Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Comparing Medea And Tennessee Williams Cat On A Hot Tin...

A common theme in Euripides’ Medea and Tennessee Williams’ Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is that both Medea and Maggie are to varying extents insane. For example, in Medea, the title character is driven to insanity by her love for Jason and also by her fury at being abandoned by him. This insanity leads her to murder their children together and his new wife. Similarly, in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, the two main causes of Maggie’s insanity are her love for Brick and his indifference towards her. From the beginning, Brick’s character is shown as stoic and indifferent towards her. While Maggie’s insanity never reaches the magnitude of Medea’s murderous hatred, her mood swings through the entire play. Medea shows hints of her insanity throughout her prior actions as well. We see Medea begin with the nurse giving us background information on Jason and Medea’s flight to Jason’s home Iolcus. Even before the story begins, her love for Jason has already led her to kill her brother to slow down pursuers (Medea, line 169) and trick the daughters of Pelias, Jason’s uncle and rival king, into murdering their father. (Medea, 12) Later in the play, Medea says she regrets having done this in her love for Jason, as she can now no longer return to her homeland (Medea, 508-514). This is all being revealed while the nurse is telling us that Jason had abandoned her for a new wife. The nurse is sorry for her while at the same time being fearful of what her fury might unleash. The chorus (the

Monday, December 23, 2019

Social Identity Theory And How Does It Influence Self Esteem

What is social identity theory and how does it influence self-esteem in teens? Lexie Johnson Who are you? Who am I? These philosophical questions often get brought up and debated over by most philosophers from the past and today. Teens go through this process of who am I and what is my purpose in life? To find these purposes we affiliate ourselves with different groups such as our friend groups, extracurricular activities and peer academics. I would identity myself as being a female. I’m a part of international club and I’m a cashier at the cafà ©. We identify ourselves with the groups we choose to be a part of. Being a part of these groups help us feel like we belong and that we have some sort of place in this big world. Since most people go through this identity issue, researches have researched how we identify ourselves socially. They came up with a theory called social identity theory. In order to understand where social identity theory derived from we first have to take a look at where social identity came from. Furthermore, when we look dee per into social Identity we can see that social identify came from the idea of group identification we means the group that we associate ourselves with. Group identification is used often used interchangeably with social identity so in most cases they mean the same thing (Ashforth Mael, 1989). There are a lot key words to keep in mind when learning about what social identity theory is. Though it is highly correlated withShow MoreRelatedNotes On Social Identity Theory1191 Words   |  5 PagesContextualizing BIRG: Social Identity Theory SIT (Tajfel et al., 1971; Tajfel Turner, 1979) has been explained briefly in the Introduction, which provided an overview on the nature of its construction (Galang et al., 2015) and its implications on ingroup inclusion, intergroup behavior, and self-esteem (Brewer Yuki, 2007). This theory is further discussed here, particularly its conception of group identification and esteem, to give context to BIRG and the framework of analysis that will be usedRead MoreRole Of Identity Of Volunteer, And Well Being Among Volunteers1404 Words   |  6 Pages0936622 Arisa Sugawara 1. Specify the title, author, and citation [6] Title: Role-Identity Salience, Purpose and Meaning in Life, and Well-Being among Volunteers Author: Peggy A. Thoits Year: 11 October 2012 Pages: 360-384 Published by SAGE http://www.sagepublications.com What is the research problem (what issue is addressed)? [6] Many kinds of roles give the better mental and physical well-being and also it will provide a sense of purpose and meaning in life. The more rolesRead MoreThe Theory Of Human Development1060 Words   |  5 PagesTheories of human development deliver a framework to deliberate human growth, development, and learning. Understanding the theories can deliver useful contents into individuals and society a set of principles and concepts that describe life span development. Development perspectives are the psychoanalytic theory, behavior theory, humanistic approach and cognitive theory. Each theory focuses on different aspects of human development. The psychoanalytic is â€Å"the approach stating that behavior is motivatedRead MoreAdolescence Development : The Growth Of A Child Occurs After Childhood995 Words   |  4 Pagesmost crucial times in an adolescent life. They experience serious changes such as physical, sexual maturation, social and economic independence, development of id entity and the skills needed to have adult relationships and roles during this time. While this period is a time of tremendous growth and development, it is also a time of risk during which social environments apply powerful influences. Adolescents depend on their families, communities, schools, and their friends to learn a wide range of importantRead MoreHow Does Self Discrepancy Of Media Influenced Body Image Affect Adolescents Self Esteem?1235 Words   |  5 PagesSection A: Project Details Title: How does self-discrepancy of media-influenced body image affect adolescents’ self-esteem? Abstract: Research has shown that exposure to thin-ideal media is related to body dissatisfaction. Consequently, the accumulated dissatisfying emotions regarding one’s body can evolve into distorted body perception. Such disturbed body image has been evident as associated with low self-esteem. Nonetheless, little research has sought to elucidate the rationales for these perplexedRead MoreThe Journey Of One s Life Begins And Ends With The Self s Pursuit Of Personal Identity884 Words   |  4 Pagespersonal identity, to answer the question â€Å"Who Am I†. The self attempts to sustain a stable association with its varying selves and the external world by constructing identities that are identified and explained through the roles, social comparisons, successes and failures, and judgments of others in one’s external environment. The self is highly focused on itself, how it presents its self to others, and the impressions it makes upon them. The interaction between s elf-concept, self-esteem, self-efficiencyRead MoreMaternal Role : Becoming A Mother1743 Words   |  7 Pagesinfluential theorist; whose middle range theory has been implemented in nursing more focused on maternity and child. (Masters, 2015 p.284) Keeping in mind that this is a middle range theory it maintains the variables to a minimum and its application to the real world allows its concept to be tested. This theory emphasizes on the interaction and evolving process of a mother and her new infant and the role they take on as a caregiver. (p.284) Use of this theory, the nurse, has insight of the phases theRead MoreThe Theory Of Human Development Theory1642 Words   |  7 PagesHuman development theories are theories intended to account for how and why people become, as they are. These theories provide the framework to clarify and organize existing observations and to try to explain and predict human behavior. It is important to recognize the complexity of human development and th e theories that explain human development. (Berger, pg. 23). The three theories that have influenced by development are Jean Piaget’s Cognitive Theory, Abraham Maslow’s Humanism and Erik Erikson’sRead MoreConsumers as Individuals – the Self1498 Words   |  6 PagesINDIVIDUALS – THE SELF Self-concept The self-concept refers to the beliefs a person holds about their attributes, and how they evaluate these qualities. Components of the self-concept It is composed of many attributes, some of which are given greater emphasis when the overall self is being evaluated. Attributes of self-concept can be described along such dimensions as their content (for example, facial attractiveness vs. mental aptitude), positivity or negativity (i.e. self-esteem), intensityRead MoreAdolescence : A Social And Cultural Construct1639 Words   |  7 PagesAdolescence is both a social and cultural construct as well as biological one, it is the developmental period where one transition from being a child to adult and face biological, psychological, and social challenges. This challenging, and important time in between childhood and adulthood has caused a lot of interest in the psychological field and a number of theories have been developed in order to try and explain the different stages of development. One of the most significant models of psychosocial

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Biggest Issues Facing Managers Free Essays

Alando Ford MGT521/Management Jim Holst October 25, 2009 Retention One of the most pressing challenges facing today’s managers is keeping their best people. In today’s economy companies separate themselves by the talented people they recruit. Some ways companies can improve their retention rate are obvious. We will write a custom essay sample on Biggest Issues Facing Managers or any similar topic only for you Order Now One way companies can cut turnover is by qualifying the personnel they are hiring and carefully analyzing what the different roles in their organization are. Next they must make a realistic decision regarding what skills and abilities are required to fill this role. Recent research has proven that there is a direct link between training and employee retention. Employees involved in ongoing training feel that their employer is interested in them doing a good job, and the employer cares enough about them to make an investment in their development. â€Å"Training can also be the means for positive change in any organization; however, training is not enough to create lasting change without a vital link that will help employees transfer what they learned into real-life application. That vital link is a strong coaching program. Coaching comprise the following features which needs to be articulated in the best manner in order to get one hundred percent from the employees†. (Mirsha, Remedies for the biggest challenges in business today, pg. 1 para. 3). Strategy and cost effective business models â€Å"Personally I believe that the most difficult task is finding a positive cash flow business model. It isn’t that difficult to source good products, and customers will appear if sufficient money is spent on advertising or other promotion. This is all pointless if the cost exceeds the revenue from all of this, i. e. he net assets of a business fall to zero, and the business ceases to operate†. (Mark McIlroy-Director, Blue Sky Technology) With the economy in a crisis and unemployment at staggering rates, businesses of all types are feeling the crunch. Companies must continue to focus on customer service. This practice will help retain their existing client base, while allowing them to make a posi tive impression on new customers. In the flow of business, people are the most important element no matter the product or service. Creating partnerships reduce costs and increase referral rates when companies align themselves. Even the most pessimistic of economists today are saying that the actual numbers in the current recessions are a reduction in gross domestic product (GDP) by two percent annually and just through 2009, and yet most businesses talk and act if business is off thirty percent. (Johnese, 2009, Today’s Business Professional) So, the number one challenge is to realize that it might be harder to do business right now, but there’s more business to be done, market share to be gained, while the other guy sits around or slows down waiting for things to improve. † (Stephen Kann- CEO at Policy Settlement Associates, Inc. Conclusion By understanding the factors that drive business in today’s economy companies will be better prepared to be successful in this market. They will have to rely more on the skills and tools they have available. They will have to become more aggressive when it comes to recruiting and retaining good employees. Companies need to continue to revamp o lder processes that no longer work, by adding newer more innovative systems. Companies should understand that the challenge that lies ahead is transitioning from a service provider to a business manager. This transition will be necessary; if the primary goal of the business is to make money. Companies will be able to increase their profits while minimizing their losses. Admin (2009, February 16). Today’s Small Business Challenges. Retrieved from http://www. babeofbusiness. com Johnese, Daniel (2007). Today’s Business Professional. Retrieved from http://www. jobbankusa. com Mishra, Sonika(2008,October 13). Employee Retention- Remedies for the Biggest Challenge in Business Today. Retrieved from http://www. articlesbase. com How to cite Biggest Issues Facing Managers, Papers

Friday, December 6, 2019

Observation Essay Example For Students

Observation Essay One afternoon I was sitting at a study table at the library quietly working on my Survey of World Religion homework. All of a sudden another college student slammed his books on to the table. After he placed his books loudly upon the table, he threw down his book bag on to the floor next to the chair. I glanced up at him with a look of disturbance upon my face. He left as quickly as he came, just to return again. I continued working on my homework until he blessed me with his prescent. The very first thing I noticed about the adolescent was his hat that sat on his head. There was a considerably large Nike symbol on the front of the pale green baseball cap. The coat that he wore was a vivid color of red and a bright yellow with blue trim. His very fluffy coat appeared to be well stuffed. After the brightly tri-colored coat was off, I noticed a hung colossal gold chain around his neck that swung to the left and the right. On his chain was a gold charm that was considerable large for a normal person. It appeared to me that the charm was an oversized dollar bill symbol. The necklace and the charm made a clanging noise every time he moved. The oversized purple fleece shirt that he was wearing looked very warm. The fleece had the word Tommy written extremely large in white bold print across the front of his purple colored fleece shirt and looked worn and tattered. The jeans that he decided to wear that day were also too large for him. The jeans that this college boy wore looked like both of his legs could have fit in just one of the jeans sleeves. Every thing that this boy put on his body seemed to me to be entirely large for his body size, which made him look a little on the goofy side. His physical characteristics reminded me of a high school junior. The student was approximately five foot nine inches tall and looked like he weighs almost two hundred pounds. He didnt look too thin, or too heavy. His hands were big and all of his fingernails were bitten down. His hair color was a golden blond with white highlights. His hair was very straight and hung right below his ears. His ears that stuck out from his baseball cap were too large for his head. It almost appears like he could take off in flight with his large ears. His eye color was a real pretty, bright blue. He also had long eyelashes and a blond una-brow that went across his forehead. His face was covered with little blond hairs that sporadically grew wherever they wanted. He had a very nice complexion without a blemish. His skin tone was very fair with a few freckles here and there. He had a very attractive smile. The behavior of this college student seemed to be a bit on the childish side. When he left the study table, he started to pace and stomp around the library looking for books. When he finally found the library books that he needed, he slammed them down on the table. When he pulled out the chair from under the table, he slapped his weight down upon the poor chair. When he was paging his way though one of the library books, I could feel the gentle breeze hitting my face. When he couldnt find what he was looking for in the first book, he sighed and slammed the book shut. He started glimpsing through the second book. The second book that he opened he didnt treat much differently. The Billion Dollar Man: Bill Gates Essay While the president was talking to the group, she used interaction cues by pointing to other members and telling them when to talk. She was doing the same towards the vice-president. The vice-president is always late or never shows up for the meeting. I think she could also be a social loafer because she did not talk much at the meeting and she just sat there listening to .

Friday, November 29, 2019

6 Functions of Behavior and How to Identifying Them

6 Functions of Behavior and How to Identifying Them Behavior is what humans do, and its observable and measurable. Whether it is to walk from one place to another or to crack ones knuckles, behavior serves some type of function. In the research-based approach to modifying behavior, called  Applied Behavior Analysis, the function  of an inappropriate behavior is sought out, in  order to find a replacement behavior to substitute it. Every behavior serves a function and provides  a consequence or  reinforcement  for the behavior. Spotting the Function of a Behavior When one successfully identifies the function of the behavior, one can reinforce an alternate, acceptable behavior that will replace it. When a student has a particular need or function fulfilled by an alternate means, the mal-adaptive or unacceptable behavior is less likely to reappear. For example, if a child needs attention, and one gives them attention in an appropriate way because of appropriate behavior, humans tend to cement the appropriate behavior and make the inappropriate or unwanted behavior less likely to appear. The Six Most Common Functions for Behaviors To obtain a preferred item or activity.Escape or avoidance. The behavior helps the child to escape from a setting or activity that he or she doesnt want.To get attention, either from significant adults or peers.To communicate. This is especially true with children with disabilities that limit their ability to communicate.Self-stimulation, when the behavior itself provides reinforcement.Control or power. Some students feel particularly powerless and a problematic behavior may give them a sense of power or control. Identifying the Function ABA uses a simple acronym, while  ABC  (Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence) defines the three pivotal parts of behavior. The definitions are as follows: Antecedent:  The environment in which the behavior occurs and the circumstances that surround the occurrence of the behavior or people in the environment when the behavior occurs.Behavior: The behavior, what the student actually does, that needs to be defined.Consequence:  Everything that happens after the behavior, including how people respond to the behavior and what happens to the rest of the students educational program. The clearest evidence of how a behavior functions for a child is seen in the antecedent (A) and the consequence (C.) The Antecedent In the antecedent,  everything happens immediately before the behavior occurs. It is sometimes also referred to as the setting event, but a setting event may be part of the antecedent and not the whole. The teacher or ABA practitioner needs to ask if something is in the environment that may lead to the behavior, such as escaping loud noises, a person who always presents a demand or a change in routine that might seem frightening to a child. There also may be something that happens in that environment that seems to have a causal relationship, like the entrance of a pretty girl which can draw attention. The Consequence In ABA, the term consequence has a very specific meaning, which at the same time is broader than the use of consequence, as it usually is, to mean punishment. The consequence is what happens as the result of the behavior. That consequence is usually the reward or reinforcement for the behavior. Consider consequences like the child being removed from the room or the teacher backing off and giving the child something easier or fun to do. Another consequence may include the teacher getting really angry and starting to scream. It is usually in how the consequence interacts with the antecedent that one can find the function of the behavior.   Examples of the Pivotal Parts of Behavior Example 1: Jeremy has been taking his clothes off in the classroom. During a structured observation, the therapist noticed that when the time for art approaches, Jeremy gets really agitated. When the teacher announces, Time to clean up to go to art, Jeremy will throw himself on the floor and start pulling his shirt off. It has now gotten to the point where he quickly pulls his socks and pants off, as well, so the office will call his mother to take him home. The function here is to  escape. Jeremy doesnt have to go to art class. The teachers need to figure out what it is that Jeremy wants to escape from art. The teacher may start taking his favorite toy to art and not putting any demands on him, or he/she may want to put headsets on Jeremy (the room may be too loud, or the teachers voice may be too high pitched.) Example 2: The moment that Hilary is given a demand after group, she begins to tantrum. She clears her desk with a sweep, knocks it over, and throws herself to the floor. Recently she has added biting. It has taken as much as a half hour to calm her down, but after attacking the other students, the principal has been sending her home with Mom, who she has to herself for the rest of the day. This is another function of escape, though because of the consequence, one might say it is also indirectly attention since she gets the undivided attention of Mom when she gets home. The teacher needs to work on slowly shaping the academic behavior, giving her preferred activities at her desk, and making sure there is a home note that helps Mom give Hilary extra attention, away from her typical siblings, when she has a great day. Example 3: Carlos is a  seventh grader with low functioning autism. He has been hitting girls when he goes to lunch or gym, though not hard. They are affectionately referred to as love pats. He occasionally hits a boy with long hair, but his focus is usually girls. He usually grins after he has done it. Here, the function is attention. Carlos is an adolescent boy, and he wants the attention of pretty girls. He needs to learn to greet girls appropriately to get their attention.

Monday, November 25, 2019

AM Radio Communication Systems essays

AM Radio Communication Systems essays The process of AM radio signal transmission requires low frequency audio signals to be radiated long distances. This is done by superimposing the low frequency audio signal on a high frequency carrier wave by the process of modulation. This section will describe what each section of the AM transmitter is and the function of it.. The microphone converts sound waves into electrical signals at a very low level (the audio frequency range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz). These signals are amplified by the modulator. The modulator is just an audio frequency amplifier that increases the output of the microphone to a useable level. This increased audio frequency is input into a modulation amplifier (This is some type of non linear device), along with the carrier frequency. The carrier frequency is generated by the RF (radio frequency) oscillator. This oscillator is required to be extremely stable regardless of age or temperature. The audio is superimposed onto the carrier by the modulation amplifier. The low power modulated carrier is boosted in amplitude by one or more the radio frequency power amplifier. The antenna produces an electromagnetic wave which is radiated into space. This signal will be received by the receiver. This section will describe the operation of the superheterodyne receiver. The design of the superheterodyne receiver uses a different approach that has eliminated the need for complex adjustment of the filter. The superheterodyne receiver uses a fixed filter and attempts to alter the desired input signal to the tuned frequency of the filter. There are low power signals from thousands of radio transmitters on many different frequencies. Because of all of these low level frequencies, a receiver must have very good selectivity (the ability to select one frequency while rejecting all others), and good sensitivity (the ability to receive a weak signal and amplify it to a useable level).These signals are inducing signal volt...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Management Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Management Development - Essay Example Planning is the foundation of all other management functions. The manager as planner assesses the present position of the company and allocates various steps to improve the company’s position in the future. Further, the manager locates the resources necessary to achieve the organization’s objectives. 1 Leadership involves effective communication skills, decision-making skills, planning and implementation, intelligence, and last but not least, influence. A manager, as a leader, needs to motivate employees to perform at their optimum level. In addition, leading entails having a vision and guiding the employees to fulfill this vision through effective communication. Organizing which comprise creating a structure for both the oral and written plans to be accomplished is yet another critical function. The manager delegates the various responsibilities and subtasks to the competent employees. What is more, managers address the important dimension of implementation of the various plans which are formulated. Finally, controlling involves monitoring the implementation of the plans and the various activities in order to ensure that the goals of the company are achieved. As controller, the manager handles conflict and controls any problems which may occur in the day to day running of the organization. Henry Mintzberg (1980) identified three categories of roles of a manager namely interpersonal roles, informational roles, and decisional roles. The interpersonal roles of the manager comprise the figurehead, leader and liaison. The informational roles include monitor, disseminator and spokesman. The decisional roles involve entrepreneur, disturbance handler, negotiator and resource allocator. The four areas of management in which I would like to improve are the manger as a leader, the manager as an organizer, the manager as a decision-maker and the manager as a planner. These four areas are critical to my role as a manager. Firstly, a manager who is unable to lead

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Extreme sports Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Extreme sports - Essay Example Hatfield (2011) uses the analogy of triathlon to explain the difference between those perceived to be elites and non-elites by explaining that their distinct differences stem the fact that goal is vital after which being competitive follows. Mountain (2006) argues why these individuals live on the edge. Extreme sports are usually perceived by the public as acts of taking risks in an irresponsible manner. Mountain (2006) claims that they often burden the public especially the taxpayers in the event that an individual taking irresponsible risk is injured or even in need of being rescued. Interestingly, in public debates and discussion, rarely will you find individuals incorporating the negative implications of limiting accessibility to risky sports. Mountain (2006) further asserts that suppose these sporting activities are suppressed, these persons are likely to find outlet of their energy in a way that may even be more burdensome to the society. Despite the fact that extreme sports do not appeal to majority of the public, there are quite a number of persons who these activities fulfill part of their lives. Mountain (2006) points out that differences between people in the society makes the society interesting besides contributing to the diversity of cultures across the globe. It is indeed true that every person needs some level of adventure for the purpose of fulfillment. However, others need more to do so for their life excitement. According to Mountain (2006), these individuals have a personality trait referred to as Type T. Amazingly, these type of personality are not only risk takers but also the best in various fields such as entrepreneurship, innovation, management et cetera. The progress of the society can hugely be attributed to these individuals who are always willing to take risks. Unfortunately, person possessing such traits

Monday, November 18, 2019

Reading report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reading report - Essay Example Just as a few teachers improve the virtue of youth while others corrupt them, South Side may improve some children and corrupt those other children who are â€Å"left to it by their parents, with no one to educate them about what they are seeing† (Young, 7). All children do not have the mitigating influence of parents who discuss and educate them about the sitcom’s content. Again, many people are like Eichmann, and are â€Å"unable to take another’s standpoint† (Young, 8). In such cases, South Side may not engender critical reflection. It may also make Cartman a role model for those who blindly imitate behavior on television and remain thoughtless and manipulative. Young is right in contending that South Side plays a positive role in philosophy by igniting debate and discussion. South Side may serve as the gadfly which instigates philosophical reflection, but it is definitely not the equivalent of a Socratic

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Carbon Footprint And Water Footprint Environmental Sciences Essay

Carbon Footprint And Water Footprint Environmental Sciences Essay The paper is written on Ecological Footprint and its two subsets: Carbon Footprint and Water Footprint. These different Footprints are accounting tools which are used to measure the impact of resource consumption on the environment. The tool helps in signifying that how deep human beings have penetrated to disturb the ecological balance. Ecological Footprint is a progress indicator which is used to achieve environmental sustainability. The paper starts with a small introduction on Ecological Footprint and is then followed by the relationship between Biocapacity (BC) and Ecological Footprint (EF). BC and EF share a supply and demand relationship. The BC and EF relationship is very important because it helps the analyst to determine a nations or regions natural capital and resource consumption in that bioproductive area. If the biocapacity of a bioproductive area is sufficient to satisfy the Ecological Footprint then its stated that the area has reserve resources. If the Biocapacity is not sufficient to fulfil the Ecological demand then there is deficit of resource. In this case, the nation or the region has to trade with others for natural resources. The deficit of resources states that the consumption rate is very fast than the Earths renewal rate. Carbon Footprint is another tool which is used to measure an individuals contribution towards green house gas emission (GHG).Carbon Footprint calculator helps an individual to find out his carbon footprint value. Higher the carbon Footprint the more contribution an individual is making towards Global Warming. Water Footprint is also a subset of Ecological Footprint and is a novel concept. Water Footprint is an accounting tool which helps in determining the volume of fresh water consumed by an individual, group or city. The paper suggests few ways by which Carbon and water Footprint can be reduced. The only purpose for reducing the footprint value is to progress towards sustainability and to gift a sufficient and liveable Earth to our future coming generations. CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION The Ecological Footprint is the measure to determine the extent to which human beings consume natures resources to the amount that can be regenerated by the earth. The Ecological Footprint (EF) is basically a young accounting tool for renewable resources that is used for determining the issues associated with sustainable consumption. Ecological Footprint represents the human demands for natures resources and how much bioproductive land and sea area is required to regenerate those resources to fulfil human demands under prevailing technology. The tool helps in determining how many Earths are required to support the current humanity practices and consumption. In 2006, it was stated by UN that the Humanitys Total Ecological Footprint was approximately 1.4 planet Earths; this estimate signifies that to humans consumes resources 1.4 times faster than the Earth to renew them. It takes nearly three years for UN to collect all the data from all the nations to estimate Humanitys total Ecologi cal Footprint. The Ecological Footprint tool is usually used in conjunction with Biocapacity (BC) and is expressed as EF/BC. Biocapacity refers to capacity of the area to provide natural resources and to accept or absorb waste. When the Ecological Footprint exceeds the Biocapacity mark it leads to un-sustainability. Thus the mathematical difference between EF and BC can be positive or negative, where positive means deficit and negative means surplus. The concept of EF/BC is a good analytical tool for creating awareness about resource consumption, depletion and regeneration. This tool is also very important for making the people realize the ability of Earth to regenerate consumed resources and to absorb the waste materials in a limited time frame. The Ecological Footprint value that is calculated at the end for assessment are categorized for goods, services, carbon emission, water usage, housing area, land used for work or any other purpose and also the number of earths that will be required to meet the worlds population and their levels of consumption. Ecological footprint is measured in terms of global hectares (gha). This accounting measure is very much similar to the life cycle analysis where the energy and resource consumption are converted into a normalized value which is the measure of land called the global hectares. HISTORY The concept of Ecological Footprint was first published in 1992 by William Rees. The concept was deeply explored by Mathis Wackernagel under Mr. Rees supervision at University of British Columbia in Canada from 1990-94. Originally the concept was named as Appropriate Carrying Capacity but was later changed to Ecological Footprint after getting inspired by a computer technician who appreciated the look of his new computer as a small footprint on the desk. A book was published in 1996 by Rees and Wackernagel called Our Ecological Footprint: Reducing Human Impact on the Earth. NEED FOR ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT Ecological Footprint is an accounting tool which is used to measure the consumption of Earths resources by individuals, territory, states, nations and world to their corresponding capacity of Earth to regenerate those resources and absorb the wastes. The tool can be used for: Analysing the lifestyle of the people and their daily resource consumption. Examining the extent to which a nation is utilising its biocapacity and then comparing the results with that of the other nations. Educating the people to make them realize about the biocapacity and the over consumption of natures resources with an idea to change their personal habits and resource utilization. Determining the actions and current lifestyles of the people and the nation which are not sustainable. Motivating the Multinational Companies to compute their own Ecological Footprint and take required measures to reduce the computed value. This can be done by taking initiatives towards environmental sustainability and by formulating corporate social responsibility policies. CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT FUNDAMENTALS The Ecological Footprint (EF) is used to measure how much renewable resources of the biosphere are consumed by human and how fast the Earth is able to renew those resources. The renewable resources include croplands, animal products, wood and timber, fish, etc. The consumption of resources and the use of built up bioproductive area is measured in terms of global hectares (gha). It is a measure of how much bioproductive land and sea has been used by individuals, territories, states and nations to produce the consumable renewable resources and then to absorb the waste. The global yield factor by type of consumption is a measure which translates the product into an area that is required to produce that product. The product to be consumed can be crops, timber, fisheries, pasture, etc. The productivity of the product depends upon the time selection, product selection (animal products, crops, fish) and the type of land associated with the products; croplands for crop, dairy farms for animal products, fisheries for fishes. The equivalence factor translates the land type into global hectares (in gha/ha). This factor determines the worlds average productivity of a given type of productive area to the worlds average productivity of all the areas. In general there are six ecological bioproductive area: Crop land: The land used for growing grains, vegetables, fruits and for feeding the livestock. From ecological perspective it is the most productive area. Pasture: The land that is used for grazing the livestock, to build poultry farms, to produce dairy products like cheese and butter. Forest: The land that is used for growing trees or natural forest which can in turn yield timber. They serve other ecological purposes also like preventing soil erosion, ecological balance, protecting biodiversity, climate stability and maintaining the hydrological cycles. Sea, Rivers and Oceans: They maintain the marine life and provide fishing facilities. They also help in maintaining and balancing temperatures, land and sea breeze, capturing the solar energy, etc. The coastal area provides the seas ecological production. Energy land: The land used to sequester carbon dioxide and for accumulating equivalent amount of usable energy. Built up land: The land that is used by humans for their settlements, building houses, roads and constructing high end infrastructures. It is noticed that human settlement is mostly concentrated in the fertile areas of the region. It is very important for every individual to calculate their Ecological Footprint to know their stand. Human beings are the only ones responsible for the depletion of natural resources. They have started consuming so many resources and so rapidly that it is not possible for the Earth to cope up with its rate and thus renewal of resources is delayed. Globalization is the current market trend. Everything is turning global, developing countries are utilising this opportunity to gain competitive advantage and to strengthen their economy by investing in infrastructure. To set up a new infrastructure land, money and resources are required where land comes from the reserved forest lands and resources from the surplus quota. The forest lands are for the animals, its their natural habitat. Using the forest land disturbs the biodiversity and thus leads to extinction of many species. Forest lands are also major areas for preventing soil erosion and balancing ecological cycles. The usage of resources should be such that the coming generations can also have access to these resources without compromising. The future generation also have the rights to use natural resources and if the current trend is followed where the rapid resource utilization is taking place then the very soon these resources will deplete and there will be nothing to use. There are many Ecological Footprint calculators available these days to calculate individuals, nations and world Ecological Footprint. The calculators measure the difference between the Ecological resource usage and the biocapacity which is used to determine per capita resource amount. The next section will explain the EF and BC accounting which is a tool to measure whether the bioproductive area has surplus or deficit resources. ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT AND BIOCAPACITY ACCOUNTING There is a steady rate at which the nature can restore the renewable resources which have been consumed. The idea behind Ecological Footprint is not to get a value for which resources are being used and how much resource consumption is done by an individual, territory, state or nation but instead how fast they being consumed. The current scenario states that the consumption rate is very high in comparison to the renewal rate of Earth. Ecological Footprint and biocapacity relationship is similar to the Demand-Supply relationship in economics. Ecological Footprint measures the bioproductive area (land or water) required by the population to consume renewable resources under the prevailing technology to produce waste which is to be absorbed. Biocapacity is the capacity of the area to produce renewable resources. Thus, Ecological Footprint is the demand for renewable resources and Biocapacity is the supply of renewable resources. When EF and BC are used together they are either referred to as EF/BC accounting or simply EF accounting. EF accounting is a tool to compare the supply with the demand. The difference between the EF and BC can either be positive or negative. The positive value refers to deficit of natures renewable resources and negative value refers to the surplus/reserve of natures renewable resources. EF-BC =Positive.. Deficit EF-BC =Negative.. Surplus Figure 1 A nations ecological deficit can be compensated by getting into trade agreements with other nations who have ecological reserves or by liquefying ecological assets. In case of global ecological deficit there is no compensation available and is thus equal to overshoot. The Ecological footprint can be decreased with: A small population per a given area Less consumption of resources per person High resource efficiency which can be quickly renewed. It is possible that the demand can exceed the biocapacity mark thereby leading to overshoot. This can occur when: The trees and crops are harvested faster than they can re-grow. Depletion in the fisheries before being restocked. Quick emission of CO2 into the atmosphere making it difficult for the ecosystem to sequester it. Overshoot is no longer a local phenomena but instead a global phenomena. It is not just that people have started using more resources but have also started invading natures principle. Some effects of overshoot are: Natural capital liquidation Accumulation of CO2 in the atmosphere Deforestation Lack of biodiversity Scarcity of freshwater Figure 2 CALCULATING ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT The Ecological Footprint can be calculated by individually examining the amount of land used for: Crop cultivation Growing timber Grazing animals and livestock Fishing Transportation Building hi-tech infrastructure Energy production Electricity usage An individuals Ecological Footprint can be calculated by summing all these areas. The natural capital per person can be calculated by taking the total population and then dividing it by the number of hectares of bioproductive land. The current value for individual Ecological Footprint is 4.7 on the planet per person. The average productivity of different bioproductive area varies from other areas as they depend upon the weather conditions and the way the area is maintained. For example the average productivity of croplands is more than any other land types. Thus the areas productivity is converted into its corresponding equivalence factor so as to represent it in global hectares. The equivalence factor remains the same for all nations but it varies each year because of relative productivity and the land usage depending upon the environmental factors (weather). Figure 3 The average bioproductive area per person worldwide was 1.8 approximately in 2006. The World Wide Fund for Nature claims that the human ecological footprint has exceeded the planets biocapacity by 20%. Footprint per capita of: United States of America- 9.0 gha Switzerland- 5.6 gha China- 1.8 gha The average Ecological Shoe Size for different regions in global hectares can be seen below. North America leads the chart with the highest ecological footprint. Figure 4 Among the nations United States of America, India and China have the highest Ecological Footprint. While calculating the EF without knowing the population size of that country it cannot be stated what the population or each individual is demanding. Both India and China are highly populated countries but their resource usage is below the world average value. In case of US, the average footprint per person is five times that of the world average. Ecological Footprint of individuals residing in developing countries is less than the individuals residing in developed countries. Developed countries use advance technology and have modern infrastructure which require more resources for their working and maintenance thus making its individual Ecological Footprint above 4.7. In case of developing countries the value is low because of less industrialization and usually floats below 4.7. APPLICATION OF ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT The Ecological Footprint can be applied to organizations, individuals, territories, cities, states, nations and world as a whole. It helps in planning and to budget the natural capital. Thus the EF can be used in for different applications and it can be ensured that the EF remains as low as possible. This can be done by: Using resource efficient technologies that require minimal natural capital. Motivating people to maintain a clean environment by reducing the need of fossil fuel and by making the area pedestrian friendly. Encourage family planning and reduce family size so that per person consumption of resources is saved. SUBSETS OF ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT The Ecological Footprint can be further categorized into: Carbon Footprint Water Footprint Both the types of footprints are briefly taken up in following sections. CARBON FOOTPRINT The term Carbon Footprint refers to the total bunch of Green House Gases emissions caused by a person, product, community, organization or an activity. The Carbon Footprint is usually measured in terms of amount of carbon dioxide released; it can be either in percentage of carbon dioxide (gas) or in kilograms of carbon (solid particles). Carbon Footprint is a division of Ecological Footprint and Life Cycle Assessment. A Green House Gas Assessment can be taken up to calculate individuals, organizations and nations Carbon Footprint. Once the Carbon Footprint is known various strategies can be devised to reduce it. Few Strategies are: Adopting Cleaner Technology process Efficient product and process management Using green product; which are eco- friendly Using renewable sources of energy Procuring and using green raw materials Adopting waste management practices Practising Carbon offsetting programmes Carbon Offsetting is the reduction of Carbon footprint by the mitigation of Carbon Footprints through alternative project development like wind energy, solar energy, and reforestation. TWO PARTS OF CARBON FOOTPRINT A Carbon Footprint is made up of two parts: Primary footprint and Secondary footprint. Primary Footprint: Primary Footprint refers to the direct emission of Carbon Dioxide into the atmosphere. Direct emission can be by burning of fossil fuels, transportation, factory chimneys, burning of crops for crop rotation, etc. Secondary Footprint: Secondary Footprint refers to the indirect emission of Carbon Dioxide. Indirect emission refers to getting associated with the product or process which is directly emitting carbon dioxide. Example of Secondary Footprint is buying products wherein during the product lifecycle carbon dioxide emission had taken place. So the more you buy the more you will contribute towards secondary emission. The following questionnaire can be taken to check how much an individual contributes towards indirect carbon dioxide emission. Do you eat vegetarian food or non vegetarian food? Do you buy or grow organic food? Do you buy local food and goods? Do you buy new clothes or second hand clothes? Do you buy new appliances or second hand appliances? Do you use things that are recyclable? Do you try to use common vehicle while travelling? The chart below shows the amount of Carbon dioxide release in to the atmosphere: Primary Footprint Figure 5 WATER FOOTPRINT Water Footprint is an accounting tool to measure the total volume of fresh water used for goods and production manufacturing and consumed by individuals, groups or community. Water Footprint is measured in terms of volume consumed or water polluted per unit of time. Water Footprint can be calculated for consumers or producers. Consumers include an individual, community, family, society, village, province or a city. Producers include public or private organizations. Water Footprint is an indicator which not only measures the volume of water used or polluted but also the regions and locations. Water Footprint is a novel subset of Ecological Footprint and it does not provide any light on contribution of embedded water towards environmental impact or water stress. COMPONENTS OF WATER FOOTPRINT Water Footprint consists of 3 components: Blue Water Footprint: It accounts to the total volume of freshwater that has been used or evaporated from surface or ground water to produce products and services which are consumed by individual, groups or society. Green Water Footprint: It accounts to the total volume of water evaporated from the soil (moisture content of the soil because of rain water) Grey Water Footprint: It accounts to the volume of polluted water that is used for the production of goods and services for groups, society or individuals. It also refers to the amount of water required to dilute the pollutants such that the water remains above the acceptable standards for water quality. WATER FOOTPRINT OF INDIVIDUAL CONSUMERS Water Footprint for individual consumers refers to the total amount of fresh water consumed either directly or indirectly by the them. Direct consumption is the water used at home for drinking, washing, cleaning and other purposes. Indirect consumption is the total volume of fresh water used for producing goods and other services which are then consumed by the consumers. The average Water Footprint worldwide is 1240 m3 water/person/year. Chinese: 700 m3 water/person/year United States of America: 2480 m3 water/person/year Finnish: 1730 m3 water/person/year United Kingdom: 1695 m3 water/person/year WATER FOOTPRINT OF BUSINESSES The corporate water footprint is the total volume of freshwater that is either directly or indirectly used for carrying out business activities. The Water Footprint for corporate organization consists of two components: the direct use of water by the producer for supporting activities and the indirect use of water during the supply chain process. WATER FOOTPRINTS OF NATIONS Water Footprint of Nations depicts the usage of water for producing the products and services which are to be consumed by the citizen of that nation. This Water Footprint has two components: the Internal Water Footprint and the External Water Footprint. Internal Water Footprint refers to the requisition of domestic water resources and external Water Footprint refers to requisition of water resources in some other countries. In Japan, 65% of total Water Footprint comes from other country. CONCLUSION Ecological Footprint, Carbon Footprint and Water Footprint are very important accounting tool to measure bioproductive areas capacity, carbon dioxide emission and the usage of fresh water. The consequence of increased Carbon Footprint means more emission of Green House gases which leads to Global Warming and climatic changes. There have been noticeable changes in the environment and the weather in the past two decades. Human activities has badly hampered the chemical composition of the atmosphere by practising and using products that emit Green House Gases (GHG). The consequence of GHG accumulation is that the atmosphere blanket will deplete and a blanket of GHG will form around the earth. This will lead to extremely high temperature resulting into melting of icebergs and snow. The sea level will rise tremendously and will destruct everything. The high temperatures may also expand the deserts thereby altering the countryside permanently. The early symptoms are already been seen such as change in the local climate, crop yields, human health, growing number of diseases, and water supplies. All individuals must take the Carbon Footprint test which is called the Carbon Calculator. The test will help in determining an individual attachment with carbon. Whatever be an individuals score it is every human beings responsibility to save the planet and to minimise the release of Green House Gases. At individual level various activities can be taken to reduce an individuals Carbon Footprint. At Corporate level the organization must adopt a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Policy to which it will always abide. A corporate must practice and use such products or materials which are eco friendly. The corporate must ensure that all its employees participate in CSR activities and work together towards environmental sustainability. The Corporate must also measure its Water Footprint and must always replenish the water source from where it has taken fresh water for its production of goods and services. Multinational Companies who can afford should build up rain water harvesting plants and sheds for social welfare. The Companies can themselves take initiatives to educate the people and improve the society and set a path towards environmental sustainability.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Ferm Life Cycle Essays -- essays research papers

Ferm Life Cycle Introduction:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This essay will discuss the fern life cycle as taught in biology lab. The essay will cover the basic process which we used to grow a fern. I will discuss the methods and the results of the lab exercise. Finally, I will discuss the evidence of the methods and results that were obtained . Methods and Results:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To begin our experiment we obtained a petri dish from our lab instructor which contained fern spores and the food they needed to survive. We then look at the spores through the micro scope. It was to soon to see anything but little green dots. We then put our petri dishes under a light until next week.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When we came in next week we observed our fern spores through the dissecting microscope. We looked to see if we could find anything germinating. We quickly noticed something that appeared like an air bubble squirting out something green. This was our fern spore which was germinating. Next, we removed a few of the germinating spores from the petri dish and put them under a compound microscope scope. We found the spore wall and observed how the developing gametophyte had broken through the wall, as instructed by our lab manuals. One could also identify the chloroplasts with in the cell. We then put up our dishes for another week.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The third week of our fern lab we identified the difference between male and female gametophyt...

Monday, November 11, 2019

History of Childhood

The history of childhood is a subject of controversy. Since serious historical investigation began into this area in the late 1960s, historians have increasingly divided into two contrasting camps of opinion, those advocating â€Å"continuity† in child rearing practices, and those emphasising â€Å"change†. As there is little evidence of what childhood was really like in the past, it is incredibly difficult for historians to reconstruct the life of a child, much more the   â€Å"experience† of being a child. In so many ways, the history of childhood is a history that slips through our fingers. Few Parents have left written records of how they reared their children, and fewer still children have left us their story. It is largely because of this lack of evidence, and because the evidence that does remain – advice literature, journals and letters, are so open to differing interpretations, that historians have divided over major issues such as whether children were loved and wanted in the past, the way parents viewed their children, and the treatment they received. The first major works into the history of childhood were those of Philippe Aries and Lloyd De Mause,  Centuries of Childhood, and  The History of Childhood  respectfully. Both historians took a â€Å"progressive† approach to history, and concluded that the treatment of children by their parents and society have improved considerably throughout the centuries. Both paint a very negative image of childhood, and family life in the past. Lloyd De Mause went as far as saying that;   Ã¢â‚¬Å"The history of childhood is a nightmare from which we have only recently begun to awaken. †Ã‚  (1)   believing that; â€Å"The further back in history one goes, the lower the level of child care, and the more likely children are to be killed, abandoned, beaten, terrorized, and sexually abused†. 2)   Aries concluded that there was no concept of childhood as a state   different to adulthood in these centuries, and therefore, even if parents did feel affection for their offspring, they did not fully understand how to respond to the emotional needs of their children. This argument gained further weight with the mammoth work of Lawrence Stone on the history of the family and family relationships in the early modern period,  The Family, Sex and Marriage in England 1500-1800. Stone too focused on the â€Å"evolution† of the amily through these three centuries, arguing that the family changed from being of an â€Å"open lineage† structure in which family relationships were formal and repressed, to the â€Å"domesticated nuclear family†, which resulted in â€Å"affective individualism†. In the early 1980's, Linda Pollock in her influential, yet highly controversial work,  Forgotten Children : Parent – child Relations 1500-1900, harshly criticised all the arguments made by Aries, de Mause and Stone. From her intensive study of over four hundred diaries and journals, she argued that childhood experiences were not as grim as they suggest it was. She strongly denies that there were any fundamental changes in the way parents viewed or reared their children in this period;   Ã¢â‚¬Å"The texts reveal no significant change in the quality of parental care given to, or the amount of affection felt for infants for the period 1500-1900†. (3)   Pollock's work has received support from Rosemary O'Day and Mary Abbot, who both deny that childhood â€Å"evolved† considerably in this period. In recent years, it is this approach that is beginning to predominate, but Pollock et al are not without their critics. Therefore, as there are two so very different approaches to the history of childhood in the early modern period, attempting to determine just how methods of child rearing did change in the past is fraught with difficulty. In order to determine how something has changed, it is necessary to determine what it changed from, and there is no consensus of opinion as to how parents reared their children in this period. However, it is perhaps important to emphasise that it is not so much the structure of childhood that is difficult to assess, in the sense of describing what the children actually did, but the attitudes and values of the parents. It is difficult to determine whether these changed, if they did how they changed, and why they changed, and the outcome of these changes. Between 1500 and 1700, the actual structure of childhood changed little. In this pre-industrial age, England was largely agricultural. Amongst the poor, children were put to work at early ages on the farm, sowing seeds, chasing birds, and other rather unstrenuous activities. If they could not be made useful on the family's own farm, then they would be put to work elsewhere. This was a characteristic of both the town and the country, although in the towns, children were put to work a year to eighteen months earlier. This applied to both sexes, although boys were more likely to be put to work earlier, and girls to stay home a little longer to help their mother. Children who could be spared from the farm, or whose wages would not be missed, were often put to school, to receive a form of elementary education which would help them acquire the necessary literacy and arithmetic they would need in life. Most of these children, especially the girls, remained in school only for a short period, and would then be expected to work to help their family financially. Some children never attended school, but were taught by their mothers at home. Amongst the wealthier social groups, boys, and to a lesser extent girls, would be provided with a more rigid and higher standard education from the age of six or seven upwards. This could take the form of private tuition, a school education, or education in someone else's house. It has been argued by Stone, Aries and De Mause, that there was a growing awareness of childhood as a state different to adult hood in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. According to them, society was beginning to appreciate that children were not miniature adults, but were at a substantially lower level of maturity, and so had distinct needs from adults – protection, love and nurturing. Society was now becoming more aware of the importance of parental socialisation, that it was socialisation that largely determined the kind of adult a child would eventually become. Lawrence Stone and J. H. Plumb believe the emergence of this new characteristic can be traced in the artistic development of the period. Stone argues that in the middle ages, children were invariably portrayed as miniature adults in paintings, without any childish characteristics. However, into the sixteenth century, images of children began to acquire a distinct identity, and childish appearance. Plumb argues that from the late seventeenth century onwards, children can be seen playing, sketching and amusing themselves in portraits, which he suggests shows there was a definite concept of childhood emerging in this period. He also argues that the increasing availability of toys and literature especially aimed for children, shows a greater understanding and appreciation of childhood. It is certainly possible that children were seen in a different light in this period, considering the influence of the Renaissance and the Reformation on ideologies(an explanation that Stone touches upon and will be discussed in more detail later), but the evidence employed by both Stone and Plumb needs to be used with supreme caution. Art and literature may reflect to a certain degree the alues and attitudes of a given society, but they are also limited by the technological understandings of the age. It could be argued that the change in the portrayal of children was due entirely to the Renaissance influence on physical realism in portraits, and the development of superior artistic skills as a consequence. Also, as artists became more familiar with painting the human form, they may have been more comfortable in exploring o ther forms of presentation, moving away from the stiffness of some early portraits, to the more naturalistic settings of the eighteenth century. Similarly, the commercial availability of toys and children's literature may have been the product of a growing materialistic and technological world, not an indication of a greater awareness of childhood. Just because toys were not commercially available in the past does not mean that the need for children to play was not appreciated. Parents may have manually made toys for their children. Indeed, Linda Pollock argues that imaginative play was common through out this period. The literary development could likewise be due to the growing influence of the printing press which opened up new avenues for literature. There is no conclusive evidence that there was an increase in the  Ã¢â‚¬Å"concept of childhood†Ã‚  in this period. Linda Pollock, and Rosemary O'Day, strongly deny that there was, arguing that parents had always been†aware that childhood was different in kind from adulthood. †Ã‚   (4) Stone et al have argued that once society became aware that childhood was a distinct state from adulthood, this effected the relationship between parents and children. They argue that now parents were aware of the needs of children, they were more equipped to respond to them, and give their children the care and protection they so desperately needed. Both Ralph Houlbrooke and Lawrence Stone argue that during the course of the seventeenth centuries, families became more openly affectionate. They see the decline in observances such as the â€Å"blessing† as evidence of a more loving family relationship. The â€Å"blessing† was considered to be important in what it symbolised about the inferiority of children to adults. Children were expected to seek their parent's blessing every morning and night. Even in adulthood, children were expected to ask for this blessing every so often. There were also other customs to remind children of the respect, duty and obedience they owed their parents. Boys for example, were expected to take off their hats in their parent's presence, and allegedly girls were expected to kneel before their mother. The Countess of Falkland for example, knelt before her mother even in adulthood, and even though she had obtained a higher social status than her mother through marriage. Ralph Houlbrooke argues that in the seventeenth century such practises were declining. The â€Å"blessing† he says was replaced with a â€Å"goodnight kiss†, and the other customs relaxed. He believes that the increased intimacy in letters between parents and children in the seventeenth century are firm evidence of a growing affection and intimacy. He claims that parents were now using phrases such as â€Å"my dear child† or â€Å"my darling†, instead of the colder ones of â€Å"child† or â€Å"son, daughter†. However, again this evidence needs to be treated with caution. In this period, society was becoming increasingly literate, especially amongst the wealthier social groups, and a greater depth of education may have meant that individuals were now able to express themselves easier. It must also be remembered that the English language itself was going through a transition at this time, greatly benefitting from the Renaissance emphasis on the vernacular. Lawrence Stone sees the decline in the customs of swaddling and wet-nursing from the late seventeenth century and particularly into the eighteenth, as a further indication of a growing affection. However, again, this depends on interpretation. It was not for any abusive or oppressive reason that parents swaddled their children, but because they genuinely believed that it was for the child's benefit, in that it prevented the child's limbs from growing crooked and deformed. Arguably the decline of this practice was due to an increased scientific understanding of the human body, rather than an increase in parental affection towards children. Also there is no solid evidence that wet-nursing declined in the seventeenth century. Indeed, for much of the eighteenth century, wet-nursing continued amongst the nobility and gentry. Admittedly it was increasingly the subject of attack, as puritans in particular believed that all mothers should breast feed their own children, but that this practise continued in aristocratic circles (it had never really been a custom amongst the poor) well into the nineteenth century, it cannot be used to illustrate a growing affection between mothers and children. Lawrence Stone argues that one of the reasons why parents and children were emotionally distant in the early part of this period, was ecause of the high infant mortality rate. He argues that parents were reluctant to invest love and care in their children, because of the pain losing them would cause. However, Linda Pollock identifies a flaw in his thesis. She argues that if this was the case, then one would expect the indifference towards children to have prevailed as long as the death rate. Stone puts forward that parents were becoming closer to their children in the late seventeenth century, where for some pars of the country such as Devon, more children were dying in this period than had done in the sixteenth century. Pollock argues that contrary to reducing parental emotional investment, the high death rate only served to heighten their anxiety in times of illness, and increase their level of care. However, Lawrence Stone does not believe that all the consequences of a growing awareness of childhood as a distinct state from adulthood, had a positive effect on the relationship between parents and children. He suggests that with the awareness that behaviour depended on discipline, parents took their duty as disciplinarians more seriously. He claims that whipping and flogging now became common place in an attempt to instil morality in their children. He also attributes this development to the Protestant Reformation. He argues that Protestantism emphasised the notion of Original sin, and contrary to Catholicism, did not advocated that the salvation of children could be obtained by baptism. Protestants argued that faith alone determined salvation, and therefore, for a child to be saved, faith was essential. This led to a decline in the importance of baptism, and increasingly parents delayed the ceremony, for days, weeks, or even months. There was now added pressure on parents to ensure that their children fully comprehended the basics of Christianity, especially their own sinfulness, and need for repentance and salvation. This possibly increased the importance of the mother as teacher, and arguably created the potential for a greater intimacy between mother and child as they spent more quality time together. However, Sather argues that following the Reformation, the relationship between parents and children became characterised by   harshness and cruelty, as physical punishment became the norm, especially amongst Puritans. He who spareth the rod hateth his son† was universally repeated. Undoubtedly this theoretically sets the scene for a darkening of childhood experience. However, although the Reformation may have encouraged a harsher disciplinary role of the parents, as always, it is necessary to bear in mind that theory does not always convert into practise successfully. It is certainly possible that purit ans treated their children harshly in this period, tyring to get them to conform to their notions of godliness, but it must be remembered that for most of this period puritans were a minority, and a rather unpopular one at that. It was they who predominantly wrote the â€Å"conduct-books†, advising parents on how to rear their children, and although some historians such as Stone have taken their contents as evidence of a harsh attitude towards children, it is necessary to remember that   conduct books state how things ought to be, not how they are. Admittedly there were parents who did physically punish their children. John Aubrey, a contemporary of the seventeenth century, stated that harsh physical correction was rife, and that â€Å"the child perfectly hated the sight of his parents as the slave his torturer†, but this is highly debatable. It is likely that if children were abused in this period, the abuse was more likely to be inflicted by the children's employers who abused their powerful positions. There are numerous accounts of young boys and girls having been physically abused by their masters. However, it is significant that many parents on discovering this abuse, issued a suit against the guilty person, suggesting that such treatment was far from socially acceptable. Parents wanted their children corrected, and arguably would not have opposed to a physical chastisement if essential, but did not want, or approve, of excessive correction. That physical punishment existed, cannot be taken as evidence of increased parental harshness towards children. It is clear from several journals that parents who did feel the need to physically punish their children, were often deeply troubled by the incident, and if possible, preferred not to inflict physical pain on their child. Also, there is little evidence for Stone's theory that parents saw their children as innately evil, and thus needed excessive disciplining. Indeed, considering that writers such as Thomas Gataker had to continuously press the point that it was â€Å"an idle concept† to suppose that â€Å"religion and godlinesse is not for children†, suggests that most parents did not accept the belief, even if it was widespread amongst puritans. In all likelihood, most parents took the view of John Locke, that children were morally neutral, and that it was up to them by both love and appropriate correction, to bring out the good in their nature. Another change which it has been argued came about partly because of the Reformation, was the â€Å"educational revolution† of the sixteenth century. Certainly as Protestantism was the religion of the â€Å"word† both printed and preached, a higher degree of literacy was needed to read the Scriptures, and intellectual training in order for the people to comprehend doctrinal issues. Also, following the Dissolution of the monasteries and chantries, the educational provision made by these institutions ceased. Thus, if children were to be educated, schools had to be refounded, which is largely what happened in the reign of Edward the Sixth. This movement was also due to the Renaissance, which increased the value of education, especially amongst the gentry. With the Renaissance came ideals of gentility, advocated by Castiglione and Thomas Elyot. Education was seen as a prime requisite of gentility, for not only did it cultivate the mind, but it distinguished gentle persons above the poor, and justified their privileged positions. Not surprisingly then, with such a high regard being attached to education, rich parents, who perhaps were not entirely literate themselves at the beginning of this period, increasingly ensured that their sons had a decent education. Therefore, towards the end of the sixteenth, and especially into the seventeenth century, it became common for the wealthy to send their sons to the new grammar schools. If they were particularly wealthy, they would employ a tutor steeped in classical knowledge to educate their sons. That parents sent there children away from home at early ages has been taken as evidence of their indifference, but in all likelihood, when parents sent their children away, they believed it was in the best interests of the child. Ilana Ben-Amos argues that parents would only part with their children when it was absolutely essential. In the   early seventeenth century for example, it was only after James Fretwell, who was then only four years old, came home weeping because he could not manage the distance between Sandal and Yorkshire every day, that his father out of concern for his welfare put him to lodge with a widow in Sandal. Even then, the child came home on Saturdays. It can also be seen that attitudes towards female education amongst the wealthy also changed in this period. In the Renaissance years, it is arguable that the education of women was encouraged. Thomas More himself said that â€Å"I do not see why learning ay not equally agree with both sexes†, and the period produced a number of learned women; Mary and Elizabeth Tudor, Lady Jane Grey, and even Mary Stuart. Antonia Fraser argues that during Elizabeth's reign, there was a silent pressure on wealthy men to have their daughters educated. If they were to attend court without having some knowledge of Latin and the Classics, they would comp are unfavourably with the intellect and knowledge of the Queen, and would thus not create a favourable impression on the men they were expected to â€Å"secure†. Also, with there being a female monarch who was renowned as a scholar, it would be rather unmet to press the point that such a sphere was a man's preserve. However, with the Queen's death in 1603, and the accession of a man, such opinions were able to surface, and there was an increasing desire to exclude females from learning Latin and the classics. This was given impetus by the attitude of the sovereign himself. When King James was presented with a learned woman, he rather sarcastically remarked, â€Å"but can shee spin ? â€Å". This gave no incentive for the great families of England to subject their daughters to an expensive classical education, which many believed they had not the intellectual capacity to understand, and anyway would serve them no useful purpose in life. As the seventeenth century wore on, the difference in the educational expectations of the sexes became more marked. Girls were virtually excluded from grammar schools, and the notion of the â€Å"accomplished woman†, which was to play such a prominent part in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, gained a whole new lease of life. Parents were now encouraged to have their daughters educated in those subjects deemed suitable for girls – sewing, knitting, music, and French. Over the course of the seventeenth century, schools for girls flourished, and were dedicated to educating girls in these increasingly regarded female traits. Stone argues that the end of the seventeenth century saw a more humane treatment of children being adopted, but arguably this was not the case for aristocratic girls. Physical deportment was becoming increasingly important. The corset, which had long been in existence, now became regarded as essential, and the eighteenth century saw the development of other techniques to help create the perfect figure, such as stocks and backboards. Stone argues that one of the signs of a growing affection between parents and children, was the decline of parental control of their children's marriages, but if this was the case with boys, the marriage of girls was still often tightly controlled. In concluding then, it can be seen that trying to determine to what extent there were important changes in the way that children were reared in this period, is fraught with difficulty. The conclusion drawn, depends to a large degree on the approach adopted. Those historians such as Linda Pollock who advocate â€Å"continuity†, would argue that there were no fundamental changes in the way that parents treated and reared their children in this   who advocate â€Å"change†, would argue that there were important changes in these years. They would argue that there was a growing intimacy and affection between parents and children, a growing concern for the latter's welfare, and although the Reformation initially introduced a period of increased severity, the general trend was the improvement of the treatment of children. Certainly there were changes. There was an increased importance placed on education; the increasing segregation of male and female spheres within education; children were maintained at school longer; apprenticeships were lasting longer; there was an increase in the importance of early religious instruction; child baptism lost it's immediate   significance; swaddling becoming less widely used, and into the eighteenth century there was a decline in the practice of wet nursing. However, these changes are largely external changes. They tell us little about the way the â€Å"experience† of child rearing changed, if it did, during this period. Arguably, the more fundamental aspects of child-rearing, such as whether or not there was an emergence of a â€Å"concept of childhood† in this period, whether there was a growing intimacy between parents and children, and whether or not parental discipline became more severe, can only be speculated upon.

Friday, November 8, 2019

How to Be an Author 5 Personality Characteristics to Nurture

How to Be an Author 5 Personality Characteristics to Nurture How to Be an Author: 5 Personality Characteristics You Want to Nurture Becoming a new author requires a unique fortitude and strength of character.Writing a book forces you to plan, write, and edit between 50,000 to 100,000 words!It also requires working with an editor, a publisher (or self-publishing), a design team, and developing a book launch strategy  to get readers to see your upcoming bestseller on Amazon. This amount of work can feel overwhelming and can easily crush your confidence.But what makes new authors become bestsellers like Stephen King comes down to one factor: hard work.Writing takes tremendous effort, but more importantly, requires a strong mindset. Having coached and taught so many successful writers ourselves, we’ve studied and compiled all of their strongest personal qualities that you can adopt and apply to your life to become an author.This guide covers how to:Exercise PatienceApply ConsistencyPractice OptimismValue CriticismBe EmpatheticLet’s reveal how these qualities can shape you to become a published author. 1. Exercise PatienceWriting a book is not an overnight process. It takes a lot of time! Part of learning how to be a professional writer means that you have to cultivate not only discipline and focus, but patience.The good news is that patience is something that can be developed with practice. Suzannah Windsor Freeman, author of The Busy Mom’s Guide to Writing, discovered that infinite patience was the key to her success.Freeman also famously said, â€Å"If your dream were to be a concert pianist, you wouldn’t expect to sit down and just play. You’d take lessons for many years, practice every day, and sacrifice a great deal in order to achieve that dream. So, why do we expect ourselves to be able to write well without the same level of commitment and patience?† Her words advocate that the more time you spend practicing your craft with patience, the better writer you will become.Action Plan:  Cultivate patience by practicing your craft everyday. Whether its creative writing or creating short stories, experiment with any form of writing to improve your skills and develop great ideas.2. Apply ConsistencyTo become a professional writer, you must treat writing like a serious job. This means that you must commit to a consistent schedule and adhere to a writing process in order to develop good habits and not waste time.Consider the following strategies to make yourself more consistent as you start the writing process:Emulate the â€Å"Calendar Strategy.†Ã‚  With a calendar, mark an X for each day you write and make it a goal to not break the chain.Find your creative space.  Find and create your own space where you’re most comfortable and creative. Whether its your office, a coffee shop, or even your kitchen, use it as your place to write everyday.Create a writing schedule. Writing at the same time everyday will develop a consistent writing habit. Consistent writing actually creates a muscle memory, triggering your brain t o turn on creativity when you sit down to write.For more writing strategies, check out our guide on 7 Strategies to Start Writing Your Book Today.Action Plan:  Experiment with these methods to optimize your writing process. Following a consistent plan will easily double your output and complete your book in no time.3. Practice OptimismPsychologists say  that practicing optimism  can help you be more productive and live a happier life. It can also help you  overcome inevitable pitfalls like writer’s block. The best part is, you can  train yourself to think more positively and take on even the worst  events that can negatively impact your life.Here are a few ways to practice optimism:Anticipate a positive outcome.  Our realities  reflect what we think, making our perception of reality the mirror of our thoughts. So having a positive attitude will always increase your  optimism,  even at your worst.Share your optimism with others. Optimism is a contagious att itude powerful enough to shift the momentum of any negative situation to a positive one. So share your   positivity with others and build that unshakable force to complete your goal.Remove all negativity.  Negativity will bring you down, and surrounding yourself with it will encourage more pessimistic thoughts and self-doubt. Avoid it at all cost.Action Plan:  In your writing process, come up with both negative and positive outcomes for any given situation. For each negative situation, try to look for positive outcomes and work towards turning it into a favorable result.4. Value CriticismNo matter how amazing your book is, there’s always someone who will harshly criticize your work. Instead of viewing it as a humiliating remark, learn to apply the feedback to your writing.Developing a thick skin is one the hardest things to do, and like many of the other characteristics, takes time to build.When writing your book, you can build resilience  to criticism by practicing t he following:Anticipate harsh edits and rearrangements across your entire book.Prepare to cut out your favorite paragraphs or sentences.Count on reading  plenty of negative reviews on Amazon, social media or by the press.Action Plan: Try to find positive feedback from every negative criticism or review on your book. Make it a goal to develop enough flexibility so that one day it will no longer bother you.5. Be EmpatheticKnow that by sharing your story, you’re helping someone else. Your unique experience will empathize with readers and they will draw strength from the words you wrote in your book.Here are two successful authors whose work has touched many readers:Professor Randy Pausch, author of The Last Lecture, was faced with a terminal illness at a young age. Rather than wallow and fade away, he used his last days to create his masterpiece. His book wasn’t about death, but rather short stories that advocated the importance of overcoming hurdles and capturing every moment you have to live for. His generosity to share his life resonated with readers as a tale of courage and inspiration to anyone facing similar adversities.Elizabeth Gilbert, bestselling author of Eat, Pray, Love,  wrote her memoir while going through a devastating divorce that left her full of anxiety and panic. She stressed the importance of discovering the best version of herself by leaving behind her previous life to set out to explore the different aspects of nature within food, travel, and love. Her painful story of loss and regrowth profoundly connected to readers so much that it eventually became a movie.Action Plan:  Make the effort to write down the biggest obstacles you’ve encountered and explain how you have dealt with them. You will be surprised to see how meaningful your story is to your readers.Adopting these characteristics  can mean the difference between seeing your name on the best-seller list and never publishing your first book. Applying these p ractices not only help you become a published author, but also a better person.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

The History of Ostrich Domestication

The History of Ostrich Domestication Ostriches (Struthio camelus) are the largest bird alive today, with adults weighing between 200–300 pounds (90-135 kilograms). Adult males attain a height of up to 7.8 feet (2.4 meters) tall; females are slightly smaller. Their immense body size and small wings make them incapable of flying. Ostriches have a remarkable tolerance to heat, withstanding temperatures up to 56 degrees C (132 degrees F) without much stress. Ostriches have been domesticated for only about 150 years, and are truly only partly domesticated, or, rather, are only domesticated for a short period of their lives. Key Takeaways: Ostrich Domestication Ostriches were domesticated (and only partly) in South Africa in the mid-19th century.  South African farmers and their British colonial overlords were responding to an enormous demand for fluffy ostrich feathers used in Victorian-era fashions.Although they are adorable as chicks, ostriches are not good pets, because they quickly grow into bad-tempered giants with sharp claws.   Ostriches as Pets? Keeping ostriches in zoos as exotic pets was practiced in Bronze Age Mesopotamia at least as early as the 18th century BCE. Assyrian annals mention ostrich hunts, and some royal kings and queens kept them in zoos and harvested them for eggs and feathers. Although some modern day people do attempt to keep ostriches as pets, no matter how gently you raise them, within a year, the cute fluffy juvenile ball grows to a 200-pound behemoth with sharp claws and the temperament to use them.​ Far more common and successful is ostrich farming, producing red meat similar to beef or venison, and leather goods from the hides. The ostrich market is variable, and as of the 2012 agricultural census, there are just a few hundred ostrich farms in the U.S. Ostrich Life Cycle There are a handful of recognized modern sub-species of ostrich, including four in Africa, one in Asia (Struthio camelus syriacus, which has been extinct since the 1960s) and one in Arabia (Struthio asiaticus Brodkorb). Wild species are known to have been present in North Africa and Central Asia, although today they are restricted to sub-Saharan Africa. South American ratite species are only distantly related, including Rhea americana and Rhea pennata. Wild ostriches are grass eaters, usually concentrating on a handful of annual grasses and forbs that yield essential protein, fiber, and calcium. When they dont have a choice, they will eat leaves, flowers, and fruits of non-grassy plants. Ostriches mature at between four and five years of age and have a lifespan in the wild of up to 40 years. They are known to travel in the Namib desert between 5 to 12 miles (8–20 kilometers) per day, with an average home range of about 50 mi (80 km). They can run up to 44 mi (70 km) per hour when necessary, with a single stride of up to 26 ft (8 m). It has been suggested that Upper Paleolithic Asian ostriches migrated seasonally, as an adaptation to climate change. Ancient Appearance: Ostrich as Megafauna Ostriches are of course an ancient prehistoric bird, but they show up in the human record as ostrich eggshell (often abbreviated OES) fragments and beads from archaeological sites beginning about 60,000 years ago. Ostriches, along with mammoth, were among the last Asian megafaunal species (defined as animals which weigh more than 100 kg) to become extinct. Radiocarbon dates on archaeological sites associated with OES begin near the end of the Pleistocene, late in Marine Isotope Stage 3 (ca. 60,000–25,000 years ago). Central Asian ostriches went extinct during the Holocene (what archaeologists call the last 12,000 years or so). The east Asian ostrich Struthio anderssoni, native to the Gobi Desert, was among the megafaunal species that went extinct during the Holocene: they survived the Last Glacial Maximum only to apparently be done in by increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide. That increase also increased the number of grasses, but it negatively impacted the forage availability in the Gobi. In addition, it is possible that human over-use during the terminal Pleistocene and early Holocene might have occurred, as mobile hunter-gatherers moved into the region. Human Use and Domestication Beginning in the late Pleistocene, ostriches were hunted for their meat, their feathers, and their eggs. Ostrich shell eggs were likely hunted for the protein in their yolks but were also very useful as light, strong containers for water. Ostrich eggs measure up to 6 inches (16 centimeters) long and can carry up to one quart (about one liter ) of fluid. Ostriches were first kept in captivity during the Bronze Age, in a tamed and semi-domesticated state, in gardens of Babylon, Nineveh, and Egypt, as well as later in Greece and Rome. Tutankhamuns tomb included images of hunting the birds with a bow and arrow, as well as a very fancy ivory ostrich feather fan. There is documented evidence of ostrich riding since the first millennium BCE at the Sumerian site of Kish. European Trade and Domestication The full domestication of the ostrich was not attempted until the mid-19th century when South African farmers established farms solely for harvesting the plumage. At the time, and indeed for several centuries before that and since, ostrich feathers were in high demand by fashionistas from Henry VIII to Mae West. Feathers can be harvested from the ostrich every six to eight months without ill effects. During the first decade of the 20th century, ostrich feathers used in the fashion industry had driven the value per pound to that nearly equal to that of diamonds. Most of the feathers came from Little Karoo, in the Western Cape region of southern Africa. That was because, in the 1860s, the British colonial government had actively facilitated export-oriented ostrich raising. The Darker Side of Ostrich Farming According to historian Sarah Abrevaya Stein, in 1911 the Trans-Saharan Ostrich Expedition took place. That involved a British-government sponsored corporate espionage group who snuck into French Sudan (chased by American and French corporate spies) to steal 150 Barbary ostriches, famed for their double fluff plumes, and brought them back to Cape Town to be inbred with the stock there. By the end of World War II, though, the market for feathers crashed- by 1944, the only market for the fanciest of plumes was on cheap plastic Kewpie dolls. The industry managed to survive by broadening the market to meat and hides. Historian Aomar Boum and Michael Bonine have argued that the European capitalist passion for ostrich plumes decimated both wild animal stocks and African livelihoods based on wild ostriches. Sources Al-Talhi, Dhaifallah. Almulihiah: A Rock Art Site in the Hail Region, Saudi Arabia. Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy 23.1 (2012): 92–98. Print.Bonato, Maud, et al. Extensive Human Presence at an Early Age of Ostriches Improves the Docility of Birds at a Later Stage of Life. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 148.3–4 (2013): 232–39. Print.Boum, Aomar, and Michael Bonine. The Elegant Plume: Ostrich Feathers, African Commercial Networks, and European Capitalism. The Journal of North African Studies 20.1 (2015): 5–26. Print.Brysbaert, Ann. ‘The Chicken or the Egg?’ Interregional Contacts Viewed through a Technological Lens at Late Bronze Age Tiryns, Greece. Oxford Journal of Archaeology 32.3 (2013): 233–56. Print.dErrico, Francesco, et al. Early Evidence of San Material Culture Represented by Organic Artifacts from Border Cave, South Africa. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 109.33 (2012): 13214–19. Print.Gegner, Lance E. Ratite Production: Ostrich, Emu and Rhea. Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas: National Center for Appropriate Technology, 2001. 1–8. Print. Janz, Lisa, Robert G. Elston, and George S. Burr. Dating North Asian Surface Assemblages with Ostrich Eggshell: Implications for Palaeoecology and Extirpation. Journal of Archaeological Science 36.9 (2009): 1982–89. Print.Kurochkin, Evgeny N., et al. The Timing of Ostrich Existence in Central Asia: AMS 14c Age of Eggshells from Mongolia and Southern Siberia (a Pilot Study). Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms 268.7–8 (2010): 1091–93. Print.Renault, Marion. Decades after It Crashed, Ostrich Industry Poised to Take Off as Demand Grows. Chicago Tribune September 25. 2016. Print.Shanawany, M. M. Recent Developments in Ostrich Farming. World Animal Review 83.2 (1995). Print.Stein, Sarah Abrevaya. Plumes: Ostrich Feathers, Jews, and a Lost World of Global Commerce. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2008. Print.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Meditation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Meditation - Assignment Example 1). Meditation has been studied by various practitioners and has been determined to contribute to the well-being of an individual and in the relief of medical illness or stress. As Baime averred, â€Å"meditation cultivates an emotional stability that allows the meditator to experience intense emotions fully while simultaneously maintaining perspective on them" (Medical Dictionary, par. 2). Further, there have been specific illnesses and disorders that were validated to be cured, relieved or prevented by regular meditation, to wit: â€Å"meditation is considered to be one of the better therapies for panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, substance dependence and abuse, ulcers, colitis, chronic pain, psoriasis, and dysthymic disorder. It is considered to be a valuable adjunctive therapy for moderate hypertension (high blood pressure), prevention of cardiac arrest (heart attack), prevention of atherosclerosis (hardening of arteries), arthritis (including fibromyalgia), cancer, insomnia, migraine, and prevention of stroke. Meditation may also be a valuable complementary therapy for allergies and asthma because of the role stress plays in these conditions. Meditative practices have been reported to improve function or reduce symptoms in patients with some neurological disorders as well. These include people with Parkinson's disease, people who experience fatigue with multiple sclerosis, and people with epilepsy who are resistant to standard treatment† (Medical Dictionary, par. 2). Categories of Meditation According to Scott (2009), the two categories of meditation are concentrative and non-concentrative. For the concentrative category, the meditator focuses on an object outside the body, such as a flickering flame of the candle or a musical background. On the other hand, the non-concentrative category was indicated to have a wider or broader focus from the individual’s external environment (sounds), or one’s own breathing and inner stat e of the physical body (Scott, par. 6). McNeely, presented two meditation techniqu

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Critical Evaluation Of Ifrs 3 In Relation To Clear Reporting Essay

Critical Evaluation Of Ifrs 3 In Relation To Clear Reporting Requirements For Business Combinations - Essay Example With business combination, the surviving company is provided with the immediate availability of the resources of an established enterprise. Furthermore, the union of businesses often results in better utilization of management, in addition to acquisition of new management strength and improved capital bargaining position. In addition, a business combination may be undertaken for the income tax advantages available to one or more parties to the combination. However, business combinations involve certain limitations and risks. Corporate objectives must be taken into consideration. Only those companies which have the same or compatible sets of objectives should combine. On the other hand, successful firms are usually not willing to combine. The acquiring enterprise may also inherit the acquired firm's inefficiencies and problems together with its inadequate resources. The objective of IFRS 3 is to specify the financial reporting by an entity when it undertakes a business combination. In particular, it specifies that all business combinations should be accounted for by applying the purchase method. Therefore, the acquirer recognizes the acquiree's identifiable assets. Liabilities and contingent liabilities at their fair values at the acquisition date, and also recognize goodwill, which is subsequently tested for impairment rather than mortised. (ASC, 2005) Notable words that one must take into consideration when understanding issues of business combinations are; purchase method, fair values, acquisition date and goodwill. Under purchase method of accounting the acquiree's identifiable assets and liabilities must be measured at their fair values at acquisition date. Fair value then is defined as the amount for which an asset could be exchanged, or a liability settled, between knowledgeable, willing partied in an arm's length transaction. Acquisitio n date is the date on which the acquirer effectively obtains control of the acquiree. Control is the power to govern the financial and operating policies of an entity or business so as to obtain benefits from its activities. Goodwill is a future economic benefits arising from assets that are not capable of being individually identified and separately recognized. SCOPE This IFRS does not apply to business combinations in which separate entities or businesses are brought together to form a joint venture. Joint venture is defined in IAS 31 Interest in Joint Ventures, as a contractual agreement whereby two or more parties undertake an economic activity that is subject to joint control. This IFRS does not also apply to combinations involving entities under common control, or businesses involving two or more mutual entities and a combination in which separate entities are brought together by contract alone to form a dual listed corporation. METHOD OF ACCOUNTING There are two methods for carrying out a business combination, the acquisition and the uniting of interest. Business combination is achieved by acquisition when one of the enterprises, the acquirer, obtains control over the net assets and operations of another enterprise which is the acquiree, in exchange for the transfer of