Teaching Strategies to Promote Student Equity

Teaching Strategies to Promote Student Equity Designing a classroom learning environment where all students are being attended to (even the ones who may not seem to be engaged) may seem like an impossible task when you are in a classroom of twenty elementary students. Luckily, there are a host of teaching strategies that foster this type of learning environment. Sometimes these strategies are referred to as equitable teaching strategies or teaching so that all students are given an equal opportunity to learn and thrive. This is where teachers teach to all students, not just the ones that seem to be engaged in the lesson.​ Often times, teachers think they have designed this wonderful lesson where all students will be willfully engaged and motivated to participate, however, in actuality, there may only be a few students who are engaged in the lesson. When this happens, teachers must strive to structure their students learning environment by providing a place that maximizes fairness and allows all students to equally participate and feel welcomed in their classroom community. Here are a few specific teaching strategies that elementary teachers can use to promote student engagement and foster classroom equity. The Whip Around Strategy The Whip Around strategy is simple, the teacher poses a question to his/her students and gives every student the opportunity to have a voice and answer the question. The whip technique serves as an important part of the learning process because it shows all students that their opinion is valued and should be heard. The mechanics of the whip are simple, each student gets about 30 seconds to respond to the question and there is no right or wrong answer. The teacher whips around the classroom and gives each student the chance to voice their thoughts on the given topic. During the whip, students are encouraged to use their own words to describe their opinion on the set topic. Often times students may share the same opinion as their classmates but when put into their own words, may find out their ideas are actually a little different than they first thought.   Whips are a useful classroom tool because all students have an equal opportunity to share their thoughts while actively being engaged in the lesson. Small Group Work Many teachers have found integrating small group work to be an effective way for students to equally share their thoughts while staying engaged in the lesson. When educators structure opportunities that require students to work together with their peers, they are giving their students the best possible chance for an equal learning environment. When students are placed in a small group of 5 or fewer individuals, they have the potential to bring their expertise and thoughts to the table in a low-key atmosphere. Many educators have found the Jigsaw technique to be an effective teaching strategy when working in small groups. This strategy allows students to support one another in order to complete their task. This small group interaction allows all students to collaborate and feel included. Varied Approaches As we all know now after must research, all children do not learn the same or in the same way. This means that in order to reach all children, teachers must use a variety of approaches and techniques. The best way to teach equitably to a large number of students is to use multiple strategies. This means that the old singular teaching approach is out the door and you must use a variety of materials and strategies if you want to meet all learners needs. The easiest way to do this is to differentiate learning. This means taking the information that you know about the way each individual student learns and using that information to provide students with the best possible lesson. Studies have shown that using different strategies and techniques to reach different learners is the best possible way that teachers can cultivate a classroom of equity and engagement. Effective Questioning Questioning has been found to be an effective strategy to promote equity and make sure all students are actively being engaged. Using open-ended questions is an inviting way to reach all learners. While open-ended questions require some time to develop on the teachers part, it is well worth it in the long run when teachers see all students actively and equally being able to participate in classroom discussions. An effective approach when using this strategy is to give students time to think about their answer as well as to sit and listen to them without any interruptions. If you find that students have a weak answer, then pose a follow-up question and continue to question students until you are sure they have understood the concept. Random Calling When a teacher poses a question for his/her students to answer, and the same children constantly raise their hands, how are all students supposed to have an equal chance at learning? If the teacher establishes a classroom environment in a non-threatening way where students can be chosen to answer a question at any time, then the teacher has created a classroom of equality. The key to the success of this strategy is to make sure that students do not feel pressure or threatened to answer in any way, shape or form. One way that effective teachers use this strategy is to use craft sticks to call upon random students. The best way to do this is to write down each students name on a stick and place them all into a clear cup. When you want to ask a question you simply pick out 2-3 names and ask those students to share. The reason you choose more than one student is to minimize the suspicion that the only reason the student is being called upon is that they were misbehaving or not paying attention in class. When you have to call upon more than one student it will ease all students anxiety level. Cooperative Learning Cooperative learning strategies are perhaps one of the simplest ways teachers can effectively keep their students engaged while promoting equity in the classroom. The reason being is it gives students the opportunity to share their thoughts in a small group format in a non-threatening, non-biased way. Strategies like think-pair-share where students each take a specific role in order to complete a task for their group and round robin where students can equally share their opinion and listen to the opinion of others gives students the perfect opportunity to share their thoughts and listen to the opinions of others. By integrating these types of cooperative and collaborative group activities into your daily lessons, you are promoting participation in a collaborative versus a competitive way. Students will take notice which will help turn your classroom into one that cultivates equality. Enforce a Supportive Classroom One way teachers can cultivate a classroom of equality is to establish a few norms. A simple way to do this is to verbally address the students at the beginning of the school year and let them know what you believe in. For example, you can say All students are treated with respect and When sharing ideas in class you will be treated with respect and will not be judged. When you establish these acceptable behaviors students will understand what is acceptable in your classroom and what is not. By enforcing a supportive classroom where all students feel free to speak their mind without feeling or being judged you will create a classroom where students feel welcomed and respected.

What Is Science Olympiad A Complete Guide to Winning

What Is Science Olympiad A Complete Guide to Winning SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you interested in joining your school’s Science Olympiad team or are already a member and want to learn how to become a better competitor? This is the guide for you! I was on Science Olympiad for six years in middle school and high school. Four of those years my team went to Nationals, and I eventually became team captain and placed first in the nation in one of my events, so I know all the ins and outs of this competition.I’ll go over everything you need to know about what Science Olympiad is, what team members do, how competitions work, and howyou can be a standout competitor. What Is Science Olympiad? Science Olympiad is a team competition activity for middle school (referred to by Science Olympiad as Division B) and high school (referred to as Division C) students. This guide will focus primarily on high school Science Olympiad teamsalthough most of this information is true for both Division B and C. There are currently over7,000 Science Olympiad teams across the country.A school’s team has up to 15 members who will compete at Regional, State, and National competitions. Teams can also have alternate members, although those members won’t compete except in special circumstances (learn more aboutalternatemembersin the next section). Division C has 23 different events that cover nearly every area of science, from earth science to cell biology to robotics and more. Each competition will have every event.Team members are usually assignedthree or fourevents (typically only experienced members will get fourevents).Most events have twopeople working on them, although for some events you are allowed to have threemembers on the event. Science Olympiad team members often meet throughout the entire academic year. A team is usually assembled in the fall and competitions are held in the spring.If more than 15 people at a school want to join Science Olympiad, theschool will often hold tryouts, similar to sports teams. Candidates will typicallytake science tests and the 15 students who score the highest will make the team. Read on to learn what members do once they join the team. What Do Members of Science Olympiad Do? Science Olympiad members spend most of their time preparing for their events. You will have to meet regularly for each of your 3-4 events to do well in competitions.Each event will have its own meeting time when you will work with your teammate(s) for that event as well as the event coach (usually a teacher but can also be a parent or other adult who knows the subject).For example, you could meet for your Forensics event Mondays after school, Experimental Design Thursdays after school, and Wright Stuff on Saturday afternoons. Each school creates a different meeting schedule, but many schools, particularly if they have a history of performing well or are trying to strengthen their team, will have a meeting once a week for each event. This can make Science Olympiad a significant time commitment, similar to a sport, except that it often lasts most of the year. Alternate Team Members Alternates are often members who didn’t quite make the official team but are still allowed to attend meetings and help the team prepare. Many students are alternates for a year before they join the team, and that year of preparation can help them gain a lot of knowledge onScience Olympiad and specific events. An alternate will only officially compete if a team member drops out or can’t make it to a specific competition.However, some competitions have special events that are only open to alternate team members. These events don’t affect a team’s final rank or score, but theygive alternates a chance to become familiar with competitions and see how they compare to alternates from different schools.At some schools, alternates help with all events while at other schools they only focus on a few events, similar to team members. Science Olympiad Events As mentioned above, Division C has 23 different events, which you can view here. You can click on each event to get more information about it.At most schools, each team member will make a list of the top events they’d like to have, and the head coach will assign events. Members who have been on the team longer usually get first pick, and most members keep all or most of their events the same from year to year. The events are organized broadly by topic, such as life science, technology, and chemistry.This is useful if you are looking to sign up for events that match your specific interest. For example, if you are interested in biology, you may want to join the Cell Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, and/or Invasive Species events. However, there is another important distinction to be aware of. Most events can be sorted into one of two categories: study events and building events. These aren’t official terms, but a lot of schools use them, and they can be very helpful when you are trying to figure out which events to participate in. Study events are somewhat similar to preparing for a school science class. As the name suggests, they involve a lot of studying books and articles in order to prepare, and competitions often involve completing a written test.Some study events include Anatomy and Physiology, Dynamic Planet, and Astronomy. Building events, on the other hand, are more hands-on and require participants to spend more time creating something than book studying. The creation can be a glider, protein model, or something else. For some building events, students spend the entire year creating whatever it is they need for the event, while for other events you are required to do the building from start to finish at the competition.Some building events include Wright Stuff, Bridge Building, and Protein Modeling. Both categories can be interesting and teach you a lot. To learn more about how to choose the best events for you, scroll down to the section â€Å"How Can You Excel at Science Olympiad?† How Do Science Olympiad Competitions Work? Competitions are the main purpose of Science Olympiad; they are why you’re doing all that studying and preparation! Competitions are often held on college campuses, and the whole team (along with coaches) will travel to them to participate. Smaller competitions, such as Invitationals and Regionals, often last only a day, but State and National competitions usually take place over an entire weekend.Different events compete throughout the day; your team will be given a schedule several weeks ahead of time, so you know when your individual event competitions take place. For most events, members for that event from all schools will compete at the same time,although for some building events teams compete one at a time throughout the day.Your team will be assigned a homeroom, and when you’re not competing, you can prepare for your other events, relax, or meet people from other schools. Award ceremonies are held at the end of the day on the last day of competition. Medals are awarded tothe top teams in each event, and all-around awards are also given to the schools that had the highest scores when all event scores are combined. Reminder: teams advance to different competition levels together. That means that, even if you get first place in all your Regional events, you will not advance to State unless your team did well enough overall to advance. There are four levels of Science Olympiad competitions, and Iexplain each in more depth below. Invitationals The purpose of an Invitational competition is to help teams get more preparation; the results don’t affect future competitions or how far your team will advance.A high school will often organize an Invitational and invite other nearby schools to compete. They will be very similar to actual competitions. Invitationals are a great way for you and your team to get more competition experience and see how well you are doing compared to other teams. If you are on a team that is new or would like to improve its competition results, talk to the teacher in charge of Science Olympiad and suggest the team attend an invitational or host their own.Unlike other competition levels, a school can compete in multiple Invitationals during the year. Invitationals are held before the actual competitions, often in the late fall or early winter. Regionals Regional competitions are organized by state. The number of Regional competitions a state has is determined by both how large the state is and how many Science Olympiad teams the state has. Some states have tworegional competitions, while others can have a dozen or more. (Some states with very fewteams don’t have Regionals. Instead, participants go directly to the State competition.) The top schools advance to the State competition. The number of schools that advance varies by each competition. Some send the top two schools; others can send six or more teams to State. Regionals are typicallyheld in February or March. State Each state will have one State competition. The caliber of the teams is often significantly higher than it was at Regionals, so be prepared for that.The top 1-2 teams will advance to Nationals, out of often 20 or more teams competing. State competitions aretypically held in early-mid April. Nationals This is the highest level of competition. If you and your team have made it this far, congratulations!The National competition takes place at a different college campus each year, so you may have to miss a few days of school so your team can travel there and back. Nationals can be a lot of fun because you get to explore a college campus, meet people from all over the country, and there is no pressure like there is at State to advance to the next round. Nationals are usuallyheld in May, and the awards ceremony often has a prominent scientist as the keynote speaker. What Are the Benefits of Science Olympiad? Now that you know the basics of Science Olympiad, why should you consider joining it? Read on to learn about some of the top reasons to participate. Benefit #1: You Can Get Advanced Scientific Knowledge As a member of Science Olympiad, you can get very advanced scientific knowledge in certain subjects.Team members often use college-level textbooks and other learning materials in order to become experts on the subjects their events cover. When I was in Science Olympiad, one of my events was Dynamic Planet, which focuses on a different earth science topic each year. My first year the topic was glaciers, and by the end of the year, my partner and I had studied so much that we knew more about glaciers than probably anyone except people who studied them for a living.Gaining such advanced knowledge in a particular area of science can give you a huge head start if you plan on studying that subject in college. Even if your events don’t directly relate to your career goals (I did not become a glaciologist), the practice you get at studying a subject at a high level will help you when you enroll in college and have more rigorous classes. I know I felt much more prepared than many of my peers when I first enrolled in college science classes because I had a lot of practice in studying, researching, and understanding complex scientific ideas. If you prepare enough foryour Science Olympiad events, you could end up as smart as this guy. Benefit #2: You Can GainResearch and Writing Skills Another potential benefit of Science Olympiad is that, by preparing for your events, you can greatly improve your writing and research skills.Almost every event requires some research, and the study events especially will give you great practice in researching scientific topics.Some of the events that require the most writing include Write It Do It and Experimental Design. Even if you don’t end up studying science in college, research and writing skills are two of the most important skills you can have if you want to do well in school. You’ll likely end up using them no matter what subject you major in, and if you’ve already developed these skills in Science Olympiad, you’ll be that much more prepared compared to your classmates. I personally believe that Experimental Design is one of the most usefulevents to do. Although I initially didn’t think its description sounded very interesting, I was placed in Experimental Design my first year in Science Olympiad and ended up competing in it all six years. In Experimental Design you quickly design, conduct, and write up a small scientific experiment. My two partners and I did a practice experiment almost weekly, and after six years of this, I felt like I could design a scientific experiment in my sleep. This was a huge advantage when I started college and took scientific lab classes. While my peers struggled to understand how to set up an experiment and write up the results, I already had years of practice. If you plan on doing any sort of research in the future, I’d highly recommend this event. Benefit #3: It's Impressive to Include on Your College Applications Colleges like to see applicants with extracurricular activities, and Science Olympiad can be a great one to include. First, as mentioned above, participating in Science Olympiad will give you the opportunity to learn about multiple areas of science and developresearch and writing skills. If you’re planning on majoring in science, this will be an even bigger bonus because participating in Science Olympiad willshow schools that you’re interestedenough inscienceto want to learn more about it outside of class.Colleges want to admit students who are passionate about the subjects they plan on studying and majoring in. If you do well, you may also get awards, which you can include on your applications.There are many opportunities for awards at each competition level, and receiving an award further shows colleges that you’re knowledgeable about science and can apply yourself in your extracurriculars. Finally, Science Olympiad also requires a lot of teamwork. You will use teamwork all the time, as you and your partners work out the best ways to do well in events. Because college also requires a lot of teamwork and team players often get along with their peers better, colleges like to see applicants who can show they have experience with teamwork and working well with others. Benefit #4: There's a Chance to Win Scholarships If you and your team are Science Olympiad standouts, there is a chance for you to win (sometimes very large) college scholarships.Sometimes at State competitions but often at Nationals, students who place top in their event will be awarded a college scholarship. These scholarships are often specifically for the school that is hosting the event (so if the National competition is at the University of Illinois, the scholarship will often only be usable if you attend the University of Illinois); however, some can be used at any college or university. Especially in Division C, these scholarships can be very generous. At many National competitions, the hosting school will offer students who place first in one of their events a sizable scholarship, and some even offer free tuition for all four years. This can save you tens of thousands of dollars and reduce your college costs dramatically. Doing well in Science Olympiad can winyou a lot of money for college. What Are the Drawbacks toScience Olympiad? In spite of its benefits, there are also potential drawbacks to Science Olympiad. The first is that Science Olympiad can be a significant time commitment. Many teams have their members meet several times a week throughout the majority of the school year, and you will also have to spend several of your weekends at competitions. This can be challenging to do if you are already trying to find time for other activities. A second potential drawback is that Science Olympiad may not be particularly enjoyable if you aren't interested in science. While some events focus more on other subjects like math and engineering, it's likely that at least one of your events will have a heavy science focus. If you don't like science, this could make it very boring to prepare for your events. Third, it's quite difficult and rare to win scholarships at Science Olympiad. Out of the tens of thousands of students who compete, only a handful will end up winning scholarships. This drawback is true for many activities, but it's important to keep in mind if one of the main reasons you're joining Science Olympiad is in the hope of winning some money for college. How Can You Excel at Science Olympiad? Science Olympiad is a team event, and how far you advance in competitions will depend not only on you but also your teammates and coaches. While you can’t control what they do, you can take it upon yourself to excel at your events. This can help you win awards at competitions and motivate your teammates to give their best effort as well. Follow the below tips to become a great Science Olympiad competitor. Tip #1:Choose Events That Play to Your Strengths Picking your events wisely is key to how well you do in Science Olympiad and how much you enjoy it.While you may not have complete control over which events you do, especially for your first year on the team, you usually can submit your top choices for consideration.There are two major things to think about when choosing events: 1. Which areas of science do you enjoy the most or want to learn more about? As mentioned above, Science Olympiad events cover many areas, so you have some choice over what topics you’d like to focus on. If you’re planning on being pre-med, maybe you want to do the Cell Biology and Anatomy Physiology events. If you’ve always been interesting in engineering and aviation, Wright Stuff may be a great event for you. 2. Would you prefer study events, building events, or a combination of both? Preparing for a study event can be very different from preparing for a building event.Study events often include more reading and writing, and the amount of time you have to spend on them remains relatively consistent throughout the year.Building events are more hands-on and may require you to spend a lot of time on them (say an entire weekend) in order to get something right, and then not much time for a few weeks after that. Think about which types of events you’d prefer and be best at. Students who want to continue to study a particular subject in college and prefer a consistent practice schedule may prefer study events, while those who prefer to be more active and don’t mind spending time tinkering to get the project exactly right may do better with building events. It’s also very common for students to do a mixture of both events. I mostly did study events, but when I took on a fourth event I chose a building event, and I really enjoyed the change of pace.Also, don’t worry if you don’t get your top events right away. My first year on the team I didn’t get a single event I requested, and I still managed to enjoy myself and do well. Tip #2: Be Prepared to Put in the Time You can be certain that the teams that do best at Regionals and State and move on to Nationals meet about once a week for each of their events.Even if you’re getting great grades in your science classes, you likely won’t do well in Science Olympiad if you don’t study specifically for your events, since most events ask questions on specializedtopics or require you to use specific skills. Doing well in your events requires regular meetings for each of your events, and you should be prepared to set aside this time when you join.Set up regular meeting times with your partners and coaches soon after you know which events you have. It may seem like Regionals is a long way away at the beginning of the school year, but starting your preparation early will help you feel more confident and reduce the need to cram right before competitions. If you want to be a stand-out competitor, be prepared to put in enough preparation time before competitions. Tip #3: Be Ready on Competition Day Competitions are when you get to show off all your hard work. Here are some tips to make sure these daysgo smoothly: Know exactly where and when each of your event competitions are. Get there early so you can set up your materials and be calm and ready when the timer starts. Make sure you bring along all the recommended and required materials for each event (there is usually a list given out before competitions that lets you know what to bring for each event). If you feel like something was scored incorrectly (and this does happen occasionally), tell your coach and have them talk to one of the supervisors immediately. The sooner this happens (ideally before the awards ceremony), the better chance you have of it being resolved in your favor. Conclusion Science Olympiad is a great extracurricular for students who enjoy science, math, orengineering. Participating in it can help you gain in-depth scientific knowledge as well as other skills that will be useful in college. Science Olympiad competitions are a way to meet new people and show your knowledge and skills. As long as you choose your events wisely, prepare for your event throughout the year, and are ready on competition day, you have an excellent shot at doing well in your events and possibly winning awards and scholarships. Good luck! What's Next? Do you love science? Check out our guide to learn which science classes you should take in high school. Thinking about other science-related activities to participate in? Check out our complete guide to competing in science fair. Want to learn about other impressive extracurricular activities? Read our guide to seefour examples of outstanding extracurriculars that are sure to impress colleges. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

International Financial Markets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

International Financial Markets - Essay Example They lend such surplus fund to the borrowers like households, businesses, governments who want to finance their personal expenditures like purchase of houses, cars and furniture. This kind of flow of funds form the lenders to the borrowers follows two ways known as direct finance and indirect finance. In the former concept the borrowers have access to the finance from the lenders directly. They do this by selling their fiscal tools which represent a claim on the potential proceeds and assets of the borrower. Financial instruments are assets for individuals who buy them and are liabilities for individuals who sell them. Through this process of buying and selling of securities the flow of money is occurs in the economy which is very vital for the economy. Hence financial markets are the medium through which such transactions happen. The financial markets comprises of equity market, debt market, derivative market and foreign exchange market. Each of this market acts as the medium of flo w of fund in the economy. This report will analyse the importance of the financial markets and the role which they play in the development of international trade and economic development. Discussion Financial System Structure The financial system of an economy comprises of three components Financial markets Financial institutions Financial regulators Each of the above components has a specific role in the economy. The financial institutions are important players in the financial markets since they perform the role of an intermediary and hence they determine the flow of funds. The financial regulator’s role is to monitor and regulate the participants of the monetary system. At the heart of this is the fiscal market. It facilitates in the flow of funds in the economy (Cho, 1989, pp. 88-92). Figure 1: Structure of Financial System The financial institutions use financial instruments to regulate the flow of funds in the economy. Financial assets or financial instruments are intan gible assets that are expected to provide future benefits to the owner of the instrument in the form of future cash. Some financial instruments are known as securities which include bonds and stocks (Fry and Maxwell, 1995, p. 282). Financial markets and their economic importance Financial market is a place where there is exchange or trading of financial instruments. The major economic functions of the financial markets are Liquidity Price discovery Reduction of transaction costs. Liquidity The financial markets provide an opportunity to the investors to sell their financial instruments. Liquidity means the ability of an investor to sell an asset in the market at its fair market value anytime he wants. Without this liquidity, an investor had to hold on to the financial instrument till the conditions arise to sell it or the issuer of the asset is contractually obligated to clear the obligation (Stiglitz, 1989, pp. 55-61). The liquidity of an equity instrument is until the company is l iquidated voluntarily or involuntarily. For a debt instrument liquidity comes when it matures. All international financial markets provide some liquidity to the investors though they have different degrees of liquidity associated with it (King, Robert and Ross, 1993, pp. 717-723). Price discovery It denotes to the determination of the price of a traded asset in a financial market by means of transactions between

FedEx Strategy at the Business, Corporate, and Network Levels Term Paper

FedEx Strategy at the Business, Corporate, and Network Levels - Term Paper Example Federal Express' clients ranged from large scale business to individual customers that required a wide range of services. As such, Federal Express needed to find a way to meet the needs of the various groups of customers that it provided services to. By streamlining its operations and by integrating its various systems, the company was able to develop a customer logistics management segment of its business to cater especially to its large-scale business clients that required such service (Conley et al, 2000). This included providing warehousing and distribution services that cut the costs for its business customers. Such strategy demonstrates the company's way of dealing with the paradox of market adaptation and resource leveraging. Having identified the needs of its clientele, FedEx used the extensive resource base it had in order to meet these needs. Since the company had established a logistics infrastructure, it merely put to good use the resources it already had. Federal Express understood the value of information for all its clients. As such, it continuously searched for various ways to improve the transfer of information between itself and its customers. Even before the FedEx website was launched in 1994, the company had already developed a number of computer programs and systems that allowed customers to acquire the information they needed regarding shipments including ordering and tracking. This is another demonstration of the company's ability to use its resources in order to adapt to the demands in the market. Since the demand was for better information sources, FedEx used its IT expertise in order to come up with a system that meets such needs.The acquisition became the strategy to better meet the needs of Federal Express Customers. After officially acquiring Parts Bank in 1988, FedEx, later on, acquired Caliber Systems in 1998. This enabled FedEx to create a corporation which had the ability to meet most, if not all, of the logistics and transportation needs of companies. Furthermore, FedEx underwent a process of reorganization wherein certain subsidiaries were combined.

Thermoset plastic Essay Example for Free

Thermoset plastic Essay In this project I will design an apparatus which will hold a test-tube, basically as a showpiece. Even though test tubes are usually used to hold variables in science, I will be using it as a flower holder. My new boss at the company has asked me to make a flower vase, and has decided that the newest item in the store will be a test-tube flower vase. He has asked me that it has to be commercially viable, which will totally depend on my target audience. My main target audience in this project is the general female adult, because it would be the best area to sell a flower vase. This is because showpieces in stores are mostly bought by the female adult who wants to make a place look good by its presence. Im choosing this audience because they are the ones that most commonly use vases, and it is the place where I can make the most money. In order to do this, I will go through a whole process which is in this project. I will start of with researching existing examples, researching materials and I will go on to survey a group of people and I will go on to use the results in order to plan my design. I will go on to create my design and then I will evaluate my whole project. Overall, I will follow the design cycle in this project to create my flower vase. The tools and materials that I will use will all come from the DT lab. Materials Research In this project there are three main materials that we have the option to use, these being wood, metal and plastic. Below is some detailed information on all these types of materials: Wood: Wood is a main source of creativity, because it can be shaped and even manipulated in some cases. It is a primary way of creating apparatus/tools because it used to be abundant. Nowadays, there is a threat of it becoming rare, but because it is already such a used material it is not something that is hard to stop, especially because of the reason that the universal population will never decrease over a period of time. There are three main types of wood, namely hard wood, soft wood and man made wood. All types of wood must be seasoned before they are used, meaning that the moisture must be removed so that it is a solid. Soft Wood: Soft wood mainly comes from evergreen or conifer trees (right). They also come from trees like pine, cedar, fir, hemlock, spruce, yew and redwood. Softwoods are mainly softer than hardwoods; however there are some exceptions i. e. yews are much harder than hardwoods. Softwoods are categorized differently from hardwoods because of their different microscopic structures. There are two main elements that form the structure of softwood, namely tracheids and parenchyma. Uses: It is the main wood source used by man, because of the variety of uses it has. Softwood is the main material construction of buildings, in furniture, in windows, in mouldings, in doors and a lot of other millworks. Also, it is used for the production of paper and is turned into man-made wood i. e. MDF. Hard Wood: Hard wood trees on the other hand, mainly come from deciduous trees (right) . However, there is a group of hardwood trees that arent deciduous, known as angiosperm trees. Conducted experiments show that hardwoods are higher in density than soft woods but it has to be kept in mind that there are some examples of both groups that considerably overlap, i.  e. hardwood Balsa is softer than regular softwoods, and yew is in the opposite direction. Hardwoods can be differentiated from softwoods because of the following Characteristics. They have broader leaves   The contain enclosed nuts/seeds i. e. acorns Compared to softwood, hardwoods have a much more varied existence of species, almost a hundred times more. This also means that hardwood is used a lot more than softwood, especially in exterior work. It is also used to make day-to-day utensils, as flooring, for constructing buildings, for furniture and a variety of different things. Man-made wood: There are three main types of man-made wood, MDF, maisonette and plywood. MDF boards are known as Medium-density fibreboards. It is made by first breaking down softwood to wood fibres, and then two substances called wax and resin are combined with it. This is then used to form panels by applying on it pressure and high temperature. It is a material mainly made up of sawdust. Plywood, another example of man-made wood is created from thin sheets of wood veneers. Each of these sheets are then stacked together in a method called cross-banding. Again, they are bonded under heat and huge amounts of pressure. One of the reasons why plywood is favoured over plain wood is that it is resistant to warping, cracking, and shrinkage and is very firm. Maisonette wood is mostly used in the constructing of houses, which is why maisonette houses are existent today. Maisonette houses are basically houses connected to apartments (above right), which is where the maisonette wood is used. Metal: Metal is derived from the Greek word Metallon and is a readily formed element with positive ions which make up metallic bonds. On the periodic table, a diagonal line from polonium to boron divides up the metal elements (left). Elements below the line are metals and elements above the line are non-metals. However, elements along the line are known as metalloids or semi-metals. Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Metals: There are mainly two types of metal, known as ferrous metal and non-ferrous metal. The word ferrous is derived from the Latin word Ferrum which means containing iron. This shows that ferrous metals are the ones that contain iron whilst non-ferrous dont. This is a common way of dividing metal because it is the easiest way to decide which kind of metal you need, because the differences between these two groups are clear and obvious. Ferrous metals are the ones that usually rust, and they are the stronger and heavier. On the other hand, non-ferrous metals are the ones that dont rust because they dont contain iron, and are lighter and softer. Non-ferrous metals are those which are a mixture of metals (known as alloys) and do not have iron. Examples of them would be copper, aluminium and brass. Brass is an example of an alloy because it is a combination of copper and zinc. Examples of ferrous metals include: tin plate, cast iron and mild steel. Plastic: Plastics are a general group of apparatus that are created by the combination of oil, salt, air and water. Plastics are defined as a group of (natural) organic or synthesized materials that can be shaped when soft and later when they are hardened. The word plastic is derived from the word plasticity because of the fact that many of them malleable. In other words they are capable of being extended or shaped by the force of some kind of pressure. When applying plastic, there are two main types: thermo-set plastic and thermo plastic. Thermoplastic: Thermoplastics are characterized as being soft and pliable when heated. This means that it will melt when heated and it will turn into a glassy, brittle state (like that of ice) when cooled down sufficiently. Thermoplastic heat can easily be shaped by heat. This kind of plastic is usually used for packages, especially ones like PBS, polyethylene, polystyrene and acrylic (right). Thermoset plastics: Thermoset plastics on the other hand, are the complete opposite. They are stronger, much harder and heat resistant. They cannot be shaped with the use of heat, but at the same time they are very brittle pieces of apparatus. These kinds of plastics are usually in the form of a liquid or powder before being designed and moulded. Compared to thermoplastics, thermosetting plastics are harder and are best suited to higher temperatures. Like thermoplastics, thermoset plastics cannot be recycled by re-melting or remoulding the plastics. Examples of thermoset plastic include: polyester sine, poxy resin and melamine (right).

Romeo And Juliet Essay :: essays research papers

Romeo and Juliet Essay There was action and there was tragedy, but put it all together to make the perfect comedy and a perfect tragic story. William Shakespeare wrote the play Romeo and Juliet, said to be the finest written play in history, for its originality and it's many plots. This story will take you through a lot of mixed emotion and will show you what a true feud is. This story is laid out perfectly because of its true holding and both family's passion for their children. William Shakespeare wrote the story to show how Romeo and Juliet's love for each other will show their youth and immaturity. Their over reacting cost them their life. At such a young age they thought they could never love another being again, and so, " A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life."(Act one scene one) The Capulet's and the Montague were the " Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Varona".(Act one scene one) They were what separated Romeo and Juliet for their love for each other. Due to the fact that the two households were in this feud, Romeo's family would not allow him to be with Juliet because she was a Capulet, and he was a Montague. Juliet's family also would not let her be with Romeo because he was a Montague. Romeo and Juliet get married without the consent of their parent, and without them knowing. The only way Juliet could be with Romeo is to either die or run away. Unfortunately things backfire when Juliet is forced to be married to man of her fathers choice, when Romeo was banished for killing Tybalt. After that point things get tough for Juliet and she makes a plan to be with Rome and she takes a sleeping drug. When Romeo doesn't get the message that it is just a sleeping drug he goes to Varona and gets a deadly drug and drinks it next to Juliet 's death bed, knowing that it will soon be his to. As he is drinking it he said "O you the two doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss a dateless bargain to engrossing death"(Act five scene three), he drinks the drug as Juliet is waking up, she finds him dead next to her and kills herself to be with Romeo once again, forever this time. Age was not a real big deal back then so when they were to get married or made to reproduce they did it under their parents authority.

Personal model Essay

Everyday is a different day from yesterday, which is how we should look at our daily experiences. People from all walks of life can always find a place that might mean a lot to them or be caught in a situation wherein it may be hard to move on or forgetting such circumstances will be harder than what we usually do. Such occurrences will lead to trauma, worst, psychological illnesses which will make a single person’s life miserable. Life is not a piece of cake. If we will analyze our lives, we will understand that there is something about life which makes it different and at the same time unexplainable. Everyday, new surprises arise making our lives both exciting and hard but amidst all of these, we always end up with a solution to make our lives better. Some people thinks that once a person went into a psychiatrist or a psychologist, they are insane and not in the right mind but what they do not know is what lies behind every consultation and every courage to seek from treatment. Not all mental illnesses are dangerous. Most of the time, these illnesses seeks for help, understanding and acceptance. There is no definite medication for mental illnesses but treatments and consultation would help to somehow lessen the complication. Psychiatrists and psychologists don’t bite, they help us. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder One of the most known mental illnesses is what we call Posttraumatic Stress Disorder which usually occurs when something really traumatic happens to the victim. Also most of the reason depends on how unforgettable such occurrences were. Defining Crisis and Crisis Intervention Before we come into the real discussion, first of all, we must define what is crisis and what crisis intervention is. In Chapter one of the readings, Crisis is defined as a perception of an event or a situation which the victim was having difficulty to tolerate or to have available resources for coping. Such situations lead to several mental illnesses if not treated right or if it is not given initial coping strategies. Although not all crisis leads to serious psychological problems if given proper medication and good approach to coping, some takes time to recover and needs a lot of consultation and talks. The best medication that a victim might receive is the love, care and understanding of his or her family which will be a great help for him or her to overcome stress and trauma. What causes traumas and stress? Stress and traumas comes from different situation which occurs in our everyday life. Some are unknown to us while others are not accidental. Some situation varies on cultural; or social belief or perception. The role of the internal (personal, intrapsychic) The role of the external (social structures, culture) The role of counselor Counselors are those who try to help the clients. They are not there to judge them or to tell them what to do but they were there to listen to the client and everything he or she wanted to speak of. A counselor is somehow who holds a space in his heart to feel for them and a space in his mind to think what should be done.

Sen No Rikyu Sen

Sen No Rikyu The most influential Japanese tea master in Japan’s history is considered to be Sen No Rikyu. He made the tea ceremony Chanoyu (Way of tea) into an art form. Sen no Rikyu was born in 1522 to the name of Yoshiro in the merchant city of Sakai. Rikyu was born to a prominent family, his father, Yohei, was a city council member (The Japanese Way, 1998) as well as an accomplished merchant. (Above) Sen No Rikyu Developing of Wabi-Cha Wabi-Cha is a Japanese discipline of drinking tea. As stated in the article â€Å"Two for Tea†: The â€Å"Wabi† refers to the beauty that is found in simple things and Cha means tea. Japan Journal) At a young age Sen No Rikyu began to study tea ceremony under Kitamuki Dochi. During his time with kitamuki Dochi, he studied the elegant tea traditions of Higashiyama, which resembles that of a traditional Chinese tea ceremony and is best suited for a shoin room. (Fujimori, 2007) See link for a brief description of a Shoin Room: htt p://www. metmuseum. org/toah/works-of-art/shoin_room At the age of 19 Sen No Rikyu began to study under Takeno Jo-o, where he learned the contemporary style of tea ceremony.This type of tea ceremony was best suited for a smaller room, known as thatched tea house. In the Daitoku-ji temple, located northwest of Kyoto, Rikyu underwent Zen training as a Zen-Buddhist. After his training he changed his name to Sen Soueki (Japanese). By combining these two different methods of tea ceremonies, he was able to create a new foundation for tea ceremonies as declared in the article â€Å"Rikyu and the Fruition of the way of tea†: As this indicates, Rikyu first studied with Kitamuki Dochin, who practiced the Higashiyama style of tea that had come down from Noami.Thereafter, he studied with Joo in the Juko tradition, and by conjoining these two strands, he was able to construct a new basis for the success of Chanoyu. (The Japanese Way, 1998) (Above) Daitoku-Ji temple Daitoku-ji temple Video : http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=XlurloSuiC0 Sen no Rikyu continue to perfect his tea ceremonial style of Wabi and by 1580 he had fashioned what we know today as Wabi-Cha. As acknowledged in â€Å"Three Chanoyou and Momoyama: Conflict and transformation in Rikyu art†: A number of tea gatherings were recorded which suggest further development of his inclination toward Wabi sensitivities.In the summer of 1577 he held a gathering to open his tea room, probably in Sakai, and invited Matsue Ryusen, Tennojiya Doshitsu, and Tsuda Sogyu; apart from the Koshima bowl, all his tea articles were common and plain, and the meal (kaiseki) was quite simple. The next year he again held a simple gathering in his small room (kozashiki). He continued also to host tea gatherings at which he used the daisu stand, but by 1580 it is clear that he had developed a strong Wabi style. (Tea in Japan, 1998) Thatched tea house Entrance of a Thatched tea houseTea ceremony For a full description a of That ched tea house build by Sen no Rikyu see the first three minutes of this YouTube video: http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=WboHExBcKSg Success as tea master From a young age Sen No Rikyu was a talented tea ceremony host, this is known through the evidence of people writing about his tea ceremonial talent. As stated in the article: â€Å"Tea and council: The political role of Sen Rikyu†: A rich Nara merchant recorded in his diary that he had attended a tea ceremony hosted by the fifteen-year-old Rikyu.This shows that the boy must have been sufficiently accomplished to serve tea to such an important man and that already at this age he had successfully entered the exclusive circle of the powerful commercial elite. (Bordat, 1977) There isn’t a great deal of information about Rikyu middle years. What it’s know is that he continue to developed his tea ceremony methods and became popular among other tea masters of Sakai.As stated in the article â€Å"Three Chanoyu and Momoyama: Conflict and Transformation in Rikyu’s Art†: When Rikyu invited his teacher Joo to a gathering in 1544, just seven months before Joo's death, he used a Korean tea bowl, a kettle with a pattern of clouds and dragons, a Hotei incense container, a Kinrinji tea caddy, and a water jug of Shigaraki earthenware, and displayed a painting by Mu Ch'i with his own inscription in the alcove. These were all suitably valuable articles to show that Rikyu was in the first rank of Sakai tea men.A decade later Rikyu hosted a gathering with Imai Sokyu as the only guest, and Sokyu's account shows that Rikyu continued to collect and use famous and valuable articles; he placed a Semehimo kettle in the hearth, narcissus flowers in the highly-prized Tsuru no Hitokoe flower vase, and used a Shigaraki water jug, a Korean tea bowl, and the celebrated Narashiba Katatsuki tea caddy which had been beloved by Torii Insetsu and was afterward passed to Shimai Soshitsu of Hakata and, finally, to Hideyoshi (I should discuss about him later on).The available records thus make clear that Rikyu from an early age shared with the other Sakai tea men a liking for the collection and display of valuable articles, and he developed his aesthetic sense in accordance with his training in the Higashiyama tradition. (Ludwig, 1989) Below are two of Sen No Rikyu best saying: Though many people drink tea, if you do not know the Way of Tea, tea will drink you up. and The Way of Tea is naught but this: first you boil water, then you make the tea and drink it. Sen No Rikyu and his political rise.Even though Sen No Rikyu was a well known tea master, he never serve tea to the most powerful Daimyo of the region Oda Nobunaga, as stated in the article â€Å"Three Chanyu and Momoyama: Conflict and Transformation Rikyu’s Art†: Rikyu never attained such importance with Nobunaga, perhaps because his merchant family was not as powerful in Sakai. Approximately in 1570 Sen no Rikyu was int roduced to Oda Nobunaga, during this period Nobunaga was attempting the unification of Japan. Nobunaga who popularized Sen no Rikyu tea ceremony used it originally as a way to talk politics and business. Oda Nobunaga Biography) Rikyu along with Imai Sokyu, and Tsuda Sogyu, were placed in charge of tea ceremonies for Nobunaga. By 1575 Rikyu was acting tea master for Nobunaga as stated in the article â€Å"Three Chanoyou and Momoyama: Conflict and transformation in Rikyu art†: At a victory celebration after in 1575, Nobunaga turned to chanoyu and hosted a deluxe gathering at Myokoji Temple, inviting seventeen tea men from Kyoto and Sakai to display and use his many treasured tea articles.Rikyu's role in this sumptuous ceremony is indicated in Shincho Koki by the phrase â€Å"sado wa Soeki,† showing that Rikyu acted as tea master for Nobunaga. (Ludwig, 1989). (Above) Oda Nobunaga Rikyu continue to gain prestige above the other two tea master, mostly due to Nobunagaâ€℠¢s preference for Rikyu as he had become his secretary and highly trusted middleman. (Bodart, 1977) During this same period Rikyu was an established merchant that supported Nobunaga’s campaign as stated in the essay â€Å"Tea in Japan†: In a letter from Nobunaga address to Rikyu there is this note of thanks for a thousand musket balls.As Nobunaga continue to gain land he wanted to transform Chanoyu into his own possession (Kamakura, 1989), causing it to become a national practice, as it was way of showing Nobunaga’s supremacy. In 1582 Oda Nobunaga was assassinated, after a power struggle Toyotomi Hideyoshi claim most of Nobunaga’s clan and land. During this period Rikyu ingenuity ascended to new heights as well as his political power.In 1585 for the first time tea was formally presented to the Emperor, Emperor Ogimachi, at the Imperial Palace. As Rikyu didn’t posses rank or status he could not attend the ceremony, this issue was solve and is best d escribe in the essay â€Å"Sen No Rikyu: Inquiries into his life†: In order to be admitted into the palace either to have such as high rank and office, or alternatively, to assume the status of a priest who transcendent lay distinctions.Thus Rikyu took the priestly designation of Koji (Buddhist Layman) It is also believe that at this time Rikyu rose from one of many tea master to become Tenka Gosado â€Å"the tea master of Japan. (Bodart, 1977) (Above) Toyotomi Hideyoshi During Hideyoshi reign Rikyu political power increase so much so that he played a central role as stated in the article â€Å"Three Chanyu and Momoyama: Conflict and Transformation Rikyu’s Art†:With Hideyoshi in control, the political use of the leading tea masters continued, and Rikyu played a central role.This can be seen from his letters of 1584 and 1585, which show he was well informed of Hideyoshi's plans in the campaign against Oda Nobukatsu's and Tokugawa Ieyasu's forces and the Etchu ca mpaign against the Sassa, took a deep interest in these military affairs, and was even given responsibility in the custody of Osaka. (Ludwig, 1989) (Above) Osaka Castle Sen No Rikyu Death Rikyu became more than a tea master to Hideyoshi, he was often an advisor on other matters. Hideytoshi allow Rikyu to maintain his independence, but disagreements cause their relationship to fail.It is believe that when Rykyu refused Hideyoshi’s request to take Rikyu’s daughter as a concubine, the relationship broke and never recovered. (Zen)In 1591 Hideyoshi eventually order Rikyu to commit Seppuku (Ritual suicide) the true reasons are not know but according to the Article â€Å"Zen stories of Samurai†: Tradition holds that Hideyoshi was infuriated when he entered the gate of Daitoku-ji temple (whose construction he had funded) and saw that he was walking under a statue of Rikyu   Just before his death, Rikyu called together his family and disciples.He then composed his deat h poem. I raise the sword. This sword of mine; Long in my possession. The time is come at last. Skyward I throw it up! Sen No Rikyu Legacy Sen No Rikyu legacy can still be seen today in Japanese tea ceremonies. As he perfected the â€Å"Way of Tea† this cause all of the earlier styles of tea ceremonies to vanished with Rikyu death. Today all modern styles of tea ceremonies can be traced directly or indirectly to Rikyu. After his death Rikyu family scattered and when into hiding as stated in the article â€Å"A rief History of Chanoyu†: Though the family had been scattered and were in hiding in the residences of various generals , his son Shoan and grandson Sotan, succeeded in reestablishing the family name and reassembling their possessions. They began their task by rebuilding the Zangetsutei and Fushinan tea houses at Ogawa Teranouchi in Kyoto. Today three Sen families exists, this families continue the tradition of holding a memorial service every month at the mutual family temple. (A Brief) (Above) Sen No Rikyu Grave A timeline of the Chonoyu can be view at this link: ttp://www. tea-passage. com/timeline. html Reference A Brief history of chanoyu. (n. d. ). Retrieved from  http://cla. calpoly. edu/~bmori/syll/Hum310japan/Tea%20History. html Bodart, B. M. (1977). Tea and counsel. the political role of sen rikyu. Monumenta Nipponica,  32(1), FUJIMORI, T. (2007, August). Two for tea. Retrieved from http://www. japanjournal. jp/tjje/show_art. php? INDyear=07;INDmon=08;artid=f163e1f847cf981422ef0f1ccc Kumakura, Isao. (1989). Sen no rikyu: inquiries into his life and tea. Tea in Japan: Essays on the History of Chanoyu, 33.Ludwig, T. M. (1989). Tea in japan: essays on the history of chanoyu.. Honolulu HI: University of Hawaii Press. Oda nobunaga biography. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. biographybase. com/biography/Oda_Nobunaga. html The Japanese way of tea: from its origins in china to sen rikyu. (1998). Honolulu HI: University of Hawaii P ress. Tea in Japan: essays on the history of chanoyu. (1998). Honolulu HI: University of Hawaii Press. Zen stories of the samurai  . (n. d. ). Retrieved from  http://www. zenstoriesofthesamurai. com/Characters/Sen%20no%20Rikyu. htm

Sexual Reorientation Therapy essays

Sexual Reorientation Therapy essays In todays American culture, homosexuality is seen much differently than is has been in past years. It is pretty much accepted by the psychological community as a sexual preference that cannot be changed that that is possibly genetically predetermined or that is a result of brain structures. Anyone who would suggest that perhaps there is a way for homosexuals to attain sexual attraction towards the opposite sex is often accosted by not only members of the psychological community but also leaders of the homosexual community. However, if there is a form of sexual reorientation therapy being practiced and has seen results, it is a possibility that must be investigated. I suggest that human sexuality is much more fluid than previously thought; that homosexual desires are more a result of relational problems with others and feelings of rejection, and that many homosexuals who are unhappy with their sexual orientation have options to help them attain the lifestyle that that want. In past decades, the attitudes in the country towards homosexuals were ones of avoidance and complete disapproval. In fact, the subject was very rarely discussed. It wasnt until the 1960s that our culture became more comfortable discussing sexuality. This time period is known as the sexual revolution. Although many religious organizations spoke out against homosexuality, it slowly became a more acceptable lifestyle to the point where according to a recent Gallup poll about only 55% of Americans agree with homosexual marriages. This all sounds as if homosexuals in this country would be very content with their lifestyle. However, this isnt the case. If you were to ask homosexuals whether they would prefer to be straight if they had the choice, most would say yes. However, organizations such as the American Psychological Association have dismissed the notion that homosexuals might be able to switch orientation. So, has there b...

Plesiosaurs and Pliosaurs - The Sea Serpents

Plesiosaurs and Pliosaurs - The Sea Serpents Of all the reptiles that crawled, stomped, swam and flew their way through the Mesozoic era, plesiosaurs and pliosaurs have a unique distinction: practically no one insists that tyrannosaurs still roam the earth, but a vocal minority believes that some species of these sea serpents have survived down to the present day. However, this lunatic fringe doesnt include many respected biologists or paleontologists, as well see below. Plesiosaurs (Greek for almost lizards) were large, long-necked, four-flippered marine reptiles that paddled their way through the oceans, lakes, rivers, and swamps of the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. Confusingly, the name plesiosaur also encompasses the pliosaurs (Pliocene lizards, even though they lived tens of millions of years before), which possessed more hydrodynamic bodies, with bigger heads and shorter necks. Even the biggest plesiosaurs (such as the 40-foot-long Elasmosaurus) were relatively gentle fish-feeders, but the largest pliosaurs (such as Liopleurodon) were every bit as dangerous as a Great White Shark. Plesiosaur and Pliosaur Evolution Despite their aquatic lifestyles, its important to realize that plesiosaurs and pliosaurs were reptiles, and not fishmeaning they had to surface frequently to breathe air. What this implies, of course, is that these marine reptiles evolved from a terrestrial ancestor of the early Triassic period, almost certainly an archosaur. (Paleontologists disagree about the exact lineage, and its possible that the plesiosaur body plan evolved convergently more than once.) Some experts think the earliest marine ancestors of the plesiosaurs were the nothosaurs, typified by the early Triassic Nothosaurus. As is often the case in nature, the plesiosaurs and pliosaurs of the late Jurassic and Cretaceous periods tended to be bigger than their early Jurassic cousins. One of the earliest known plesiosaurs, Thalassiodracon, was only about six feet long; compare that to the 55-foot length of Mauisaurus, a plesiosaur of the late Cretaceous. Similarly, the early Jurassic pliosaur Rhomaleosaurus was only about 20 feet long, while the late Jurassic Liopleurodon attained lengths of 40 feet (and weighed in the neighborhood of 25 tons). However, not all pliosaurs were equally big: for example, the late Cretaceous Dolichorhynchops was a 17-foot-long runt (and may have subsisted on soft-bellied squids rather than more robust prehistoric fish). Plesiosaur and Pliosaurs Behavior Just as plesiosaurs and pliosaurs (with some notable exceptions) differed in their basic body plans, they also differed in their behavior. For a long time, paleontologists were puzzled by the extremely long necks of some plesiosaurs, speculating that these reptiles held their heads high above the water (like swans) and dived them down to spear fish. It turns out, though, that the heads and necks of plesiosaurs werent strong or flexible enough to be used this way, though they certainly would have combined to make an impressive underwater fishing apparatus. Despite their sleek bodies, plesiosaurs were far from the fastest marine reptiles of the Mesozoic Era (in a head-to-head match, most plesiosaurs would likely have been outflippered by most ichthyosaurs, the slightly earlier fish lizards that evolved hydrodynamic, tuna-like shapes). One of the developments that doomed the plesiosaurs of the late Cretaceous period was the evolution of faster, better-adapted fish, not to mention the evolution of more agile marine reptiles like mosasaurs. As a general rule, the pliosaurs of the late Jurassic and Cretaceous periods were bigger, stronger, and just plain meaner than their long-necked plesiosaur cousins. Genera like Kronosaurus and Cryptoclidus attained sizes comparable to modern grey whales, except that these predators were equipped with numerous, sharp teeth rather than plankton-scooping baleen. Whereas most plesiosaurs subsisted on fish, pliosaurs (like their underwater neighbors, the prehistoric sharks) probably fed on anything and everything that ventured their way, ranging from fish to squids to other marine reptiles. Plesiosaur and Pliosaur Fossils One of the odd things about plesiosaurs and pliosaurs pertains to the fact that, 100 million years ago, the distribution of the earths oceans was much different than it is today. Thats why new marine reptile fossils are constantly being discovered in such unlikely places as the American west and midwest, major portions of which were once covered by the broad, shallow Western Interior Sea. Plesiosaur and pliosaur fossils are also unusual in that, unlike those of terrestrial dinosaurs, theyre often found in one, completely articulated piece (which may have something to do with the protective qualities of the silt at the ocean bottom). These remains baffled naturalists as long ago as the 18th century; one fossil of a long-necked plesiosaur prompted a (still unidentified) paleontologist to quip that it looked like a snake threaded through the shell of a turtle. A plesiosaur fossil also figured in one of the most famous dust-ups in the history of paleontology. In 1868, the famous bone-hunter Edward Drinker Cope reassembled an Elasmosaurus skeleton with the head placed on the wrong end (to be fair, up to that point, paleontologists had never encountered such a long-necked marine reptile). This error was seized on by Copes arch-rival Othniel C. Marsh, kicking off a long period of rivalry and sniping known as the Bone Wars. Are Plesiosaurs and Pliosaurs Still Among Us? Even before a living coelacantha genus of prehistoric fish that was believed to have died off tens of millions of years agowas found in 1938 off the coast of Africa, people known as cryptozoologists have speculated about whether all the plesiosaurs and pliosaurs really went extinct 65 million years ago along with their dinosaur cousins. Whereas any surviving terrestrial dinosaurs would likely have been discovered by now, the reasoning goes, the oceans are vast, dark and deepso somewhere, somehow, a colony of Plesiosaurus might have survived. The poster lizard for living plesiosaurs, of course, is the mythical Loch Ness Monsterpictures of which bear a marked resemblance to Elasmosaurus. However, there are two problems with the theory that the Loch Ness monster is really a plesiosaur: first, as mentioned above, plesiosaurs breathe air, so the Loch Ness monster would have to emerge from the depths of its lake every ten minutes or so, which might draw some attention. And second, as also mentioned above, the necks of plesiosaurs simply werent strong enough to allow them to strike a majestic, Loch Ness-like pose. Of course, as the saying goes, the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. Vast regions of the worlds oceans remain to be explored, and it doesnt defy belief (though its still a very, very long shot) that a living plesiosaur may one day be scooped up in a fishing net. Just dont expect it to be found in Scotland, in the vicinity of a famous lake!

Network Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Network - Essay Example Outsourcing is important to keep up with the competition in the global business in order to be able to drive the market share and profit (Burns 2009, p.62). It also gives your business the ability to concentrate on the main objectives such as customer service, banking and retailing. The company focuses on the increase in the use of smart cards in the Gulf region by supporting through giving their experience and expertise to the current and new clients. The current business environment is quite competitive that is why Network international has to keep up with the upcoming trends in the market through investing in the latest technologies, which will help the customers give a faster and more comfortable means of payment. According to Curtis Arnold, depending on the nature of one’s business, they have a variety of card and payment products and services, which will broaden one’s business opportunities (Network International). Network international has maintained a culture of encouraging innovations in order to give their customers extraordinary products and services to keep up with the competition in the business environment. Their trained, qualified and experienced staff plus a business which is customer focused promotes confidence in their clients to focus on their own business strategy. Working with network international gives business ideas that enhance loyalty in customers. EFQM model provides a groundwork that motivates hard work, which is needed in the competition on a global arena (Gomez, Costa & Lorente 2011, p.486). The model gives a broader view of the organization which can be useful in determining how different ideas come together to complement each other. EFQM model enables individuals to understand what its organization does and the results it achieves. The aim of the model was to enable organizations to be successful and sustain the success and respect. Sheikh Khalifa Excellence Award- SKEA and Dubai Quality Awards- DQA depend on

Issues in Healthcare law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Issues in Healthcare law - Essay Example A recent study highlights the importance of necessity to follow patients more closely after discharge as hospitalized patients have a high risk of adverse  outcomes resulting from treatment (â€Å"Forster’’). In earlier days, a patient usually had to meet physically with a doctor for treatment. But now technology has made it simpler, and they can easily access the required information on Internet as hundreds of medical sites are readily accessible. At the same even patient can get the information from the doctor through online. Despite the popularity of publications warning of the potential harm associated with using health information from the Internet, cases of getting information from Internet is increasing (â€Å"Crocco AG’’). The most important thing patients can do for their health care is to choose one primary health care provider. They may be a pediatrician for children, a family practitioner, or a geriatrician for an old age person. It is an i mportant because a primary provider can get to know patient and patient’s medical history and helps them feel comfortable discussing personal issues.