Prehistoric Life During the Pliocene Epoch

Prehistoric Life During the Pliocene Epoch By the standards of deep time, the Pliocene epoch was relatively recent, commencing only five million years or so before the start of the modern historical record, 10,000 years ago. During the Pliocene, prehistoric life around the globe continued to adapt to the prevailing climatic cooling trend, with some notable local extinctions and disappearances. The Pliocene was the second epoch of the Neogene Period (23-2.6 million years ago), the first being the Miocene (23-5 million years ago); all of these periods and epochs were themselves part of the Cenozoic Era (65 million years ago to the present). Climate and Geography During the Pliocene epoch, the earth continued its cooling trend from previous epochs, with tropical conditions holding at the equator (as they do today) and more pronounced seasonal changes at higher and lower latitudes; still, average global temperatures were 7 or 8 degrees (Fahrenheit) higher than they are today. The major geographic developments were the reappearance of the Alaskan land bridge between Eurasia and North America, after millions of years of submersion, and the formation of the Central American Isthmus joining North and South America. Not only did these developments allow an interchange of fauna between three of the earths continents, but they had a profound effect on ocean currents, as the relatively cool Atlantic ocean was cut off from the much warmer Pacific. Terrestrial Life During the Pliocene Epoch Mammals. During large chunks of the Pliocene epoch, Eurasia, North America, and South America were all connected by narrow land bridges- and it wasnt all that difficult for animals to migrate between Africa and Eurasia, either. This wreaked havoc on mammalian ecosystems, which were invaded by migrating species, resulting in increased competition, displacement, and even outright extinction. For example, ancestral camels (like the huge Titanotylopus) migrated from North America to Asia, while the fossils of giant prehistoric bears like Agriotherium have been discovered in Eurasia, North America, and Africa. Apes and hominids were mostly restricted to Africa (where they originated), though there were scattered communities in Eurasia and North America. The most dramatic evolutionary event of the Pliocene epoch was the appearance of a land bridge between North and South America. Previously, South America had been much like modern Australia, a giant, isolated continent populated by a variety of strange mammals, including giant marsupials. Confusingly, some animals had already succeeded in traversing these two continents, before the Pliocene epoch, by the arduously slow process of accidental  island-hopping; thats how Megalonyx, the Giant Ground Sloth, wound up in North America. The ultimate winners in this Great American Interchange were the mammals of North America, which either wiped out or greatly diminished their southern relatives. The late Pliocene epoch was also when some familiar megafauna mammals appeared on the scene, including the Woolly Mammoth in Eurasia and North America, Smilodon (the Saber-Toothed Tiger) in North and South America, and Megatherium (the Giant Sloth) and Glyptodon (a gigantic, armored armadillo) in South America. These plus-sized beasts persisted into the ensuing Pleistocene epoch, when they went extinct due to climate change and competition with (combined with hunting by) modern humans. Birds. The Pliocene epoch marked the swan song of the phorusrhacids, or terror birds, as well as the other large, flightless, predatory birds of South America, which resembled meat-eating dinosaurs that had gone extinct tens of millions of years earlier (and count as an example of convergent evolution.) One of the last surviving terror birds, the 300-pound Titanis, actually managed to traverse the Central American isthmus and populate southeastern North America; however, this didnt save it from going extinct by the start of the Pleistocene epoch. Reptiles. Crocodiles, snakes, lizards, and turtles all occupied an evolutionary backseat during the Pliocene epoch (as they did during much of the Cenozoic Era). The most important developments were the disappearance of alligators and crocodiles from Europe (which had now become much too cool to support these reptiles  cold-blooded lifestyles), and the appearance of some truly gigantic turtles, such as the aptly named Stupendemys of South America. Marine Life During the Pliocene Epoch As during the preceding Miocene, the seas of the Pliocene epoch were dominated by the biggest shark that ever lived,  the 50-ton Megalodon. Whales continued their evolutionary progress, approximating the forms familiar in modern times, and pinnipeds (seals, walruses, and sea otters) flourished in various parts of the globe. An interesting side note: the marine reptiles of the Mesozoic Era known as  pliosaurs  were once thought to date from the Pliocene epoch, hence their misleading name, Greek for Pliocene lizards. Plant Life During the Pliocene Epoch There werent any wild bursts of innovation in Pliocene plant life; rather, this epoch continued the trends seen during the preceding Oligocene and Miocene epochs: the gradual confinement of jungles and rain forests to equatorial regions, while vast deciduous forests and grasslands dominated higher northern latitudes, especially in North America and Eurasia.

Know Your Prepositions! (As, At and By)

Know Your Prepositions! (As, At and By) Know Your Prepositions! (As, At and By) Picking the right preposition can be tricky. After all, there are so many to choose from! But prepositions can be vital for building a grammatical sentence. As such, you’ll need to know how these terms work if you want to avoid errors in your writing. And in this post, we’re taking a closer look at three common prepositions you need to know: â€Å"as,† â€Å"at,† and â€Å"by.† What Are Prepositions? Prepositions are linking words. In particular, they show us how a word is related to other words in a sentence. For example: The man came from Scotland. â€Å"From† here is a preposition that tells us the relationship between â€Å"man† and â€Å"Scotland† (i.e., that â€Å"Scotland† is where the man originated). Most prepositions work like this, coming before a noun or pronoun. But how about the prepositions â€Å"as,† â€Å"at,† and â€Å"by†? What do we use these words for when building a sentence? Lets take a look. As (Function and Character) The word â€Å"as† has several uses. In fact, it isn’t even a preposition most of the time! Usually, it is either an adverb (when making comparisons) or a conjunction (when linking clauses). However, it can also be a preposition. In this case, you would use it before a noun or noun phrase to express the function or character of something: Monique works as a proofreader. Alan was difficult as a child. In the first sentence above, for instance, â€Å"as† points to the type of work Monique does (i.e., proofreading). In the second, â€Å"as† tells us who Alan was when the speaker considered him difficult (i.e., a child). At (Location, Position and State) The good news is that â€Å"at† is always a preposition, which is simpler than â€Å"as.† Unfortunately, it also has many uses as a preposition, so it is still tricky! We won’t try to list all its functions here, but key uses include indicating: A location (e.g., They will be at the party later) When something takes place (e.g., We will get there at 8pm) A point on a scale or in a process (e.g., We’re at the halfway point) A state or condition (e.g., I’m good at basketball) The object of an action or attention (e.g., He keeps staring at the clock) Most of the time, then, we use â€Å"at† to indicate a location, position, or state. By (Responsibility and Means) Finally, we have â€Å"by,† which is almost always a preposition. This term has many uses, but some of the most common include indicating: Who performed an action (e.g., The goal was scored by Viduka) The means by which something was done (e.g., I travelled by bus) The size or amount of a difference (e.g., We improved output by 25%) A deadline or the end of a time period (e.g., We need it finished by Tuesday) That something is next to something (e.g., She found it by the side of the road) The time during which something happens (e.g., Most owls hunt by night) As with â€Å"at,† the variety of uses here can seem confusing. But if you practice using the prepositions above, you should get the hang of them before long!

Managing people in the work environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Managing people in the work environment - Essay Example Organisational researches reflect that employees would be most open to learning during the initial stages of their job. Since induction would produce valuable impacts on the work area, managers must design a well structured induction program. This paper will analyse various contributions that induction makes to tourism, events, or consumer-focused organisations in UK. Benefits of induction to tourism Tourism as a fast growing industry has become the major source of revenue for many developing countries. There are two trends emerging in tourism recently; people visiting hill stations, seashores and historical places of domestic land; and people travel abroad to enjoy the beauty of foreign destinations. The tourism policy focuses on the supply of adequate facilities to accommodate and entertain the visitors. It is obvious that an individual would not get a good touring experience unless he/she is provided with the service of an efficient tourist guide. In other words, employees working in the tourism sector must be skilled and efficient in order to give a memorable touring experience to clients. By considering the emerging scope of tourism sector, more and more employees are recruited presently. At this juncture, a well designed induction program would promote effective communication between the manager and employees since the very beginning. It is important for employees in the tourism sector to be aware of the mental perceptions of the customers as they are to deal with people from different regions and cultures. According to Kusluvan (2003, p. 79), a good induction programme may largely increase the scope of tourism sector which in turn would serve the economic interests of the nation as a whole. Similarly, the induction may also help the industry to meet the increasing employee requirements. To illustrate, since induction programme assists employees to quickly assimilate with the organisation, they become able to bear organisational responsibilities within a shorter period of time. As a result, organisations’ employee training and development processes become comparatively cost effective. Benefits of induction to consumer-focused organisations in UK It has been identified that the concept of induction offers far reaching benefits to consumer-focused organisations in UK. A consumer focused organisation provides exceptional services to its customers and it is often recognized as an entity that incorporates customer-focused behaviors into its daily operations. ‘First Direct’ is an example of customer-focused organisation in UK, which provides flexible services to its customers. Any organisation can turn into a customer-focused organisation by restructuring its policies and practices. Since the organisations in UK have access to a large group of potential consumers, they can make considerable changes in profitability by applying effective strategies that may improve overall organisational performance. As everyone knows, the quality of worksite environment plays a vital role in determining the efficacy of organisational performance. In order to improve the quality of the workplace atmosphere, it is necessary to meet the employees’ worksite interests effectively. A well planned induction program would not only meet this objective but also add to organisational value. It is important to make a new employee feel at home as the first step in the process of integrating him/her into the workplace. Obviously, a new staff would

Multiphase Environmental Flows Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6500 words

Multiphase Environmental Flows - Essay Example The other method involves the use of Eulerian/ Lagrangian method in which the particles are treated individually or as a group tracked by the Lagrangian frame of reference. Cundall and Starck developed the discrete element method in 1979 and has been widely used for the study of parcticles in the solid state. Studies conducted using DEM coupled with CFD showed that particles move in plugs along the conveying pipes. According to Kuang et al (2008), one of the most important technologies in the industry is dense phase pneumatic transportation of bulk material in the slug form. In his research paper, Kuang et al (2008) focuses on the numerical study of the slug flow in horizontal pneumatic conveyor by means of discrete particle simulation. Low velocity and dense gas system are common in industries such as mineral processing, agricultural industries and chemical industries. Slug flow is used in the industry to transport materials from one location to another. The slug flow is particularly considered in industries because of its ability to reduce the degradation of plant and also reduce wear. The power utilization of the system is also superior as compared to other flows. The study and simulation of the slug flow therefore brings into light the nature of flow with the aim of understanding the system and improving it. According to the research done by Kuang (2008), the particles used were spherical in shape, made of polythene material with a diameter (dp) of the particle density (pp) was 922 Kgm-3.air was used for the gas phase. The viscosity was taken to be and a density of .The underlying equations for particle flow were the rotational and translation motion determined by the Newton's laws of motion given as; 1 And 2 Where mi is the mass, Ii is the momentum or rotation inertia, is the rotational velocity while is the translational velocity of the particles (Kuang et al, 2008). For the gas phase, the gas flow was considered as a continuous phase and the governing equations are as shown below. 3 4 The coupling method used in Kuang (2008) simulations was both DEM and CFD. At an individual particle scale, modeling of the flow was done using DEM while the gas flow modeling was done using CFD. At each step, DEM gave information of the velocity and position of the particles. The data given by DEM was used by CFD to determine the gas flow field; this then yielded the particle fluid forces acting on individual particles. The resulting forces were then incorporated into DEM to yield the next time phase. The simulation test lasted for 15 seconds, numerical flow during the first 2 seconds was not considered in the analysis as only the macroscopically stable slug flow was considered during the simulation. Property mapping due to the many particles that reside in a given cell was done; the mapping technique was used to aid in the correct calculation of particle fluid force acting on the particle. The least square interpolation was used. Based on this interpolation the particle position wa s given by; 5 Where is the gas properties at the cell center and Is the particle position at the cell center. is The vector denoting the distance from the cell center

Middle East Essay Example for Free

Middle East Essay The central difference between Sunni Muslims and Shia Muslims is the manner in which they have chosen to recognize leadership in Islam following the death of the prophet Muhammad. Etymologically, Sunni people are those who â€Å"follow the traditions of the Prophet,† whilst the Shia are those who follow the â€Å"Household of the Prophet,† and these are apt descriptors of the manner in which they differ. Sunni Muslims chose to recognize the authority of Muhammad’s companions, who declared that the role of leadership was to be accorded to one deemed capable, establishing a Caliphate under Muhammad’s confidante, Abu Bakr. Shia Muslims on the other hand, chose not to recognize the authority of the Caliphate, and instead devoted themselves to a line of Imams they believe to be appointed through divine right. Shia Muslims are essentially the minority, with Sunni Muslim comprising 85% of the world’s Islamic population. Generally speaking, Amin maintains that despite these political differences, their core beliefs are fundamentally the same. The fundamental analogy he provides is the contrast between Protestantism and the Roman Catholic Orthodoxy. The Shia Imam is essentially a nigh-infallible figure accorded Pope-like reverence, while the Sunni choose a more individualistic and secular form of respect, eschewing formal clergy in favor of scholarship and independence much like Protestantism. Other than that, they agree on many critical aspects of Islam: the Five Pillars, and neither group denies the other’s right to identifying as Muslim. As Athar observes, many Muslims do not actually actively distinguish themselves nominally. However, Athar also argues that the political ramifications of their differences have led to an unfair stigmatization of the Shia Muslims within Western media, if it chooses at all to inform non-Muslims of these differences. One notable misconception is the notion that Shia do not pay ‘zakat’ or poor-due when in fact, they do. They simply choose not to make this contribution through the Sunni government, which they believe to be corrupt. Works Cited Amin, Hussein Abdulwaheed. â€Å"The Origins of the Sunni/Shia split in Islam. † Islam For Today. 17 August 2007. Retrieved August 29, 2008 from: http://www. islamfortoday. com/shia. htm Athar, Shahid. â€Å"Shia Sunni Unity: Shia Sunni Differences, Shia Sunni Conflict. † Islam Online. 5 June 2007. Retrieved August 29, 2008 from: http://www. ezsoftech. com/Akram/shiasunniunity. asp

New American Mindset :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Long-term social, economic, and political policies fostered by Britain before 1750 thoroughly impacted the developing American mindset. These fundamentals, such as legislative assemblies, commerce laws, and religious events, provided the basis for what was to become an independent American nation. This sovereign and unique culture, which developed slowly inside the thirteen colonies, can be greatly attributed to the continuous policy, protection, and influence that Britain provided.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The lack of unity inside the thirteen colonies led to a little political basis for a national consciousness of any sort. But, the three thousand miles that separated England, also created a huge lapse of royal governmental influence. Therefore, for the most part, the colonies were independent from one another and loosely affiliated with their mother country. Although each colony had a governor (who was appointed by the king,) the legislative houses ran by the colonists possessed the most significant amounts of power. Not much could be done about this abundance of American freedom however. As John Garraty states, it was nearly impossible for British representatives to have any sort of influence because they were â€Å"prisoners of their own surroundings.† Even the Privy Council, (which was set up to advise the king about colonial matters,) could not formulate a policy for the colonists as a whole. Therefore, as the American society progressed and developed, these well-functioning representative institutions played an important role. Dating as far back as the Plymouth settlers, the colonies generally conducted themselves; without much outside interference. In this way, they developed individually, and established the right of self-government. These fundamentals, which were created due to the absence of a British governmental policy, changed the path of the American colonial society, and still lie at the center of the democratic framework that exists today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The prerequisite to the formation of the American colonies was the recognition that their sole purpose was to satisfy the needs of their mother country: Britain. This idea of mercantilism had a profound effect on the economic growth of the thirteen colonies. The colonies were generally â€Å"dumping grounds† for surpluses, as well as a place to find raw materials, which would ultimately lead to an income of gold. In order to achieve these goals, Britain passed a series of Navigation Acts, beginning in 1650. They called for British ships to control all trade, and for goods going to the colonies to stop in London first.

Happiness Levels and Income Levels

Ariella Dayan (326883881) Quantitative Research Methods- Shani Greenspan November 25, 2012 The Correlation of Income Level and Happiness Level This study will investigate the relationship between income and happiness. A very popular question in today’s society is whether money can buy happiness. Happiness has been shown to be related to many things. It is found to be related to social class, success, power, health, valued belongings, religious beliefs, companionship, being employed in a secure job, having a full social life, and more or less accumulation of money.Research shows that money does not buy happiness but it comes indirectly from the higher rank in society that money brings. â€Å"The rank-income hypothesis† was tested and found that the ranked position of an individual’s income predicts general life satisfaction. Once someone has a large amount of money they may become part of a different social group which brings more confidence and satisfaction. A pe rsons’ satisfaction and self-esteem will increase if his social rank increases or if those who once had the same social rank him decreases.People naturally feel better and more satisfied if they are better than others. (Boyce, C. et al. 2010) People dedicate so much energy in trying to make more money, when having more money does not make them that much happier. People may be happy with their current level of wealth and stop trying to accumulate more if not for the urge humans have to compare themselves with others in every way possible: attractiveness, intelligence, height, weight, and crucially, financial success. The writer H. L. Mencken said, â€Å"A wealthy man is one who earns $100 a year more than his wife's sister's husband. This frustration of seeing someone â€Å"better† than you becomes a huge motivator when it comes to making more money. People are very concerned with the phenomenon of â€Å"Keeping up with the Joneses. † Hollywood made a movie abou t a wealthy and good looking American family and the affects they have on the people living in their neighborhood. The movie presents us with â€Å"conspicuous consumption† and comparing each other’s expensive possessions and social rank. People will always to try to move ahead of as many of their friends as possible in order to† improve† themselves.People try to enhance their social hierarchy by making unnecessary investments in order to satisfy their preoccupation with their relative social standing which the socio- economic class isn’t Ariella Dayan (326883881) Quantitative Research Methods- Shani Greenspan November 25, 2012 able to do, although we can see this form of competitiveness in the socio-economic class as well. A recent study shows that a group of people in the US who are most opposed to an increase in the minimum wage are those who make just above the minimum wage.Because if the minimum wage increases, these people will now be in  "last place†, along with all the people whom they used to feel superior to. (Norton, M. 2012) Another reason why money translated to happiness often is because money has a property that many other things that matter in life do not. Money is something that can be counted. When people reflect on whether they are better off this year than last, they cannot always give an exact answer. A person cannot say that their life is 32 per cent more meaningful. This is not a calculation we are accustomed to making. Salary, on the other hand, is measurable.If a person is making a better salary they will think that they are doing better in their life. This also may explain why people are always buying larger houses and larger televisions. As people become richer, they quickly grow accustomed to bigger houses, flashier cars, and designer garments, but their possessions don't actually make them much happier. (Norton, M. 2012) Studies show that even lottery winners, after an initial period of a djustment, don't become much happier. The reason for this is because the faster people try to get ahead, the quicker they end up back where they started.Another research conducted in the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, asked people to predict how happy they would be if their annual income was anywhere from $5000 up to $1 million. After this, the people were asked how much money they really earned and how happy they were with their lives. It was found that people generally overestimated the impact of money on happiness. Those who earned $25,000 a year predicted that their happiness would double if they made $55,000. But when we measured the happiness of people at these two levels of income by having them rate their satisfaction with life on a cale from 1 to 10, it was found that the wealthier group was only 9 per cent happier. On the other hand, people who make very little money do become significantly happier when they earn more. But a large survey of people in the US s howed that the impact of additional income on happiness Ariella Dayan (326883881) Quantitative Research Methods- Shani Greenspan November 25, 2012 tends to fade around an annual salary of $75,000. There is no data suggesting that making more money makes people less happy but it does stop making them much happier. (Cassidy, J. 008) What people can do in order to gain happiness in a better manner is by doing something unusual with it or â€Å"giving it away†. It turns out that spending money on yourself does not make you any happier, but spending on others does. Donating to charity or buying coffee for a friend is an efficient way of turning cash into happiness. (Cassidy, J. 2008) A worldwide survey was created in 2006 by Gallup. He asked people to imagine themselves on a ladder with steps numbered from zero to 10, with the bottom of the ladder representing â€Å"the worst possible life for you† and the top representing â€Å"the best possible life for you. The responde nts were then asked to say which step they were standing on. If you instruct people to think about the best possible and worst possible lives they could be living, you are surely inviting them to compare their living standards with those of people elsewhere. This methodological quirk alone could easily explain why residents of poor countries report low scores and residents of rich countries report high ones, and it wouldn't have anything to do with money making people happier. ( Buchanan, M. 2009) The conclusion is that happiness and money do correlate but only to a certain extent.People are more concerned with their social class, â€Å"getting ahead† and where money can get them in life than the actual amount of money. This topic should continue to be researched in order to find if in today generation a person can actually be happy with what he or she has without comparing themselves to their peers and surroundings. Ariella Dayan (326883881) Quantitative Research Methods- Sh ani Greenspan November 25, 2012 References Boyce, C. Christopher J. 1 Brown, Gordon D. A. 2 Moore, Simon C. (2010). Money and Happiness: Rank of Income, Not Income, Affects Life Satisfaction.Psychological Science, Vol. 21 Issue 4, p471-475, 5p http://web. ebscohost. com. ezprimo1. idc. ac. il/ehost/detail? sid=daeaee80-c08b-433b-84c3-094cde8b9e7c%40sessionmgr10;vid=1;hid=13;bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=a9h;AN=62587809 Norton, M. I. (2012). The more money, the merrier? New Scientist, 215, 40-41. http://web. ebscohost. com. ezprimo1. idc. ac. il/ehost/detail? sid=86a4832c-2e11-4055-a8c7-ba24949afac4%40sessionmgr11;vid=1;hid=13;bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=a9h;AN=78189804 Cassidy,J. 2008) Happinness is†¦. Conde Nast Portfolio; Vol. 2 Issue 7, p36-36, 1p http://web. ebscohost. com. ezprimo1. idc. ac. il/ehost/detail? sid=ab06d568-bb15-434e-b357-a6330d98f4a5%40sessionmgr4;vid=1;hid=13;bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=bth;AN=38013329 Buc hanan, M. (2009) Money in Mind. New Scientist Vol. 201 p26-30, 5p http://web. ebscohost. com. ezprimo1. idc. ac. il/ehost/detail? sid=81a76105-82e3-428d-8827-47f8203d01bc%40sessionmgr111;vid=1;hid=126;bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=a9h;AN=37249111

Human experience and moral Essay

To remember that it is human experience and moral values that will last forever and remained unchanged, and the growth of human conscience further awakens to a newer and better future experiences are not dropped to mere past rather they become a recollection and a refraction to a discovery of new you. The door: not just a big wooden barrier to the entrance of our house but also an explosion to my emotions. Goodbyes were being said as happy birthdays? It was confusion that began to consume my mind and heart as my parents walked out the door not knowing when I will see them again. Excitement, happiness and joyfulness flowing along my blood as I began to realize I am alone and everything my eyes spotted belonged to me. Heaven was the chosen word by my desensitized numbness mind. However, a feeling of guilt made this question interrupt my thoughts, `Do I have the right to enjoy this joyful moment of being alone, knowing that my father is going for a battle for his survival? ` As I was climbing the stair case to regain my nest, where all the gatherings and the devious planning of good times were held, I ignored my feeling of guilt and the purpose of my father’s journey and I started thinking, â€Å"Hey! Let the fun begin! † Little was my knowledge about chance and choice. To the very least, I only knew their denotations. What happened to my father was neither his choice nor of the family but certainly a chance and for what chance it was, I did not know and did not strive to know. I saw everything as a pure chance. With parents’ away and no exact time when to be home; it was a real chance to own my time – a chance to go party everyday, stay up late, go to school late, and skip classes, neglecting the fact that along chances are series of choices and the interplay of the two alongside my treatment determines the quality of my life. I allowed myself to be fully consumed with the false jollification of life. Partying with friends was a gauge for fulfillment. Shouts and yells became the expression of being fully alive. I was unmindful of my dad who was into a different tone of shouting and yelling for pain and survival. We were at the opposite poles on the single line of human feeling. Instead of reaching out, I moved away. Going to parties everyday meant staying up late at night. It resulted to going to school late and even skipping classes and the rest was a worse, if not worst, history of an irresponsible student and woman. The chain effects of my single unrecognized and unmeditated act delivered me to a world of guilt and shame and if nourished by pride, I will be lured forever into false happiness. I messed up my life! Where am I to start? Where do I begin? Never can a plant, young or not, die when its branches are cut. Roots have to be found and uprooted. The same is true with my case. What is the root of my insensitivity to my family’s case? Certainly, it wasn’t about going to party, cutting and skipping classes, etc. It was about how I viewed and dealt with what’s going on around. It was about having certain chances and making the right choices where decision making, anticipating, and understanding come in. True enough, it is only when I failed and committed mistakes that I came to realize: had I thought things over and anticipated before acting, I wouldn’t be this bad and guilty, and had I thought that I have the choice to do what is right and not act on emotional satisfaction and childishness, I wouldn’t be messing my life this way and made my parents disappointed. My life is a chance and how I live it is a choice – its quality is in my hands. How should I live it? â€Å"Wherever you go the sky will always be blue†. This line rang a bell to my ear. Certain things around are given for what they are and neither you nor I have the power to change them. And life is not about changing what we cannot but moving towards what is, for the whole humanity, true and therefore unchangeable. The truth is, what is true and unchangeable aims for ‘what is good’ and what is good surpasses any age, color, time, gender, religion, and whatever differences we have. The whole existence of life should be directed towards ‘doing good’, and its meaning is not our own selfish definition but the one true word – LOVE. It was sad to admit that I was not excuse for failing to recognize what good I should have done that very moment of my life, but it would be bitter if I continue to dwell in that past and live miserably. While I did that mistake of falling into that dark pit of human existence, I will always have the choice of going out and live life on the banner of goodness and all I need is the staff of caution and discrimination to continue living and making the right choices for every chances that come my way. To remember that it is human experience and moral values that will last forever and remained unchanged, and the growth of human conscience further awakens to a newer and better future, I will always, not just remember, do good for the rest of my life. Merge the whole of myself in my eyes, and go towards the vision, go towards the vision, go towards the vision.

Recognition or Redistribution

Recognition or Redistribution Multiculturalism is characterized by the dilemma whether different cultural groups prefer recognition or redistribution. According to Siapera, the issues of recognition and redistribution are the subject of a common debate when dealing with culturally diverse groups. The theorist considers recognition to be the act of a identifying the particular aspects of a certain cultural group. On the other hand, redistribution covers issues such as giving minority cultural groups their fair share of resources.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Recognition or Redistribution specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The dilemma concerning recognition and redistribution is broad and has been addressed by several cultural theorists. Some of the people who have contributed to this debate include Nancy Fraser who argues that recognition and redistribution are two distinct issues. Another contributor of the issue is Axel Honneth who is of the vi ew that recognition solves redistribution issues. Social democracy factors into this dilemma mainly because of its advocacy of differential treatment of minority cultural groups. The role of the press in this dilemma is highlighted because the press eventually determines how nations handle redistribution and recognition issues. However, it is noted that the media is somehow hypocritical because it often fails to recognize and represent the diverse cultural voices. Siapera’s account of the redistribution and recognition dilemma is easy to understand. In several occasions, the drive to achieve either redistribution or recognition has often resulted in conflicting points of view. In my daily activities, I often witness the varying dimensions of this dilemma. For example, while most minority groups want their uniqueness to be recognized, they often appear to be too sensitive when other cultures focus on this uniqueness. An example of this dilemma in a real life scenario is the re cent controversy surrounding renowned television personality icon Paula Deen. When she was accused of being a racist, she used the argument that her efforts were meant to recognize the African-American culture.

Conditions Often Mistaken for Plantar Fasciitis

Conditions Often Mistaken for Plantar Fasciitis Plantar fasciitis is a painful condition affecting feet that you can feel with every step you take.  The main symptom of plantar fasciitis is pain in the arch of your foot. Its usually localized at the sole of your foot, but the pain can be perceived as radiating throughout parts of your foot, ankle, and lower leg. That means plantar fasciitis might be confused with other conditions affecting your foot. A number of conditions can cause foot pain and be mistaken for plantar fasciitis. These conditions typically must be evaluated and ruled out before a diagnosis of plantar fasciitis. Ruptured Plantar Fascia In plantar fasciitis, the plantar fascia has micro-tears throughout the tissue. With a ruptured plantar fascia, the tears are larger and represent a significant injury. The two conditions have similar symptoms, but they are differentiated by the severity of pain and cause of the injury. A ruptured plantar fascia is almost always significantly more painful than plantar fasciitis. It also usually has a precursor, either plantar fasciitis or significant trauma. If you suffer from plantar fasciitis, it could worsen, weakening the plantar fascia to the point that it ruptures. If your foot is otherwise healthy, then it usually occurs during trauma or significant impact to your foot. Rupturing your plantar fascia is usually accompanied by a â€Å"pop† resulting in severe pain and an inability to bear weight on that foot. Swelling and bruising often soon follow. Surgery and other medical procedures might be needed to help the plantar fascia mend. Arthritis Arthritis is a common condition many people suffer from somewhere in the body. When arthritis occurs in the lower leg, ankle, or some part of the foot, the pain can be perceived the same way as pain from plantar fasciitis. Not only can the location of pain from arthritis be confused with plantar fasciitis pain,  but also the occurrence of pain can be similar. Arthritis pain usually is worse when the arthritic joint is being used. When the joint is at rest there might be no pain, the same pattern you see in plantar fasciitis. So you might have arthritis in your heel and not notice it until you take a step. Arthritis can be more painful when the body part is cold. The first step in the morning might be the most painful of the day with both plantar fasciitis and arthritis of the foot, simply because the anatomy is cold and tight and has not warmed up. The pain may dissipate with either as the foot warms up and blood flows more robustly. To diagnose plantar fasciitis, arthritis must usually be ruled out. Arthritis can be diagnosed with a more thorough workup by your doctor. Imaging tests might be needed. Stress Fracture Another condition commonly mistaken for plantar fasciitis is a stress fracture. A stress fracture is normally a partially broken bone. Instead of being broken all the way through, the bone is only cracked along a surface. Stress fractures usually are shallow along the surface of the bone but might be deep. Some stress fractures are a single crack in the bone, while others might be an  interweaving of small cracks, like the cracked shell of a hard-boiled egg. If the stress fracture is in your heel, toe, or metatarsal, then the pain might seem to be coming from the same spot as plantar fasciitis and feel like an injured plantar fascia: The more pressure you put on it, the more pain you feel. A stress fracture usually is distinguished from plantar fasciitis by pinpointing the location of the pain. Pain from a stress fracture also doesnt tend to dissipate the same way that pain from plantar fasciitis does as the fascia gets warmed and loosened up.   If the pain comes from the top of the foot, it is more likely to be a stress fracture in the metatarsal, which is prone to developing such fractures. If the pain is in the bottom of the foot, it is more likely to be plantar fasciitis. Pain from a stress fracture in the heel bone often seems to be coming from the same place as does plantar fasciitis. An x-ray typically can identify or rule out a stress fracture as the cause of your pain, even if the probability of it being plantar fasciitis is much higher. Circulatory Issues Issues with your circulatory system, such as bad circulation or cardiovascular problems, can cause symptoms similar to plantar fasciitis. Your feet are the body parts farthest from your heart and tend to feel the effects of poor circulation first. Are your feet ever cold while the rest of you is warm, and not because youre walking on a cold floor? Gravity and weight are also factors. Your blood pressure is higher in your lower body, especially in your feet, than it is in your upper body because theres  more pressure on it. Inflammation in your feet and lower legs- from being on your feet for a while, for example- can further constrict blood vessels. Not only does blood flow down to your feet, but it also must be pumped back up. The weakening of those support systems, the one-way valves in your veins, results in varicose veins. All this can lead to pain, which can be caused by weaknesses in the blood vessels resulting in a backup of blood flowing, creating painful pressure. Pain may also be caused by a lack of oxygen and nutrients getting to the tissue in your feet because of poor blood flow. Instead of your foot falling asleep, you might feel a deep, throbbing ache. Pain also can be caused by blood clots, which can lead to life-threatening situations. Because circulatory issues are serious, they should be thoroughly vetted and ruled out if youre having pain in your foot, even if you think its probably plantar fasciitis. This is especially true if you have varicose veins, tingling or swelling in the foot, or the same symptoms in both feet because plantar fasciitis is typically  a single-foot injury. Your doctor can evaluate your cardiovascular health by monitoring your blood pressure and blood oxygen level. The doctor might also suggest an EKG and a cardiovascular stress test to find out whats going on. Nerve Entrapment Nerves can cause extreme pain when compromised. The pain might not be felt where the nerve is compromised but at the end of the nerve structure, where the nerves chemical signals are parsed out to the cells that receive them. Nerve entrapment syndrome sometimes is confused with plantar fasciitis. In nerve entrapment syndrome, pressure is placed on a nerve by some other body part, such as a bone, muscle, or cyst.  When a nerve is trapped or pinched by other tissue, that tissue squeezes it and the nerve sends out a pain signal. This can happen to many nerves in your body, but the one most commonly mistaken for plantar fasciitis is the tibial nerve, which runs down the back of your leg. When the tibial nerve is pinched or entrapped near the ankle, it is called tarsal tunnel syndrome. The tibial nerve is most often entrapped there because its a mass of nerves, ligaments, and muscles squeezing through a skeletal structure called the tarsal tunnel, similar to the wrists carpal tunnel. If the tibial nerve is pinched, then you feel pain in the bottom of your foot much like with plantar fasciitis. Unlike plantar fasciitis, you might also feel tingling or numbness in the bottom of your foot. You should be able to replicate the symptoms without placing weight on your foot. If you can perform the same motions and pinch the nerve with your foot elevated, then the pain is most likely not coming from the plantar fascia. Sciatica Sciatica is another nerve-induced pain that can be mistaken for plantar fasciitis. Sciatica comes from farther away than tarsal tunnel syndrome, however. Sciatica is a pinching or irritation of the nerve in your spine. Your spine is composed of a number of bones, or vertebrae. Between each vertebra is a disc, similar to a gel pad, that cushions the vertebrae against each other and allows for flexibility of the spine. A disc might get irritated and, like most irritated body parts, become inflamed. The inflammation usually results in swelling in one small part of the disc, which makes the disc act like an old rubber inner tube. If there is a weak spot in the wall of an inner tube, it will bulge when you inflate it. The disc bulges, and if it takes more damage, it can rupture.  This is a herniated disc. The main nerve column in the body runs along the spine. The sciatic nerve, one of the body’s largest nerves, runs in this nerve bundle. When the disc bulges or ruptures, it can put pressure on part of the sciatic nerve, resulting in sciatica. This often sends a shooting pain down your leg, but the pain might be felt in your foot. As with other nerve pain, you might also feel a tingling or numbness, which can differentiate sciatica from plantar fasciitis. Fat Pad Atrophy Atrophy of the heels fat pad also might be confused with plantar fasciitis. As you age, this fat pad becomes thinner. Other factors might affect the thinning, but science doesnt fully understand whats happening. This fat pad is the first cushion for your gait. The pad can become so thin that it doesnt cushion the heel bone, and the heel suffers from repetitive trauma that can result in painful irritation, inflammation, a bone bruise, or a stress fracture. The pain often occurs in the same location as pain from plantar fasciitis. The pain might also be worse in the morning and dissipate as you loosen up. A doctor usually can determine if this is causing the pain by examining the thickness of the heel’s fat pad. Achilles Tendon Rupture Like a ruptured plantar fascia, an Achilles tendon rupture may create symptoms similar to plantar fasciitis. A ruptured Achilles tendon is a major tear in the thick tendon that runs along the back of your ankle from your calf to your heel. With a ruptured Achilles tendon, you have difficulty bearing weight on the foot. The pain can be severe and doesnt necessarily dissipate when you are off your feet. Another difference between a ruptured Achilles tendon and plantar fasciitis is that the pain with a ruptured Achilles usually is felt along the back of the heel; with plantar fasciitis, pain is more likely to be felt along the front of your foot. Tendonitis Tendonitis is similar in nature to plantar fasciitis, as the tissue that makes up the plantar fascia is the same type of tissue that makes up a tendon. Tendonitis can occur in any tendon within your body, and there are several tendons in your foot. Tendonitis in any foot tendon can result in pain when you step and stretch the tendon. The pain also should dissipate as the tendon warms and loosens up. The tendon in the foot most likely to develop tendonitis is the Achilles tendon along the back of your foot. You can usually distinguish between Achilles tendonitis and plantar fasciitis by the location of the pain.  Achilles tendonitis generally results in pain along the back of the heel, while plantar fasciitis generally means pain in front of the heel.   Bursitis Bursitis is another repetitive stress injury that can occur throughout the body. Bursae in the foot can become inflamed and develop bursitis like their more commonly stricken brethren in the knee, elbow, shoulder, and wrist. An inflamed bursa is tender and exudes pain when its compressed. If this occurs in the foot, especially in a bursa at the bottom of the foot, it can present symptoms similar to plantar fasciitis. Bursitis can be differentiated from plantar fasciitis by direct pressure. Since an inflamed bursa is tender and plantar fascia has little sensitivity, massaging it without much pain would indicate plantar fasciitis. If massaging  or just touching it causes a lot of pain, then it is more likely to be bursitis.

Political Theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Political Theories - Essay Example Every society is made up of groups of individuals that have certain hopes and aspirations; every state is made of people that want to find a way to find solutions for their growing needs and desires to achieve things and make a living for themselves as well as to support their families. This however sometimes is at the cost of others and thus a proper political, social as well as economic structure needs to be set in place in order to avoid conflicts among people. A certain amount of competition and conflict is allowed because it only helps to push the psychology of a human being and help him find unique ways to do things in a better manner; however, if stretched, this can lead to the existence of a majority group that begins to gain all the benefits of resources and services. Individuals often know what is best for them and thus they come together in order to make decisions which they feel would be fit for everyone else. They think for others and often try to come up with ideas that would suit the lifestyle of most people within that particular society. This refers to rule or policy formulation on a political basis and gaining power for a purpose; in order to serve the needs of the people. However, this power sometimes may not be distributed in an even manner; causing problems within that society and having a certain section impose its influence upon the others because of the excess of power. Since the inception of the idea of democracy within a state, various theories have been developed in order to find out the best possible manner in which democracy is to be executed among the people. Some societies try their best to establish a clean political scenario within which people can live peacefully with each other, sharing resources and producing goods and s ervices in a very harmonised manner. However, within some societies, this distribution may become haywire and concentrated within the hands of a few individuals. This obviously might not be good for the general benefit of the entire state, however might help a few individuals gain a lot, thus leading to an overall growth in the entire income structure of the state. The economy is thus divided on the basis of both sociological as well as political perspectives in order to counter these issues and move towards prosperity. Political life can be measured through sociological variables and this helps to understand the class model of the society very easily. There have been a number of philosophers and thinkers who have been able to base their theories on class and model structures within a political economy. Nonetheless, the Marxian philosophy or theory of class structure of state has had the greatest impact on political sociology and his most dynamic work may be found in economics. Ever y political system is made up of individuals who react to their sociological surroundings and determine the political life. In the present day, three theories have been used greatly – the Marxist, Pluralist and the Elitist theories that deal with different (as well as similar) ideas of democracy. This paper helps to analyse the similarities as well as the differences among these three ideas, as well as the path that led up to their establishment in the modern day and age. It also aims to focus on the political system that prevails in the United Kingdom and the course that the same took over time in order to become what it is today. According to Karl Marx, people entered into social relationships with one another; their conduct was largely determined by the way they behaved around each other as well as the reactions to the actions of other people in their surroundings. People moulded their beliefs and ideas according to the needs and wants of the people within their external e nvironment and thus the political system was loosely based on the economic scenario of demand and supply. Marx’s theory talked considerably about competition and conflict that was created due to economic production; he said that men and women could only be free within a society

Equity and Trusts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Equity and Trusts - Essay Example If it is developed in the country where monarchy system is followed, then monks would be required to live in the property. Therefore it may be concluded that it is not necessary that the idea of Trust Law will always find its origin in the English system only1. In this paper different aspects of the contemporary trust law will be studied and the importance of the beneficiary in this law would be discussed. The Origin of the trust law The historical origin of the trust can be found in the so called crusades in which the English noblemen fought and were away from England for years. The noblemen were significant land-owners in England under the feudal land system. The problem arose as to who would be using the land and in what way when the noble men were out of the country. As a consequence the rule of equity recognized that the land left unused by the noblemen, who were unable to exercise their legal rights on the other, will be used by other men. So the equity recognized an arrangemen t where the right of the noblemen will be retained. The nobleman was regarded as the person who will have the ultimate beneficial right and the person who will be benefiting from this arrangement is known as beneficiary. In the absence of the nobleman, the Stewart who accepts the charge of the land is entitled to raise taxes on the land and so on. So in such an arrangement the nobleman passes their legal rights of the land to the trusted person referred as â€Å"trustee† but the ultimate beneficial right of the property remains with the nobleman who serves as the â€Å"beneficiary†. The core duty of the trustee is to stick to the terms and condition of the trust2.Therefore the â€Å"beneficiary† is referred to have the â€Å"equitable interest â€Å"in the property3. A major traditional practitioner’s Lewin gave the following description of trust. He defined trust as â€Å"a duty or aggregated accumulation of obligations that rest upon the person descr ibed as trustee. The responsibility bestowed on him is due to the property held by him under his control. The property is compelled by the court in the equitable jurisdiction to administer in the manner lawfully prescribed by the trust instrument or where there be no specific provision written or oral, or to the extent of such provision is invalid or lacking in accordance with equitable principle†4. Problem with the Law In California, people presented petitions and pleaded for justice to the Chancellor (the keeper of the King’s conscience) stating that the property given to the trustee for their benefit was mis-applied. So the court of Chancery built up two ideas: first, â€Å"the obligation of the feoffee to uses or trustee to hold the property for the benefit of the cestui que use or beneficiary†5 and second, â€Å"the right of the beneficiary to obtain the use of the property†6. Thus this notion backed that the trustee’s obligation with regard to the property was correlative to the beneficiaries’ right in it7. A major traditional practitioner Lewin argued that the consequence is such that the benefits and the advantages accrued will not go to the trustee and in turn will go to the person called â€Å"cestui que† that is the beneficiary. The trustee may be the beneficiary in the case where the advantage accrued will be in his favor to the extent of his beneficial interest8. Importance of Beneficiary The central tension in the Trust Law is regarding the