Monday, December 30, 2019

Entelodon (Killer Pig) - Facts and Figures

Name: Entelodon (Greek for perfect teeth); pronounced en-TELL-oh-don; also known as the Killer Pig Habitat: Plains of Eurasia Historical Epoch: Late Eocene-Middle Oligocene (37-27 million years ago) Size and Weight: About 10 feet long and 1,000 pounds Diet: Omnivorous Distinguishing Characteristics: Large head with prominent snout; warts on cheeks About Entelodon (Killer Pig) Plucked from prehistoric obscurity thanks to cameos on nature documentaries like Walking with Beasts and Prehistoric Predators, Entelodon has been immortalized as the Killer Pig, even though (like modern pigs) this megafauna mammal ate plants as well as meat. Entelodon was about the size of a cow, and it had a noticeably (and hugely) pig-like face, with wart-like, bone-supported wattles on its cheeks and an extended snout studded with dangerous-looking teeth. Like many mammals of the Eocene epoch--only 30 million or so years after the dinosaurs went extinct--Entelodon also had an unusually small brain for its size, and was probably not the brightest omnivore of its Eurasian habitat. Somewhat confusingly, Enteledon has lent its name to an entire family of megafauna mammals, the entelodonts, which also includes the slightly smaller Daeodon of North America. Entelodonts, in their turn, were preyed on by creodonts, a family of thickly built, vaguely wolf-like mammals (which have left no close living descendants) typified by Hyaenodon and Sarkastodon. To show how difficult it can be to classify Eocene mammals, its now believed that Entelodon may have been more closely related to modern hippopotamuses, or even whales, than to modern pigs!

Sunday, December 22, 2019

What Does Life Mean - 1127 Words

What does life mean to us? Each day we wake up, do our daily routine, sleep, and then repeat. What if one day we are shown that our world, and the life that we have been living, is not real. What meaning would our lives have then? Would we say that we lived a good life? Or would we say that we have not yet lived at all? On the other hand, what if we are presented with option of living a simulated life? We could have the option of being and doing whoever and whatever we want. And once we are in the simulation we will not even remember that our lives are not real until we come out of it. Would you accept that offer? Two authors have vastly different opinions and ideas about how the world would respond to these questions. Jeremy Bentham, a philosopher from the 1740 s, believes that we would want in on this proposal. He presumes that we, as humans only care about our experiences and how they make us feel. On the other hand, Robert Nozick, a different philosopher from the 1930 s, believes that we want to actually do things, not just have the experiences and feelings of doing them. The experience machine theory above is something he thought up in order to prove his point. According to Bentham s views he would plug into this machine and expect that others would as well. Nozick is completely against the Bentham s idea. In fact, Nozick s experience machine essay is legitimate critique of Bentham s views. Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereignShow MoreRelatedWhat Is Life? What Does It Mean?769 Words   |  4 PagesCharlie: What is life? What does it mean to live? Olivia: What does it mean to die? Is death when you stop breathing? Charlie: So if I hold my breath, am I dead? And if I start breathing again am I reborn into another life? Olivia: The saying- live life to the fullest, does that mean life s a metaphorical jar which you constantly fill up over the duration of your life? And when its full... Is that when you die? Charlie: Is death really a bad thing? What if no one died? More peopleRead MoreWhat Does It Mean You Live A Life Of Meaning And Purpose? Essay1366 Words   |  6 PagesWhat does it mean to live a life of meaning and purpose? We have examined this question through at least five different authors, in different time periods, and through different ideas. However, the common idea has remained the same, have faith in God. For a human to live a life of meaning and purpose he must understand the truths of the natural world and the differences between what is good and evil. Jesus set an example for humans in his stories written by Matthew by displaying the ultimate faithRead MoreThe Meaning of Respect Essay747 Words   |  3 PagesMost people go through life and always hear about the word respect, but they don’t know what it means. Respect is the esteem for or a sense of the worth or excellence of a person. There are things in life you need to hold in respect. Respect for yourself, r espect for others, and respect for property. Respect is taught to people everywhere and it is even taught to them in their religions. Respect is the very aspect that keeps everything in your life. Respect for yourself is very important to a personRead MoreThe Doctrine Of The Me Underpin Aristotle s Account Of Citizen Virtue?899 Words   |  4 PagesTo what extent, and how, does ‘the doctrine of the mean’ underpin Aristotle’s account of citizen virtue? In order to answer the question ‘To what extent, and how, does ‘the doctrine of the mean’ underpin Aristotle’s account of citizen virtue?’ it is first important for me to define ‘the doctrine of the mean’ which was developed in Book II of Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics (II.2.1104a12-26) in the form of a medical analogy. ‘the doctrine of the mean’ is very often dismissed as being unhelpful andRead MoreJack London Naturalism Analysis952 Words   |  4 Pagesimitates life in the most real and natural way. Its influence of on writers is significant, as writers attempt to portray the natural world through literature. Some authors found it easy to write in a naturalist sense, because naturalism often focuses on the plights of the lower class. Many writers rose from the bottom and were inspired by their previous experiences. Jack London is an example of someone who rose from the bottom. His early life struggles are displayed in â€Å"What Life Means to Me†. ItRead MoreAristotle Think Made A Good Life849 Words   |  4 Pages Aristotle wondered what made a good life. When Aristotle asked others what made their life good, the answer always included happiness. Aristotle wanted to create a way for people to look at their lives and use knowledge to judge what happiness is. Aristotle found that this task was nearly impossible because people have vastly different personalities and view circumstances differently. With the Doctrine of the Mean, Aristotle explains that to achieve happiness, one must create ethical valuesRead MoreThe Issue Of Animal Cruelty1023 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"things†, and properties of life have a sole function and reason to be in existence. Everything must have an ends to itself rather than a means to another ends (Aristotle, 617-636). Aristotle examines the idea of function and purposefulness within the ten books of Nicomachean Ethics. Finding this ends to itself is how one can achieve the ultimate happiness. Aristotle discovers that if everything has an ends to itself, man too, must have an end. What does being a â€Å"person† really mean, and who is eligibleRead MoreUnited States and the Five Basic Principles Essay672 Words   |  3 Pagesare five basic principles and they are the value of life principle, th e principle of goodness or rightness, the principle of justice or fairness, the principle of truth telling or honesty, and the principle of individual freedom. These principles can apply to many things, but when it comes to the United States following them this is how they are applied. The first principle is the value of life, and this means that human beings should respect life and death. People in the United States do follow thisRead MoreLife in the Universe Exercises and Questions779 Words   |  4 Pages1. Why are scientists interested in the possibility of life beyond Earth? The discovery of life of any kind beyond Earth would forever change our perspective on how we fit into the universe as a whole, and would teach us much more about life here on Earth. 2. People have long been interested in life beyond Earth. What is different today that makes this possibility seem scientifically reasonable? Today, technology has flourished and is more advanced than it was in the past. We are able toRead MoreJohn Aquinas s The Body And Soul1480 Words   |  6 Pagesbetween body and soul, and what it means to be human. Part 1: Aquinas moves to claim the soul as the first principle of life. The soul is what distinguishes life from the non-living. A vital operation may be material such as the principle of hearing is the ear but it is not the principle of all life as it does not define the operation of the body completely. Here he draws a distinction. Also the first principle of life cannot be a body much as lungs are a principle to life through breathing. â€Å"To be

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Hamlet Thesis Free Essays

Hamlet Thesis Statement In the play Hamlet, William Shakespeare writes of a tragedy in which Hamlet and Laertes both face the same problem-a murdered father. The paths of revenge that each of them take, parallel their characters and personalities throughout the play. While Hamlet broods over the murder of his father for the majority of the play, Laertes takes immediate action, and upon hearing about the death of his father, he rushes in and is ready to kill Claudius-whom he suspects has killed his father. We will write a custom essay sample on Hamlet Thesis or any similar topic only for you Order Now When they first hear the news of their father’s death, Hamlet and Laertes react in very different ways. When Hamlet hears that Claudius was the one who killed his father, his immediate reaction was grief. This is no surprise, due to the fact that he was still mourning the death of his father, although everyone else had already gotten over it. In fact, most people thought that he was overdoing it ,and Claudius went so far as to tell him that he should get over it, and â€Å"Yet so far hath discretion fought with nature that we with wisest sorrow think on him together with remembrance of ourselves† (act one, scene two). The way that Hamlet plans his revenge, is more intelligent than the way Laertes plans his. While Hamlet is a more intellectual person, as we can see from his quick wit and sarcasm, Laertes is more impulsive and â€Å"acts, then thinks† as we can see when he says â€Å"I am justly killed with mine own treachery† (act five, scene two). In such a situation, had the play not ended the way it did, Hamlet may have been more successful in avenging his father’s murder because of his responsibility and intellect. Despite the fact that Hamlet procrastinates, Hamlet was smarter in the way he planned his revenge because his procrastination was due to his grief and foresight. Although Laertes trait of acting quickly can be admired and gets the job done, in a situation that involves death and vengeance, strategy and discretion are a must. From the beginning of the play, we can see that Hamlet is an intellectual thinker. Although he believes the ghost and pronounces that â€Å"it is an honest ghost† (act one, scene five) , he still takes precautions after he promises the ghost that he will take revenge. However, Hamlet is still a little wary of the ghost and therefor decides to feign madness so that he would be able to find out if Claudius was the true killer of his father. Even while feigning madness Hamlet thinks about the whole process of the madness. Unlike Laertes, Hamlet is careful not to disclose what the ghost has told him and only imparts to Horatio and Marcellus what happened when they swear on his sword that they would never speak of what they saw from that point on. One of the reasons why Hamlet is such a procrastinator is because he becomes caught up in the details and potential consequences. In the soliloquy of â€Å"to be or not to be† (act three, scene two) Hamlet loses the will to live and ponders whether it is worth it to exist. Due to the fact that Hamlet suffered the death of his father at a young age as well as well as many other hardships, Hamlet contemplates whether â€Å"Tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against the sea of troubles and by opposing, end them? To die: to sleep; no more;† (act three, scene two). However, after that, Hamlet mentions the potential consequences of the unknown after death. Due to the death of his father and his mother’s hasty remarriage which Hamlet does not approve of, Hamlet is well aware of the consequences of his actions and therefore is hesitant to act rashly. When planning his revenge, Hamlet does not jump to conclusions. When the players come, Hamlet asks them to perform â€Å"The Mousetrap†-a play of a murder similar to that of Hamlet’s father’s. Hamlet hopes that â€Å"The plays the thing wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the king† (act two, scene two). Indeed, the plan worked and when Claudius stormed out of the theatre, all of Hamlets suspicions were confirmed. As Hamlet so eloquently noted, â€Å"What, frightened with false fire? †, (act three, scene two) Hamlet was now positive that Claudius was at fault for murdering his father. Another thing that slows Hamlet down in his plan of revenge is that he is a religious catholic, and he is very concerned about mortality. Hamlet is scared that if he kills Claudius, his father’s murderer, his soul will be damned. Hamlet is also scared that if he kills Claudius while he is praying, Claudius will go to heaven and that would not please Hamlet because he said that â€Å"A villain kills my father, and, for that, I, his sole son, do this same villain send to heaven† (act three, scene three). Contrary to Hamlet, Laertes followed the passion in his heart. As soon as he returned from France and heard the news, he invaded the palace, and then asked the questions- the complete opposite of Hamlet. When Laertes hears that Hamlet killed his father, he expresses intense anger and openly announces his plan to take revenge. In his rage, Laertes yells that â€Å"Let what comes come, only I’ll be revenged most thoroughly for my father† (act four, scene five) and makes up his mind to take revenge no matter how or where. When Hamlet heard that his father had been murdered by Claudius, he had already been grieving his father’s death for a while and although the pain was still fresh, his father’s death was old news to him. Therefore, Hamlet was still able to think rationally and plan his revenge in a more intelligent manner. However, when Laertes heard about his father’s murder, he was so grief stricken that he could not think rationally and just followed what his heart told him- to kill Hamlet. Unlike Hamlet, Laertes has no problem â€Å"to cut his throat i’ th’ church! †(Act four, scene seven). To Laertes, mortality doesn’t mean alot, as he so bluntly puts it- â€Å"Conscience and grace, to the profoundest pit! I dare damnation. † (Act four, scene five) Due to his impulsive nature, Laertes tends to be unstable at times. However, Claudius, who suspects Hamlets unusual behavior, joins forces with Laertes to devise a plan to kill Hamlet. This proves a weakness of Laertes’- being unable to carry out his plans singlehandedly. Together, they scheme to kill Hamlet and even come up with a backup plan in case the first one does not go as planned. In the end, his plan of using a poisoned sword backfires when Hamlet ends up using the poisoned sword on him. When weighing in the pros and cons of each of their personalities and flaws, Hamlet took the smarter route in avenging his father’s murder. Although both Hamlet and Laertes die at the end of the play, the reason Hamlet kills himself is because he had nothing to live for. Ophelia, the love of his life was dead, his father was dead and Claudius had died. Since he had nothing to live for, he chose the option of death. On the other hand, Laertes had no choice in the matter because his plan backfired on him and killed him, as we see at the end. Hamlets patience paid off because he, Hamlet achieved his goal, and Laertes, the son of a fishmonger, did not. 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Friday, December 6, 2019

Educational Research Essay Example For Students

Educational Research Essay Single-Subject Critique Establishing Discriminative Control of Responding Using Functional and Alternative Reinforcers During Functional Communication Training Wayne W. Fisher, David E. Kuhn, and Rachel H. Thompson Appropriateness of research question or purpose: The purpose of this research was interesting and of value as it focused on problems that often occur when Functional Communication Training (FCT) is in use. This study sought to find effective solutions as desired . . .responses may be weakened and destructive behaviors may reemerge . . . when reinforcements of communication are delayed or denied due to impossibility or inconvenience of the caregiver or instructors ability to provide said reinforcement in a timely manner. . . .procedures are needed to increase the effectiveness of FCT in situations in which it is impractical or impossible to deliver a given reinforcer. Research design and design rationale: This study was broken up into 4 phases (the fourth phase . . .was completed with only 1 participant in only one condition because of time limitations on the participants hospital admission.) Phase 1: Functional Analyses and Descriptive Assessments. Alternating treatment with no baseline design. During this analysis, a test condition . . .and a control condition were compared using a multi-element design. Phase 2: Communication and Discrimination Training. Phase 3: Treatment Evaluation of FCT with Discriminative Stimuli. Between series, alternating treatment (ABAB) design was used to compare FCT + EXT vs. ACT + EXT in two conditions for one participant (Amy) and in one condition for one participant (Ned). Phase 4: Independent Effects of FCT and EXT. Between series, alternating treatment and a final treatment design was used to compare FCT/ACT (w/o EXT) vs. EXT alone with the final series being strictly FCT/ACT (w/o EXT). The order of presentation for Amys discrimination training were . . . stimulus-present and stimulus-absent periods that were alternated every 30 s for the duration of the 10-min session. For Ned, . . .one SD at a time was presented for 1 min. The order of the first three SD presentations in a given session was randomized, without replacement; thereafter, the order remained constant. Phase 1 was conducted to test the hypotheses generated by the results of. . .descriptive assessments. . . to determine whether . . .destructive behavior was multiply maintained by both attention and access to tangible items, but under specific stimulus conditions for Amy. . . and whether destructive behavior was maintained by . . .attention for Ned, therefore this specific phase of the test did not require a baseline. Once these results were established, and training had incurred, the rationale for design for Phases 3 and 4 were to show contrast between the various interventions. Overall study limitations: I think this study covered its bases well and the only limitation I can rightly see is one that is prone to single-subject research, that is, the use of only two participants. It would have strengthened this study further too if the researchers had been able to complete the final Phase 4 on both of the participants. .

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Evolution by Blood on the Dance Floor free essay sample

To start off, Blood on the Dance Floor is a band in which you must have a certain taste in music, and if you dont like them, please dont hate on them. There are two main members, Dahvie Vanity and Jayy Von Monroe. In the past, their music was mainly about sex and drugs. There were a few songs that had another meaning behind them but songs such as Ima Monster or Innocent high are NOT for immature people. In Evolution, their music had evolved (like Pichu to Pikachu, yay Pokemon) from sex to telling haters f*** off. The first song is Rise and Shine, which, in my opinion, the lyrics mean the haters wont stop but theyll keep going. When you compare this song to, i dunno, Mosh and Roll maybe, you will hear how different just Dahvie sounds. His voice alone has matured, which helped make his music sound more mature. We will write a custom essay sample on Evolution by Blood on the Dance Floor or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Jayys singing and screaming sounded slightly more mature as well, but he already had a deep voice. Track 4, Frankenstein and the Bride, may be the best song they have ever recorded. Its about this gorgeous, beautiful woman who falls in love with the Frankenstein man. Its beautiful because it shows not every pretty girl is mean and that, sometimes, a boy doesnt have to be the best looking to have the hugest heart. Frankenstein is made of spare parts, a madmans brain and a loving mans heart. That may be the prettiest lyric in the whole song, but if youre talking about ANY thing said, it would be the introduction into the song. Unforgiven is about when someone cheats on you and they become one of the unforgiven. In this song, Jayy raps quite a bit. It starts off with him and a little before halfway Dahvie comes in and does his pretty, melt-your-heart singing and this song comes all together. I would totally recommended watching the video the first time you listen to this song because it tells such a story. Altogether this album is for more mature audiences because even though the meaning is there, the words they use arent the most kid friendly. Plus a few of the songs are somewhat like their older ones from 2007 and so on. I really hope you go listen and/or buy this album. It really is meaningful, and the regular edition has 13 songs and i apologise i dont know exactly how many songs the deluxe edition has, but its somewhere around 16. Thanks for reading, i hope you enjoyed.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Free Essays on Crossroads Of Freedom

but, through the letters of soldiers who wrote home. They would tell of how they were sick and tired of ways of commanding. McPherson also showed a bias in the favor of the Confederacy not really by what he said but, by what he did not say. He rarely spoke on the weaknesses or even the strengths in... Free Essays on Crossroads Of Freedom Free Essays on Crossroads Of Freedom Crossroads of Freedom Our generation today has marked September 11, 2001 as the largest disaster of our country but, it is overshadowed greatly by September 17, 1862, â€Å"the bloodiest single day in American history†. The numbers of the Union and Confederate soldiers killed and fatally wounded was from 6,300 to 6,500, this was twice the amount of people that perished in the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and four times the number of casualties of D-day on the beaches of Normandy. The Union forces were lead mainly by General George B. McClellan and the Confederate army was lead by General Robert E. Lee after he had replaced General Joseph Johnston. The upper hand in the war shifted from side to side as each pushed to win each battle and every territory the opposition controlled. European powers observed the action taking place in America and wanted to step in and help bring upon a truce between the sides. The majority of the Europeans supported the Confederates and was wai ting for them to pick up steam and start dominating in order to gain the European backing. Lincoln felt as if he was forced by the pressure of the Confederate forces to enforce an emancipation proclamation that wouldn’t just benefit the slaves but, also benefit the Union and hurt the Confederates. Everything comes to a point where the tides change with great force when the Battle of Antietam ends in a gruesome mess that fuels the Union campaign and morale to continue on and win the war. In my views I see that McPherson was a bit prejudice against McClellan. He often commented on McClellan’s lack of leadership not only in his own words but, through the letters of soldiers who wrote home. They would tell of how they were sick and tired of ways of commanding. McPherson also showed a bias in the favor of the Confederacy not really by what he said but, by what he did not say. He rarely spoke on the weaknesses or even the strengths in...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Texting while driving Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Texting while driving - Research Paper Example Despite the best efforts from the part of governments and law enforcement agencies, there was a 28 percent increase in the number of accidents over the period from 2005 to 2008. Many people accept the fact that they resort to use cell phone while driving; a practice that takes away many lives and that makes many people incapacitated for their entire lives. It is surprising to note that in sharp contradiction with the popular belief, it is adults who are more likely to resort to texting while driving. According to the a Pew Research Centre study, 47 percent of adults do this while only 34 percent teenagers admit doing the same (Distraction.gov). When police officers find it easy to catch those who talk on phone while driving, it is difficult for them to find those who are texting. It is generally pointed out that enforcement of a texting ban is not an easy task as it requires officers to identify an act that usually takes place in a driver’s lap. Despite all these issues associ ated with the use of mobile while driving, it is rather ironic to note that the car manufacturers are not paying any attention to this issue at all. Instead, they are preparing their next generation vehicles with more entertainment. To illustrate, Ford rolls out Twitter and Pandora as a part of their dashboard console entertainment; an invitation card to disasters. It seems that despite the large numbers of accidents, people do not fully understand the graveness of the problem, or are unwilling to mend their ways as they are addicted to mobile. A study conducted by the Virginia tech Transportation Institute (cnet. News) found that those who send text message while driving are twenty-three times more likely to have a crash than the non-distracted drivers (LeBeau). However, the study found a much lesser possibility of accident when the driver is talking on a phone. In this case, the possibility of accident is 1.3 times higher than that of a non-distracted driver. At this juncture, it seems useful to look into the NHTSA study that reveals that 80 percent of crashes and 60 percent of near-crashes are the result of some sort of driver distraction. According to the study, the principal forms of distraction while driving are cell phone use, trying to handle moving objects inside the vehicle, giving attention to another event outside the vehicle, reading while driving, and trying to apply makeup. According to experts, texting is more dangerous than talking on phone. According to studies, drivers who resort to text messaging take 400 percent more time off the road. In addition, they are 70 percent less likely to keep proper lane. While the driver who talks on phone is able to watch the road, the one who is texting has to look at his or her hands, thus, unable to watch the road ahead. Despite all these frightening facts, people do not seem to change their habits. As reported by Bruno (in USA Today), the reason is simple in the opinion of James Katz, director of the Cent er for Mobile Communications at the Rutgers University. According to him, it is basic human nature to believe that they can handle a situation better than others even when they are aware of the dangers involved. As Pittman (66) points out, it is not possible for the US citizens to easily forget the 2008 train disaster that killed 25 people and injured 138 people. In the accident, a Metrolink Commuter Train collided with a Union Pacific freight train. According

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Privatization of Prisons Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Privatization of Prisons - Assignment Example Prisons help in protecting the citizens against the prisoners and at the same time offer the convicts a chance to be rehabilitated as they get punished for their felonies. The advantages of privatizing prisons include reduced costs of running them since private entities put more emphasis on cost management. The prisons will also be run more efficiently while considering issues such as prisoners’ health, and rehabilitation. Prisons should offer better living conditions and facilities than what is being offered currently. This can be achieved if the prisons are privatized. Privatization will ensure that the required infrastructure is well laid and rehabilitation is done effectively. Some analysts do not agree on the idea that private prisons help in cutting costs. One of the major concerns that come with the privatization of prisons is a loss of transparency. In a situation where transparency is lost, it will be hard to establish whether the judgment made by the judiciary is followed. Some of the privatized prisons may employ dubious tactics such as releasing of prisoners to reduce their number. Monopolization of the industry which can come with limited organizations offering the services can lead to dependency. This may adversely affect the services being offered since money may become the priority. The prisons should ensure that there is a mutual benefit when the prisoners are kept in prison to ensure that they are rehabilitated as well as punished for the crimes they committed.

Monday, November 18, 2019

International Accounting Standards Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

International Accounting Standards - Essay Example Many instances were reported by the relevant stakeholders, where the management had concealed liabilities by classifying a lease as an operating lease where it should have been classified as a Finance lease based on the economic reality. To cater these issues IASB drafted and enforced a proper standard â€Å"Accounting for leases†. As the objective indicates, the standard has been divided into two main sections, Operating Lease and Finance Lease. This particular classification has been based on the transfer of risk and rewards of the underlying asset to lessee or lessor. Further aspects distinguishing the leases are discussed below in detail. The scope of the standard proposes it's non – applicability on the following areas: â€Å"Leases to explore minerals, oils, natural gas and similar non-generative resources; Licensing agreements for items as motion picture films, video recordings, manuscripts, patents and copyrights (because they are under scope of IAS 38). IAS 17 shall not be applied as the basis for measurement for leases discussed under IAS 40 (Investment property) and IAS 41 (biological assets). The standard will not apply to contract of services that do not transfer the right to use assets from one contracting party to the other†. (Financedoctors, n.d.) The standard has been further segregated into two aspects. ... In the books of the Bank, it will appear as an Investment held as finance lease with its relating receivables. The classification is explained below in further detail with the criteria defined by the standard as to when a lease is described as a Finance Lease. (Deloitte, 2012) Let's consider the implications of a Lease agreement from the perspective of Lessee. An operating lease is fairly simple to understand and account for. Lease payments under an operating lease arrangement are documented as an expense in the Statement of Comprehensive Income. The distribution of expense is usually done on a straight line basis over the lease term, unless a more logical basis provides a better representation. In the case of operating lease, the asset is not recognised by the lessee in his books of accounts. Instead the asset remains the property of the Lessor, and only used by the lessee in exchange for rentals, recognised as expense for the lessee. (Deloitte, 2012; BPP, 2012) Finance lease become s a little tricky to curtail. As under a finance lease agreement the asset is recognised in the books of the Lessee and subsequently depreciation is charged for the asset in the books of Lessee. Simultaneously, a liability is constructed in the Lessees books in relation to the leased asset. The classification is subject to certain criteria laid down by the standard. An asset is classified as a finance lease subject to the agreements economic reality rather than its legal form. The main factor to be considered is the transfer of risk and rewards. (Deloitte, 2012; BPP, 2012) Circumstances that would lead to a lease being classified as a finance lease are; â€Å"transfer of ownership to lessee at the end of lease term, the Bargain Purchase Option at the end of lease term,

Friday, November 15, 2019

pillbugs and their preferred habitat conditions

pillbugs and their preferred habitat conditions Introduction To sufficiently grasp and understand the experiment on animal behavior, it is crucial to be knowledgeable of the organisms being observed, as well as the various types of animal behaviors present in nature. In this experiment the observed organism was the pillbug. Pillbugs, are also known as sowbugs or woodlice. They are classified as terrestrial isopods as they belong to the phylum Arthropoda, subphylum Crustacea, class Malacostraca, and order Isopoda. Morphologically they consist of three body parts which include the head, thorax, and abdomen. They have one prominent pair of antennae and one inconspicuous pair, simple eyes and seven pairs of legs. The thorax consists of seven separate segments and there are paired appendages, called uropods, that are located at the end of the pillbugs abdomen. The color of the pillbugs can vary from dark gray to white and they could have a pattern or not have one. With female pillbugs, leaf-like growths appear on the underside of the bugs at the ba se of some of the legs. These pouches are where the developing eggs and embryos are held. On the male pillbug, the copulatory organs are the result of modification in the form of elongation of the first two appendages on the abdomen. An immature isopod will molt four to five times. These young isopods resemble the mature form of the isopod, with the exception of their small size in comparison to that of the adults. The juveniles molt in two stages. The back half molts first and then two or three days later the front half molts. This different molting can cause the coloration between the two halves of the isopod to differ. Nutritionally isopods are omnivores or scavengers who feed on decaying or dead plants and animals. Because Isopods breathe with gills, they can only live in areas that have high humidity, such as under rocks and logs, in leaf litter or in crevices. Some species are nocturnal. Their predators consist of both vertebrates and invertebrates. Like other animals, isopods such as pillbugs exhibit their own interesting behaviors. When disturbed, some species will roll up into a ball. They walk fairly quickly, even walking over one another. Environmentally, isopods have both positive and negative effects. The positive impacts of isopods include, within their immediate surroundings, a minimal amount of soil improvements. Unfortunately, large populations of these isopods can eat and damage the plants in greenhouses and southern states. Some of these interactions and descriptions of these isopods is clear from just observing them. These isopods, as well as other animals, exhibit many types of response to sensory input, a response that is known as behavior. The study of an animals behavior is called ethology. Two simple categories for behaviors are learned and innate (inherited). The behaviors that an animal uses to place itself in its most favorable environment are known as orientation behaviors. When the animal is stimulated by such things as light, heat, moisture, sound, or chemicals, they often exhibit taxis, with is the animals movement toward or away from a stimulus. In contrast to this is kinesis, which is a random movement that does not lead to orientation with respect to a certain stimulus. Another type of animal behavior is called agnostic behavior. This type of behavior is exhibited when animals respond to one another with aggressive or submissive response. It is often the case that these agnostic behavioral displays are a method of asserting dominance. Animals also have specific rituals and sets of activities that are involved in finding, courting and mating with another member of its species. Such activities are known as mating behaviors. Pillbugs exhibit, even just when being observed, many of these behaviors. One, the agnostic behaviors, involves the larger isopods appearing to fight. Soil conditions have various pHs. Some plants grow best in acidic conditions, whereas some grow best in basic conditions. Most, however, grow best in areas where the pH ranges from 6.5 to 7.2, 7 being neutral. Hydrochloric acid, HCl, (0.1 M) has a pH of about 1.1 and Potassium Hydroxide, KOH, (0.1 M) has a pH of about 13.5. These two chemicals exhibit pHs at the extremes of the pH scale. Detritus, on which isopods feed, has a more acidic pH. When organic matter decays, H+ ions are produced, thus adding acid to the soil. The acidity limit for plants tends to be no lower than about 4.5 to 5.6 on the pH scale. The vapor pressure of a liquid refers to the concept that the process of evaporation, in a closed container, will proceed until the number of molecules returning to the liquid is equal to the number of molecules that are escaping. When this equilibrium, the vapor is called saturated and the pressure of that vapor, which is normally expressed in mmHg, is referred to as the saturate d vapor pressure. The vapor pressure of HCl is the about the same as water, which is approximately 20 mmHg at room temperature, 22 C. The vapor pressure of KOH is about 2 mmHg for a 45% KOH solution.5 The purpose of this experiment was to use pillbugs to examine animal behaviors, such as taxis, to examine habitat preferences, and determine whether these isopods prefer moist or dry habitats, dark or light habitats, and acidic or caustic environments. It is hypothesized that, given that pillbugs posses gills, for which moisture is needed to help function properly, the pillbugs would prefer moist over dry environments. In addition, it can be hypothesized that, given that the pillbugs live under rocks and feed on decaying organic material, which releases acid into the soil, they would prefer the dark rather than light conditions and the acidic over the caustic environment. Materials and Methods Water Pipet Filter Paper (2 pieces) Choice Chamber Scissors Soft Brush 10 Pillbugs Stopwatch To observe pill bugs and their preference for moist versus dry conditions, a choice chamber, consisting of two petri dishes connected to one another, was obtained and lined with filter paper. Two pieces of filter paper were cut to fit the chambers. One was then moistened, using a pipette, with a few drops of water. The second piece of circular filter paper was left dry. The moistened filter paper was placed at the bottom of one chamber, chamber 1, and the dry filter paper was placed at the bottom of the other, chamber 2. Then, using a soft brush, ten pillbugs were obtained from the stock of pillbugs, and then placed into the chambers. Also using a soft brush, five pill bugs were placed in the dry chamber while the remaining five were placed in the moist chamber and the chambers were closed. This pillbug count for each chamber was then recorded for time zero minutes. Using the stopwatch to track time, the count of pill bugs on each side of the choice chamber was then recorded every 30 seconds for ten minutes, and continued even when some may no longer have been moving or were all on one side. Notes were taken on the actions and interactions of the pill bugs throughout the ten minute period. Once ten minutes had elapsed, the pillbugs were returned to the stock culture. Black Paper White Filter Paper Choice Chamber 10 Pillbugs Soft Brush Scissors Stopwatch To determine the preference of pillbugs between light and dark habitats and conditions, a choice chamber with two connecting petri dishes was lined with two different types of paper. One piece of normal filter paper and one piece of black paper were both cut to fit the chambers. Next, the bottom of the inside of one dish, chamber 1, was covered with the unaltered, white filter paper and the other dish, chamber 2, was lined with the black paper. Then, using a soft brush, ten pillbugs were obtained from the pill bug stock culture, five of which were placed in the black-paper lined chamber and the remaining five were placed in the white paper lined chamber. The choice chamber was then closed. The initial pill bug count, 5 in each chamber was then recorded in the table. For a period of ten minutes, using a stopwatch to track time, the count of the pillbugs on each side of the choice chamber was recorded every thirty seconds. In addition, notes about the interactions of the pill bugs were taken throughout the ten minute period. The count continued to be taken, regardless of the lack of movement from the pillbugs or the concentration of all ten in one chamber. After the ten minutes had elapsed, the pillbugs were returned to the stock culture. White Filter Paper (2 pieces) 0.1 M HCl (Hydrochloric Acid) 0.1 M KOH (Potassium Hydroxide) Pipettes (1 or 2) Filter Paper (3 Pieces) 3 Choice Chamber 10 Pillbugs Scissors Stopwatch To determine the preference of pillbugs in terms of basic versus acidic conditions, a 3-choice chamber was set up. Three pieces of filter paper were cut to fit the chambers. Using a pipette, about four drops of 0.1 M HCl were placed in a circular pattern about the paper. Another piece of filter paper was sprinkled with 0.1 M KOH in the same manner as was done with the hydrochloric acid. The HCl and KOH were applied to the filter paper in such a way that the paper was not drenched in the chemical. One chamber, the one connected to two other chambers was lined with an unaltered piece of filter paper. One of the two remaining chambers, chamber 1, was lined at the bottom (inside bottom) with the acidic filter paper and the remaining chamber, chamber 3, was lined at the bottom with the basic filter paper. Using a soft brush, the ten pill bugs were all removed from the stock culture and placed in chamber 2, the middle chamber consisting of the unaltered paper. The chambers were then covere d and the pillbug count was recorded in the table for the initial time of 0 minutes. For the next ten minutes, the count of pillbugs in each of the three chambers was recorded every thirty minutes. The data continued to be collected even when they were no longer moving between sides or were all on one side. After the ten minutes had elapsed, the ten pillbugs were returned to the stock culture. Results Table 1: Number of Pillbugs in Wet vs. Dry Chambers at Various Times Time (min.) Number in Wet Chamber Number in Dry Chamber Other Notes 0 5 5 Begin moving instantly 0.5 2 8 Large number shifts together to one side 1 1 9 One more baby follows 1.5 3 7 Fighting between two larger isopods 2 5 5 Even out again 2.5 5 5 Move about but come back to even; one not moving 3 6 4 More to wet chamber 3.5 4 6 Back to Dry Chamber 4 5 5 Crawling on underside of paper 4.5 4 6 Fighting to get from one side to another 5 3 7 Large pillbug still not moving 5.5 6 4 Other pillbugs begin gathering around non-moving pillbug 6 7 3 Pillbugs piled on top of one another 6.5 5 5 Pillbug begins to move again 7 4 6 More to Dry Chamber 7.5 5 5 Back at even 8 6 4 Continual switch from chamber to chamber 8.5 7 3 Begin gathering at wet chamber 9 9 1 More join wet chamber 9.5 7 3 Crowded, a few go to dry chamber 10 9 1 Return to wet chamber Table 2: Number of Pillbugs in Lighter vs. Darker Colored Chambers at Various Times Time (min.) Number in Light Chamber Number in Dark Chamber Other Notes 0 5 5 Begin moving instantly 0.5 3 7 Move to dark side 1 2 8 More to dark side 1.5 2 8 Remain, no overall movement 2 2 8 No overall movement 2.5 3 7 Begin going to white side 3 3 7 No overall movement 3.5 4 6 Moving to lighter side 4 2 8 Move to dark side 4.5 5 5 Equalize again 5 3 7 Fighting to get to dark side 5.5 5 5 Equalize again 6 4 6 More to Dark side 6.5 7 3 Piling up to get to lighter side 7 7 3 No overall movement 7.5 8 2 More in lighter side 8 9 1 More in lighter side 8.5 7 3 Move to dark side 9 5 5 Equalize again 9.5 3 7 Move to darker side 10 4 6 Young follows adult to other side Table 3: Number of Pillbugs in Neutral, Acidic and Basic Chambers at Various Times Time (min.) Number in Neutral Chamber (Control) Number in Acidic Chamber Number in Basic Chamber Other Notes 0 10 0 0 Immediate Movement 0.5 2 5 3 Move to acidic 1 3 5 2 Stay around outside of chamber 1.5 6 2 2 Quickly out of acidic and into neutral area 2 4 3 3 More to basic area 2.5 5 2 3 Away from acidic area 3 2 3 5 More slowly moving to basic area 3.5 2 1 7 Movement to basic chamber 4 4 0 6 Pillbugs all out of Acidic area 4.5 1 1 8 Most in Basic area 5 1 4 5 Some return to acidic chamber 5.5 3 1 6 Slowly moving out of Acidic chamber and into neutral and basic chambers 6 4 1 5 Out of basic and into neutral 6.5 3 1 6 Back into basic area, around outside of filter paper 7 3 1 6 No overall movement 7.5 4 0 6 All gone from acidic area 8 3 0 7 More to basic area 8.5 4 0 6 Small shift 9 3 0 7 Reverse of shift 9.5 2 0 8 More to basic area more slowly than before test 10 1 0 9 More to basic area Figure 1: Fluctuation in Number of Pillbugs in Wet and Dry Chambers Figure 2: Fluctuation in Number of Pillbugs in Lighter and Darker Colored Chambers Figure 3: Fluctuation in Number of Pillbugs in Acidic, Neutral and Basic Chambers Discussion Table 4: Average Number of Pillbugs in Wet vs. in Dry Chambers Time (min.) Number in Wet Chamber Number in Dry Chamber Average # of Pillbugs in Wet Average # of Pillbugs in Dry 0 5 5 0.5 2 8 1 1 9 1.5 3 7 2 5 5 2.5 5 5 3 6 4 3.5 4 6 4 5 5 4.5 4 6 5 3 7 5.5 6 4 6 7 3 6.5 5 5 7 4 6 7.5 5 5 8 6 4 8.5 7 3 9 9 1 9.5 7 3 10 9 1 Total # of Pillbugs 108 102 5.143 4.857 Table 5: Average Number of Pillbugs in Lighter vs. Darker-Colored Chambers Time (min.) Number in Light Chamber Number in Dark Chamber Average # of Pillbugs in White (Light) Average # of Pillbugs in Dark 0 5 5 0.5 3 7 1 2 8 1.5 2 8 2 2 8 2.5 3 7 3 3 7 3.5 4 6 4 2 8 4.5 5 5 5 3 7 5.5 5 5 6 4 6 6.5 7 3 7 7 3 7.5 8 2 8 9 1 8.5 7 3 9 5 5 9.5 3 7 10 4 6 Total # of Pillbugs 93 117 4.429 5.571 Table 6: Average Number of Pillbugs in Neutral, Acidic and Basic Chambers Time (min.) Number in Neutral Chamber Number in Acidic Chamber Number in Basic Chamber Average # of Pillbugs in Neutral Chamber Average # of Pillbugs in Acidic Chamber Average # of Pillbugs in Basic Chamber 0 10 0 0 0.5 2 5 3 1 3 5 2 1.5 6 2 2 2 4 3 3 2.5 5 2 3 3 2 3 5 3.5 2 1 7 4 4 0 6 4.5 1 1 8 5 1 4 5 5.5 3 1 6 6 4 1 5 6.5 3 1 6 7 3 1 6 7.5 4 0 6 8 3 0 7 8.5 4 0 6 9 3 0 7 9.5 2 0 8 10 1 0 9 Total # of Pillbugs 70 30 110 3.33 1.429 5.238 Figure 4: Comparison of Average Number of Pillbugs in Wet Chamber vs. in Dry Chamber Figure 5: Comparison of Average Number of Pillbugs in Lighter-colored and Dark-colored Paper Figure 6: Comparison of Average Number of Pillbugs in Acidic, Neutral and Basic Chambers It was hypothesized that the isopods (pillbugs), given their possession of gills for respiration and that they live underneath rocks and logs, places where light is not in abundance, would prefer the wet chamber over the dry chamber and the dark chamber over the light chamber. It was also hypothesized that, considering that the pillbugs feed off of decaying organic material, which in the process of decaying increases the acidity of the soil, these isopods would prefer the acidic chamber (the one with HCl), over the caustic (with KOH) and neutral chambers. The data collected from preforming the experiment partially supports the hypothesis. The average number of pill bugs in each chamber, was calculated by summing the pillbug count for all twenty-one times in one chamber and then doing so for the next and then dividing these totals by the total number of pillbugs counted. In each case this number was 210. The results show, as seen in Table 4 and Figure 4, that the average number of pil lbugs in the moist chamber over ten minutes was about 5.143 while the average number in the dry chamber was about 4.857. This higher average for the moist chamber illustrates taxis with a movement toward the stimulus of moisture. The second portion of the hypothesis was also supported by the data collected. Table 5 and Figure 5 both show that the average number of pillbugs in the chamber with white filter paper was about 4.429, in comparison to the average number in the chamber with dark paper, which was about 5.571. These results are consistent with the known habitat of isopods such as pillbugs. The hypothesis for third portion the experiment, however, was not supported by the data collected. Table 6 and Figure 6 both show that the pillbugs actually prefer a basic environment, one with drops of KOH, over an environment with no chemical additives and the environment with the addition of drops of the strong acid HCl. The average for the number of pillbugs in the neutral environment w as about 3.33, for the acidic environment the average was 1.429 and for the caustic environment the average was about 5.238. These results could possibly be explained by the higher vapor pressure of HCl in comparison to that of the KOH. With a higher vapor pressure, the HCl would have vaporized more easily and quickly, thus getting into the gills of the pillbugs and causing them irritation. This irritation would explain their clear lack of fondness for the HCl permeated filter paper. The lack of pillbugs accumulating on the plain filter paper can possibly be explained by its complete lack of moisture, and that the antennae on the pillbugs would not sense any chemical or something of that nature, that would attract the pillbugs to that chamber. The interaction of the pillbugs inside the choice chambers is indicative of agnostic behavior, as seen in the fighting of the pillbugs. Human error, such as counting, would not play any, or any significant role, in the results of the experimen t. This experiment and the results obtained from it support most of the hypothesis, but conflict with and not support another portion. The results support the preference that pillbugs have for moist and dark environments, but suggests that pillbugs prefer more caustic environments to neutral and acidic environments. Citations

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Contracts Essay example -- essays research papers

Contracts A contract is an agreement that is enforceable by law. Modern business could not exist without such contracts. Most business transactions involve commitments to furnish goods, services, or real property; these commitments are usually in the form of contracts. Use of the contract in business affairs ensures, to some extent, the performance of an agreement, for a party that breaks a contract may be sued in court for the damages caused by the breach. Sometimes, however, a party that breaks a contract may be persuaded to make an out-of-court settlement, thus saving the expense of legal proceedings. A contract arises when an offer to make a contract is accepted. An offer contains a promise (for example, "I will pay $1,000") and a request for something in return (a person's car). The acceptance consists of an assent by the party to whom the offer is made, showing that the person agrees to the terms offered. The offer may be terminated in a number of ways. For example, the party making the offer may cancel it (a revocation), or the party to whom the offer is made may reject it. When the party to whom the offer is made responds with a different offer, called a counteroffer, the original offer is terminated. Then the counteroffer may be accepted by the party making the original offer. REQUIREMENTS OF A VALID CONTRACT For a contract to be valid, both parties must give their assent. They must act in such a way that the other people involved believe their intention is to make a contract. Thus a person who is clearly not sincere in saying that he or she accepts an offer usually is not held to a contract by the courts. On the other hand, a person who secretly has no intention of making a contract but who acts in a manner that leads people to believe he or she had, may be held to a contract. Legally, it is the external appearance that determines whether one is held to a contract. Consideration A contract results from a bargain. This implies that each party to the contract gives up something, or promises to, in exchange for something given up or promised by the other party. This is called consideration. In the example given above, the consideration on one side is the promise to pay $1,000, and on the other, the promise to deliver a car. With rare exceptions, a promise by one party, without some form of consideration being extended by the other pa... ... of money designed to compensate for losses stemming from the breach). Damages are measured by what may reasonably be foreseen as financial losses; unforeseeable losses may not be collected. If an award of money is not compensatory because something about the promised performance was unique, the party who breaks a contract may be ordered by the court to perform as agreed. This is called specific performance. For example, real estate is always considered unique. Therefore, when a party has contracted to sell real estate but changes his or her mind, the court may grant specific performance and order that the deed for the real estate be delivered to the agreed buyer. Most contracts are formed with an implicit understanding that neither party need perform unless the other has completed his or her promised performance. An exception to this understanding occurs when a party has performed most of his or her obligation and the part not performed is relatively immaterial. The doctrine of substantial performance provides that in such a case, the opposite party must perform, although he or she may secure money damages to the extent that he or she was damaged by lack of complete performance.