtue,

Temperance 9-24-98 Temperance Temperance surely means a kind of orderliness, a control of certain pleasures and appetites. Temperance is all about control. If you can control any situation in a mature, proper manner then you have temperance. Everyone can get mad and show their strength by hurting something or someone, but it takes more strength to get mad and to fight the anger and win with temperance. Within the man himself, in his soul, there is a better part and a worse: and that he is his own master when the part which is better by nature has the worse under control. That is a great way to explain temperance and self control. Temperance should be used to help regain peace of some sort. Usually when someone has to use temperance that means something bad was about to happen. I tried temperance for one week by trying not to get into arguments with Friends or Family. I usually like to debate, or argue, with people because I like to prove them wrong. It is not a good thing to do and it usually angers me and the people who I am arguing with. Well, I tried to bite my tongue t last long. It was natural for me to do it, and before I could catch myself I was already arguing. I, because of trying, was able to apologize a lot more and become a little more calm, but not temperate. Political Issues

Humanistic Tendencies in The Lottery

Humanistic Tendencies in The Lottery Free Online Research Papers Shirley Jacksons short story, The Lottery†, aroused much controversy and criticism in 1948, following its debut publication, in the New Yorker. Jackson uses irony and comedy to suggest an underlying evil, hypocrisy, and weakness of human kind. The story takes place in a small village, where the people are intimate and traditions dominate. A yearly event, called the lottery, is one in which one person in the town is randomly chosen, by a drawing, to be violently stoned by friends and family. The drawing has been around over seventy-seven years and is practiced by every member of the town. The surreal notion of this idea is most evident through Jacksons tone. Her use of friendly language among the villagers and the presentation of the lottery as an event similar to the square dances and teen gatherings illustrates the lottery as a happy and joyous event. Jackson describes the social atmosphere of the women prior to the drawing: They greeted one another and exchanged bits of gossip†¦ . The lottery is conducted in a particular manner, and with so much anticipation by the villagers, readers expect the lottery to result in something grand and fantastic, like a big prize. It is not until the very end of the story that the re ader learns of the winners fate: a stoney death, by friends and family. It seems as though Jackson is making a statement regarding hypocrisy and human evil. The lottery is set in a very unremarkable town, where everyone knows everyone and individuals are not very individual. Families carry the very ordinary names and children act common. Jacksons portrayal of extreme evil in this ordinary, friendly atmosphere suggests that people are not always as they seem. She implies that underneath the persons friendliness, there may be lurking an unseen evil. Though the story does not become injurious until the end, Jackson does in fact foreshadow the idea through Mr. Summers and Mr. Graves. Mr. Summers is the man in charge of the lottery. He prepares the slips of paper to be drawn and he mediates the activity. He is described as a respectable man, joking around with the villagers and carrying on this foreboding event without reservation. Mr. Summers was very good at all this; in his clean white shirt and blue jeans, with one hand resting carelessly on the black box, he seemed very proper and important as he talked interminably to Mr. Graves and the Martins . The name Summers sums up the mood of the short story as well as the administrator himself, merry, hopeful, and bright. Mr. Summers is the man in front, the representative of the lottery, as his name symbolizes the apparent tone of the event. Mr. Graves, on the other hand, symbolizes the storys underlying theme and final outcome. Mr. Graves is Mr. Summers assistant, always present b ut not necessarily in the spotlight. The unapparent threat of his name and character foreshadows the wickedness of the ordinary people, that again, is always present but not in the spotlight. Along with hypocrisy, The Lottery presents a weakness in human individuals. This town, having performed such a terrible act for so many years, continues on with the lottery, with no objections or questions asked, and the main purpose being to carry on the tradition. Theres always been a lottery , says Old Man Warner. Nothing but trouble in that, he says of quitting the event. However, the villagers show some anxiety toward the event. Comments such as Dont be nervous Jack , Get up there Bill and Mrs. Delacroixs holding of her breath as her husband went forward indicate that the people may not be entirely comfortable with the event. Yet everyone still goes along with it. Not a single person openly expresses fear or disgust toward the lottery, but instead feigns enthusiasm. Jackson may be suggesting that many individuals are not strong enough to confront their disapproval, for fear of being rejection or retribution by their peers. Instead they continue to sacrifice their happiness, for the sake of others. The failure of Mr. Summers to replace the black box used for the drawing symbolizes the villagers failure to stand up for their beliefs. Mr. Summers spoke frequently to the villagers about making a new box, but no one liked to upset tradition as was represented by the black box. The box after so many years is faded and stained just as the villagers view of reality has become tainted and pathetic. An intense fear of change among the people is obvious. Jackson uses the protagonist, Mrs. Hutchinson, to show an individual consumed by hypocrisy and weakness. Though it is hinted that she attempted to rebel and not show up to the event, Mrs. Hutchinson arrives late, with a nervous excuse of â€Å"forgetting what day it was.† It is ironic, that she, who almost stood up for her beliefs, is the one who wins the lottery, and is fated to death. What is shocking but almost predictable is Mrs. Hutchinsons sudden discharge of her true self. Before the drawing she is friendly with the other women, pretending to be pleased to be present. The very moment that she sees it is her family that draws the black dot, though, her selfishness is evident. You didnt give him time enough to take any paper he wanted. I saw you. It wasnt fair! . Then she turns on her own daughter. Theres Don and Eva, she yelled maliciously, Make them take their chance! . She continues to scream about the unfairness of the ritual up until her stoning. Mrs. Hutchinson k new the lottery was wrong, but she never did anything about it. She pretends as much as she could to enjoy it, when she truly hated it all along. Perhaps Jackson is implying that the more artificial and the more hypocritical one is, the more of a target they are. Mrs. Hutchinson was clearly the target of her fears and her unwillingness to stand up for her beliefs. The situation in The Lottery is very evident in our society today. We tend to flock toward nasty gossip and are interested in spite of the privacy of the subjects involved. Whether it is standing on the side to watch a fight, an accident, or hanging someone else out to dry for our short comings, we as Americans seem to have no problem butting in where we do not belong. People have no problem remarking on an individuals deceitful behavior until it is they who get caught. People have no problem stereotyping people until is they themselves who are stereotyped. It seems as though we sometimes denounce public truths that we know are characteristics of human nature and shift the attention onto someone else instead of admitting to these characteristics in all of us. It is okay as long it is not you portraying such behavior. It is sad and definitely hypocritical, but it happens all the same. I think Shirley Jackson makes this point without blatantly stating it as such. It is the thousands of readers who replied to The Lottery, in disapproval and horror that blindly proved Jacksons theories valid and unknowingly portrayed themselves akin to the villagers in the short story. Research Papers on Humanistic Tendencies in â€Å"The Lottery†Where Wild and West MeetThe Hockey GameHonest Iagos Truth through Deception19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraThe Spring and AutumnQuebec and CanadaComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductHip-Hop is ArtThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug Use

Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll

'Jabberwocky' by Lewis Carroll English writer Lewis Carroll (1832- 1898) is best-known for his genre-bending work Alices Adventures in Wonderland (1865) and its sequel Through the Looking Glass (1872). The tale of a young girl who visits a strange land is a classic of childrens literature and cemented Carrolls place in the Western literary canon. Even though theyre widely considered to be important works, the talking animals and possible depiction  of what has been interpreted as drug use have placed Wonderland and Looking Glass on numerous lists of banned books. Lewis Carroll Life and Work Lewis Carroll was actually the pen name of   Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, a cleric, scholar, teacher, and mathematician. Before turning to writing childrens fiction, Dodgson/Carroll wrote several mathematical texts while a student at Christ Church College, Oxford, including An Elementary Treatise on Determinants, Curiosa Mathematica and Euclid and His Modern Rivals. He met the Liddell family while a teacher at Christ Church College  and was enchanted by their young daughter Alice. Although he later said his fictional heroine was not based on any real person, Carroll reportedly made up the Wonderland stories, or at least their outlines, as a way of entertaining Alice Liddell and her friends. Carroll wrote several other works, some about Alice, in his later years, but never again achieved the commercial success of Wonderland and Looking Glass. Analyzing Carrolls Poem Jabberwocky Jabberwocky is a poem contained within Through the Looking Glass.   Alice discovers the poem in a book on a table during a visit to the Red Queen. From what we can understand, the poem is a mythical monster who is slain by the hero of the poem. Who is the hero? Who is the narrator? Its almost impossible for the reader to tell  since were already in the weird world of Wonderland. Even Alice doesnt understand what shes reading. Written in a ballad style, most of the words within the Jabberwocky are nonsensical, yet it hews to a traditional poetic structure. Here is the complete text of Lewis Carrolls Jabberwocky. Twas brillig, and the slithy tovesDid gyre and gimble in the wabe:All mimsy were the borogoves,And the mome raths outgrabe. Beware the Jabberwock, my son!The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!Beware the Jubjub bird, and shunThe frumious Bandersnatch! He took his vorpal sword in hand:Long time the manxome foe he soughtSo rested he by the Tumtum tree,And stood a while in thought. And, as in uffish thought he stood,The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,And burbled as it came! One two! One two! And through and throughThe vorpal blade went snicker-snack!He left it dead, and with its headHe went galumphing back. And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?Come to my arms, my beamish boy!Oh frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!He chortled in his joy. Twas brillig, and the slithy tovesDid gyre and gimble in the wabe:All mimsy were the borogoves,And the mome raths outgrabe.

How changes and developments in communication and information Thesis Proposal

How changes and developments in communication and information technology may influence the coordination of firms worldwide operations - Thesis Proposal Example This essay stresses that the research methodology utilised to analyse the research data and describes the various methods used in this study. This research paper basically consists of two data sets – primary and secondary. Primary data set consists of a survey and a questionnaire administered to 40 odd ICT executives and managers at firms with overseas operations. While responses to the survey would be recorded with much more accuracy and detail, responses to the questionnaire would be sifted and collated to identify significant trends and process orientations in company decisions to adopt ICT in the changing overseas markets. Secondary data is being collected through an extensive research effort conducted both online and in libraries. The researcher extensively used the books written on the topic and also studied research journals, reports, graphs, articles, newspaper articles and so on. This report makes a conclusion that the interaction is what differentiates the direct methodology from indirect methodology. Structured interviews enable the interviewer to ask each respondent the same questions in the same way. A tightly controlled structured schedule of questions and format is used, very much like a questionnaire. The questions contained in the questionnaire were planned in advance. The interviewer has some discretion how these might be elaborated/explained but the aim is to standardize data as far as possible and to eliminate biases due to different wordings.

Society gets what it pays for and the cost of reducing social risk is Essay

Society gets what it pays for and the cost of reducing social risk is regulation, leading to higher taxes and higher prices. Discuss - Essay Example Really, it is with the help of tax payments that social protection through the redistribution of social resources becomes possible. However, those who complain that social protection through regulation raises taxes and increases prices should remember that nobody is secured from various social risks, and it is through effective redistribution of social resources that individuals can insure themselves from the existing and future social risks. Social protection encompasses a series of public measures intended to reduce social risks and enhance income security of individuals (Holzmann & Jorgensen, 2000). Social protection measures rely on the payments provided by taxpayers to state budget; in other words, it is through the reallocation of limited social resources that social protection through regulation becomes possible. It is no wonder that not all taxpayers agree with the way social protection measures are provided to the vulnerable populations. However, all taxpayers should remember that they are not secured from the existing and emerging social risks (Holzmann & Jorgensen, 2000). Recent financial crises have shown that when social protection programs are not in place, individuals become extremely susceptible to the consequences of reduced GDP (Holzmann & Jorgensen, 2000). To a large extent, the presence of extensive social protection systems is both necessary and inevitable for any state or society that considers itse lf developed. Not all the people realize the principle of society-state relations. It is possible to say that society gets what it pays for, and the cost of reducing social risks is regulation, leading to higher taxes and increased prices. The latter are inevitable components of the social protection systems in the developed world. It is a reflection of the ongoing tension between the need for social protection and the overall non-affordability

Ecology Report of Brighami Rockii Essay Example for Free

Ecology Report of Brighami Rockii Essay Any region with significant level of biodiversity exposed to threat of destruction can have severe deforestation and other forms of agricultural clearing like logging, charcoal-making, etc. Due to this degradation of its ecological habitats, such region may become a home for critically endangered endemic species. Researchers have it that the less rainforest a given region has, the greater the proportion of endangered species it hosts. In Hawaii, two native plants were identified as the most critically endangered species. Brighamia rockii Brighamia insignis are endemic to the region. Both of these species are similar to each other except their respective colors. Both of them also have succulent stems that function as water storage allowing them to sustain amidst drought season. B. rockii though is different in color. It is a native plant with purple trunks that develops in its early stage, while B. insignis does not change its color at all. B. Rockii can grow spectacularly as a branched plant 1 to 5 meters tall along with its thick succulent stems that narrows from the base. It has elliptical leaves that forms and looks like the head of a cabbage. B. Rockii produces fragrant flowers that have corollas in white and anthers which are grouped in three to eight in its axils. Few of the associated species of B. rockii are Metrosideros polymorpha (ohia), Canthium odoratum (alahee), Diospyros sandwicensis (lama), Osteomeles anthyllidifolia (ulei), and Scaevola gaudichaudii (naupaka). B. Rockii is an endemic native plant that belongs to the family of bellflowers known as Campanulaceae. Its common names are alula, ‘olulu, pu aupaka and pua ‘ala. B. Rockii is also tagged with taxonomic synonyms namely, Brighamia remyi, Brighamia rockii fa. and Longiloba Known to have been extinct, this plant is only found on sea cliffs in the island of Moloka (Hannon 2002; Wagner 1999) i. Its natural habitats, however, are coastal dry forests, moist shrub lands above sea level up to 470 meters elevation. B. rockii is common to Molokai and extends to the northern part of the island – Kalaupapa to Halawa. However, just recently, it has been found out that it has become an almost died out specie in Lanai and Maui. Hand pollination for cultivated plants allows its seed production to increase because its native pollinator are also extinct. Similarly, for the Brighamia to be hand pollinated, the use of a small paint brush is needed to transfer the pollen grains. When the flowers of B. Rockii are yet a few days old, the pollen will begin to drop. The paint brush can then be used to pick up the pollens that fell onto the flower tube and place it over to another flower’s stigma. This stigma is good to receive the pollen when it appears sticky and glossy. Researchers found out that the seeds of Brighamia need the presence of light to produce and sprinkle the seeds onto the surface of a damp medium. These seeds can also be stored in a refrigerator from 2 to 3 years but its capability depreciates after 10 to 12 months. It was also found out from NTBG report ((Ragone 1993) that came out on 1993 that the seeds of Brighamia were no longer viable after it has been stored in an area with a temperature of 80 degrees F and humidity of 25 % for 1 year and 5 months (Hannon 2002; Koob 2000; NTBG 1992; Ragone 1993; Wagner 1999). The plant was believed to be extinct but was rediscovered in 1996. From its discovery, only few remained and became part of the current population estimated to run at most 5 in numbers. â€Å"No bird, butterfly, flower, tree or animal disappears alone. When they slip into extinction, they disappear with their unique genes – the building blocks of life (Dr. Norman Meyer of Oxford University). † These species, rare finds and threatened, may cease to exist even without being given a name. Yet again, Brighamia rockii is just one of the most critically endangered. There are more that are susceptible to extinction too. Still, some remained unnoticed. Perhaps, extinction is natural but if we, humans alike are hastening the process, then probably our race comes with the extinction as well. â€Å"Man has lost the capacity to foresee and forestall. He will end by destroying earth (Schweitzer 2004). † References Hannon, Dylan P. and Steve Perlman. 2002. The Genus Brighamia. Cactus and Succulent Journal 74 (2):67-76. Johnson, Margaret. 1986. Brighamia citrina var. napaliensis. Kew Magazine 3 (2):68-72. Koob, Gregory A. 2000. Cabbage on a baseball bat. Hawaii Horticulture 3 (6):9-11. National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG). 1992. Alula. In Native Hawaiian plant information sheets. Lawai, Kauai: Hawaii Plant Conservation Center. National Tropical Botanical Garden. Unpublished internal papers. Ragone, Diane, (Program Coordinator). 1993. Hawaii Plant Conservation Center Collection Propagation Project: Progress Report (USFWS Grant 14-48-0001-92581). Lawai, Hawaii: National Tropical Botanical Garden.

Biblical Rhythm Essay -- essays research papers

Biblical Influences on Cry, the Beloved Country or: Cry, the Beloved Country: Like the Bible but Shorter To anyone and everyone: This is one of the great books! It reads like a lovely poem. Enjoy and reflect.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  --unknown lawyer from Chicago The owner of the South Haven, Michigan bookstore The Hidden Room discovered this simple yet memorable comment written firmly on a memo card of a noted Chicago legal firm. The card was left in a copy of Alan Paton’s Cry, the Beloved Country. From his early childhood, Paton was a lover of language and a devout Christian. As he grew into a masterful poet, writer, and orator, his passions remained with him, a constant influence on his works. This is especially evident in Cry, the Beloved Country, Paton’s first and most highly esteemed novel. Cry, the Beloved Country is the story of Stephen Kumalo, an elderly black parson in a small poverty- and drought-plagued tribal village in the racially torn country of South Africa. He undertakes a journey to the corrupt, terror-ridden city of Johannesburg where he searches, both physically and emotionally, for his son Absalom, as well as his old way of life. From Paton’s use of rhythm to the names he chose for his characters, st rong Biblical influence is apparent throughout the novel. Though Paton incorporates several different oratorical styles in Cry, the Beloved County, the style of the book as a whole is frequen...

Ohio Permits Test

As per Ohio's child restraint law, children who are under the age of four and weigh less than 40 pounds must be properly restrained in an approved child safety seat.  If a car approaches you with bright headlights, you must look toward the right edge of the road, to prevent being temporarily blinded.  When you vehicle starts to skid in winter due to icy road conditions, you must turn the steering wheel in the direction of the skid.   You must maintain a safe stopping distance between you and the vehicle ahead by following the four- second rule. On one-way roads, yellow lines are used as: left-edge lines Passing on the left is not permitted within:   100 feet of a bridge, viaduct or tunnel When you are closely following another vehicle at night, you must use: low-beam headlights When you intend to turn, you must give the turn signal at least__________before the actual turn. 100 feet This sign with two arrows allows:   vehicles from either direction to make a left turn On one-way streets, the driver may park a vehicle parallel to and not more than__________ from the right or left curb.   25 inches This sign in construction zones indicates: a flag person If your vehicle stalls while on the tracks and a train is approaching, you must:   get out of the vehicle and run as far away from the tracks as you can When you are approached by an emergency vehicle displaying flashing lights and an audible signal, you must: immediately drive to a position parallel to the right edge or curb of the road or highway and stop It is against the law to make a left turn on red light EXCEPT: from one one-way street to another You are allowed to drive in the left lane of the highway in all of the following situations, except: * when moving slower than the posted speed limit You must use headlights when natural light conditions do not make it possible to clearly see objects __________ ahead. * 1000 feet * On a multiple-lane roadway with several lanes in one direction, you must use_________ for passing. * the middle and left lanes All regulatory devices on the road instruct you: * to stop, proceed in a certain direction, or limit your speed * Because of their size trucks/buses often need to move ________to make right turns. * to the left lane * __________ are zones around a truck or a heavy vehicle where other vehicles disappear into blind spots. No-zones When is it legal to pass another vehicle using the shoulder of a road? * You are not legally allowed to pass using the shoulder of a road * The driver of the car being passed must _________ until the pass is complete. * not increase speed * A barrier of grass, concrete or other material separating two roadways, including interstate highways is known as: * a median * When you encounter a yellow arrow signal while turning left at an intersection, you must: * clear the intersection quickly Which of the following situations are ideal for overtaking and passing another vehicle on the right? when the vehicle you are passing is making or about to make a left turn * Black on orange signs on a highway identify: * specific information and directions to drivers in work zones * To avoid a head-on collision when you see an oncoming vehicle in your lane, you must: * steer right toward the shoulder or curb-line * A vehicle's stopping distance is equal to: * the sum of the braking distance and reaction distance * When you meet a truck coming from the opposite direction, keep as far as possible to the side to avoid a sideswipe accident and to reduce the wind turbulence between the two vehicles. High-beams reflect off rain, fog and falling snow. This makes it even harder for you to see where you are going. For better visibility during these weather conditions, keep your vehicle's headlights on low-beam. * A broken white line separates two lanes travelling in the same direction. Once you have signaled and if it is safe to do so, you may cross this line when changing lanes. * If your vehicle is hit from the side, your body will be thrown toward the side that is hit. When a vehicle is struck from the side, it quickly moves sideways.Everything in the car that is not secured, including the driver and passengers, will slide toward the point of crash, not away from it. * On approaching the modern roundabout, yield to vehicles and bicyclists within the circulating roadway. Look to your left to see if there is an appropriate gap in traffic. If one is not available, you may need to stop. Always enter the roundabout to the right and proceed on the right side of the central island * Aggressive driving is the operation of a motor vehicle in a manner that endangers or is likely to endanger persons or property.If you notice a driver behind you repeatedly flashing headlights, you should not retaliate or in any way engage the other driver. Get out of the way. * When two vehicle s meet on a steep mountain road where neither can pass, the vehicle traveling downhill must yield the right-of-way by backing up until the vehicle going uphill can pass. The vehicle facing downhill has the greater amount of control when backing. * You must never begin to cross railroad tracks unless the tracks can be cleared without stopping. Never shift gears while crossing. When making a U-turn, drivers must yield the right-of-way to oncoming vehicles and pedestrians. You should never make a U-turn on a curve in the road or when approaching the crest of a hill or grade. * Large flashing or sequencing arrow panels may be used in work zones both day and night to guide drivers into certain traffic lanes and to inform them that part of the road or street ahead is closed. * If you are approached by an emergency vehicle in a roundabout, you must not stop or pull over for the emergency vehicle.You should continue on and exit as normal, then pull to the right, so there is room for the eme rgency vehicle to pass. * If the traffic signal is not operating or is malfunctioning, treat the intersection as a four way stop. The driver must come to a complete stop before moving further. * Avoid driving next to other vehicles on multi-lane roads. Someone may crowd your lane or try to change lanes and pull into you * Motorcyclists need a full lane width like other vehicles. Car drivers should never move into the same lane with a motorcycle, even if the lane is wide and the cyclist is riding to one side. An interchange is the connection of a freeway to a road or another freeway by a series of ramps. The connecting roadways allow you to leave one road and enter another safely, without disrupting the flow of traffic. * You may pass on the right only when the vehicle ahead is making a left turn or going straight. You must not pass when another vehicle is making a right turn. * When you turn your head to check the blind spots, make sure you keep the steering wheel straight; people h ave a natural tendency to turn their arms in the same direction as their head turns.

Ratio Analysis of Starbucks vs Mcdonald’s

Running Head: RATIO ANALYSIS Starbucks Corporation & McDonalds Corporation McDonald’s Corporation McDonald’s Corporation operates in the food service industry. The company has its restaurants in more than 100 countries of the world. McDonald’s, the world’s largest food chain is headquartered in U. S. having an employee population of 390000 (About McDonald's†¦ , 2008). Starbucks Corporation Seattle based, Starbucks Corporation is the leading coffeehouse chain in the world. The company has its operations in more than 44 countries. The main products offered by Starbucks various kinds of drinks, snacks, coffee beans. The company also operates in the field of marketing of music, books (The Company, 2008). Ratio Analysis Ratio Analysis (2007) RatiosStarbucksMcDonalds Current Ratio0. 790. 80 Quick Ratio0. 300. 67 Debt Equity Ratio1. 340. 92 Proprietary Ratio0. 430. 52 Solvency Ratio0. 570. 48 Inventory Turnover Ratio12. 13118. 77 Gross Profit Ratio (%)23. 3434. 69 Net Profit Ratio (%)7. 1515. 67 Return on Proprietors' Funds (%)29. 4515. 67 Earning Per Share0. 912. 06 Current Ratio Current Ratio may be defined as the relationship between current assets and current liabilities. It is also known as working capital ratio or 2: 1 ratio. It is calculated by dividing the current assets by current liabilities. The main components of this ratio are current assets and current liabilities. Current assets of a firm represent those assets which can be, in the ordinary course of business, converted into cash within a period not exceeding one year. Current liabilities mean those obligations which are to be paid within a period of one year of current assets or by creation of current liabilities (Van Horne, Wachowicz & Bhaduri, 2005). Current ratio of the Starbucks Corporation and McDonalds Corporation is . 79 and . 80 respectively in the year 2007. There is little difference in the current ratio of both the companies. The ratio reflects weak liquidity position of both the companies and it shows that the companies do not have short term solvency. Liquidity position can be improved to some extent and can be made equivalent to industry average. The industry average of current ratio is . 90: 1. Quick Ratio This ratio is also helpful in analyzing short term financial position of a business. Quick ratio is the measure of the instant debt paying ability of the business enterprise, hence it is called quick ratio (Van Horne, Wachowicz & Bhaduri, 2005). A quick ratio of 1:1 is considered as an ideal ratio. If the liquid ratio is more than 1:1, the financial position of the firm seems to be sound and good. On the other hand, if the ratio is less than 1:1 the financial position of the firm is unsound. Quick ratio of Starbucks is . 30:1 and McDonald’s ratio is . 67:1. There is high difference between the quick ratios of both the corporations. McDonald’s liquidity position is much better than Starbucks. Overall, the short term liquidity position of both the firms is quite poor because both the ratios are less than the desired norms. For instance, current ration should be 2:1 whereas, it is 1:1 approximately. Similarly the liquidity ratio is much less than 1 as compared to ideal standard of 1:1. Therefore, the companies will face difficulties in current obligations on maturity. Debt Equity Ratio This ratio indicates the relative proportion of debt and equity in financing the assets of a firm. Debt Equity ratio reflects the relative claims of creditors and shareholders against the assets of a firm. The industry average of ratio is . 42:1. Debt equity ratio of McDonalds is . 92:1 which is highly satisfactory as normally the ratio of 1:1 is considered reasonable. The Starbucks ratio is 1. 34:1 which is very high. A high debt equity ratio has serious implications from the firm’s point of view. A high proportion of debt in the capital structure lead to inflexibility in the operations of the firm as creditors would exercise pressure and interfere in management. Proprietary Ratio Proprietary ratio establishes relationship between proprietors or shareholder’s funds and total assets of the business. This ratio highlights the general financial strength of the firm. It is of great importance to creditors since it enables them to find out the proportion of shareholder’s funds in the total assets used in the business. The ratio of Starbucks is . 43:1 and for the McDonalds it is . 52:1. Though, ratios are quite similar but McDonalds again has a better position than Starbucks Corporation. Solvency Ratio This ratio measures the long term solvency of the business. It reveals the relationship between total assets and total external liabilities. This ratio measures the proportion of total assets provided by creditors of the firm i. e. what part of assets being financed from loans (Van Horne, Wachowicz & Bhaduri, 2005). The total assets of Starbucks and McDonald’s are more than total liabilities which indicates that the company is solvent. So, the higher the ratio, the grater is the amount of creditors that is being used to generate profit foe the owners of the firm. The difference in both the companies’ ratio is small but still Starbucks has better performance than McDonald’s in terms of solvency. Inventory Turnover Ratio The ratio indicates the number of times inventory is replaced during the year. It measures the relationship between the cost of goods sold and the inventory level. The inventory turnover ratio measures how quickly inventory is sold (Van Horne, Wachowicz & Bhaduri, 2005). The inventory turnover ratio of Starbucks is 12 times while McDonald’s ratio is 118 times. McDonald’s has an efficient inventory management. Whereas Starbucks has low inventory turnover ratio and it is unsatisfactory. In general, a high inventory turnover ratio is better than a low ratio. A high ratio implies good inventory management. A very low level of inventory has serious implications. It adversely affects the ability to meet customer demand as it may mot cope up with its customer requirements. Gross Profit Ratio The ratio expresses the relationship of gross profit on sales to net sales in terms of percentage (Van Horne, Wachowicz & Bhaduri, 2005). Goss profit is the result of the relationship between prices, sales volume and costs. Gross profit margin of Starbucks Corporation is 23% whereas the ratio for McDonald’s is 35%. McDonald’s ratio is high as compared to Starbucks which is a sign of good management. It implies that the cost of production of the firm is relatively low. The McDonald’s has reasonable gross margin which ensures adequate coverage for operating expenses of the firm and sufficient return to the owners of the business, which is reflected in the net profit margin. Net profit Ratio This measures the relationship between net profits and sales of a firm. The net profit margin is indicative of management’s ability to operate the business with sufficient success not only to recover revenues of the period, the cost of merchandise or services, the expenses of operating the business and the cost of the borrowed funds, but also leave a margin of reasonable compensation to the owners for providing their capital at risk (Van Horne, Wachowicz & Bhaduri, 2005). Net profit ratio of McDonald’s and Starbucks is 15. 67% & and 7. 15% respectively. McDonald’s is generating adequate returns for its owners. On the other hand, Starbucks net profit margin shows inadequate returns to its owners. Overall efficiency and profitability of McDonald’s is higher than Starbucks. Return on Proprietary Funds The ratio expresses the percentage relationship between net profit and proprietors funds or shareholder’s investment (Van Horne, Wachowicz & Bhaduri, 2005). It is used to ascertain the earning power of shareholders investment. Return on proprietors’ funds for McDonald’s is 15. 7% and for Starbucks it is 29. 5%. Starbucks has better performance and higher return than the McDonald’s. Earning Per Share The rate of dividend on shares depends upon the amount of profits darned by the firm. Whatever profit remains, after meeting all expenses and paying preference share dividend, belongs to equity shareholders (Van Horne, Wachowicz & Bhaduri, 2005). These are the profits earned on equity share capital. The earning per share is calculated by dividing the profit available to equity shareholders by the number of shares issued. This is a popular ratio as it measures the profitability of a firm from owner’s standpoint. McDonald’s EPS is higher than Starbucks which shows that the market price of the firm would be greater. It will also help the company to raise additional capital without any difficulty. This ratio plays an important in comparison of two companies from investment point of view. Investment Decision I would like to invest in McDonald’s Corporation as the overall performance and productivity is high for the firm. The liquidity analysis performed through current ratio and quick ratio reveals that the McDonald’s is better in terms of liquidity position. The company also has satisfactory position in terms of long term solvency. Though solvency ratio of Starbucks is higher but overall McDonald’s has good financial position. Firm is able to quickly convert various assets into cash. McDonald’s has high profit margins which is necessary for the higher returns to the shareholders. It shows that the resources are effectively utilized at the firm. EPS is very high which is necessary for the investment. Thus, investment in McDonald’s Corporation is beneficial and it would give higher returns. References About McDonald's†¦ (2008). Retrieved November 19, 2008, from http://www. mcdonalds. com/corp/about. html McDonald's Corp: Financial Statement. (2008). MSN Money. Retrieved November 19, 2008, from http://moneycentral. sn. com/investor/invsub/results/statemnt. aspx? Symbol=US:MCD&lstStatement=Balance&stmtView=Ann Starbucks Corp: Financial Statement. (2008). MSN Money. Retrieved November 19, 2008, from http://moneycentral. msn. com/investor/invsub/results/statemnt. aspx? Symbol=SBUX&lstStatement=Balance&stmtView=Ann The Company. (2008). Retrieved November 19, 2008, from http://www. starbucks. co m/aboutus/overview. asp Van Horne, J. C. Wachowicz, J. M. & Bhaduri, S. N. (2005). Fundamentals of Financial Management (12th Ed. ). (pp. 130-133). United Kingdom: Pearson Education.

ON GOVERNEMNT INTERVENTION essays

ON GOVERNEMNT INTERVENTION essays The issue of the extent to which the government should intervene in the economy to protect the public interest, is an issue of great importance in todays society. This is due to a number of reasons, including that the extent to which the government intervenes in an economy determines what happens during periods of recession as well as periods of boom in a countrys economy. This issue is of great concern to citizens, with varying viewpoints on it. Some people believe that government intervention in the economy is not needed and should be avoided. They believe this to be the case because they feel that the economy functions best when it is left to its own devices, and that it works out due to the dynamic forces of supply and demand. This is also known as supply-side economics. There are others who believe that government intervention in the economy is necessary; they believe this to be the case because they feel that government involvement with the economy is important, in times of boom in the economy and especially in times of recession. In periods of recession in a countries economy, they believe that government intervention is necessary, to help stimulate the economy. This is also known as Keynesian economics. Then there is then another group of people who believe that the extent of government intervention in the economy should be somewhere i n-between the above two. They feel that while it is important for the government to intervene in a countries economy during a period of prosperity (to avoid inflation), and especially in times of recession (to stimulate the economy) the government must still ensure that there is still incentive for citizens to do well, and this can be done by ensuring that many aspects from supply-side economics are still left-over. This is what I believe is the best viewpoint on this issue Firstly, The group of people that believe that governments should not intervene ...

Cheap and Simple Desk Hacks That Will Boost Your Productivity [Video]

Cheap and Simple Desk Hacks That Will Boost Your Productivity [Video] A clean and clear desk makes for a clean and clear mindwhich, in turn, makes for better work. It sounds like nonsense, but theres no denying that clutter is distracting–if not to you, than to the people around you.Be respectful to your colleagues as well as yourself by trying out some of these no-cost desk hacks from BuzzFeedYellow.

Nursing research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Nursing research - Essay Example In line with this, the role of determining the quality of care provided by nurses is dependent on the quality of education that nurse educators provided to nurses. Hence, the rewards and the benefits arrive once trained nurses engage in practice using evidence from research, which they were taught by nurse educators. On the other hand, nurse educators benefit from the wealth of information that they gain while teaching and preparing nurses for practice. The nursing practices, just like many other professions, rely on knowledge from research in order to develop solutions to problems during practice. In line with this, it is crucial to point out that nursing is increasingly relying on evidence-based practice in order to provide care that was high in quality and was obtained while using the current standards and technology. Nonetheless, introducing evidence-based practice in the clinical environment is essential in ensuring that quality was achieved while providing care. In the clinical setting, evidence-based practice can be introduced in various ways. Nurses can introduce evidence-based practice in a clinical environment by ensuring that the care that patients were given was based on the most appropriate approaches that are grounded in research. On the other hand, it is important to point out that incorporating evidence-practice in a clinical setting can be achieved through the process of developing projects that sought to cause cha nge in practice while using research to develop and implement plans that brought changes in practice. Throughout the practicum project, I valued the efforts of one individual who helped me achieve success in this project by the guidance he provided throughout the process. In line with this, it is essential to point out that I had never thought about the important role of a mentor before my practicum project. However, the practicum project helped me appreciate the role a mentor played and

Buddhist teachings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Buddhist teachings - Essay Example ing; 2) the desire as the reason for suffering; 3) nirvana as the cessation of suffering; and 4) the Eightfold Path which leads to the cessation of suffering. The Noble Eightfold Path was indicated by Buddha. It consists of eight rules and leads to the cessation of suffering and liberation from samsara. According to the median path it lies between the adherence to world pleasures and asceticism. 2. Theravada is the earliest school of Buddhism, which was formed by Buddha followers immediately after his death. They were trying to attain personal enlightenment by literal adherence to Gautama’s lifestyle and meditation practice. The knowledge of Theravada is recorded in canonical text Tipitaka and explained in large commentary literature. In the middle of the 5th century Theravadins divided into three groups, and in 100 years the most orthodox one established themselves in Sri Lanka. Mahayana emerged as an opposition to Theravada during first centuries B.C. and flourished in the beginning of the first millennium. The ideal of Mahayana is Bodhisattva – a person who is striving to enlightenment, but refuses nirvana for the liberation of all other beings from suffering. Mahayana argued that nirvana is available for everyone, both a layman and a monk, and everyone on his path to enlightenment may rely on bodhisattvas’ help. Vajrayana is Tantric Buddhist School which was originated in 3rd – 7th century in India and later was spread to Tibet. It embodies the idea of relative and absolute unity to the individual lives, claiming that each person has indestructible nature of the Buddha. The aim of Vajrayana is to bring mind into non-dual state, when each event expresses its unlimited potential. Its methods are designed for those who can see the reflection of own mind in his teacher, thus to adopt teacher’s non-personal qualities through the dedication and self-identification (Keown,

Marketing and Marketing Strategy Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Marketing and Marketing Strategy - Coursework Example The first product that I choose was an automobile. This was a high involvement purchase. This is because the product was expensive and would have a significant impact on my life. Moreover, this was a product that I had to spend a considerable amount of time and also effort searching for. This was also so because there were significant differences between the brands that were available at the time in terms of their performance and quality ("Indmedica - CyberLectures - High Involvement Purchase Decisions", n.d., p. 2). However, the second product that I chose, newspaper, was a low involvement purchase since the product was that which is habitually purchased and therefore the decision of choosing it required very little effort. It was also a low involvement purchase because the newspaper had insignificant effect on my lifestyle and was not that an important investment. 1st Product: Automobile The following are the 5 buying decision process that I followed in buying this product. a) Prob lem recognition This is the stage I realized that I actually needed a car. I would want to conveniently travel to my job place every morning but could not do so as I did not have a convenient means of transport. b) Information search This is where I started looking for what could solve my transport problem. I looked for information on the convenient means that I could use to travel to my workplace and concluded on buying a car. c) Evaluation of alternatives Here, I took into consideration all the car models that were available and which one of them would best fit my needs. I also considered the alternatives that were available for me including their prices and the shops selling them. d) Purchase decision After all the considerations and consultations, I decided to buy a model of my choice. This is where I also walked to the shop that I had chosen and actually paid for the car. e) Post-Purchase evaluation This I did after the purchase. I evaluated the car that I had bought; its impor tance and how convenient having it would be. I also confirmed that I had made the right choice. 2nd Product: Newspaper I only followed two processes for my second low involvement purchase. a) Problem recognition This is where I discovered my need for the newspaper and decided to buy one. b) Purchase evaluation Here, I went straight to the nearest and easily accessible shop and bought the newspaper that I wanted. Question 2 My first purchase was a high involvement purchase and this meant that I had to follow all the processes of consumer purchase. I had to make sure that I had put into consideration all the facts and information concerning the product that would make me chooses the right one. Unlike the first one, the automobile was very expensive and therefore there was no room for mistake in my purchase. This required me to carefully evaluate all the then available alternatives and make a solid decision based on facts considerations. In buying this high involvement product, automob ile, I had to first look for information after identifying my problem. I also had to evaluate all the possible alternatives before making my final purchase. Contrary to this, for the second low involvement purchase, newspaper, I did not have to do a lot. This was a product that I usually bought so I knew what I needed. The only thing that I wanted was a shop that was nearby and a place where I could easily; conveniently and quickly buy the newspaper. For these reasons, unlike

Measles, Mumps And Rubella

Measles, Mumps And Rubella Measles, mumps and rubella are three of the most highly and commonly acquired infectious diseases in children; however, they can affect people of all ages. These viruses occur throughout the world and are highly communicable airborne pathogens which can spread by close contact with an infected person. Although still a problem in many developing countries, thanks to immunization programs around the world these viruses are much less common now. Efficient and early vaccination against measles, mumps, and rubella are highly successful at preventing the diseases and most children who receive their shots are being not only protected during childhood, but generally have a life long immunity. The measles virus (MV), a member of the Morbillivirus genus in the Paramyxovirus family, is a 100-300 nm enveloped virus that contains a single-strand, negative-sense RNA genome in a helical nucleocapsid which encodes for six structural proteins and two others which are involved in viral entry. The F (fusion) and the H (hemagglutinin) proteins are important in pathogenesis since together they facilitate receptor biding, fusion of the viral membrane, and cellular entry of into the epithelial cells in the upper respiratory tract of the host [*,*]. Measles is highly infectious and once infected an individual can experience clinical features such as fever, maculopapular rash, cough, coryza (runny nose), conjunctivitis, and the pathognomonic Koplik spots ( punctuate blue-white spots which appear in the buccal and lower labial mucosa) which generally occur 1-2 days before the rash[ ]. In some cases complications such as diarrhea, otitis media, pneumonia, encephalitis, blindness, and second ary infections by common bacteria and viruses may arise. In some extreme cases subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), a rare degenerative disease of the brain which generally emerges six to eight years after a primary measles virus infection, may also onset. Measles is typically an infection of childhood and protective immunity is life-long, such that a second case of measles in a child or adult would be highly unusual. Before the widespread vaccination efforts against measles in the 1960s the virus had a case-fatality ratio of about 5% in children, which was higher for children and infants in developing countries, where even today a fatality rate of up to 20% can occur. A highly effective live- attenuated vaccine for measles has contributed to the low incidence levels compare to the pre-vaccine era and even some regions of the world have documented its complete eradication. Measles is commonly diagnosed based on its distinctive symptoms, hence why laboratory diagnosis is rarely use. However, given the success of the vaccination campaigns, physicians in low measles prevalence areas may become less familiar with the disease and accurate diagnoses may become challenging in the future. Mumps Virus, like measles, also belongs to the family Paramyxoviridae, but its genus is Rubulavirus. Akin to measles, mumps is a 150-200 nm enveloped spherical virus with surface spikes projecting from the envelope. Inside the envelope, a large helically arranged nucleocapsid encloses negatively stranded RNA whose genome contains about 16,000 nucleotides. Clinical Symptoms of mumps include mild fever, anorexia, malaise, headaches and acute onset of unilateral or bilateral parotitis. Parotitis tends to take place within the first couple of days of the infection and may first be expressed through earache and tenderness of the swollen parotid or salivary gland. Mumps is highly contagious, and 90% of those that are susceptible and are exposed to the infection will themselves become infected. However, 30-40% of those with the infection are actually asymptomatic (Rubin and Farber, 1994). Complications can include meningoencephalitis, orchitis in males or oophoritis in females, as well as p ancreatitis. The live-attenuated mumps vaccine is often given along with measles and rubella in the MMR vaccine. The diagnosis of mumps is usually done based on the expression of the clinical features, in particular the presence of parotitis. There are unique challenges for the laboratory diagnosis of mumps in previously immunized individuals whose immunity may have diminished either in the absence of a second booster dose of vaccine or in areas where mumps disease, and thus exposure, is minimal. However, It has been concluded that the most rapid and sensitive diagnosis of mumps can be acquire by ELISA (Enzyme- linked Immunisorbent Assay) method. Rubella virus, commonly known as German measles, belongs to the family Togavirida, genus Rubivirus. Rubella virions, although enveloped like measles and mumps, are much smaller, approximately 60-70 nm in diameter and contain approximately 10,000 nucleotides in a single-stranded, non-segmented, positive-sense RNA genome inside a semi-spherical nucleocapsid. Rubella is usually a mild disease and is characterized by a low fever and a generalized maculopapular rash. Other symptoms may include lympadenopathy, conjunctivitis, and sore throat. Symptoms of acquired rubella are often mild and in up to 50% of cases asymptomatic. Complications are not common in rubella patients, but generally occur more often in adults than in children. Arthralgia and arthritis are common complications among 70% of infected adult women. Other complications such as encephalitis and hemorrhagic manifestations can also be experience, but these are generally rare. Although a relatively mild disease rubella can be q uiet serious if acquire by pregnant women. Pathogenesis Measles, mumps, and rubella are highly contagious viral illnesses that can be transmitted by aerosol generated when an infected person expels saliva through coughing or sneezing, or by direct contact with respiratory secretions. Following infection of a vulnerable host, all three pathogens begin replication in the respiratory tract where they initially target the respiratory ephatelium of the nasopharynx and continue onto the regional lymph nodes. This localized replication phase is followed by a viremia in which the viruses spread onto multiple other organs. In the case of measles, a primary viremia where the virus moves onto other lymphoid tissue takes place 2-3 days after infection. Around days 5-7, the virus spreads to multiple other organs such as the kidney, liver, and skin through a secondary viremia. In mumps, after 12 to 25 days of exposure a viremia arises which lasts from 3 to 5 days. This viremia allows the virus to spread to multiple tissues which include the meninges, a nd glands such as the salivary, pancreas, testes, and ovaries. Inflammation of the infected tissues causes the hallmark symptoms of the disease, parotitis and aseptic meningitis. Akin to the mumps and measles, rubella after 5-7 days of replication in the nasopharynx area follows a viremia which spreads to the lymphatic system and establishes a systematic infection. Clinical signs and symptoms for measles, mumps, and rubella occur after an incubation period of about 10-12, 14-18, and 12-23 days respectively. For measles, a prodromal period of 2-4 days marks the beginning of the clinical stage of the infection. Here, thin epithelial cells of the respiratory tract and the conjunctive began to be broken down by the virus leading to an inflammatory reaction, also a characteristic symptom of the disease. Thicker mucosal surfaces of the buccal cavity are then affected given rise to the Kopliks spots. The appearance of the spots marks the start to a delayed-type hypersensitive reaction (DTH) which gives rise to the rash. The primary antiviral immune responses to MV coincides with the appearance of the rash, and is here when the presence of IgM antibodies and of CD4+Â  and CD8+Â  T cells in areas of MV-infected epithelial cells takes place. Following this, neutralizing IgG antibodies are also introduced and in conjunction all four immune responses are completely effective in controlling viral replication and concluding the infectious process. Viral antigen is absent from skin lesions and the virus is not shed from this surface, however shedding of the virus occurs from the nasopharynx from the beginning of the prodrome until 3-4 days after the rash emerges. As mentioned, measles is a typical self-limiting infection, and can be resolved by an efficient immune response; however patients with T-cells deficiencies, unable to develop a rash, commonly experience complications such as SSPE. Several months following an acute MV infection, a prolonged state of immunosuppression, which frequently predisposes patients to many secondary bacterial, viral, and parasitic infections, ensues. Mumps virus (MuV), similar to measles, causes non-specific prodromal symptoms such as mild fever and malaise during its incubation period. Upon viral entry, replication primarily takes place in the nasal mucosa and the epithelial layer of the upper respiratory track, which progressively moves on to penetrating the draining lymph nodes. From here, the viremia spreads the virus onto the parotid glands, kidney, pancreas, and central nervous system (CNS). Infection in the salivary glands produces parotitis-inflammation of the parotid glands-the most common clinical manifestation of mumps. Inflammation and swelling of the glands, visible during the first two days of infection in 30-40% of patients, is due to tissue damage and a subsequent immune response prompted by viral replication. Additionally, propagation into the kidneys can extend the infection and cause viruria. Potentially infectious virus is excreted in the urine for a period of two weeks following onset of the disease. Nonethel ess 1/3 of infections are subclinical, this being more common among adults than children. About eleven days after exposure, humoral immune response is established and the presence of neutralizing antibodies such as IgG (immunoglobulin G), IgM and IgA emerges. These antibodies help terminate the viremia and in the case of IgA it stops secretion of infectious mumps virus in the saliva. Virus shedding into the saliva begins a couple of days before the onset of clinical parotitis and ends about 8 days later. Parotid swelling culminated after 4-7 days. Although the most common expression of mumps leads to parotitis, it is important to note that the clinical course of mumps is extremely variable. Diseases such as meningitis and orchitis, commonly regarded as complications, could instead be seen as systemic manifestations of mumps. Meningitis is a common course of mumps and is characterized by inflammatory cells in the cerebrospinal fluid of the patient. This development is common in 15% of the patients and normally resolves within 3-10 days without secondary consequence. Orchitis-testicular inflammation-is the most common complication among post-pubertal male patients occurring in as many as 50% of cases. Ochitis usually follows parotitis, with an abrupt onset of testicular swelling, tenderness, nausea, and fever; pain and swelling generally only last 1 week, although tenderness may last longer. The rubella virus (RV), like mumps and measles, replicates around the epithelium of the buccal mucosa and the nasopharyngeal lymphoid tissue. Contrary to Mv and MuV, after its incubation period and the subsequent viremia, rubella symptoms abruptly appear in children with the emergence of a rash. Prodromal symptoms are only mildly observed in adults 1-5 days before the appearance of the rash. This rash may last up to three days, starting as distinct pink maculopapules on the face, moving onto the truck and following to the extremities. Patients are most infectious immediately prior to the rash and throughout its duration. Viremia ends with the onset of rubella-specific and IgM antibodies shortly after the rash phase, which is about 2-3 week after initial exposure. Chronic enlargement of lymph nodes-Lymphadenopathy-may also take place up to a week before the emergence of the rash and last up to 10-14 days after it. Cervical and occipital lymph are frequently affected. Rubella is usuall y mild in childhood and early adulthood, with up to 50% of cases being asymptomatic, however rubella presents a bigger threat when acquired during pregnancy, especially if infection is in the first few weeks of pregnancy. Congenital acquire rubella virus infections in pregnant women during the first trimester of pregnancy can result in severe congenital abnormalities in the children (Congenital rubella syndrome, CRS) including deafness, cataracts, glaucoma, cardiovascular abnormalities, and mental retardation. Other outcomes of congenital rubella can lead to premature delivery and even fetal death. In 85% of cases of pregnant women who were infected during their first trimester, the babies were prematurely harmed. It is suggested that the rubella virus enter the fetus through the mothers blood stream. Since the developing fetus is especially vulnerable to illness because its immune system is not yet strong enough to permanently fight off infection, the virus remains in the body, and can leads to CRS. Concisely, while all three infections have a similar infection patterns, only measles and rubella virus are viral infections which affect the respiratory tract, whereas mumps is a viral infection of the salivary glands that causes swelling. Also all three diseases are relatively mild and in many cases asymptomatic. Nonetheless rubella, although a milder infection of the respiratory tract than measles when developed by a pregnant woman, it may lead to birth defects in the infant which the other two dont generally cause. Therapeutic strategies Currently there is no cure or treatment for measles, mumps, and rubella, efforts are generally focused on relieving symptoms until the bodys immune system manages to fight off the infection. However preventive measures such as attenuated live vaccines have been developed for all three pathogens and are currently being administered to children and adults around the world in a trivalent form known as the Measles-mumps-rubella vaccine or MMR. Measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine is used to protect children, as well as adults from acquiring the disease. The administration of the vaccine provides with lifelong immunity to all three diseases and has a 95% efficacy. It is highly recommended that children should get 2 doses of MMR vaccine, the first being administered between 12-15 months of age and the second at ages 4-6, commonly right before the child begins kindergarten or first grade. The vaccine is also recommended for adults who have not been previously immunized against any of the thr ee viruses or are at a higher risk of exposure such as health care providers, international traveler, and university students. It is important to note that there are also contraindications to the vaccine and some people should no use it. Those who have preciously experience severe allergic reactions to one or more of the vaccine components or to a prior dose of MMR should not be vaccinated. Pregnant women should not be administered MMR or any of its components. Additionally, women attempting to become pregnant should avoid pregnancy for at least 30 days after vaccination with measles or mumps vaccines and for 3 months after administration of MMR or other rubella-containing vaccine because the risk to the fetus from the administration of these live virus vaccines cannot be excluded. Following the publication of a paper by British researcher Andrew Wakerfield in the medical journal The Lancet in 1998, huge controversy surrounded the idea of whether or not the MMR vaccine might cause autism. In his paper Wakerfield reported that MMR vaccine caused intestinal inflammation that led to translocation of nonpermeable peptides to the bloodstream and, subsequently, to the brain, where they affected development. In his report, the cases of eight children who developed autism and intestinal problems after receiving the MMR vaccine were discussed. However, to determined if these suspicions were correct, researchers preformed a series of studies in which they compared hundreds of children who had received the MMR vaccine with hundreds who had never received the vaccine. They found that the risk of autism was the same in both groups, thus agreeing that the MMR vaccine does not cause autism. Some parents wary of the safety of the MMR vaccine stopped getting their children immu nized although no data supporting an association between MMR vaccine and autism existed and a plausible biological mechanism is lacking which has cause immunization rates to dropped, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States, given way to the outbreaks of measles and mumps led to hospitalizations and deaths that could have been prevented. Rubin and Farber, 1994. Pathology. J. B. Lippincott Company. 227 East Washington Square, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Racism Essay -- essays research papers

Discrimination - Racism   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Racism, the belief that one race possesses inherent traits that make that particular race superior, or racial prejudice. Discrimination has always been an issue globally, and within our nation. While it was more commonly accepted and practiced decades ago, it is still quite prominent in the hearts of many people worldwide and is demonstrated through their behavior. It was common practice to keep slaves, or people who submit entirely to another’s will, for work, and other duties. Slaveholding was allowed in the United States until 1865, when Amendment XIII was ratified. The date June 19th, 1865 is when the last slaves were said to be freed. Human Rights are basic fundamental rights, such as freedom from unlawful imprisonment, torture, or execution, which should be granted to all peoples. Civil Rights are mainly nonpolitical rights, such as personal liberties, that are included in the amendments to the US Constitution.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Segregation is the s eparation of different races/groups in living arrangement, social situations, and educational facilities, or other areas open for discrimination. The United States made the first step towards desegregation in 1954 with the Supreme Court ruling in the case of Brown v. the Board of Education. That case overturned the previous pro-segregation decision in Plessy v. Ferguson, and stated that separate but equal educational facilities were not, in fact, equal, and o...

Stefan’s Diaries: The Craving Chapter 23

We hailed a carriage heading uptown – Lexi told me I needed to save my strength for whatever came next – and got out without bothering to pay. This was what life was like for one such as Lexi, powerful and simple in her wants and desires. She didn't need any intricate, crazy plans for amassing wealth. She could compel anyone to do anything she asked, and life was incredibly easy. It was tempting, especially the aspect that was nonviolent. No one was hurt in any of her activities, except financially. Lexi must have read my thoughts because she grinned at me and waggled her eyebrows. â€Å"You should stick with me, my friend. Life like this can be sweet, not a curse,† she offered. I shook my head, smiling. â€Å"Thanks, but as you keep saying, I have my own path.† By the time we made it to the Sutherland mansion, its windows were dark and already draped in festoons of black crepe. In the strange half-light of the early hour, dew sparkled eerily off the matte cloth. The house was cordoned off. I gently forced the lock. Neither Lexi nor I made any noise until we came into the living room, when she gave a gasp. The coroners had removed the bodies but not done any cleanup work. The vast amounts of blood from their ripped-up bodies had seeped into the carpet and stained the marble floors beneath. Dark black splatters of dried blood covered the walls, matching the crepe outside. â€Å"My god,† Lexi whispered. â€Å"He massacred them.† I fell back into a chair, overwhelmed with guilt. It hadn't been long since I had discovered the poor family here, their bodies still warm with rapidly fleeting life. Backward and backward my thoughts ran, remembering the things I had done wrong, all of which had led up to this sad climax. If I hadn't run away from the reception†¦ If hadn't gone along with my brother's plans to begin with†¦ If I hadn't saved Bridget†¦ If I hadn't fled to New York†¦ If I hadn't made Damon drink blood to complete his transformation†¦ â€Å"This is my fault,† I moaned. I put my head in my hands. The trail of blood and death that wasn't even of my own devising followed me like a curse. â€Å"No, it's Damon's,† Lexi corrected promptly. â€Å"And Klaus's.† â€Å"I should never have come here†¦. I should have stayed as far away from humans as possible.† â€Å"Hey.† Lexi walked over to me, kneeling down and looking up into my face. She put a hand on my chin, forcing me to look back at her. â€Å"You didn't do this. Klaus did – he ordered this. And you had no intention of marrying into this family. That was Damon's idea. You told me yourself – he threatened to kill that roomful of people if you didn't go along. I would have killed him at that point, but he's not my brother.† I gazed into her dark eyes. â€Å"I've done so much wrong.† She bit her lower lip. â€Å"You made mistakes in the past. Bad ones. But you know that, and were doing your best to correct them, or at least avoid them in the future. That's why I am here, Stefan. You're worth saving.† A pain that had nothing to do with thirst made my throat ache. â€Å"Lexi, please†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I can see into your heart, Stefan,† she said softly. â€Å"I don't just appear out of the blue to save any vampire. You're different. And someday, maybe, you'll know that. And part of your curse will be over.† She leaned forward and pressed her lips against my cheek. I could feel the soft flutter of her eyelashes as she closed her eyes against my face. â€Å"Come on,† she said, backing up and chucking me under the chin. â€Å"We have work to do. I'll look around down here. You go get whatever things of yours the police haven't confiscated. I think you're moving out of this town for a while.† Between one breath and the next, between a trick of the light and the deepest shadow, she had changed. Sunny, friendly Lexi now had bloodred eyes and black veins around her face. Fangs glistened in what little light there was. She was in full predator mode, hunting for the slightest sign of the vampire. Even though she was just an older version of what I was, seeing her that way still sent a chill down my body. Lurking just beneath our skin, the monster was always ready to come out. With a heavy heart I plodded up the grand, dark wood staircase. There was no need to be completely silent; the few servants who remained were in their quarters in a distant wing, far away from the death and mess. I could hear their overloud voices, their discussions of prospects and other households – all desperate attempts to fend off the darkness that their employers had slipped into so suddenly. I wondered what Margaret was doing, vowing to get word to her about Klaus and his vendetta. She was probably in her own home with her husband, mourning her sisters and parents. Which was harder? To be dead, or to live with the memory of the dead? As a vampire, I would never know the former, but always experience the latter. I soon reached my room, where a night ago Bridget had thrown herself at me. I smelled traces of the violet perfume she had doused herself with. It had infiltrated my pillow and sheets. So much more childish than Katherine's scent, the subtle, alluring, complicated mix of citrus and spice†¦. I took a valise – another gift from Winfield, planning for our honeymoon, I suppose – and threw the few things I considered mine into it. My old clothes, some spare change, my journal. I flipped to an old page where I'd written about Katherine. September 8, 1864 She is not who she seems. Should I be surprised? Terrified? Hurt? It's as if everything I know, everything I've been taught, everything I've believed in my past seventeen years is wrong. I can still feel where she kissed me, where her fingers grasped my hands. I still yearn for her, and yet the voice of reason is screaming in my ears: you cannot love a vampire! If I had one of her daisies, I could pluck the leaves and let the flower choose for me. I love her†¦ I love her not†¦ I†¦ I love her. I do. No matter the consequences. Is this what following your heart is? I wish there was a map or a compass to help me find my way. But she has my heart and that above all else is my North Star†¦ and that will have to be enough. I snapped the book shut, curling my lip at my foolishness. Downstairs was the present reality and thinking about the past did no good. I threw the book into the valise and went downstairs. But instead of finding Lexi there to greet me, there was emptiness and a horrible, familiar scent. Death and decay. A faint breeze whistled through broken wood; the back door was left wide open. I shivered despite myself. The silence, Lexi's absence, howled like a banshee. A single piece of paper, the size of a ticket, fluttered on the floor. I picked it up, feeling dread prickle my skin. All it said was: PAYMENT NUMBER TWO – LUCIUS.

Relations Between Teenagers And Adults Essay

A common phrase that adults can testify to hearing from any given teenager is, â€Å"You don’t understand!† This proves a struggle between the youth and the adults that quite possibly is never-ending. Adults make assumptions about kids, based on the way they dress, which pushes kids further and further away. In the essay, â€Å"Goths in Tomorrowland† by Thomas Hine (2001), he emphasizes the beliefs that adults began the idea of youth alienation from older societies and the teenagers keep it that way. Donna Gaine’s (2001) essay, â€Å"Teenage Wasteland,† discusses four teenagers who were mocked and misunderstood by adults and reporters alike. Jon Katz (2001) lets the kids explain themselves about their seclusion from society and the misconceptions about them in his column, â€Å"More from the Hellmouth: Kids Tell About Rage.† The fear that elders show towards young people is merely a fear of the unknown. Adults are worried about the younger ge nerations because of their misunderstandings of the youth culture, their failure to accept youth into the adult society, and the instigation provoked from young people. Misunderstanding of youth creates the gap between adults and teenagers. Many teenagers spend their whole teen experience searching for someone to just understand them. A lot of them do not even make it through this experience because they give up feeling that no one knows what they are going through. Parents also fear for their kids because they do not understand them. A boy named Evan best explains this in â€Å"More from the Hellmouth: Kids Tell About Rage.† He says, â€Å"People fear what they don’t understand, and let’s face it, the world . . . isn’t something most people can understand . . .† (Katz, 2001, p.81). I can remember going through hard times of changing schools so frequently and my parents thinking it was so easy for me. When in reality, it was the hardest thing to do. It is hard on a kid to have to make friends, move, and then start all over again. When I tried to talk to them about it, they could never see where I was coming from or my point of view on anything. There is nothing that can be done for adults to be able to fully understand the younger generation. It is just a gap that is placed there by human nature and this generation gap can never be fully understood. Regarding my experience mentioned earlier, I noticed that my parents made no effort to understand what I was feeling and how their decisions would affect  me. That is what separated me from them, the fear of the unknown. The fact that the majority of adults make no effort to accept young people into their world is no alien idea. The teenagers from â€Å"Goths in Tomorrowland† were not accepted by adults simply for the reason that the teens dressed differently from what was considered to be normal dress. â€Å"They [adults] confuse thrashers with metalheads and goths because they all wear black. Then they assume that they’re all taking drugs and worshipping Satan† (Hine, 2001, p.71). Adults do not understand that teenagers are constantly searching to define themselves as individuals. Expression through clothing is a form of that. Yet, Hine’s article is not about merely how the teenagers dressed differently to express themselves, â€Å"It is about the ali enation of teenagers from adult society, and equally about the alienation of that society from its teenagers. The mere presence of teenagers threatens us [adults]† (p. 69). Is it the idea that this young generation of gothic-dressed supposed losers will be replacing the elders when their time is up that is so scary? Or are the youth of today causing this boundary that is formed by instigating the adults with things that they know scare them? The fault of the misunderstanding between youth and elders is not all due to the close-mindedness of adults. Young people draw adults to see them as irresponsible and immature by the way they act and carry themselves. It is almost as if they are purposely trying to show the world that they are independent, young, and can do whatever they please. The body alterations that young people use to assert that they are no longer children successfully frighten grown-ups, but they also convince them these weird creatures are well short of being adults. The ring through the lip or the nipple merely seems to demonstrate that they are not ready for adult responsibility. What they provoke is not respect but restrictions. (Hine, 2 001, p. 71) By showing off their ability to create their own identity, they are causing trouble for themselves. They should be able to express themselves freely, but instead they are left with no choice but to keep in and guard their emotions. Yet, by guarding their emotions by putting on these facades, they are â€Å"actively guarding their psychic space because the adults controlled everything else† (Gaines, 2001, p.66). Another thing that sometimes can separate youth from their adults is their inability to speak up. They are afraid that if they say what is on their mind or how they  are feeling that it could be used against them. According to Donna Gaines’ â€Å"Teenage Wasteland,† â€Å"Like any other alienated youth . . ., they don’t like to talk to adults† (p. 65). By talking to adults, they are giving themselves away and â€Å"whatever you [they] say can be held against you [them]† (p. 65). Their deepest and darkest secrets should only be shared with someone who understands them. This game of misunderstanding played between adults and youth has been going on since the beginning of time. They are considered to be in two different societies and it will be like that until the end of time. Adults do not completely understand teenagers and they never will. It is just the truth of being either an adult or a teenager. No one can understand both. Adults refuse to accept youth inside of their world and youth refuse to be a part of their elder’s world. It is a vicious cycle. Adults have to learn to let teenagers live their lives; even when they feel like protecting their children. References Gaines, Donna. (2001). Teenage Wasteland. In D. George & J. Trimbur (Ed.) Reading Culture. 4th ed. (pp. 63-66). New York: Longman. Hine, Thomas. (2001). Goths in Tomorrowland. In D. George & J. Trimbur (Ed.) Reading Culture. 4th ed. (pp. 68-73). New York: Longman.. Katz, Jon. (2001). More from the Hellmouth: Kids Tell About Rage. In D. George & J. Trimbur (Ed.) Reading Culture. 4th ed. (pp 78-83). New York: Longman.

Triassic-Jurassic Mass Extinction

Triassic-Jurassic Mass Extinction Over the entire 4.6 billion year history of the Earth, there have been five major mass extinction events. These catastrophic events completely wiped out large percentages of all of the life around at the time of the mass extinction event. These mass extinction events shaped how the living things that did survive evolve and new species appear. Some scientists also believe we are currently in the middle of the sixth mass extinction event that could last for a million years or more. The Fourth Major Extinction The fourth major mass extinction event happened around 200 million years ago at the end of the Triassic Period of the Mesozoic Era to usher in the Jurassic Period. This mass extinction event was actually a combination of smaller mass extinction periods that happened over the final 18 million years or so of the Triassic Period. Over the course of this extinction event, it is estimated more than half of the known living species at the time completely died out. This allowed dinosaurs to thrive and take over some of the niches left open due to the extinction of species that had previously held those types of roles in the ecosystem. What Ended the Triassic Period? There are several different hypotheses on what caused this particular mass extinction at the end of the Triassic Period. Since the third major mass extinction actually is thought to have occurred in several small waves of extinctions, it is entirely possible that all of these hypotheses, along with others that may not be as popular or thought of as of yet, could have caused the overall mass extinction event. There is evidence for all of the causes proposed. Volcanic Activity:Â  One possible explanation for this catastrophic mass extinction event is unusually high levels of volcanic activity. It is known that large numbers of flood basalts around the Central America region occurred around the time of the Triassic-Jurassic mass extinction event. These enormous volcano eruptions are thought to have expelled huge amounts of greenhouse gases like sulfur dioxide or carbon dioxide that would quickly and devastatingly increase the global climate. Other scientists believe it would have aerosols expelled from these volcanic eruptions that would actually do the opposite of the greenhouse gases and end up cooling the climate significantly. Climate Change:Â  Other scientists believe it was more of a gradual climate change issue that spanned the majority of the 18 million year time span attributed to the end of the Triassic mass extinction. This would have led to changing sea levels and even possibly a change in the acidity within the oceans that would have affected species living there. Meteor Impact: A less likely cause of the Triassic-Jurassic mass extinction event may be attributed to asteroid or meteor impact, much like what is thought to have caused the Cretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction (also known as the K-T Mass Extinction) when the dinosaurs all went extinct. However, this is not a very likely reason for the third mass extinction event because there has been no crater found that would indicate it could create devastation of this magnitude. There was a meteor strike that dates to about this time period, but it was rather small and is not thought to have been able to cause a mass extinction event that is thought to have wiped out more than half of all living species on both land and in the oceans. However, the asteroid impact may have very well caused a local mass extinction that is now attributed to the overall major mass extinction that ended the Triassic Period and ushered in the beginning of the Jurassic Period.

The Collapse of Gupta India

The Collapse of Gupta India The Gupta Empire may have lasted only about 230 years, but it was characterized by a sophisticated culture with innovative advances in literature, arts, and sciences. Its influence continues to be felt in art, dance, mathematics, and many other fields today, not just in India but across Asia and around the world. Called Indias Golden Age by most scholars, the Gupta Empire was likely founded by a member of a lower Hindu caste called Sri Gupta. He came from the Vaishya or farmer caste and founded the new dynasty in reaction to abuses by previous princely rulers. The Gupta were ardent Vaishnavas, devotees of Vishnu and they ruled as traditional Hindu monarchs. Advances of the Golden Age of Classical India During this Golden Age, India was part of an international trade network which also included other great classical empires of the day, the Han Dynasty in China to the east and the Roman Empire to the west. The famed Chinese pilgrim to India, Fa Hsien (Faxien) noted that Gupta law was exceptionally generous; crimes were punished only with fines. The rulers sponsored advances in science, painting, textiles, architecture, and literature. Gupta artists created marvelous sculptures and paintings, perhaps including the Ajanta caves. The surviving architecture includes palaces and purpose-built temples for both Hindu and Buddhist religions, such as the Parvati Temple at Nachana Kuthara and the Dashavatara Temple at Deogarh in Madhya Pradesh. New forms of music and dance, some of which are still performed today, flourished under Gupta patronage. The emperors also founded free hospitals for their citizens, as well as monasteries and universities. The classical Sanskrit language reached its apogee during this period as well, with poets such as Kalidasa and Dandi. The ancient texts of the Mahabharata and Ramayana were converted into sacred texts and the Vau and Matsya Puranas were composed. Scientific and mathematical advances include the invention of the number zero, Aryabhatas astonishingly accurate calculation of pi as 3.1416, and his equally amazing calculation that the solar year is 365.358 days long. Establishing the Gupta Dynasty In about 320 CE, the chief of a small kingdom called Magadha in southeastern India set out to conquer the neighboring kingdoms of Prayaga and Saketa. He used a combination of military might and marriage alliances to expand his kingdom into an empire. His name was Chandragupta I and through his conquests he formed the Gupta Empire. Many scholars believe that Chandraguptas family was from the Vaishya caste, which was the third tier out of four in the traditional Hindu caste system. If so, this was a major departure from Hindu tradition, in which the Brahmin priestly caste and the Kshatriya warrior/princely class generally held religious and secular power over the lower castes. In any case, Chandragupta rose from relative obscurity to reunite much of the Indian subcontinent, which had fragmented five centuries earlier after the fall of the Mauryan Empire in 185 BCE. Rulers of the Gupta Dynasty Chandraguptas son, Samudragupta (ruled 335–380 CE), was a brilliant warrior and statesman, sometimes called the Napoleon of India. Samudragupta, however, never faced a Waterloo, and was able to pass on a greatly expanded Gupta Empire to his sons. He extended the empire to the Deccan Plateau in the south, Punjab in the north, and Assam in the east. Samudragupta also was a talented poet and musician. His successor was Ramagupta, an ineffectual ruler, who was soon deposed and assassinated by his brother, Chandragupta II. Chandragupta II (r. 380–415 CE) expanded the empire still further, to its greatest extent. He conquered much of Gujarat in western India. Like his grandfather, Chandragupta II also used marriage alliances to expand the empire, marrying into control of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, and adding the rich provinces of Punjab, Malwa, Rajputana, Saurashtra, and Gujarat. The city of Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh became a second capital for the Gupta Empire, which was based at Pataliputra in the north. Kumaragupta I succeeded his father in 415 and ruled for 40 years. His son, Skandagupta (r. 455–467 CE), is considered the last of the great Gupta rulers. During his reign, the Gupta Empire first faced incursions by the Huns, who would eventually bring down the empire. After him, lesser emperors, including Narasimha Gupta, Kumaragupta II, Buddhagupta, and Vishnugupta, ruled over the decline of the Gupta Empire. Although the late Gupta ruler Narasimhagupta managed to drive the Huns out of northern India in 528 CE, the effort and expense doomed the dynasty. The last recognized emperor of the Gupta Empire was Vishnugupta, who ruled from about 540 until the empire collapsed around 550 CE. Decline and Fall of the Gupta Empire As with the collapses of other classical political systems, the Gupta Empire crumbled under both internal and external pressures. Internally, the Gupta Dynasty grew weak from a number of succession disputes. As the emperors lost power, regional lords gained increasing autonomy. In a sprawling empire with weak leadership, it was easy for rebellions in Gujarat or Bengal to break out, and difficult for the Gupta emperors to put such uprisings down. By 500 CE, many regional princes were declaring their independence and refusing to pay taxes to the central Gupta state. These included the Maukhari Dynasty, who ruled over Uttar Pradesh and Magadha. By the later Gupta era, the government was having trouble collecting enough taxes to fund both its hugely complex bureaucracy and constant wars against foreign invaders like the Pushyamitras and the Huns. In part, this was due to the common peoples dislike of the meddlesome and unwieldy bureaucracy. Even those who felt a personal loyalty to the Gupta Emperor generally disliked his government and were happy to avoid paying for it if they could. Another factor, of course, was the near-constant rebellions among different provinces of the empire. Invasions In addition to internal disputes, the Gupta Empire faced constant threats of invasion from the north. The cost of fighting off these invasions drained the Gupta treasury, and the government had difficulty refilling the coffers. Among the most troublesome of the invaders were the White Huns (or Hunas), who conquered much of the northwestern section of Gupta territory by 500 CE. The Huns initial raids into India were led by a man who is called Toramana or Toraraya in Gupta records; these documents show that his troops began to pick off feudatory states from the Gupta domains around the year 500. In 510 CE, Toramana swooped down into central India and inflicted a decisive defeat at Eran on the Ganges river. The End of the Dynasty The records indicate that Toramanas reputation was strong enough that some princes voluntarily submitted to his rule. However, the records do not specify why the princes submitted: whether it was because he had a reputation as a great military strategist, was a blood-thirsty tyrant, was a better ruler than the Gupta alternatives, or something else. Eventually, this branch of the Huns adopted Hinduism and was assimilated into Indian society. Although none of the invading groups managed to completely overrun the Gupta Empire, the financial hardship of the battles helped hasten the end of the dynasty. Almost unbelievably, the Huns, or their direct ancestors the Xiongnu, had the same effect on two of the other great classical civilizations in earlier centuries: Han China, which collapsed in 221 CE and the Roman Empire, which fell in 476 CE. Sources Agrawal, Ashvini. Rise and Fall of the Imperial Guptas. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 1989. Chaurasia, Radhey Sham. History of Ancient India. Atlantic Publishers, 2002.Dwivedi, Gautam N. The Western Limits of the Gupta Empire. Proceedings of the Indian History Congress 34, 1973, pp. 76-79.Goyal, Shankar. Historiography of the Imperial Guptas: Old and New. Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute 77.1/4, 1996, pp. 1–33.Mookerji, Radhakumud. The Gupta Empire. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 1989.Prakash, Budha. Last Days of the Gupta Empire. Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute 27.1/2, 1946, pp. 124-41. Vajpeyi, Raghavendra. A Critique of the Huna Invasion Theory. Proceedings of the Indian History Congress 39, 1978, pp. 62-66.