Thursday, October 31, 2019

Linguistics and Reading Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Linguistics and Reading - Research Paper Example Hence, discourse analysis is a useful way of understanding the relationship between power and discourse. A common setting where these forces apply includes the classroom particularly during classroom discussions. A classroom is a learning place which heavily relies on communication in a socio-cultural, educational setting and thus discourse. Additionally, the classroom involves major teacher-student power relationships that underlie the learning process as both entities engage in meaningful discussions. In addition there are some other factors, such as class size, communication channels, technology, et cetera, that also affect discourse within the bounds of the classroom. According to a research conducted by Shepherd (2010), the role of discourse in balancing the power relationships inside the classroom in terms of teacher control over lessons and classroom dominance has changed over the years. However classroom discussions still remain a prevalent way to communicate and learn within the class. As such, discourse analysis provides a useful way of understanding classroom teacher-student interactions, most importantly classroom discussions, as they occur in the classroom setting. The classroom is a crucial space for learning however the setting is heavily impacted by the way communication occurs and is understood. Class discussions are a common way to think and learn by communicating collaboratively in a socio-cultural environment. The presence of two main individuals – the teacher and the student – in a learning context (class discussion) together with the role played by communication and discourse consolidates the importance of discourse analysis when studying classroom interactions, particularly during a class discussion. The two concepts of discourse analysis and class discussions are heavily related to each other; discourse analysis provides a methodology to understand the role of language and

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Operation Iraqi Freedom Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Operation Iraqi Freedom - Research Proposal Example The Operation Iraqi Freedom is also called the Second Gulf War or the War in Iraq. It is a military operation that is still on and began in March 2003. The military comprises mainly the US and UK troops and backed in smaller proportions by troops from Denmark, Australia, Poland and a few other countries. This operation was publicly supported by all the Arab nations. However, NATO did not publicly support this invasion and the Eastern European nations were willing to support the operation. Earlier before this operation, Iraq was believed to possess weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The WMD present a threat to the national security of Western countries. UK totally supported this assessment while France, Russia and Germany did not. The United Nations inspector of weapons however did not find any evidence of WMD. This raised the support to earlier criticisms about this war. After this invasion, the Iraq Survey Group made a conclusion that Iraq stopped its WMD projects in 1991 and did no t have WMD programs at that moment but intended to resume the programs once Iraq sanctions were lifted. The US also claimed that Iraq supported financially the families of suicide bombers in Palestine. More accusations included abuse of human rights by the government and lack of democracy in Iraq. The Iraqi military was defeated and Saddam Hussein executed. The US led coalition tried to install a new democratic government. This caused violence against the coalition forces. Many Iraqis lost their lives and millions sought refuge. The failure Iraqi reconstruction is viewed by many as having failed. The lucrative contracts have failed to show any signs of improving the country's infrastructure. Contracts for rebuilding the Iraqi infrastructure were given without competitive bidding. These contract awarding was the responsibility of the US Agency for International Development. Mistakes were committed just after the Iraqi invasion. Four years after the Iraqi military campaign about 21 billion dollars were used. However, Iraq now produces less oil and electricity than it was before the war. The plan to reconstruct the country was a poor one. Plenty of scandals erupted after the war. Reconstruction contracts were given out without any competition. Beneficiaries of these contracts include Kellogg Brown and Root and Bechtel. Both companies are closely linked to the Bush Administration. It is a great scandal that even the humble infrastructure before the war was not saved and the reconstruction's planning was very poor. Output from the money spent on rebuilding is just a fraction of what the Iraqis expected. The original plan the largest portion of the money, 5.56 billion dollars, was to improve electricity production. It would upgrade power stations, transmitting of power and distributing. That was reduced to 4.24 billion dollars. Oil projects had their 1.89 billion dollars reduced to

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Challenges facing Human Resource managers

Challenges facing Human Resource managers Q/1 Business environment is changing everyday and bringing new challengers to the HR managers. What are the challenges faces by Hr managers at British Gas in the UK? The ultimate goal of any organisation is to gain success in the market it is operating in. In order to achieve the aim organisations need to generate an agent that operates in a variety of real world environments. It is crucial to include some mechanisms that allow it to operate in a dynamic environment, one that changes over time independent of the actions. Certainly there are environments that do not change with time and are static but these are usually small organisations that are limited in size and scope. Traditionally the environments used to be static but the trends in the market are changed, the static and well predicted market changes have been distorted to dynamic and ever changing market situations. To deal with the changes in the market and achieve their ultimate goal organisations need to consider not only the external but also the equally important internal constituencies. Among all the internal factors employees can be said as one of the most important part. The role of the employees for the endurance of any organisation is well acknowledged in todays modern dynamic and competitive business world. Therefore employees have been the centre of attention and are being invested in by the organisations by providing them training and development, competitive remuneration and other benefits. Thus in todays dynamic market environment when organisations have felt the need of taking care of their employees, they can also sense the necessity of professionals who can deal with the above mentioned problems. This is where HR managers come into the picture who deals with all the issues related to the employees. The role of the Human Resource manager has been developed with time from just administrative roles to modern role of strategic partnership. (Bratton and Gold, 2007). British gas which is renowned energy brand in United Kingdom is a part of Centrica. British gas is operating in an intense rivalry and in order to stay ahead in the race to success they have to consider all the stake holders including employees. British gas recognises that their success has been dependent upon the capabilities and dedication of their employees, and as a result they are committed to meet their people needs.S The different changes within the business environment can be summed up using PEST analysis, which includes the changes in both the internal and external environment. PEST Analysis is a simple, useful and widely-used tool that helps you understand the big picture of your Political, Economic, Socio-Cultural and Technological environment. As such, it is used by business leaders worldwide to build their vision of the future. A diagram showing different components of the Pest Analysis can be seen below. This framework helps the HR manager along with other management to deal with different changes in the environment the organisation is operating by which they can provide a good working environment. Now lets analyse the changes within the different aspects of PEST analysis and the challenges it brings to HR managers in British Gas. Political: The political factor of Pest analysis deals with the effects of government policy. Inasmuch as government policy is worked out through legislation, it encompasses all legal elements of this analysis. This includes items such as government stability, taxation policy, and government regulations. Government stability is not a major issue in Western economies but plays a vital role. (Henry, 2008). Although In Europe UK is said to be the least protective legislation but still has many laws that can influence and ensure the smooth running of the businesses. Firstly there are many laws regarding the equal opportunity within the organisation. Any organisation has to consider candidates for recruitment and selection irrespective of race, gender, age and religion (CIPD). Avoiding any of the mentioned factors means discrimination which has its negative aftermaths and can damage the organisation. British gas has taken many steps in order to avoid this discrimination which would be discussed in detail later under Recruitment and Selection. Laws for health and safety at workplace have also been imposed and organisations should comply with it in order to make a safe working environment. British gas as being in energy related industry needs to consider this aspect in depth. It is role of a HR manager in particular to deal with the related issues. British gas considers health and safety for their employees and the environment as being fundamental to their business objectives. Conventionally Health and Safety was not considered in depth but in the modern world there have been many changes with laws ensuring a safer working environment. (British gas webpage). There are many changes made to the laws with time. Other laws for HR revolve around things like pay rates, fair competition, taxation and fair dealings with employees. The laws for these factors do change with the change in government as well and British gas has always been ahead with regards to the laws. Equally important is the discussion about the privatisation of British gas in late 1980s which actually had a vital role over the HR dealings within the company, example being the job losses (from 91,599 in 1986 to 78300 in 1992) which were made because of the privatisation, this had a real impact over the HR and they dealt with it in superior manner to keep their retained employees motivated. (International labour organisation, Sectoral activities programme) Economy: Economical changes such as economic uncertainly, changes from manufacturing to service or knowledge economy, mergers and acquisitions activity and increased energy and fuel costs. In a knowledge-based economy, the most important business investments involve investing in personnel, putting HR managers at the centre of some of economic debates. Issues related to human capital and people management are now among the most important challenges in business, bringing the expertise of HR managers to the core not only of business but also of nation economic competitiveness. Understanding the broader business and societal implications of these trends will be crucial how to address their resulting challenges at the organisational level and will require HR managers to be well informed about macroeconomic developments. Social: Social factors include cultural changes within the environment and are often referred to as socio-cultural. This includes health consciousness, population growth rate, age distribution, career attitudes and emphasis on safety. (Henry, 2008). HR managers may increasingly find themselves dealing with the impact societal trends, such as 24/7 work culture, changing family pattern, and a growing emphasis on work/life balance have on time-related issues in the workplace. Benefits linked to flexible working and controls over schedules are likely to continue to be in demand. Possible changes to the bargaining power of employees and women, in particular, could make meeting this demand a higher priority to employers. Finding ways to continue to engage workers with high levels of responsibility and skills but who may not be able to work full time may become more important. This will be exacerbated by the need to find enough skilled workers which could potentially pose a challenge in the coming decades as education cost rise and skills requirements increase. Technology: Any organisation needs to be the pioneer of the new technology and to be ahead in the competitive race in the market in order to lead. This undoubtedly has a major impact on HR as they need to train their staff accordingly and make them flexible enough to adapt to the changes within the technology. For HR managers, the efficient use of technology has emerged as a key skill. Recruitment strategies can also be affected by Changes in the technology while major advancement in e-learning could influence training strategies. Q/2 Comment on how HR activities contribute to the success of British Gas. Use any 2 HRM Models to explain you answer? Employees are the most important factor needed for the survival of any organisation and HR is responsible for catering the need of the employees and establishing a relation between the organisation and its employees. In order to succeed in the modern world it is provident that there need to be effective HR activities which could help the employees feel as a part of team rather than being alienated. Only then it can have the competitive advantage over their rivals and the employees would work hard and whole-heartedly in the favour of the organisation they are working for. In British Gas employees do feel valued and as a part of team only because of the effective HR activities. We now will discuss the HR activities in British Gas in accordance with two HR models which have helped them to be in the lead in their market. David Ulrich Model The first model which we will discuss is the David Ulrich Model. The model we made by David Ulrich in the year 2000, who is said to be the HR guru. In the model he proposed that the centre of attention for all the HR activities must be on the contribution to organizational success. He further explained that the key to excel organizational performance is to ensure that human resources activities are in line with the organization and focusing on productivity, service and quality. Below is the diagram showing David Ulrich model. Productivity can be explained as the output per employee. With the increase in competitive rivalry incessant improvement in productivity has a significant role. British Gas has been considering the significant importance of the afore-mentioned aspect of the model. With the view of increasing the productivity British Gas has been investing  £24 million every year in their Engineering Academy to continue their exceptional training for engineers working there. The Academy eve achieved grade one performance in a 2007 Ofsted inspection. In the academy employee are provided with related training which helps them to be more effective and efficient with regards to productivity. Quality of the products and services delivered extensively affects organizational success in the long run. The quality of products and services can provide competitive advantage to any organization. The quality of products and services is directly interlinked with the growth and performance of the organization as a whole, therefore it requires equal attention. The stress on quality requires continuous changes aimed at improving work processes. HR management considerations should be included in order to indentify the barriers and service blockages and redesigning operational processes. The process should also involve the employees as well rather than just the managers. The above mentioned activities should be done with accordance to the organizations mission. British Gas itself explains that its the service they provide to the customers which gives them competitive advantage over their rivals and sets them apart in the marketplace. The British Gas Academy of Customer Excellence has also been set up which underpins their aim to consider their customers as one of the key stakeholders. The academy provides training to the front-line employees. Warwick Model of HRM Bratton Jeffery (2007) proposed the Warwick model in which Harvard framework has been extended with 5 elements including Inner context, outer context, business strategy content, HRM context and HRM content. The model explains the link between the changes in internal and external and both the content and context in it. The strength of the model is that it underpins the important environmental influences on HRM. Below is the diagram showing the model. Outer context Inner context Business strategy content HRM context HRM context Basically HR Manager of British Gas firstly plans their future strategy and recruits people accordingly mostly through external sources like advertisements in newspapers, magazines and through employee referrals. Firstly they screen all the applications and then select candidates based on their potential, knowledge and experience mostly through face-to-face interview. Successful candidates are put through induction and are provided with continuous training. British Gas does consider the fact that monetary rewards is only one of the many needs of the people and therefore provides them with many non-monetary social needs such as flexible working hours and a better and relaxing working atmosphere. Employees within British Gas are also appraised regularly so that they know how well they are doing. Keeping in mind the broader aspect of the business HR manager maps the link between inner and outer context followed by an approach which leads to the changes in the content as referred in Warwick Model. Along with this HR managers also connects their activities of Planning, Integration, Staffing, Developing, Motivating, Designing, Managing Relationships, Managing change and Evaluating by keeping in mind the everyday changing business environment. But apart from this I think to survive and maintain a good market position in this globalized, competitive, innovative and rapidly changing business environment British Gas must change their Mechanistic Structure to Organic Structure which is very flexible and innovative. The HRM strategies at British Gas satisfy customers to the highest but surely not at the expense of their employees needs which helps them to lead in their industry. Q 3 Describe Recruitment Selection strategies that have been taken by British Gas to enhance organisation performance? Recruitment and selection is said to be one of the main role of a HR practitioner, as they need to ensure that they choose the right staff. While going through the process they need to consider many factors including equal opportunities without the factor of discrimination. In order to ensure this, there are laws to avoid discrimination against race or ethnic origin, religion and belief, disability, sex and age. The ones who avoid this practice will indeed break the law and will have to face the consequences (Tackling Discrimination, 2009). K Aswathappa (2003) defines recruitment as a process of finding and attaching capable application for an application for employment. The process begin when new recruit are sought and end when their application are submitted. The result is the pool of applications from which new employees are selected. Derek Torrington (1987) states that Planning the right people in the right place at the right time is seen to be essential to achieving rapid growth. The emphasis is on balancing the projected demand for and supply of labour, in order to have the right number of the right employees in the right place at the right time. In terms of recruitment and selection it is important to carry out thorough job analysis to determine the level of skills/technical abilities, competencies, flexibility of the employee required etc. Since 2003, British Gas has done a lot of work in order to improve the diversity in their workforce which helps them in their customer base and is a response to changing demographics as well. With the increase in demand and the competitive rivalry British gas had to attract more employees and for that the HR managers dealt with it in a well-mannered way. Carole Willsher, Recruitment and Diversity specialist, explains We tend to use the analogy of a pond gone; if we dont recruit women, thats over half the pond gone ; if we dont recruit people from an ethnic background, thats about another 10% gone, and were left with only a very small part of the pond to fish from. The process of recruitment and selection at British gas is shown in the following diagram. Acknowledgement Initial Review Online Application Assessment Centre Second Stage Job Offer In the process candidates have to complete an application form and online test which is then acknowledged by an email upon successful submission. The submitted application is then reviewed and candidates are updated within 14 days. After the successful initial review the candidates are required to give a telephonic interview for some job roles which is then followed by the assessment centre where the candidates go through a face- to- face interview, practical tests (for some roles) and role plays. After careful consideration of the entire application process candidates are then offered the job within 14 days of the assessment centre. Recruitment and selection is done by both internal and external manners. As mentioned earlier in order to attract a vast group of applicants HR managers at British Gas use both the ways. Internal recruitment includes promoting the current staff or moving them from one department to other. It also includes the referrals made by the current employees. The advantage with internal recruitment is that it allows the organisations to know the strengths and capabilities of their existing employees which help them to allocate them accordingly. As mentioned earlier, the main objective of British gas is to increase the number of applications for the different vacancies in order to attract a wide range of talent as possible. For this they use the different types of external recruitment strategies. Some of these strategies are as follows: Tester days: British gas regularly runs women only and BME tester days, with the specific aim of attracting women and ethnic minorities into engineering and apprenticeships. Partnership working: British gas also use different partnerships with different organisations in order to focus on under-represented groups including Jobcentre Plus, Windsor Fellowship, Women and Manual trades. Targeted Advertising: They also use a range of ways and media to appeal to its target audiences. They use advertising in magazines like Bliss and Sugar. They also redesign their special webpage for recruitment regularly. Attracting a wide range of candidates is not the only purpose of the managers but also to select the right staff. For that a right recruitment process has to be applied. A diagram is shown below which illustrates the different stages of the recruitment process within British Gas. The only way to increase the performance of the organisation is to have an efficient process. Q 4 Explain how HR training and development helps British Gas to develop highly competent staff and teams. Describe use of variety of HRD methods taken at British Gas. According to Mackey (2003), in our lifetime of learning we meet many people who contribute to our knowledge, and in todays world training is seen as an essential aspect in HRM practice. Training is often seen as something that is work related on-job training, off-job training or employment training schemes. Many organizations aspire to be learning ones, but it takes dedication to achieve this. It requires commitments from everyone to allow individuals to manage their own development and to support the process through coaching, feedback and outgoing performance management. Trainers have a key role to play in the creations of a learning environment. The typical role of Training Development functions has been to respond in a reactive manner to the training and development needs to other functions throughout the organization. British gas always ensures that it provides effective training at all levels, which can help its highly competent staff and teams to develop. In order to offer continuous training for their engineers British Gas is investing  £24 million each year in their British Gas Engineering Academy. The Academy also managed to achieve grade one performance in a 2007 Ofsted inspection. They have also aligned their apprentice scheme to the Duke of Edinburghs Gold Award, which actually provides enhanced personal development and life skills to the trainees. As any other company British gas also believes that it is the customer service which helps them to lead in the competitive race. The British Gas Academy underpins their aim to put customers at the heart of everything they do. The Academy therefore also provides training to their front line employees. Building on the success of our engineering academy, the customer service academy encourages best practice and knowledge sharing. By co-ordinating activities nationally, this new structure improves the consistency of our training design and delivery. Effective training to the employees leads to improve quality of the process they are working into. One of the key skills of a trainer is the ability to design training programmes and learning experiences that are innovative, exciting and fun. Trainer should also identify individual learning styles and respond to the needs of the business. The field of training and development (TD) has undergone changes that reflect the dynamic factors in the corporate world overall. TDs objectives continue to shift from a focus on programmed instruction (and behavioural and task analysis), to performance-system analysis. Learning is now defined as a competitive strategy in the global workplace. Therefore, trainers must engage in defining strategic goals, analyzing organizational processes and providing better systematic performance within the business context. Increased need for improved performance requires more efficient ways to identify, recruit, and improve the training and education of the workforce. As traditional, hierarchical organizational structures are increasingly transforming to self-directed, cross functional, process oriented, and knowledge-based models, both organizations and individuals are increasingly faced with the new challenges to maximize the organizations competitive edge, and to meet new standards of excellence in performance. First, in order to understand what is nowadays expected from management trainers and educators, it is essential to understand how current perceptions of the managers job and responsibilities have developed. Then, it will be argued that the adoption of a simple solely task-related model of training often used to train managers from developing countries has proved to be inadequate. Therefore, a realistic management training model ought to include the task related and people-related aspects of the managers job as well as the trainees own development, in its design and content. Based on the above a more realistic approach to management training and development will be offered and some of its implications for trainers and training institutions will be discussed and certain conclusions will be reached. Evaluating Training Development: This has always been a key topic for trainers. TD that is not delivering the expected results is likely to be potentially harmful to the organization, demotivating to learners and damaging to the reputation of trainers. In todays business world evaluation has taken on even greater significance than in the past. Evaluation is undertaken with the purpose of encouraging improvement. When evaluation is planned, it is done with the intention of analysing results and implementing suitable changes in a timely manner followed by further evaluation. Such cyclical approaches agreeing standards, evaluating, improving, checking standards and so on are the basis of really useful evaluation processes for each aspect of the training and development process. The focus is on maximizing the use of resources, maximizing the likelihood of business success and maximizing the impact of staff motivation. One needs to critically evaluate each TD event in which you are involved. This is as true for a week-long course as it is for an individual coaching event. The more one evaluates, the more one learns, the more quickly the business will benefit and the more quickly individuals skills will develop. Each type of TD event will have its own type of evaluation, but each has the common aim of change and improvement. As compared to other Departments like IT and Finance, TD is also one of the important departments in the organisation as its trains people in the organisations who with their full potential calibre help the organization to achieve its set goals with high quality standards. Q5 What role Performance Management plays in achieving higher performance at British Gas? Describe use of variety of performance appraisal strategies taken at British Gas. Staff development doesnt just happen. It takes a conscious and concerted effort on the part of the manager to support and encourage their employees initiative. It requires a continuous attention of both the employees and the supervisors or the managers involved. Performance appraisals are undertaken to let an employee know his/her performance and compare it with the expectation of the organisation as a whole. The process involves clarifying the job role, job description and responsibilities and explains how the role can contribute to the wider goals of the organisation. It is important that the employees understands how their performance contributes to the overall performance of the company. This direct connection helps to encourage team play and shared responsibility within the company, although the performance objectives should be individual and agreed between the employee and the manager. In a performance appraisal employees also get the opportunity to give their feedback about the working conditions and any advices which could be helpful for the organisation to improve their productivity. In order to ensure an effective performance appraisal the manager should keep a record of the process which could be helpful for the future reference. There are many different types of performance appraisals. Following are some of them which are mostly used at British Gas: Top-down Appraisals: According to Harrison (1995) this category of performance appraisal involves the line manager undertaking the formal appraisal of the employee. Managers in this type of appraisal can be biased and may be less open, honest and can lead to the favouritism factor. In such situations another manager or HR specialist can be involved to act as a moderator in the process. This is seen as a very traditional type of performance appraisal and is rarely practiced in the modern world. It was used at British gas as well but is replaced by other new frameworks and other types of performance appraisals. Self Reviews: Harrison (1995) explains that self reviews are based on the idea that employees are most familiar with their work and their involvement is vital. They have proved to be superior to supervisory reviews in identifying individual strengths and shortcomings. The biggest problem with this approach lies in the fact that this violates the traditional mores regarding the proper relationship between the boss and the subordinate. Upward Appraisal: Harrison (1995) describes that in this technique, the views of the employees, who report to the appraise (manager) are considered and can also be an important dimension of management development. It is effective in an organisation which has an open and supportive culture and which encourages participation as a legitimate element,. Upward appraisal may be threatening for a manager and uncomfortable for the subordinate appraisers. 360 Degree Feedback: N. Bahra (1997) states that This method is an assessment technique lies at the heart of many successful organisations. This briefing aims to provide an objective method of assessing an individuals performance in a number of critical and non-critical areas. This method being used in many big organisation in the modern world and is hence used at British Gas as well. Harrison (1995) explains that this is a way of limiting the effect of the top- down appraisal scheme and building on the positive aspects of self, peer and upward appraisals. This method includes peers, subordinates, internal and external customers and the managers. Its aim is to achieve a broader view of employee performance. It can increase customer focus, support team initiatives, decrease the hierarchical approach and provide greater employee evaluation. It is an assessment technique which lies at the heart of many successful organizations. This briefing aims to provide an objective method of assessing an individuals performance in a number of critical and non-critical areas. REFRENCES Book References: Bach, S. (2005) Management Human Resource: Personnel Management in transition. Oxford: published by Blackwell publishing. Henry, A. (2008), Understanding Strategic Management. published by Oxford. Bratton, J. and Gold, J., (2007) Human Resource Management: Theory and Practice. 4th Edition, London: Publisher Palgrave Macmillan. Bernardin and Beatty (1984). Performance Appraisal : Assessing Human Behaviour at Work. Published by Kent Pub. Co. Torrington, D., Hall, L. and Taylor, S. (1987): Human Resource Management. Sixth edition, Spain: Printed by Mateu cromo artes graficas. Aswathappa, K. (2005) Human Resources and Personnel Management. 4th edition, New Delhi: Published by Tata Mcgraw-Hill. Mackey, D. (2003) everything you ever needed to know about training. London: published by Kogan Page Ltd. Taylor, P. (2003) How to Design a Training Course. London: Continuum publication. Harrison, H. S. (1995) Advanced Appraisal Methods: General Certification Supplement. Oxford: Published by H2 Co. Bahra, N. (1997) 360 Degree Appraisal. London: Published by FT Pitman. Online References: British Gas and Diversity (online) Cited on 10/11/2009. Access Via British Gas Health Safety 2009 (online) Cited on 08th Nov. 2009. Access Via British gas and political factors (online) Cited on 04th nov.2009. Access Via British Gas introduction.(online) Cited on 06th nov.2009. Access Via British gas and the importance of employee (Introduction), (online) Cited on 10th Nov. 2009 . Access Via Equal opportunities at British Gas, (online) Cited on 16th Nov. 2009. Access Via Tackling discrimination (2009), (online) Cited on 26th Nov. 2009, Access Via

Friday, October 25, 2019

Fast PLants :: essays research papers

How Tall can Your Fast Plant Grow? Procedure: During the fast plant life cycle many things were taken into account. The plants all started out as a seed. Data was collected every Tuesday and Thursday after class. The kind of quantitative data that was collected was the height of each plant on the days that we would go in and check them. The qualitative data that was collected was our drawings of the plants. We were able to add details to the pictures. The purpose of this experiment was to be able to view the complete life cycle of an organism. All of the plants that we used in the experiments were F2’s . Analysis: The germination took place within the first 3 days of planting the seeds. It was noticed that in the time frame of the 3rd and 5th day the cotyledons became visible. The first true leaves made their appearance right around the 10th day. The days surrounding the 13th day lead to flower buds actually forming and showing up. The plants were starting to get flimsy so on day 17 we added stakes to support the young plants. Our first flowers started to bloom around the 27th day. They were yellow and petite. Pollination took place a day later. We cut the wings and heads off of the bee and glued it to a toothpick. We then gently brushed the bee over the flowers to help the pollination procedure. After all of the pollination was done, seed pods started to develop 30 days after the initial planting. The plants stayed healthy for a couple more days after this. It was around day 36 that the plants started drying up and dying. It was time for the plants to be harvested for their seeds th ey had produced. While working with our plant it was exciting to look around and see how other plants were coming along. I like to think that our plants were in the top percentile of successful plants. They grew up fast and tall while others seem to take a while to get the same height. Weekly growth seemed to be exceptional. It seemed like every Tuesday that I came in to check my plants they had grown so much over the weekend. Some occasions the plants would grow as much as 4 centimeters just over the weekend. Of the four plants that we had remaining at the end of the experiment, two were hairy.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

16th century Renaissance

Century Renaissance Art The 16th Century renaissance started in the sass's and ended in the sass's. The art of the 16th Century Renaissance was both spiritual and worldly. The 16th Century Renaissance is when two very important art movements took place, High Renaissance and Mannerism. Everyone was starting to take an interest in the classical learning and values of ancient Greece and Rome. (The History Channel Website) They were many artist geniuses who emerged out of this art era.There were also many, grand art pieces that emerged out of this art era. At the beginning of the 16th century the High Renaissance had started. This was also the time when Rome replaced Florence as an art epicenter. The High Renaissance is also when artist become aware of lines and depth in their artwork. This led to the discovery and the use of the one point perspective. The High Renaissance artists became famous for putting windows of what is behind the horizon in the background of their artworks. The Hig h Renaissance represented artists who wanted to do art their own way.The high Renaissance started in 1480 and continued on to about 1527. The high Renaissance as in Milan, Florence, Rome, and in northern and central Italy. (Shelley Essay) This was the time to be an artist because everyone who was wealthy wanted art. Their many artist of this time frame, but the most famous artists are Michelangelo Bonaparte, Raphael Sansei and Leonardo ad Vinci. (Art Cyclopedia) After the High Renaissance ended the Mannerism movement came about. It came about in the sass's and ended around the sass's. Mannerism was known for its formulaic, theatrical and overly stylized work.Mannerism art pieces are usually pieces of human forms in unrealistic settings. Mannerism is also known for its much limitation. This is also the time that women start being used as muses for artists. (Art Cyclopedia) It developed in Florence and Rome and then spread to northern and central Europe. Paintings contained artificial color and unrealistic spatial proportions. Figures were often elongated and exaggerated, the poses were creative and complex poses. Works of the movement are often unsettling and strange because of the Reformation, the plague, and the sack of Rome. The History Channel Website) There were a lot of important artist who emerged from this period, but the most famous artist would be Leonardo Ad Vinci. Leonardo De Vinci was born in 1452, in Florence and died in 1519 in France. He was an artist and inventor. He is known as the â€Å"Renaissance Man† because he was an inventor, scientist, sculptor, and a great artist. Ad Vinci had many famous works. One of his most famous works is the â€Å"Last Supper† (1495-98). The last supper is a painting of the last meal Jesus shared with his apostles. It also shows Jesus isolated, four groups of threes and Judas in the shadows clutching money. The History Channel Website) Another famous piece by Ad Vinci as the â€Å"Mona Lisa†( 1 503-05), which is a painting of a woman. This painting would be an example of Mannerism art. Ad Vinci was also famous for the â€Å"The Virgin of the Rocks† (1485). Some other great artists were Michelangelo Bonaparte (1475-1564), and Raphael Sansei(1483-1 520). Michelangelo was famous for painting the Sistine Chapel ((1508-12) and sculpting the â€Å"David in his native Florence† (1501-04). Raphael Sansei was famous for the â€Å"The School of Athens† (1508-11). The â€Å"School of Athens† shows philosophers such as Pluto coming together.Another great artist of 16th Century was Titan â€Å"Meeting of Bacchus and Ordained† (1 522), he was famous for using rich luminous colors. (The History Channel Website) One of the most important art pieces of the 16th Century Renaissance was the â€Å"Sistine Chapel† (1508-04) architecture. The Sistine Chapel took a period of four years to paint. It was painted by Michelangelo Bonaparte. The Sistine Cha pel is a painting of a few scenes of Genesis, from the bible. One of the scenes was the Creation of Adam. (The History Channel Website) Michelangelo painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel for the Pope Sixths ‘V.Also, along with ceilings of the Sistine Chapel, the side walls are festooned with frescoes of Moses and Christ and portraits of popes. (The New World Encyclopedia) Another important art piece or architecture of the 16th Century Renaissance was the SST. Peter Cathedral in Rome. The old SST. Peter Cathedral was constructed in honor of the apostle SST. Peter, the first bishop and first Pope. The original was constructed by Constantine. The SST. Peter Cathedral in Rome was to be renovated, ordered by Pope Julius II. During its renovation it was directed more towards a Latin style but, then

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Allergies Involving Children

Allergies Some children have food allergies which means that they cannot tolerate certain foods and they may become very ill which may lead to going into anaphylactic shock if they eat certain foods. Some children are allergic to nuts or eggs and it is very important to make sure these foods are avoided which means checking the ingredients of some food products very carefully as every small amount can cause problems for allergic children and also some medical conditions can be cause by a child’s diet e. g. ood additives can affect the behaviour of some children with Attention Defiat Hyperactivity Disorder. Common food intolerances are:- Lactose – This is found in milk and dairy products Histamine – This is found in strawberries and ripe tomatoes. Tartrazine – This is mainly found in yellow food colouring, some drinks and sweets. Establishing different dietary requirements in your placement can be done by referring to the child’s parent, referring to the child’s record, speak to the children and referring to the other practitioners in your setting.Point which need to be considered are procedures, insurance, first aiders, allergies, photos in medical records, staff awareness, trained staff for administering medication and close contact with parents. Children with different dietary needs In a childcare setting you will encounter children with different dietary needs which are important because you may need to understand what can affect a Childs dietary requirements. Medical ConditionsMedical conditions can affect a child’s diet in the following ways:- Diabetes which means that the pancreas cannot regulate the body’s sugar levels and children will need to avoid sugar but should have regular meals and snacks and also each child’s needs will be different and you will have to work closely with your supervisor and the child’s parent to support a diabetic child. Coeliac disease means that children can not absorb their food normally and will need to avoid gluten which is mainly found in cerals such as wheat and barley and coeliac disease is usually detected after a child has been weaned from breast milk.Food Preferences Vegetarians do not eat meat, fish or any other products which come from animals such as milk, eggs and cheese. Also if children follow a vegetarian or vegan diet then special care must be taken to make sure all the essential nutrients are included in their diet. All children in your care must be able to eat and drink safely so that food poisoning or related illnesses are avoided and also bacteria can grow quickly on food and your role in handling food and drink appropriately is essential and you will need to understand how to store, prepare and serve food.Establish Different dietary requirements of children and young people There are various dietary requirements that you need to consider to meet the different needs of children which include religious, cultural, all ergies, health requirements and individual choices or preferences. Religious and cultural Muslims – * Eat halal meat, fish, shell fish which is slaughtered and is prepared in a certain way. * Do not eat pork or dairy products that contain rennet which is curdled milk from the stomach of an unweaned. * Fast during Ramadan Jews- Do not eat dairy products with meat * Eat kosher lamb, beef and chicken which is slaughtered and prepared in a certain way. * Fast during Yorn Kippur * Fish should have fins, scales and backbones. Sikhs- * Do not eat beef as the cow is a sacred animal. * Some Sikhs may eat chicken, cheese, fish and shell fish. * Rarely eat pork Hindus * Do not eat meat as the cow is seen as a scared animal. * Do not eat dairy products that contain rennet * Usually vegetarian * Eat fish with fin and scales Rastafarians * Do eat lamb (some do) beef and chicken but do not eat shellfish.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

The Impact Engel v. Vitale Had On Prayer in Schools

The Impact Engel v. Vitale Had On Prayer in Schools What authority, if any, does the U.S. government have when it comes to religious rituals like prayers? The Engel v. Vitale Supreme Court decision of 1962 deals with this very question. The  Supreme Court ruled 6 to 1 that it was unconstitutional for a government agency like a school or government agents like public school employees to require students to recite prayers. Heres how this ultimately important church vs. state decision evolved and how it ended up before the Supreme Court. Fast Facts: Engel v. Vitale Case Argued: April 3, 1962Decision Issued:  June 25, 1962Petitioner: Steven I. Engel, et alRespondent:   William J. Vitale, Jr., et alKey Question: Does recitation of a nondenominational prayer at the beginning of the school day violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment?Majority Decision: Justices Warren, Black, Douglas, Harlan, Clark, and BrennanDissenting: Justice StewartRuling: Even if the prayer is not nondenominational nor is participation mandatory, the state cannot sponsor prayer in public schools. Engel v. Vitale and the New York Board of Regents The New York State Board of Regents, which had supervisory power over New York public schools began a program of â€Å"moral and spiritual training† in the schools which included a daily prayer. The Regents themselves composed the prayer, in what was intended to be a non-denominational format. Labeled the â€Å"To whom it may concern† prayer by one commentator, it stated: Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers and our Country. But some parents objected, and the American Civil Liberties Union joined with 10 of the parents in a suit against the Board of Education of New Hyde Park, New York.  Amicus curiae (friend of the court) briefs were filed by the American Ethical Union, the American Jewish Committee and the Synagogue Council of America supporting the lawsuit, which sought to remove the prayer requirement. Both the state court and the New York Court of Appeals allowed the prayer to be recited. Who Was Engel? Richard Engel was one of the parents who objected to the prayer and filed the initial lawsuit. Engel has often said that his name became part of the decision only because it came ahead of the other parents names alphabetically on the list of plaintiffs. Engel and the other parents said their children endured taunting at school because of the lawsuit, and that he and other plaintiffs received threatening phone calls and letters while the suit made its way through the courts. Supreme Court Decision in Engel v. Vitale In his majority opinion, Justice Hugo Black sided substantially with the arguments of the separationists, who quoted heavily from Thomas Jefferson and made extensive use of his â€Å"wall of separation† metaphor. Particular emphasis was placed upon James Madison’s â€Å"Memorial and Remonstrance against Religious Assessments.† The decision was 6-1 because Justices Felix Frankfurter and Byron White did not take part (Frankfurter had suffered a stroke). Justice Stewart Potter was the sole dissenting vote.   According to Blacks majority opinion, any prayer created by the government was akin to the English creation of the Book of Common Prayer. The Pilgrims came to America originally to avoid exactly this type of relationship between government and organized religion. In Blacks words, the prayer was â€Å"a practice wholly inconsistent with the Establishment Clause.† Although the Regents argued that there was no compulsion on students to recite the prayer, Black observed that: Neither the fact that the prayer may be denominationally neutral nor the fact that its observances on the part of students is voluntary can serve to free it from the limitations of the Establishment clause. What Is the Establishment Clause? This is the portion of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which  prohibits the establishment of religion by Congress. In the Engel v. Vitale case, Black wrote that the Establishment clause is violated regardless of whether there is any â€Å"showing of direct government compulsion...whether those laws operate directly to coerce non-observing individuals or not.† Black pointed out that the decision showed great respect for religion, not hostility: It is neither sacrilegious nor antireligious to say that each separate government in this country should stay out of the business of writing or sanctioning official prayers and leave that purely religious function to the people themselves and to those the people choose to look to for religious guidance. Significance of Engel v. Vitale This case was one of the first in a series of cases in which a variety of religious activities sponsored by the government were found to violate the Establishment Clause. This was the first case which effectively prohibited the government from sponsoring or endorsing official prayer in schools. Engel v. Vitale got the ball rolling on separation of church and state issues in the latter half of the 20th century.

Monday, October 21, 2019

tribal essays

tribal essays The Hopi are a group of Shoshonean-speaking American Indians living in the well-known pueblo type of primitive apartment-house towns placed on and at the foot of three mesas in northeastern Arizona. They have been settled there since about 1200 A.D. (Aberle). The original Hopi reservation was established by executive order in 1882 (Born A Chief). The history of the Hopi, though it contains little aggressive warfare, is full of conflict with the Spanish, with non-Pueblo Indians, and with the Americans. The Hopis are a farming and herding tribe. They live a life full of uncertainties though because of the scarce and unpredictable rainfall, cold winters, killing frosts, and hot summers. All the uncontrollable forces of nature made it necessary for hard work even though they never knew how much it would actually pay off in the end. With the threat of famine always there; even today it is not uncommon to see families with a years worth of corn stored away as a safeguard. Starvation did occur sometimes because of all these factors in the worst scenarios. In the 1880s drought and famine killed hundreds and left an indelible mark on anyones memory that was alive at that time (Hall). The book states the people went crazy from hunger and hallucinated about food. They hauled their water in jugs from the springs at the bottom of the mesas, which were a mile away. They collected their wood from the dead junipers on the tablelands for their homes. They tilled their fields in the sand dunes and washes traveling anywhere from three to twenty miles on foot to get there (Hall). Planting is done periodically in May and June harvesting in September. Fields and gardens require a lot of attention so that they will be kept from harms way. Corn and beans is their main agricultural base. Herding of sheep, cattle, goats, and other animals was mens work and they came with their own complications: the haz...

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Chains of Organizational Structure †Free Samples to Samples

The music industry is one of the finest and vas industry which consists of various companies and individual people who are earning the capitals by successfully running their business by composing new songs, selling live concerts, live shows, different audio and video recording and the organizations and associations where they creating the compositions of the song[1]. The music industry control and operate by several organizations or individuals where different kind of activities are present for controlling. It can be creating or selling the recorded music where music publishers, music producers, record labels Studios, other online music stores are included. When it has been found as there are other organizations that perform live music programs, all of it are related with the sound engineers, booking agents, promoters, music venues, road crews all are included[2]. The music industry is one of the best business industries where it produces a fine line between the artistry and a structured business sense.   When someone wants to have their own business which is related to the music industry a sound business infrastructure is one of the great ideas for starting the music industry business. It is important to choose appropriate business structure for running a business successfully. It applies several liabilities for the owner of the business. In addition when the business is running the liability is become are debts or a circumstance which represent the liability to the proper legislations of the law[3]. The success in the music business depends on the intention of the Businessman and the strategy of business plan where it will be applicable by the law. In the future in the music business industry which always includes the sole proprietorship, the Corporation and the partnership where this will help the owner of the business in the music indust ry. The sole proprietorship defines the individual business where only one owner should present and control the organization and make it a corporation or a limited liability company. In the sole proprietorship it is need to have the common business registration where it should be start the basic legal structure which can be applied according to the law of that country or city or the state. Therefore as per the legal terms of the sole proprietorship need to give the nominal taxes and if any other personal liable for debts are required they need to pay then it will be the owner, who solely responsible for paying the every individual tax returns[4]. The partnership is another form of sole proprietorship where the owner can be more than one. The liability in the partnership is depend according how the owners are making their own partnership, where they can set their own rules and both of the partners are responsible and liable for every business debts. In the partnership the partners can also choose the term of Limited partners where the personal liabilities are free between the partners but they can have their mutual understanding over the business decisions and operation. This is one of the forms of business where at least one general partner should require. The corporation terms define where more than owners have equal personal liability where they have the capability of issue in public or private stock. There are two kinds of Corporation can be seen in music industry one is C Corporation which they have a complete separate taxed ownership or they have shareholders and in the S Corporation the partners who are the owners of the business or have their own entities regarding the regulation of ownership profit or loss allocation every corporate meetings and Record Keeping payment of tax treatment etc[5]. The limited liability companies are another form of separate entities which was mainly formed by the business owners who present an offer for the taxation capabilities for both of sole proprietorship and partnership and it relieve the owners from their personal liabilities. When the personal liabilities are distributed along with it the personal guarantees on loans and paid Federal and state tax dates intentional or negligent act fraud or other illegal behavior or failure to treat the limited liability companies as separate entity by their owners which all are included which are the important issue for form a successful business[6]. When a business corporation is introduced by the owners or the individual owner it is important that aim should be fixed which helps to set up a corporation structure where the corporation is only held liable for any incurring debts. It is important for the business owner that when the business strategies or the investments are using regarding the corporation then there will be no relation in between the personal Assets of the owner and the assets related with the business organizations[7]. When a person running a band business through a corporation and if any situation arises where the band was not able to pay the Dept for their any live concert then the corporation can force the organization into bankruptcy for paying the debts[8]. According to the law any personal assets are completely separated from the corporation where legally they cannot be seized. Therefore when someone investing the capital into the corporation it should be necessary that the investment used to pay back the depths and in this way the business owner personal assets like their house, cars or any other properties never involved in the business. If there is any loss the company suffered it should be the corporation itself and the capital investment which are related to the organization that will only affect due to the loss[9]. The person who starting the business must have the quality to running the business according to the common business law and the owner should be educated, smart and must give their complete potential for running the business and make it the best opportunities in the marketing of business[10]. If the business strategies failed to work according to the corporation law of that state of the country then the owner of the business can face legal consequences for breach the duty of care and the acts of business[11]. In the music business the compositions which include the song pieces lyrics the recordings which includes audio and video and media where different kind of CDS or MP3s or DVD’s are used mostly sometimes the music business has no interference[12]. Therefore it can be stated that the controlling and monitoring music industry is not an easy matter which according to the business perspective[13]. It is one of the intelligent business ideas which always complete business structure and help to maintain and promoting the music organizations[14]. The business structure is helps the company to get extra benefits and determination from the business strategies. However the liability of running the business where risk and reward both are equally balanced and help to build a business career under the circumstances of the legal constitutions and the corporation law of the said country[15]. Passman, Donald S. All you need to know about the music business. Simon and Schuster, 2015. Ashkenas, Ron, et al. The boundaryless organization: Breaking the chains of organizational structure. John Wiley & Sons, 2015. Wikstrà ¶m, Patrik. The music industry: Music in the cloud. Polity, 2013. Allen, Paul. Artist management for the music business. CRC Press, 2014. Steingold, Fred S. Legal guide for starting & running a small business. Nolo, 2015. Krasilovsky, M. William, and Sidney Schemel. This business of music: The definitive guide to the business and legal issues of the music industry. Billboard Books, 2007. White, Tom. Hadoop: The definitive guide. " O'Reilly Media, Inc.", 2012.

Friday, October 18, 2019

Case 12 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Case 12 - Essay Example She believes getting rid of gasoline is a potential solution towards fighting pollution. She believes gasoline is a contributor to pollution. That means she uses deductive reasoning. Laura seems so concern about how others view her and this is a normal behavior at her age. Because she is in the identity vs. role confusion development stage that searching for her identity and the physical appearance is one of the identity aspects. Feeling confident about your physical appearance helps develop high self-esteem in an individual. When Laura gets confidence that she is attractive and others see her as attractive and beautiful she will develop a higher self-esteem. On the other hand, I like when s. Watkins asked her† o you like people looking at you, Laura?† because her answer shows that she knows what she wants. Also, the way that she responded and explained to her about getting attention; and how she guided her to improve and learn thinking and social skills by connecting her to Mr.

Environmental and global health issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Environmental and global health issues - Essay Example Health care centers and nurses became very active and strict precautionary measures were taken for the controlling of the disease. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome is a viral lung disease which is caused by coronavirus often referred to as SARS –CoV. It is serious or an extreme case of pneumonia. A person suffering from SARS will have to face severe difficulty in breathing and sometimes may even face death. The first case of SARS was found in Asia in 2003 and within a few months it spread in numerous countries all over the world. It is a well-studied example of a communicable disease and a disease that can spread easily due to the travelling of people to other countries. The breakout of SARS in 2003 was a very serious one and it took almost all the countries of the world and a total of 8,098 people were affected and out of these 774 people died. But now SARS have become totally under control but the virus still exists in the hosts which are animals and there are always chances that the virus can again return to the humans. The severity of SARS is greater in people of older age as compared to younger and middle aged people (Serradell, 2005). The symptoms of SARS are similar to that of common cold but those symptoms are much more severe as compared to those that of cold. SARS has no definite cure or medicine but it can be prevented by taking precautionary measures like avoiding communication with the patient, frequent hand washing, eating food rich in vitamin C, and other such measures. The epidemiological indicators of the SARS rife and the ways for the prevention, control, and complete eradication of SARS include gestation period, time period of communicability, mode of transference of the epidemic agent, risk factors involved in the transmission of the virus, environment, ways of reserving animals and the prevention of SARS (Stewart, 2004). The various countries in which the outbreak of SARS occurred

What has been the impact on money supply in the U.S. of the recent Essay

What has been the impact on money supply in the U.S. of the recent mortgage crisis - Essay Example In America over the preceding few years, loads of home buyers had procured costly houses with out of the line mortgage products funded by unrelenting mortgage lenders. The incidents have wrecked the liaison between money supply growth and the recital of the US financial system. The current deceleration in housing trade, inferior house costs and the retuning of mortgage variable rates has initiated a downturn in the mortgage sector. The predicaments are principally manifested in the "sub-prime" sector and are imitated in swiftly growing delinquency, non-payment and foreclosure rates. This paper hereby briefly analyzes the impacts of current US mortgage crisis on money supply.It is an undeniable fact that Money Supply has an influential effect on economical commotions. Amplification in money supply inspires improved expenditure as it places added money in the hands of customers making them to feel richer and eventually inspiring them to swell their expenses causing temporary boost in financial activities and controlling deflation. (Handa, 2008) The phase of 2003-2006 witnessed exceptionally near to the ground interest rates along with consumer hopes of increase in double-digit house costs, assisted a record $3.2 trillion in house mortgages being written by lenders, with approximately 20% of this sum contribution towards subprime. The subprime mortgage sector also served supplicants having bad credit history at elevated interest rates. (Handa, 2008) It is now well known that in array to boost their profits, banks issued huge loans to investors engaged in US housing markets, but owing to sudden price decrease in housing sector, the quantity of loan defaulters increased causing liquidity crunch for banking institutions creating an environment of money crunch for the markets based on investor and end-user relations and eventually led the international markets to face mortgage crisis. (Ashdown, 2002) The mortgage crisis led countries to increase the money supply to control the sudden swell in economic inflation and increased interest rates. Faced with the slither in the actual economy and the crisis in the financial system, the Federal Reserve implemented extraordinary moves i.e. a $200 billion loan package was issued to stanch money constrictions. (Axilrod, 2009) In 2008, the majority of US money supply augmented noticeably as the governmental authorities interceded to infuse money into the system. Traditionally, an impulsive boost in the money supply resulted in a raise in interest rates to deflect price increases or inflationary prospects. (Ashdown, 2002) Source: New York fed The US government, up to now had issued huge amount of currency to assist procuring of lethal mortgage-backed securities and other badly performing resources from banks owing to the anticipated risk of price increases and dollar depression. Though, this risk is of a reduced amount of worry to the Fed as compare to the depression and languish growth as in 2008. Owing to the black economical month of March, 2007 in which over 25 subprime lenders declared insolvency, large losses or setting themselves up for sale, several lenders discontinue home equity as well as "stated income" loans. To control the total collapse of mortgage industry in July, 2007 Federal Reserve increased money supply by approximately $100 billion to facilitate retail financial institutions with credits at lower rate following with another $41 billion during late Oct - Nov, 2007 which was the biggest lone increase by the Federal Reserve since Sept 19, 2001 i.e. $50.35 billion. (Barth, 2009) In accordance with the review of literature provided by several economists, it is revealed that Money Supply is not dependable on the quantity of currency printed but it depends on the pace of flow i.e. "how many times it changes hand." (Mishkin, 2008) The trouble is that the rate of circulation had felled

Thursday, October 17, 2019

The Impact of Technology on Criminal Justice Essay - 1

The Impact of Technology on Criminal Justice - Essay Example Reflecting on the above understanding, this paper critically examines the impact of technology on criminal justice from a broad point of view. Research records that technological advancements have been developing fast-paced and unabated and more so within all realms of life from physical to biological. This encompasses advances in computing, robotics, artificial intelligence, genetics, neuroscience, biotechnology with these just but a few. Despite the fact that information technology has resulted to developments in various sectors, it has also some limitations. However, in this section we will examine how technology has had impact on criminal justice from a broad point of view. Technology has undoubtedly shifted the paradigms of crime with both police and criminals evolving like mutants (Cole, 2007, p. 26). With either side seeking to keep at pace with technology, there unravels a race but with which the police are expected to always maintain an upper-hand.the reason for this is because the police are mandated to protect the innocent public and with the support from respective governments, they are under constant pressure to subdue criminals (Hall, 2008, p. 39). Occasionally criminals get the upper-hand and commit severe crimes then manage to slip through from police who normally would be hot on their heels. Ideal embodiments for such incidents include the infamous Mumbai terrorist attack in India where many dozens were killed in a hostage siege in a five-star hotel (Schaefer, 2012). Other than possessing lethal weaponry, they used smart phones, satellite imagery and night vision goggles to locate their victims (Mark Goodman). The terrorists also had an operations center across the border in Pakistan that they used to monitor global news and social media in real time, and leveraging public photos, videos to kill more people. FBI, last year, seized a remotely-controlled robotic aircraft riddled with explosives bound for US

Politicts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Politicts - Essay Example The house votes for the Bill after having debated it satisfactorily, where finally the governor can enact or reject it. The Bill once presented to the governor and 45 days elapses without signing; becomes a law (Lurie, 2005). Legislative office formulates and prepares it technically prior its presentation in other preceding steps. This office is non-partisan since it operates according to its given mandates, hence cannot be influenced (Lurie, 2005). The committee discusses the Bill openly in public where it may make some amendments and present to the house as is or offer a substitute Bill (Lurie, 2005). Suppose there is no consideration of the Bill or fails to report it, remains in the committee. Third Reading is a step considered by the president or the chair where the house discusses the Bill effectively. Second and Third Reading may not be in one day except when it was urgent and agreed by 75% of the house. This encompasses 34 votes from the senates and 60 from the Assembly. The House votes to endorse the Bill as per the majority, where there must be 21 senate and 41 Assembly votes to enable it pass to the Second House (Lurie, 2005). Suppose the closing poll fails, the house may consider the Bill in another or return it to the committee. The Bill undergoes via similar process as in the original House. If it makes any alterations, it sends the Bill to the First House for support concerning the changes. Primarily, a Bill gets ultimate legislative when it goes via the two houses without any alterations. The Governor signs the Bill to enact it. Alternatively, it is an Act if after 45 days has passed devoid of any action undertaken concerning the endorsement. Suppose the origin house is in recess, there is a deliberation of extending the 45Th day to date, which it will reconvene. Besides, a rejected Bill may be a law in the occasion where the legislature dominates the refusal by 2/3 poll. Law starts

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

What has been the impact on money supply in the U.S. of the recent Essay

What has been the impact on money supply in the U.S. of the recent mortgage crisis - Essay Example In America over the preceding few years, loads of home buyers had procured costly houses with out of the line mortgage products funded by unrelenting mortgage lenders. The incidents have wrecked the liaison between money supply growth and the recital of the US financial system. The current deceleration in housing trade, inferior house costs and the retuning of mortgage variable rates has initiated a downturn in the mortgage sector. The predicaments are principally manifested in the "sub-prime" sector and are imitated in swiftly growing delinquency, non-payment and foreclosure rates. This paper hereby briefly analyzes the impacts of current US mortgage crisis on money supply.It is an undeniable fact that Money Supply has an influential effect on economical commotions. Amplification in money supply inspires improved expenditure as it places added money in the hands of customers making them to feel richer and eventually inspiring them to swell their expenses causing temporary boost in financial activities and controlling deflation. (Handa, 2008) The phase of 2003-2006 witnessed exceptionally near to the ground interest rates along with consumer hopes of increase in double-digit house costs, assisted a record $3.2 trillion in house mortgages being written by lenders, with approximately 20% of this sum contribution towards subprime. The subprime mortgage sector also served supplicants having bad credit history at elevated interest rates. (Handa, 2008) It is now well known that in array to boost their profits, banks issued huge loans to investors engaged in US housing markets, but owing to sudden price decrease in housing sector, the quantity of loan defaulters increased causing liquidity crunch for banking institutions creating an environment of money crunch for the markets based on investor and end-user relations and eventually led the international markets to face mortgage crisis. (Ashdown, 2002) The mortgage crisis led countries to increase the money supply to control the sudden swell in economic inflation and increased interest rates. Faced with the slither in the actual economy and the crisis in the financial system, the Federal Reserve implemented extraordinary moves i.e. a $200 billion loan package was issued to stanch money constrictions. (Axilrod, 2009) In 2008, the majority of US money supply augmented noticeably as the governmental authorities interceded to infuse money into the system. Traditionally, an impulsive boost in the money supply resulted in a raise in interest rates to deflect price increases or inflationary prospects. (Ashdown, 2002) Source: New York fed The US government, up to now had issued huge amount of currency to assist procuring of lethal mortgage-backed securities and other badly performing resources from banks owing to the anticipated risk of price increases and dollar depression. Though, this risk is of a reduced amount of worry to the Fed as compare to the depression and languish growth as in 2008. Owing to the black economical month of March, 2007 in which over 25 subprime lenders declared insolvency, large losses or setting themselves up for sale, several lenders discontinue home equity as well as "stated income" loans. To control the total collapse of mortgage industry in July, 2007 Federal Reserve increased money supply by approximately $100 billion to facilitate retail financial institutions with credits at lower rate following with another $41 billion during late Oct - Nov, 2007 which was the biggest lone increase by the Federal Reserve since Sept 19, 2001 i.e. $50.35 billion. (Barth, 2009) In accordance with the review of literature provided by several economists, it is revealed that Money Supply is not dependable on the quantity of currency printed but it depends on the pace of flow i.e. "how many times it changes hand." (Mishkin, 2008) The trouble is that the rate of circulation had felled

Politicts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Politicts - Essay Example The house votes for the Bill after having debated it satisfactorily, where finally the governor can enact or reject it. The Bill once presented to the governor and 45 days elapses without signing; becomes a law (Lurie, 2005). Legislative office formulates and prepares it technically prior its presentation in other preceding steps. This office is non-partisan since it operates according to its given mandates, hence cannot be influenced (Lurie, 2005). The committee discusses the Bill openly in public where it may make some amendments and present to the house as is or offer a substitute Bill (Lurie, 2005). Suppose there is no consideration of the Bill or fails to report it, remains in the committee. Third Reading is a step considered by the president or the chair where the house discusses the Bill effectively. Second and Third Reading may not be in one day except when it was urgent and agreed by 75% of the house. This encompasses 34 votes from the senates and 60 from the Assembly. The House votes to endorse the Bill as per the majority, where there must be 21 senate and 41 Assembly votes to enable it pass to the Second House (Lurie, 2005). Suppose the closing poll fails, the house may consider the Bill in another or return it to the committee. The Bill undergoes via similar process as in the original House. If it makes any alterations, it sends the Bill to the First House for support concerning the changes. Primarily, a Bill gets ultimate legislative when it goes via the two houses without any alterations. The Governor signs the Bill to enact it. Alternatively, it is an Act if after 45 days has passed devoid of any action undertaken concerning the endorsement. Suppose the origin house is in recess, there is a deliberation of extending the 45Th day to date, which it will reconvene. Besides, a rejected Bill may be a law in the occasion where the legislature dominates the refusal by 2/3 poll. Law starts

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Boston Tea Party Essay Example for Free

Boston Tea Party Essay Attention Getter: You probably wouldn’t believe me if I told you that a drug that creates the same signaling activity in the brain as cocaine is sold legally on almost every street corner across the nation. This is a fact however, and the drug is caffeine. It is one of the main ingredients in coffee, and is currently the most frequently used recreational drug in the world. Establish Credibility: I personally consider myself a coffee expert, and have been drinking at least one cup of coffee almost every morning for the last three years. Relate to the audience: Now, I know not every one of you drinks coffee but as you can tell by the multiple Dutch Bros, Starbucks, and other coffee shops around town it is a very big part of our culture today. Preview: Throughout the course of this speech, I will discuss three major points relating to coffee. First, I will give some information on the history of coffee and when it first came into human culture, followed by the positive health benefits and some of the negative health risks associated with coffee. [First of all, I’m going to talk a little bit about the historical side of coffee and how it first got popular in our culture. ] Body I. Main Point: To understand why coffee is such a big part of modern day society, we must first understand where it originated. A. Sub-point: Coffee was first cultivated on the Arabian Peninsula in the 15th century. 1. Supporting details: Not only were the Arab’s the first to cultivate coffee, but they also were the first to trade coffee. 2. By the 16th century, the popularity of coffee was already expanding and Persia, Egypt, Syria and Turkey all had discovered about the amazing beverage. B. Sub-point: By the 17th century coffee was still gaining notoriety around the world, however it was still not a household favorite as it as today. 1. Supporting Details: Coffee houses started sprouting up everywhere in the 1700’s, however tea was still the most popular drink around. 2. In 1773 a heavy tax on tea was inflicted by King George, which led to a pretty famous revolt called The Boston Tea Party. 3. Since people couldn’t afford tea after the tax, coffee quickly took over as the most popular morning beverage across the world, and remains the most popular today. [Although coffee has been drank for hundreds of years, the majority of its health benefits have only recently been discovered in the last few decades. ] II. Main Point: The majority of people drink coffee just to get through each day, however it does have many positive benefits to your health. A. Sub-point: Within just the last few years alone there has been research done showing that coffee may protect against type 2 diabetes, liver cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. 1. Supporting details: According the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, liver cancer is the ninth leading cause of cancer and coffee has been shown to reduce risk of liver cancer by 40%. 2. Drinking coffee reduces the risk of diabetes as well, which is a common risk factor of liver cancer. B. Sub-point: One of the other medical uses of coffee is in preventing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. 1. Supporting details: The most common neurodegenerative disease and number 1 cause of dementia is Alzheimer’s. 2. There is no cure for Alzheimer’s, however it has been shown that coffee drinkers have up to a 65% lower risk of getting the disease. [You might be thinking coffee is a miracle drink after some of those statistics, however it also has many negative effects on health as well. ] III. Main Point: There are a great deal of health issues that can result from drinking coffee, with some of the most common being addiction, insomnia and increased blood pressure. A. Sub-point: As a college student, one of the last things you will ever want to experience is insomnia, but it is a regular side effect of coffee. 1. Supporting details: By blocking certain receptors in the brain, coffee prevents chemicals that induce sleep from being used. B. Sub-point: Another widely studied effect of coffee, specifically caffeine, is how addictive it is. 1. Supporting details: Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system and regular use will result in a physical dependence. 2. If a regular coffee drinker doesn’t have their daily cup, they will feel fatigued, irritable, and experience headaches within the first 24 hours. Conclusion 1. Transition Signal: In conclusion, coffee isn’t for everyone but if you do choose to consume it, you at least now know how it affects you. 2. Summary of Main Points: Throughout this speech we looked at how coffee first gained popularity in the human race, some of it’s positive health benefits as well as some of the negatives. 3. Call to Action: Even if you’ve never been a fan of coffee, try drinking a cup before your next study session and see if you still don’t like it. 4. Memorable end: Although it may be addicting and cause serious potential health problems, there must be something special about coffee considering over half of adults in the U. S. drink it daily. References: 1) Coffee Acts Just like Cocaine, Says Scientist. BeverageDaily. com. Beverage Daily, 02 Sept. 2002. Web. 12 Nov. 2014. 2) Goldschein, Eric. 11 Incredible Facts About The Global Coffee Industry. Business Insider. Business Insider, Inc, 14 Nov. 2011. Web. 12 Nov. 2014. 3) Gunnars, Kris. 13 Proven Health Benefits of Coffee Authority Nutrition. N. p. , n. d. Web. 12 Nov. 2014. 4) The History Of Coffee. National Coffee Association. NCA, n. d. Web. 12 Nov. 2014. 5) Stromberg, Joseph. This Is How Your Brain Becomes Addicted to Caffeine. Smithsonian. N. p. , 9 Aug. 2013. Web. 11 Nov. 2014. 6) Van Dam, Rob. Ask the Expert: Coffee and Health. The Nutrition Source. Harvard School of Public Health, n. d. Web. 09 Nov. 2014. 7) Weber, Belinda. Coffee Consumption Cuts Liver Cancer Risk. Medical News Today. MediLexicon International, 22 Oct. 2013. Web. 12 Nov. 2014.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Effects Of Toxic Pollutants On Food Chains Environmental Sciences Essay

Effects Of Toxic Pollutants On Food Chains Environmental Sciences Essay When a factory pours harmful chemicals or wastes into the air or water, when oil leaks from a burning oilrig or when a tanker runs aground, and when a farmer puts pesticides or fertilizers on a field to increase crop yield, it is said that these things pollute the environment. Pollution can take many forms. Its effects can have a major impact on food chains both in the water and on the land.  Ã‚  Everything from plants to animals, large and small is impacted. Pollutants like oil, pesticides, fertilizers such as nitrogen and phosphate from fertilizers, and lead can have a tremendous impact on the ecosystem, especially if the water gets polluted. Effects of Toxic Pollutants on Food Chains An ecosystem can be defined, as a self-contained, dynamic system made of a population of species in its physical environment. The study a community is complex and includes the interactions between the organisms that make it up, and include: plants, animals, bacteria, and fungi. There are many different ways in which the community of organisms interacts. First is the food chain, where each organism is in a producer, consumer, predator, and prey relationship (Smith, Walker, et al). Next are the oxygen and water cycles that sustain the organisms. They provide the raw materials necessary for photosynthesis and cellular respiration, which make energy, and in turn, use it. When an ecosystem gets polluted, the natural balance in the system is disturbed, affecting the organisms in different ways. It is important to know how a simple act like introducing sewage water or toxic waste into a lake can threaten several animal and plants species in the area. Pollutants like oil, pesticides, nitrogen and phosphate from fertilizers and lead can have a tremendous impact on the ecosystem, especially if the water gets polluted. In a lake, for example, it can change the ecological balance by stimulating plant and algae growth, causing the death of fish due to suffocation from the lack of oxygen dissolved in the water. The oxygen cycle will eventually stop. The polluted water will also have a significant affect the animals dependant on the lake water. With no food to eat, or water to drink, they will be forced to move to another area, or face death. Both the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 and the Exxon Valdez Spill in Alaska in 1989 caused significant damage to marine and wildlife habitats. In the Gulf of Mexico, it is reported that balls of oil continue to wash up along the shore, while dredging has shown mats of oil resting on the ocean floor, and oil sheen trails are still seen in the wake of fishing boats (CBS). Wetlands marsh grass remains fouled and dying, and oil can be seen in the pore space of sand and gravel deposits along the estuary edges of the Gulf. Although there was an extensive use skimmer ships, containment booms, raking of beaches and chemical and biological remediation (by introducing oil eating bacteria to eat the oil), the dispersion of the pollutants seems to have had minimal effect. In the short term, after several months, the fishing industry was allowed to resume operations (although in some areas, oil balls are found in the fishing nets). It is, however, too soon to know what the long terms effects will be. In Prince William Sound, Alaska, the use of a detergent dispersant had little effect and was stopped when it was found to be toxic to the cleanup workers and native wildlife. Wave action, which is important to disperse the oil in the water, was not enough, and the process was stopped (MacAskill). Attempts to burn the oil away, on a small scale, were successful, but had to be stopped when the weather changed. Ecosystems here form the basis of the coastal food chains. Animal life impacted by the spill included aquatic mammals, fish, birds as well as their related food chains. In the short term, hundreds of thousands of mid- and upper-level food chain animals were impacted, along with future generations (the eggs laid by salmon), for example, and in the long-term, scientists are still seeing contamination which has lead to a drastic reduction in populations across the board (Gill Elliott). Living in upstate New York, the use of nitrogen- and phosphorus-based fertilizers to increase cro p yield are commonplace. The chemicals and nutrients found in them, while beneficial for agricultural crops can be lethal in high doses for fish, birds and other wildlife. Pesticides, designed to kill pests chemically, are also dangerous when leached into soil or groundwater supplies. Heavy amounts of fertilizer chemicals like potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus in natural water systems can actually cause dead zones where wildlife cannot survive because of lower oxygen levels and chemical poisoning. Insects and organisms like honeybees and soil microbes that are beneficial to the food chain can be killed alongside the pests, eliminating that part of the ecosystem that is beneficial to crop health and sustainability. Nitrate (NO3) is a naturally occurring form of nitrogen found in soil. Nitrogen is essential to all life, and most crop plants require large quantities to sustain high yields. The formation of nitrates is an integral part of the nitrogen cycle in the environment. In moder ate amounts, they are a harmless constituent of food and water. Plants use nitrates from the soil to satisfy nutrient requirements and may accumulate nitrates in their leaves and stems (Relyea). Due to its high mobility, nitrates can also leach into groundwater, where ingestion can cause rare illness such as methemoglobinemia (found especially in infants) to occur. Nitrates form when microorganisms break down fertilizers, decaying plants, manures or other organic residues. Plants naturally take up these nitrates, but rain and irrigation water can cause them to runoff into lakes or streams, or leach them into groundwater. Although nitrate occurs naturally in some groundwater, in most cases higher levels are thought to result from human activities (Relyea). Common sources of nitrate include: fertilizers and manure, animal feedlots, municipal waste and sludge, septic systems and natural nitrogen fixation conducted by legumes, bacteria, and lightning. Nitrates that enter the food chain through non-natural means can have serious, and sometimes long-lasting effects on both plants and animals. Cattle and sheep (ruminants) are susceptible to nitrate poisoning when they drink contaminated water, animal feed or fodder. To protect drinking water, it is important to limit the loss of excess water and plant nutrients, and match fertilizer and irrigation applications to precise crop uptake needs in order to minimize groundwater contamination. While it may be technically possible to treat contaminated groundwater, it can be difficult, expensive and not totally effective. For this reason, prevention is the best way to ensure clean water. Water treatments include distillation, reverse osmosis, ion exchange or blending. Phosphorus is another common constituent of agricultural fertilizers, manure, and organic wastes in sewage and industrial effluent. It is an essential element for plant life, but when there is too much of it in water, it can spe ed up eutrophication (a reduction in dissolved oxygen in water bodies caused by an increase of mineral and organic nutrients) of rivers and lakes. Soil erosion is a major contributor of phosphorus to streams. Bank erosion occurring during floods can transport a lot of phosphorous from the riverbanks and adjacent land into a stream. It gets into water in both urban and agricultural settings, tends to attach to soil particles and, moves into surface-water bodies from runoff. A United States Coast and Geological Survey (USGS) study on Cape Cod, Massachusetts showed that phosphorus could also migrate with ground-water flows (Perlman). Since ground water often discharges into surface water, such as through stream banks into rivers, there is a concern about phosphorus concentrations in ground water affecting the water quality of surface water. Pesticides are substances or a mixture of substances, of chemical or biological origin, used by human society to eliminate or repel pests such as bacteria, nematodes, insects, mites, mollusks, birds, rodents, and other organisms that affect food production or human health (Pimentel). They usually act by disrupting some component of the pests life processes to kill or inactivate it. In a legal context, pesticides also include substances such as insect attractants, herbicides, plant defoliants, desiccants, and plant growth regulators. They can have an effect on both the water and soil. These pollutants have had some of their most striking effects on birds, particularly those in the higher trophic levels of food chains, such as bald eagles, hawks, and owls. These birds are often rare, endangered, and susceptible to pesticide residues such as those occurring from the bioconcentration (the amount of solute per unit volume of solution) of organic, chlorine-based insecticides through land-b ased food chains. Pesticides may kill grain- and plant-feeding birds, and the elimination of many rare species of ducks and geese has been reported. Populations of insect-eating birds such as partridges, grouse, and pheasants have decreased due to the loss of their insect food in agricultural fields through the use of insecticides. Bees are extremely important in the pollination of crops and wild plants, and although pesticides are screened for toxicity to bees, and the use of pesticides toxic to bees is permitted only under stringent conditions, many bees are killed by pesticides, resulting in the considerably reduced yield of crops dependent on bee pollination. The movement of pesticides into surface and groundwater happens through the processes of infiltration (when water sinks into unsaturated layers of soil) and runoff. Wildlife is affected, and human drinking water is sometimes contaminated beyond acceptable safety levels. In Beekman, New York, pesticides used to kill an infes tation of insects in a public school lead to the contamination of the village water supply when it leached into the reservoir. Sediments dredged from U.S. waterways are often so heavily contaminated by pesticide residues that it becomes hard to safely dispose of them on land. A major environmental impact has been the widespread death of fish and marine invertebrates due to the contamination of aquatic systems by pesticides. This has resulted from the agricultural contamination of waterways through fallout, drainage, or runoff erosion, and from the discharge of industrial wastes into waterways. Historically, most of the fish in Europes Rhine River were killed by the discharge of pesticides, and at one time fish populations in the Great Lakes became very low due to pesticide contamination (Smith). Many of the organisms that provide food for fish are extremely susceptible to pesticides, so the indirect effects of pesticides on the fish food supply may have an even greater effect on fis h populations. It is evident that pesticides cause major losses in global fish production, as they are extremely toxic to aquatic organisms. The literature on pest control lists many examples of new pest species that have developed when their natural enemies are killed by pesticides. This has created a further dependence on pesticides not very different from drug dependence. Finally, the effects of pesticides on the biodiversity of plants and animals in agricultural landscapes, whether caused directly or indirectly by pesticides, constitute a major adverse environmental impact of pesticides. Conclusion As chemicals diffuse up through the food chain, the top-level predators end up with the highest concentration of the chemicals in their bodies, and suffer the worst effects. They can have a major impact on all levels of the food chain. Excessive levels of pollution are causing a lot of damage to human and animal health, plants and trees, including tropical rainforests, as well as the wider environment. All types of pollution, air, water and soil, have an impact on the living environment. The effects in living organisms may range from mild discomfort to serious diseases such as cancer or physical deformities (extra or missing limbs in frogs). Experts admit that pollution effects are quite often underestimated and that more research is needed to understand the connections between pollution and its effects on all life forms. Waterborne diseases caused by polluted water can include: typhoid, amoebiasis, giardiasis, scariasis, hookworm, rashes, ear ache, pink eye, respiratory infections, hepatitis, encephalitis, gastroenteritis, diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach aches. Conditions related to water polluted by chemicals (such as pesticides, hydrocarbons, persistent organic pollutants, heavy metals etc) can include: cancer (prostate cancer and non-Hodgkins lymphoma), hormonal problems that can disrupt reproductive and developmental processes, damage to the nervous system, liver and kidney damage, damage to the DNA, and exposure to mercury (heavy metal). Soil pollution has many effects, as well, including: cancer, and leukemia. Lead in soil is especially hazardous for young children causing developmental damage to the brain. Mercury can increase the risk of kidney damage; cyclodienes (an organic insecticide) can lead to liver toxicity. Other effects can include neuromuscular blockage, depression of the central nervous system, headaches, nausea, fatigue, eye irritation and skin rash. Research Gill, C.  Ã‚   Elliott, J.   (2003). Influence of Food Supply and Chlorinated Hydrocarbon Contaminants on Breeding Success of Bald Eagles.   Ecotoxicology,  12(1-4),  95- 111.   Retrieved April 9, 2011, from ProQuest Biology Journals. (Document ID:  404134371). Gulf Oil Slick Endangering Ecology. CBS Broadcasting [written transcript]. 2010-04-30. http://wcco.com/video/?id=78277. Retrieved April 9, 2011, from ProQuest Biology Journals. MacAskill, E. (February 2, 2007). 18 years on, Exxon Valdez oil still pours into Alaskan waters, The Guardian. http://environment.guardian.co.uk/waste/story/0,,2004154,00.html. Retrieved April 9, 2011, from ProQuest Biology Journals. Perlman, H. (February, 2011). U.S. Department of the Interior. U.S. Geologic Survey. http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/urbanpho.html. Retrieved April 9, 2011, from ProQuest Biology Journals. Pimentel, D., Lehman, H., eds. (1993). The Pesticide Question: Environment, Economics, and Ethics. New York: Chapman and Hall. Relyea,  R.   (2009). A cocktail of contaminants: how mixtures of pesticides at low concentrations affect aquatic communities. Oecologia,   159(2),  363-76.   Retrieved April 9, 2011, from ProQuest Biology Journals. (Document ID:  2021561771). Self, J. Waskom, R. (October, 2008) Colorado State University Soils Testing. Colorado State University Press: Denver. Smith,  J.,  Walker,  L.,  Shore,  R.,  Le V Dit Durell,  S.,  Howe,  P.,  Ã‚  Taylor,  M.   (2009). Do estuaries pose a toxic contamination risk for wading birds?   Ecotoxicology,  18(7),  906-17.   Retrieved April 9, 2011, from ProQuest Biology Journals. (Document ID:  1847368111). Veerina, S.,   Parker, N   Fedler, C.   (2002). Effects of Sludge Filtrate on the Survival and Reproduction of Ceriodaphnia dubia.   Ecotoxicology,  11(2),  113-8.   Retrieved April 9, 2011, from ProQuest Biology Journals. (Document ID:  386223921).