The Death Of Love - Original Writing - 957 Words

Stirring, Serena instantly noticed something was wrong; something felt different She could not feel his strong muscly arms over her lover around her, she could not even feel the warmth of his body near her and it left feeling a little discontent. She fully remembered being half-awake and his warm body pressing against her back as his arms wrapped around her; embracing her tightly upon returning from his late shift. She recalled mumbles words of love, and his sudden snoring soon after he drifted off to sleep. Her lover did not live with Serena, but she insisted he come over; they had been dating for just over five months - they did not plan it, it just rather happened and neither could place a finger on the exact moment. However, once united together they became a truly formidable couple and most of the time inseparable; they thrived off each other in many ways. As she adjusted her eyes, she tilted her head up and saw a familiar face. â€Å"Morning† he smiled â€Å"I wish you wouldn t do that, it makes you a little creepy† Ric said nothing and just rolled his eyes. â€Å"Ric, what are you doing?† Serena continued as he just smiled and ran his fingers through her hair. â€Å"Can t I admire you?† â€Å"You can when I m awake† Serena smirked â€Å"So hard to please aren t you?† Ric matched her smirk, additionally with the same bright shining eyes. â€Å"Oh, says you† Serena snarked â€Å"I forgot you were twice as grumpy in the morning† â€Å"I m not grumpy, have you seen yourself; you make Jack DeeShow MoreRelatedEdgar Allan Poe and Emily Dickinson Compare and Contrast Essay1596 Words   |  7 Pagesthe 1800s. They had many things in common from their writings about death and sadness, because of their unfortunate losses in life, to the fact that they were both born in Massachusetts. They were also different in many ways. They were different in the way they looked at life and wrote about their experiences from it. While it is obvious they had many differences, they also had many things in common from their lives to their styles of writing making them amazing writers. Both Edgar Allan PoeRead MoreEssay on Shakespeare in Love and Romeo and Juliet1511 Words   |  7 PagesShakespeare In Love,  Romeo and Juliet the play, Romeo and Juliet with Leonardo  DiCaprio  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   All these works  display very different ideas from the original story and its creation. Each one of them has its own way of portraying the time, the characters, and the themes. Being shown a variety of opinions about what exactly was going on in Shakespeares head when he was writing this magnificent play allows us to be open to our own ideas about its creation. It gives everyone the chance toRead MoreWhat Makes A Great Poem Readers Will Fall Of Love With? Nothing?1027 Words   |  5 PagesWhat does it take to make a great poem readers will fall in love with? Nothing! A great poem does not need rhyme or make any sense at all. Great poems just need to send out a message readers would understand and enjoy, or even things that would make them think. Unlike a poem, a myth could be an exact opposite. A good myth usually explains the origin for events or gives answers for why things are the way they are. â€Å"All mythology speaks of another plane that exists alongside our own world, an d thatRead MoreEmily Dickinson s Amazing Gifts As A Poet1178 Words   |  5 Pagespersonal feelings in topics that greatly interested her. Emily Dickinson became recognized as one of the greatest female poet in American literature after her death in 1886. Emily Dickinson personal life experiences are reflected in her poetry writings. Her poetry shows the difficulties and needs of human relationship with writing that is moving and captivating. Emily Dickinson was born on December 10, 1830 in Amherst Massachusetts. She was well educated and attended the AmherstRead MoreRaymond Carver1583 Words   |  7 Pagesstories. His prose addresses the average working-class citizen. Bill Mullen describes the book that contains the short story â€Å"What We Talk About We Talk About Love† to the â€Å"distinctly post-modern fate of contemporary working-class Americans† (Bloom). The writings are depressing and riddled with failures in life. The textbook calls his school of writing â€Å"Alcoholic Blue-Collar Minimalist Hyperrealism† (Bayam). This is evident in his stories; as alcohol is almost always present and not always in a good wayRead MoreEmily Dickinson s A Route Of Evanescence And Because I Could Not Stop For Death1167 Words   |  5 PagesEmily Dickinson Emily Dickinson published only a few poems during her time. Her work was only truly discovered after her death of kidney disease in 1886 at the age of fifty-six. Upon her death her sister Lavinia Dickinson found hundreds of poems tied into a book stitched together by Emily. People claim that she is the most original 19th Century American Poet and is now considered one of the towering figures of American literature. Although She is known for her unconventional broken rhyming meterRead MoreMythology by Edith Hamilton Critical Analysis837 Words   |  4 Pagescivilizations explained things. Hamilton s purpose for writing this literary work was also to make the reader see some differences between writers [of the original], who were so different from each other. She accomplished this by writing short passages about the original writers at the beginning of each story. Her goal for this book was to be accurate and close to the original and for readers to gain knowledge of myths and an idea of what each original writer was like (Foreword). The organization andRead MoreHow Modern Works Help Embrace the Classical888 Words   |  4 PagesLeander, a story birthed from ancient Greek mythology, is a powerful story captured through the words of Christopher Marlowe in his almost epic poem â€Å"Hero and Leander.† Although Christopher Marlowe was unable to complete this work before his untimely death, his poem lived on to be know as one of his masterpieces. His work has spawned multiple remixes, each with their own style and value. The excerpt of â€Å"Hero and Leander† we will focus on is the very beginning of the poem. Here Christopher MarloweRead MoreEmily Dickinson s Life And Work962 Words   |  4 PagesEmily Dickinson is considered to be one of the best and most original American poets. Her writing style and views on themes such as religion, love, and death are what make her stand out from other poets of the nineteenth century. Dickinson was a recluse; she spent most of her time within the confines of her home and avoided most other people (Brand). Because of this hermit-like behavior it is questioned where the inspiration for her poems came from. Although Dickinson had an uneventful social lifeRead MoreEdgar Allan Poe s `` The Famous American Poet ``1086 Words   |  5 Pagesdetective fiction. The life of Edgar Allan Poe was filled with tragedies and was very depressing; because of this, he was inspired to write such dark stories. He wrote time and time again about his love and his loss. His wo rk collectively illustrates the story of his life. Although he did create original storylines in his work, deep within the plots of his stories stem a world of Poe’s own personal life. His intriguing and often fear-provoking horror stories are what set him apart from other writers

Alpine Avalanche in Austria in 1999 Free Essays

The Avalanche in Austria that had killed more or less 31 people in February 1999 has been considered as the worst natural disaster during the past 30 years. The Alpine avalanche smashed into the Ischgl ski resort near the village of Galtuer. What is avalanche? Why it is happening? These two questions provide understanding on the natural disaster that most of us are not aware or are concerned. We will write a custom essay sample on Alpine Avalanche in Austria in 1999 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Snow Avalanche is the speedy downslide movement of snow ice associated with assorted debris such as rocks and vegetation (Definition and Characteristic-Avalanche). Avalanche happens when a bunch of snow becomes unstable; it then releases and speedily down slides either over an open or concerted area in an avalanche path. Its speed even reaches up to two hundred miles an hour and can wield a force strong enough to uproot or snap big trees or even destroy concrete structures. An avalanche may be preceded by an â€Å"air blast† that may also be capable of damaging buildings. Snow avalanche is a natural hazard along with rock avalanche, landslides, debris torrents that are all known as mountain slope hazards (McClung, David Schaerer, Peter 2006, p. 14). These hazards presents serious problems for visitors and dwellers in mountainous terrain though mountain slope hazards are not as destructive as the so-called â€Å"big five† of the natural disasters such as earthquake, floods, tropical storms, drought, and volcanic eruptions. However, the Austrian avalanche in February 23, 1999 that claimed thirty-one lives mostly tourist from neighboring countries were said to be the worst alpine disaster in the world. Rescuers said aside from the 31 people dead, they rescued twenty-three of which eight were injured. Wendelin Weingartner, governor in the western province of Tyrol commented saying, â€Å"this is a catastrophe such as we have not had for centuries. † Eyewitness of the scene stated automobiles were trampled by big walls of snow or tossed like toy cars by the force of the avalanche. One house was sliced off its top floor as if by a giant razor blade. The disaster stranded up to seven hundred tourists in Galtuer but they were eventually flown out by the Austrian army to safety as well as the more or less 1000 foreign tourists. The impact of this avalanche was heavily felt in the village of Galtuer, which was reach, by the raging fast moving snow avalanche in a matter of only fifty seconds destroying seven modern buildings and burying fifty-seven people. The families of the victims were outraged as the village were supposed to be safe from the threat of avalanche. Galtuer was situated two hundred meters from the base of the mountains and is considered safe from avalanche based on the computerized stimulated test showing one in one hundred-fifty year event, would not reach the village. However, the massive built up of snow and the accumulation along the way as it slid down the mountain slope has grown so large at one hundred meters high when it trampled on the village. Investigation about what made the February 1999 Austrian avalanche so much worse than anything previously recorded revealed that from January 20 onwards series of severe storms brought warm, moist air from the Atlantic, which upon meeting with ice cold arctic air, resulted, to a record snowfalls of up to four meters. This was followed by very strong winds of up to one hundred-twenty kilometer per hour, which had increased the depth of snow on the mountains above Galtuer. David Waugh (2000) explains that as snowfalls, â€Å"it often forms two layers separated, as in sandwich, by a weaker layer† (p. 127). The warmer weather at Galtuer at the end of January caused melting and re-freezing until there was a much greater accumulation of snow. Although avalanche higher warning was given three times in the area, but it was quite impossible to predict the exact locations of avalanche with all the thousands slopes in the region. The build up of snow under a weak ground have made that very strong avalanche force that has brought enormous destruction on lives and properties. The February 1999 avalanche, which began at four in the afternoon of the twenty-third with a dry snow slab avalanche, fractured with a width of approximately four hundred meter. Scientist studying the nature of February 1999 avalanche discovered through a controlled experiment that avalanche increased in volume considerably as it moved downhill (Waugh 2000, p. 127). The scientist findings revealed that that the weight of snow that hit Galtuer was up to 400,000 tones and that the avalanche was one hundred meters in height and had traveled at the speed of three hundred kilometer per hour. The disastrous 1999 alpine avalanche has shown clearly that it is fundamental to have proper land use planning to protect mountain villages from the destructive effects of the snow avalanches. Walter J. Ammann, Stefanie Dannenmann, and Laurent Vulliet stated that proper planning of land use â€Å"requires a correct risk analysis procedure which implies the evaluation of the two essential components of risk: hazard and vulnerability† (Ammann, Dannenmann, Vulliet 2006, p. 227). The vulnerability of Austrian structures and buildings against avalanche has been directly correlated to the impact pressure. However, the vulnerability component of avalanche risk is more difficult to assess because of the scarcity of suitable data to evaluate the effects of avalanches on people and properties. Despite of the efforts of the Austrian government to prevent the build up of snow in the mountain area, the incident that challenged the human capacity of creating safety standards against natural disasters prove to be no much against a simple actions of nature. The February 1999 avalanche in the village of Galtuer perhaps can be attributed to the human shortcomings despite of the prior efforts made to ensure the safety of everyone in the area, tourist and local people alike. Based on available literature, comprehensive studies were done on the characteristic and nature of avalanche only after the Galtuer incident happened. This suggest that the village of Galtuer which were assured of safety from the threat of avalanche were constantly in danger as studies done previously were not really sufficient to determine the true characteristic of avalanche. Besides, hazard zoning was inefficient as most of the destroyed houses were within green zoning which dangerous to the threats of avalanche. In this case, the February 1999 avalanche came as a big surprise costing lives and damages to properties. It was apparent that weather was particularly severe in the region with non-stop snowfalls over the duration of seven days accumulating up to 270cm. Local feedbacks about the weather condition estimates that strong winds, which are around eighty to ninety kilometer per hour, produced 10-20 tones of snow in an hour. The testimonies from survivors indicate that they were not at all expecting such tragedy would happen. A British survivor described the scenario as incredible and â€Å"absolutely terrifying† stating that a â€Å"huge cloud of snow† enclosed the village. In his article entitled, â€Å"Lessons Learnt from Avalanche Disasters† Alessandro Colombo stated that people ignored the warning believing that the situations were improbable. The 1999 Austrian avalanche was not a single disaster that happened that particular year as more avalanche occurred although not as disastrous as what happened in February 23 of that year. The two avalanches that successively and unexpectedly occurred have left many people dead and threats of new avalanches continues to bring fears and worries to people leaving in the area and tourist alike. The responsibility of the Austrian authorities is to make protect the safety of the people by enforcing necessary measures that will guarantee their safety. It is clear from this point that the authorities had not done enough to protect the people from the threat of the avalanche. Indeed, the Austrian authorities have been criticized for doing the evacuation earlier. Televisions and newspaper stated that that government should have taken more safety measures for the sake of the safety of the people, even at the cost of tourist business. Conclusions What happened in February 1999 in Austria is grim reminder that man cannot underestimate the forces of nature, which usually strike in an unexpected situation. The case of the sinking of Titanic during a very peaceful condition of sea is a further reminder that authorities cannot afford to be complacent about his accomplishment particularly when it comes to keeping the safety of the people. While the Austrian authorities admit shortcomings, the disaster had already claimed lives and wrought enormous destruction to properties. Although these events happened almost a decade ago, it is important that government take advance precautionary measures that will guaranty the safety of the people even at the expense of tourist industry. While Austrian mountain slopes continues to attract tourist from the around the world, the danger from the threats of avalanche remains. However, it is perhaps safe to assume that the lessons from the 1999 avalanche were already imbedded in the hearts and of the Austrian people. In other words, similar disasters may never happen again with the same magnitude of destruction both in humans and in properties. Reference List Ammann, J. ,W. Dannenmann, S. Vulliet, L. (2006) Risk 21- Coping with Risk Due to Natural Hazards in the 21st London: Taylor and Francis Group Definition and Characteristic-Avalanche http://geosurvey. state. co. us/Default. aspx? tabid=399 Hopes fade to Find more Survivors from Austrian Avalanche (posted February 25, 1999) http://www. cnn. com/WORLD/europe/9902/25/europe. snow. 01/index. html McClung, D. Scaerer, (2006) P. The Avalanche Handbook. USA: The Mountaineers Books Waugh, D. (2000) Geography: An Integrated Approach UK: Nelson Thornes How to cite Alpine Avalanche in Austria in 1999, Papers

The Loma Prieta Earthquake free essay sample

There is a lot that happens around the world we cannot control. We cannot stop earthquakes, we cannot prevent droughts, and we cannot prevent conflict. Earthquakes and the damages they bring have affected the lives of many people around the world forever. As our community grows so does the danger caused by these quakes also increases by mass. Earthquakes can affect our lives in many ways; this type of natural disaster can upset everything from small towns to huge metropolitan areas. Speaking of places, On October 17, 1989 the Loma Prieta earthquake struck the San Francisco Bay Area. It had killed 62 people, injured 3,756 others and left more than 12,000 people homeless. This earthquake had affected everyone in the area; here are some victims of this earthquake, Carol Bold and Michael . I secretly wanted my town to float out to sea. Maybe I have a longing desire for isolation, or religious aspirations for disaster, these were the exact words Carol Bold had said when she was at a very young age. We will write a custom essay sample on The Loma Prieta Earthquake or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The Loma Prieta earthquake had struck when she was in preschool. She says she still remembers the event vividly. In paragraph two from the article Loma Preta Earthquake stories, she had mentioned â€Å"We lunged under the tables with innocent chuckles, staring as every motionless object in the room suddenly burst into dance. And just like that it was over. † This quote basically had said everything was flying, if not shaking. For some odd reason Carol Bold was way too young to understand what was going on however she new Part of the double-decker bridge collapsed upon itself, as well as a 50-foot strip of the Bay Bridge. San Francisco’s Marina District basically crumbled under its lousy urban planning of building houses on top of landfill she had finished saying. When she got home no one was hurt, Carol Bold was lucky unlike the 62 that had been killed, 3,756 injured and many others who were left without a home. Unfortunately for Michael and his family weren’t as lucky as Crol Bold. Michael was at work while his son named David who was 18 along with his wife was at home. David had called his dad saying his new car got destroyed by the chimney and the house was destroyed by the trees colliding into each other. Michal couldn’t have believed it but in his story he had mentioned that when David was in his room he was thrown on to the floor and a large dresser fell on top of him. Meanwhile his wife was in the kitchen and everything was flying at her. Michal also said his neighbor wasn’t as lucky, she had blood all over, and apparently the quake shattered an older plate glass window and cut her badly. Michal was fortunate no one in the family was hurt. He even mentioned â€Å"he felt very fortunate that he had the chance to talk to his wife and for a little and could only imagine what these others felt who had no communication with their families at home. Overall the two people I had introduced could have had the worst. Some earthquakes result in a fire that damages buildings or homes. If one doesnt have insurance, a fire as a result of an earthquake would leave them without a home or possessions. For years after the incident, people still could have no homes or anything in their name. Moreover, a sudden earthquake can destabilize slopes causing a landslide. Everyone can be buried alive, and houses are immediately surrounded. Rebuilding on an environment after an extensive landslide can be impossible. The Loma Prieta Earthquake didn’t just affect the San Francisco Bay Area; it also was a major political. Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) was able to direct donations to where they were needed such as Santa Cruz, Monterey, Alameda, and San Francisco. Many organizations and agency offered to help: Southern Baptists, Seventh Day Adventists, St. Vincent de Paul Society, Mennonite Disaster Services, Salvation Army, CRWRC, and Second Harvest Food Bank. Despite massive efforts by both the government and the Red Cross, there were many misunderstanding flowing among the victims, which had caused them to delay request. Phew of the misunderstanding were, that the people didn’t understand were sectors of help that the Red Cross could do, and there was only a limit supply for everyone person. The National Research Council and Earthquake Engineering Research Institute are to be congratulated for conceiving and sponsoring a symposium on practical lessons from an earthquake (L. Thomas Tobi, paragraph 1). After all events such as, earthquakes we as humans can learn from what we can do next time to reduce the destruction as well as to get prepared for the worst. Basically this article starts off with; focusing on practical lessons is a beginning to what we need to do as individuals. Not just as a community but it should be a state regulation. We need to designs our homes, our offices in such ways it will do fewer damages. We must add building officials, city councils, boards of supervisors, and state legislators to expand effort. We know how to build a bridge to resist earthquakes, now we have to just design what’s a better way to do it. Like I said what should be done to prepare any city for another earthquake is we as a nation have to work with each other, to come to an agreement of what shell be done and what we can make better.

Is using a variety of sources important in order t Essays

Is using a variety of sources important in order to fully understand a news story? Write with reference to your news story. Nobody can deny that the first and most important step when you write about a news story is gathering information about your topic. It is an undeniable fact that without details, sources, evidence, one's writing will not have the intended impact of informing the audience. When you do a research about a news story you have various types of sources at your disposal. Firstly you can perform investigations on print sources like books, magazines and newspapers. On the one hand they are more reliable sources but on the other hand they are more expensive. Alternately, nowadays with the widespread availability of the Internet, instant coverage of the news is the norm rather than the exception and has replaced TV and radio as the main source for information. The most important disadvantage of the Internet though is that the web posters are not always as careful to make sure that the information is accurate. As far as I am concerned about my type of news stories it is imperative to search for and gather as much information as possible, due to the fact that it is a specialized event. You have to take into account that the previously mentioned types of sources would not suffice. Since this news story is all about an immersive, full sensory experience in order to have an impact on the reader you have to experience it firsthand from the primary source. Taking the above analyzed into account it is vital to gather information from a variety of sources to get a complete and accurate picture of what you try to inform your reader about your news story.

Comment, Suggestion, and Feedback

Comment, Suggestion, and Feedback Comment, Suggestion, and Feedback Comment, Suggestion, and Feedback By Maeve Maddox A reader asks about these three words: I was wondering about the differences between comment, suggestion, and feedback. They often seem to be used interchangeably. I would like to know how to use each word appropriately in different contexts.    Here are the relevant definitions of these words in the context of social media: comment noun: a remark or criticism on or upon anything. suggestion noun: an idea or thought suggested, a proposal. feedback noun: information about the result of a process, experiment, etc. The word comment has the broadest application because a comment can contain a suggestion or provide feedback. The comments that follow the posts on this site provide examples of all three terms. Comment Carnival – The word derives from a phrase meaning â€Å"the putting away of flesh†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ as in the fasting from meat as Christians [according to traditional dogma] are supposed to do during Lent. It became an event of feasting and revelry because it’s the last chance for the next 6 weeks to indulge in that delicious pot roast, steak dinner, or other self-gratifications. The reader has added information relating to a post about words derived from a Latin word meaning flesh. This kind of comment enriches the site by expanding the post in a relevant manner. Suggestion Could you also clarify and explain the origins of â€Å"chalk it up†. I’ve also seen â€Å"chock it up† which I assume is an error.   I’ve also heard â€Å"chop it up† in the same context. This reader, in commenting on the post about chock-full, has made a suggestion for a future post. Such suggestions keep me supplied with topics. Feedback I think your spelling of cockeyeed is incorrect.  I think it is spelled cockeyed. (minus one e) Feedback can be positive or negative. Comments that express agreement or appreciation let writers know they’re on the right track with their intended audience. Comments that point out errors or ambiguity enable the writer to improve a published post. NOTE: I like to receive feedback that points out typographical errors by way of email, rather than in the open comments section- and not just to minimize my embarrassment. When the error has been corrected in the post, the comment remains as a distraction to future readers. The figurative use of feedback derives from a technical term relating to electronics: feedback noun: The return of a fraction of the output signal from one stage of a circuit, amplifier, etc., to the input of the same or a preceding stage, â€Å"positive feedback† tending to increase the amplification; â€Å"negative feedback† tending to decrease the amplification. Also, a signal so returned. I’ll take this opportunity to thank my readers for all three- comments, suggestions, and feedback. They are and have been of tremendous benefit to me, as a blogger and as a student of English. Related post: Comment Etiquette Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Comma After i.e. and e.g.20 Words Meaning "Being or Existing in the Past"The 7 Types of Possessive Case

Platypus Facts (Ornithorhynchus anatinus)

Platypus Facts (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) The platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) is an unusual mammal. In fact, when its discovery was first reported in 1798, British scientists thought the creature was a hoax made by stitching together parts of other animals. The platypus has webbed feet, a bill like a duck, lays eggs, and males have venomous spurs. The plural form of platypus is a matter of some dispute. Scientists typically use platypuses or platypus. Many people use platypi. Technically, the proper Greek plural is platypodes. Fast Facts: Platypus Scientific Name: Ornithorhynchus anatinusCommon Names: Platypus, duck-billed platypusBasic Animal Group: MammalSize: 17-20 inchesWeight: 1.5-5.3 poundsLifespan: 17 yearsDiet: CarnivoreHabitat: Eastern Australian including TasmaniaPopulation: ~50,000Conservation Status: Near Threatened Description The platypus has a keratin bill, a broad flattened tail, and webbed feet. Its dense, waterproof fur is dark brown, becoming paler around its eyes and on its belly. The male has one venomous spur on each hind limb. Males are larger than females, but size and weight varies considerably from one individual to another. The average male is 20 inches in length, while females are around 17 inches long. Adults weigh anywhere from 1.5 to 5.3 pounds. The male platypus has a venomous spur on its hind limb. Auscape, Getty Images Habitat and Distribution The platypus lives along streams and rivers in eastern Australia, including Tasmania. It is extinct in South Australia, except for an introduced population on Kangaroo Island. Platypuses live in diverse climates, ranging from tropical rainforests to cold mountains. Platypus distribution (red: native; yellow: introduced). Tentotwo, Creative Commons License Diet and Behavior Platypuses are carnivores. They hunt worms, shrimp, insect larvae, and crayfish at dawn, dusk, and night. The platypus closes its eyes, ears, and nose when it dives and moves its bill from side to side, much like a hammerhead shark. It relies on a combination of mechanosensors and electrosensors in its bill to map its surroundings. The mechanosensors detect touch and movement, while the electrosensors sense tiny electrical charges released by muscle contractions in living organisms. The only other mammal to use electroreception to seek prey is a species of dolphin. Reproduction and Offspring Except for the echidna and platypus, mammals give birth to live young. Echidnas and platypuses are monotremes, which lay eggs. The platypus mates once each year during the breeding season, which occurs between June and October. Normally, a platypus lives a solitary life in a burrow above the water level. After mating, the male departs for his own burrow, while the female digs a deeper burrow with plugs to control environmental conditions and protect her eggs and young. She lines her nest with leaves and grass and lays between one and three eggs (usually two). The eggs are small (under half an inch) and leathery. She curls around her eggs to incubate them. The eggs hatch after about 10 days. The hairless, blind young drink milk released by pores in the mothers skin. The offspring nurse for about four months before emerging from the burrow. At birth, both male and female platypuses have spurs and teeth. The teeth drop out when the animals are very young. The females spurs drop off before she is a year old. A platypus reaches sexual maturity in its second year. In the wild, a platypus lives at least 11 years. They have been known to reach 17 years of age in captivity. Conservation Status The IUCN classifies the platypus conservation status as near threatened. Researchers estimate the number of mature animals anywhere between 30,000 and 300,000, usually settling on a number around 50,000. Threats Although protected since 1905, platypus numbers have been decreasing. The species faces habitat disruption from irrigation, dams, and pollution. Disease is a significant factor in Tasmania. However, the most significant threat is reduced water availability from human use and droughts caused by climate change. The Platypus and Humans The platypus is not aggressive. While its sting may be fatal to smaller animals, such as dogs, there has never been a documented human fatality. The animals venom contains defensin-like proteins (DLPs) that cause swelling and excruciating pain. Additionally, a sting results in heightened pain sensitivity that may persist for days or months. If you want to see a living platypus, you have to travel to Australia. As of 2017, only select aquariums in Australia house the animals. The Healesville Sanctuary in Victoria and the Taronga Zoo in Sydney have successfully bred platypuses in captivity. Sources Cromer, Erica. Monotreme Reproductive Biology and Behavior. Iowa State University. April 14, 2004.Grant, Tom. The platypus: a unique mammal. Sydney: University of New South Wales Press, 1995. ISBN 978-0-86840-143-0.Groves, C.P. Order Monotremata. In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 2, 2005. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0.Moyal, Ann Mozley. Platypus: The Extraordinary Story of How a Curious Creature Baffled the World. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2004. ISBN 978-0-8018-8052-0.Woinarski, J. A.A Burbidge. Ornithorhynchus anatinus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T40488A21964009. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T40488A21964009.en

AUCA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

AUCA - Essay Example As the author puts it, Florence was a no gone city. Death almost became inevitable to all those who contracted the plague. Dead bodies spread all over the city until churches ran out of space for burying the dead bodies. The solution was to adopt mass graves. Neighbours avoided each other for the fear of contracting the diseases. In fact, some citizens decided to leave the city. It was simply devastating. However, Boccaccio’s choice to introduce his work by this vivid eyewitness account leaves a lot to question especially that the rest of the characters are fictional. In my view, Boccaccio’s decision to introduce Decameron with an eyewitness account was to give the narrative its setting, both time and place. It was certainly written in medieval period and in Florence. This eyewitness account was also to justify the reasons for his characters to leave their city and base their stories in another place. In addition, this eyewitness account serves to add credibility to the author’s stories. For example, it would have been very difficult for him to set grounds as to why the seven women and the three men had to leave their Florence into another city. Furthermore, since this society was traditionally patriarchal, it would have been so hard for Boccaccio to convince his readers the reason as to why the men decided to give up their powers so that they could be ruled by the women. Therefore, the eyewitness account served to exemplify how the plague affected the social set-up of the society such that there was even a reversal of gender roles. The story revolves around Saladin, an Islam sultan and Melchizedek who was a wealthy Jew. Saladin was both generous and easy to lead his people into war. This attributes caused his treasury to run short of money. Saladin only option was to approach Melchizedek in the hope that he would bail him from bankruptcy. Unfortunately, Melchizedek was miser and he would hardly lend Saladin

Position Research Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Position Research Paper - Essay Example Schools can help children facing substantial obstacles of poverty and discrimination to learn to read, write, compute, solve and become the good contribution citizens? Karen Chenoweth and Kati Haycock try to answer this question in their book Its Being Done; Academic Success in Unexpected (2007). Looking at the history of the American education system the answer whether schools have the potential to deliver the pearls of wisdom and knowledge to the poor kids is ‘yes’. The schools have the potential to deliver. It is and not a mathematical question of judging the resources against the population. It is the undertaking of faith and commitment. Quality education does not only mean that one should put together a bunch of students from all races and ethnicities in the same class. It defeats the purpose because the competition will eradicate the less privileged students. Increased competition improves student performance (Marlow, 2000); however, the competition should be at the same level. The educators and the teachers need to design the courses and teaching methodologies according to the students’ needs. Does the Californian public schools have this acumen and the vision? The authors write in the book that standard suburban schools paint the perfect picture of this unjust education competition where wealthy white girls excel in education and the poor African-American and Latino children barely survive. The solution is not only confined to giving due attention. Interestingly, ethnic and racial discrimination also plagues the education system. It is a common observation that there are schools where all the kids are whites or from the upper middle class. Such segregation or accumulation of ethnicities reflects the test scores of the students. The elementary schools show high average state test scores and high schools show above average SAT scores. These schools also feel proud in sending dozens of kids to Ivy League colleges. But

Stephen King and Langston Hughes - Perspectives on Good Writing Essay Example for Free

Stephen King and Langston Hughes Perspectives on Good Writing Essay In How to Be a Bad Writer (in Ten Easy Lessons), by Langston Hughes, and Everything You Need to Know About Writing Successfully – in Ten Minutes, by Stephen King, the reader is advised on a variety of writing topics. Hughes, a product of segregation and racism, uses biting humor and sarcasm to rail against bad writing, whereas King, a former teacher and a product of the counterculture movement, uses folksy charm to instruct us. King cleverly prefaces his advice with a self-effacing story about learning to write in his sophomore year of High School. In essence, he says that if he could do it, then so can we, if we listen. King values brevity (remove every extraneous word) and warns us not to get on a soapbox and preach. King also has great respect for the process, from drafting to submission etiquette, and belittles those of us who do not know the markets. In conclusion, he states, â€Å"And if you listened, you can write everything and anything you want.† It sounds seductively simple, and that is King’s greatest success. He makes you believe. Hughes takes the gloves off in How to Be a Bad Writer (in Ten Easy Lessons). He scolds us with ten critical statements and leaves us to do the reverse engineering. Hughes places a premium on honesty, devoting half of his essay to that message. One example is, â€Å"Never write about anything you know, your home town, or your home folks, or yourself.† Hughes attacks dishonesty, verbosity, and affectation with, â€Å"Have nothing to say, but use a great many words, particularly high-sounding words, to say it.† When you add Hughes’ instruction to use stereotypes of older stereotypes, his anger is evident. Sadly, Hughes race-related advice, if not some of his terminology, remains relevant. There is no universally correct way to be a successful writer and I find it comforting that neither author refers to his advice as rules or laws. King and Hughes have given us valuable reference tools to assist in developing our own techniques. It is up to us to choose how we will apply their advice.

Mathematical Contributions of Blaise Pascal :: Biography Biographies Essays

Mathematical Contributions of Blaise Pascal Introduction Blaise Pascal was born on June 19, 1623 in Clermont Ferrand. His nationality was french. He died in 1662. He was credited for his imaginative and subtle work in geometry and other branches of mathematics. His work influenced later generations of theologians and philosophers, helping make mathematics what it is today. Blaise Pascal is considered part of the foundation of the very heart of mathematics. History At age 12 he mastered Euclid's Elements. In 1645, he invented and sold the first adding machine. His study of hydrostatics led to the invention of the syringe and hydraulic press. At age 16, he formulated the basic theorems of projective geometry. These theorems became known as Pascal's theorem. He proved that the level of mercury column in a barometer is determined by the increase or decrease in the surrounding atmospheric pressure. This discovery verified the hypothesis of the Italian physicist Evangelista Torricelli, concerning the effect of atmospheric pressure on the equilibrium of liquids. After publishing Essay pour les coniques (Essay on conic sections), Pascal temporarily abandoned the study of mathematics due to poor health. He lived in Paris for a while in a frivolous manner as a break. His interest in probability theory of the odds in gambling games lead him to discover the Theory of probability in conjunction with Pierre de Fermat. This theory dealt with the actuarial, mathematical, social statistics, and calculations used in today's modern theoretical physics. At the end of 1654, after several months of depression, Pascal had a life altering religious experience. He entered the Jansenist monastery in Port Royal. Here, he never published his own name again in his mathematical studies. He wrote a pseudonym to help in the struggle against the Jesuits for the defense of the Jansenist, Antoine Arnauld. In 1658, he broke with the Jansenists, and left the monastery. Pascal died on August 19, 1662 from cancer, at age 39. In his life, his most famous work was perhaps Pensees (thoughts). This was a set of deeply personal meditations in a somewhat fragmented form on human suffering and faith in God. Another famous work of his was called "Pascal's Wager." This expressed the conviction that belief in God is rational: If God does not exist, one stands to lose

Budgeting Essay Essay

A1 – Prepare a summary report in which you do the following: 1.Discuss specific budgetary items raise concern in the budget planning (Spreadsheet Tab: Task 2_Budgets_and_Proformas). Competition Bikes has prepared a budget for year nine of operations. In reviewing the budget presented several technical areas of concern have been noted. For ease of review, budgetary issues that raise concerns are presented in a bullet format.  ·The first issue of concern is in the direct materials budget, it appears to be missing the total direct materials budget. There is a raw materials budget and a components budget present, but the two are never combined to complete the direct materials budget. On the surface this omission does not appear to be particularly egregious. However, omitting a total for direct materials can confuse the evaluation of how much money is going just to materials.  ·The second issue of concern can be found in the Manufacturing Overhead Budget. The budget lists quality control under Unit Level Costs, however, quality control is a Batch Level Cost. Unit Level Costs are costs relating to activities performed on each unit. These costs are incurred in a more or less linear pattern which varies directly with the number of units produced. Examples include the electricity used to run production machines and the indirect material such as nuts and bolts used in production. oBatch Level Costs are costs related to production batches. They change in a more or less linear way, varying with the number of batches run. Batch level costs include costs such as machine set up costs, purchasing and material handling costs, and of course quality control and inspection.  ·The third area of concern has to do with utility costs. Included in the manufacturing overhead budget under facility in general operations level costs $55,747 is budgeted for utilities and services. This figure appears again on the budgeted schedule of cost of goods manufactured and sold under manufacturing overhead and is again listed as utilities and services. It is unclear what this costs is for since it appears on the facilities and general operation level expenses simply as utilities and is $150,000. There  is the possibility that these are two different costs, however this question leads into the fourth area of concern. Also on the facility and general operation level expenses is listed and expense for â€Å"other utility services† for $54,000. This additional budgeted expense serves to seriously confound the review of the budget and the determination of budgeted utility expenses.  ·As troubling as all of the above concerns are, the final and most troubling technical aspect of the year 9 budget is the total of operating expenses. When total selling expense is added to total general admin expenses, the total is $54,000 short of the total operating expenses listed on the budget. The most likely explanation for this difference in sums is the exclusion of $54,000 for â€Å"other utility services† from the budgeted income statement. Examination of previous year’s income statements did not result in unbalanced totals only the year 9 budgeted income statement had this problem. In addition to the technical issues, the year nine budget also has several budgetary items that raise concern as well.  · The first issue of concern is the Other General and Administrative Expenses. oThese are expenditures related to the day-to-day operations of Competition Bikes. These expenses are operations expenses rather than expenses which can be directly related to the production of goods or services. General and administrative expenses generally include rent, utilities, insurance, and managerial salaries. Since insurance is not specifically mentioned in the budget, it is likely captured by this expense as well as any other expenses such as office supplies, computer equipment for office personnel, and cleaning products for the break room. oHistorically this budget item has increased from year to year. In year six this item was $120,500, in year seven was $158,000, and in year eight it was $170,000. The increase from year six to year seven was 31%, and while the 8% increase from year seven to year eight is small by comparison, there is no reason to believe that this budgetary expense would remain static from year eight to year nine. Even a minor increase in this figure would be plausible, but zero change is highly unlikely.  ·The second issue of concern is Administrative Salaries. oAt first glance this budget item doesn’t seem to be of concern, however review of years six, seven and eight show that this will be the third year in a row with no budgeted raises for the administrative staff. In year six $140,000 was budgeted for this item, in year seven it was increased to $170,000, where it remains it remains. Management has made a point of noting the retention of high-level production staff, so it stands to reason that competition bikes management would want to retain high-level administrative staff as well. High-level cannot be retained without compensation.  ·The third area of concern is Cash and Cash Equivalents. . oCash and Cash Equivalents’ is an asset that includes currency (coins and bank notes) held by a business (in hand and in bank accounts) and cash equivalents which are assets that are readily convertible into cash, such as money market[->0] holdings, short-term government bonds[->1] or Treasury bills[->2], marketable securities[->3] and commercial paper[->4]. (Cash and cash equivalents are the most liquid assets[->5].) Cash equivalents are distinguished from other investments through their short-term existence; they mature within 3 months whereas short-term investments are 12 months or less, and long-term investments are any investments that mature in excess of 12 months. oHaving a higher cash ratio (ratio of cash and cash equivalents to current liabilities) suggests that the business is liquid ( it should not have any difficulty in paying very short-term liabilities). oThe concerning aspect of this budget item is its growth. In year six this item was $261,000. In year seven it fell to just $92,376. In year eight it jumped to $414,038, and in year nine, it is projected to be $523,492. Having cash on hand is a good thing, but holding too much cash at the expense of other investments is not such a good thing. Having this much cash sitting around, not working for Competition Bikes is irresponsible.  ·The fourth area of concern is Utilities Expense. oUtilities expense reports the cost of the electricity, heat, sewer, and water used during the period. oThis budget item has grown year-over-year since year six, the first year of data provided. In year six this expense was $130,000. In year seven and grew to $135,000, and in year  eight to $150,000. oGiven the yearly increase in this expense. It is not reasonable to budget the same amount in year nine as in year eight. At least a nominal increase in this budget item is mandated by the historical increase. A2a – Evaluate the flexible budget and its variances A flexible budget is a budget that can be prepared for any level of activity by flexing to reflect an updated activity level. It adjusts the static budget for the actual level of output. The activity that Competition Bikes uses to modify the flexible budget is units sold. Difference between the budgeted amount of expense, or revenue is known as a budget variance. The budget variance is unfavorable when the actual revenue is lower than the budgeted item or when the actual expense is higher than the budgeted item. In essence, the flexible budget is equal to what would have been budgeted had the actual output been known. There are two types of variances considered on Competition Bikes Flexible Budget Performance Report. The first type of variance is an activity variance, which is the difference between a revenue or cost item static planning budget, and the same item in the flexible budget due to the level of activity assumed in the planning budget and the actual activity level. The second type of variance is either a revenue or a spending variance, which describes the difference between how much the revenue or spending on a specific budget item should have been given the actual activity level and the actual revenue or spending for the period. Competition Bikes Flexible Budget Performance Report for year 9 shows that 3510 bikes were plan to be sold, but the actual unit sold was only 3423. Below I will list the activity variance resulting between each budgeted item’s plans. Revenue or expense and extended cost adjustment on the flexible budget. Next, I will highlight the difference between the flexible budget and the actual output. Net sales:  ·Net sales was budgeted to be $5,247,450, at the expected activity level, whereas the flexible budget predicted net sales would equal $5,117,385.  ·Actual net sales were $5,096,847. This is an unfavorable revenue variance of $20,538 resulting most likely from a higher than expected level ofnspoilage and greater than expected expenses.  ·Management should investigate the production process to confirm that the raw materials consumption calculations remain accurate. Direct materials:  ·Direct materials were budgeted to cost $2,292,028. The flexible budget calculated that the actual level of output direct materials would cost $2,235,219.  ·The actual cost of direct materials was $2,035,219, which is a favorable variance of $200,000 and do most likely to purchasing obtaining materials at a lower than anticipated cost.  ·The Direct Materials Efficiency Variance was $100,000 and unfavorable. oAn unfavorable Direct Materials Efficiency Variance indicates that more materials were used than needed or budgeted for the job. oFavorable direct materials efficiency variance results when fewer materials are used than planned. oThere are several possible reasons for this variance  §A miscalculation in the accounting for materials may result in a one-time or temporarily unfavorable direct material efficiency variance. This could also be a systemic issue wherein Management has failed to include scrap or waste required for production into the calculations. oAnother possibility is inferior materials. Lower-quality materials may require the use of more units of a particular material, resulting in an unfavorable direct materials efficiency variance. oWorkers and equipment can also factor into a Direct Materials Efficiency Variance. Spoilage and damage to materials caused by workers, insufficiently trained workers on the production line, and/ or poor supervision can lead to an unfavorable direct material efficiency variance. Additionally, if equipment breaks down or there is a glitch in the operation of a vital machine that results in spoilage or destroyed materials an unfavorable direct material efficiency variance may result.  ·The Direct Materials Price Variance was -$300,000 which indicates that direct material was purchased for a lesser amount than the standard price and is therefore favorable. oA favorable direct material price variance is not always good, however. It is possible that the purchasing department may have purchased lower quality raw materials to generate a favorable direct material price variance. Such a favorable  material price variance will be offset by an unfavorable direct material quantity variance due to wastage of low quality direct material.  ·In Competition Bikes Case, given the Favorable Price Variance and Unfavorable Efficiency Variance the likely cause of this is the purchase of lower quality materials that resulted in greater than planned spoilage.  ·Management should adopt standardized supply chain practices so as to control the quality of materials used in production. This will reduce the amount of spoilage and wasted materials. Additional actions that management may take to more accurately address the forecast of net sales Direct labor:  ·Direct labor was budgeted at $1,053,000. It is calculated $1,026,900 on the flexible budget.  ·The actual cost for direct labor was $1,126,900. This is an unfavorable cost variance of $100,000 and most likely due to a higher than expected mix of less experienced production workers who required more time than the standard to complete the manufacturing process.  ·The Direct Labor Price Variance was $150,000 and unfavorable. oAn unfavorable variance means that the cost of labor was more expensive than anticipated, while a favorable variance indicates that the cost of labor was less expensive than planned. oNewly hired workers will likely get paid less which creates a favorable labor rate variance. oHigher skilled workers who are paid more can create an unfavorable labor rate variance.  ·The Direct Labor Efficiency Variance was -$50,000 and favorable. oThis variance measures the productivity of labor time. oThe possible causes of an unfavorable efficiency variance include poorly trained workers, poor quality materials, faulty equipment, poor supervision, or insufficient demand for company’s products. oA favorable labor efficiency variance indicates better productivity of direct labor direct labor during the period. Possible causes of the favorable labor efficiency variance include the hiring of more high skilled labor, training of the workforce, and the use of better quality raw materials.  ·The easiest way for Competition Bikes to more accurately forecast direct labor cost is to maintain a seasoned production force. Additionally, providing production staff with additional training may decrease production times. Manufacturing  overhead-variable:  ·Variable manufacturing overhead was predicted cost $331,798. The flexible budget calculated this to be $323,574 at this activity level.  ·Actual variable manufacturing overhead was $350,000, which is an unfavorable cost variance of $26,426 and which was likely due to greater than expected facilities and machinery maintenance.  ·The variable manufacturing overhead price variance was $24,000 and unfavorable. oThe company’s actual variable manufacturing overhead costs were more than the amount expected for the actual machine hours used.  ·The variable manufacturing overhead efficiency variance was $2426 and also unfavorable. oThis number illustrates the difference between what was spent and what was expected to be spent in terms of the manufacturing cost per unit.  ·It may be necessary for management to increase their estimations for facility and machinery repair, maintenance. Variable selling expenses:  ·The static budget expected variable selling expenses to be $157,424, whereas the flexible budget calculated to be $153,522 at the lower level of activity.  ·The actual cost of variable selling expenses was equal to the flexible budgets calculation of $153,522. Advertising expenses:  ·Advertising expenses were calculated to be $28,412 on the static budget. The flexible budget predicted this cost to be $27,708.  ·The actual cost of advertising expenses was $31,462, which is an unfavorable cost variance of $3754. This is most likely the result of an increase in fees for the production of advertising materials.  ·The advertising expense price variance was $5000 and unfavorable.  ·The advertising expense efficiency variance is $-1264 and favorable.  ·Advertising expenses can be tricky to curtail, but one way to keep these expenses down, and is close to the budgeted amount as possible is to require detailed weekly expense reports be completed. This metric would allow management to more closely monitor expenses and hold purchasers accountable for their purchases.

Theoretical Perspectives of Race and Ethnicity

Theoretical Perspectives of Race and Ethnicity Rebecca Spain ETH/125 April 4th, 2010 Melissa Terrell The three sociological theoretical perspectives of race and ethnicity are the functionalist, conflict, and labeling perspectives. The functionalist perspective is the perspective that shows how parts of society work in a structured manner to keep the survival of a society. The belief is that if a certain part does not contribute to society’s survival in an effective manner that it will not move form one generation to the next. (Schaefer, 2006). The conflict perspective is the perspective that society thrives on the conflict and struggles between social groups that compete against one another. The struggles and disputes mainly pertain to the dominant groups against the subordinate groups. (Schaefer, 2006). The final perspective is the labeling perspective which is the perspective that shows why one person’s accountability can be different from another person even though they are engaging in the same behaviors. (Schaefer, 2006). The three perspectives are all quite different in their theories. The labeling perspective stereotypes a group by gender, religion, race, or ethnic group instead of the actual behavior that takes place. For instance two people commit the same crime but one is wealthy and white and the other is poor and African American. The wealthy white person is to be given another chance based on their status and the dominant group that they belong to. The African American should be punished based on their status and the subordinate group they belong to. The conflict perspective is way more extreme than the functionalist and labeling perspectives. In the conflict perspective the dominant and subordinate groups are in a constant battle for power. The dominant group ignores and exploits the minority groups and continually will be able to get away with doing so because of the status of the dominant group versus the status of the minority group. The functionalist perspective is not as extreme as the conflict perspective and wants to understand why certain functions and systems continue in spite of opposition. The functionalist perspectives seem to have the theory that if ne group does not contribute to society’s survival that they will not proceed to carry on to the next generation. Functionalists do believe that some negative can be positive such as discrimination between races and ethnic groups. However these dysfunctions can cause conflict and instability in a set society. (Schaefer, 2006). The minorities in the labeling perspective seem to be stereotyped and discriminated against. The dominant group has the upper hand a nd will persevere when conflict arises because of their social status, racial and ethnic group. These certain groups that are being discriminated against may lose out on participating in certain events, activities, or jobs. These negative stereotypes can eventually lead to the social norm and can have a negative effect on society as a whole. The dominant group establishes too much power and that their stereotyping in correct and valid so they will proceed to do it. (Schaefer, 2006). The minorities in the conflict perspective become ignored and exploited by the dominant group. They are left fighting for certain social, political, and economical powers that they do not have but the dominant group has control of. The dominant group has power and control over certain political, economical, and social aspects and of more importance than the minority group and their subordiation is ignored by society. (Schaefer, 2006). The minorities in the functionalist perspective will not continue into the next generations if they can not contribute to society’s survival in an effective manner. According to this perspective that is how it should operate however there are still plenty of minorities and racial discrimination that still occurs. The dominant group can survive even though there is still discrimination even if it is negative because the belief is that the negative and can be a positive for both the minority and the dominant groups. The dominant groups believe they are not responsible for problems faced by the minorities and they also will not allow minorities to question their own status because that would be questioning society itself. However these dysfunctions can cause strife between classes and minorities as well as tension, disputes and disrupts the peace of society. In theory all of these perspectives can keep the minorities from achieving possibly high status, jobs, or respect because they have been considered inferior for so long. (Schaefer, 2006). References Schaefer, R. T. (2006). Racial and Ethnic Groups: Understanding Race and Ethnicity. Prentice-Hall: Pearson Education Inc.

Jerusalem Israel essays

Jerusalem Israel essays Jerusalem is located in the heart of Israel and is divided into three sections: the Old City, New City (West Jerusalem), and East Jerusalem. In the center is the Old City which is split up into four main sections: Muslim Quarter, Jewish Quarter, Christian Quarter, and the Armenian Quarter. Also, the Old City is the site of many religious and historical Within Jewish Quarters, the main attraction is the Western (Wailing) Wall Wall"). It's dubbed the "Wailing Wall" because many Jews come to pray there, and their prayers sound like wailing. The Wall is the small remaining part of King Solomon's Temple. After the Jews were banished from Temple Mount, the Western Wall became the most sacred place of Judaism. There are two major sects of Jews in this part of the city. There is the Sephardic group, who come from Spain, Africa, and the Mediterranean, and there is the Ashkenazic group, who come from Northern Europe. Another section of the Old City is the Christian Quarter. The center of this part of the city is The Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It is believed that the Via Dolorosa, a street, was the site of the original Stations of the Cross. Furthermore, it is maintained that Jesus was originally buried at this site. The Church was rebuilt by Crusaders in 1099 CE, but it was originally built in the fourth century. The St. James Cathedral is the center of attention in the Armenian part. Many families who escaped the Armenian Holocaust in 1915 settled in the Old City. Many of the residents of this part of the Armenian Quarter practice the Greek Orthodox religion. The last section of the city is the Muslim Section. Atop the Temple Mount are the gold-domed Dome of the Rock (661 BCE) and the silver-domed al-Aqsa mosques. The Rock referred to in Dome of the Rock is Mt.Zion. This is where Abram went to sacrifice Isaac and Muhammed ascended to heaven. ...

Fascinating Facts About Centipedes

Fascinating Facts About Centipedes Centipedes (one hundred legs in Latin) are Arthropods, members of an invertebrate class that includes insects, spiders, and crustaceans. All centipedes belong to the class Chilopoda, which includes about 3,300 different species. They are found on every continent except Antarctica, and they have the greatest diversity in shape and configuration in warm and tropical environments. Most centipedes are adapted to burrowing and live in soil or leaf litter, under the bark of trees or beneath stones. Centipede bodies include six head segments (three of which are mouthparts), a pair of poisonous maxillipeds (foot jaws), a variously numbered series of trunk leg-bearing segments, and two genital segments. Their heads have two antennae and a varying number of paired compound eyes (called ocelli). Some cave-dwelling species are blind. Each legged segment is made up of an upper and lower shield covered by a cuticle and separated from the next segment by a flexible membrane. Centipedes periodically shed their cuticle, which allows them to grow. Their body length ranges from 4 to 300 millimeters (.16–12 inches), with most species measuring between 10 and 100 mm (.4–4 in). Centipedes Never Have 100 Legs Though their common name means one hundred legs, centipedes can have significantly more or less than 100 legs- but never 100. Depending on the species, a centipede can have as few as 15 pairs of legs or as many as 191 pairs. Regardless of the species, centipedes always have an odd number of leg pairs, so they never have exactly 100 legs (because 50 is an even number). The easiest way to differentiate centipedes and millipedes  is as follows: Millipedes have two pairs of legs on most body segments, but centipedes always have a single pair of legs per segment. Not sure what youve found? Just count how many pairs of legs are on a segment. The Number of Legs Changes Throughout Their Lives Should a centipede find itself in the grip of a bird or other predator, it can often escape by sacrificing a few legs. The bird is left with a beak full of legs, and the clever centipede makes a fast escape on those that remain. Since centipedes continue to molt as adults, they can usually repair the damage by simply regenerating legs. If you find a centipede with a few legs that are shorter than the others, it is likely in the process of recovering from a predator attack. Though many centipedes hatch from their eggs with a full complement of leg pairs, certain kinds of Chilopods start life with fewer legs than their parents. Stone centipedes (order Lithobiomorpha) and house centipedes (order Scutigeromorpha) start out with as few as 14 legs but add pairs with each successive molt until they reach adulthood. The common house centipede can live as long as five to six years, so thats a lot of legs. Centipedes Are Carnivorous Hunters Though some occasionally scavenge a meal, centipedes are primarily hunters. Smaller centipedes catch other invertebrates, including insects, mollusks, annelids, and even other centipedes. The larger tropical species can consume frogs and small birds. The centipede usually wraps itself around the prey and waits for the venom to take effect before consuming its meal. A centipedes first set of legs are venomous fangs, which they use to inject paralyzing venom from a gland into prey. These special appendages are known as forcipules and are unique to centipedes. Large poison claws partially cover the mouthparts and form part of the feeding apparatus. The last pair of legs are not used for locomotion either but vary in use by species, some for defensive or sensory functions, or prey apprehension, and some for courtship. People Keep Centipedes as Pets Although there are centipede breeders, most centipedes sold in the pet trade are wild-caught. The most commonly sold for pets and zoological displays are giant centipedes from the Scolopendra genus. Pet centipedes are kept in terrariums, with a large surface area, minimum 60 centimeters (24 inches) square for larger species. They require a built substrate of soil and coconut fiber for burrowing, and they can be fed pre-killed crickets, cockroaches, and mealworms weekly or biweekly. They always need a shallow dish of water. Centipedes are aggressive, venomous, and potentially dangerous for humans, especially children. Centipede bites can cause skin damage, bruising, blisters, inflammation, and gangrene. The enclosures should be escape proof, and although centipedes cant climb smooth glass or acrylic, dont provide them a way to climb to reach the lid. They required a minimum humidity of 70 percent; rainforest species need more. Appropriate ventilation can be provided with a grid cover and small holes on the side of the terrarium, but be sure the holes are too small for the centipede to crawl through. Temperate species like it between 20 and 25 C (68–72 F), tropical between 25 and 28 C (77–82.4 F). Dont worry if you dont see your pet centipede out during the day: Centipedes are night creatures and do their hunting after dark. Living With a Centipede Compared to most arthropods, centipedes are relatively long-lived. It is not unusual for a centipede to live for two to three years, and some survive longer than five years. Centipedes continue to molt and grow as adults, unlike insects, which complete their growth when they reach adulthood. You probably wouldnt expect a centipede to be a good mother, but a surprising number of them dote on their offspring. Female soil centipedes (Geophilomorpha) and tropical centipedes (Scolopendromorpha) lay an egg mass in an underground burrow. The mother wraps her body around the eggs, and remains with them until they hatch, protecting them from harm. With the exception of the slow-moving soil centipedes, which are built to burrow, Chilopods can run fast. A centipedes body is suspended in a cradle of long legs. When those legs start moving, this gives the centipede more maneuverability over and around obstacles, as it flees predators or chases prey. The tergites- the dorsal surface of the body segments- may also be modified to keep the body from swaying while in motion. Centipedes Prefer Dark and Moist Environments Arthropods often have a waxy coating on the cuticle to help prevent water loss, but centipedes lack this waterproofing. Most centipedes live in dark, moist environments, like under leaf litter or in damp, rotting wood. Those that inhabit deserts or other arid environments often modify their behavior to minimize the risk of dehydration. They may delay activity until seasonal rains arrive, or when the humidity rises, for example, and diapause during the hottest, driest spells. Sources Capinera, John L. Encyclopedia of Entomology. 2nd ed. Berlin: Springer Science Business Media, 2008. Print.Chiariello, Thiago M. Centipede Care and Husbandry. Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine 24.3 (2015): 326-32. Print.Edgecombe, Gregory D., and Gonzalo Giribet. Evolutionary Biology of Centipedes (Myriapoda: Chilopoda). Annual Review of Entomology 52.1 (2007): 151-70. Print.Triplehorn, Charles A., and Norman F. Johnson. Borror and Delongs Introduction to the Study of Insects. 7th ed. Boston: Cengage Learning, 2004. Print.Undheim, Eivind A. B., and Glenn F. King. On the Venom System of Centipedes (Chilopoda), a Neglected Group of Venomous Animals. Toxicon 57.4 (2011): 512-24. Print.

Operation Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Operation Management - Essay Example The values and functioning methods of Toyota are known as the â€Å"Toyota Way†. Employees of the organization are encouraged to respect each other and strive for continuous improvements. Toyota was selected for conducting the current analysis as the company operates in the U.A.E. Toyota UAE has been successful at implementing a strong customer base in the U.A.E. The company has been successfully holding its core corporate values in the Middle-East while catering to the specific needs of the consumers. Toyota U.A.E plays an important role in the automobile industry of the nation, contributing significantly in terms of revenues and productions. The values and mission of the company is described as follows: Inventory management is one of the most critical decisions which mangers are required to take. The success of an organization depends upon a proper inventory management process. Inventory management involves establishing proper control over the flow of stock of goods into and out of the business. The process involves taking critical decisions regarding the level of stock to be brought to the factory floor, the level of stock required to be dispatched, the time interval for placing orders for raw materials and the duration of storage. Factors such as the duration of storage of inventory and the quantity of materials orders affect the cost of production. Hence firms are required to take inventory related decisions through careful planning and long term analysis. Warehousing, cost, delivery time and turnover time are the most important aspects which mangers consider before taking decisions relating to management of inventory (Stevenson and Hojati 96). Toyota essentially follows the just-in-time inventory management concept. Based upon the just-in-time inventory concept, raw materials are brought to the factory floor only after order for the same have been received from the dealers and customers. The

Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

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Don Giovanni by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Analysis

Don Giovanni by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Analysis Were transported to seventeenth century Spain for what has been called the greatest opera ever composed Don Giovanni! From the initial thundering chords of the breathtaking overture, this opera is filled with sexual heat, thrilling music and dramatic action. Indeed more action takes place in scene one of Don Giovanni, than that of most operas. Within the first fifteen minutes alone; a disgruntled servant, an attempted rape, a dual, a murder, a grieving daughter, and an oath of vengeance ensnare the audience! Our story properly begins in the early seventeenth century, when the character Don Juan made his stage debut in a three act play titled El burlador de Sevilla y convidado de piedra (The Trickster of Seville and the Stone Guest) the play was first performed in Madrid around 1624, but published in 1630. It appears under the name of a playwright named Tirso de Molina; however this was actually the pseudonym of a Roman Catholic monk named Gabriel Tà ©llez. It was most likely written to present the issue of morality in relation to Don Juans amorous excesses. In seventeenth century Italy, it was a favorite story of the commedia dellarte. Molià ¨re wrote a play on the subject in Paris in 1655. And rather go on decade be decade, well hop forward to 1787. A key year, not for Mozarts Don Giovanni, but for the first performance in the city of Venice of an opera called Don Giovanni Tenorio, o sia Il convitato di pietra (Don Giovanni and the Stone Guest) the composer of this 1787 version was Gi useppe Gazzaniga and the Libretto was by Giovanni Bertati. The next person Id like to introduce to this picture is Lorenzo da Ponte; the great court poet in Vienna. Mozart had known of Da Ponte for a while. Four years earlier in 1783, when Mozart was relatively new in Vienna, he writes home to his father from Vienna that hes after Da Ponte to write a libretto for him, but he is so busy writing original opera libretti for some composers and adapting pre-existing libretti for other composers, it would be actually more than two years before Mozart could pin down Da Ponte to work with him. When he did, Da Ponte provided him with the libretto for their first collaboration the Marriage of Figaro. It was composed between October of 1785 and April 1786 and was premiered in Vienna. It received success for a limited time, before other productions came to take its place. But as interest in Figaro waned in Vienna, there was another city that was crazy about the Marriage of Figaro and that city is Prague. (Which at that time, it was the second most impor tant musical centre in Europe) Mozart went to Prague in January of 1787; it marked the beginning of a passionate relationship between him and Prague. Among other things Mozart conducted a performance of Figaro at the Opera house during his stay. On the seventeenth of January he writes to his friend and student Baron Gottfried von Jacquin he says; I saw with the greatest pleasure all the people in the ballroom dancing with such delight to the music of my Figaro. For here in Prague nothing is talked of but Figaro, nothing is played sung or whistled but Figaro No opera is drawing like Figaro. Nothing, nothing but Figaro. Certainly a great honor for me! On foot of the success of Figaro, comes a commission of an opera for the following season (nine months time). That opera would be Don Giovanni, which was written to be premiered in Prague as part of the celebrations for the marriage of the Archduchess Maria Theresa (niece of the Emperor Joseph II) to Prince Anton Clemens of Saxony. Mozart was delighted to accept this new commission and, naturally asked Da Ponte to join him on the project. As it happened, Da Ponte was already heavily committed, working on two librettos Tarare (for Salieri) and Larbore di Diana (for Martin y Soler). But he too was greatly attracted by the occasion and he was strongly drawn to the subject matter (his friendship with Casanova, was now about to pay dividends) this is what Da Ponte himself says about his choice of subject for Mozart For Mozart I chose Don Giovanni a theme which appealed to me enormously. In working on Don Giovanni, I shall think of Dantes hell This is a wonderful image, the great Lorenzo da Ponte, court poet of Vienna, the great operatic librettist. You picture him sitting, inspired by, reflecting on, and plunging into the depths and the mysteries of Dante. The very simple fact is, he was probably thinking a lot more about the libretto that Bertati had written for Gazzaniga in Venice. Da Ponte knows about that libretto and its very clear that he draws very freely from it, hes not about to write something from scratch if he doesnt have to. But in fairness to Da Ponte everything he touches gets better, which in artistic circles is what you like to see happening he borrows and repays the debt with interest. So back to the chronicle of Don Giovanni and its main character; this is a particularly concise sketch of the quintessential Don Juan character; he is the epitome of the modern age, an expansive type who is determined to enjoy the world, Immeasurably self aware, defiant of all forms of authority and opposed to all higher order he is in effect a corporate C.E.O.! Beethoven although he greatly admired the music of this opera, he very famously stated the he could not bring himself to write an opera on a subject so immoral as either Figaro or Don Giovanni .However. this is not to say that Mozart shared Don Giovannis moral values. In a letter Mozart writes to his father shortly after he arrives in Vienna he says the voice of nature speaks as loud in me as it does in others, louder perhaps, but I simply cannot live as most men do these days, in the first place; I have too much religion, in the second place; too great a love of my neighbor and too high a feeling of honor to seduce an innocent girl and then in the third place; I have too much horror and disgust, too much dread and fear of diseases Mozart; an eighteenth century practitioner of safe sex.who knew? Now, taking a look at the opera, theres been a lot of critical discussion over the years. Musicologists and critics of all types have written extensively about Don Giovanni and one central issue that always seems to appear is the question Is it a tragic opera? (opera Seria) or is it a comic opera?(opera Buffa) and the simple fact is that what it really comes down to is that it is both! And the strength is that it can be both of them, the juxtaposition of the tragic and the comic heightens the effect of both. This said, its not simply the alternation between tragic and comic but the fact that Mozart is often able to have both facets displayed simultaneously. In this regard he has the ideal collaborator in the form of Lorenzo Da Ponte, because Da Ponte is often praised by his admirers for his ability to interweave the tragic and the comic elements. Its interesting to note that Mozart himself labeled this opera as a drama giocoso (Playful drama) which reflects what he understands the op era to be. To give an example of the juxtaposition between the tragic and the comic I first have to give you a sense of Mozarts gifts of characterization, because that is what a great opera composer has to have at his or her disposal. The ability not only to delineate a character in music, sometimes in the instrumental music even before they open their mouths to sing, but also the ability to somehow express different emotional states of that character in the course of the opera. So to give an example of a contrast of emotional states; the duet that follows the death of the Commendatore, his daughter Donna Anna is quite understandably upset and agitated. Her betroved Don Ottavio is much more in control and in their music you hear their emotional states she is agitated and he is calmer. Heres what they sound like in their duet: Track 1 You dont have to understand what theyre singing in Italian to realize that shes agitated and hes calmer because you hear it reflected in what they sing. If you talk about the expression of powerful emotions in music, which is something that also matters here. To begin with one thing you should know about Mozart, is that he was very much a man of the classic period; in which elegance, balance, restraint and proportion were the stock and trade of the composer. This also extended to his representation of strong emotions. Theres a famous letter that he writes to his father, when he is composing his first Viennese stage work The abduction from the soraleo in which there is a surly gate keeper at the poshes palace whose name is Ozmide, he has an aria of rage directed at a man whos trying to rescue his girlfriend form the heron and Mozart writing to his father says yes the emotions that are expressed here are extreme, but the music must never lose itself Thats one thing you have to recognise, there will be later operatic composers who will go over the top with their music, when the emotions go over the top, but the musical range within whic h Mozart operates, suggests that even at the most extreme, emotions never lose the propriety of the music that is expressing them. The musical range is different from what you might encounter in Wagner or in Twentieth century but Mozart knows exactly what hes doing and the shading of these levels is what its all about. Now in act two of Don Giovanni its Don Ottavio who swears vengeance for the death of the Commendatore he sings the aria il mio tesoro the text begins go and console my treasure and try to dry the tears from her lovely eyes. I mention this aria because I want you to hear a little of what many consider to be the finest recording of it ever made, which is interesting because it was recorded in 1916 by the great Irish tenor John McCormack: Track 2 Weve really set the stage now for what I mentioned earlier about the juxtaposition of the tragic and the comic elements. After the duet you heard earlier, Don Giovanni and Leperello (Dons Servant) return to the stage and we return to the Opera Buffa style. Donna Elvira then sings a very serious and dramatic aria, its important to note that in every aria except this one by Donna Elvira, the singer is addressing someone else on the stage. This makes her aria the operatic equivalent of a dramatic soliloquy. It is intense, and yet the intensity is undercut by the fact that the fact that Don Giovanni and Leperello are off to the side of the stage eavesdropping and making comments about what she has to say: Track 3 What makes this convention even more elegant is that the places where Don Giovanni and Leperello are making their side comments are exactly the places where you would normally have an orchestral refrain punctuating what shes saying. So hes using the conventional form, but hes twisting it slightly which again undercuts the dramatic intensity. Now back to the original play by Tirso de Molina, if you take a look at that you find that at the end Don Juan with his dying breath says that Elvira is virgo intacta (a virgin) which makes her the only woman in the original play who gets through untouched. In Da Pontes libretto though, things are very different. As a matter of fact another recurring theme in the critical analyses of this opera is; overwhelming lack of success on behalf of the title character. Legendary loverà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.wheres it happening? Heres a compilation of comments on this subject made through the years: 1924 The action portrays anything but a successful sexual adventurer 1867 The cheerful tone that runs through the whole opera depends chiefly on the repulses with which the hero is continually made on the field of the heroic deeds 1954 Of all the Don Juans of literature and of drama, that of Da Ponte is professionally the most futile Irvin Singer You can understand Don Giovanni as a professional Athlete with a very high batting average. That he encounters frustrations within the opera, simple shows how difficult the sport is 1967 Every time Don Giovanni is absent from the stage you should consider a conquest is taking place. We are accustomed to crime detection in prose; this is sin detection with all the major clues in the music and plenty of others in the Italian It would seem like the last authors interpretation is at odds with the intentions of our librettist Mr. Da Ponte, I say that because in that libretto that Giovanni Bertati wrote for Gazzaniga the conquests are explicit and overt. Lorenzo da Ponte decides that he will tone down the obviousness of the amorous conquests in his version of the story. We believe in his seductive powers by virtue of what he says and how he sings it, which of course is what opera is all about. The duet la ci darem la mano is an example of Don Giovannis seductive capabilities: Track 4 A man named Edward Dent (Who wrote a famous book on Mozart Operas) he says After Don Giovanni himself, by far the most interesting character would be Donna Elvira One of her finest moments is very interesting musically because it is Mozart specifically stepping out of the style of his time and stepping back to the style of Handel. Often you would find a composer in any period to be somewhat conservative in their musical style if theyre writing sacred music; the idea of reaching back and evoking a certain timelessness and archaic quality that serves the text. Well here were in the course of an opera, but its clear that he probably wants to make this come across like a sermon because what shes singing is flea the traitor, dont listen to what he says, his lips are lying ones, his eyes deceiving and he crafts it in the style of a Handel aria: Track 5 And then just another indication of the music variety you find here a very simple tune Batti Batti (Beat me, beat me) is rendered less trivial by an obligato solo cello: Track 6 The effectiveness of that cello leads us into the whole question of orchestral colour. When we think of the drama and the power of Mozarts music the first thing of course that comes to mind of course is melody, the most inescapable part of an operas score. But then theres the harmony which we sometimes dont think about as much as the melody but also exerts a powerful influence, but also orchestration; the use of varying colours in varying situations, which even if were not thinking about consciously exerts a very powerful subliminal effect on us. Heres a very nice example; orchestral colour used to literally paint an island of repose in the trio proteggia if giusto cielo (may just heaven protect my determined heart) the strings drop out and the singers are accompanied only by the winds. You can really get the sense that you are somewhere else: Track 7 But the most important instrumental point of interest has to do with trombones. In Mozarts time, trombones generally belonged to church music and not to the theatre. As far as their use in symphonic music it is not until Beethovens fifth symphony (twenty one years later) that the trombone made its first appearance in a symphony. So to put yourself in the shoes of the Prague audience I know trombones but I think of them as belonging to the church so how does he use them here? Mozart associates them with the statue of the commendatore, the statue that is going to come to life, and when it comes to life in the graveyard scene thats when the trombones appear. You can be sure the audience in those days were terrified: Track 8 And when the statue comes to Don Giovannis banquet he brings his trombones: Track 9 When the statue that has come to life shows up with his trombones, the music is not new to us because weve already heard it in the overture, and what is very, very significant about this; it is the only time in Mozarts entire operatic career that he writes an overture that begins with a slow introduction. The obvious reason why he does it in this case is because he wants to give us a taste of that terrifying music at the very beginning: Track 10 Its interesting to note that the night before the premiere of Don Giovanni; Mozart had to stay up all night to write the overture which according to a member of his orchestra had not even been sketched! Another wonderful point of interest, a very famous passage in Don Giovanni, which is a reflection of Mozarts experience writing dance music for the ballrooms of imperial Vienna that is where he simultaneously gives us three different dances representing three different levels of society. Mozart who we all know could work things out in his head and spew it out on the paper without effort actually made sketches for this, it was something he actually had to think about. Its the same effect that Charles Ives is going to create somewhat later. The idea of standing in a certain place with different ensembles playing, you hear them simultaneously and the soundscape is the composite of three different elements. This is what it sounds like in Don Giovanni: Track 11 Now thats simultaneous combination, Id like to also tell you about a kind of consecutive juxtaposition of things which is very interesting, it represents a little of the in humour of whats going on here; we are almost at the end of the opera, and were in the banquet hall of Don Giovanni whose own personal orchestra is playing. The first tune they play is the act one finale of Martin y Solers (one of Mozart contemporaries, and another composer asking Da Ponte for a liberetto) opera Una cosa rara so youll hear the acknowledgement of cosa rara: Track 12 Then they play an excerpt from an opera of another one of his contemporaries named i due littiganti by Sarti. Leperello cheers the selection, Don Giovanni simply tells him to pour more wine: Track 13 There is a basic rule of humour or comedy writing that is; set up, set up and punch line, Mozart knows how to do that! We have something by Martin, something by Sarti, the third thing that Don Giovannis orchestra plays is non piu andrai from the Marriage of Figaro. Now of course every single person in that audience in Prague would have immediately recognised it from the first few notes because as we know these were the tunes to which they were singing, whistling, humming, dancing etc. these were the tunes that took over Prague before Don Giovanni! How does Leperello respond he says I know that tune troppo (too well): Track 14 Since Ive already given away the ending of the opera, I will play some of the music that accompanies Don Giovannis descent into hell.through a trap door in the stage, which is a lesson to all of us to beware of trap doors in stages, because you know where they lead! Again with orchestral effects and an offstage chorus, it absolutely terrified the audiences of Mozarts time: Track 15 Theres a famous story told of a somewhat out of shape Don who got stuck in the trap door on the way down, and no matter what he did, he couldnt push himself either way, at which point someone in the audience yelled out Hurray boys, hells full! Id like to close by posing and answering a question, obvious in the light of the history that Ive provided you with, and that is; after it was performed in Prague, how did Don Giovanni fair in Vienna? Well seven months after the triumphant performances in Prague, it premiered in Vienna, but unfortunately the reception was somewhat cool. The Emperor said to Da Ponte The opera is divine, I would even venture that it is more beautiful that Figaro but such music is not meat to the teeth of my Viennese and the story goes that Da Ponte relayed this message back to Mozart and his reply was well let them chew on it. So Happy Chewing!