Religion, Morality, And Atheism - 1734 Words

In the generally fair conditions in the United States, many Americans may be unaware that events similar to Christianity’s counter-reformation are more of a current reality with other religions in other countries. As of February 2012, an Indonesian man, Alexander Aan, is serving 5 years in prison for a single Facebook post: â€Å"God doesn’t exist.† An event like this should certainly cause us to question our thoughts on religion and how much good it actually does. While some studies show that â€Å"religious people†¦ donate more money to charities including non-religious charities,† specific religious groups have targeted and tortured others to enforce conversions to their religion. Prejudice against LGBTQ+ groups is widespread throughout religious groups as they claim their deities are against it. However, these are just a couple of examples showing just how unethical religions can appear to be. But these are only the connotations of religion, mo rality, and atheism. The true definition of religion is â€Å"an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship a god or group of gods.† Note that morality has the separate definition of â€Å"beliefs about what is right and wrong behavior† and the counterpart of religion is atheism, or the lack of the â€Å"belief in the existence of a deity or deities.† These definitions are crucial to objectively viewing each argument when answering whether religion’s effects on different culture’s morals are positive or negative. The argumentShow MoreRelatedEssay on Atheism1218 Words   |  5 PagesInformative Speech Atheism Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about Atheism, why it important as well as the fundamental elements of being a part of it. I will discuss what Atheism is, how it originated, and the number of people who practice this religion. Central Idea: What is Atheism? Who? When? Where? And Why!? Organizational Pattern: Topical Introduction Forrester Church once said, â€Å"Religion is the human response to being alive and having to die.† In Christianity when oneRead MoreAtheism, Nihilism, And Nihilism1625 Words   |  7 PagesI believe atheism, and nihilism do have certain things in common, but Atheism does not necessarily entail nihilism. There is more than one type of nihilism found in society, and even though Nihilism may entail Atheism. but they are both different. Looking closer at the definition of Nihilism and Atheism I found the main difference in definition between the two which will later be explained in detail. There are many types of beliefs that could could be consider Nihilism, but only two that expressRead MoreAtheism Essay1503 Words   |  7 PagesLet’s start off by explaining what atheism is, it’s when you don’t believe in any form of an â€Å"Intelligent Creator† or God, as usually referred to as. The word atheism comes from the root word â€Å"theism†, wh ich is when you believe in a God, or numerous Gods depending on the religion, and the prefix â€Å"a†, which means â€Å"not†. There are no set practices of atheism, or a set list of beliefs. To be an atheist you must believe what you would like and simply live your life without constraints based on what youRead More Analyzing Atheism1136 Words   |  5 PagesReligion is one of the touchiest subjects in America. It is something that is rarely on the forefront of many people’s minds but as soon as someone brings it up, everyone has an opinion. Similarly, the idea of no religion, of atheism, is equally opinionated. While Americans of â€Å"faith† often have conflicting opinions with each other, they often stand united on the stance of atheism. For them, atheism is bad and atheists are bad. However, what really is an atheist? At its most basic, an atheist isRead MoreAmerican Atheism and Why it Exists Essay1060 Words   |  5 Pages American Atheism and Why it Exists Atheism is disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of God or gods, they reject religion as apart of not only a rejection of ignorance, but also a rejection of their religious family and association of religion itself, says Catherine L. and Caldwell-Harris who are published in the Department of Psychology for Boston University, Lesley College,University of Haifa, and Trinity College. This is a stark contrast to theism, which is the belief in god andRead MoreTo What Extent is Religion Essential To Society?866 Words   |  4 PagesAs religion heads closer to extinction shown by the steady global increase of those claiming no religious affiliation, the question of whether religion is crucial to a harmonious and progressive civilization is posed. With the implementation of basic human rights, religion’s fundamental use as a form of societal control to pacify populations becomes ever redundant. There is no longer the necessity of religion to be the basis of a moral code. Nat ions categorized by low degrees of social and economicalRead MoreGod is Not Great by Christopher Hitchens1301 Words   |  6 Pages Morality and ethics have always been a large source of debate and contention between different factions of various interests, beliefs, and ideals due to its centrality and foundational role in society and civilization and incredible importance to everyday life and decision making. In many of these disputes religious belief, or a lack thereof, serves as an important driving force behind one or both sides of the argument. In the modern world, one of the bigger instances of this can be seen in theRead MoreThe Essence Of Christianity Had A Profound Impact On Marx s Philosophy Of Right1247 Words   |  5 PagesChristianity had a profound impact on Marx’s atheism, and ultimately led to the ‘Feuerbachian-Marxist postulate that human emancipation’ could be achieved through liberation from religion, the approaches toward this objective con siderably vary. Despite Ricoeur’s defence that Feuerbach should be considered a ‘master of suspicion’, because Marx’s atheism is ‘an elaboration... a further development of Feuerbachianism’, this questions whether Feuerbach’s and Marx’s atheisms are as compatible as initially perceivedRead MoreAtheism : Argentina s National Reality Essay2207 Words   |  9 Pagesat religion on a historical level, it has been recorded that throughout various religious denominations, religion has always possessed a common sense of morality, teachings of societal expectations and standards are expected. These patterns show that religion acts as a tool and guideline to individuals who in return use religion to justify moral acts. Yet, is this to say that if one is not religious, they cannot be a moral human being? This fear of moral decline because of a lack in religion is justRead More Atheism as a historical philosophy and its relevance in conte mporary America4178 Words   |  17 Pagesof the most misunderstood belief systems in the world. For many, the term â€Å"atheism† immediately spurs negative imagery inspired by years of indoctrination – churches proclaiming the sins of the infidels, and how questioning God’s infinite love will result in instant damnation. Atheists are perceived as dark, nihilistic, immoral, amoral, pessimistic, and even evil, because without God, clearly they are also without morality and goodness. But if this disbelief is so negative, why would nearly 1 billion

Privacy issues of Social Networking Sites - 1156 Words

By virtue of the expanding popularity of the social networking sites, such as FacebookTM, TwitterTM and MySpaceTM, Internet users contentedly disseminate their personal information whilst overlooking the threat of privacy disclosure. According to statistics presented by FacebookTM (2013), there are about 699 million daily active users as of June 2013, indicating about one tenth of the world population are using FacebookTM actively. Nevertheless, it is widely recognised that this expeditious growth of popularity of social networking would contribute to various privacy issues. Therefore in this essay, privacy issues of communicating and disclosing personal information through the social networking sites would be deliberated and feasible†¦show more content†¦However, if stalkers are authorised to gain access to these fragments of intelligence, the users would be in danger. Understanding the threat of Cybercrime brought by social networking sites, while the trend of growing popularity of social networking sites seems unstoppable, the government and the social networking companies could perform countermeasure to discontinue the trend of Cybercrime. Above all, the government could establish law and regulations to regulate the social networking industry to curb Cybercrime. Hayes (2013) suggested that suitable laws and regulations, regarding data protection and privacy, could be introduced to assist the social networking industry to fight against Cybercrime. Therefore, customers’ rights to privacy are covered when organizations collect, store, and use social media data could be secured. For reference, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (2012) proposed that any person should have the right to be forgotten and to erasure, which means people have the right to make sure their personal data that are no longer necessary should be erased. For instance, if a user of Facebook has decided that a piece of his data on the server is unnecessary, the data should be immediately erased and no longer accessible to any person. Consequently, this prevents personal information leakage as social networking users have full control of the ir information online. Moreover, the social networking sitesShow MoreRelatedSocial Networking Sites And Work Privacy Issues887 Words   |  4 Pages Social Networking Web Sites and Work Privacy Issues Tammy L. Mansker Submitted to the faculty of Brandman University In partial fulfillment of the requirements of OLCU-380 Research and Analytical Thinking October 22, 2015 Social Networking Web Sites and Work Privacy Issues The controversy with companies accessing individual’s social networking sites centers around the infringement of the individual’s right to privacy, access to information that is protectedRead MoreBSTRACT Social Networking sites are playing an important role in personal life as well as1300 Words   |  6 PagesBSTRACT Social Networking sites are playing an important role in personal life as well as business. A social networking site has become very popular for people to connect and share their interest with family and friends. Although the use of social networks is increasingly on the rise, many users are properly informed of the risks associated with using social networks. The risks as well as the security and privacy issues of social networks in business and public policy need to be evaluated and studiedRead MoreSocial Networking Sites and Privacy1155 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction What do about ninety percent of us have in common? It’s the social networking sites that everyone is a part of these days, whether it’s your twelve year old nephew or your grandmother. Spending hours and hours connecting with your old friends and making new friends over the social networking sites has become a part of everyone’s daily routine. Nonetheless, recently privacy concerns over the social networking sites have taken its peak. Background It all started several decades back, whenRead MoreThe Negative Impact Of Social Media852 Words   |  4 PagesThe Negative Impact of Social Media According to the Pew Research Center, â€Å"41% of social media-users have experienced at least one negative outcome as a result of using a social networking site.† In this article, Norton uses logos, pathos, and ethos to explain his standpoint to his audience. Logos are used when Norton brings up the legal issues of social media such as privacy concerns. Bringing the reader into Norton’s own personal experiences of abuse and name-calling uses pathos. Finally, ethosRead MoreThe Impact Of Privacy On Usage Trends For Social Networking Sites1209 Words   |  5 PagesThe rise of social media networks and web applications has amounted to a large amount of multimedia data being produced and communicated across the world. Although user awareness for risks associated with using these websites and applications is at an abysmally low levels as measured by an independent survey. The risks and challenges such as identity theft and disclosure of sensitive information should be pro perly addressed towards customers to avoid any potential loss of their private and personalRead MoreIn social networking sites, other than communicating with existing friends, people can find and900 Words   |  4 Pages In social networking sites, other than communicating with existing friends, people can find and make friends with other people with similar interests or from the same school or company etc. Mobile social networking servicesto connect to their social communities with a mobile device, through one or more available mobile channels. Members share experiences, interests, opinions, presence information and personal content through their mobile devices. Mobile adds new capabilities to social networkingRead MoreFacebook Ethics Paper1600 Words   |  7 PagesFacebook is a well know social networking site that has taken all over the world with over 500 million people using the site. Social networking sites such as Facebook share information about the user over the Internet, where it can be freely accessed by anyone. This is where issues of privacy to the individual arise. As of July 2010 Facebook has more than 500 million active users, Users may create a personal profile, add other users as friends and exchange messages, including automatic notificationsRead MoreSocial Networking Is Becoming A Popular Form Of Communication1514 Words   |  7 PagesSocial networking is becoming a very popular form of communication in today’s society. Social networking is using int ernet based websites and applications to connect and interact with other users, and is very easily accessible for many people, including student nurses. This essay will include a definition of social networking, possible opportunities and risks that can be associated with social networking for a student nurse, and recommendations for safe social networking use. Social networking canRead MoreRole of Social Media in Business1013 Words   |  5 PagesSocial Media plays a vital role in all aspects of businesses nowadays. It has helped in turning communications into interactive dialogues among organizations, communities and individuals which has led to a much proper propagation of information. It may include web based or mobile based technologies and the existence in multiple forms has made it all the more tempting and has become a necessity today in the business world. Social media is one of the greatest business gifts of our generation and theRead MoreAssignment B1 1 Essay examples860 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿Paper B1-Privacy-Related Matrix (12%) This assignment gives you an opportunity to analyze a key IT-related organizational ethical privacy issue subject to relevant laws, regulations, and policies. Both of the following sites provide sources and an excellent backdrop for issues relating to privacy protection and the law. See EPIC Report  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ at:  Ã‚  http://epic.org/reports/  Ã‚  See List on left:  Ã‚  HOT POLICY ISSUES and/or:   https://www.eff.org/issues/privacy   [see list at right on this page] This includes

Compare And Contrast Ancient Art Essay Example For Students

Compare And Contrast Ancient Art Essay In this essay I will compare and contrast two ancient three-dimensional sculptures. The first is The Laocoon Group; it is a masterpiece of the Hellenistic Age in Greece. This sculpture dates back to the 1st Century BC. This sculpture now resides in the Vatican in Rome. The second sculpture is Augustus of Primaporta, a life-size Roman sculpture from the Pax Roman time period, circa 20 b.c.e. The artist of both sculptures are unknown. Both sculptures contain concepts of life and power. Both sculptures can be viewed in our textbook, A World of Art by Henry M. Sayre on pages 431 and 433. According to Walter E. Requadt (2005) The Laocoon Group is a depiction of the death of Laocoon and his sons as punishment for Laocoons advice to the Trojans not to bring the Trojan horse within the walls of their city. The serpents unite the three figures, drawing you from one figure to the next. Every inch of Laocoons face depicts his pain: From his wrinkled forehead to half shut eyes and parted lips, the figure cries out in pain. Both father and sons are portrayed in a haunting state of agony. It seems that every inch of the sculpture depicts pain and torment, from basic human emotions while Augustus of Primaporta provides a visible testament to Augustuss claim to authority. He stands proudly dressed in his military garb pointing to something unknown. The Laocoon Groups subject matter is mythological, while Augustus is heroic. The Laocoon Group is naked figures, whereas Augustus of Primaporta is clothed except for the small cupid at his feet. Augustus is shown wearing the cuirass, or breastplate of a military general. According to the University of Michigan, Augustuss breastplate tells the story of his pay-back victory over the Parthians only it does so by means of a symbolic allegory, filled with gods and goddesses. This manifests Augustuss role as imperator, or head of Romes military forces and the small cupid hints at Augustuss divine descent from Venus. They are both marble with smooth texture and alabaster in color. Both are human figures, but differ greatly in style. The Laocoon exhibits a combination of many stylistic elements; it is naturalistic and organic in areas of the body; exhibits muscular physics, tight stomachs, the pubic triangles, and strong legs. Augustus exhibits a heroic stylistic element exhibiting authority and strength in the face and body features. Augustus of Primaporta is realistic and serves as a life-like replica standing 6 8 high. The Laocoon Group, also realistic, stands 7 feet high and contains precise detail in the faces features and in the serpent entwined around the group. To conclude, both sculptures reflect the ancient cultures by which they were made and focus on the cycle of life. One concentrates on a group, the other on an individual. Stylistically, they both show elements of realism, naturalism and idealism. The Laocoon Group utilizes more lines and shapes, while Augustus of Primaporta is more rigid.

Jetpack Alternatives How to Get Jetpack Functionality via Other Plugins

Everyone loves Jetpack, right? The Jetpack plugin cuts out the need to install many other plugins since it packs over 40 features into what many call a mega-plugin. Some people, including myself, rather enjoy Jetpack. On the other hand, there are the skeptics. One side of the argument states that its the most convenient, all-in-one plugin, while others are cautious about relying on one plugin for all site functionality. Thats why its a good idea to know about the best Jetpack alternatives.By Jetpack alternatives, we mostly mean separate plugins with individual features (so theres a little more work involved when you first set them up). But you can often find deeper functionality from plugins that focus on individual functions.For those of you who want to explore the world of separate Jetpack alternatives, keep reading. However, its important to understand Jetpacks potential downsides to see which approach is right for you:The core Jetpack features are free, but much of the good stuff requires payment. You can typically find similar features in other plugins for free.You start building a significant portion of your site with one plugin. This means its harder to replace that plugin in the future. With multiple plugins, its easier to get rid of one and find a replacement.A WordPress.com account is required to use Jetpack. Not only is this somewhat confusing but its another useless account.Many people argue that Jetpack actually weighs down their sites. Its a strange topic since some of the tools that measure plugin performance  state that Jetpack readings arent always accurate. That said, the readings usually show that Jetpack is a resource hog.Our favorite Jetpack alternatives (broken down by feature)From spam filtering to email marketing, you can replace pretty much all of Jetpacks features with other reputable plugins. We dont have an alternative to all 40+ Jetpack tools in this article, but a quick search in the WordPress plugins directory will find you an a lternative to everything in Jetpack.Jetpack alternative for spam filtering: Akismet Akismet Anti-Spam Author(s): AutomatticCurrent Version: 4.1.2Last Updated: May 14, 2019akismet.4.1.2.zip 94%Ratings 143,374,346Downloads WP 4.0+Requires The automated spam filtering in Jetpack requires a paid subscription. However, you already have access to the top spam fighting plugin in the worldand its free.  Akismet  automatically filters out spam comments, clearing out the worst of it so your site runs smoothly and your comments section isnt filled with junk.Jetpack alternative for site stats: Orbit Fox Orbit Fox by ThemeIsle Author(s): ThemeisleCurrent Version: 2.8.10Last Updated: September 13, 2019themeisle-companion.zip 94%Ratings 4,283,244Downloads WP 4.7+Requires Google Analytics is by far the best tool for collecting site data about visitors. Unfortunately, Jetpack requires a Premium plan to show your Google Analytics information on the WordPress dashboard.Orbit Fox, o n the other hand, does the same thing for free. It offers real-time stats with a quick integration. Orbit Fox is also known for having a wide range of other features like social sharing, menu icons, a template library, and content blocks (more on these in a second!).Jetpack alternative for backups: UpdraftPlus UpdraftPlus WordPress Backup Plugin Author(s): UpdraftPlus.Com, DavidAndersonCurrent Version: 1.16.17Last Updated: September 12, 2019updraftplus.1.16.17.zip 96%Ratings 29,914,741Downloads WP 3.2+Requires The daily automatic backups are only offered through a paid Jetpack package, so youre better off opting for  UpdraftPlus. Not only does it have an easier interface for your backups, but it lets you back up to places like Google Drive, Dropbox, FTP, and OneDrive.Jetpack alternative for SEO: Yoast Yoast SEO Author(s): Team YoastCurrent Version: 12.3Last Updated: October 15, 2019wordpress-seo.12.3.zip 98%Ratings 200,063,756Downloads WP 4.9+Requires The SEO previ ew tools are some of the weakest parts of Jetpack. If youre looking to supercharge your search engine optimization efforts, the only logical choice is  Yoast SEO. Yoast is known for its comprehensive post and page planning module, where it tracks keyword density and provides tips for improving optimization.Jetpack alternative for security: Wordfence Security Wordfence Security Firewall Malware Scan Author(s): WordfenceCurrent Version: 7.4.0Last Updated: August 22, 2019wordfence.7.4.0.zip 96%Ratings 135,846,747Downloads WP 3.9+Requires Jetpack has automatic security and malware scanning. The only problem is that a Premium subscription is required to get any of these security measures.  Wordfence Security, on the other hand, offers everything from brute force attack protection to malware scanning, all without the price tag.Jetpack alternative for the publicize feature: WP to Buffer Post to Social Media WordPress to Buffer Author(s): WP ZincCurrent Version: 3.5.4Last Updated: October 3, 2019wp-to-buffer.zip 88%Ratings 198,350Downloads WP 3.6+Requires Social media posting is done for free on Jetpack. However, the scheduling tools are premium. I prefer  WP to Buffer  since it has a full scheduling module and support for every strange social network you can think of.For a more flexible solution, Revive Old Post is also a good option.Jetpack alternative for social share buttons: Orbit Fox Orbit Fox by ThemeIsle Author(s): ThemeisleCurrent Version: 2.8.10Last Updated: September 13, 2019themeisle-companion.zip 94%Ratings 4,283,244Downloads WP 4.7+Requires Orbit Fox is one of the more intuitive share button plugins for adding multiple social network share buttons to your blog posts and pages. Its free, supports all major networks, and is easy to use.Jetpack alternative for a CDN: CloudflareIf you mainly care about your images, the Jetpack Photon CDN works just fine. But the Jetpack Photon CDN doesnt speed up your other files, which is why  Cloudflare  makes a better alternative. This isnt a plugin, but you integrate it with your site to serve content through the large delivery network ultimately speeding up your website.Jetpack alternative for infinite scroll: WordPress Infinite Scroll WordPress Infinite Scroll Ajax Load More Author(s): Darren CooneyCurrent Version: 5.1.5Last Updated: October 2, 2019ajax-load-more.zip 96%Ratings 759,544Downloads WP 4.0+Requires Infinite scrolling is such a basic feature that you dont need a mega-plugin to implement it on your site. Ajax Load More  gives you a more flexible solution for implementing infinite scroll on your site.Jetpack alternative for contact forms: WPFormsJetpack doesnt charge for its forms, but other plugins often give you more flexibility. A good beginner-friendly option is the  WPForms plugin,  which is a fully customizable drag-and-drop form builder. It comes with pre-made templates, spam protection, media file uploads, and various marketi ng-ready features such as newsletter sign-up, payment gateways integration, and surveys.Jetpack alternative for related posts: Related Posts Thumbnails Related Posts Thumbnails Plugin for WordPress Author(s): Jetpack alternative for email marketing: SendinblueJetpack provides some watered down email marketing and list building tools, but nothing compares to Sendinblue. It offers a WordPress integration, with transactional messaging, marketing campaigns, and beautiful templates.Jetpack alternative for uptime monitoring: Orbit Fox Orbit Fox by ThemeIsle Author(s): ThemeisleCurrent Version: 2.8.10Last Updated: September 13, 2019themeisle-companion.zip 94%Ratings 4,283,244Downloads WP 4.7+Requires Once again, Orbit Fox is able to replace a Jetpack feature at no charge. The uptime monitoring is as simple as possible, where you type in your email address and get notifications whenever your website goes down.Let us know if you have some other  Jetpack alternativesThis is by no means a complete list, but its a great start for those who arent interested in controlling a significant portion of their website through one plugin like Jetpack.If you have any other great Jetpack alternatives, let us know about them in the comments. * This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and then purchase the product, well receive a small fee. No worries though, youll still pay the standard amount so theres no cost on your part.

Free Essays on Drugs And Crime

Around four million people use illicit drugs each year. Most illicit drug use is relatively controlled 'recreational' use of cannabis and ecstasy. People who try illicit drugs are more likely than others to commit other forms of law breaking. However there is no persuasive evidence of any causal linkage between drug use and property crime for the vast majority of this group. A very small proportion of users - less than 5% of the total - have chaotic lifestyles involving dependent use of heroin, crack/cocaine and other drugs. An even smaller proportion of users - perhaps around 100,000 people - finance their use through crime. The majority of those who steal to buy drugs were involved in crime before their drug use became a problem for them. This group of criminally involved problem users commits very large amounts of shoplifting, burglary and other crime to finance drug purchases. If appropriate drug treatment is given to this group, they reduce their offending levels. There are links between some forms of illicit drug use and crime is obvious. The precise nature of these links is not. Widely differing claims are made about the extent to which crime is 'drug-driven'. This paper assembles research evidence that can shed light on the relationships. We have focused on key pieces of recent British research, but we have also discussed relevant American work. This review is restricted to an examination of the links between drug use and property crime. This is because debate in the UK currently revolves around the impact of drug use on crimes such as burglary, shoplifting, robbery and other theft. We have not examined links with violent crime. This is not to deny that some specific drugs may facilitate violence - and others may inhibit it (Anglin Dobinson Harrison Jarvis & Parker, 1989). Nor should one ignore the systemic violence associated with some forms of drug distributio... Free Essays on Drugs And Crime Free Essays on Drugs And Crime Around four million people use illicit drugs each year. Most illicit drug use is relatively controlled 'recreational' use of cannabis and ecstasy. People who try illicit drugs are more likely than others to commit other forms of law breaking. However there is no persuasive evidence of any causal linkage between drug use and property crime for the vast majority of this group. A very small proportion of users - less than 5% of the total - have chaotic lifestyles involving dependent use of heroin, crack/cocaine and other drugs. An even smaller proportion of users - perhaps around 100,000 people - finance their use through crime. The majority of those who steal to buy drugs were involved in crime before their drug use became a problem for them. This group of criminally involved problem users commits very large amounts of shoplifting, burglary and other crime to finance drug purchases. If appropriate drug treatment is given to this group, they reduce their offending levels. There are links between some forms of illicit drug use and crime is obvious. The precise nature of these links is not. Widely differing claims are made about the extent to which crime is 'drug-driven'. This paper assembles research evidence that can shed light on the relationships. We have focused on key pieces of recent British research, but we have also discussed relevant American work. This review is restricted to an examination of the links between drug use and property crime. This is because debate in the UK currently revolves around the impact of drug use on crimes such as burglary, shoplifting, robbery and other theft. We have not examined links with violent crime. This is not to deny that some specific drugs may facilitate violence - and others may inhibit it (Anglin Dobinson Harrison Jarvis & Parker, 1989). Nor should one ignore the systemic violence associated with some forms of drug distributio...

Pitch Perfect

Pitch Perfect This week my literary agent said she’ll submit my young adult novel to publishers. Her advice to me during this waiting period is â€Å"You must be patient. Are you patient?† Yes! For me to have gotten to this point, I had to be incredibly patient - over 10 years’ worth of persistence. And I’m beyond excited. Because from where I sat a decade ago, this moment would have seemed impossible. But after an adventurous trek through the wilds of editing, the challenges of slush pile and Twitter querying, and the thrills of face-to-face pitching to agents, I know I’ve not only prepared my best work but also have the best representation for my novel. Just as Hope preaches, practice at this writing thing does make perfect. Agents aren’t kidding when they say they want a manuscript that’s ready. They’re not interested in â€Å"potential.† I learned this when I queried my manuscript too early over a year ago. My story garnered some partial reads from a few agents, but eventually, over 50 rejections. (Keep in mind I had to query far more agents - over 100 - to get 50 â€Å"nos.†) During the revision process these last two years, my novel has changed titles three times and has improved thanks to feedback from two freelance editors and over 20 beta readers. A former acquisitions editor I found via Editing-Writing.com suggested key changes that ultimately got me the attention from my current agent. So February a year ago, with a new title, a much tighter plot, and a whole new query letter, I was ready to pitch again and even travel to Chicago to meet agents. These writing workshops hosted The logline was also the perfect tool for #PitMad, a day of Twitter pitching that happens four times a year, where authors share manuscripts with agents using 140 characters. From the three tweets you’re allowed, I received three requests from agents. Here’s one that worked: â€Å"When a friend is sexually assaulted, a teen journalist learns it’s better to go NYT, not TMZ, when reporting the crime. #PitMad #YA.† But it was the slush pile query that ultimately brought me the pot of gold. While Twitter and face-to-face pitching, I never stopped sending out a revised email query: at least two a week. This one featured the logline, now the hook in my first paragraph. Agent Amy Tipton of Signature Literary asked for my full manuscript in June and made me an offer of representation. We worked that  summer on two rounds of revisions (one major and one minor), and now the book is ready for publishers’ eyes. I got my agent

Financial Reporting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Financial Reporting - Essay Example The recent financial crisis as well as the leading corporate scandals of past however, cast a doubt over the information presented in the financial statements. It has been argued that the financial statements do not provide the information which can satisfy the requirements of the shareholders and investors. The overall quality of reporting and the loopholes in the existing regulations and standards therefore provide an opportunity to the managers to report the matter in a manner which may not satisfy the overall requirements of the shareholders and investors.( Weil,2011). This paper will discuss as to whether the annual report of a limited company satisfy the needs of shareholders and other investors. Annual Reports and Financial Reporting Every limited liability company is required to present its annual financial statements outlining the position of its assets and liabilities, profit and loss as well as the cash flow position. Apart from the three key financial statements, annual r eports of the firms also include notes to the accounts which provide different estimates and explanations of how different estimates were made and under what assumptions and standards. Standards set out by International Accounting Standards Board as well as the US GAAP are two of the major standards which are being followed by the firms internationally. Except US Generally accepted accounting principles, standards outlined by IASB are followed internationally where US GAAP is followed by American companies. Though there are some critical differences between the two set of standards however, there are extensive efforts being undertaken to converge both the standards and develop a unifying and single standards to be followed by all the firms globally. It is also important to note that the every limited liability company has to submit its annual accounts to the regulatory body as well as to present them to the shareholders. As such annual reports serve as the most important document th rough which shareholders can actually assess the performance of the management and assess the long term and short term future of the firm. (Jones, 1998). The recent financial crisis as well as the corporate scandals like Enron and WorldCom however, created an strong debate as to whether the financial reporting made in the annual reports actually serves the interests of the shareholders and other investors or not? Financial Reporting and Shareholders’ Interests Despite the fact that there are extensive set of rules and regulations under which annual accounts of the limited liability companies are made however, the failure of the firms to disclose all the information has initiated a debate as to whether the annual reports provide the kind of information which serves the interests of the shareholders and other investors. One of the important concepts to be explored in this regard is the agency problem which outlines that the managers make decisions which may not necessarily be i n favor of shareholders and add value to the firm. Under this assumption, the information presented in the annual reports therefore may entirely represent the interests of

The Merger of Granda and Compass Research Proposal

The Merger of Granda and Compass - Research Proposal Example The success/failure of the merger will be analysed according to the Economies of scale: "This refers to the fact that the combined company can often reduce duplicate departments or operations, lowering the costs of the company relative to theoretically the same revenue stream, thus increasing profit."2 Many authors have dealt with the issue of clarity and understandability of the topic of mergers. Most of the research studies are aimed at studying the factors, which motivate the management of the companies to undertake the decision of merger and the benefits or the losses The study of mergers and acquisitions focuses on understanding what motivates managers to engage in this type of activity and the impact that mergers and acquisitions have on shareholder returns. Mostly the main aim of the companies for mergers could be empire building through growth in size, sales, and assets. 3 Mostly the motivation for the merger involve the increase in the market gains, the competitive advantage in shape of technological advancement, and the increase in the strength of the companies. In some cases the HR practices also improves as the result of these mergers. Efficiency improvements can be gained from synergy of target and bidding firms due to economies of scale and use of excess capacity. Recent studies stated that value creation couldn't be achieved in case of horizontal merger. 4 5 6 The entity formed by the merger of Granada and Compass, "Granada Compass", was 66.25% owned by Granada shareholders and 33.75% by those of Compass. The merger proposal said that prior to the IPO, Granada Media was expected to be capitalised with no net debt. At the end of March 2000, Granada's net debt was 1.9bn and Compass's was 1.1bn. In a joint statement Granada and Compass said that they expect their combined businesses to be "better placed to exploit the significant growth opportunities in each of its core markets and to benefit from the combination of its complementary businesses." 7 On the other hand the horizontal merger of Bell south and AT&T is expected to provide both the companies with the following advantages. Cross selling: Through the merger the companies become enable to sell their products to the customers of the other company. The natural combination of two will improve the services provided to the customers. Financial Benefits: The merger of both the companies will lead to a "financial benefits for stockholders of both companies; an expected net present value of $18 billion in synergies resulting from a more than $2 billion annual run rate in synergies expected in 2008, growing to $3 billion in 2010." 8 On the other hand the expected merger will lead to "accrete AT&T adjusted earnings per share in 2008, double-digit adjusted EPS growth in each of next three years (earnings adjusted for merger integration costs and amortisation of intangibles) and significant growth in free cash flow after dividends in 2007 and 2008". 9 Geographical or other diversification: Another advantage

Post-War Boom Essay Example for Free

Post-War Boom Essay Every 22nd of April, the world celebrates Earth Day, where the importance of environmentalism given emphasis. What was once an ideology is now a social movement, with major corporations joining in the campaign to preserve the environment. In the US, the road to environmental movement started as early as the 1960s but only reached extensive recognition in the 70s. In 1962, Rachel Carson, a biologist, wrote a book entitled Silent Spring, which exposed the threats brought on by the use of pesticides (Brinkley 875). She wrote that it was the first time that human beings were being subjected to â€Å"dangerous chemicals† and called on the government to act on it (LaFeber et al 547). But it was not only Carson who opened the door for environmental movement. Following the war, the drastic effect on the environment was starting to put people in a crisis. Water pollution was spreading; toxic fumes from factories and power plants had started to infiltrate the water and the atmosphere (Brinkley 876-877). In Ohio, for example, the Cuyahoga River had â€Å"burst into flames† following constant dumping of petroleum waste into it (877). The word â€Å"smog† was created to refer to the combination of smoke and fog which relentlessly plagued the people living in cities (877). Environmental destruction had started. The realization made people become aware of the possible damages it could inflict not just on the people but also on their surroundings. In fact, as early as 1950s, the Sierra Club, a traditional conservation organization, had contested the proposal to dam the Green River in Colorado (Glen Canyon Institute 2008). Sierra Club deemed the proposal as â€Å"America’s most regretted environmental mistake† (2008). The group sought to stop it but was in vain. The Glen Canyon damming opened the waters (put intended) for the environmental movement that when proposals for damming Marble and Grand Canyon were put forward, the Sierra Club staged not just protests but also placed advertisement in the New York Times to stop it. In a way, the Colorado incident put forth the rising environmental movement. It triggered the concern for environmental conservation and preservation. Among the environmental problems which people hoped to address were the aforementioned water problem, ozone layer, greenhouse effect, nuclear power and the escalating amount of garbage (Divine et al 870-871). For instance, studies in the 70s revealed the effects of chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) to the earth’s ozone layer (870). Scientists also discovered that smoke and other toxic fumes contributed to the formation of acid rain, which was dangerous not only to forests but the aquamarine (870). Only April 1970 the first Earth Day was celebrated in campuses, the start of what was to be a campaign to expand the threats of toxic wastes to the environment (LaFeber 547). Earth Day was the idea of Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin who initially thought of conducting a series of talks around campus (Brinkley 878). Compared to the antiwar rallies that as common during these days, the Earth Day demonstration had an â€Å"unthreatening† aura that made it interesting to people. During President Nixon’s first term, the Congress passed the National Environmental Policy Act and the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (Brinkley 878). Laws were also created to regulate environmental hazards, preserve endangered species and protect wilderness areas (LaFeber 547). The Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act were passed in 1972 (Brinkley 878). The support of government in environmentalism made it easier to somehow alleviate environmental degradation brought on by pollution and the advancing industrial society. However, during the Reagan administration, federal cuts were made in favor of promoting private enterprises (547). Reagan also hoped to abolish the Council on Environmental Quality and cut funds for the Environmental Protection Agency (547). However, his anti-environmental revolution only made the environmental movement stronger. Environmental groups saw rise in its members.

Genus: Intelligent Design Essay -- Evolution Science Biology Essays

Genus: Intelligent Design The Intelligent Design Movement has gained monumental strength within the last half-decade. It promotes a purely scientific criticism to Darwin’s theories of natural selection and evolution with absolutely no religious bias—or so it claims. Unlike previous movements for the advancement of religious ideas, the Intelligent Design community is comprised of Ph.D.s in natural and physical sciences and is gaining its most popular following in large universities. There are an increasing number of scientific organizations advocating Intelligent Design as a contrasting theory to evolutionary naturalism. Evolution itself is not being challenged, however, only its basis in â€Å"chance and necessity.† But can the Intelligent Design Movement be given actual scientific credit, or is it just the latest mutation of religious doctrine? The idea of an intelligent Designer side-by-side with evolution is not a new one. Dating back to 1889, educated people like Asa Gray were endorsing natural selection with the aid of an almighty creator. His theory revolved around the separation of necessity and design.[1] He defines necessity as the factors in our environment that cause humans to evolve—hunting for food, reproducing, competing against other species. He wrote that if â€Å"you take away struggle, then take away necessity you therefore only have forms in their design phase.† At time equal to zero, God intelligently designed the world to fit a certain pattern. At this instant, the human form (and all others) is in its design state as God made it. Natural selection only takes place after that initial creation, but does not take away from the fact that intelligent design occurred. The new... ...liam. Natural Theology. London: J. Faulder, 1809. (full online text) http://www.hti.umich.edu/cgi/p/pd-modeng/pd-modeng-idx?type=HTML&rgn=TEI.2&byte=53049319 Polkinghorne, John. Belief in God in an Age of Science. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1998. Runyan, John. â€Å"Intermediate Stages: A Problem for Evolutionary Gradualism.† Intelligent Design URC, 2002. http://www.idurc.org/jrunyan_intermediatestages.shtml [1] Darwiniana, 1889. [2] Access Research Network. [3] Belief in God in an Age of Science, 1998. [4] Darwin’s Black Box, 1996. [5] The Evolution of Complexity, 1988. [6] â€Å"Intermediate Stages: A Problem for Evolutionary Gradualism,† 2002. [7] Finding Darwin’s God, 1999. [8] Climbing Mount Improbable, 1996. [9] â€Å"Molecular Machines—Experimental Support for the Design Inference,† 1994. [10] Finding Darwin’s God, 1999.

Globalisation Book Review Essay

The world economy is becoming more global in its format. People may not be able to realize the correct depth of this globalization trend and the complexities it creates for the state. International businesses have a huge impact on our daily lives. Right from morning till night we are in the habit of using variety of goods and services made by different countries of the world. The globalization trend started after World War II. U. S. economy became the strongest economy at that time and U. S made their dominance worldwide in almost all major industries. Businesses were forced to build new plants and other facilities, and citizens turned to their work as a source of economic security. Gradually the economy developed and each country developed a competitive advantage in those circumstances. With the passing of time those advantages are being exploited to their maximum. ENVIRONMENT OF GLOBALISATION Environment refers to the totality of all the factors which are external to and beyond the control of individual global business enterprises. Environment furnishes the macro-context, the business firm is the micro-unit. The environmental factors are essentially the givens within which firms and their managements must operate. The value system of society, the rules and regulations laid down by the Government, the monetary policies of the central bank, the institutional set-up of the country, the ideological beliefs of the leaders, the attitude towards foreign capital and enterprise, etc. , all constitute the environment system within which a global firms operate. These environmental factors are many in numbers and various in form. Some of these factors are totally static, some are relatively static and some are very dynamic — they are changing every now and then. Some of these factors can be conceptualized and quantified, while others can be only referred to in qualitative terms. The environmental factors generally vary from country to country. The environment that is typical of Germany may not be found in other countries like the USA, the UK, and Japan. There may be some factors in common, but the order and intensity of the environmental factors do differ between nations. The magnitude and direction of environmental factors differ over regions within a country, and over localities within a region. The environment differs not only over space but also over time from country to country. We can talk of temporal patterns of environment, i. e. , past, present and future environment. Sometimes the environment may be classified into market environment and non-market environment depending upon whether a global firm’s environment is influenced by market forces like demand, supply, number of other firms and the resulting price competition, or non-price competition, etc. , or by non-market forces like Government laws, social traditions, etc. Further, we may classify the environment into economic and non-economic. Non-economic environment refers to social, political, legal, educational and cultural factors that affect state functioning. Economic environment, on the other hand, is given shape and form by factors like the fiscal policy, the monetary policy, the industrial policy resolutions, physical limits on output, the price and income trends, the nature of the economic system at work, the tempo of economic development, the national economic plan, etc. The non-economic environment has economic implications just as the economic environment may have non-economic implications. Since the environment is the sum total of the history, geography, culture, sociology, politics and economics of a nation, the interaction between economic and non-economic forces is bound to take place affecting the society functioning. ECONOMIC& FINANCIAL FACTORS Analysis of the business environment in any economy, we may examine the basic propositions as: 1. Business is an economic activity. 2. A business firm is an economic unit. 3. Business decision-making is an economic process. These propositions may be examined separately or jointly to justify the study of the economic environment of global business. Business is an economic activity An economic activity involves the task of adjusting the resources to the targets, or the targets to the resources. An economic activity may assume different forms such as consumption, production, distribution, and exchange. The nature of business differs, depending upon the form of economic activity being undertaken and organized. The manufacturer is primarily concerned with production; the stock exchange business is mainly concerned with the buying and selling of shares and debentures; the business of Government is to run the administration. The Government may also own, control and manage enterprises. These examples can be easily multiplied. The point is that each business has a target to achieve, and for this purpose each business has some resources at its disposal. Sometimes the target has to be matched with the given resources, and sometimes the resources have to be matched with the given target. Either way, the task of business is to optimize the outcome of economic activities. A business enterprise is an economic unit A business firm is essentially a transformation unit. It transforms inputs into outputs of goods or services, or a combination of both. The nature of input requirements and the type of output flows are determined by the size, structure, location and efficiency of the business firm under consideration. Business firms may be of different sizes and forms. They may undertake different types of activities such as mining, manufacture, farming, trading, transport, banking, etc. The motivational objective underlying all these activities is the same viz. , profit maximization in the long run. Profit is essentially a surplus value — the value of outputs in excess of the values of inputs or the surplus of revenue over the cost. A business firm undertakes the transformational process to generate this surplus value. The firm can grow further if the surplus value is productively invested. The firm, therefore, carefully plans the optimum allocation of resources (i. e. , men, money, materials, machines, time, energy, etc. ) to get optimum production. The entire process of creating, mobilization and utilization of the surplus constitutes the economic activity of the business firm, Business decision-making is an economic process Decision-making involves making a choice from a set of alternative courses of action. Choice is at the root of all economic activity. The question of choice and evaluation arises because of the relative scarcity of resources. If the resources had not been scarce, an unlimited amount of ends could have been met. But the situation of resource constraint is very real. A business firm thinks seriously about the optimum allocation of resources because resources are limited in supply and most resources have alternative uses. The firm, therefore, intends to get the best out of given resources or to minimize the use of resources for achieving a specific target. In other words, when input is the constraining factor, the firm’s decision variable is the output. And when output is the constraining factor, the firm’s decision variable is the input. Whatever may be the decision variable, procurement or production, distribution or sale, input or output, decision-making is invariably the process of selecting the best available alternative. That is what makes it an economic pursuit. Since business is an economic activity, a business firm an economic unit, and business decision-making an economic process, it is the economics environment of business which is the primary consideration in evaluating the business policies, business strategies and business tactics of a corporate entity in any global economy.

The Simplicity of Raymond Chandler’s the Big Sleep

Raymond Chandler would like us to believe that The Big Sleep is just another example of hard-boiled detective fiction. He would like readers to see Philip Marlowe, Vivian Regan, Carmen Sternwood, Eddie Mars, and the rest of the characters as either â€Å"good guys† or â€Å"bad guys† with no deeper meaning or symbolism to them. I found the book simple and easy to understand; the problem was that it was too easy, too simple. Then came one part that totally stood out from the rest of the book &emdash; the chessboard. Marlowe toyed with it whenever he got the chance, and it probably helped him think of a next move in a particular case. I found it odd that Chandler made such a brief mention of chess, but I did not realize why until I finished the book and had time to think about what I had read. In a very interesting sense, the entire novel resembles the game of chess. Each character is a piece, and the name of the game is survival. Though the ultimate goal in chess is to take possession of the king, the underlying strategy is to eliminate as many pieces as one possibly can. This serves as insurance in the overall goal. Being that the characters/pieces determine the direction of the goal, let us look at them to begin. I have chosen to examine two characters in-depth and then put them on the board with the rest of the people in the novel. Philip Marlowe does not correspond to the knight of the chessboard. Chandler assumes that the reader will fall into the easy trap of assigning Marlowe to the role of the knight. After all, he is the main man in the novel, the one who needs to solve the case. His self-description in the opening chapter lures the reader into believing he is a typical white knight hero. â€Å"I was neat, clean, shaved and sober, and I didn't care who knew it. I was everything the well-dressed private detective ought to be† (3). This is a fitting description of a knight only because knights must possess similar qualities in order to be heroes. The main idea here is goodness, and Marlowe's description exudes this goodness. However, as we progress throughout the novel, his â€Å"goodness† mutates into something with more of an edge on it. By the end of chapter eight, Marlowe goes â€Å"to bed full of whiskey and frustration† (42) and, the next day (chapter nine), wakes up â€Å"with a motorman's glove in my mouth† (43). It is safe to say Marlowe's sobriety is questionable, especially when he tells Bernie Ohls – and us – that, â€Å"I've got a hangover† (43). Is this the action of a knight? I do not think so. Similarly, his attitude towards everyone else in the novel detracts from his knighthood. For example, look at his treatment of Vivian Regan, who I will talk about a little later. They are talking for the first time and she tells him how cold-blooded a beast he is. â€Å"‘Or shall I call you Phil? ‘ ‘Sure. ‘ ‘You can call me Vivian. ‘ ‘Thanks, Mrs. Regan. ‘ ‘Oh, go to hell Marlowe'† (61). More of the same follows with other characters; in each instance, Marlowe does not exhibit any gentleman-like qualities that a private eye should exhibit. So, if Marlowe is not the knight on the chessboard, what is he? I believe that he is more of a rook or a bishop piece and not a knight. When we think about the knight on a chessboard, it has a good amount of flexibility but limited movement. However, a rook or a bishop can move as far as it wants to move, even if the directions are not many. Movement is important to Marlowe because he thrives on getting his task done. This requires a great deal of movement on his part. This movement includes our next subject, Vivian Regan. A funny thing happened when I was writing up the previous conversation between Marlowe and Vivian. Instead of typing â€Å"Mrs. Regan†, I typed â€Å"Mrs. Marlowe† instead. I do not attribute that to a simple lapse in thinking, but more to the fact that Vivian is similar in manner to Marlowe; they could easily be mistaken for a married couple. Vivian possesses the same sharp tongue, the same penchant for drinking, and other Marlowe-esque qualities. For example, there is the part where she is gambling in Eddie Mars' casino and makes a bet that the house cannot cover. â€Å"‘What kind of cheap outfit is this, I'd like to know. Get busy and spin that wheel, highpockets. I want one more play and I'm playing table stakes. You take it away fast enough I've noticed, but when it comes to dishing it out you start to whine'† (138). That sounds like the language Philip Marlowe might use if he ran into a similar situation. Even after he foils a would-be robber in the parking lot, she still shows little signs of thanks. ‘Nice work, Marlowe. Are you my bodyguard now? ‘† (143). Vivian complements Marlowe perfectly, but is she a rook/bishop on the chessboard in the novel? Yes, but provided that Marlowe is not the same piece as she is. In other words, if Marlowe is the rook, then Vivian is the bishop, and vice-versa. I do not see Marlowe and Vivian as cohesive as Chandler might want us to believe; nonetheless, they do possess similar qualities. After talking about two of the more prominent characters, it is time to devise a chessboard strategy that makes some kind of sense. I mentioned earlier that the point in chess is to capture the king, but another goal includes getting other pieces out of the way first. If I were to assign sides, I would put people like Eddie Mars, Joe Brody, and Carmen Sternwood on a different side than Marlowe, Vivian, and General Sternwood. Why? The first group – while giving Marlowe some kind of help – is more concerned with their own safety, and individuals are not afraid to knock off anyone who messes with them. How come Carmen is included in this group? Many people would say that she is neither here nor there, but when she comes to Brody's apartment and confronts Marlowe at the very end, she shows her true colors. In addition, there is the fact that she murdered Rusty Regan because he would not jump in the sack with her. This is where the chessboard strategy begins to unfold. Chandler's style not only pertains to his simile/metaphor use and his abbreviated sentences, but also to his construction of character movement in the novel. In chess, what one piece does to another or where it moves to directly affects the movement of other pieces on the board. For example, moving my rook three spaces may not mean capturing a piece, but it does give the opponent something to consider in terms of future moves. He does not want to make a move now that would jeopardize him later. Similarly, what happens in Joe Brody's apartment affects a good amount of the characters in the novel, from Carmen to Eddie to Marlowe to Vivian, and so on. In addition, that part affects what goes on in Eddie's casino and Geiger's house. While there may not be direct influence, there is definitely an indirect sort of influence. What does this say about Chandler as an author? It says that he likes to give his readers something to look for in his novels, and that the something will not always be apparent at first. Digging up the chessboard motif would be no easy task for most readers because of its brevity in the novel. The average reader would not read this book for analysis; he or she would read the novel for pleasure. It is only because we &emdash; as English majors &emdash; are trained to look beneath the surface that I was able to put this together. This also says something about the world that Chandler lived in. His was a world of thinking about the next move and being cautious about what one did, which is evident in the novel. It was hard to trust anybody because everyone had selfish motives on their minds. That factor also corresponds to the chessboard in that a person might move a piece for individual reasons while not even considering the rest of his or her pieces. That might lead to consequences later. Chandler cannot warn us about keeping track of all of the moves in the story because they are unfolding as we move with Marlowe (who obviously cannot warn us, either). It is up to the reader to keep track of everything. The Big Sleep is not a novel about chess. It is about how people and events interact and relate to one another, similar to the game of chess. As I mentioned before, the characters and their individual actions ultimately had an effect on the overall strategy and goal, which for Marlowe was to find Rusty Regan. He eventually discovered the late Mr. Regan, but it was only after a series of moves on the chessboard of life.

Guide for a Winner Dissertation on Principles of Psychology

Guide for a Winner Dissertation on Principles of Psychology Welcome to our third and final guide, guide for a winner dissertation on principles of psychology. This guide would prove to be very useful for students who are about to undertake dissertation assignments or research projects before they graduate. In order to make sure nothing goes wrong, we highly recommend that you read our first guide, 10 facts for a dissertation on principles of psychology, and our second guide, 20 dissertation ideas that will work for you. These guides are necessary to lay a good foundation of what you will be including in your dissertation. With that said, here are some steps to follow in order to write the perfect dissertation: Consider What You’d Like to Write About Writing a dissertation can be a tough task if you don’t even know what you are writing about. Furthermore, you should have some interest in a particular topic of Principles of Psychology too (although options are limited), so that you don’t demotivate yourself; this can result in a general lack of quality as far as the dissertation is concerned. Consulting your supervisor for advice is also highly recommended. Remember that you will be writing about something on Principles of Psychology ; it may be a query that currently holds hard beliefs, or perhaps you are trying to solve a problem, or even arguing over a particular thesis statement. Plan and Research Planning ahead of time and maintaining a good routine in order to ensure that you are on your way to completing a good dissertation helps a lot. In fact, if you don’t plan in advance, you will eventually end up delaying or submitting your work late, or maybe not at all. This could be very disastrous for the final reward you’ve been waiting for; i.e. your graduation. In order to save time, sort out specific questions that are strictly related to Principles of Psychology before you start researching. Don’t leave anything at all to a â€Å"last minute attempt† as it will cause you nagging problems in the end. It’s wise to finalize your dissertation weeks before the submission period, so you can proofread it several times and revise it accordingly. Thorough proofreading and making revisions would result in a spectacular dissertation copy that’s nothing short of plausible. How a Dissertation is Structured In order to include everything in this short guide, we’ve compiled a structural list that you should follow. Remember, this is a basic framework and the structure may vary according to your supervisor; therefore, you should consult him/her before proceeding. Here is the basic framework for composing a dissertation: Title, Name, Course, Date, Supervisor A Summary of the whole Dissertation Acknowledgments Table of Contents A brief outline and presentation of your problems/questions/thesis Main body for discussing facts, evidence, evaluation, analysis etc; should be well structured Correctly formatted list of credible sources that you used Appendices Other sections: references, methodology, procedure, literature review, executive summary, recommendations etc. (include these only if asked) Edit for High Quality Composition A dissertation should ideally be 100% original, but some institutions may approve a little plagiarism, if you may call it that. However, it’s expected that you compose a well-written, highly academic one that clearly demonstrates that you’ve researched thoroughly and found the correct evidence or scientific proofs to support your assertions or thesis. In the End†¦ It is considered compulsory to cite the sources you’ve used to compose your dissertation. If you don’t, your paper can be rejected due to plagiarism. You don’t want that, do you? Be crystal clear with your supervisors about the preferred method, technique or format they’d like to see in your dissertation and apply that in order to get acknowledgement for your hard work. That’s it! You can now write a winning dissertation on Principles of Psychology without any hitches whatever.

9 Resume Mistakes That Make You Look Dumb by Lauren Gartner

9 Resume Mistakes That Make You Look Dumb 9 Resume Mistakes That Make You Look Dumb What is a resume? It is not something you send out that lists your job experience and your educational background, in the hopes that someone will read it and think you might be good for an interview. A resume is a marketing tool, and you have to get into the â€Å"feel† of marketing if you are going to sell yourself on a piece of paper. Resume Designs and Formats Resume designs have changed, and you can change your design based upon the type of organization to which you are applying – conservative, moderate, fairly progressive, and â€Å"out there.† These are things you can learn about anywhere. The other thing about resumes today is that you can format your background information in several different ways – you don’t have to go with the standard chronological order necessarily. Again, you can find examples of all types of formats online, and really good recommendations about which to use dependent upon your circumstances and the organizations to which you are applying. Dumb Mistakes You may have the greatest, most-eye-catching design and the perfect format fit for a position opening, but if you make any of these dumb mistakes, your work will find its next home in â€Å"resume heaven.† Putting an Objective at the Top of Your Resume Objectives are meaningless because they do not speak to what you can offer the organization; they only speak to what you want. A potential employer doesn’t care about what you want. S/he wants someone who can be a problem-solver for the organization. If you must have a headline, and those are good to have sometimes, make it about the specific position and what you can bring to that position. Long Prose and Sentences Think about it. When you want to read something quickly, what do you want to see? You want to see short sentences and phrases, bullet points, and really important stuff in bold or underlined. A reviewer of our resume is no different. Fast-track your accomplishments with action verbs, phrases, and bullets. Linking to All of Your Social Media Accounts Who cares if you are on Facebook – so is half the human race. If a potential employer wants to access your page, s/he will. Now, if you have a really great LinkedIn profile or an online portfolio, then that is quite another story. Definitely, link to those. Grammatical Errors and Typos Your college professors didn’t like grammar mistakes, and resume reviewers don’t either. You look either really lazy or compositionally challenged. You don’t want to â€Å"look† either. So, check your resume a bunch of times for any English mistakes and have somebody else check it too. Lying You certainly want to paint yourself as someone who has accomplished a lot, especially in those specific areas included in the job posting. But overstating your accomplishments, exaggerating your educational performance, stating you resigned when you were terminated – these things have a way of catching up, especially when background checks, references, and online research can reveal so much. If you don’t want to say you were fired, don’t. You can talk about the circumstances during the interview if you are asked. Too Long Less is really more when it comes to resumes. Be concise, and brief. When you speak to accomplishments, stop with the laundry lists. Include those that directly relate to the position you are seeking. If there isn’t a really good fit, then list the most significant ones. There will be time to speak to the others during an interview if they become relevant. Good rule of thumb: If you don’t have a lot of employment experience, one page is the max; if you are a more seasoned professional with several positions and/or a number of years of employment, two pages should be the max. Same Words Over and Over How many times can you say â€Å"developed,† or â€Å"organized,† or â€Å"lead,† or â€Å"produced?† In a resume, the answer is many! Find some synonyms for words that you are using over and over again – maybe some that â€Å"pop† or add some â€Å"sparkle.† Using Passive Voice You want to give the impression that you take action; you do that with action verbs. All accomplishments that you list should begin with an action verb (not the word â€Å"I† either). â€Å"Increased sales by 15% over a period of one quarter;† â€Å"Created new marketing strategies which increased conversions by 46%.† Now you’re an action figure! Failure to Customize If you don’t customize your resume for each position, using keywords that will be picked up by automated screening tools, then you won’t look dumb to someone reviewing your resume. Your resume will never make it to that someone at all. Any reader can pick out generic resumes – they are vague and do not speak to specifics of the position s/he has available – deleted! Use the information available to you regarding design and format. Then go through this list and make sure that you are not committing the fatal errors that will kill your chances for an interview.

The Differences between Silent Movies and Spoken Essay

The Differences between Silent Movies and Spoken - Essay Example The following analysis will be concentric upon comparing and contrasting the ways in which material and technique are utilized to leverage different interpretations of good vs evil and the American experience to the viewing audience. Moreover, the analysis will discuss how â€Å"The Maltese Falcon†, represents a more nuanced and definitive approach to the film noir era as it encapsulates many more varied interpretations of this good vs evil subtheme that is so pervasive throughout the genre. Secondly, this is represented via the way in which â€Å"The Maltese Falcon† leverages better technology to create a more dramatic cinema effect that more reasonably captures the zeitgeist of the film noir era, the way in which â€Å"The Maltese Falcon† illustrates the genre through better representation of the American experience is represented. Lastly, the way in which â€Å"The Maltese Falcon† paints a better nuanced and three-dimensional example of the male charact ers and the identity of what Americanism is and how good vs. evil must be understood. Before delving into an analysis of the comparisons and contrasts between these two films, it must be noted that both of these films have achieved a great deal of notoriety; both within their own times as well as the present era. Film critics and scholars alike have denoted that these two films are representative of some of the very best plot lines, writing, directing, acting, and techniques that the film noir era had to provide. As such, with regards to the films in question, both of these represent to the viewer a flawed lead character. With regards to â€Å"The Thin Man†, the main character is a hard-drinking detective that suffers from career burnout and whose personal life is something of a disaster. Even though the same motif is represented within â€Å"The Maltese Falcon†, the character growth and differentiation is not as labored and comes off as a much more natural explanation as compared to â€Å"The Thin Man†. By casting the lead detectives in this way, both of the films are able to provide a much more nuanced interpretation of life and the way in which these characters portray their roles; however, only â€Å"The Maltese Falcon† is able to do this in a fully convincing manner and one that is the most indicative of the film noir era. Another shared aspect between these two films is with respect to the way in which the detectives fulfill the role of the simple/every man against a system of crime and intrigue that includes money, power, and politics. By representing the flawed character in a fight against such crime and corruption in such a way, Hollywood began to tacitly define the way in which American films would come to be known by the rest of the world for many decades to come; films where the good ultimately triumphs and the evil is ultimately vanquished. The similarity between good and evil and how it is represented/portrayed within these films is something that cannot and should not be dismissed. Ultimately, the reason for why such a high level of focus is placed upon the importance of defeating evil and undermining the plans that these individuals might have with regards to the crimes they intended to commit was integrally tied to the social and political aspects of the world in which these respective films were created.

Individual Career Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Individual Career Plan - Essay Example The timely fashion that is required during all journalistic encounters ensures that events are relayed and communicated in the best possible way. This is the only way that all events and activities witnessed are communicated to all parties in the best possible way. Packaging is necessary in the field of journalism. This is because proper packaging ensures that all the information collected is as palatable as possible (Kobre 2008). The role of journalism cannot be ignored in any given society. This is because, at each and every point, the public interest in what is happening all over the world is very high. This is possible because of the aspects of journalism that look into the events all over the world. The coordination of information and pictures is able to communicate all the needed information about a situation. The condensation of information and pictures about any situation totals to journalism. This is the only way that the public is aware of their surroundings. Photojournalis m Photojournalism is one area in the entire field of journalism. Each new story has the sole aim of communicating information. For it to appeal to all the involved parties, it is accompanied by still pictures and images that complement the story (Kobre 2008). As compared to all other forms of photography, photojournalism has been stipulated to follow certain ethical and pictorial considerations. They are entitled to remain as ethical and impartial to communicate the specifics of what should be reported. They complementary role that photojournalism plays has been reported to bring any story alive. Many people that have been interviewed in many researchers conclude that they watched and participated in news surveys as a result of what they watch. This is as compared to what they hear (Kobre 2008). Many life events were reversed as a result of what images were relayed to accompany a story. There are very many examples that show what the research concluded. The genocide in Rwanda in 199 4 and the civil war in Sudan got worldwide attention as a result of chilling images that accompanied the stories. These are some few random examples from all over the world in line with the effects of photojournalism. It is imperative that, at each and every point the aspects of photojournalism should be governed by timeliness, narration and objectivity. This means that all pictures and images should be timely in how they complement the story line. This is through the introduction of a cutline. The images and pictures should also be very objective in the sense that the pictures should have a high sense of what the story line is about. Without the connection, they will be of absolutely no benefit to the story. The connection between the pictures and the story line is through the introduction of a narrative. Narration ensures that the audience is able to relate the story and picture. This creates a perfect view for all those that are watching (Kovach 2007). Job Description and Skills Profile Photojournalism entails the use and application of photographic equipment. The equipment has the ability to capture images as they appear. Once a photojournalist is in the zone, the camera is zoomed to view all aspects of what is being filmed. It is necessary for the journalist to zoom and project the image from all the necessary angles. Aspects of creativity come into sharp focus as any form of angle alteration could lead to the complete

Macroeconomic Policy Objectives Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Macroeconomic Policy Objectives - Essay Example On the other hand, targets are defined as the intermediate aims closely linked to the objectives theoretically. Thus, for example, a government could set out to achieve low rates of inflation and, to achieve this; they could use interest rates as an instrument while the government could also set consumer credit growth as a target or exchange rates increment. The policies that can be used, by a government, to achieve macroeconomic policies are limited. Macroeconomics is the branch of economics that has to do with investment, national income, consumption, and other aggregates. Another definition is the study of entire systems of economics that aggregate over an economy’s working systems. It is concerned, basically, with systematic and predictable variables that are analyzable independently in relation to decisions of agents that are determinant of their levels. More specifically, macroeconomics can also be defined as the study of national economies with determination of national income. Macroeconomic Policy Low unemployment – Full employment A realistic nature of this objective is the one used by the ILO where they use young and unemployed people who are not always eligible to receive benefits, women who are in a marriage and cannot claim if spouses are not earning enough, and those claiming invalidity and sickness benefits (Marin 16). Most workers who feel inconvenienced often go for these benefits rather than swelling unemployment numbers. It is essential to take note of issues concerning inactive and active members of the country’s populace who have attained working age. Only those active individuals are included in the either working population that can be exemplified as all people who are registered as employed or unemployed. However, some individuals are in the unemployed category as a matter of decision, for instance, individuals opting for early retirement and students in school (Marin 16). Price Stability One can define inflation as the rise in prices at a general sustained level over a period. Inflation is technically a measure through annual Retail price Index, or RPI, which can also be referred to as the headline rate of inflation. To stabilize prices, governments need to keep inflation rates to a minimum (Marin 17). Governments normally prefer to keep the inflation rates to low percentages and mostly target rates of inflation that underlie the yearly percentage of RPIX. RPIX is the initial RPI before the removal of housing costs in the form of mortgage interest payments. Governments normally see sense in utilizing the measure because interest rates that are normally used as a control of inflation directly affect RPI. RPIY also acts as another popular inflation measure that does not include effects of indirect taxation like VAT and consumer price index used for international comparisons (Marin 17). Economic Growth This is measured using GDP change rate, also Gross Domestic product. The term real, as accompan ies majority of the statistics, normally refer to the fact that they have factored out inflation. Gross Domestic Product measures income, expenditure, or output of the economy of a country (Marin 19). A country, sometimes may also utilize GNP, or Gross National Product that is just like the GDP. Most governments publish figures of Gross Domestic Product on a quarterly basis that is based on the quarter on quarter change and annual percentages. Balance of Payment This briefly makes a record of all the money that streams into and out of the country. This can be further divided into financial and capital accounts, as well as the current account and capital accounts are referred to as the capital account (Marin 19). Normally, the current accou

Soft Sediment Communities

Soft Sediment Communities CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Overview of Soft Sediment Communities Soft sediments are the most common marine habitat on earth (Wilson, 1990). The habitats include sandy beaches, estuaries, mudflats and salt marshes. The communities consist of organisms which live on, or in, the bottom of a water body. There are generally four types of soft sediment communities which can be classified according to their size. They are microbenthos (1.0 mm) and megabenthos (> 10.0 mm). This study is focused on macrofauna, also known as macrobenthos. They are invertebrates that live on or in sediment, or attached to hard substrates. The common soft-sediment communities that can be found in intertidal areas are Annelida, Crustacea and Mollusca (Munari Mistri, 2008). Estuarine and coastal ecosystems consist of important components of macrofauna (Borja et al., 2000). They connect primary producersand organic matter sources such as phytoplankton and detritus apart from being economically, ecological, and recreationally importantfish and crustaceans (Rà ¶nnbà ¤ck et al., 2007; Bremner, 2008).Soft sediment communities provide many ecosystem services that help to maintain good water and sediment quality (Rà ¶nnbà ¤ck et al., 2007). Filter feeders such as bivalves remove particles from the water column, which may result in enhanced water clarity (MacIsaac, 1996). Given the importance of light in shallow water estuarine ecosystems, filter feeding may improve shallow water habitat for submerged aquatic plants and benthic microalgae. The degradation of some pollutants is enhanced by sediment mixing (bioturbation) of the infaunal macrobenthos due to stimulation ofmicrobial processes. The enhanced coupling of key nitrogen transformations in the presence of benthic macrofauna can lead to the production of nitrogen gas, which escapes to the atmosphere, thereby reducing nitrogen loading in the ecosystem. Macrobenthos have been used for decades asindicators of environmental statusand trends in estuaries and coastal areas because infauna are mostly sedentary organisms and they respond to local environmental impacts (Pearson Rosenberg, 1978; Borja et al., 2000; Wildsmith et al., 2009, 2011). They cover a wide range of physiological tolerances, living positions, type of feeding and trophic interactions (Elliott et al., 2002). Macrobenthic assemblages respond relatively quickly to habitat disturbances (Borja et al., 2000). They are important components of aquaticfood webs (Rà ¶nnbà ¤ck et al., 2007)and they affect transport and cycling of nutrients and toxicants. In addition, there are data on their patterns of variation, their responses to different forms of disturbance are known and they show similar responses at different levels of taxonomic resolution (Warwick, 1988). They form an important component of the estuarine food-web, supporting commercial and non-commercial species. They therefore represent an ideal assemblage to measure environmental change and will continue to be used to represent an important biological component of soft sediments. Understanding how different components of benthos respond to changes in properties of sediments is therefore essential in determining how much, if any, redundancy there is in this system and how much impacts on the sediments themselves are tolerated by the fauna. From this study it is clear that such experiments need replication at multiple scales and across multiple habitats before any general responses will be identified. By knowing the importance of soft sediment communities, the health and quality of an ecosystem can be determined without using any harmful chemical indicators. 1.2 Objectives The objectives of this project are: To investigate the abundance and distribution of soft sediment communities in Tanjung Bungah, Pulau Pinang. To relate the environmental variables with soft sediment communities distribution and abundance in Penang intertidal area. CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 The Ecology of Soft Sediment Communities Macrofauna make up a large component of the food web in estuarine ecosystems, connecting primary producers to top producers and playing an important role in system dynamics (Herman et al., 1999; Platell et al., 2006). Bottom macrobenthic communities include a great variety of organisms and generally a large number of species and they are extremely complicated (Meire et al., 2005). In marine macrobenthic organisms, polychaetes is one of the most significant groups and may make up more than half of the organisms in soft bottom habitats. They are often the predominant macrobenthic taxon in these sediments in terms of numbers, both numerically of species and abundance (Wildsmith et al., 2009, 2011). Polychaetes could hence be good indicators of species richness and assemblage models in macrobenthic assemblages (Fauchald Jumars, 1979). Some polychaete species were greatly opportunistic and responded quickly to environmental disturbances (Norkko et al., 2006; Wildsmith et al., 2011). 2.2 The Importance of Soft Sediment Communities Invertebrates constitute part of marine ecosystems and play important roles to support the function and stability of the food chains and ecosystems upon which other animals rely (Snelgrove, 1998). They regulate populations of other organisms (plant and animal) through predation, parasitism and herbivory, and help maintain water quality by filtering large amounts of water during feeding (Ponder et al., 2002). Invertebrates are directly involved in ecosystem stabilization, shoreline protection, energy and nutrient transfer and provision of habitat (Ponder et al., 2002). They also help in climate stabilization and re-mineralization and play an important role in the cycling of nutrients, breakdown of plant matter and other detritus and provide habitat for other species (Ponder et al., 2002). 2.2.1 Environmental indicator Members of the macrofauna community serve as useful biological indicators of environmental change and key elements of many marine and estuarine monitoring programs, due to their sedentary lifestyles and reduced responses to environmental changes (Tweedley et al., 2012). Therefore, the spatial distribution of macrofauna relative to environmental factors is fundamental to the understanding of estuarine ecology (Herman et al., 1999). Polychaetes are valuable marine organisms which can tolerate contamination because they live at the interface of water-sediment (Wildsmith et al., 2009, 2011). This layer is both biologically reactive and chemically active (Rhoads Young, 1970). Polychaetes occupy almost all marine and estuarine sediments (Fauchald, 1977) and are often the predominant constituent of the macrobenthic communities both in terms of individuals and number of species (Hutchings, 1998; Morin, 1999; Mills, 1969; Rhoads Young, 1970; Van Hoey et al., 2004; Ward Hutchings, 1996; Warwick, 1988). Polychaetes carry out an important role in ecosystem processes of macrofauna assemblages such as recycling, pollutant metabolism and in the interment of organic matter (Hutchings, 1998). 2.3 Factors Affecting Soft Sediment Communities The abundance and distribution of soft sediment communities were influenced by both biotic and abiotic factors. Biotic factors such as competition and predation (Rhoads Young, 1970) while abiotic factors such as variation in salinity, turbidity, sediment grain size, total organic carbon, and metal contamination, affect estuarine macrofauna (Kinne, 1966; Remane Schlieper, 1971; McLusky Elliot, 2004). 2.3.1 Salinity The influence of salinity in particular is an important factor in estuarine macrofaunal diversity. Generally, studies have reported a positive correlation between biodiversity and salinity (Holland et al., 1987; Jorcin, 1999; Ysebaert Herman, 2002; Gimenez et al., 2005). Because variation in salinity differs in accordance with tidal movements and freshwater inputs into estuaries, the distribution of macrofauna and the macrobenthic community can differ between dry and rainy seasons. 2.3.2 Sediment Grain Size In estuaries, salinity and sediment grain size have been found to be the most important environmental variables controlling the diversity and distributional patterns of macrofauna (Absalo, 1991; Yoo Hong, 1996; McLusky Elliot, 2004). Hong Yoo (1996) suggested that the particle size and disturbance of the sediment may have been the most important factors controlling the macrobenthic community. Soft-sediment communities are unusual in the rate at which the nature of the physical environment can change (Wilson, 1990). Most sedimentary particles are smaller than the resident organisms, infauna (Wilson, 1990). The activities of the infauna can dramatically change the nature of the environment over time periods of hours or days (Wilson, 1990). For instance, burrowing infauna may increase the porosity of the sediment (Rhoads, 1974). 2.3.3 Total organic carbon Population dynamics of benthic suspension feeders, deposit feeders and subsurface feeders are known to respond differently according to nature of inputs, plankton and/or organic food matter (Austen et al., 1991; Beukema et al., 2002). The latter two groups are less affected since they utilize a large pool of organic matter in the sediment, which is constantly being recycled. In tropical region, Wolanski et al. (1992) hypothesized that in mangrove swamp or creek system, the circulation processes are highly complicated leading to novel sediment transport regimes that could in turn account for the chemistry and biology of the recipient water. Abundance and Composition of Soft Sediment Communities The study of soft sediment communities was extensive in certain temperate countries especially Australia while other countries in the tropics are lacking in their data. Further studies have yet to be conducted in tropical coastlines due and increasing human population growth, pollution, urbanization at an alarming rate (Hatcher et al., 1989). Distribution of Soft Sediment Communities in the World In East Antarctica, Stark (2000) had investigated the distribution and abundance of soft-sediment macrobenthos around Casey Station. Two locations were compared – two potentially polluted locations and two control locations in an asymmetrical design (Stark, 2000). Stark (2000) found out that the dominant assemblage were crustaceans while polychaetes’ assemblage was smaller in number, about 3-10% of individuals at the locations sampled. Another study in Brown Bay, Antartic which was carried out by Stark et al. (2005) revealed significant correlations between the presence of contaminants and the distribution and composition of soft sediment-communities over very small spatial scales. Combinations of certain metals, for example Cadmium (Cd), Copper (Cu), Tin (Sn) and Lead (Pb) and sediment grain size were the variables that best linked the community patterns at Brown Bay. This is further supported by previous studies in Antartic where benthic assemblages probably patchy due to local environmental conditions (Stark, 2000; Stark et al. 2003). In England, annelids were found to be the most abundant group followed by crustaceans, molluscs, echinoderms and others (bryozoans and cnidarians) with 34.5%, 20.0%, 16%, 2.5% and 27% respectively (Bolam et al., 2008). Sediment grain size significantly affects the abundance of macrofauna along the English Channel (Bolam et al., 2008). In Australia, polychaetes were found the highest, and crustaceans were the lowest in macrofauna abundance (Morrisey et al., 1992). In Norway, environmental variables such as productivity, temperature and sediment grain size played a vital role in determining pattern of species richness (Gray, 2002). In Germany, the most abundant taxonomic group was gastropods, followed by oligochaetes, polychaetes and crustaceaans with 87%, 6%, 6% and 2% abundance respectively (Schà ¼ckel et al., 2013). The main causal factors for the different distribution patterns of intertidal macrofauna species which results in characteristic zonation patterns were sediment grain size and food availability, expressed in chloropohyll a contents (Schà ¼ckel et al., 2013). In Italy, the highest numbers of species that were identified were for Annelida which recorded 108 species, Crustacea recorded 69 species, and Mollusca recorded 52 species (Munari Mistri, 2008). Changes in the composition of assemblages of local species and the dominance of annelids species cannot be explained by only one factor (Lardicci et al., 1993). The factors were linked to biotic and hydrodynamic determinants, dissolved oxygen, grain size and organic content of the sediments (Munari Mistri, 2008). Distribution of Soft Sediment Communities in Asia In Qeshm Island of Iran, Nassaj et al. (2010) investigated the abundance and distribution of macrofauna in Salakh coastal region waters (Qeshm Island-Persian Gulf). Nassaj et al. (2010) found that Polychaeta (54.14%) were the most dominant group followed by the Crustacean (27.24%), Amphipods (9%), Gastropoda (8%), Bivalvia (7%), Copepoda (2%) and other groups (4%). In Korea, Yu et al. (2012) carried out a research on the effects of environmental variables on the distribution of macrofauna in the Han River Estuary during summer and spring. The dominant species were polychaetes during July, 2006 and March, 2007 (Yu et al., 2012). The most important factor was salinity and other factors such as sediment grain size and dissolved oxygen being secondary (Yu et al., 2012). Distribution of Soft Sediment Communities in Malaysia In Pulau Pinang, the high percentage of organic matter has shown a positive relation with abundance, diversity and richness of macrobenthic (Gholizadeh, Yahya, Talib, Ahmad, 2012). High percentages of sediment with grain size ≠¥125 ÃŽ ¼m revealed to have an increased in macrobenthic abundance (Gholizadeh, Yahya, Talib, Ahmad, 2012). This may aid in expounding the higher abundance of macrobenthic organisms, particularly for the deposit feeders. It has been reported that the sediment type (sand vs. mud) is one of the parameters responsible for the spatial distribution of macrobenthic families according to feeding kinds (Rhoads Young, 1970; Hutchings, 1998; Van Hoey et al., 2004).

Environmental Problems :: essays research papers

The world today is vastly different from what it was before urbanisation and industrialisation had taken its toll on the world. Since the turn of the new millennium the issue of the environment has suddenly evolved into a widespread issue which is greatly discussed throughout the world. No longer are humans living in a world where the environment is serene or stable but much rather becoming unrecognisable and diminishing before our eyes. The plants, trees and flowers are life forms which God has created for us to enjoy its beauty but it is now solely up to us and many other organisations to protect preserve and respect how fragile our environment really is. One of the most evident problems associated to the environment is the issue of the logging of trees, mainly in undisturbed places such as the Amazon basin. Trees are considered the lungs of the Earth. They recycle all the polluting carbon in the air and return oxygen back into our atmosphere, creating a stable cycle of carbon in our atmosphere. However, the impeccable rates which trees are being cut down in our forests have grown to ever increasing and alarming rates. Trees that are made way for farming are burnt up releasing deadly amounts of carbon and thus leading to the problem of global warming. As its names suggest the world is slowly warming up and without any notice the environment which God has gave us will be slowly eradicated. The daily lives which humans carry on about every day are also a factor influencing on our environment and global warming. By driving cars that have a thirst for petrol we are releasing carbon dioxide and furthermore impacting on the world?s climat e. In Australia environmental impact has always been evident. Land clearing especially in places such as Queensland has caused land to lay dry and lifeless where all forms of life is destroyed. By clearing land we are not only affecting our climate but are also destroying animal habitat and the usage of the land. Senseless actions by commuters in Australia, emitting tons and tons of lethal gases vulnerable to the atmosphere are starting to take its toll on our climate. We are seeing a harsher climate and at the same time less rain. If we want to preserve our world we must take a stance on this issue and take action for what is right, not carrying on the actions that will lead to a desolate, destroyed Earth.