Homo Religiosus by Karen Armstrong, p. 22-38 Essay

Homo Religiosus by Karen Armstrong, p. 22-38 - Essay Example It is fundamental to recognize that loss of self is alluring as per Armstrong’s contentions thus impacting homo religiosus. Right off the bat, Armstrong contends that loss of self is alluring since it empowered old social orders to accept and love icons in places of worship subsequently they know this is against God’s will. The antiquated society accepted that these mazes filled in as hallowed spots where they could play out a wide range of ceremonies. As indicated by some historians’ contentions, the motivation behind these mazes was commonly even minded (Armstrong 22). Regardless of how deed these mazes were, the loss of self empowered them to enter in spite of the fact that, it took bunches of our own to arrive at the deepest center. Be that as it may, loss of self appears to be attractive since these deepest centers were risky, uneconomical, debilitating, and tedious. The accord with the antiquated networks was that these sacrosanct caverns filled in as asylums, and like all sanctuaries, the caves’ iconography depicted a dream, which was amazingly not quite the same as the vision of the outside world (Armstrong 23). This indicated how loss of self was alluring. In spite of the fact that the antiquated practices were amazingly agonizing, troublesome, and even horrendous, their loss of self appeared to be attractive as this empowered them to include and rehearse some troublesome ceremonies, for example, that of trackers. Creature penance, for example, which filled in as the focal ritual with every strict society in times long past, depicted ancient chasing festivity and they kept on offering honor to a mammoth that gave up its life for mankind purpose (Armstrong 24). The primary points of rehearsing these customs were to infer a tension such that old society must go up against and assume responsibility for it. From the earliest starting point, this shows homo religiosus life was focused in the terrible realities that life endless supply of these animals. A portion of the

Philosophy assignment one Essay

Aristotle starts the investigation of legislative issues with the family unit and its parts as the pieces of the entire, the city, is formed. His conversation of the family gives three sorts of decide that is found in the family unit, ace over slave, spouse over wife and father over kid. Aristotle gives a scholarly and levelheaded intends to easy street and the best society, or legislative issues is self-ruling and independent, that is, it is a movement free of different circles of human undertaking, and in this way a circle having information and a strategy autonomous of different types of information. To Aristotle people group depends on reason. Along these lines, to Aristotle the polis and the logos are inseparably interlaced. The development or obtaining of property could be supposed to be inside dispute and inward difficulty, which esteems healthy to the force and development of Rome while regrets the hardship and factionalism that was an immediate reason adding to the fall of the republic. This weight on struggle and strife is noteworthy in that is shows that the inner clash over obtaining is changed into an outer clash for procurement. Aristotle’s perspective on society called the significant structure or the spirit of the human body was considered so that the individual apparently depended on the network for the fulfillment of its needs. Regular law frames the premise of all positive law, and at whatever point a positive legitimate specification repudiates this characteristic law, it loses its lawful legitimacy. It is conceivable to conclude target regular law, legitimate for humankind in general, from teleological moral fundamental rule. Aristotle protects legislative issues by thinking about whether individuals are common slaves and by repulsing the monetary view that all nature is the property of man. With property and cash in Aristotle’s supposition, nature does require and allow property, yet she doesn't expect people to gain numerous belongings for their monetary prosperity. She may, in any case, require and license the quest for another sort of riches in for all intents and purposes boundless amounts. The apparatuses, or riches, that individuals use are made sure about by the specialty of moneymaking. However, how people use riches and in this way somewhat the amount they use would appear to be dictated by the family unit director. So it is to some degree hazy in the case of moneymaking is appropriately equivalent to, a piece of, or an auxiliary of family unit the executives. Both the family unit and the city are appropriately worried about the ideal protection of people and their rulers probably get and utilize everything for that end. Nature has made everything for the utilization of individuals. We need as a lot of what moneymaking gives us as is important to life and for easy street made sure about in the family unit and the city. In the event that the things that people can have or utilize are of incredible assortment, as in fact they appear to be and on the off chance that it is the errand of moneymaking to mull over where helpful things and property originate from, at that point moneymaking must think about for all intents and purposes all of noticeable nature and look for its motivation or causes. Anyway helpful to financial matters and governmental issues moneymaking might be, the investigation of nature or common way of thinking, to which moneymaking gives rise may come back to its beginnings in financial matters. People can utilize their abilities to secure sustenance and the store of things valuable forever and easy street in different manners, nature appears to encourage their utilization of her assets. People and different creatures are supposed to have the option to acquire sustenance effortlessly and in any event, as per their decision. People can join different sustenances and the methods for securing them so as to live more charmingly. Among the flawlessly adequate keeps an eye on are theft, the utilization of every single second rate being in nature, and even war against obstinate inferiors. These methods are not in opposition to nature and don't add up to confiscation from a threatening nature. Nature appears to endorse these methods as important. When nature’s self-centeredness turns into very obvious a second sort of securing appears. Nature’s inability to ensure the independence of every individual requires trade. Despite the fact that not naturally, trade is as per nature, fir it serves her finish of protection. Genuine moneymaking rises sensibly from trade or bargain however becomes something other than what's expected. Trade, particularly with outsiders is encouraged by the innovation of cash. When its worth has been settled upon and implied by an impact all over, cash turns into the measure and standard for the estimation of the vital things exchanged. Cash and every single other thing come to be utilized to get more cash-flow and the age of cash from cash, or premium, gets equivalent to regular beginning. Moneymaking and commitment to cash, it shows up, are as boundless as the normal human wants forever and joy. Cash expect focal significance since it is thought to guarantee fulfillment of the first want for protection conveyed to its obvious end result, the longing for interminable satisfaction. Aristotle recognizes that the climax of moneymaking in usury is despised, yet he himself doesn't censure the boundless type of moneymaking. He even shows the specialty of exchange, a type of moneymaking. He does, in any case, fight that it is a blunder to liken cash with genuine riches. Locke battles that there is a characteristic law got from reason managing the relations of people in the normal condition. The law of nature contains three particular yet interrelated orders. Locke asserts that the ability to execute the regular law is each keeps an eye on, whereby every individual has the option to rebuff any individual who disregards the characteristic law by undermining one’s self-protection or hurting another in their life, freedom or assets. With respect to private property it includes both the unequivocal renunciation of property claims and verifiable acknowledgment of the balance of the private party to understandings. Locke may mean close to that any unequivocal concurrence with another in regards to one issue incorporates certain acknowledgment of the property uprightness of the different gatherings. Locke may expect an increasingly broad development of the importance of understood acknowledgment with the end goal that any unequivocal attestation of property honesty by one state creates a certainly renunciation by that condition of any property guarantee against some other. Locke expect that each individual must have property of its own.

5 Tips for Fellow First-Gen Students

5 Tips for Fellow First-Gen Students Starting college is always a transition we say were ready for … but really arent. When youre a first-generation college student, this transition is made a little more difficult. Without our parents prior knowledge and experience, its like the blind leading the blind. A first-generation college student is far more than just someone who is the first in his or her family to go to college. Being a first-generation college student means having to figure it out on your own. When I was getting ready to apply for college, scholarships, and FAFSA, I either had to look for outside help or figure it out on my own. I had no family to go to for help because they were as clueless as I was. However, the admissions staff at the University of Illinois never allowed me to feel like I was alone through this process. They helped me through every step, and answered every question I had (… and I had a lot of them). Here are 5 tips that helped me through my college application process as a first-generation student: Prepare academically throughout high school. It’s easy to just take the bare minimum to graduate, but in order to truly enhance your application, take a look at the requirements of the university you are interested in. If you’ve met their requirements/taken more than they require, these courses will look impressive to college admissions committees, they’ll give you a breadth of knowledge, and an idea of what you might enjoy studying in the future. Consider careers that you may be interested in. Once you have an idea, make sure you check to see if the university you are interested in offers that specific major. Find someone to guide you through the application process. The paperwork, research, and deadlines involved in the college application process are not easy. High school counselors are a great resource to use as you prepare to go to college. However, when you are narrowing down schools, it might also be a good idea to reach out to admissions counselors at the university to discuss any questions you may have. Consider cost. Start applying for scholarships early. Scholarship amounts vary, but it’s important that you don’t ignore scholarships in the $200 to $1,000 range. These small amounts may not seem like much, but you’ll thank yourself when that scholarship pays for a textbook or two. It might also help to get a part-time job during your senior year to help save up for college and to help pay for a few additional expenses. Do your research! I can’t stress this enough. Although I fell in love with the University of Illinois the first time I visited, I had done my research prior to visiting. I knew about the majors they had to offer, the different organizations, helpful resources, etc. Related to research, I recommend visiting the universities that interest you before applying AND after getting accepted to make sure which is the right place for you. I had multiple friends who didn’t visit before applying to schools; once they were accepted, they visited and realized they weren’t too fond of that particular university. This can be financially overwhelming when application fees can range anywhere from $30 to $150 and you dont even end up liking the school. Being a first-generation student comes with struggles, but it is a beautiful thing. We come from many generations where no one has gone to college, and being the first is an honor. There is pride to be taken in being a FG, take it from me. The road isnt easy; it’s hard to be on your own during such an important time in your life. But the effort is well paid off. So, to my fellow first-generation college students, congratulations. You’re doing an incredible job. Just making it this far is incredible. If you’re struggling, that’s okay. You are strong and intelligent, and you can do this! I am so proud of you; everyone who is watching you go through this process is proud of you. Don’t forget, the admissions staff members will become your best friends throughout this whole process. Don’t be afraid to reach out! Nisha Class of 2022 The first time I visited Illinois, I knew that it was the school for me! I am on the pre-med track, majoring in Psychology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Where Is Bactria and What Is Its History

Bactria is an ancient region of Central Asia, between the Hindu Kush Mountain range and the Oxus River (today generally called the Amu Darya River). In more recent times, the region also goes by the name Balkh, after one of the tributary rivers of the Amu Darya. Historically often a unified region, Bactria now is divided among many Central Asian nations: Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan, plus a sliver of what is now Pakistan. Two of its significant cities that are still important today are Samarkand (in Uzbekistan) and Kunduz (in northern Afghanistan). Brief History of Bactria Archaeological evidence and early Greek accounts indicate that the area east of Persia and northwest of India has been home to organized empires since at least 2,500 BCE, and possibly much longer. The great philosopher Zoroaster or Zarathustra is said to have come from Bactria. Scholars have long debated when the historical personage of Zoroaster lived, with some proponents claiming a date as early as 10,000 BCE, but this is all speculative. In any event, his beliefs form the basis for Zoroastrianism, which strongly influenced the later monotheistic religions of southwest Asia (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam). In the sixth century BCE, Cyrus the Great conquered Bactria and added it to the Persian or Achaemenid Empire. When Darius III fell to Alexander the Great in the Battle of Gaugamela (Arbela), in 331 BCE, Bactria was thrown into chaos. Due to strong local resistance, it took the Greek army two years to put down the Bactrian insurgency, but their power was tenuous at best. Alexander the Great died in 323 BCE, and Bactria became part of his general Seleucuss satrapy. Seleucus and his descendants governed the Seleucid Empire in Persia and Bactria until 255 BCE. At that time, the satrap Diodotus declared independence and founded the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom, which covered the area south of the Caspian Sea, up to the Aral Sea, and east to the Hindu Kush and the Pamir Mountains. This large empire did not last long, however, being conquered first by the Scythians (around 125 BCE) and then by the Kushans (Yuezhi). The Kushan Empire The Kushan Empire itself lasted only from the 1st to 3rd centuries CE, but under the Kushan emperors, its power spread from Bactria into the whole of northern India. At this time, Buddhist beliefs mingled with the earlier amalgam of Zoroastrian and Hellenistic religious practices common in the area. Another name for the Kushan-controlled Bactria was Tokharistan, because the Indo-European Yuezhi were also called the Tocharians. The Sassanid Empire of Persia under Ardashir I conquered Bactria from the Kushans around 225 CE and ruled the area until 651. In succession, the area was conquered by the Turks, Arabs, Mongols, Timurids, and eventually, in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Tsarist Russia. Because of its key position astride the overland Silk Road, and as a central hub between the great imperial areas of China, India, Persia and the Mediterranean world, Bactria has long been prone to conquest and contestation. Today, what was once called Bactria forms much of the Stans, and is once more valued for its reserves of oil and natural gas, as well as for its potential as an ally of either moderate Islam or Islamic fundamentalism. In other words, watch out for Bactria - it has never been a quiet region! Pronunciation: BACK-tree-uh Also Known As: Bukhdi, Pukhti, Balk, Balhk Alternate Spellings: Bakhtar, Bactriana, Pakhtar, Bactra Examples: One of the most important modes of transport along the Silk Road was the Bactrian or two-humped camel, which takes its name from the region of Bactria in Central Asia.

Comparing Aristotle s The Play Antigone - 1066 Words

Aristotle believed that â€Å"good literature† was composed of 6 different elements. These elements include plot, character, thought, diction, melody, and spectacle. Of these 6 elements he believed plot was the most important followed by character. Aristotle defined plot as the story or action of the play. He defined character as all of the qualities readers associate with different individuals in the play. He said that thought was the process in which characters come to decisions. It’s essentially the process of reasoning that leads a character to do something. Aristotle defined diction as the composition of the lines spoken. He said melody referred to the vocal compositions integrated into the performance. Lastly, he defined spectacle as the costuming, scenery, and all other visual aspects within the play. Aristotle believed that it took all of these elements to create a good piece of literature. The play Antigone by Sophocles contains all of Aristotle†™s poetics in one way or another. This review will focus on the elements of plot, character, and melody. Aristotle says that a plot is essential to any story, so of course it must be reviewed. The plot of a Greek tragedy typically has a certain structure. The structure is made up of 5 parts; the prologue, the parode, the episode, the stasimon, and the exode. The prologue is where the tragedy’s topic is introduced. This is also the beginning of the play. The parode is the entry chant of the chorus. The episodeShow MoreRelatedOedipus Rex Vs. Antigone1417 Words   |  6 PagesComparative Essay 11-20-01 Oedipus Rex Antigone It is only natural that an author use similar vessels of literature, such as figurative language, literary devices, and elements in his/her work. It is even more apparent between works that are connected by character, time, and theme. Sophocles did this when he wrote Oedipus Rex and Antigone. When comparing the two pieces, it becomes evident that very similar vessels connected these very different plays. Sophocles uses a specific type of figurativeRead Moretheme of alienation n no where man by kamala markandeya23279 Words   |  94 Pagesï » ¿ANTIGONE KEY LITERARY ELEMENTS SETTING This tragedy is set against the background of the Oedipus legend. It illustrates how the curse on the House of Labdacus (who is the grandson of Cadmus, founder of Thebes, and the father of Laius, whose son is Oedipus) brought about the deaths of Oedipus and his wife-mother, Jocasta, as well as the double fratricide of Eteocles and Polynices. Furthermore, Antigone dies after defying King Creon. The play is set in Thebes, a powerful city-state north of

Biodiversity Profile of India Free Essays

Biodiversity Profile of India Dr. Md. Sabir Hussain Associate Professor Geography and Major Biomes India occupies 7th position in the world in terms of size and Asia’s second largest nation with an area of 3,287,263 square km. We will write a custom essay sample on Biodiversity Profile of India or any similar topic only for you Order Now The Indian mainland stretches from 8 4†² to 37 6†² N latitude and from 68 7†² to 97 25†² E longitude. It has a land frontier of some 15,200 kms and a coastline of 7,516 km (Government of India, 1985). India’s northern frontiers are with Xizang (Tibet) in the Peoples Republic of China, Nepal and Bhutan.In the north-west, India borders on Pakistan; in the north-east, China and Burma; and in the east, Burma. The southern peninsula extends into the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean with the Bay of Bengal lying to the south-east and the Arabian Sea to the south-west. For administrative purposes India is divided into 24 states and 7 union territories. The country is home to around 846 million people, about 16% of the World’s population (1990 figures). Summary data for India are given.Physically the massive country is divided into four relatively well defined regions – the Himalayan Mountains, the Genetic river plains, the southern (Deccan) plateau, and the islands of Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar. The Himalayas in the far north include some of the highest peaks in the world. The highest mountain in the Indian Himalayas is Kanchenjunga (8586 m) which is located in Sikkim on the border with Nepal. To the south of the main Himalayan massif laid the Lesser Himalaya, rising to 3,600- 4,600 m, and represented by the Pir Panjal in Kashmir and Dhaula dhar in Himachal Pradesh.Further south, flanking the Indo-Gangetic Plain, are the Siwaliks which rise to 900-1,500 m. The northern plains of India stretch from Assam in the east to the Punjab in the west (a distance of 2,400 km), extending south to terminate in the saline swamplands of the Rann of Kachchh (Kutch), in the state of Gujarat. Some of the largest rivers in India including the Ganga (Ganges), Ghaghara, Brahmaputra, and the Yamuna flow across this region. The delta area of these rivers is located at the head of the Bay of Bengal, partly in the Indian tate of west Bengal but mostly in Bangladesh. The plains are remarkably homogenous topographically: for hundreds of kilometres the only perceptible relief is formed by floodplain bluffs, minor natural levees and hollows known as ‘spill patterns’, and the belts of ravines formed by gully erosion along some of the larger rivers. In this zone, variation in relief does not exceed 300 m (FAO/UNEP, 1981) but the uniform flatness conceals a great deal of pedological variety.The agriculturally productive alluvial silts and clays of the G anga-Brahmaputra delta in north-eastern India, for example, contrast strongly with the comparatively sterile sands of the Thar Desert which is located at the western extremity of the Indian part of the plains in the state of Rajasthan. The climate of India is dominated by the Asiatic monsoon, most importantly by rains from the south-west between June and October, and drier winds from the north between December and February. From March to May the climate is dry and hot. Wetlands India has a rich variety of wetland habitats.The total area of wetlands (excluding rivers) in India is 58,286,000ha, or 18. 4% of the country, 70% of which comprises areas under paddy cultivation. A total of 1,193 wetlands, covering an area of about 3,904,543 ha, were recorded in a preliminary inventory coordinated by the Department of Science and Technology, of which 572 were natural (Scott, 1989). India most important wetland areas are shown in. Two sites – Chilka Lake (Orissa) and Keoladeo National Park (Bharatpur) – have been designated under the Convention of Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Convention) as being especially significant waterfowl habitats. The country’s wetlands are generally differentiated by region into eight categories (Scott, 1989): the reservoirs of the Deccan Plateau in the south, together with the lagoons and the other wetlands of the southern west coast; the vast saline expanses of Rajasthan, Gujarat and the gulf of Kachchh; freshwater lakes and reservoirs from Gujarat eastwards through Rajasthan (Kaeoladeo Ghana National park) and Madhya Pradesh; the delta wetlands and lagoons of India’s east coast (Chilka Lake); the freshwater marshes of the Gangetic Plain; the floodplain of the Brahmaputra; the marshes and swamps in the hills of north-east India and theHimalayan foothills; the lakes and rivers of the montane region of Kashmir and Ladakh; and the mangroves and other wetlands of the island arcs of the Andamans and Nicobars. Forests India possesses a distinct identity, not only because of its geography, history and culture but also because of the great diversity of its natural ecosystems. The pano rama of Indian forests ranges from evergreen tropical rain forests in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Western Ghats, and the north-eastern states, to dry alpine scrub high in the Himalaya to the north.Between the two extremes, the country has semi-evergreen rain forests, deciduous monsoon forests, thorn forests, subtropical pine forests in the lower mountain zone and temperate mountain forests (Lal, 1989). The distribution of the major evergreen forest formations of the region are depicted in. One of the most important tropical forests classifications was developed for Greater India (Champion, 1936) and later republished for present-day India (Champion and Seth, 1968). This approach has proved to have wide application outside India. In it 16 major forests types are recognised, subdivided into 221 minor types. Structure, physiognomy and floristics are all used as characters to define the types. The main areas of tropical forest are found in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands; the Western Ghats, which fringe the Arabian Sea coastline of peninsular India; and the greater Assam region in the north-east. Small remnants of rain forest are found in Orissa state. Semi-evergreen rain forest is more extensive than the evergreen formation partly because evergreen forests tend to degrade to semi-evergreen with human interference.There are substantial differences in both the flora and fauna between the three major rain forest regions (IUCN, 1986; Rodges and Panwar, 1988). The Western Ghats Monsoon forests occur both on the western (coastal) margins of the ghats and on the eastern side where there is less rainfall, shows the distribution of forest in Kerala State, which contains part of the Western Ghats range. These forests contain several tree species of great commercial significance (e. g.Indian rosewood Dalbergia latifolia, Malabar Kino Pterocarpus marsupium, teak and Terminalia crenulata), but they have now been cleared from many areas. In the rain forests there is an enormous number of tree species. At least 60 percent of the trees of the upper canopy are of species which individually contribute not more than one percent of the total number. Clumps of bamboo occur along streams or in poorly drained hollows throughout the evergreen and semi-evergreen forests of south-west India, probably in areas once cleared for shifting agriculture.The tropical vegetation of north-east India (which includes the states of Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Meghalaya as well as the plain regions of Arunachal Pradesh) typically occurs at elevations up to 900 m. It embraces evergreen and semi-evergreen rain forests, moist deciduous monsoon forests, riparian forests, swamps and grasslands. Evergreen rain forests are found in the Assam Valley, the foothills of the eastern Himalayas and the lower parts of the Naga Hills, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Manipur where the rain fall exceeds 2300 mm per annum.In the Assam Valley the giant Dipterocarpus macrocarpus and Shorea assamica occur singly, occasionally attaining a girth of up to 7 m and a height of up to 50 m. The monsoon forests are mainly moist sal Shorea robusta forests, which occur widely in this region (IUCN, 1991). The Andamans and Nicobar islands have tropical evergreen rain forests and tropical semi-evergreen rainforests as well as tropical monsoon moist monsoon forests (IUCN, 1986). The tropical evergreen rain forest is only slightly less grand in stature and rich in species than on the mainland.The dominant species is Dipterocarpus grandiflorus in hilly areas, while Dipterocarpus kerrii is dominant on some islands in the southern parts of the archipelago. The monsoon forests of the Andamans are dominated by Pterocarpus dalbergioides and Terminalia spp. Marine Environment The nearshore coastal waters of India are extremely rich fishing grounds. The total commercial marine catch for India has stabilised over the last ten years at between 1. 4 and 1. 6 million tonnes, with fishes from the clupeoid group (e. g. sardines Sardinella sp. , Indian shad Hilsa sp. and whitebait Stolephorus sp. accounting for approximately 30% of all landings. In 1981 it was estimated that there were approximately 180,000 non-mechanised boats (about 90% of India’s fishing fleet) carrying out small-scale, subsistence fishing activities in these waters. At the same time there were about 20,000 mechanised boats and 75 deep-sea fishing vessels operating mainly out of ports in the states of Maharashtra, Kerala, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Coral reefs occur along only a few sections of the mainland, principally the Gulf of Kutch, off the southern mainland coast, and around a number of islands opposite Sri Lanka.This general absence is due largely to the presence of major river systems and the sedimentary regime on the continental shelf. Elsewhere, corals are also found in Andaman, Nicobar, and Lakshadweep Island groups although their diversity is reported to be lower than in south-east India (UNEP/IUCN, 1988). Indian coral reefs have a wide range of resources which are of commercial value. Exploitation of corals, coral debris and coral sands is widespread on the Gulf of Mannar and Gulf of Kutch reefs, while ornamental shells, chanks and pearl oysters are the basis of an important reef industry in the south of India.Sea fans and seaweeds are exported for decorative purposes, and there is a spiny lobster fishing industry along the south-east coast, notably at Tuticorin, Madras and Mandapam Commercial exploitation of aquarium fishes from Indian coral reefs has gained importance only recently and as yet no organised effort has been made to exploit these resources. Reef fisheries are generally at the subsistence level and yields are unrecorded. Other notable marine areas are sea grass beds, which although not directly e xploited are valuable as habitats for commercially harvested species, particularly prawns, and mangrove stands.In the Gulf of Mannar the green tiger prawn Penaeus semisulcatus is extensively harvested for the export market. Sea grass beds are also important feeding areas for the dugong Dugong dugon, plus several species of marine turtle. Five species of marine turtle occur in Indian waters: Green turtle Chelonia mydas, Loggerhead Caretta caretta, Olive Ridley Lepidochelys olivacea, Hawksbill Eretmochelys imbricata and Leatherback Dermochelys coriacea. Most of the marine turtle populations found in the Indian region are in decline.The principal reason for the decrease in numbers is deliberate human predation. Turtles are netted and speared along the entire Indian coast. In south-east India the annual catch is estimated at 4,000-5,000 animals, with C. mydas accounting for about 70% of the harvest. C. caretta and L. olivacea are the most widely consumed species (Salm, 1981). E. imbricata is occasionally eaten but it has caused deaths and so is usually caught for its shell alone. D. coriacea is boiled for its oil which is used for caulking boats and as protection from marine borers. Incidental netting is widespread.In the Gulf of Mannar turtles are still reasonably common near seagrass beds where shrimp trawlers operate, but off the coast of Bengal the growing number of mechanized fishing boats has had the effect of increasing incidental catch rates (Kar and Bhaskar, 1981), shows known turtle nesting areas in the Andaman Islands. Biodiversity Species Diversity India contains a great wealth of biological diversity in its forests, its wetlands and in its marine areas. This richness is shown in absolute numbers of species and the proportion they represent of the world total (see Table 1). Table 1.Comparison Between the Number of Species in India and the World. Group Number of species Number of species SI/SW in India (SI) in the world (SW) (%) ____________________________________________________________ _________ Mammals 350(1) 4,629(7) 7. 6 Birds 1224(2) 9,702(8) 12. 6 Reptiles 408(3) 6,550(9) 6. 2 Amphibians 197(4) 4,522(10) 4. 4 Fishes 2546(5) 21,730(11) 11. Flowering Plants 15,000(6) 250,000(12) 6. 0 ____________________________________________________________ _________ Table 1 India has a great many scientific institutes and university departments interested in various aspects of biodiversity. A large number of scientists and technicians have been engaged in inventory, research, and monitoring. The general state of knowledge about the distribution and richness of the country’s biological resources is therefore fairly good. Inventories of birds, mammals, trees, fish and reptiles are moderately complete.Knowledge of special interest groups such as primates, pheasants, bovids, endemic birds, orchids, and so on, is steadily improving through collaboration of domestic scientists with those from overseas. The importance of these biological resources cannot be overestimated for the continued welfare of India population. Endemic Species India has many endemic plant and vertebrate species. Among plants, species endemism is estimated at 33% with c. 140 endemic genera but no endemic families (Botanical Survey of India, 1983). Areas rich in endemism are north-east India, the Western Ghats and the north-western and eastern Himalayas.A small pocket of local endemism also occurs in the Eastern Ghats (MacKinnon MacKinnon, 1986). The Gangetic plains are generally poor in endemics, while the Andaman and Nicobar Islands contribute at least 220 species to the endemic flora of India (Botanical Survey of India, 1983). WCMC’s Threatened Plants Unit (TPU) is in the preliminary stages of cataloguing the world’s centres of plant diversity; approximately 150 botanical sites worldwide are so far recognised as important for conservation action, but others are constantly being identified (IUCN, 1987).Five locations have so far been issued for India: the Agastyamalai Hills, Silent Valley and New Amarambalam Reserve and Periyar National Park (all in the Western Ghats), and the Eastern and Western Himalaya. The 396 known endemic higher vertebrate species identified by WCMC. Endemism among mammals and birds is r elatively low. Only 44 species of Indian mammal have a range that is confined entirely to within Indian territorial limits. Four endemic species of conservation significance occur in the Western Ghats.They are the Lion-tailed macaque Macaca silenus, Nilgiri leaf monkey Trachypithecus johni (locally better known as Nilgiri langur Presbytis johnii), Brown palm civet Paradoxurus jerdoni and Nilgiri tahr Hemitragus hylocrius. Only 55 bird species are endemic to India, with distributions concentrated in areas of high rainfall. These areas, mapped by Birdlife International (formerly the International Council for Bird Preservation) are shown in. They are located mainly in eastern India along the mountain chains where the monsoon shadow occurs, south-west India (the Western Ghats), and the Nicobar and Andaman Islands (ICBP, 1992).In contrast, endemism in the Indian reptilian and amphibian fauna is high. There are around 187 endemic reptiles, and 110 endemic amphibian species. Eight amphibian genera are not found outside India. They include, among the caecilians, Indotyphlus, Gegeneophis and Uraeotyphlus; and among the anurans, the toad Bufoides, the microhylid Melanobatrachus, and the frogs Ranixalus, Nannobatrachus and Nyctibatrachus. Perhaps most notable among the endemic amphibian genera is the monotypic Melanobatrachus which has a single species known only from a few specimens collected in the Anaimalai Hills in the 1870s (Groombridge, 1983).It is possibly most closely related to two relict genera found in the mountains of eastern Tanzania. Threatened Species India contains 172 species of animal considered globally threatened by IUCN, or 2. 9% of the world’s total number of threatened species (Groombridge, 1993). These include 53 species of mammal, 69 birds, 23 reptiles and 3 amphibians. A full list of these species is given in. India contains globally important populations of some of Asia’s rarest animals, such as the Bengal Fox, Asiatic Cheetah, Marbled Cat, Asiatic Lion, Indian Elephant, Asiatic Wild Ass, Indian Rhinoceros, Markhor, Gaur, Wild Asiatic Water Buffalo etc.The number of species in various taxa that are listed under the different categories of endangerment is shown below in Table 2. Table 2. Globally Threatened Animals Occurring in India by status Category. Group 1994 IUCN Red List Threat Category Endangered Vulnerable Rare Indeterminate Insufficiently TOTAL Known ____________________________________________________________ __________________________________Mammals 13 20 2 5 13 53 Birds 6 20 25 13 5 69 Reptiles 6 6 4 5 2 23 Amphibians 0 0 0 3 0 3 Fishes 0 0 2 0 0 2 Invertebrates 1 3 12 2 4 22 ____________________________________________________________ _________________ _______________ TOTAL 26 49 45 28 24 172 Source: Groombridge, B. (ed). 1993. The 1994 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. lvi + 286 pp. A workshop held in 1982 indicated that as many as 3,000-4,000 higher plants may be under a degree of threat in India.Since then, the Project on Study, Survey and conservation of Endangered species of Flora (POSSCEP) has partially documented these plants, and published its findings in Red Data Books (Nayar and Sastry, 1987, Table 3 provides summary statistics for this information. Table 3. Summary of Plant conservation status Information at WCMC. IUCN Threat category Number of species _____________________________________________ Extinct 19 Extinct/Endangered 43 Endangered 149Endangered/Vulnerable 2 Vulnerable 108 Rare 256 Indeterminate 719 Insufficiently Known 9 No information 1441 Not threatened 374 _____________________________________________ TOTAL 3120 Source: WCMC Species Unit. Protected Areas Network Development and History The protection of wildlife has a long tradition in Indian history.Wise use of natural resources was a prerequisite for many hunter-gatherer societies which date back to at least 6000 BC. Extensive clearance of forests accompanied the advance of agricultural and pastoral societies in subsequent millennia, but an awareness of the need for ecological prudence emerged and many so-called pagan nature conservation practices were retained. As more and more land became settled or cultivated, so these hunting reserves increasingly became ref uges for wildlife. Many of these reserves were subsequently declared as national parks or sanctuaries, mostly after Independence in 1947.Examples include Gir in Gujarat, Dachigam in Jammu Kashmir, Bandipur in Karnataka, Eravikulum in Kerala, Madhav (now Shivpuri) in Madhya Pradesh, Simlipal in Orissa, and Keoladeo, Ranthambore and Sariska in Rajasthan. Wildlife, together with forestry, has traditionally been managed under a single administrative organisation within the forest departments of each state or union territory, with the role of central government being mainly advisory. There have been two recent developments.First, the wildlife (Protection) Act has provided for the creation of posts of chief wildlife wardens and wildlife wardens in the states to exercise statutory powers under the Act. Under this Act, it is also mandatory for the states to set up state wildlife advisory boards. Secondly the inclusion of protection of wild animals and birds in the concurrent list of the constitution, has pro ved the union with some legislative control over the states in the conservation of wildlife (Pillai, 1982). The situation has since improved all states and union territories with national parks or sanctuaries having set up wildlife wings.The adoption of a National Policy for wildlife conservation in 1970 and the enactment of the wildlife (Protection) Act in 1972 lead to a significant growth in the protected areas network, from 5 national parks and 60 sanctuaries to 69 and 410 respectively, in 1990 (Panwar, 1990). The network was further strengthened by a number of national conservation projects, notably Project Tiger, initiated in April 1973 by the Government of India with support from WWF (IBWL, 1972; Panwar, 1982), and the crocodile Breeding and Management Project, launched on 1 April, 1975 with technical assistance from UNDP/FAO (Bustard, 1982).Protected Areas of the Western Ghats The Western Ghats are a chain of highlands running along the western edge of the Indian subcontinent, from Bombay south to the southern tip of the peninsula, through the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kera la and Tamil Nadu. Covering an estimated area of 159,000 sq. km, the Western Ghats are an area of exceptional biological diversity and conservation interest, and are â€Å"one of the major Tropical Evergreen Forest regions in India† (Rodgers and Panwar, 1988).As the zone has already lost a large part of its original forest cover (although timber extraction from the evergreen reserve forests in Kerala and Karnataka has now been halted) it must rank as a region of great conservation concern. The small remaining extent of natural forest, coupled with exceptional biological richness and ever increasing levels of threat (agriculture, reservoir flooding plantations, logging and over exploitation), are factors which necessitate major conservation inputs. † There are currently seven national parks in the Western Ghats with a total area of 2,073 sq. m (equivalent to 1. 3% of the region) and 39 wildlife sanctuaries covering an area of about 13,862 sq. km (8. 1%). The management status of the wildlife sanctuaries in this part of India varies enormously. Tamil Nadu’s Nilgiri wildlife sanctuary, for example, has no human inhabitants, small abandoned plantation areas and no produce exploitation, while the Parambikulam wildlife sanctuary in Kerala includes considerable areas of commercial plantations and privately owned estates with heavy resource exploitation. International Programmes and ConventionsIndia participates with many international agreements and programmes concerned with aspects of nature conservation and sustainable development. These range from legal instruments such as the Convention on Biological Diversity, which place obligations on those nations which become contracting parties, to scientific programmes such as the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme, a global programme of international scientific cooperation. Examples of agreements and programmes with which India is collaborating include: Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)Since India became a party to CITES on 18th October 1976 it has provided data annually to the CITES secretariat on the trade of endangered species through its CITES Management Authority. The text of the CITES convention along with the CITES appendices are provided. World Heritage Convention India ratified the world heritage convention in 1977 and since then five natural sites have been inscribed as areas of ‘outstanding universal value’. These sites are: †¢KazirangaNational Park †¢Keoladeo National Park †¢Manas National Park †¢Sunderbans National Park †¢Nanda Devi National Park Convention on Biological DiversityIndia signed the convention on biological diversity on 5th June 1992, ratified it on 18th February 1994 and brought it into force on 19th May 1994. This convention will provide a framework for the sustainable management and conservation of India’s natural resources. Ramsar (Wetlands) Convention India has been a contracted party to the Ramsar convention since 1st February 1982. India has now six sites covering some 192,973 hectares of important wetlands. How to cite Biodiversity Profile of India, Papers

Mcbride Financial Services Marketing Plan free essay sample

The firm will specialize in conventional, FHA, and VA loans for home purchasing and refinancing. The company intends to expand its operations into Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota. We will write a custom essay sample on Mcbride Financial Services Marketing Plan or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page † (McBride Financial Services website, 2003) According to their intranet site, McBride’s target market is: 1. Professionals purchasing either a primary or secondary residence. 2. Retirees purchasing a primary or secondary residence. 3. Families and/or individuals purchasing recreational properties. This document will review McBride Financial Services’ existing marketing approach and offer suggestions for focusing market research and what types of media to use. Additionally a review will be made of McBride’s target market and how the existing strategy relates to the marketing principles of the 4Ps and SIVA. Target Market McBride’s target market is professionals and retirees purchasing a primary of secondary residence as well as individuals or families looking to purchase recreational properties. They service the following states: Idaho, Wyoming, Montana and North and South Dakota. In addition, McBride is focusing on using state of the art technology in order to be able to offer their low cost mortgage services which means that the target market must also be willing and able to conduct are large portion of the mortgage application transaction using electronic means, i. e. Internet and email. Media types McBride’s current marketing plan, as listed on their intranet site, includes the use of the following media types: localized TV ads, newspapers, radio and realtors in addition to informational handouts available at airports and major tourist attractions. McBride’s annual advertising budget is $80,000. Given that McBride utilizes technology to reduce the cost of the mortgage application process, it is surprising that the existing marketing plan does not include an online advertising strategy. 4Ps The 4Ps are product, price, promotion and place. McBride’s product is low cost conventional, FHA and VA mortgages. The price for a credit report, the mortgage application, an inspection and appraisal is fixed at $1,500. Promotions are created through the above mentioned media types of TV, radio, newspapers and realtors and through informational handouts at the airports and at tourist attractions. The placement for the application process is via McBride’s website. Marketing Strategy The SIVA marketing methodology is defined as solution, information, value and access. According to Dev and Schultz (2005) this approach to marketing starts with understanding the market and the customers based on true and deep customer insights and then identify and clarify what customer’s value. Market research needs to be focused on identifying customer’s core wants and needs from a mortgage lender so that targeted value propositions can be created. McBride needs to adjust or change their services to align with the marketing research results. Additionally, McBride needs to focus on gaining insight from existing customers as to how to improve their services as well as potentially tapping that customer base for referral, perhaps by creating an incentive for existing customer’s to bring in new clients. Put another way, the market research should investigate McBride’s target market of professionals, retirees, individuals and families to create a solution (S) based on what those customer’s value. That solution can in turn be used to create multiple targeted value propositions (I) highlighting how McBride’s services address the needs and wants of their customers. McBride then delivers on the value proposition as determined by customer needs and wants gained in the research (V). The value is measured through both market research on potential customers and through feedback loops from existing customer’s so that solutions can continually evolve to better meet the needs of the target markets.

Importance of Sexual Education in School

Sexual behavior plays an important role in modern life. Nowadays, youths speak about sex without borders. The increased level of youths pregnancy, raised level of sexually transmitted diseases and other problems are put at the first place.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Importance of Sexual Education in School specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Speaking about sexual behavior among youths, it is possible to correct it and form by means of sexual education. It is essential to deal with professionals while delivering information to youths. Moreover, sexual education is very important both for boys and girls before they have their first sexual experience. Speaking about sexual education and its affect on sexual behavior, it is essential to refer to the studies of Douglas Kirby. Having written numerous papers devoted to sexual education and its effect on youths, he managed to find something new and add to each of his research. Having developed a hypothesis that sexual behavior depends on education, Douglas Kirby managed to prove that the earlier students receive information about sexual behavior the lower the level of pregnancy among them and the less sexually transmitted diseases are noticed. Reporting about â€Å"The impact of sex education on the sexual behavior of young people†, Douglas Kirby states that sex educational programs affect adolescents’ sexual behavior greatly. The early sex education programs are started, the earlier students understand how their sexual behavior should be organized. Douglas Kirby is sure that â€Å"Sex education programmes do not increase sexual activity among adolescents and young people but they are not always effective at reducing it or in promoting safer sexual behavior† (Kirby â€Å"The impact of sex education on the sexual behavior† 10). Nevertheless, Douglas Kirby notices that if sexual education is regularly conducted with structured information delivery the rate of HIV/AIDS infections reduces. Moreover, apart from the reduction of the infected, sex education â€Å"can delay the onset of sexual activity among adolescents and young people, reduce the frequency of intercourse, reduce the frequency of unprotected sex, reduce the number of sexual partners, and increase condom use and contraceptive use† (Kirby â€Å"The impact of sex education on the sexual behavior† 10). Speaking about the level of youths’ pregnancy and the way to reduce its rate, programs are very effective in this case. Starting structured discussion with youths about the ways of protection, the future difficulties and the general unfavorable position of those who fail to protect themselves from pregnancy, it is important to stress on the possibility to have assistance at any stage of sexual relationships.Advertising Looking for research paper on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first pape r with 15% OFF Learn More Sexual education should be conducted among students and their relatives as family treatment of the program is an essential step on the way to correct sexual education. When both boys and girls are aware of the problem of youths pregnancy and the responsibility they are to experience in case of its occurrence, their behavior becomes more valued. The quarrels about the increased level of sexual activity among adolescents because of sexual education programs do not have any grounds as modern life with the Internet and free access to information has made children aware of all the themes which were forbidden for their parents at their age. Sexual education helps students understand how to protect themselves while sexual behavior (Kirby â€Å"Emerging answers† 152). It is essential to implement sexual behavior programs at school as an obligatory subject. When students are constantly remind about attention and appropriate behavior while sex, when t hey are explained the level of responsibility and the supportive difficulties they may experience in case of early pregnancy, they become more attentive. Much research has been conducted in the sphere and Kirby proves that such programs result in â€Å"less sexual risk†taking and lower pregnancy rates† along with â€Å"decrease sexual activity and increase condom or contraceptive use† (Kirby â€Å"The impact of schools and school programs† 30). Of course, if there is no opportunity to implement sexual education program on the regular basis, the shortcoming programs should be applied. Moreover, students should also understand that from their behavior depends their future. Setting sex education programs at schools, it is important to speak not only about protection and pregnancy, heath issues should be discussed along with psychological difficulties, and other issues which may be on the way of those who face the problem of early pregnancy and early sexual ac tivity at all. Students are to know that their health depends on their actions and behavior and only knowledge of the problems may prevent them from making mistakes. Therefore, no matter how sexual education is organized, it affects human behavior. Adolescents should have regular classes devoted to sex behavior in order to be properly brought up. Moreover, family impact has a great affect. When parents and teachers at school have the same vision of sexual behavior and try to give their knowledge to students, double effect is observed. There are a lot of different pathways to sex, and sexual education should be the starting point for any sexual behavior. Students are to know how they should behave in different situations in order to protect themselves.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Importance of Sexual Education in School specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Works Cited Kirby, Douglas. â€Å"Emerging answ ers: Research findings on programs to reduce teen pregnancy.† National campaign to prevent teen pregnancy, May (2001): 1-242. Print. Kirby, Douglas. â€Å"The impact of schools and school programs upon adolescent sexual behavior. Special Issue: Promoting Sexual Health and Responsible Sexual Behavior.† Journal of Sex Research 39.1 (2002): 27-33. Print. Kirby, Douglas. â€Å"The impact of sex education on the sexual behavior of young people.† Population Division 12 (2012): 1-25. Print. This research paper on Importance of Sexual Education in School was written and submitted by user Paisley E. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Our Vintage Beach House

Our Vintage Beach House, The Flower Pot Our families’ beach house, known as the Flower Pot, evokes a lot of feelings for my family and me. This house is located on St Andrews Bay in Panama City, FL. It was built in 1934 on a historic Indian mound. This house is a one story, painted wood cottage with a tin roof. It has a big wrap a around front porch that is fully screened overlooking the bay. The Flower Pot has been preserved with a few minor updates so that our family can experience the house as it was intended when it was built. There are elements of the house which challenges our comfort level often. The interior of the house is not centrally heated or air conditioned. In the summer, it is very humid and causes one to break a sweat often. Ceiling fans are in every room, some cool better than others. Many times I have gone to sleep sweating and awaken in the middle of the night searching for blankets. There are also many sounds that come from the house. Because of the need for air circulation, the windows are always open. Latches on screen doors are the only security devices and because of this the house can be frightening. The doors will slam against the wall as the winds get stronger over the night. The old wood floors creak throughout the night and the ceiling fans make an awkward noise as if they are coming out of their hinges. All these sounds together make it very hard for a visitor to sleep in peace. All these hindrances that come with the house are worth it, and I have learned to love them. My favorite part of the house is the big, wrap around porch overlooking the bay. Nothing is better then sitting there and watching the sunset over the bay while the breeze is slowly going through your hair. It is very spacious with many chairs making it the place everybody wants to be for an event. There has been so many cook outs, game viewings, and poker games that have taken place out on the porch. There are al... Free Essays on Our Vintage Beach House Free Essays on Our Vintage Beach House Our Vintage Beach House, The Flower Pot Our families’ beach house, known as the Flower Pot, evokes a lot of feelings for my family and me. This house is located on St Andrews Bay in Panama City, FL. It was built in 1934 on a historic Indian mound. This house is a one story, painted wood cottage with a tin roof. It has a big wrap a around front porch that is fully screened overlooking the bay. The Flower Pot has been preserved with a few minor updates so that our family can experience the house as it was intended when it was built. There are elements of the house which challenges our comfort level often. The interior of the house is not centrally heated or air conditioned. In the summer, it is very humid and causes one to break a sweat often. Ceiling fans are in every room, some cool better than others. Many times I have gone to sleep sweating and awaken in the middle of the night searching for blankets. There are also many sounds that come from the house. Because of the need for air circulation, the windows are always open. Latches on screen doors are the only security devices and because of this the house can be frightening. The doors will slam against the wall as the winds get stronger over the night. The old wood floors creak throughout the night and the ceiling fans make an awkward noise as if they are coming out of their hinges. All these sounds together make it very hard for a visitor to sleep in peace. All these hindrances that come with the house are worth it, and I have learned to love them. My favorite part of the house is the big, wrap around porch overlooking the bay. Nothing is better then sitting there and watching the sunset over the bay while the breeze is slowly going through your hair. It is very spacious with many chairs making it the place everybody wants to be for an event. There has been so many cook outs, game viewings, and poker games that have taken place out on the porch. There are al...

Growth of equal opportunities in the public sector organisations Essay

Growth of equal opportunities in the public sector organisations - Essay Example The United Kingdom has progressed in provision of equal opportunities in the workplace.This has been seen by establishment of commissions, enforcement of policies and implementation of equal opportunities for members of the public sector. All these ideas and developments will be examined in the subsequent section of the essay.There are three main Acts that affect the way employees receive fair treatment in the workplace. The first piece of legislation is the Sex Discrimination act. This act seeks to protect the rights of women in the workplace especially public organisations. Women should not be denied the right to access an employment opportunity or an opportunity to develop in their work place based on their gender. This means that those stereotypes who believed that women cannot perform certain tasks have been put to task.The other two pieces of legislation that have been put in place are the Disability discrimination and Race Relations. These two acts provide that during employme nt issues of disability and race should be put aside when making decisions concerning employment. Therefore employers practicing this will be guilty of an offence.This commission was established for streamlining of employment opportunities in the Civil Service. Its purpose is to ensure that there are no cases of discrimination based on gender. It holds the firm believe that both women and men should be given the same treatment. It also believes that any employer should practice fairness when they are employing or recruiting members. Policies in District Councils There are a number of District Councils that have enforced policies that affect equal opportunities in the work place. (Cornwall County Council, 2007)One such group is the Mid Bedfordshire district council. The main idea behind the policy is to ensure that all people in the council have access to equal opportunities during service delivery and employment. It does not tolerate any unfair discrimination based several issues including gender, race, marital status, disability and sexual disability. This applies to all the people who interact with the organisation. In employment, the council ensures that it will respect the differences that are present in society and should be able to reflect these differences in its staff members. This implies that recruitment should not have any elements of discrimination. These means that managers or members in position of power should not use their positions for It also believes that there should be training and development in the sector to ensure that all workers are aware of their rights and no one should infringe them on the basis that they have the power to do so. It has therefore empowered its employees in this regard and given them the tools to fight for themselves. Lastly, this council believes in the efficient communication and monitoring of policies to ensure that the equal opportunities policy is adhered to on the ground. After monitoring the situation on the ground, the council conveys the information to members of its team. Similarly, the Leicestershire County council holds similar views. It believes that members of the public and members of staff who come in contact with the council should be made to feel valued and should not experience any discrimination. (Leicestershire County council, 2007) Policies in the police force The Warwickshire Police has made a Scheme that relates to gender. It is called the Gender Equality Scheme. This scheme was started this year and will continue into the next three years. It aims at protecting all members of the workplace against gender discrimination. The Scheme was a combination of ideas got from members of the Police Force staff, members of the pu

Myspace.com Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Myspace.com - Essay Example One example Webb uses to illustrate this point regards recent news stories about sexual predators and cyber bullies whose goal is to target innocent victims. Webb suggests that users who post sexually suggestive photos and outrageous comments are attracting attention to themselves, thereby making it easier for the criminal faction to find their prey. He concludes that it is MySpace itself which is responsible for the problems outlined in the article. It is my opinion, however, that while users who ignore online safety tips when posting information on MySpace could be putting themselves in danger, this is not the fault of the social networking site itself. Actually, use of the MySpace site can be advantageous as far as encouraging communication, but users must take proper precautions in keeping certain personal information private in order that sexual predators and other criminals are not given easy means to find their victims. While many worry about Myspace as a venue for criminals, its proper usage will ensure it is not inherently dangerous. As UC Berkeley researcher Danah Boyd asserts, "It's a hyped up fear" (from Poulsen, 2). Regardless of age, Myspace users who exhibit some caution in what information they are posting online will prevent predators from easily finding them. The responsibility for exercising caution rests with the users themselves, and not Myspace. Kevin Poulsen, in his article, "Scenes From the Myspace Backlash", announces this startling statistic, "Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal announced...seven underage girls in one region of the state were fondled or had consensual sex with adult men they'd met through the site, and who had lied about their age. MySpace is a 'parent's worst nightmare'." Apparently the impetus for these crimes could be traced back to communication between online predators and the teenagers via Myspace. But is it proper to blame the website, or shoul d the blame actually lie with the users themselves Oftentimes, teenagers post personal information on their profiles, allowing the public at large access to such data as their home address, phone number, and place of employment (Wilkins). Personally, I have maintained a Myspace page for years and I would never consider it dangerous; however, this is due to the fact that I don't post personal information. My own motivation for becoming part of this online community was due more to the fact that I could find new friends and others who shared my interests. Certainly, I do not wish anyone to know my home address and show up unexpectedly at my home. MySpace has exhibited due diligence in advising users not to post real information regarding personal addresses and places of employment, etc. so that online predators are able to track them down. My profile is in accordance with the suggestions of the site and therefore I have never had concern regarding my own safety. Ultimately, it the fau lt of the teenagers themselves for using the site irresponsibly and posting information in direct contrast to the advice of Myspace managers. MySpace may be the biggest, most popular social networking site but it is not the only one. There are a whole host of other websites which market themselves as social networking

Design and cost analysis to build a 3 storey new offices with construction

Design and cost analysis to build a 3 storey new offices with construction 1.0 INTRODUCTION This report is presenting two vacant sites which are located at Aberdeen City, Grampian (the edge of the city) and the other one at Edinburgh City, Scotland (city centre). This report content is the design and cost analysis to build a 3 storey new offices with construction to start as soon as possible. This new office will be approximately 1,500m ² which included offices, reception area, all ancillary spaces to accommodate staff, a board room to sit 50 and five meeting rooms to sit 10 15 people. The facilities required is air- conditioning offices and CCTV protection, and the proposed construction is steel frame with pitched roof. 1.1 Aim This report is to: Ø Decide whether city centre or outskirts which more suitable for cost saving. Ø Provide an outline cost plan for the project site mentioned. Ø Advice on sustainability aspects of the proposed project. Ø Provide breakdown by comparing few location before any decision taken. Ø Achieve a firm price by looking into the design of the offices. Ø Recommend the strategic location to the client. 2.0 BACKGROUND OF PROPOSED OFFICE BUILDING Proposed 3 storeys high quality offices block together with external works including reception area, a board room to sit 50, five meeting rooms to sit 10 15 people, services, security and CCTV protection and site lighting. Besides, solar heating panels are proposed for this project. Slimdek steel system is selected for frame work with steel pitch roof with aluminium standing seam cladding is proposed. 3.0 BCIS DATA DISTRICT PROFILES Based on BCIS historical data, analysis and the details of selected six (6) similar project of (new office building) are as below: i) Elemental analysis number 24828, A-3-1,253, this is 3 storey office block together with external works including precast concrete and macadam paving, steel mesh fencing, brick walls, landscaping, services, drainage, site lighting, cycle racks and bollards at Wilmslow, Cheshire, Massclesfield. ii) Elemental analysis number 23877, 3-7,600, this is 3 storey office block together with external works including paving, enclosures, landscaping, services, drainage and minor buildings at Merthyr Tydfil, Mid Glamorgan, Merthyr Tydfil. 3.0 BCIS DATA DISTRICT PROFILES (Contd) iii) Elemental analysis number 25344, A-3-2,045, this is 3 storey office block together with external works including block paving, fencing, walls, landscaping, services drainage, site lighting, cycle store and bat roost at Banbury, Oxfordshire, Cherwell. iv) Elemental analysis number 25163, A-3 (2) -718, this is 2 and 3 storey office block together with external works including landscaping, services and drainage at Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Aylesbury Vale. v) Elemental analysis number 22434, A-3 (4) -3,887, this is 3 storey office block together with external works including access roads and car parking, landscaping, services, drainage, bin and cycle stores at Oxford, Oxfordshire, Oxford. vi) Elemental analysis number 22437, B-3-6,652, this is 3 storey office block together with external works including macadam and block paving to provide 167 parking spaces, extensive landscaping, services and drainage at Uxbridge, Greater London, London Borough of Hillingdon. Item Location Analysis Index/yr quarter Original Cost per m ² ( £) Preliminary (%) Contingency (%) GFA (m ²) /Storey Location Factor 1 Wilmslow, Cheshire, Macclesfield 247 / 2Q2008 1,125.98 21.68 2.93 1,253 / 3 Storey 0.97 2 Mid Glamorgan, Merthyr Tydfil 221 / 1Q2005 1,607.93 14.52 3.04 7,600 / 3 Storey 0.98 3 Banbury, Oxfordshire, Cherwell 246 / 3Q2008 1,482.95 19.24 1.06 2,045 / 3 Storey 0.99 4 Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Aylesbury Vale 241 / 2Q2007 1,726.46 16.93 6.88 718 / 3 Storey 1.06 5 Oxford, Oxfordshire, Oxford 195 / 4Q2003 1,211.53 12.53 3,887 / 3 Storey 1.07 6 Uxbridge, Greater London, London Borough of Hillingdon 200 / 1Q2004 1,290.13 15.79 0.37 6,652 / 3 Storey 1.15 3.0 BCIS DATA DISTRICT PROFILES (Contd) Note: i) Cost per m ² excluding contingencies. ii) The cost plan of the above 6 projects are enclosed in Appendix (I) and (II) (Analysis 1 and 2). iii) The detail specifications are enclosed in Appendix IV. 4.0 COST PLAN ANALYSIS AND PROPOSAL Based on this report, location factor below 1.00 is considered as outskirt of city and above 1.00 is considered as city centre. One of the BCIS data Merthyr Tydfil Mid Glamorgan, Merthyr Tydfil is banned in this report for analysis and comparison due to the following reason: i. The cost per m ² is too high comparing to others project and the location factor is only 0.98. ii. Many element cost is undefined in details, example floor finishes, wall finishes, ceiling finishes, internal and external doors, roof, etc. iii. The preliminary is only 14.52% of the contract sum (excluding contingencies) compare to others 5 projects. Therefore, this elemental cost is not analytical. Price Design Risk is assumed as 7.0% and contingencies assumed as 2.5% for the two proposed project. 4.1 Element cost adjustment The rational adjustment for element cost as below: i. 2A Frame Proposed steel column and beam frame for this building. This element is cost 5.36% of the project and 2.30% lower if compare with Merthyr Tydfil project. ii. 2C Roof Proposed steel pitched roof with single ply waterproofing membrane for this building. This element is cost 4.43% of the project and 1.44% lower if compare with Merthyr Tydfil project. iii. 2G Internal Wall / Partitions Proposed metal stud and cubicle partitions is because a board room and two meeting room are required by client. iv. 2H Electrical Installation The percentage distribute to this element is 12.43% and is the highest compare to other five projects. Therefore, we proposed to cut down the uses of electricity to this building by 5.97%. 4.2 Cost analysis plan for city centre Edinburgh City, Scotland Refer to the above BCIS data, location factor above 1.00 is Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Aylesbury Vale, Oxford Oxfordshire, Oxford and Uxbridge, Greater London, London Borough of Hillingdon. According to the current cost index of 212 (1Q2010) for the Proposed 3 Storey New Office Block at Edinburgh City and location factor is 1.09. The updated cost per m ² for Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Aylesbury Vale is  £ 1,561.69, Oxford Oxfordshire, Oxford and Uxbridge is  £ 1,341.77, Greater London, London Borough of Hillingdon is  £ 1,296.19. Oxford Oxfordshire, Oxford and Uxbridge and Greater London, London Borough of Hillingdon is not selected because the updated cost per m ² is lower than Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Aylesbury Vale. The low price for these two areas may be due to the location that nearby the edge of the city and it is unable to achieve a high class office building. However, the updated cost per m ² of  £ 1,561.69 for Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Aylesbury Vale is selected for budgeting purpose only and this is current cost and not includes construction inflation and interest rates. The current cost limit is  £ 2,322,729 and the projected tender amount is  £ 2,300,817 as apply  £ 1,401.38 as current cost per m ² in analysis 3. 4.3 Cost analysis plan for outskirts of city Aberdeen City, Grampian Refer to the above BCIS data, location factor below 1.00 is Wilmslow Cheshire, Macclesfield, Merthyr Tydfil Mid Glamorgan, Merthyr Tydfil and Banbury Oxfordshire, Cherwell. According to the current cost index of 212 (1Q2010) for the Proposed 3 Storey New Office Block at Aberdeen City and location factor is 0.96. The updated cost per m ² for Wilmslow Cheshire, Macclesfield is  £ 956.47, Merthyr Tydfil Mid Glamorgan, Merthyr Tydfil is  £ 1,510.97 and Banbury Oxfordshire, Cherwell is  £ 1,239.27. Wilmslow Cheshire, Macclesfield and Banbury Oxfordshire, Cherwell is not selected because the updated cost per m ² is lower than Merthyr Tydfil Mid Glamorgan, Merthyr Tydfil. The low price for these two areas may be due to the market condition and the competitive between them make the tender price on lower side for this two projects. Nevertheless, the updated cost per m ² is adjust to  £ 1,510.97 for Merthyr Tydfil Mid Glamorgan, Merthyr Tydfil is selected for budgeting purpose due to the market condition is buoyant and not competitive that mean the tender price will on high side. The current cost limit is  £ 2,045,718 and the projected tender amount is  £ 2,026,419 as apply  £ 1,234.25 as current cost per m ² in analysis 3. 4.4 Cost comparison for city centre and outskirts of city Based on the cost plan for this 3 storey new office building at Edinburgh City and Aberdeen City, the projected tender amount for 2Q2010 is  £ 2,300,817 and  £ 2,026,419 respectively. The cost between this two distinct is  £ 274,398 or 13.54%. 5.0 SUSTAINABILITY OF BUILDING Building owners, designers and builders face a unique challenge to meet demands for new and renovated facilities that are accessible, secure, healthy, and productive while minimizing their impact on the environment. The main objectives of sustainable design are to avoid resource depletion of energy, water, and raw materials; prevent environmental degradation caused by facilities and infrastructure throughout their life cycle; and create built environments that are livable, comfortable, safe, and productive. In UK, Green Building, also known as green construction or sustainable building, is the practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a buildings life-cycle: from sitting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and deconstruction. 5.1 Reduce Carbon Dioxide Emission In UK, annual CO2 emission is 568,520 in thousands of metric tons. Buildings are responsible for more than 70 percent of electricity use; therefore, reducing electricity use in buildings directly affects carbon emissions in electricity production. Therefore, solar panels and heat exchange system are proposed in this project for space heating and air-conditioning. 5.2 Whole life cost of the building Solar energy is renewable and essentially free. There are two factors that influence the amount of money solar panels will save you on your electricity bills: 1) the amount of money you spend on your current electric bill, and 2) the amount of electricity your solar panels will be providing. The demands of solar energy get well known because of the high prices for electricity bill using conventional source. The worldwide of demand for solar energy is greater than its supply. This is due to it will cut energy consumption and pollution sources like they have lower heat loss, less air leakages, warmed window surface that improve comfort and minimize condensation. Automatic lighting and air conditioning control system is proposed, example it will automatic off and / or change to some low voltage lighting after working hour. 6.0 COST SAVINGS PROPOSAL The cost plan is for estimation budgeting only but not final contract sum for this project, so to control the final cost within budget and / or gain additional profit from the saving, the following cost savings for this project are proposed: i. Proposed Slimdek extends the range of cost-effective steel options for modern buildings. Ease of planning and servicing, combined with a reduction in building height, gives significant cost and speed of construction benefits. Slimdek is especially economical for highly serviced buildings. Flexibility of routing services without constraint and the ability to accommodate services between the ribs can lead to substantial savings in the cost of services. ii. Proposed to commence work at month April 10 because the frame work and roof covering able to finish when winter season, this help to save additional cost when construct in winter season, examples heating for curing concrete, protection of new work (concrete and brickwork), etc. This assist contractor to save additional cost and will reflect to overall development cost for client. iii. Solar heating panels is a the usage of solar energy to provide process that depends on the solar radiation, surface area, surface reflectance, surface emissivity, ambient temperature, and thermal convection from wind. 7.0 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO ACHIEVE A FIRM PRICE We required additional information which will have impact on costs in order to prepare a firmer estimation cost as below: i. Ground condition ii. Site topography iii. Site existing structure, accessibility and protection iv Market condition v. Type of contract for the project 8.0 CONCLUSION / RECOMMENDATIONS The quality of the building is more important for offices than for other development like retail. It should provide necessary services and enable flexible sub-division of floor space. While location (address) is important, congestion is reducing efficiency and encouraging out of town office parks. Therefore, Proposed 3 storey office block at Aberdeen City, Grampian instead of Edinburgh City due to the following reasons: i. Based on the comparison, the cost is too high build at city centre, i.e.  £ 274,398 or 13.54% higher rather use the money for upgrade the building quality. ii. Office building is encouraging to build at outskirts of city due to the congestion is reducing efficiency and the quality of office building is more important than location. iii. The land value at Edinburgh City is more expensive compare with Aberdeen City, Grampian. This 3 storey small office cant fully utilize the land value at Edinburgh City. iv. according to CB Richard Ellis, Market View Scottish Office H1 2008, completion of office at Edinburgh City are set peak in 2009 when 611,400 sq ft (56,799 sq m) is anticipated to be delivered mean the market of office development at Edinburgh City is competitive. 9.0 COST PLAN SUMMARY Appendix I Aberdeen City, Grampian (Proposed to develop) Appendix II Edinburgh City, Scotland Note: Each Appendix including Analysis 1, 2 3. Cost comparison for Aberdeen City, Grampian and Edinburgh City, Scotland

Reward and Motivation Essay -- essays research papers

The purpose of this paper is to write about roles of reward systems in the 10th Security Forces Squadron (SFS) located at the United States Air Force Academy. I will discuss whether I believe in the current reward system and whether the reward system motivates employees to achieve the unit’s organization goals. Moreover, from my opinion, I will discus whether employees are satisfied with the current reward system and what I would do to improve the current system to make more effective.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Currently, the 10th Security Forces Squadron has many reward systems in place. One of which is a 100 percent tuition assistance program (TA) for all active duty military members who attend college. Tuition assistance helps motivate all types of active duty military members to complete their college degree with hardly any out of pocket expenses to the military member. Even though the TA program is widely disseminated throughout the Air Force Academy, not many members in the 10 SFS take advantage of TA. Many of the members at the 10th SFS work 12 to 14 hour shifts and these shifts vary every week creating the issue of not having set days off, therefore, creating schedule conflicts. Moreover, when reading further into TA, what’s not widely disseminated is that there is a capitation for the cost of college that the government will pay. Beginning October 1, 2002, TA will be capitated at $3,400, meaning if an active duty military member uses the complete total of $3,400 in less than one year, that military member will have to find a way to pay for the rest of his or her college until the next fiscal year, which is from October to October. Many employees in the 10th SFS are young troops that live in the dorm. The question has been asked at dorm meeting why the troops do not take advantage of TA and the response that troops do not want to pay any out of pocket expense because they cannot afford books and tuition, has been overwhelming. The second reason for not going to college and using TA was shift work that most troops have to endure. Most of the troops flight chiefs will work with a school schedule; however, the flight chief cannot guarantee that the military member can be let off work to attend every class. Therefore, most troops feel that TA and college is too much trouble and do not want to bother with it. A second form of reward is fringe comp... ...A and complete a college program.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The fringe benefit of time could not be better. Making recommendations on improving the system would be difficult at this point and time. Since, the program is new and working very well, it is very hard to say what would make the system work better. As of now, the people in the 10th SFS are showing better customer service base wide, increased work production, decreased stress on day-to-day issues and increase quality of work. Currently, I could not make any recommendations to make the system better.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout this paper we’ve discussed two different types of benefits that the 10th SFS offers to their employees, how these benefits work with the unit and how the reward affect the people in the unit. I have made recommendation on bettering one system but could not make any suggestions for the other. I hope this paper has been able to give the reader a clear understanding of the 10th SFS reward and motivation program that are offered. Reference   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Martoccho, J. (2001). Employee Motivation and Compensation. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, Prentice-Hall.

Meaning of life †Religion Essay

In my opinion, there is no specific meaning of life. There also is a part of me that thinks that life really doesn’t have a meaning at all. But, since I have to try to define life, I would have to say it’s a combination of things in your life that you are living for, or the purpose of you being on this earth. Everyone most likely has a different purpose for being alive. Whether it is family, school, or your career; those things have a lot of impact on your life and also decisions that you make throughout life. In our society, many families instill faith and morals early into their children’s lives by continuing traditions or practices of religious faith. The idea of faith and moral beliefs are instilled in a person by attending or participating in church activities and reading the Bible or other religious texts. When there is a sound moral foundation in a person’s life it may give them the motivation through faith to build a sound structure for their life or to achieve personal goals. Simply put, a person may believe through faith that it is possible to achieve an education, start a family, or to have a successful business or career because of their foundation in faith. The reason why I somewhat think that life really doesn’t have a meaning, is because no matter what anyone does or how well or righteous someone lives their life, in the end they still die. What happens after that? Nothing, you never come back nor will you have any recollection of what went on during your lifetime here on earth. A person can bust their behind in working doing good for the community and everything else and in the end you still end up in the same place as everyone else, good people or bad people, you die. Another reason why I believe life doesn’t have a meaning is because all of the people in this world have to suffer, they still go through pain, they have to watch loved ones die, they still have to go through heartache, and rough times. Being poor, homeless, and not having food for as single meal in the day. Where is the meaning in life when people have to wake up hungry or worry about where they will lay their head that night? I’d say there is none when you look at it from that perspective. In my opinion, the meaning of life is too complex for the human brain to comprehend. People tend to say that they know what the meaning of life is, but who really knows the answer. There are various opinions and schools of thought, however, most people can never and will never reach a clear understanding of what the meaning of life is. If there is meaning in life at all, then there must be meaning in suffering. †? Viktor E. Frankl. Frankl could not have said this quote any better, most people can say that they have found meaning in their life but at the same time, there are some people wondering if the only reason they are on this earth is to suffer on a daily basis throughout their entire lives.

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