Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Chasmosaurus Facts and Figures

Chasmosaurus Facts and Figures Name: Chasmosaurus (Greek for cleft lizard); pronounced KAZZ-moe-SORE-us Habitat: Woodlands of western North America Historical Period: Late Cretaceous (75-70 million years ago) Size and Weight: About 15 feet long and 2 tons Diet: Plants Distinguishing Characteristics: Huge, rectangular frill on neck; small horns on face About Chasmosaurus A close relative of Centrosaurus, and thus classified as a centrosaurine ceratopsian, Chasmosaurus was distinguished by the shape of its frill, which spread out over its head in an enormous rectangle. Paleontologists speculate that this giant awning of bone and skin was lined with blood vessels that allowed it to take on bright colors during mating season and that it was used to signal availability to the opposite sex (and possibly to communicate with other members of the herd). Perhaps because the addition of horns would have been simply too much (even for the Mesozoic Era), Chasmosaurus possessed relatively short, blunt horns for a ceratopsian, certainly nothing approaching the dangerous apparatus of Triceratops. This may have something to do with the fact that Chasmosaurus shared its North American habitat with that other famous ceratopsian, Centrosaurus, which sported a smaller frill and a single large horn on its brow; the difference in ornamentation would have made it easier for two competing herds to steer clear of each other. By the way, Chasmosaurus was one of the first ceratopsians ever to be discovered, by the famous paleontologist Lawrence M. Lambe in 1898 (the genus itself was later diagnosed, on the basis of additional fossil remains, by Charles R. Sternberg). The next few decades witnessed a bewildering multiplication of Chasmosaurus species (not an unusual situation with ceratopsians, which tend to resemble one another and can be difficult to distinguish at the genus and species level); today, all that remain are Chasmosaurus belli and Chasmosaurus russelli. Recently, paleontologists discovered the amazingly well-preserved fossil of a Chasmosaurus juvenile in Albertas Dinosaur Provincial Park, in sediments dating to about 72 million years ago. The dinosaur was about three years old when it died (most likely drowned in a flash flood), and lacks only its front legs.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

From Boom to Bust Financial Crisis of 2008

From Boom to Bust Financial Crisis of 2008 Although academic interest in the global financial crisis that began in the United States in mid-2008 has declined as time goes on, it is a brief period in world economic history that is worth remembering and understanding. Although academic interest in the global financial crisis that began in the United States in mid-2008 has declined as time goes on, it is a brief period in world economic history that is worth remembering and understanding. In many respects, the consequences of the crisis have become a way of life; while the world economy is slowly improving, the financial crisis fundamentally changed many economic relationships between governments, financial institutions, markets, and consumers. From Boom to Bust in Six Easy Steps The chain of events that explains the financial crisis is relatively simple.  Naturally, each of these steps involved a large number of contributing factors. As the US economy improved after the â€Å"dot-com bubble† that created a short-term decline in 1999-2000, much of the recovery was directed into residential construction. In order to generate demand for the huge supply of housing, banks, and lending companies began issuing large numbers of â€Å"adjustable-rate mortgages†, mortgages with a low initial rate and with generally less stringent qualifications for buyers; this allowed a large number of people who had previously not been able to afford their own home a chance to buy one, and in many cases, spend more than was prudent for their level of income. WHAT IS FIAT MONEY The expansion of consumer credit in home loans also led to an increase in credit-funded consumer spending in other parts of the economy as well, fueled in large part through loans against home equity; as long as demand for housing remained strong – which was encouraged by looser credit standards – home prices and property values remained high, and consumers could use that value as collateral for additional spending. Eventually, the housing supply reached a saturation point, which under â€Å"normal† circumstances would have resulted in housing prices declining gradually until a supply-demand equilibrium was reached; this would have been partly achieved by lenders tightening lending standards and incrementally increasing interest rates to compensate for lower revenues. Three things made the situation beginning in late 2005 less than â€Å"normal,† however: The lending business had expanded along with the housing market Because the demand for mortgages was roughly equal to the demand for houses, a large number of lending businesses – most operating under regulatory guidelines that were much less strict than for banks – were started after 2000. The problem this caused was a lack of funding; mortgages take a little time, from the perspective of the lender, to start providing a stable revenue stream that can be used for new loans, unless the lender has a large initial financial reserve, which many did not. That led to the growth of creative funding concepts, such as Mortgage-backed securities, which became a hot market commodity In order to fund the lending boom, large and small lenders alike bundled their outstanding mortgages into financial derivatives called mortgage-backed securities, which took a variety of forms. An MBS is essentially a claim on a percentage of the cash inflow from a mortgage or group of mortgages and is generally paid on a monthly or quarterly basis, similar to a bond coupon. Once an MBS is created, however, its value as a tradable security is not necessarily limited to the expected revenue on paper from the mortgages in the pool; prior to 2008, the market value of these derivatives grew to several trillion dollars, many times the value of the properties they represented. The volatility of these MBS derivatives was a significant trigger for the financial disaster, because MBS were traded worldwide, meaning that US conditions were underliers for the entire global financial system. The drop in home prices, which was an inevitable consequence of a saturated market, led to lower revenues for lenders, which began to reduce the value of MBS’s. This created one self-feeding cycle because it led to less financing for new mortgages; it led to another because the only way the lenders could compensate was to raise the interest – sometimes precipitously – on their adjustable-rate mortgages, which in turn led to an accelerating number of mortgage defaults by borrowers. A mortgage that is not being paid has zero value as part of an MBS; in what seemed to be overnight but in reality was a period from late-2006 to mid-2008, an enormous amount of asset value held by financial institutions in the form of mortgage-backed securities simply vanished. The impact on financial institutions meant that, at a minimum, lending became severely restricted, and a large number of institutions failed outright – 25 in the US in 2008 alone. The evaporation of the credit market impacted business and consumer spending and created the deepest recession in the US since the Great Depression of the 1930’s. Financial institutions overseas were not spared, either; large organizations such as the UK’s Northern Rock, Switzerland’s UBS, and the Royal Bank of Scotland were deeply exposed to the crisis through the MBS trade  and had to resort to various levels of government intervention to prevent utter chaos. The MBS problem affected a large number of investment organizations as well, companies and government bodies who held a large number of derivatives as part of the financial portfolios for pensions and retirement savings for workers. MONEY MAKES THE WORLD GO AROUND The history of the financial crisis is mainly a lesson about the complex – and evidently potentially-risky – connections in global economics. The entire world economy suffered because of an unsustainable condition in the housing market in the US, and the financial products and processes that evolved as a result of that condition. Moves by governments toward better regulation of financial industries, such as the new requirements for financial reserves that will be required under the Third Basel Accord, have largely been aimed at providing firewalls to prevent future financial crises from spreading as far and as fast. In another respect, however, the history of the financial crisis serves as a warning of what can go wrong. In this context, we may find ourselves with some reasons to worry; in some parts of the world such as China and developing Asian countries, rapid expansion of real-estate markets threatens to reach the same â€Å"bubble† levels as what occurred i n the US, and financial markets are beginning to see the reintroduction of exotic derivative securities. Knowing how quickly things can spiral out of control might help to prevent or at least lessen the effects of future financial crises.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Pride and Prejudice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Pride and Prejudice - Essay Example Such is one major issue which Elizabeth â€Å"Lizzy† Bennet, the story’s main protagonist, has to deal with in the course of having resolution sought to her initial unfavorable impressions of the male counterpart Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy while portraying a significant role in the lives and matrimonial affairs of her sisters, especially Jane Bennet. The intricate narrative structure of â€Å"Pride and Prejudice† concerning general manners, education, moral standards, and breeding is set in the fictitious Netherfield Park where the Bennet family resides, particularly in Longbourn. Netherfield is claimed in the novel to be part of Hertfordshire, a county close to London where the arrival of the Bingleys takes place. Austen must have chosen a setting at the countryside in which people of rustic livelihood may be reasonably expected to yearn for occasions of social gatherings like balls or parties which the ladies of the town are specifically delighted with. Under these circumstances would Lizzy Bennet and Mr. Darcy cross paths and begin finding a great deal of conflict as they misjudge each other based on attitudes which are apparently confined within their narrow prejudices. This eventually creates the essence of the theme wherein the traits associated with the ‘pride’ and ‘prejudice’ both of Lizzy and Mr. Darcy are intended to figure a realistic rather than a romantic mode of settlement toward the end. â€Å"Pride and Prejudice† progresses in stages to illustrate the backgrounds and influences crucial to the well-being of the principal characters so that in the process, readers can manage to gain understanding of certain events that occur in a proper English society and how they are dealt with or responded to by people of class, normally by virtue of pride. On one hand Lizzy, being on the extreme end of thought and contemplation of matters, is characterized to possess a modest yet stiff countenance that reflects her high intellectual capacity and seemingly logical suspicion of the hypocrisies and sarcasm in her environment as exemplified in the condescending acts of Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst. Mr. Darcy, on the contrary, is featured as a wealthy man utterly reserved and cautious as he maintains quality of stature and pride that he appears incapable of mingling with the ordinary people, inclusive of the Bennets, for which upon Lizzy’s prejudiced observation, he becomes coldly labelled as insensitive despite all achievements and unknown sentiments. Evidently, how Lizzy’s nature functions in the story manifests Austen’s preference to be recognized according to the perspectives of the age of reason. Though she can be felt to acknowledge implicitly the beauty that emerges out of the sweet embellished form of romance between Jane and Mr. Bingley, for the type of novelist she is, Austen greatly considers philosophy in her work and this is naturally conveyed via the rational i nstead of emotional approach the moment Lizzy confronts Mr. Darcy and his gradual move of proposing and expressing affections for Elizabeth. During a dramatic private conversation with Jane, Lizzy confesses: â€Å"Do not be afraid of my running into any excess, of my encroaching on your privilege of universal good will –

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Safety Management Plan Implementation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Safety Management Plan Implementation - Essay Example The service providers should execute and implement a Safety Management System which is acknowledged by their respective state. The functions are as follows: †¢The main function is to identify the safety hazards related to it. †¢It should ensure that corrective actions necessary to sustain a satisfactory level of safety must be implemented. †¢This is also liable to provide continuous monitoring as well as a regular appraisal of the safety level that has been achieved. †¢It should also aim to make a constant improvement to the overall level of safety and security. †¢It should also promote an improved safety and security culture all through the organization. †¢Realizing a return on Safety Management System investment through enhanced competence and abridged operational risk. Apart from the requirements of ICAO Safety Management Systems has been also incorporated into IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA). It is an important factor to realize that the mention ed plan must only be used as a general guiding reference only. Therefore it can be customized according to the need. Etihad, the national airlines of United Arab Emirates will be chosen as the company where the Safety Management System action plan will be established. Now in the context of the company, a safety management system will be implemented in its overall infrastructure. This will ensure more safety and securities to the passengers availing Etihad Airways. The company is also focused on providing the best Arabic hospitality to the clients.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Data communications and neetworks Essay Example for Free

Data communications and neetworks Essay What is signalling? Signalling is a term used for the use of data being transmitted or carried across a medium for example in a network this could be a cat 5 cable. There has to be a way also for the receiver to interpret the data being sent and this is controlled by whats called encoding however the word modulation also means the same thing. The signal that is sent it modified in a way for it to signify data. There are different types of transmission methods which differ from what type of medium you are using for example cables or wireless there are four which are listed below: 1. Electrical uses your cables to transport data between nodes 2. Radio Waves this would be your wireless networks and could also include Bluetooth devices. 3. Light this would use fibre optic cabling to send high speeds of data 4. Microwave Analogue Digital Signalling There are two different types of signalling and these can be done in Analogue which means it changes all time in both amplitude and frequency. For example an analogue clock which has its hands moving all the time is changing the time all the time. Whereas with digital signalling which are representations of discrete time signals. For example a digital clock shows the minutes and not the seconds. When the information is being sent over a network when communicating, the information can travel in two forms, these are analogue and digital. The difference between the two is simple that analogue signalling never stops, and the information is being sent continuously, a good example of this signalling is clocks. An analogue clock will never stop, as the second hand is always ticking, therefore one can record an accurate reading of the time to the second, or even millisecond. For example, 1 hour 15 minutes and 24 seconds. Appose this to digital signalling where one can not get an accurate reading of a clock as it will only show the minutes. And therefore is not continuous. This is because the data is consisting of separate states, which are on or off. Sine Wave This type of wave has two properties a Amplitude Frequency, the amplitude represents the strength of the signal which would be the volume of a sound for example somebody talking. If the amplitude is stronger than it will travel further. The frequency of a Sine Wave is the rise and fall of the wave from the zero to the top and then back to the zero this is known as a cycle and is measured in Hz. The higher frequency the more cycles and therefore the lower the frequency the lower the cycles. Analogue The image below shows the analogue type of signalling its constantly changing and represents all the values in the wave range, there is always a value in between a value and another. http://moodle. derby-college. ac. uk/mod/resource/view. php? id=2346 Digital With digital signalling there are no in betweens like there in analogue its simply either 1 or 0, digital represents separate states and the change between these are practically unnoticeable. http://moodle. derby-college. ac. uk/mod/resource/view. php? id=2346 Asynchronous Transmission Asynchronous transmission is when signals are not sent at regular intervals. A good example of this would be a user using a keyboard attached to a computer. The characters are sent irregularly however the bits must be sent at known intervals. This is done by having accurate clocks at both ends of the link. The receiving clock starts when it receives the first bit from the transmitter, this is also known as the start bit. The receiver then expects to receive a known number of bits every tick of the clock. When it has received these bits the clock may stop; the last bit is known as the stop bit. Synchronous Transmission However when large volumes of data are to be transferred, the waste of the stop and stop bits with every character means that asynchronous transmission is not an efficient method. With high-speed devices, and buffered low-speed devices, data can be transmitted in large, timed, synchronous blocks. The clocks, in the receiver and transmitter, are kept synchronised by sending regular groups of special characters called SYN characters. Each time one of these groups is detected the receiver re-sets its clock, the data apart from this, its transmitted in exactly the same way as for asynchronous transmission. We can visualise the data as follows: Bit Synchronisation In a digital signal, as well as on occasion, an analogue one, all the different devices must know how often the signal varies along the transmission medium. For example, if the speed of the changes goes faster then the rate at which the device checks for changes, there will be a few of the bits missed between samples. If then sampling rate goes faster then the rate at which the transmission goes, the same bit will be used for a different sample a second time. To combat this fact, the devices are made to a universal standard so that they can work together in harmony, and there are set systems in place to allow the data to be transferred correctly. A lot of the current technologies use asynchronous serial transmission. This transmission method is used when data is not sent at regular intervals, but the bits themselves have to be sent with regularity, some examples of these are keyboard, mice or even modems. During the spans of time that no signal is sent, the line or other medium is in what is called an idle state. This is defined by the constant 1 signal being sent. One there is a packet of data that needs to be sent, for example, a key on the keyboard is pressed, the receiver first gets a start bit, a 0 state instead of a 1 to define the beginning of a piece of data now being sent to the receiver, it is then sampled and at the end of the data transmission, the signal returns to the original constant 1 state. Encoding Methods Encoding simply means that the information is converted from one format to another format. This is a process that the data needs to have done to it before the computer can understand it and process it. There are different types of encoding which are   Manchester Encoding is a data communications line code which provides a way of encoding binary data sequences. Each bit is related to by at least one voltage level transition. Manchester encoding is said to be self clocking this means that synchronisation of a data stream is possible. Huffman Encoding is another algorithm used for data compression; the coding uses a specific method for choosing the representation for each symbol. Unipolar Encoding This type of encoding has 2 voltage states, one of these states is zero and because of this its also know as Return to Zero (RTZ) Unipolar encoding is used in computers logic and an example of where its used in computers is the TTL logic. Polar Encoding Polar encoding is when the digital encoding is on a level with zero volts for example the RS232 standard interface uses Polar encoding and unlike Unipolar the value doesnt return to zero, its either a positive or negative voltage. With polar encoding it reduces most of the residual DC problem.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Essay --

According to Welsh et al (2003, p. 246), e-learning is delivering information and instruction to individual using of computer network technology, primarily over or true the Internet. Rosenberg (2001) also says that e-learning use internet technologies to deliver various solution to learners. For higher education, cost will increase and budgets are lean and getting tighter. It is because, higher education has many course that offered and it makes the number of student increase and more cost will be needed. To solve this problem, the institution of higher education needs to have strategic planning and clear implementation to achieve the goals, missions and objective of the institutions. To developing a successful e-learning strategy the institutions of higher education need a good planning. Understanding the objectives or reasons why an organization needs to establish e-learning is a good step. There are many reasons that identified by organization to establishing and integrating e-learning program into their educational structure. After the goal and objectives have been indentified, ...

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe

Icon of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe is also known as Our Lady of Guadalupe or the Virgin of Guadalupe. It is a most famous and most popular Roman Catholic image of a Virgin Mary in Mexico. The legend says that Virgin appeared to Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin, an Indian convert, in 1531 and the witness of that miracle required commemorating it by erection of a church, known as a Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  There were two apparitions of the Virgin Mary and after the second an icon was painted which is, actually, now one of the most famous in Mexico.This event was historically significant as following it a great number of Indians of Mexico converted into Christianity. According to the information provided in encyclopedia Britannica â€Å"in 1754 a papal bull made the Virgin of Guadalupe the patroness and protector of New Spain, and in 1810 she became the symbol of the Mexican independence movement when the patriot-priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla raised her picture to his banner .† (Encyclopedia Britannica)The story of Virgin’s apparition is derived from the Nican mopohua which is thought to be the original source of that event.   Nican mopohua, written in the indigenous Nahuatl language gives an account of the encounter between Virgin Maria and Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin in 1531 on Tepeyac. It says that a widowed convert Juan Diego was traveling to â€Å"attend to divine things† the woman in a bright shine appeared in front of him and said that she was a mother of God and asked Diego to tell the Bishop about her request to build a temple on this hill. She promised to come to those people who, would pray in this temple, and help them.The Nican mopohua is not the only work related to the apparition but it is considered to be the most explicit and most trusted. There is another work relating this story, but this time it is the first Spanish-language apparition account written by Miguel Sanchez. It is this document that for the first time refers to Our Lady of Guadalupe as to a symbol of Mexico. He mentions it in the context that â€Å"this New World has been won and conquered by the hand of the Virgin Mary†¦[who had] prepared, disposed, and contrived her exquisite likeness in this her Mexican land, which was conquered for such a glorious purpose, won that there should appear so Mexican an image† (Brading 2001).When in 1810 Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla and his army fought for the independence of Mexico they used the image of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe as a sign on their clothes and also as an insignia of their campaign. After Hidalgo’s death a mestizo priest led the army during revolution. He also relied on the holy image and as Krauze in his book states he was confirmed that â€Å"New Spain puts less faith in its own efforts than in the power of God and the intercession of its Blessed Mother, who appeared within the precincts of Tepeyac as the miraculous image of Guadalupe that had come to comfort us, defend us, visibly be our protection† (Krauze, 1997).The Mexican calendar even contains the holiday to honor the Virgin, that is December 12, inscribed by the priest-revolutionary. (Matovina, 2001) Thus during the independence struggle people treated Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe as the symbol and patroness of patriots. They offered up numerous prayers at moments of difficulties and used her image on their ensigns. In this way, Brading observes, political exaltation intervened with religious faith â€Å"to produce a vehement fervor in favor of the sacred cause of liberty. The veneration for this image in Mexico far exceeds the greatest reverence that the shrewdest prophet might inspire† (Brading, 2001). In this way the icon of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe became not only the sacred symbol of Mexico but also it acquired a profound political implication, the embodiment of the struggle for the independence, so desired by the Mexican people.Though there are still a lot of disputes as regards the verity of the legend about Our Lady of Guadalupe’s apparition its authority still remains very strong in Mexico. In addition to the reputation of the image which inspired people to fight for independence the Virgin is also the symbol of Catholicism in Mexico. As it was stated before the temple was build on the place were Saint Mary was met by Juan Diego, and it was the starting point of active conversion of indigenous people, Aztecs, to Christianity. Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe is still a sound support to the Catholics in Mexico and in other parts of Latin America.Starting from 1737 Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe was recognized to be a saint protectress of Mexico City and then almost two centuries later her protection spread all over the South America. Nowadays, hundreds of people pilgrimage to the church of Our Lady of Guadalupe located on the Cerro of Tepeyac. There are even cases when people do not just walk but crawl on their knees to the church to p ray to Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe, as it is believed that in this way they can merit the cure for their sickness or gain help in the hardship. The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe said to have been miraculously imprinted upon Juan Diego's cloak is displayed there.The woman depicted in this image dresses and looks like an Aztec maiden of the early 16th century. She has brown skin; Meso-American features, and is clothed in a turquoise tunic and a rose colored robe. In short, Our Lady of Guadalupe looks like the Aztecs and not like their European oppressors. The iconic resemblance between themselves and the woman depicted in that image was frequently noted by the contemporary Mexican pilgrims. Many Mexicans love their protectress and often call her with diminutive Virgencita. Pilgrims visit the basilica not only because of where it is, but also because of what it has. The Mexicans often feel admired that she is just like them dark-skinned with black hair and brown eyes.The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is much more than a mere depiction of the woman Juan Diego claimed to have seen in his visions. It is also a complex collection of floral symbols, astronomical imagery, and other signs that are distinctively Aztec (Barber, 1997; Castillo, 1995). These symbols reinforce the indexical and iconic connections between Our Lady of Guadalupe and the non-Christian religious traditions of the Aztecs. The floral designs that adorn Our Lady of Guadalupe's tunic are symbolic as well as decorative (Barber, 1997).In accordance with the conventions of Aztec glyphs (standardized pictographic designs used by the Aztecs to convey symbolic meanings) the flowers are rendered with a flatness that allows viewers to see them in full. One of the flowers included in the image, the quincunx, appears only once. It is positioned over the Virgin's womb. According to Barber, this flower represented: the four compass directions of the world, with heaven and the underworld vertically encountering earth in the canter, in the â€Å"navel† of the world, or, to use the metaphor, in the navel of the moon, as they call the Valley of Mexico. (p. 72)The placement of this flower over the woman's womb signifies that she bears an important child. That the Virgin is pregnant is also indicated by the black sash she wears around her waste, an Aztec symbol of pregnancy (Castillo, 1995). Located just below the sash is another floral symbol, the nagvioli. According to Castillo, this flower â€Å"represented Huitzilopochtli, the great ferocious sun god of the Aztecs† (p. xix). Our Lady of Guadalupe is thus symbolically linked to Coatlicue, an aspect of the goddess Tonantzin, who was the mother of Huitzilopochtli. This link acknowledges her connection with the goddess she is supposed to have replaced.Also included among the image's floral imagery are nine large, triangular, heart-shaped flowers–the Mexican magnolia–which were traditionally used to represent the nin e levels of the Aztec underworld. In Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs, the name for these flowers is yolloxochitl. As explained by Barber, â€Å"Yollotl, is `heart' in Nahuatl, and xochitl, `flower'† (p. 76). According to Barber, â€Å"Yolloxochitl was an Aztec metaphor for the palpitating heart torn from the body of sacrificial victims† (p.76).Human sacrifice played a prominent role in the pre-Christian Aztec religion. Barber goes on to state that yolloxochitl can also be â€Å"read as another glyph, too: tepetl, hill, and precisely, Tepeyac Hill† (p. 76), the hill upon which Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to Juan Diego and the location of the shrine of Tonantzin that had been appropriated by the Spanish missionaries. This flower, then, ties the Virgin to Tepeyac, the hill's previous pre-Christian tenant, and to ritual practices valued by the Aztecs. Some of the flowers that adorn the tunic of Our Lady of Guadalupe are connected with the Aztecs' rich astrono mical symbolism.According to Barber the eight-petaled flowers: can be identified with a Nahuatl glyph for Venus, the Morning and Evening Star. Venus as Morning Star was associated with their god and culture-hero, Quetzalcoatl, who after his self-immolation was taken up into heaven as the  morning star. (p. 73) The image's astronomical symbolism is not limited to flowers that adorn the Virgin's tunic. There are also solar, lunar, and stellar symbols. The most significant of these is the crescent moon upon which the Virgin is situated. To the Aztecs, this symbol represented the Valley of Mexico, their geographical, cultural, and spiritual center.Once it officially affirmed Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Church embraced her with a great show of public enthusiasm. Over the years, the Church has assigned to her such honorific titles as Patroness of Latin America and Empress of All the Americas.Works Cited ListBarber, J. â€Å"The sacred image is a divine codex.† In A handbook on Gua dalupe (pp. 68-73). New Bedford, MA: Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate, 1997Brading, D.A. Mexican Phoenix. Our Lady of Guadalupe: Image and Tradition Across Five Centuries. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001.Castillo, A. â€Å"Introduction†. Goddess of the Americas/La Diosa de las Americas: Writings on the Virgin of Guadalupe Ed. A. Castillo (pp. xv-xxiii). New York: Riverhead Books, 1995.Krauze, Enrique. Mexico, Biography of Power. A History of Modern Mexico 1810-1996. New York: HarperCollins, 1997Matovina, Timothy â€Å"Hispanic Catholics: ‘El Futuro' Is Here† Commonweal. 128. 15. September 14, 2001â€Å"Guadalupe, Basilica of.† Encyclopaedia Britannica. 2006. Encyclopaedia Britannica Online.   22  Mar.   2006  ;http://academic.eb.com/;

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Change Initiative Paper Essay

Introduction Perhaps one of the greatest triumphs in United States history, World War II was essentially ended upon the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. The boom heard around the world was not the only important outcome but rather what came after which was the baby boom. Many weary husbands that were coming home to eager wives caused one of the biggest statistical jumps of birth rates following the war. Often referred to as the â€Å"baby boomers†, this generation becomes especially important to the medical field in the present day. This is where hospice comes into play, allowing individuals the choice of obtaining this benefit upon reaching a 6 month or less terminal diagnosis. Hospice gives the individual a chance to die comfortably in a nursing facility, a general impatient hospital, or their own home. As an individual who used to work for Vitas Innovative Hospice, I ran the Telecare department which was responsible for the after-hours phone lines available to the patients and families. Patient Care Secretaries were assigned to handle calls and create tickets based on the customer needs whether it is a symptom or equipment failure. Nurses were similar, however, they were to receive the call from the secretary or call back the patient in order to triage the symptom properly. Vitas Telecare must adapt to be ready for the incoming flux of new patients from not only the baby boomers but from future generations to come. The Need for Change The change to be delivered is not a specific target but rather a broad change to efficiency to maximize profits while still maintaining Vitas’ core values â€Å"patients and families come first†. In the past decade, hospice in general has been coming under fire for keeping patients too long in their services should their prognosis improve. According to the Union Tribune, it was announced on February 13 of 2013; San Diego Hospice had filed bankruptcy and closed due to the Medicare audits that investigated patient eligibility. This type of publicity not only brought a negative light upon San Diego hospice but all across San Diego including Vitas. While the change may not come too easily, steps must be taken toward reshaping the public view in order to regain their trust to put their loved ones into Vitas services. Additionally, with the economy still not in a great state, lack of efficiency is costing the company. As the Patient Care Administrator of Telecare, I was responsible for maintaining a smooth flow of calls without tying up the customers on hold for too long. One of the biggest flaws that contributed to high call volume was the lack of both communication and following of scheduled breaks. Too often, employees were all taking lunches or breaks around the same time creating a heavy back up of calls as the only remaining employees could not handle them all. Vitas recently implanted a break management system called Workforce Management that not only observes peak and down call flow, but also manages break times accordingly to maximize efficiency. The problem, however, is the lack of employee discipline to follow the suggested break times. Several changes must be enacted including following of Workforce Management, focus on customer service, and continued efforts towards preparing for the future. The Change Model One of the most influential men today, John Kotter from Harvard Business School developed the Kotter’s Eight-Step Change Model as the most effective way to implement a change within an organization. The eight steps in order is as follows: create urgency, form a powerful coalition, create a vision for change, communicate the vision, remove obstacles, create short-term wins, build on the change, and anchor the changes in corporate culture. Kotter believed following these steps in the correct order created long lasting and successful change in any business if done correctly. This change model was selected based on several factors including success rate, concrete order of directions, and its ability to build upon existing success. The Role of the Leader in the Change Initiative In order for this success to commence, there are several leaders that must be in place during this re-creation of the Telecare department. The most important idea to realize is that everyone plays a part and that the leaders are just there to lead by example. This must be reiterated time and time again to assure the employees that everyone is included regardless of position. Sometimes during change, individuals feel left out just purely out  of their position in the matter or not being notified of everything going on. In order for employees to buy in initially, a sense of belonging must be established. The several leaders other than the Patient Care Administrator (PCA) would include supervisors under the PCA, a senior Patient Care Secretary (PCS) and a senior triage Registered Nurse (RN). The supervisor would walk around throughout the shift to make sure breaks and lunches are being followed as well as address any concerns of any of the employees. The senior PCS and senior RN would be in charge of holding a pre-shift meeting prior to taking the phone calls making sure to reiterate important do’s and do not’s of the job. Anytime employees of the same discipline would have a question, they could address it to their senior. Finally, the role of PCA is to assist the supervisors or seniors in any way or if any individual needs additional help. Meetings lead by the PCA must be held monthly to address progress and award individuals for their hard work. Process of Change As mentioned above, adopting Kotter’s Eight Step Change Model requires a strict following of the steps in order to generate long term change success. The first order of business is to establish a sense of urgency among all the employees in Telecare. A meeting would be called by the PCA in order to introduce the concept of the change and the reasons behind it. The meeting will be mandatory but also offer food and beverages or even encourage a potluck to involve them. Several concerns for the company would start broad pointing out how hospitals are starting their own hospices and continue to threaten the current status quo of Vitas. A good example would be Scripps Hospice or Sharp Hospice. Additionally, address the economic downturn that has not improved too much over the last decade and that job security is a must due to the depleting social security funds. Lastly, ask individuals one by one why they work this job, what is important to them and what can they do to help it. Next is to create a guiding coalition to direct others in the right direction towards the change. Change can be chaotic but when directed others will follow. As stated earlier, there is no hierarchy of bosses but rather a string of leaders to drive and lead by example. Employees must know that the supervisors and seniors are there to encourage them and address any problems they may come across during a phone call. For example, a PCS receives an angry caller and ends up becoming frustrated themselves so they put the caller on hold. Rather than allow the PCS to continue the call, the senior PCS could take the call and allow the PCS to take a short break to gather their thoughts. The beginning of the change is all about employee buy in. After the initial shock of starting the change, another meeting would be called to describe and communicate the vision, hoping that previous efforts have started to get employees to buy into the change. The main purpose of the change is to keep Vitas strong and competitive among other rising hospices by superior customer service and employees that we ll taken care of especially for their hard work. The next step requires others to empower the broad based change, meaning that every individual must feel like they are always involved and an important aspect of the process. The constant reiteration of this by the seniors and supervisors should continue this effort. If a pre-shift is finished early, the seniors may ask individuals about their daily lives and allow them to connect with each other. Working alone is a preference for some but being able to come to work with friends just gives them another incentive. Kotter’s next step is planning for and creating short-term wins. If there is something that causes an individual to work hard, it’s something they want. The PCA should create an incentive system based on an individual’s consistency and dedication. This all depends on the discipline since a PCS does not handle the medical work of a RN. An example of an incentive for a PCS would be a small raise for having a consistently high calls answered through several months. Additionally, an RN would receive a small raise based on customer satisfaction surveys or recommendation from a supervisor for observation of great work. The last two steps involve improving on previous successes and maintaining a bar by addressing the state of the call center every monthly meeting. Awards should be continued to recognize individual efforts but also continued awareness of each employee’s efforts. Overcoming Barriers to Change and Sustaining Change There will be always some resistance to change despite the hardest efforts but there are several ways that will encourage a shift. One reason a person works is for the money to pay and enjoy the lifestyle they have chosen. With the incentive already addressing this through incremental raises, employees should continue to look for ways to be consistent and work hard. Additionally, many people have families, personal days or things they would  like to do on certain days. Vitas may address this through hiring of employees in order to be flexible with schedules. Lastly, in order to feel involved, the PCA should look to meet with individual employees to communicate the vision and address any concerns they may have. Sustaining change requires the efforts of everyone including the PCA. Continued reinforcement means fixing problems as they appear or prepping for future conflicts. Conclusion Despite the new technology to save more and more lives daily, so too does the technology to destroy them. E-cigarettes and processed foods are just to name a few. Vitas Hospice should be ready for the many years to come and the health problems that cause terminal diagnosis’ to arise. With this change in place, Vitas will be ready. References Sisson, P. (2014). SD Hospice to Close; Scripps Steps in. Union Tribune. Retrieved September 9, 2014, from http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/feb/13/san-diego-hospice-closing/Webster, M. (2014). Successful Change Management – Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model. Retrieved September 9, 2014, from http://www.leadershipthoughts.com/kotters-8-step-change-model/

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Manliness in Shakespeares plays

Manliness in Shakespeares plays Introduction The play Macbeth is designed for the purpose of complementing a self proclaimed anti militarist Macbeth (Wells 117). While it is apparent that the play celebrates divine themes such as justice, verity, stableness, temperance, bounty, perseverance, mercy, lowliness, courage, patience, fortitude and devotion, the play shows men defending such virtues not with reluctant resort to force or even industrious soldiership (Wells 117). The confusion of these values forms an appeal that is evident throughout the play to manhood.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Manliness in Shakespeares plays specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As illustrated by Lady Macbeth true manhood goes hand in hand with heroic deeds of violence. On the other hand for Macduff the attributes of manly valor must be softened by the more civilized virtues of feeling and compassion. But in the play it is not only Macbeth and his wife who associate ma nhood with acts of violence. In fact the play is divided into groups associated with â€Å"good things of the day† and other who act as the â€Å"’nights back agents† (Wells 117). The former group being one that thinks of manhood in terms of only violent actions. The theme of manhood and violence in the play points to a greater ethical and political problem as to whether or not the use of violence to achieve peaceful ends preoccupied Elizabethan writers. In the play on King Lear, Shakespeare presents a dramatic version of the nature of relationships between parents and their children. In the play Lear the King decides to divide his kingdom among his three daughters. In an attempt to allocate the largest bounty to the one he loves most he asks his daughters for expressions of affection (Ruth 6). The youngest speaks plainly and disappoints him resulting in her disinheritance. In the scene that follows pleas to understand her lead to the banishment of Kent. As the play progresses things go awry and in the process his most beloved daughter is hanged. Lear dies completely grief stricken over the death of this daughter leaving Kent, Albany and Edgar to restore order to the kingdom left in disarray (Ruth 6). In this play the author depicts the problems that arise from an excess of manliness. Macbeth In the play Macbeth, the author depicts a central character in the play whose flaws in character bring about his own demise (Sheinberg and Shakespeare 67). In this play this flaw brings about a situation which the character is unable to control and thus spirals into events that become out of the characters control. In this play the tragic hero in question is played by the character Macbeth. The events that lead to his tragic demise begin when he compromises his honor and negates moral responsibility to attain power and position bringing the tragic result of his untimely demise (Sheinberg and Shakespeare 67).Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Among the poor traits that are evident in the character played by Macbeth include fate, weakness, poor decision making and the realization of the flaw but lack of ability to make the necessary change (Sheinberg and Shakespeare 67). The play begins with the return of Macbeth from a successful campaign to defend the Scottish King Duncan (Shmoop 2). Along the way Macbeth and his accomplice Banquo encounter three bearded witches who deliver the news that Macbeth will be named King of Scotland. The witches also mentions that though Banquo will not be a King himself he will be a father to long line of future Kings of Scotland (Shmoop 2). Soon after a character named Ross appears indicating that the old Thane of Cawdor has been found a traitor and will be executed. Following this Macbeth gets to take his place fulfilling the first bit of the prophecy. Macbeth reveals that that the witche s prophecies made him think about murder and he finds himself feeling very guilty and concludes if fate wants him King he will not lift a finger against the current King to make it a reality (Shmoop 3). But this changes when King Duncan announces his son will claim the throne. Upon this event happening he writes a letter to his ambitious wife Lady Macbeth who immediately begins to scheme on how to eliminate King Duncan. She decides that her first task must be to berate Macbeth into believing that he is not a man if he cannot kill Duncan (Shmoop 3). At the same time it happens the King is scheduled to visit Macbeth and his wife insists that this would be the best opportunity to eliminate him and frame his guards. Later that night under his wife’s instructions, Macbeth does the heinous deed and frames a guard for the murder. Following the murder of their father the Kings children escape to avoid being murdered and Macbeth is named the King (Shmoop 3). Soon after Macbeth begins to worry about the witches’ prophecy and hires some hit men to eliminate Banquo and his son Fleance. The plan goes awry and Banquo is murdered but his son Fleance manages to escape (Shmoop 3). Following the murder Macbeth begins to be haunted by Banquo’s ghost. He is also reminded of the prophecy and is advised to pay attention to Macduff, the guard who found the Kings body. Macbeth decides nobody will deny him the throne and decides to murder Macduff’s family (Shmoop 4). By now Macbeth has been labeled a tyrant and is suspected of having hand in the murder of Duncan and Banquo. Following these events Macduff pays a visit to the English King who unlike Macbeth is an honorable man and a well respected King. Soon after this Ross shows up in England with the news that Macbeth has had Macduff’s wife and children killed. This prompts Macduff and Malcolm to begin plots to overthrow Macbeth with the aid of English soldiers (Shmoop 4).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Manliness in Shakespeares plays specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the meantime Lady Macbeth has begun to sleep walk and is plagued by the murders she and her husband colluded to undertake. She eventually dies to which Macbeth responds that her death should have been at more convenient time given his preparations for battle (Shmoop 4). Macbeth believes to be safe given that the prophecy say none born of a woman shall be able to harm him. As the drama continues to unfold Malcolm and Macduff appear with a large army making threats of placing Macbeth’s head on a pike. As the war between the two forces is about to take place Malcolm gives an order to the troops instructing them to cut down trees in Birnham woods to be used as camouflage. It should be noted that the prophecy mentions the wood in Birnam moving to Dunsinane (Shmoop 2). Macbeth is soon cornered in his castle and Macduff reminds Macbeth of his b irth by a caesarean delivery. This untimely removal from his mother’s womb suggests not being born in the play. Macduff the proceeds to slay Macbeth and carries his severed head to Malcolm who was later crowned King (Shmoop 4). Just as it was mentioned in the introduction the play depicts a display of manhood and the use of acts of violence to gain the throne of Scotland. Unfortunately for Macbeth, he relied on ill advice from Lady Macbeth who was of the opinion that manhood went hand in hand with vile deeds of violence. As a result of this Macbeth begins a slow but ultimately fatal game through the murder of King Duncan based on advice from three bearded witches. Once his plan comes to fruition he becomes plagued by the words of the witches and turns on his friend Duncan and slays him to protect his throne. The blood on his hands begins to leads him to further confusion and in his demented state he murders the family of Macduff once gain to protect his throne. Unfortunately, his wife dies leaving him alone to deal with his heinous crimes. Macbeth is eventually surrounded in his castle and slain and Malcolm is crowned the new King. King Lear The play begins with in pre Christian Britain when the then King Lear decides that the time has come for his retirement. This decision comes in light of the fact that the King is aging and would like to avoid any political or family conflict that may arise after his death (Shmoop 2). Based on King Lear’s deteriorating condition he makes a decision to divide his Kingdom between his daughters namely, Cordelia, Goneril and Regan. To determine who will get the biggest bounty the king decides to attempt to determine who among his children loves him most. In the process, Cordelia refuses professing words cannot adequately express her affection. The King is distraught with her and disinherits her (Shmoop2). He refuses to offer Cordelia dowry for marriage and she elopes with the King of France. Lear divides the kingd om between Goneril married to the Duke of Albany and Regan married to the Duke of Cornwall (Shmop3). When Kent, Lear’s main advisor admonishes him of the mistake his making, Lear banishes Kent. When Lear retires to live with Goneril, she soon tires of her father and his entourage and threatens to evict him. The act annoys Lear who moves to Regan’s house (Shmoop3).Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Regan also decides not to tolerate her father’s complaints and gangs up with Goneril to have their father get rid of his knights. In this moment he realizes the two did not love him as much as he assumed and he loses his mind and resorts to wandering the kingdom (Shmoop 3). In the process he is assisted by a lowly citizen. The citizen is punished for the deed and one of his servants murders Regan’s husband. As the plot thickens Lear is eventually reunited with Cordelia who forgives her father for all his misgivings. Cordelia and her husband decide to assist by using the French army to attempt to reclaim Lear’s kingdom from Regan and Goneril. Unfortunately the French army lost the battle to the British army of Goneril and Regan. In the events that follow Lear and Cordelia are captured. While Lear and Cordelia languish in prison the other two daughters begin to tussle over the evil Edmund (Shmoop 4). In the process Goneril decides to poison her sister Regan so as to remain with Edmund. This event completely enrages Albany who then decides to attempt to have Edmund and Goneril arrested and charged with the crime of treason owing to their alleged affair and the attempt on his life. In the process Edmund’s brother Edgar stabs him and reveals his identity to his father. The father dies of a heart attack on receiving the news. Before dying Edmund apologizes for his deeds and reveals he had sent someone to kill Lear and Cordelia and advises those present to act fast to prevent the action (Shmoop4). Goneril in light of the number of deaths commits suicide and when the party rush to save Cordelia they find her already dead. Lear enters to carry his dead daughter in his arms and on realizing what became of his family dies of a broken heart (Shmoop 5). The play about King Lear is a play that is a lot more about familial relations than bad political decisions (Shmoop 2). The plays is more about the Kings poor decision to disinherit the only chil d he truly loves, Cordelia, and this sets in motion a series of tragic events (Shmoop 2). The other daughters Goneril and Regan soon after betray their father and begin to squabble over another man. The events lead to breaking the old man’s heart and he resorts to homelessness and becomes a wanderer in his kingdom. As fate would have it war erupts in the kingdom and in the process Goneril poisons her sister then kills herself while Cordelia is unjustly put to death. In the end Lear dies of a broken heart (Shmoop 2). It may be said that that the play depicts the folly of an excessive display of manliness. Ruth, Corrina Siebert. King Lear (MAXNotes Literature Guides). New Jersey: Research Education Association, 1999. Print. Sheinberg, Rebecca McKinlay and William Shakespeare. Macbeth (MAXNotes Literature Guides). New Jersey: Research Education Association, 1994. Print. Shmoop. Macbeth: Shmoop Learning Guide. Printed in the USA: Shmoop University Inc., 2010. Print. Shmoop. King Lear: Shmoop Literature Guide. Printed in the USA; Shmoop University Inc., 2010. Print. Wells, Robin Headlam. Shakespeare on Masculinity. Cambridge: Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge, 2004. Print.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

10 Fascinating Facts About Ladybugs

10 Fascinating Facts About Ladybugs Who doesnt love a ladybug? Also known as ladybirds or lady beetles, the little red bugs are so beloved because they are beneficial predators, cheerfully chomping on garden pests such as aphids. But ladybugs arent really bugs at all. They belong to the order Coleoptera, which includes all of the beetles. Europeans have called these dome-backed beetles by the name ladybirds, or ladybird beetles, for over 500 years. In America, the name ladybug is preferred; scientists usually use the common name lady beetle for accuracy. 1. Not All Ladybugs Are Black and Red Although ladybugs (called Coccinellidae) are most often red or yellow with black dots, nearly every color of the rainbow is found in some species of ladybug, often in contrasting pairs. The most common are red and black or yellow and black, but some are as plain as black and white, others as exotic as dark blue and orange. Some species of ladybug are spotted, others have stripes, and still others sport a checked pattern. There are 4,300 different species of ladybugs, 400 of which live in North America. Color patterns are connected to their living quarters: generalists that live pretty much anywhere have fairly simple patterns of two strikingly different colors that they wear year round. Others that live in specific habitats have more complex coloration, and some can change color throughout the year. Specialist ladybugs use a camouflage coloration to match the vegetation when theyre in hibernation and develop the characteristic bright colors to warn off predators during their mating season. 2. The Name Lady Refers to the Virgin Mary According to legend,  European crops during the Middle Ages were plagued by pests. Farmers began praying to the Blessed Lady, the Virgin Mary. Soon, the farmers started seeing beneficial ladybugs in their fields, and the crops were miraculously saved from the pests. The farmers began calling the red and black beetles our ladys birds or lady beetles. In Germany, these insects go by the name Marienkafer, which means Mary beetles. The seven-spotted lady beetle is believed to be the first one named for the Virgin Mary; the red color is said to represent her cloak, and the black spots her seven sorrows. 3. Ladybug Defenses Include Bleeding Knees and Warning Colors Startle an adult ladybug and a  foul-smelling hemolymph will seep from its leg joints, leaving yellow stains on the surface below. Potential predators may be deterred by the vile-smelling mix of alkaloids  and equally repulsed by the sight of a seemingly sickly beetle. Ladybug larvae can also ooze alkaloids from their abdomens. Like many other insects, ladybugs use aposematic coloration to signal their toxicity to would-be predators. Insect-eating birds and other animals learn to avoid meals that come in red and black and are more likely to steer clear of a ladybug lunch. 4. Ladybugs Live for About a Year   David Bithell/Getty Images   The ladybug lifecycle begins when a batch of bright-yellow eggs are laid on branches near food sources. They hatch as larvae in four to 10 days and then spend about three weeks feeding up- the earliest arrivals may eat some of the eggs that have not yet hatched. Once theyre well-fed, theyll begin to build a pupa, and after seven to 10 days they emerge as adults. The insects typically live for about a year. 5. Ladybug Larvae Resemble Tiny Alligators  © Jackie Bale/Getty Images If youre unfamiliar with ladybug larvae, you would probably never guess that these odd creatures are young ladybugs. Like alligators in miniature, they have long, pointed abdomens, spiny bodies, and legs that protrude from their sides. The larvae feed and grow for about a month, and during this stage they often consume hundreds of aphids. 6. Ladybugs Eat a Tremendous Number of Insects Bill Draker/Getty Images   Almost all ladybugs feed on soft-bodied insects and serve as beneficial predators of plant pests. Gardeners welcome ladybugs with open arms, knowing they will munch on the most prolific plant pests. Ladybugs love to eat scale insects, whiteflies, mites, and aphids. As larvae, they eat pests by the hundreds. A hungry adult ladybug can devour 50 aphids per day, and scientists estimate that the insect consumes as many as 5,000 aphids over its lifetime. 7. Farmers Use Ladybugs to Control Other Insects Because ladybugs have long been known to eat the gardeners pestilent aphids and other insects, there have been many attempts to use ladybugs to control these pests. The first attempt- and one of the most successful- was in the late 1880s, when an Australian ladybug (Rodolia cardinalis) was imported into California to control the cottony cushion scale. The experiment was expensive, but in 1890, the orange crop in California tripled. Not all such experiments work. After the California orange success, over 40 different ladybug species were introduced to North America, but only four species were successfully established. The best successes have helped farmers control scale insects and mealybugs. Systematic aphid control is rarely successful because aphids reproduce much more rapidly than ladybugs do. 8. There Are Ladybug Pests You may have personally experienced the effects of one of the biological control experiments that had unintended consequences. The Asian or harlequin ladybug (Harmonia axyridis) was introduced to the United States in the 1980s and is now the most common ladybug in many parts of North America. While it did depress the aphid population in some crop systems, it also caused declines in native species of other aphid-eaters. The North American ladybug is not endangered yet, but its overall numbers have decreased, and some scientists believe that is the result of harlequin competition. Some other negative effects are also associated with harlequins. In late summer, the ladybug gets ready for its winter dormancy period by dining on fruit, specifically ripe grapes. Because they blend in with the fruit, the ladybug gets harvested with the crop, and if the winemakers dont get rid of the ladybugs, the nasty taste of the knee bleed will taint the vintage. H. axyridis also like to over-winter in houses, and some houses are invaded in each year by hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of ladybugs. Their knee-bleeding ways can stain furniture, and they occasionally bite people. 9. Sometimes Masses of Ladybugs Wash Up on Shores Near large bodies of water all over the world, massive numbers of Coccinellidae, dead and alive, occasionally or regularly appear on the shorelines. The largest washup to date happened in the early 1940s when an estimated 4.5 billion individuals were spread over 21 kilometers of shoreline in Libya. Only a small number of them were still alive. Why this occurs is still not understood by the scientific community. Hypotheses fall into three categories: ladybugs travel by floating (they can survive afloat for a day or more); the insects aggregate along shorelines because of a reluctance to cross large bodies of water; low-flying ladybugs are forced ashore or into the water by windstorms or other weather events. 10. Ladybugs Practice Cannibalism If food is scarce, ladybugs will do what they must to survive, even if it means eating each other. A hungry ladybug will make a meal of any soft-bodied sibling it encounters. Newly emerged adults or recently molted larvae are soft enough for the average ladybug to chew. Eggs or pupae also provide protein to a ladybug that has run out of aphids. In fact, scientists believe that ladybugs will deliberately lay infertile eggs as a ready source of food for their young hatchlings. When times are tough, a ladybug may lay an increased number of infertile eggs to give her babies a better chance of surviving.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Formal essay on Frankenstein Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Formal on Frankenstein - Essay Example We study the same in our thesis here. Much as the critics would hate it, Shelley’s depiction of how Frankenstein is created is a wholly enjoyable read that has the elements of hatred and loathsomeness intertwined with a feeling of awe and surprise. Shelley has used words like â€Å"trance†, â€Å"work-shop of filthy creation†, and â€Å"all soul and sensation† (Shelley, 50), which add that poetic flavor to a scene that is in plain words horrendous and ethically wrong. Victor Frankenstein is a person who wishes to create a being of his own type. He is consumed with the idea of being a creator but unaware of the responsibilities that come with it. He creates the monster or ghost in a state of trance, wherein no other human element is involved. Thus, the ghost is a sub human creation and not a clone expected through science. Using the power of spirit to rule over the world is often a writer’s chance to open up different visuals in the mind of the reader. Many argue that quite a few salient features of the original novel are missing from its movie version. Amongst these features, one factor is the emphasis on the confused origin of the monster clone. Humans have grown with the understanding that for procreation, a male and a female must come together. In this story, the scientific vision of creation, that is solely man-made, is generated by making Victor the sole creator of a monster, which is born out of no woman. Therefore, again the monster’s origin is non-human which makes him unfit to exist in the human society, let alone be born or have a family. With such a start, the reader goes through a series of thought lines that the monster takes in his consecutive scenes. According to the writer, the monster grows a fondness for Elizabeth who is Elizabeth’s cousin and a love interest. We can understand that such fondness comes from the fact that the monster