Saturday, December 28, 2019

Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and Substantive...

PRAIRIE TECHNOLOGY PARTNERS Planning Memo December 31, 2011 We have been retained as continuing auditors for Prairie Technology Partners (PTP) for the year ending December 31, 2011 Engagement Objectives * Provide our report on the examination of PTPs financial statements by February 5, with year-end fieldwork to begin January 14, 2012 * Issue our management letter comments by February 10, 2012 Preliminary Analytical Review Briefly describe the results of your analytical procedures. Print this memo as an outline, then compose your answers as attachments in your wordprocessor. Describe any unusual or unexpected relationships†¦show more content†¦We chose 5% for our basis because of the loan covenant. Study of Internal Control Briefly summarize the key facts you noted in your study of the five components of internal control and the rationale for the conclusions you made in the audit program concerning whether each component was adequately designed and implemented. The design and implementation and objectives of company controls are not adequate to meet the control objectives. The control environment control objective is ineffective. This control objective lacks a written policy on ethical conduct, is lacking oversight from the board of directors and audit committee, lacks a consistent style and philosophy from management, and lacks a strong commitment to competence. The risk assessment control objective is effective but lacks any antifraud program and controls. The information and communication control is ineffective. A virus has been detected and is affecting the files of the company. This control is lacking a strong IT department. The general controls financial reporting control objective is effective but is weak in detecting or preventing material misstatement. The monitoring control objective is ineffective; this control has need of an internal auditor. Summary of Team Meeting about RMM Including Fraud Conduct a team meeting and write a brief summary here including the date, who attended, what was discussed, and any conclusions drawn. Prior-Year Working Papers Last yearsShow MoreRelatedAudit Pl Keystone Computers1128 Words   |  5 PagesAudit Plan – Keystone Computers An external auditor reviews a company’s financial reporting processes to attest that the financial statements fairly and accurately represent operational results and conform to generally accepted accounting principles. The audit process provides a reasonable, verifiable basis for the auditors’ opinion regarding the financial statements. An audit plan describes the various procedures that will be used and the purpose of those procedures. While management is responsibleRead MoreAudit Program Design Part Ii - Acc546 Essay example1797 Words   |  8 Pagesdeveloped to design test of controls, substantive tests of transactions and analytical procedures. Anderson, Olds, and Watershed, LLP will be designing test of controls, substantive tests of transactions and analytical procedures for Apollo. This will allow our firm to better understand the internal controls within their company along with making sure the company is in compliance with the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and generally accepted accounting principles.   Sales amp;Read MoreThe Benefits of Independent Finanical Audit Stakeholders1795 Words   |  7 Pagescompanys financial statements and to form an opinion about the companys financial statements. Auditors also review the accounting records, systems and controls and then comment on their weaknesses in their audit report; this helps the business to strengthen their operations. Auditors also perform the role of providing statistical analysis on the clarity and effectiveness of the accounting policies that have been put in place by a company. (www.ask.com) The people that mainly benefit from an audit ofRead MoreWhat I Learned From An Audit Essay1277 Words   |  6 Pageseffective audit system is important for a company because it protects the company from management and financial issues that might destroy the business. Three main things I learned from this class is how to plan an audit program, perform tests of control and substantive tests of transaction, and ethical responsibilities of accountants and auditors. Audit plan Firstly, in an audit plan, an auditor should know how to monitor, analyze and access risks of the organization. Essentially, auditors gather informationRead MoreAudit Proposal1094 Words   |  5 Pagesaudit as well as the responsibilities of management. Financial Audit vs. IT Audit The primary objective of a financial statement audit is to ensure that an organization’s financial statements are presented in manner according to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). During an engagement, auditors of financial statements analyze a business entity’s internal control system to assess the degree to which it appears to be operating effectively. As an example, an internal control systemRead MoreFinance and Investment Cycle1386 Words   |  6 Pages B. Transaction: less frequent, large and complex C. Focus of control activities: authorization of transactions amp; compete of accounting personnel D. Focus of substantive procedures: understanding of the transactions, verifying amounts and calculations, ensuring presentation and disclosures II. Inherent risks E. Lease accounting 1. The classification of operating or capitalized lease is based on the assumption in ASC840 F. Loan covenants 2Read MoreClarified Statements On Auditing Standards1705 Words   |  7 Pages Also the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board began working on clarifying the international auditing standards in 2003 and they went into effect in 2009. The purpose of the Clarity Project was to help CPA’s understanding of generally accepted auditing standards and complying with them and converged them with the international auditing standards. The Auditing Standards Board (ASB) redrafted the standards for clarity and reorganized all of the auditing sections (AU) into new one addingRead MoreThe Audit Report And Internal Control E1749 Words   |  7 Pages(Arens, Elder, Beasley, 2012). Our responsibility as an auditor is to conduct an audit in accordance with the Generally Accepted Auditing Standards and express an opinion on these statements based on the audit. Audit Scope The audit conducted by Team D Auditing was executed in accordance with standards set by Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) (Arens et al., 2012). The standards set by these two bodies require the team to arrangeRead MoreThe Us Surgucal Case837 Words   |  4 Pagesof the leased and loaned assets account that resulted from the improper accounting for asset retirements. There are various procedures that could be taken in to account that would, if properly implemented, would have detected the frauds that occurred within the companies. There are many control risks that should have been taking regarding inventory along with preliminary audit strategies for the inventory and substantive test to be done that would have raised many flags during the typical auditsRead MoreKudler Fine Foods Audit Processes974 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"This fairness evaluation is conducted in the context of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and requires application of generalized auditing standards† (Bargranoff, 2008). External audits will assess computer-base accounting systems. The purpose of the audit is to determine how the computerized system impacts Kudler’s financial statements. Substantive test will be done to ensure proficiency; and it will begin with a preliminary test. A risk assessment will be another objective of the audit

Friday, December 20, 2019

Essay How was the Universe Created The Big Bang Theory

It is only with acknowledging your mistakes, and repairing them that you can make science evolve. A scientist should always stay modest and critique his own theories. Without Imagination, Newton would have never found the theory of gravity, when he saw an apple fall out of a tree, and wondered why the moon wasn’t also falling. It is believed that the Universe was created between 10-20 billion years ago. One of the most stubbornly asked questions of all time is: How was the universe created? In the pass, a group of people believed that the universe had no beginning or end and was simply infinite. But because of the initiation of the Big Bang theory, this belief was no longer correct. The universe was forced to take on the properties of a†¦show more content†¦In 1889, an astronomer named Edwin Hubble was born, and he grew up to make some of the most important astronomy discoveries. Edwin Hubble created six space telescope instruments. Cameras, spectrographs, guidance sensors, and so on, all designed to observe the universe in different ways. I will be focusing on the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph, or COS. The COS telescope was designed to achieve high, medium and low sensitive resolution spectroscopy of space material in ultraviolet. The COS telescope will improve the spectroscopic capabilities of H ST at ultraviolet wavelengths, and will give astronauts and observers immense opportunities to detect source of ultraviolet light. The COS telescope complement COS researches the structure of the universe and the evolution of galaxies, stars and planets. It helps determining the formation of vital elements such as iron and carbon. COS doesn’t capture the usual images which made Edwin Hubble famous, because it is a spectrograph, it performs spectroscopy which is the science of breaking up light into individual components. COS is fascinating because it is a spectrograph which can determine the density, temperature, chemical composition and velocity of any object that emits or absorbs light. The science of COS is very straight forward. COS contains two channels, the Far and the Near Ultraviolet. Both channels contain light sensing detector, and they also both use micro-channel plates to amplify the inbound signal prior toShow MoreRelatedThe Expansion of the Universe Essay1251 Words   |  6 Pages Scientist say in the universe the big bang theory is happening this very day and the universe is expanding is so many directions and in high speeds and the universe is expanding every day, every second, every hour, minute, second and every millisecond. In this next article I got most my info on http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~yukimoon/BigBang The galaxies that are not inside of us are really moving away and the ones that are farther away are moving away the fastest and we dont know why.ThatRead MoreA Comparative Essay on the Original Creation of the Earth710 Words   |  3 Pagessociety and the â€Å"Big Bang Theory† seems to be the trending theory of the century. What is the difference though? The Catholic Church, in 1950, proclaimed that the â€Å"Big Bang Theory† did not contradict the doctrine of creation; therefore, the Catholic Church now teaches something called Theistic Evolutionism. (Brom, 2004) Are many churches teaching a false doctrine regarding the â€Å"Big Bang Theory† or is science exempt from biblical doctrine? This essay will explain what the â€Å"Big Bang Theory† teaches, whatRead MoreThe Big Bang Theory Of The Universe Essay1319 Words   |  6 Pagesthat the universe was expanding, but this was not enough to separate the Big Bang theory from its’ rivals. A few decades after the redshift concept was discovered, scientists detected groundbreaking evidence that was considered the smoking gun. Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson detected the remnants of radiation created from the Big Bang. This cosmic background radiation was the thermal radiation left over from the Big Bang. It was collected in the form as omnidirectional microwaves, which was red-shiftedRead MoreThe Big Bang Model And The Steady State Model872 Words   |  4 Pages The Universe Joyce Claiborne Professor Robert Leard Earth Space Science GS 403 09/09/2014 Abstract For many years there has been a mystery on how the universe began. There are questions about the ending of the universe and how. Hypothesis called cosmological that try to find the answer were constructed by astronomers. The Big Bang model and the Steady State model are the two that were constructed. These two models claims to explain the beginning and the endingRead MoreComparative Essay1341 Words   |  6 Pages Tom Williams Introduction Many people today have their thoughts on how the Earth was created. Christians take a biblical perspective of how the universe was created by a creator. One thought that Christians believe is that God created the earth and accomplished this in six days and rested on the seventh day. This is the model of how a week is set up and the model that we currently follow. Jon W. Green states â€Å"though differences of opinion exist forRead MoreThe Controvercial Big Bang Theory742 Words   |  3 PagesHave you ever wondered about the start of time? How about the start of the universe? Well, this question has been nagging astronomers and scientists alike for years and years. But in 1927, Georges Lemaitre proposed one of the most controversial theory of all time, the Big Bang. The Big Bang is a theory about the start of the universe. People have talked about it for years and its very controversial. First, lets start with the theory. The Big Bang was first formed by Georges Lemaitre. He is the firstRead Morecomparative essays1256 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Many people today have their thoughts on how the Earth was created. Christians take a biblical perspective of how the universe was created by a creator. One thought that Christians believe is that God created the earth and accomplished this in six days and rested on the seventh day. This is the model of how a week is set up and the model that we currently follow. Jon W. Green states â€Å"though differences of opinion exist for various doctrinal issues within Christianity, few are moreRead MoreBig Bang And The Creation Of Energy And Matter804 Words   |  4 PagesBig Bang Theory: Explain what occurred during the Big Bang, including the creation of energy and matter: The universe was created by the Big Bang. Just before the Big Bang, the universe was just unbelievably hot and at a very dense point, it burst to expand space faster than light which was at 10-34of a second. The universe doubled in size at least 90 times from the dense point. But the speed of the space spreading became to change to a slower rate still continuing at this time and day. As spaceRead MoreHow Man Can Invent Life Changing Inventions Essay1688 Words   |  7 Pagesquestions in physics and everyday life. How did the universe begin? How did everything that we see, smell, feel, or hear come into existence? If there are answers to these questions then more questions arise such as: When did it begin? Where did it begin? Why did it begin? Every person that walked the Earth and lived their small, miniscule lives have looked to the oceans, skies, stars, and planets, and wondered what their purpose and plan was in the grand universe. Through research, studies, scienceRead MoreEssay on The Big Bang Theory1340 Words   |  6 PagesThe Big Bang Theory Why is the Universe expanding? What is Cosmic Back Ground Radiation (CBR)? There are many questions asked about our Universe, which we know so little about. Scientists, in their attempt to answer these and other confrontations, have found one idea that seems to explain much of what we dont understand: The Big Bang Theory. An explosion of incomprehensible speed was the beginning of our known Universe and existence. At that time matter as small as the head of a pin inflated

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Urban Planning for Proper Emphasis - myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about theUrban Planning for Proper Emphasis. Answer: Introduction This study deals with urban planning of Melbourne Australia. In this particular assignment, proper emphasis has been given on core assumptions underpinning urban planning. Melbourne is the highest growing municipality in and across Australia (Wensing and Porter 2016). The current segments properly explain about urban planning at Melbourne. The demand of services at City of Melbourne challenges as well as redirect to the growth areas. The climate of Melbourne is changing drastically where the residents are experiencing the effects of climate change. This city has even implemented Climate Adaptation approach as it has important role in how it plans designs as well as develops and maintains assets in the most appropriate way. The year 1970 was noticeable with the beginning of the period of concentrated modify in western capitalism that has major significant impact on the role as well as practice of western preparation for cities (Steele, Mata and Fnfgeld 2015) Critically discuss and illustrate with examples specific to metropolitan Melbourne The city of Melbourne actually covers the central city as well as 16 inner suburbs. The City of Melbourne is the central precinct that thrives residential, cultural as well as entertainment and educational precinct (Steele, Mata and Fnfgeld 2015). Furthermore, the Melbourne city is experiencing a fast rising population where individual seek it as a destination for trade as well as dwelling and work occasion. The city of Melbourne aims at achieving the vision of society for Melbourne to remain bold, sustainable and inspirational city. Therefore, the community plan needs to be created by the public for guiding how the city should evolve by the year 2020. This city support for the visions as it is set out in the Council Plan that include priorities as it shape its program of work as well as planned outcomes (Roberts, Sykes and Granger 2016). The City of Melbourne had identified key trends as well as challenges that impact services and infrastructure. The service need to be delivered to the community for past decades. There are several opportunities that arise from the changes as well as it is essential that it is agile enough for leveraging these advantages (Steele et al. 2012). The city of Melbourne mainly identifies current as well as estimated financial capability for delivering high excellence services, infrastructure and facilities at the time of recognizing critical new capital investment for supporting the increasing population and responding to challenges of the city (Steele 2009). Key assumptions- These assumptions is properly based on available data as well as professional judgment (Steele, Mata and Fnfgeld 2015). Sensitivity analysis- These analysis help in demonstrating the monetary inference of deviations from the given key hypothesis Strategies- These strategies will recognize detailed actions that need to be commenced (Roberts, Sykes and Granger 2016). Urban design is one of the arts that make places and collaborative process as it shapes the physical setting for life in urban areas. In addition, urban development focuses mainly in the intersection of the built surroundings as well as public interest. It help in exploring the design as well as planning of public spaces that takes into account the issues relating to social, aesthetic and environment. Furthermore, urban planners as well as designers properly engage in solving the pressing issue of time that include increased urbanization, sustainable resourcing and climate change (Roberts, Sykes and Granger 2016). There are several issues with urban equity that gets linked with the urban planning. The quest is for just city as it defines in terms of diversity, sustainability as well as democracy and difference as it become highly problematic areas. For instance, it is argued that the essential of climate change adds up urgency to the longstanding fairness schedule of planning in cities. For this the conceptual framework as well as methodical structure for incorporating the main beliefs of climatic fairness and impartiality into urban scheduling and practice (Norton et al. 2015) The idea of just city is not new to urban planning and sorted to correct harms that arise from living in cities as well as advances to get better quality of life especially for urban residents. The ideals of justice actually gets embedded with planning theory as well as practice that help in identifying the basis for just climate city as well as understanding the fact on how planning failed for substantively engaged ideals of fairness in planning for climate transform (McClintock 2014). There are several issues of urban equity that gets connected with the urban planning. During the reformist era of planning, it is noted that the practitioners pursue better access to parks as well as playgrounds that will further improve cleanliness and improved superiority housing especially for city resident (Badland et al. 2014). The above problem can be solved by focusing on ways that improves the condition of city expansion through utopian plan at more realistic level by zoning as well as other dictatorial expansion control method. It is even noted that the approach might fail to come in terms with the real cause of the issue that is poverty as well as nature of the financial scheme. Some of the issues emerged dramatically that include new scheme of worldwide resources accumulation as well as growing responsiveness of an ecological disaster (Lipman 2013). It is important to understand the fact that city age features by completely new sectors of production as well as new markets and new ways of providing monetary services. There is a quick structural change present in terms of resources as well as labor that showed greater importance upon marketplace direction and condensed role for the state (Hughes, Chu and Mason 2017). The inference for city planning takes into account a shift away from the welfare state model where the search of privatization, downsizing, deregulation and saving as it underpins by a strong politico-administrative stress on financial efficiencies (Steele, Mata and Fnfgeld 2015). The intensified rates of innovation are closely interlinked with increased speed as well as movement of economic growth and capital from the context of globalization. There are several changes that affect the ability of urban planning for facilitating a progressive improvement program as it include a change of mobile resources as well as international business. It takes into account competitive as well as strategic territorial positioning. It even involves global demand for resources as well as energy security and diversity (Fainstein 2014). Emerging understanding of urban as well as biased natural science discusses cities as metabolic systems where the performance of production and expenditure alter both in terms of nature and culture. From the context of institution, it needs to critically engage with the ethics as well as practices that shape relation between humans and non-humans like climate change (Chawla 2016). It is important for the Australian Government to achieve transformational change where the nation state should look at types of leverage as well as more egalitarian cities (Steele, Mata and Fnfgeld 2015). The fact underpins by strong national welfare programs. In addition, local policies actually make the life better. Urban planner emerges to navigate a third space from planning context that increases decenterd as well as pulled in the pursuit of development. It is important to consider the fact that contemporary dimensions as well as implications shows for the planning profession as it had received attention within the planning literature of Australia (Baeten 2012). The urban planners should continue to gain experience during their working life as it develops skills. The opportunities for personal as well as professional development that arise from good management practice as it plays significant role at the time of recruitment and staff retention practices. The profession should be taking into account ethical issues that had been raised as a greater proportion as it is being employed for given period of time. Therefore, it is important to review the code of professional conduct for emphasizing the duty of individuals to the public as well as wider profession (Campbell and Marshall 2000). Conclusion At the end of the study, it is concluded that climate-just city need to focus mainly on the contemporary nature of the city as well as the role it plays in the cities. It integrates with the multifaceted links between human susceptibility as well as biodiversity loss especially in the natural surroundings as it needs an inter-disciplinary schedule and new forms of sustainability strategy as it underpins by an integrated approach in cities. There are several current methods that are used for assessing the impact of climate change on cities as it incorporates both an appraisal of impacts on the natural environment as well as negotiations of climate justice for humans and non-humans. Furthermore, an expanded conceptualization of urban climate justice highlights facts about ecological sense of human-nature as it help in devising much needed creative as well as innovative responses to the global climate crisis. Expected future research is needed for informing effective urban climate polic y as well as planning and implication of justice as it help at the time of urban decision-making process as it relates to climate change in the most appropriate way. Reference List Badland, H., Whitzman, C., Lowe, M., Davern, M., Aye, L., Butterworth, I., Hes, D. and Giles-Corti, B., 2014. Urban liveability: emerging lessons from Australia for exploring the potential for indicators to measure the social determinants of health.Social science medicine,111, pp.64-73. Baeten, G., 2012. Neoliberal planning: Does it really exist?. InContradictions of Neoliberal Planning(pp. 205-211). Springer Netherlands. Campbell, H. and Marshall, R., 2000. Moral obligations, planning, and the public interest: a commentary on current British practice.Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design,27(2), pp.297-312. Chawla, L. ed., 2016.Growing up in an urbanizing world. Routledge. Fainstein, S.S., 2014. The just city.International Journal of Urban Sciences,18(1), pp.1-18. Hughes, S., Chu, E.K. and Mason, S.G., 2018. Introduction. InClimate Change in Cities(pp. 1-15). Springer, Cham. Lipman, P., 2013.The new political economy of urban education: Neoliberalism, race, and the right to the city. Taylor Francis. McClintock, N., 2014. Radical, reformist, and garden-variety neoliberal: coming to terms with urban agriculture's contradictions.Local Environment,19(2), pp.147-171. Norton, B.A., Coutts, A.M., Livesley, S.J., Harris, R.J., Hunter, A.M. and Williams, N.S., 2015. Planning for cooler cities: A framework to prioritise green infrastructure to mitigate high temperatures in urban landscapes.Landscape and Urban Planning,134, pp.127-138. Roberts, P., Sykes, H. and Granger, R. eds., 2016.Urban regeneration. Sage. Steele, W., 2009. Australian urban planners: hybrid roles and professional dilemmas?.Urban Policy and Research,27(2), pp.189-203. Steele, W., Maccallum, D., Byrne, J. and Houston, D., 2012. Planning the climate-just city.International Planning Studies,17(1), pp.67-83. Steele, W., Mata, L. and Fnfgeld, H., 2015. Urban climate justice: creating sustainable pathways for humans and other species.Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability,14, pp.121-126. Wensing, E. and Porter, L., 2016. Unsettling planning's paradigms: towards a just accommodation of Indigenous rights and interests in Australian urban planning?.Australian Planner,53(2), pp.91-102

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

COnservation priorities Essay Example For Students

COnservation priorities Essay Many threatened habitats and species need our attention. However, while our imagination may see infinite possibilities for their conservation, some thought would immediately suggest the need for biodiversity conservation planning. We cannot save all that need saving, for there are just too many on the endangered list and our resources are finite. Rather than dilute those resources over many different targets, a wiser approach would be to tag certain species and habitats as candidates for conservation and/or protection and concentrate our efforts on these select few. This would allow scarce human and financial resources to be spent for minimal biotic impoverishment and maximal biodiversity contribution to human well being. How can the most useful components of biodiversity be saved for current or future use? And how can such ethical considerations as our responsibility to other species and to future generations be incorporated into COnservation priorities Essay? Answering such questions requires one to have informed conservation priorities. The points that should be taken into account are listed below. The very essence of biodiversity conservation lies with preserving the greatest possible variety of the worlds life forms and the habitats they occupy. Thus, the more significant members of this variety should receive greater attention. For example, given the choice between saving a species with many relatives and one with only a few, I would choose to save the more distinctive one. Consider it on a genetic level. The genus with fewer species has a comparatively smaller gene pool, and should a particular species become extinct, that would mean the loss of a significant portion of that gene pool, which may be irrecoverable. As opposed to a larger genus in which the genes are likely to be more evenly distributed throughout all species, and thus any loss may be a sustainable one. Maintaining the highest number of species without considering their taxonomic position makes little sense, as a comparison of marine and terrestrial environments shows. Terrestrial environments contain at least 80 percent of the worlds total species, mainly because vascular plants and insects are so numerous on landaccounting for nearly 72 percent of all described species in the worldand so poorly represented in marine environments. However, the sea contains greater proportions of higher taxonomic units. Marine ecosystems contain representatives of some 43 phyla while terrestrial environments are home to only 28 phyla. The sea contains fully 90 percent of all classes and phyla of animals. Clearly, efforts to conserve the widest array of biodiversity must give attention to all levels of the taxonomic hierarchy. Usefulness is a very important criterion when assessing bioconservation plans. No one opposed the widescale state-sponsored eradication of the smallpox virus and most people would agree that it is more important to conserve a subspecies of wild rice than a subspecies of weed. The same problem presents itself in habitat conservation. Often, the threatened habitat upstream from a settlement, which needs to be dammed to be saved, may be sacrificed over human needs. If that same one happened to be downstream, it likely that it would have been. However, assessing usefulness begs two questions. One, useful for whom? Conservation of endangered species has obvious benefits for communities, nations, even the world at large, but the benefit is not identical for each group. From a global perspective, the conservation of a particular regions biodiversity might help to regulate climate, influence the atmospheres chemical composition, and provide all of humanity with industrial products, medicines, and a source of genes for crop breeding. Locally, conservation may also provide people with fuel, clean water, game, timber, aesthetic satisfaction and important cultural symbols or resources. .ub3d3270b9233c4116a88e69d4da5bfa0 , .ub3d3270b9233c4116a88e69d4da5bfa0 .postImageUrl , .ub3d3270b9233c4116a88e69d4da5bfa0 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ub3d3270b9233c4116a88e69d4da5bfa0 , .ub3d3270b9233c4116a88e69d4da5bfa0:hover , .ub3d3270b9233c4116a88e69d4da5bfa0:visited , .ub3d3270b9233c4116a88e69d4da5bfa0:active { border:0!important; } .ub3d3270b9233c4116a88e69d4da5bfa0 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ub3d3270b9233c4116a88e69d4da5bfa0 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ub3d3270b9233c4116a88e69d4da5bfa0:active , .ub3d3270b9233c4116a88e69d4da5bfa0:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ub3d3270b9233c4116a88e69d4da5bfa0 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ub3d3270b9233c4116a88e69d4da5bfa0 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ub3d3270b9233c4116a88e69d4da5bfa0 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ub3d3270b9233c4116a88e69d4da5bfa0 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ub3d3270b9233c4116a88e69d4da5bfa0:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ub3d3270b9233c4116a88e69d4da5bfa0 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ub3d3270b9233c4116a88e69d4da5bfa0 .ub3d3270b9233c4116a88e69d4da5bfa0-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ub3d3270b9233c4116a88e69d4da5bfa0:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Absolutism in europe EssayBecause the conservation benefits received by the local and global communities are not congruent, international and local priorities will also differ. To humanity at large, conserving tropical forests matters more than conserving arid deserts since the forests contain a tremendous variety of life and heavily influence global climate. Locally, however, the biodiversity of each region is equally valuable since it provides essential ecosystem services that local people rely upon. Neither perspective is necessarily the correct view of biodiversity; eitherglobal or local, current or futurereflects an implicit value judgment. In such a situation, I would weigh the options equally before making an informed .

Thursday, November 28, 2019

10 Most Awkward Scholarships Infographic

Do you think that you can’t get a scholarship award due to a low GPA and modest sports accomplishments? Fortunately, there are lots of opportunities available out there to get financial aid for anyone seeking it. Contents Types of Scholarships Unusual College Scholarships Infographic Top 5 Websites for Scholarships Search Final Impressions Types of Scholarships You just need to know what kinds of scholarships you can apply for and where you can find them. They are divided into the following types: Academic Scholarships It is awarded to those who have shown impressive achievements in academics. A perfect candidate has a high GPA, community service experience, and substantial extracurricular activities. Average Academic Performance Scholarships This type of award isn’t limited to academic performance. It can be given to a student displaying athletic, artistic or leadership skills, the gift of creativity, participation in community service, or non-academic achievements. Athletic Scholarships Universities give this type of award to top-notch athletes to recruit them for their sports teams. Students benefit from this financial support but have to pay with balancing their rigorous training schedule with studies. Minority Scholarships This college scholarship is designed to support students from various minority backgrounds. A candidate needn’t be a first-generation immigrant, just a member of African American, Pacific Islander, Native American, Hispanic, Asian, or any other minority group. Scholarships for Women The award was created to increase the educational opportunities for female students. It is sponsored by organizations that would like to see more women in male-dominated fields, such as science, business or politics. Community Service Scholarships A lot of scholarships are offered to young people who have taken the initiative to help others in their communities through volunteer work. Hours of community involvement and significant civic accomplishments can make you a suitable candidate for this financial aid. Creative Scholarships Artistically inclined individuals have a lot of financial support opportunities. To apply for an art scholarship, you’ll need to present a portfolio. A music scholarship committee requires art examples provided in an audition or in person. Unusual Scholarships These scholarships are usually unexpected and even strange (see infographic below). But you’d better apply if you meet the requirements because any finance you get now will decrease your college costs in the long term. Unusual College Scholarships Infographic Top 5 Websites for Scholarships Search A computer or a smartphone and Wi-Fi are the tools for looking up a scholarship for your educational goals. We’ve analyzed scholarship facts statistics and defined 5 most visited search engines that assist you in finding the most appealing options. 1. Fastweb Link According to college scholarships statistics, Fastweb is the most used scholarship search engine. Since 1995, it has helped 50 million students get funds for tuition. It hosts more than 1.5 million scholarships worth $3.4 billion. Pros The search engine is well-organized. Enter the required academic info alongside some helpful identifying details, and you will get a tailored list of possible money awards. Scholarships are shown in order of application deadline. You won’t waste time checking out grants that are no longer applicable. The site claims that it rigorously vets scholarships. A seeker is safe from dubious organizations and scams. Cons To sign up, one has to fill out a profile. You will indicate your contact information. It can end up with spam. You may come across offers you find undesirable, such as sweepstakes awards or scholarship programs with ulterior motives or political agendas. Its’ scholarship organizations who have to update their awards, requirements, and policies on Fastweb. Some information may be out-of-date. 2. CollegeBoard Link The College Board provides students with information about more than 2,200 scholarship opportunities that total nearly $6 billion. Pros There’s no need to provide personal information or sign up for anything to start looking up for a scholarship. The search platform is user-friendly. You can filter awards according to your financial need, GPA, minority status, etc. The College Board publishes the book of scholarships. It gives a possibility to do an offline research and explore various awards deeper. Cons The user profile is not saved. You must go through the same research process every time you use the site to search for scholarships facts you forgot. The site lists sweepstake style scholarships where you have to fill out your contact information, thus subjecting yourself to spam. The site itself updates monthly. But some of the scholarship organizations who have to update their information procrastinate with that. 3. Scholarships Link This scholarship search is one of the most recognized and largest. With more than 2.7 million scholarship and grant opportunities reported to worth more than $19 billion, they guarantee every user to find an appropriate option. Pros You have to fill out a profile, but Scholarships promises to ensure privacy. Each user can opt-out of having their personal information shared. You can save the offers you are interested in or remove them later, thus creating your own scholarship list. Users can see what awards are actually given (and how much they are worth) with each scholarship listing. Cons: You can’t search by keyword or use filters to find scholarships based on type. The result lists are too long. This is a â€Å"less is more† situation. Just like with above-mentioned sites, some information at Scholarship may be not updated. Scholarship â€Å"ads† from sweepstakes scholarship programs will pop up asking you to sign up for different sites or services. 4. CollegeNet Link It is a social networking platform that helps students get educational financial support. The program is unique. And that’s why: Pros Scholarships are listed according to the sum of the award, starting from the highest payout. You can search by keyword or make a personalized profile to get filtered results. The site hosts an online community. The users vote on scholarships they want to be introduced to the site or stimulated to appear. The most voted scholarships are brought to fruition for the members of CollegeNet . Visitors can participate in forum discussions by creating topics or sharing comments. The lucky student who receives the most votes within a week wins $3,000-$5,000 in scholarship money. Cons: The search results are often extensive. But it’s possible to narrow down the list by specifying additional information about oneself. The profiles are temporary. 5. ScholarshipMonkey Link This search tool’s database consists of more than 1 million scholarship awards worth more than $3 billion. It’s a great site, but it’s trickier to use than others on the list. Pros A visitor can use the online search tool without the need to create an account or sign up for anything. You can read testimonials from ex Scholarship Monkey users. You get a notification every time a new matching scholarship is added. Scholarship Monkey holds contests to give away tuition money. Cons The keyword search function doesn’t list by relevance, so you might miss an important award. The preview descriptions don’t identify the sum of the award. To clarify that, you have to follow the link. Visitors experience troubles with loading some pages. These errors occur because some links are outdated. To deal with it, Google the scholarship name to discover more. Although you can opt out from receiving emails from third parties, be ready to get some spam even after unsubscribing. Despite its huge database of scholarships, the site doesn’t offer a clear guide on navigation. I’d recommend that you take your time and explore these databases. Get to know what's out there before starting a more focused search. Just seeking guidance from college counselors is insufficient since they can’t be aware of every scholarship that you are eligible for. Besides, they might not know about some unusual financial aids or grants like the ones you can see in the infographic about scholarships. Final Impressions I’d recommend that you take your time and explore these databases. Get to know what's out there before starting a more focused search. Guidance or college counselors can’t be aware of every scholarship you are eligible for. Besides, they might not know about some unusual financial aids or grants like the ones you can see in the infographic about scholarships.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Present tense beach onbservation essay

Present tense beach onbservation essay The BeachMy favorite place to be is the eveneing beach. The activities and beautiful sightsintrigue me. It can also make me miss being a child, because I see how excited the littlegirl in her pink bathing suit gets so excited with a fairly large hole already dug in the sand.Many people feel that there is very little activity at the beach and it is just a laid backplace. I beg to differ, if you gaze out way into the sky a rainbow like dot sits as a mandangles beneath it amazed at the sight below him. Suddenly, there is a strange dongbehind me comming from the hotel, but no one cares because overriding the sound is ahuge yellow speedboat with the word thriller wrote in red on the side. The kids at theshore hurry to the water anxiously waiting for the man made waves to appear.SwimsuitAs I look atthe water it seems like an ocean full of diamonds. The sand almost has the same affectonly instead of diamonds it is a ground drenched in glitter because of the beams ofsunlight reflecting off o f every grain of sand. The best part of the beach is the sun andthe clouds. The sun painting so many splashes of colors as the clouds dance around itforming shapes as your imagination defines them.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

WORKPLACE CONFLICT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

WORKPLACE CONFLICT - Essay Example The inconsistency emanating from the relationship between him and the head of department may seem obvious and an easy task to resolve. However, the issue may run out of control and hurt the whole organization. Therefore, establishing the different concepts as honorable approaches to resolving the rivalry could serve to save the company from animosity, with an advantageous outline of handling relevant future problems. Adapting to the concept of avoidance can serve as a vital tool to resolving the problems prevailing between the head of department and the employee. The concept asserts that the individuals could differ from direct confrontations (Cooper). For instance, George could undertake his tasks towards achieving the organizational set goals without hindrances, and in accordance with the set of rules and regulations. The head of department may resent to the issue of job performance with the aim of completion targeting to improve the quality of output. The concept may serve to adequately restrict the H.O.D from interfering with employee performances so long as they are up to the set rules and regulations. Avoidance concept could further restrict the manager from meddling into George’s undertakings as he remains naà ¯ve of the dealings till the point of delivery. In the event that the H.O.D enforces inapplicable regulations causing strenuous relationship between him and George, the concept is relevant to competitive conflict style. In this concept, the high ranked individual seems to express an unchallenged authority over his subordinates in order to feel satisfied. For instance, the H.O.D exerts pressure to George to work towards achieving his solely set objectives despite the fact that they are set to benefit the organization. The concept depicts an understanding that the approach may restrain the subject to quit all his duties entirely. Competitive rivalry between the manager and the employee,

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Political Environment Case Study Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Political Environment Case Study Analysis - Essay Example Most likely, higher education organizations such as the NEA (National Education Association) will support the reduction. The different student organizations from state colleges and universities will possibly join as well. Individuals from working-class families or those who are supporting themselves while studying can also form a large number when they unify their support. Apart from higher education, the supporters of mental health programs are also getting worried; they say that neglecting mental health programs in favor of improving correctional facilities will just cause increase in inmate population in the long run. Among the possible supporters are NMHA (National Mental Health Association), AMHA (American Mental Health Association), NASMHPD (National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors). There are also other organizations who believe that more of the budget must be allotted to infrastructure, social centers, daycare centers, hospitals, etc. These are the infras tructure organizations such as the American Hospital Association. Political advocacy groups are also potential supporters.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Individual Improvement Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Individual Improvement Plan - Essay Example First, my intellectual skills, especially personal emphasis on mental activity worked well in this project because it required effective problem-solving skills. The complexity of the project required the team to seek alternative solutions to problems. This task matched my skills. I would apply personal reflection and introspection to gain motivation to complete the task. Further, I feel that my commanding style applied in presenting the scenarios as well as moving the team forward in moments when we would have stalled. Once we established the project goals, I developed a clear map of what I wanted achieved. Negotiations with the other team members allowed us to create synergies and complete the project in time. May contributions were to the team were exceptional because I am a competitive individual, and thus I wanted to be the best. However, this was apparent. All the individual tasks that I performed in this project related well with my inquisitive nature. A personal reflection about the activity shows that I can achieve better results by focusing more on my strengths as a programmatic learner. Therefore, I should seek opportunities for hands-on training. I would require demonstration from an acknowledged expert. Overall, this means that my personal learning style can help support growth and development activities during the proposed hands-on training activity. This is especially important because it links well with my pragmatics

Friday, November 15, 2019

Causes of Software Crisis

Causes of Software Crisis This paper justifies the symptoms and primary causes of software crisis. You will see that the writer made a comparison of software crisis in different countries. We took the information from different articles published in UK, USA and Canada. The findings and suggestions are described at the end to minimise the risk involved while planning and developing a software project. Introduction We begin with the symptoms of Software crisis. Evidence is provided by the documents produced by US military on software crisis. Furthermore, Charelle, (2005) has complied some more astounding failure statistics of software crisis. We have also discussed the major causes of the software crisis and the description of those causes. The major factor of causing failure in Software management projects is lack of coordination between the teams itself. In last two decades the technology trend is going upward and small and big organizations are adopting the latest technologies and techniques to improve their output productivity. This report reflects the major symptoms and causes of a software crisis along with their description. In the end of the report we conclude with the suggestions to improve the whole process to avoid software crisis. Symptoms of Software Crisis Many researchers agree software project failures occur more frequently than they should, some of them have tinted a crisis within the software industry (Conte et al, 1986; DeMarco, 1982). To assess the success or failure of the project express on cost, delivery time, and quality, Glass (1998) highlighted these three main aspects. Circumstantial evidence is used to highlight the symptoms and primary causes of project failure which creates serious concerns. Comparison of software crisis between different countries The other main cause of software crisis is that the machines have become more powerful, if we compare with the past we had a few computer programming with a minor problem in software. Now we have huge computer programming with an equally huge problem in software. Some documents have been written to describe the failure of software project by US military and most of the software problem which had been identified in military area is the same in private sector. In this report the given table explain the major causes of software crisis, in 2001-2002 actual cost of National Insurance Recording System 2, Probation Service Crain, and Child Support Agency project increased for the reason of delays in project time, increase in actual costs and change of the system. Over cost of amount  £ 40.4 million increased in the project of (NIRS2) and same problem occurred in the project of (PSC) and an extra amount of  £ 50 million spent on the project of (CSA) to improve the system. Overall the cau ses of software crisis are linked to the complexity of hardware and software development process. Some other further evidence shows that in 2001, a planned project for Immigration and National Directorate was cancelled since department analyzed that new system would be more complex and needs an amount of  £ 77million for the implementation of the project that is difficult for the department to pay such huge amount for this project. In the dates of 2001/2002, another new issue of fraud was highlighted in the software project of Individual Learning Accounts; it was a Flagship Training Scheme and an amount of  £ 66.9 million was fixed for its implementation. In the sequence of heavy budgeted costs a software project for Defence Logistics Organization in the year of 2002 was suspended on the reason of insufficient funds to start this heavy cost project of an amount of  £ 120 million. In the table shows that in the year 1999 a software project for Passport Agency a cost of  £ 12. 6 million was suspended behind estimating high actual costs. In the prospect of high costs of software, in 1999 Home office scrapped the project that had been planned for improvement in prison services, estimated costs for this software project was about  £ 8 million. In the year 2002, a software project Libra for linkup the magistrates was under consideration and required an amount of  £ 134 million for implementation of this project. Overall in all above evidences, it shows that crisis of software apparent itself in several ways: Additionally, Charette (2005) has compiled some more shocking failure in project software it seems that project failure is not a problem of big companies and industries but software problem is occurred widely in small companies, in commercial and non-profit organizations and government departments. Software crisis occur caused by increasingly complexity in hardware and project failure seen to be universal. In the 2nd given tale shows that in 1993 a software project for London Ambulance Service was cancelled after second attempt, and in the same year in USA a project was mad for Allstate Insurance Company after a costing of high amount of $ 130 million abandoned the office automation system. London Stock Exchange cancelled its project of Tarus stock settlement system after costing of huge amount of $ 600 million. In the last few years various process and methodologies have been developed to control the software crises. However, it is widely agreed that there is no constant solution. W ith a heavy cost budget of $ 44 million and $ 2.6 billion on the project of DMV system for state of California and project for Federal Aviation Administration cancelled in 1994. In 1995 Toronto Stock Exchange cancelled it planned project for installation of Electronic trading system, project cost was estimated about $ 25.5 million. In 1996 a project of Arianespace (France) in the reason of error in the software, 5 rockets explode and huge amount of $ 350 were expended. A project of $ 40 million in 1997 was cancelled by the State of Washington that had planned for department of motor vehicle. In the same year International revenue (USA) cancelled its project that was for Tax modernization effort, an amount of $4.0 billion was estimated for implementation of this project. Snap-on Inc, (USA) an amount of $ 50 million wasted in the software failure occurred in the order- entry system in 1998. In the year, 1999 software problem occurred with ERP system in the project of Hershy Food Corpo ration (USA), and an amount of $ 151 million was invested. Software for Tax system was cancelled in date of 1999 by the State of Mississippi (USA) and project was about $ 11.2 million. A cost of $ 12 million was cancelled in 1999 by the United Way (USA) a software project was designed for the process of administration system. In the year 2000, huge spent of money for city payroll system abandoned, due to failure in the software in Washington DC. In USA, Nike Inc 2001, about $ 100 million lost in the reason of software problem in the supply-change management system. In Australia 2002 software project for Sydney Water Corporation to maintain the billing system was cancelled, project cost was about 33.2 million. In 2003/4 AT T Wireless (USA) faced deficiency spent of $ 100 million in up gradation of software for improved customer relation management. In 2004 Hewlet- Packard Company invested $ 160 million for ERP system, but still persist unsolved problem in its software. An amount of $ 527 million invested in the planned project of 1Sainsbury PLC (UK) in 2004, because of that software problem company abandoned the supply chain management system. In general, large software projects are more complicated than small software project. In 2005 Canadian company Hudson Bay faced a big software problem in inventory system; an amount of $ 33.3 million was invested for this project. For conducting a comprehensive survey 250 UK based organization had been selected to find out the defined software failure as: A project that has failed significantly to achieve its objectives and or has exceeded its original budget by at least 30% Major reasons of project failure in above mentioned countries Projects running over budget. Software was not up to the needs. Projects taking too long to complete or unnecessary delays. Substandard Production. Unable to meet the specific requirements. Difficult to operate and maintain.. Over budgeting. Primary cause of Software Crisis In the result of survey they found that nearby 62% of these selected organizations had at least one major software failure, these were considered primary causes of failure and have been updated by Glass (1998). Description of Causes by (Glass, 1998) The objectives were not clear. Improper table work. Not having the proper feel of the organization. Lack of project management methodology. HR laps or insufficient skilled staff. Coordination gaps between venders. Performance and efficiency issues. A list of primary casual factors has been produced by (Charette, 2005). Description of Causes by (Charette, 2005) Bad planning or run time decisions. Lack of documentation. Improper assessment. Incorrect estimates of needed resources. Impractical project goals. Not a good communication among customers, developers and users. Use of undeveloped technology. Inability to handle the projects complexity. Not a good project management. Stakeholder politics. Commercial pressure. Conclusion We can conclude that the most of the project failures were due to the coordination gaps between the technical project management team and the business decisions. We can overcome this crisis by better monitoring; during the assessment, planning, designing, production, implementation and maintenance phases. We can achive the goal of a successful and on time product by developing better understanding and coordination between the higher management and technical team. Its all about taking right decision at the right time and at the right place.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

An analysis of Virginia Woolfs To The Lighthouse :: To The Lighthouse Essays

An analysis of To the Lighthouse Argument: Mrs. Ramsey is triumphant over Mr. Ramsey, by her awareness and intuitive feeling of the more important things in life: the value of human relationships. Though she is submissive, with no mention of extensive educational background, she innately possesses the crucial social skills that gain: the cohesion of the family as a whole; the respect and love of her children, and the continued survival of her marriage. Part I: The Window "Had there been an axe handy, or a poker, any weapon that would have gashed a hole in his father's breast and killed him, there and then, James would have seized it... .(Mr. Ramsey) grinning sarcastically, not only with the pleasure of disillusioning his son and casting ridicule upon his w:j'e, who was ten thousand times better in every way than he was (James thought)." P4 "Yes, of course, if it 'sfine tomorrow, "said Mrs. Ramsey. To her son these words conveyed an extraordinary joy. P3 "Perhaps you will wake up and find the sun shining and the birds singing, "she said compassionately, smoothing.the little boy's hair, for her husband, with his caustic saying that it would not be fine, had dashed his spirits she could see. P15 "But" said his father, "it won 't be fine. " P4 "No going to the Lighthouse, James, "he said. P14 "What he (Mr. Ramsay) said was true. He was incapable of untruth; never tampered with a fact; never altered a disagreeable word to suit the pleasure or convenience of any mortal being, least of all of his own children, who, sprung from his loins, should be aware from childhood that life is difficult. " P4 "When the great clangour of the gong announced solemnly, authoritatively, that all those scattered about, in attics, in bedrooms, on little perches of their own, reading, writing, putting the last smooth to their hair, or fastening dresses, must leave all that, and the little odds and ends on their washing-tables and dressing-tables, and the novels on the bed-tables, and the diaries which were so private, and assemble in the dining-room for dinner.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Life on Earth Worksheet Essay

Taxa to explore – Elephants. 1. Review terms (write definitions for these terms) Extant Species, families, or groups still in existence Extinct Species, families, or groups no longer in existence, end or died out Genotype Genetic make-up of an organism Phenotype Physical attributes of an organism, observable or measurable traits Synapomorphy Shared characteristic that are inherited from most recent common ancestor Background: There are three extant species of elephant: Elaphas maximus (Asian elephants), Loxodonta africana (African elephants), and Loxodonta cyclotis (African forest elephants). Their taxonomic hierarchy is as follows: Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Proboscidea Family: Elephantidae Genus: Elaphas Species: maximus Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Proboscidea Family: Elephantidae Genus: Loxodonta Species: africana Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Proboscidea Family: Elephantidae Genus: Loxodonta Species: cyclotis 2. Collect an image of each species. You will submit these as a part of your assignment. (see full assignment instructions) 3. Looking at these pictures, can you think of any EXTINCT animal or animals that might be a close relative of modern elephants? List it/them below. If you know the scientific name (genus and species) then you can put that. If you aren’t quite sure, just give the common name. Mammoth 4. Now think about EXTANT taxa. Identify 2 animals that you might expect to be the closest LIVING relative to the elephants. List it/them below. If you know the scientific name (genus and species) then you can put that. If you aren’t quite sure, just give the common name. Possible Relative A Possible Relative B Rock Hyrax Manatees 5. For the closest EXTANT relatives, what characteristic(s) of that animal or its habitat led you choose it as â€Å"probable closest relative†? (consider geographic location, size, anatomy, behavior etc). Be specific. Characteristics of Animal A Characteristics of Animal B -found across Africa and the Middle East -typically live in groups -has a prominent pair of long, pointed tusk-like upper incisors -In males, the testes are permanently abdominal -thick, wrinkled skin -Females have two teats, one under each flipper -teeth growing at the rear are continuously replaced throughout life Now to the science – Follow the link below to read about some of the extinct relatives of elephants http://palaeo.gly.bris.ac.uk/Palaeofiles/Elephants/firstelephants.html 6. How were the phenotypes of ancient proboscideans different from those of extant elephants? The ancient proboscideans differ from those of extant elephants because they have multiple pairs of molars and premolars, they do not possess tusks, and they retain canines on the upper jaw. 7. Based on the information in the web-site, where did the early proboscideans evolve? The early proboscideans evolved from Africa. More derived proboscideans (not ancient, but not extant either) also had a very different geographic distribution than elephants today: http://palaeo.gly.bris.ac.uk/Palaeofiles/Elephants/extinct_taxa.html http://palaeo.gly.bris.ac.uk/Palaeofiles/Elephants/mammoths.html 8. Which localities seem most surprising and why? North and South America because these locations were once abundant with these animals, such as mastodons, while having most of the animals originate from  the other side of the world. 9. Identify 4 synapomorphies that are shared between ALL of these extinct and extant taxa. 1. Tusks 2. Incisors and molar teeth 3. Trunk 4. Four column-like legs Molecular phylogeny In extant species, relationships can also be reconstructed based on DNA Think back to your best guesses of the closest EXTANT relatives of the modern elephants. Look at the .pdf named â€Å"Afrotheria†. The phylogeny described in this paper is based on molecular data (similarities in DNA sequences) 10. Based on that phylogeny, write in the sister taxon (taxon A) to Proboscidea. Give the formal name. Taxon A or Sirenia Proboscidea 11. Write in the taxon (taxon B) that is sister to the clade composed of (Proboscidea + Taxon A). Give formal name Taxon B or Taxon A Proboscidea Hyracoidea 12. Perform an internet search for these two taxa and find out their common names. What are their common names? Describe each.  The common name for Sirenia is Sea Cow. Sea cows are fully aquatic, herbivorous mammals that appear fat. They have forelimbs used for steering and a tail used for paddling. The common name for Hyracoidea are hyraxes. Hyraxes are well-furred animals with short tails and have poor internal temperature regulation. What was your thought/reaction upon discovering what these creatures are? My thought reaction was how can animals that look nothing alike be similar to an elephant if they visually look different. Believe it or not, there are morphological (phenotypic) similarities as well as dietary and behavioral similarities between all of these taxa. BEFORE molecular data was available, scientists already suspected that these groups were closely related. The DNA evidence only helped to confirm the relationships. We’ll do more on that in a moment. 13. Search the web to find at least two non-molecular synapomorphies between each of your modern taxa and the elephants: (be specific!) Animal #1 name Rock Hyraxes Rock Hyraxes are furry and have the soles of the feet with large, soft pads that are kept moist. Manatees have paddle like flippers and a snout. Animal #2 name Manatees 14. Which of the features you listed are more likely to survive in the fossil record? Explain why. Most likely to survive in the fossil record is the snout because it consists of the bones of the jaw which are very good for becoming fossils. 15. Which are less likely? Explain why. Less likely are the fur, soft pads at the feet, and the paddle-like flippers because all are more prone to decay rapidly because of being soft structures. The flippers are also more prone to not preserving quickly therefore eaten or broken down by aerobic microbes. Now for molecules: To see the actual molecular data used to create the phylogeny you saw, select the .pdf named â€Å"mammoth and sea cow†. 16. Go to page 409. Dots mean the base pair (A, C, T or G) is the same as is listed in the taxon that’s at the top (this saves ink!). Now compare the sequences for the African elephant and the Asian elephant in just the top row of page 409. How many molecular differences do you see in the sequence shown? There are 8 molecular difference in the sequence. How many molecular differences do you count between the African elephant and the hyrax? There are 11 molecular differences between the African elephant and the hyrax. 17. Based on anatomy alone (without the molecular evidence), would you have guessed that the animals in photos above represented the closest living relatives of elephants? Why or why not? Honestly, based on the anatomy alone, I would not have guessed that the animals represent close relatives of the elephants because of the physical anatomical characteristic they have. Most animals can have similar anatomy with slight differences that contribute to their survival in an environment. Initially, I thought that the animals had similar characteristics only because of natural selection and adaptation of their environment not because  of their common ancestor. This shows how molecular evidence can really help in seeing what animals belong in what lineages.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Conjugation of Regular Spanish Verbs in the Subjunctive Mood

Conjugation of Regular Spanish Verbs in the Subjunctive Mood Except for those rare few of us who can learn verb conjugations without effort, mastering them at some point will require rote memorization. While the verb forms can be confusing at first, with use they become natural as conjugations in the native tongue. The lists below show the forms of the subjunctive for regular verbs; see individual listings for irregular verbs. Translations are given for clarity in distinguishing the tenses; in real life, other translations can be used. Present subjunctive, regular -ar verbs: Remove the -o from the singular first-person indicative form and add the appropriate ending: -e, -es, -e, -emos, -à ©is, en. que yo hable (that I speak) que tà º hables (that you speak) que à ©l/ella/usted hable (that he/she/you speak) que nosotros/nosotras hablemos (that we speak) que vosotros/vosotras hablà ©is (that you speak) que ellos/ellas/ustedes hablen (that they/you speak) Present subjunctive, regular -er and -ir verbs: Remove the -o from the singular first-person indicative form and add the appropriate ending: -a, -as, -a, -amos, -is, an. que yo coma (that I eat) que tà º comas (that you eat) que à ©l/ella/usted coma (that he/she/you eat) que nosotros/nosotras comamos (that we eat) que vosotros/vosotras comis (that you eat) que ellos/ellas/ustedes coman (that they/you eat) Imperfect subjunctive of regular verbs: Remove the -on from the third-person indicative plural preterite form and add the appropriate ending: -a, -as, -a, -amos, -ais, an. Put the stress on the last syllable of the stem in the nosotros form. que yo hablara (that I spoke) que tà º hablaras (that you spoke) que à ©l/ella/usted hablara (that he/she/you spoke) que nosotros/nosotras hablramos (that we spoke) que vosotros/vosotras hablarais (that you spoke) que ellos/ellas/ustedes hablaran (that they/you spoke) que yo comiera (that I ate) que tà º comieras (that you ate) que à ©l/ella/usted comiera (that he/she/you ate) que nosotros/nosotras comià ©ramos (that we ate) que vosotros/vosotras comierais (that you ate) que ellos/ellas/ustedes comieran (that they/you ate) There is also a less common form of this tense that is used primarily in writing, especially literature. It is seldom heard in speech in most regions. It is conjugated as above, except the -ra- becomes -se-. It normally is not necessary to memorize this form, but you should be able to recognize it when you see it. que yo hablase (that I spoke) que tà º hablases (that you spoke) que à ©l/ella/usted hablase (that he/she/you spoke) que nosotros/nosotras hablsemos (that we spoke) que vosotros/vosotras hablaseis (that you spoke) que ellos/ellas/ustedes hablasen (that they/you spoke) que yo comiese (that I ate) que tà º comieses (that you ate) que à ©l/ella/usted comiese (that he/she/you ate) que nosotros/nosotras comià ©semos (that we ate) que vosotros/vosotras comieseis (that you ate) que ellos/ellas/ustedes comiesen (that they/you ate) Present perfect subjunctive: Use the present subjunctive form of haber (which is irregular) and follow it with the past participle. que yo haya salido (that I have left) que tà º hayas salido (that you have left) que à ©l/ella/you haya salido (that he/she/you have left) que nosotros hayamos salido (that we have left) que vosotros/vosotras hayis salido (that you have left) que ellos/ellas/ustedes hayan salido (that they/you have left) Past perfect subjunctive (pluperfect): Use the past subjunctive form of haber and follow it with the past participle. Although both the -ra and -se- forms of haber are possible, the former is more common and is shown below. que yo hubiera salido (that I had left) que tà º hubieras salido (that you had left) que à ©l/ella/usted hubiera salido (that he/she/you had left) que nosotros hubià ©ramos salido (that we had left) que vosotros/vosotras hubieris salido (that you had left) que ellos/ellas/ustedes hubieran salido (that they/you had left)

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

James Buchanan Was the Only President Who Never Married

James Buchanan Was the Only President Who Never Married There has never been an openly gay president of the United States, but some historians have argued that James Buchanan, the only president who never shared the White House with a first lady,  may have had feelings for a member of the same sex. The nations 15th president is the nations only bachelor president. Buchanan had been engaged to a woman named Ann Coleman long before he became president, but Coleman died before the two could wed. It would not have been unusual, nor would it have proved Buchanan not to have been gay, if they had married; history is filled with homosexual men who married straight women. Longtime Companions While he remained unmarried his entire life, Buchanan had a very close relationship with William Rufus De Vane King, a diplomat who served as U.S. senator and the nations 13th vice president- coincidentally, the only vice president never to have married. Buchanan and King lived together for more than two decades. It was a relatively common practice in the 1800s. Historians note, however, that the couple’s contemporaries in Washington reportedly described King as effeminate, calling him Miss Nancy and Buchanans better half. They also cite letters written by Buchanan about the man he described as his soul mate. After King left the United States to become the minister to France, Buchanan wrote to a friend: I am now solitary and alone, having no companion in the house with me. I have gone a wooing to several gentlemen, but have not succeeded with any one of them. I feel that it is not good for man to be alone; and should not be astonished to find myself married to some old maid who can nurse me when I am sick, provide good dinners for me when I am well, and not expect from me any very ardent or romantic affection. King showed his own affection for Buchanan at his departure by writing to him: I am selfish enough to hope you will not be able to procure an associate who will cause you to feel no regret at our separation. A Historian Makes His Claim James Loewen, a prominent American sociologist and historian,  has been outspoken in his claims that  Buchanan was the first gay president, writing in a 2012 essay: There can be no doubt that James Buchanan was gay, before, during, and after his four years in the White House. Moreover, the nation knew it, too- he was not far into the closet. Today, I know no historian who has studied the matter and thinks Buchanan was heterosexual. Loewen has argued that Buchanans homosexuality is not often discussed in modern times because Americans do not want to believe that society was more tolerant of gay relationships in the 19th century than they are now. Another Bachelor Candidate The closest the nation has come to having a bachelor president since  Buchanan was when Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina sought the partys presidential nomination in 2016. When asked who would be his first lady, Graham  said the position would be rotating. He also joked that his sister could play the role, if necessary. While Grover Cleveland entered the White House a bachelor in 1885, the 49-year-old was married a year later to 21-year-old Frances Folsom. The One and Only? Although it has long been rumored  that  Richard Nixon had a homosexual affair with his close friend Bebe Rebozo, Buchanan is still the most likely candidate for first, and only, gay American president. Thanks to his vocal support of gay marriage, President Barack Obama  did earn the title briefly, albeit symbolically, in a May 2012 Newsweek  magazine article, written by Andrew Sullivan. Tina Brown, editor-in-chief for Newsweek at the time, explained the term and the cover  photo  of Obama with a rainbow halo superimposed over his head by telling news site Politico, If  President Clinton  was the ‘first black president’ then Obama earns every stripe in that ‘gaylo’ with last week’s gay marriage proclamation.† In his article, Sullivan himself pointed out that the claim was not meant to be taken literally (Obama is married, with two daughters). Its obviously a play on Clinton being the first black president. I am aware that James Buchanan (and maybe Abraham Lincoln) have been in the Oval Office before.   Lincoln has come under speculation as well as having had gay or bisexual affections, but he did marry and father four children. He also was known to have courted women before his marriage to Mary Todd Lincoln. Sources Byers, Dylan. â€Å"Tina Brown Explains Obama Gaylo.†Ã‚  POLITICO, 14 May 2012. Sullivan, Andrew. â€Å"Andrew Sullivan on Barack Obamas Gay Marriage Evolution.†Ã‚  Newsweek, 15 May 2012.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Wave Overtopping and Coastal Structures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Wave Overtopping and Coastal Structures - Essay Example Nevertheless, the other formulae, listed hereafter, also still merit some consideration and they have been used in this part of the paper, in conjunction with that of Shao, 2006. The motive this time is to use wave and structural data other than that of Shao, 2006, to investigate what wave parameters pose the maximum threats to coastal structures with given parameters. This, it is sincerely believed, will allow future researchers to better prepare for dangerous and possible wave overtopping real-time events. It is significant that overtopping discharge and, in essence, individual overtopping volume in effect, are highly sensitive to even very small changes in seawall geometry, local bathemetry and wave climate (Wallingford, 1999). The strategy this paper adopts to investigate influence of wave parameters on seawall efficiencies is simple. A number of variant sets of parameters are used to test mean overtopping discharge possibilities. ... The strategy this paper adopts to investigate influence of wave parameters on seawall efficiencies is simple. A number of variant sets of parameters are used to test mean overtopping discharge possibilities. Mean Overtopping Discharge: 1. An initial seawall slope of 1:5 is taken with wall height (taken as the wall freeboard for crest above still water level) = 1m and wall length () = 5.6m. The significant wave height () is kept at 0.85m, while the wavelength is assumed to be 4.25m. The wave period (), though, is varied to 1.2s. With this configuration, the Wallingford overtopping volume model is applied. It is also assumed that there are 10 waves in a series. = .2888 (Equation valid as per Wallingford, Box 3.1, p. 10, 1999; for 0.05

Friday, November 1, 2019

Britain ID Cards Debate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Britain ID Cards Debate - Essay Example Yes, a law was broken. Even though Transport Security Administration Officials argue that they did not violate the Privacy Act of 1974, the fact is that 5 million JetBlue customers had an expectation of privacy and did not consent to their personal information being turned over to a third party. They submitted their information for the purpose of obtaining a specific service and when doing so, did not consent to the passing of their information to any other party. Accordingly, in my opinion, both the spirit and the letter of the law were violated. According to several sources, such as CNet, Wikipedia, and DarkNet, the first computer virus struck in the early years of the 1970s and was called the Creeper virus. The exact year of its release is unknown but it is commonly regarded as the first computer network virus. Secure Socket Layer (SSL) is a protocol that Netscape created. In brief, it enables the establishment of a secure connection between web servers and web clients. Generally speaking, SSL employs the public key cryptology system as a means of ensuring data security during a transmission process. In an SSL session, both client and server create a unique session key which will be used for the encryption of sensitive data during SSL data exchange process. WRAM stands for Windows Random Access Memory. It is a type of RAM developed by Samsung Electronics for the achievement of faster display performance. WRAM is capable of the faster display as it supports two ports, allowing the video adapter to fetch and display images while new image bytes are being loaded into its memory. It is, thus, much faster than the single port RAM 1) Name Netsky.P Description: In 2005, PC Magazine published an April Fool’s story which claimed that the Center for Disease Control had discovered that the Netsky.

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Recommendations of marketing approach for Yorkshire Smoothies 2035 Essay

Recommendations of marketing approach for Yorkshire Smoothies 2035 - Essay Example However, due to the presence of domestic as well as international competitors, companies willing to penetrate in the global market, should take sound marketing strategies to survive in long run. Here, the marketing strategies of Yorkshire Smoothies will be discussed in terms of Industry analysis and Marketing Mix to ensure sustainability and profitability for the company in global market. Yorkshire Smoothies is a UK based contemporary fruit beverage brand, flourishing in the premium segment of fruit based health drinks. The products are specially designed for the health conscious consumers made by locally grown organic fruits. However, the company has taken a pricing strategy for keeping their price above any other retail brands available in the supermarket in order to attract the premium segment of the retail customers. Using glass bottle instead of plastics, using locally grown raw materials, sponsoring and arranging promotional events in annual folk music festival are some of the examples of sound ethical practises maintained by the company. Success of Yorkshire Smoothies in UK market has influenced the company to expand their business in developing nations such that in India (Bennet, 2008). After receiving inquiry from a significant distributor, the company is seriously thinking of capturing the market opportunities. Hence, the company needs to analyze whether they should standardize their marketing strategy and production process in India or they should adapt the strategies prevailing in the country in order to ensure sound business operation and long run profitability in Indian market (Solberg, 2002). For the purpose of expansion of business of Yorkshire Smoothies in India, the company is required to analyze the factors contributing to their product acceptability and growth in the UK market and compare those contributory factors in terms

Monday, October 28, 2019

Time and Truth Essay Example for Free

Time and Truth Essay The unreal in English is used to talk about things in your imagination, but which are not true. The unreal is often used with if and wish. Present Unreal Conditional The present unreal talks about the present time, life today, right now, but imagining (or wishing) something that is untrue. In a wish sentence, or in an if-clause, you use the past tense to show that the verb is unreal about the present. The main clause (often called the â€Å"result† clause) uses would: If I had a lot of money, I would buy a house. (The truth is that you don’t have a lot of money. ) If I knew Japanese, I would work in Tokyo. (The truth is that you don’t know Japanese. ) I wish I had a better job. If I had a good job, I would be much happier. (The truth is that you don’t have a good job. ) I wish I knew how to type. If I knew how to type, I would be able to get a better job. (The truth is that you don’t know how to type. ) The verb to be is always were in the unreal, no matter who the subject is: He wishes he were the mayor. If he were mayor, he would solve the homeless problem. (The truth is that he is not the mayor. ) If I were taller, I would play basketball. I wish I were six feet tall. (The truth is that you are not tall. ) Exercise 1. She doesn’t speak English, so she doesn’t understand you. If she ____________ English, she ______________________ you. 2. He can’t drive, so he won’t buy a car. If he _________________________, he _____________________ a car. 3. He isn’t rich, so he won’t buy a beach house. If he _____________________ rich, he ___________________ a beach house. 4. He eats too much, so he’s fat. If he ________________________ too much, he ___________________ fat. [Note: You need to use didn’t in this sentence. ] Past Unreal Conditional (Rick Shur, page 2 of 2) A wished or imagined idea about a past event is called the past unreal. The verb in the wish clause or if-clause is put in the past perfect (had + past participle) to show the past unreal. The main clause (the â€Å"result† clause) will use would have + past participle. When I was a child, I hated school. (This is the truth, what really happened. You hated school.) If I had liked school better, I would have studied and [I would have] learned more. I wish I had been a better student as a boy. I wish I had had better teachers, too. I wish my parents had forced me to do my homework. (The truth is that you didn’t like school, you didn’t study, you didn’t learn, you were not a good student, you didn’t have good teachers, and your parents didn’t force you to do your homework. ) If she had reminded me that yesterday was her birthday, I would have bought her a present. At least, I would have sent her a card. (The truth is that she didn’t remind you, so you didn’t buy her a present. ) I wish the Mets had won the game last night! If they had won, I would have made a lot of money. If the Mets had beaten the Yankees, I would have won $200. (The truth is that the Mets didn’t win, and you didn’t win any money. You lost! ) Exercise 1. She didn’t give me her phone number, so I wasn’t able to call her. If she ___________________________ her phone number, I ________________________________able to call her. 2. He didn’t have his wallet with him last night, so he didn’t buy the book. If he ____________________________ his wallet with him, he ________________________________ the book. 3. They didn’t get to the airport in time, so they missed their flight. If they __________________________ to the airport in time, they ________________________________ their flight. [Note: You need to use wouldn’t in this sentence! ] 4. He wasn’t able to open the wine bottle, so they didn’t drink wine. If he ___________________________ able to open the wine bottle, they _______________________________ wine.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Apathy in Ithaca :: Ithaca Essays

Apathy in Ithaca      Ã‚   In Ithaca, the depth of Joyce's irony is displayed.   The denouement of this odyssey is perfect for this story, while at the same time leaving us with the exact opposite of the resolution in the tale the book proclaims to emulate.   Odysseus' public apotheosis parallels Bloom's private shame.   The concise question and answer format which Ithaca adopts, found no where else in the book, is refereed to by many critics as reminiscent of a catechism.   The description is well deserved given the overt religious themes in Ulysses.   The almost mathematical precision of the text in juxtaposed with gut wrenching emotion surrounding infidelity.   The parallels that one can draw between the characters of Ulysses and the Odyssey are perhaps the deepest in Ithaca while the themes and undertones of the work drift further apart.        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The attempt at a father-son relationship between Bloom and Dedalus is never more apparent as they converse, and fail to converse.   Bloom plays the role of a cuckold almost too well, objectifying in Stephen that which he himself lacks.   Of Dedalus, Bloom notes "Confidence in himself, an equal and opposite power of abandonment and recuperation." (Joyce, Ulysses 550)   This is a far cry from the Dedalus depicted anywhere in the novel.   Bloom is looking to Dedalus as a father who dreams his son will accomplish more than he ever could, and in as much he is disillusioned.   The depiction of the scene in Ithaca is one of mathematical precision, and it should strike as odd the amount of opinion and emotion underlying many of Bloom's assumptions.   He assumes Dedalus' refusal to wash is the "incompatibility of aquacity with the erratic originality of genius, (550) and that his silence implies that me must be composing poetry to himself.        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   These two men typify the thematic essence of father and son, and in doing so, they destroy the preconceived notions left in the wake of Telemachus and Odysseus.   No longer is the bond of father and son to be understood as a bloodthirsty quest for familial vengeance.   No, it is replaced with a pair so opposite that they have nothing to discuss but the weather.   Not even the violation of Bloom's marriage bed could bring these two to arms.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Abstract for Cryogenics

Historically, cryogenic rocket engines have not been used for in-space applications due to their additional complexity, the mission need for high reliability, and the challenges of propellant boil-o& While the mission and vehicle architectures are not yet defined for the lunar and Martian robotic and human exploration objectives, cryogenic rocket engines offer the potential for higher performance and greater architecture/mission flexibility.In-situ cryogenic propellant production could enable a more robust exploration program by significantly reducing the propellant mass delivered to low earth orbit, thus warranting the evaluation of cryogenic rocket engines versus the hypergolic bi-propellant engines used in the Apollo program. A multi-use engine. one which can provide the functionality that separate engines provided in the Apollo mission architecture, is desirable for lunar and Mars exploration missions because it increases overall architecture effectiveness through commonality and modularity.The engine requirement derivation process must address each unique mission application and each unique phase within each mission. The resulting requirements, such as thrust level, performance, packaging, bum duration, number of operations; required impulses for each trajectory phase; operation after extended space or surface exposure; availability for inspection and maintenance; throttle range for planetary descent, ascent, acceleration limits and many more must be addressed.Within engine system studies, the system and component technology, capability, and risks must be evaluated and a balance between the appropriate amount of technology-push and technology-pull must be addressed. This paper will summarize many of the key technology challenges associated with using high-performance cryogenic liquid propellant rocket engine systems and components in the exploration program architectures.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Hong Kong Cultural Conversation

Conservation is now recognized worldwide as an important component of sustainable development, particularly in cities undergoing rapid development. In Hong Kong, however, it was not until the recent years that the city's government, citizens and the media have brought more attention to the development of the city's cultural and arts scene and preservation of the former British colony's unique cultural heritage. In response to the social unrest, the government has begun to develop a specific strategy with regard to the arts and culture.One main focus of their strategies lies in the preservation of Hong Kong cultural heritage. However, despite the government’s effort on heritage preservation, what probably is just as frustrating is the Hong Kong government’s awkward attempts at heritage preservation and privatization of public spaces. Is the government making progress to preserve our cultural heritage? Or is it just making progress to transform our heritage into commoditi es and taking further steps to engage in economic exploitation of public space?What elements should be put into consideration when we talk about cultural preservation and urban planning? Where are the missing parts in the design of existing projects to stand a chance of living the metropolitan spaces in accordance with the real needs and hopes of the people who live in the space? Problem that lies behind the positive metropolitan image of Hong Kong Despite the image of Hong Kong as a metropolitan city successful in international finance, commerce and tourism, a deep-rooted problem that lies in Hong Kong people’s heart is a lack of sense of belonging, a lack of Hong Kong identity.During colonial period, Hong Kong has been referred to as a borrowed space and borrowed time. Meanwhile, the differences in culture and civilization between Hong Kong and China created a barrier to Hong Kong people’s identifying themselves as Chinese. â€Å"Hong Kong’s lack of identity is also due to its status as not so much a place as a space of transit, whose residents think of themselves of transients and migrants on their way between China and other cities. Worse still, after the handover in 1977, we have been experiencing limited democracy in our society, as reflected in limited political rights granted to the public and lack of public election mechanism. â€Å"Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong† therefore remains a political slogan and still a goal. Searching for Hong Kong identity continues, and this psychological barrier partly explains why the Hong Kong brands and products often faced the criticism of lacking a unique identity.Conserving cultural heritage as a way to define self identity The limitations on democracy in post-colonial Hong Kong is causing more public outcry to seek expression or confirmation of their identities through preservation of arts and culture. It has been argued that the role of art and culture in Hong Kong has taken on incr easing significance in the city's search for an identity over the past 13 years since China resumed sovereignty over the territory. More and more people identify themselves as Hongkonger and less as Chinese or British colonist.People are defining themselves as Hongkongers and conserving Hong Kong’s heritage, especially architectures and sites where their collective memories came from is part of that self-defining. Along with these attempts is a change in societal expectations. Hong Kong used to be a developers’ dream as economic prosperity over the past 30 years has been largely due to its immense rate of construction. Now people see the paradox that as they are advancing to become a global city they are also losing parts of their lives, thus there emerged voices on conservation.While the Hong Kong government’s heritage policies—or lack thereof—are threatening to destroy what is left of our past that constitutes our cultural identity in the name of development, people start to speak out on preserving what they grew up with and feel it is important to taking the lead in mentoring the next generation about Hong Kong’s history and cultural heritage. The public space in Hong Kong being a battle field In Hong Kong, every inch of land is labeled with an economic value. The high value of land in Hong Kong heightens the level of control and conflict in land use.In the past few years, we have already seen the tenement houses on Wing Lee Street in Central, the Graham Street Market in Central, Lee Tung Street and Queen’s Pier in Wanchai, all being the landmarks of old Hong Kong, earmarked for destruction. We have also seen the privatization of public space at the expenses of public interests: shopping centers in public housing estates originally managed by the Housing Authority have been privatized by The Link; the development of West Kowloon are tilted towards orporate interests not the livelihood of residents; The harbou r front of Hong Kong Island, cut off from the living space of ordinary people, has turned into the backyard of luxurious private residential complexes or giant shopping mall housing all the big global brands; the Central seafront reclamation area also falls into the same fate -it is designed as an extension of government offices and the huge Mody Mall, instead of being considered for cultural and recreational use as demanded by the Hong Kong public.Urban and social planning on land use and distribution of wealth shows a tendency of being biased towards corporate and capitalists’ interests. Hong Kong people are yet to have a say to the use of their own space and this has given rise to many social problems such as public’s opposition sentiment towards government, self-identity crisis, substitution of local diversity and choices by global demands for homogeneity, widened gap between the rich and the poor, and so on.The turning points that awake the government One of the t urning points in public opinion with respect to heritage preservation was the renewal of Lee Tung Street in Wanchai. This street was well known to all of Hong Kong as â€Å"The Wedding Card Street. † All the little shops provided all the props necessary to have a happy and prosperous Chinese wedding, giving this street an aura of vibrancy and joy. However, the urban renewal authority had targeted the whole street for renewal.Many of the shopkeepers were upset to be pushed out of the area as they felt want to stay here not just for business but also because they had established a community with neighborhoods from a few generations and therefore a strong emotional attachment with the place. There were many protests and banners expressing the dissatisfaction of the shopkeepers. The public outcry did not work to influence the government’s decision and the shops are now all closed awaiting redevelopment.Another turning point is the demolition of the Queen’s Ferry pie r along with its iconic clock tower in Wanchai in December 2006 as part of the traffic development plan for Wanchai. It has led to widely publicized protests and even hunger strikes that the government had not anticipated. Yet the citizens again lost in the battle to fight for public space. The pier was a â€Å"young† 49 years when it was destroyed and was not considered old enough by the authorities and, therefore, it did not have enough heritage value.Yet, to many Hong Kong people, the historic value of the pier is not measured only by its duration or by a number as of years or days, for time is also related to the question of memory, experience, moment. According to Local Action, a local group with hundreds of members that led the protests against the government with the goal of saving Hong Kong’s culture heritage and public space, â€Å"The pier is a symbol of Hong Kong history with strong socio-political significance for many social and political events took plac e at the pier.It had also been used by many royalties and governors as they came to Hong Kong and many demonstrations took place here, signifying its importance as a landmark† People expressed that it is also a place where their memories and experiences came from therefore they have developed a strong attachment to â€Å"their place†. This public reaction echoes John Urry in â€Å"Reinterpreting Local Culture from Consuming Placesâ€Å", in which John remarked that â€Å"the object signifies the place and that if the object were to be demolished or substantially changed then that would signify a threat to the place itself. †