Friday, November 29, 2019

Frances the Mute free essay sample

With song titles like â€Å"L’Via L’Viaquez† and â€Å"Cygnus Vismund Cygnus,† The Mars Volta has put out their second full-length album, â€Å"Frances the Mute.† Both albums have been preceded by a tragedy that influenced their works. â€Å"Frances the Mute† details the life of a person housed within a diary which was kept by one of the band’s closest friends and backstage members. The friend, while doing work as a repo man, found the diary and identified with the person in it, who was detailing his struggles to find his relatives. After the friend shared this diary with Mars Volta, he passed away. His death and close relation with the person in the diary sparked â€Å"Frances the Mute,† a musical masterpiece. Following the precedent set by â€Å"De-Loused in the Comatorium,† they stuck with their strange, complex background music and focused vocals. The type of music here is indescribable and cannot be placed just in one genre. We will write a custom essay sample on Frances the Mute or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page â€Å"Frances the Mute† has such smooth transitions that it will feel like one 75-minute song instead of five songs adding up to 75 minutes. â€Å"Cygnus Vismund Cygnus† sets the theme: long stretches of background noises, powerful vocals, rapid pace changes and great variety. This song transitions to â€Å"The Widow† which is a powerful ballad that is also their single. The last song is the 32-minute â€Å"Cassandra Geminni.† This is a heavily digital, yet magnificently composed piece that rounds off with a piece of the very first song, bringing it full circle. All of these come together in one of the best albums of the year, hands down. The Mars Volta truly is one of the best.

Monday, November 25, 2019

NeanderthalHomo Sapiens Hybrid essays

NeanderthalHomo Sapiens Hybrid essays Implications of Neanderthal-Homo Sapiens Hybrid from the Abrigo do Lagar Velho (Portugal) In a recent excavation at Abrigo do Lagar Velho in Portugal, Duarte et al (1999) unearthed what was later to be recognized as early human skeletal remains which pointed to interbreeding between Neanderthal and Modern Humans during the mid - upper Palaeolithic transition. The morphology of the remains, belonging to a child of approximately 3-4 years old, indicates a Neanderthal typology in post-cranial features, and more modern cranial features. The find has been cited as evidence of hybridization between the two traditionally separate human lines, and offers an explanation to the question of Neanderthal extinction. (Trinkaus 1999) Anthropologists are now offered a line of evidence pointing to the contemopranity of Moderns and Neanderthals in parts of Europe and assumptions can be made about their contact: "The discoverers...are making a ground-breaking claim, that the skeleton shows traces of both Neanderthal and modern human ancestry, evidence that modern humans did not simply extinguish the Neanderthals, as many researchers had come to think. Instead the two kinds of human were so alike that in Portugal, at least, they intermingled...for thousands of years." (Kunzig, 1999) By examining the theories of human evolution, and looking at the cultural evolution of tool technology as well as the biological transitions and differences between the two types of humans, we can see that this hybridization just might be the answer. Perhaps this find will be able to tell us what exactly did happen to the Neanderthals. Firstly, it is useful to have an overview of the different theories of human evolution, or I should say the two most widely accepted views as accepted by palaeo-anthropologists in the field. For some years now it has been the contention that the origins of modern humans stem from either a continuous evolution from archaic to modern human...

Friday, November 22, 2019

Public Opinion Survey Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Public Opinion Survey Paper - Essay Example The research methods used in in this study to obtain public opinions would be the telephone survey method and the mail survey method. Telephone survey methods according to StatPac, Inc (p.1), are the quickest method of obatining information from a large sample of respondents that number approximately from 100 to 400. In this type of survey, the interviewer is guided by a prepaired questionnaire. Although the mail survey has almost the same featyres as the telephone survey, the differences are that the mail survey method does not permit any deeper probe on the expressed opinion and it usually takes the mail survey to be accomplished in 8 to 12 weeks. Twice longer than the telephone survey. The procedures used in the study is the telephone and mail survey methods. The questionnaire is composed of ten questions, which are in a simple and direct english language so as not to confuse the individual answering the questions. The most imporatant questions are placed at the first half of the questionnaire wherein sufficient space is also provided after each question, allowing other comments/opinions to be expressed. For the mail survey, the return addressed is printed on the questionnaire and a self-addressed postage paid stamp is sent along with the mail survey forms (StatPac, Inc., 1-2). Before Hurricane Ike made its actual land fall, 50% of the viewing public was closely watching its progress (The Pew Research Center, 1), and has already triggered gas prices to soar (cbs11tv.com, pp1-3). Concerned government offices and personnel dissiminated safety warnings and encouraged local residents to evacuate and leave their homes due to pending disasters. A week after Hurricane Ike’s landfall, residents were persistent in finding out all they could about their homes including going back to see how things are. Authorities on the other hand on

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Scale-Free Brain-Wave Music from Simultaneously EEG and fMRI Research Paper - 1

Scale-Free Brain-Wave Music from Simultaneously EEG and fMRI Recordings - Research Paper Example The scientists conducted the study for the propose of improving the few methods that had been developed to translate human EEG to music by developing a new method of translating both brain EEG and FMRI signals to music for a better reflection of the internal functioning activities of the brain (Lu, Wu, Yang, Luo, Li & Yao, 2012). In this method, there was recording of the simultaneous EEG-FMRI. The subjects were a thirty year old female (subject A) and a fourteen year old female (subject B). The scanning took place when the two subjects were in a resting state (Lu, Wu, Yang, Luo, Li & Yao 2012). In the part of composing music, there was referencing of the EEG records to zero with software known as REST developed in the laboratory. They choose the EEG for the purpose of brainwave music, which is at the central region of the brain and is a channel that the body movement does not affect (Lu, et al. 2012). This is the second method of the study. Music note consists of four characters, timber, duration, pitch and intensity. There was more attention to pitch and intensity (Lu, et al. 2012). In this part, wood was fixed together with piano, and the results were that it changed according to the persons hobbies at the same time as the EEG wave determined the duration. The recording of the EEG-FMRI brain music involved the following; The intensity of a music note (IM) is relative to the logarithm of the AP which changes according to the Fechner’s law MI=klgAP+1. In this equation, K and 1 are constant. MI is partly related with pitch since both of them are defined by something related to the amplitude of EEG (Lu, et al. 2012). Intensity of the music was represented by adoption of the FMRI signal instead of the AP. The figure below shows the mapping rules used between the attributes of a music note and brain physiological signals. The FMRI reflects signal to the BOLD signal. On the other hand, the EEG

Monday, November 18, 2019

Albania's Pyramid Schemes Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Albania's Pyramid Schemes - Case Study Example The private sector contributed about two third of the GDP, and the rising remittances from the Albanians working Greece and Italy increase the disposable incomes. The improved economic environment increased consumer imports, and investments in the emerging pyramid schemes. Lack of proper financial institution and securities markets encouraged the Albanians to look for alternative investment opportunities such as the pyramid schemes. This paper examines the effects of the pyramid scheme on the local economy. 2. Background As suggested by Dirk pyramid schemes operate on a simple principle whereby, money paid by the later investors is used pay artificially high returns to earlier investors (78). At first, early investors are promised high returns to woo potential investors. As the word spreads, many people are pulled into the scheme to benefit from the huge capital gains. As Jarvis observes during the early phases, the whole process seems to work, but with time the interest and principa l owed to the old investors exceed the money that the scheme has (5). As a result, investors are forced to cut short the payments and investors start panicking. Some of the players that were involved in the pyramid scheme include VEFA which was formed in 1992 by Vehbi Alimuca, and took in at least $700 million in deposits. The institution started as a trading company and is accused of promising customers unsupportable rates. The second major player is Xhafferi which was formed by Rrapush Xhafferi and at the time of its collapse it had taken $250 in deposits. Another key player in the pyramid scheme was Gjallica which was formed in 1991 and took in an estimated $850 million in deposits. Sude on the other hand, offered lottery services but thereafter started taking deposits from the customers. At the time of its collapse, the company had $90 million in liabilities and no assets. Just like Sude, Populli offered to pay its customers two times principal invested after 3 months. The compa ny worked closely with the Albanian opposition parties, and at the time of its collapse its liabilities were over $150 million. 3. Events leading to the crisis As Chris Jarvis, an IMF economist observes in the article titled, the rise and the fall of pyramid schemes Albania, the origin of the pyramid schemes can be traced to the decline of the smuggling market. According to Jarvis the smuggling of oil products through Albania ended with the suspension of the UN sanctions against Yugoslavia (10). As a result, the pyramid period schemes were forced to look for alternatives sources of income. One of the viable ways at the time was to increase the interests so as to attract capital from potential investors. Within a short time the deposit-taking market grew tremendously, and by the mid-1996, the deposit-taking companies were offering interest rates as high as 19%. In the first few months, the companies had attracted two million depositors, and the number continued to grow in the second half of 1996. The players in the informal sector competed by offering attractive rates and just to illustrate, in the September 1996 Populli offered a monthly interest are of 30% which Xhafferi countered with a 44% rate while Sude offered to double the principal in two months. To capitalize on these opportunities some of the investors sold their property while other sold their animals, and then put the proceeds in the pyramid schemes. Worried about the integrity of the schemes, the Governor of Bank of Albania issued the first warning, and then followed by the Minister of Finance. The government formed a committee to investigate the schemes but

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Funny Boy And Running In The Family | Analysis

Funny Boy And Running In The Family | Analysis Searching for identity is big theme in Postcolonial studies. Identity or the sense of belonging plays a major role in everyones lives. Identity tells us who we really are and where we have come from. Identity can be either positive or negative. It gives us the sense of pride in being who we are. If we do not identify ourselves with our surroundings or the people we come in contact with, we are lost. We feel as if we do not belong there and hence we feel as if we have lost our identity. Actually, the search for identity is an ongoing g process and there is no ending for it. Many would do anything to find their identity and to search for the place where they belong. In both Funny Boy and Running in the Family, the search for identity is the main theme. These novels bring forth the challenges that the main characters face in the search for identity. The setting of these two novels is in Sri Lanka. However, Funny Boys Arjie faced negative challenges thrown at him whereas Running in the Familys narrators (Ondaatje) journey of self-discovery is more towards the positive side. In this paper, I will the journey of self identification by the protagonists of the both novels that I mentioned above. In Funny Boy, we are exposed to the history of Sri Lanka, Arjies homeland. A country like Sri Lanka that has just gained independence from the colonizers strives to build and recapture its own identity which was stolen by the colonizing powers. However, to form a unitary identity is not easy because Sri Lanka is made up of different ethnicities and religious beliefs. The history of racial conflict between the Tamils and the Sinhalese in Sri Lanka plays an important role in Arjies life. The rivalry between Sinhalese (Buddhist) and Tamil (Hindu) inhabitants of Sri Lanka is caused by the differences in religion and custom. Salgado argues that the connection between language and ethnicity which substantiate the discrete ethnic markers of Sinhalese and Tamil, was very much the product of British orientalism, and was embraced by the Sinhalese who stood to gain from it (12-13). The Tamil minority from India migrated to Sri Lanka between the 3rd century BC and 13th century AD whereas the Indo-Aryan in who migrated in the 5th century BC created the Sinhalese population in Sri Lanka. Since, the Sinhalese are more in population compared to the Tamils; they hold much of the political power. For so long, Sri Lanka has been under the Western powers like Portuguese and British before it gained independence in 1948, with both Sinhalese and Tamils uniting their forces. Somehow, this unity did not last long because the Sinhalese immediately assumed power and began to marginalize the Tamils. They began to treat the Tamils so badly till the Tamils had to struggle to make their voice heard. The conflict reached its peak in 1956 when the Prime Minister Solomon Bandaranaike declared Sinhala as the national language and when Buddhism was declared as the official religion; the Tamils grew angry. Arjies father says in Funny Boy, when asked about the riots, Sinhalese wanted to make Sinhala the only national language, and the Tamils did not like this. So there was a riot and many Tamils were killed (61). The Tamils after much pain and suffering from denial of rights begin to fight to establish their own nation and this is evident in Funny Boy. There was a group in Jaffna called the Tamil Tigers. They wanted a separate country and the Sinhalese were very angry about this. Ammachi often talked about the Tigers. She was on their side and declared that if they did get a separate state, which they would call Eelam, she would be the first to go and live in it. Father told her she was mad. This made Ammachi even more angry and they had many disputes about the Tigers. (61) These political and racist power struggles heavily influence many chapters in this novel and especially when it reaches the climax in the last chapter, Riot Journal: An Epilogue. In Pigs Cant Fly, Arjie clashes with his cousin sister Tanuja and disagrees with the common social norm which forbids him from playing feminine games with girls. In Radha Aunty, Radhas and Anils love situation is almost similar to Romeo and Juliet love story. Radha is Tamil and Anil is a Sinhalese and they are forbidden to get married because they belong to different religion. In See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Daryl and Nalini endeavor to expose the corruption of the government, a fruitless effort in a corrupt and laden society. In Small Choices, Arjies father and Jegan had to battle against the racial stereotyping and violence, while in The Best School of All, Arjie and Shehan both defy the authority of the principal named Black Tie. At last, in the Epilogue the conflict between the Sinhalese and Tamils got wor st which is the beginning of the civil war. Furthermore, binary oppositions the self and the other exists in every chapter of this novel in a form of stereotyping every person in their own category. Ania Loomba says that, stereotyping involves a reduction of images and ideas to a simple manageable form; rather than simple ignorance or lack of real knowledge, it is a method of processing information. The function of stereotypes is to perpetuate an artificial sense of difference between self and other (55). In Funny Boy, Arjies grandmother Ammachi cannot accept Anil because she cannot see him beyond the stereotype. She cannot see Anil for more than just a Sinhalese. What did I tell you? She was getting a lit from a Sinhalese. Only a Sinhalese would be impertinent enough to offer an unmarried girl a lift (58). Society expects its people to choose sides and in return they will be protected accordingly. Conformity makes someone feel safe and it ensures ones survival. In a power struggle, when one party has the upper hand claim on the country and affirm other minorities will be marginalized. In the Empire Writes Back, Bill Ashcoft et al claims that in post-colonial societies, the participants are frozen into a hierarchical relationship in which the oppressed is locked into a position by the assumed moral superiority which is reinforced when necessary by the of physical force (172). In Small Choices Arjies father explained the things Tamils might get in trouble with in which the Sinhalese will face no problem. When my father had finished relating the incident, Amma said, You should have taken Jegans side. After all, he is more important than the peon. As Tamils we must tread carefully, my father replied. Jegan has to learn that. Even I have to circumspect when Im talking to the staff. If I was Sinhalese, like Sena, I could say and do whatever I liked. Amma sighed. Its so ridiculous, she said. What to do? One has to be realistic. (190). When the minorities do not have equal rights as the majority, this will lead to dislocation and alienation in their own country. This will result in vengeance and vendetta: You know, Sonali said, Sometimes I wish I was a Sinhalese or a foreigner. I dont, Diggy said. He glared at us again. Im proud to be Tamil. If those damn buggers come here, Illà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (196) Diggys reaction is understandable and its called retaliation. His reaction is much similar to the reaction of the Tamil Tigers. Tamil Tigers are consists mostly of young people who are unable to put up with Sinhalese demands and discriminations. Society draws a line between us and them so that people must confirm to either side, no matter how ridiculous it may seem. This applies to gender stereotyping as well. When asked why Arjie cannot play with his cousin sisters, his mother replies, It doesnt matterà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Life is full of stupid things and sometimes we just have to do them (20). So what will become for those who refuse not to belong to just one category? What if they exist in a third space; in between? In Arjies case, he belongs to the Tamil minority as well as in gay community. Homosexuality is not tolerated in Sri Lanka and therefore Arjie is marginalized twice than an average Sri Lankan. Hence, it will be harder for Arjie to feel accepted and to have a sense of belonging. However, there many instance in Funny Boy where the characters try to defy the norm of life and social rules to live their life their own lives. This is evident in Arjies monologue below. How was it that some people got to decide what was correct or not, just or unjust? It had to do with who was in charge; everything had to do with who held power and who didnt. if you were powerful like Black Tie or my father you got to decide what was right or wrong. If you were like Shehan or me you had no choice but to follow what they said. But did we always have to obey? Was it not possible for people like Shehan and me to be powerful too? (274) Most of the time, the characters who decide not to follow the social rules or everyday norms are secluded and alienated by their family and country and people. For an example, Aunt Doris, the director of the stage play Arjie was involved in chose to go against her Burgher familys wishes and married a Tamil man. This of course ended her relationship with her family. Even Arjie, after thwarting his principal and realize who he is and who he wanted to be with, thought to himself, As I gazed at Amma, I felt a sudden sadness. What had happened between Shehan and me over the last few days had changed my relationship with her forever. I was no longer a part of my family in the same way. I now inhabited a world they didnt understand and into which they couldnt follow me. (285) Here Arjie is talking about his sexual awakening but his feelings also apply to those who made choices that alienate them from the people and places they belong to. However, to Homi Bhabha the third space gives people like Arjie a chance to create a new identity. This third space allows them to transcend their position and go against those suppress and oppress them. It gives them power and freedom to transcend boundaries society rules. They get the best of both worlds. It gives them self empowerment to move on in life and its a place where the can voice out their opinions. Most of all the third space gives them sense of belonging and identity. The third space is a mode of articulation, a way of describing a productive and not merely reflective, space that engenders new possibility. It is an interruptive, interrogative,and enunciative space of new forms of cultural meaning and productive blurring the limitation of existing boundaries and calling into question established categorizations of culture and identity (Bhabha, 1994) Before Arjie is even aware of his tendencies, his family would have makes sure that any un-stereotypical gender fondness would have been eradicated by his family. His father who was afraid that Arjie might turn out funny forbids him to play bride-bride with his cousin sisters. Well, on the other hand when Arjie plays with boys he was called a girlie boy. This separates him from the possibility of being a girl or a boy. Gender stereotypes are enforced by families and society to demarcate the separate worlds of boys and girls. This leaves Arjie caught between the boys and the girls worlds, not belonging or wanted either (39). His exclusion from both parties suggests us that he inhabits some third space between these two. This third space is addressed as funny and it has a shameful connotation. According to Gopinath, challenging gendered spaces in this novel which is portrayed by the main character. This is because he allows the inner space to be something more than a site of gender agr eement. He allows gender and fantasy play. And by doing this he reveal[s] how non heteronormative embodiments, desires, and pleasures surface within even the most heteronormative of spaces (170-171). Throughout the whole book, we follow Arjies journey growing up and attempting to search for his identity. Arjies search for identity is similar to Sri Lankas own research for identity amidst the warring ethnics. If the focus is just among the Tamils and Sinhalese, what about the homosexuals, Burghers and Muslims? Arent they part of Sri Lanka as well? Even though all of them are different in many ways, they yearn for a place to call home where they can be safe and live without persecution. Funny Boy also puts the story of the everyday people of Sri Lanka in the spotlight. It doesnt focus on one party but it focuses more on the struggle these people went through to live in a Sri Lanka they all own. It is not about finding a balance between your identities, or trying to define within a particular one, Selvadurai explained. Rather, he said it is about being open-minded and being accepting of how others define you (www.thecannon.ca//shyam_selvadurai_funny_boy_on_campus). In Running in the Family, Michael Ondaatje narrates the quest to search about his father by re-conceptualizing the past and patching up the fragments of his family history. Ondaatje searches for his identity by retracing back his familys past, especially his father in Sri Lanka. During certain hours, at a certain years in our lives, we see ourselves as remnants from the earlier generations that were destroyed. So our job becomes peace with enemy camps, eliminate the chaos at the end of Jacobean tragedies, and with the mercy of distance write histories(179). The framework that Ondaatje uses is a fictionalized memoir. This allows Ondaatje to create his own form of reality and his own truths. This enables him to challenge boundaries between fiction and reality. Besides that, Ondaatje explores the autobiographical self and in his case, the quest for Mervin Ondaatje is an important detour in his search for his own identity. He uses the technique of searching about the other (his father) so that he can find his own identity. As Marlene Kadar points out, writing about life is the site of the other, and this other is autobiographical in one sense, and not at all in another (153).When Ondaatje is searching deeply about his familys and fathers roots he begins to shape his own roots. At the end of the book it is revealed that Ondaatje is the mirror image of his father. One could certainly claim that the end of the narrative is just the beginning of the discovery of the other (i.e. the father) through the self (i.e. the narrator) (Speaking Ones Truth: Reading, 3). In Running in the Family, Ondaatje uses the infusion of family tragedies, their life dramas, warmth and love to connect the dots and construct his identity. He includes both the public and private when he researches about his family past. By doing so, he is able to see the connections between his family and his colonial inheritance. As Patricia Hampl remarks, the truth memoir has to offer is not neatly opposite from fictions truth. Its methods and habits are different, and it is perhaps a more perverse genre than novel: It seems to be about an individual self, but it is revealed as a minion of memory which belongs not only to the personal world but to public realm (205). Sri Lanka is a country consisting of a complex social network because it is a multinational country which has many national and cultural identities. Ondaatje acknowledges Sri Lankas identity as hybrid and creolized nature. This almost similar to Ondaatjes family background: Every one was vaguely related and had a Sinhalese, Tamil, Dutch, British and Burgher blood in them going in back many generations. There was a large social gap between this circle and the Europeans and English who were never part of Ceylonese community. The English were seen as transients, snobs, and racists and were quite separate from those who had intermarried and who lived permanently. My father always claimed to be a Ceylon Tamil, though that was probably more valid about three centuries earlier (41). However, there is a tension between Ondaatjes endeavour to reunite him with his family and to keep a distance from his family so that he is able to break through his familys history from different points of view. It is as if when Ondaatje runs in with his family, he is also running away from his family. The running aids the author in a more complex search for his identity because it allows him to discover his identity in different forms. Here, Ondaatje is creating history while collecting data, fragments of both Sri Lankas and familys histories. As to fill in the gaps in his identity, he uses myth to provide explanations and to be as closer to the truth of that time and closer to the truth of his family. By researching his country of birth, he sees it as the other that he is constantly searching for. He is both the insider and the outsider who speaks for both the marginal and the central: I am the foreigner. I am the prodigal who hates the foreigner (65). Here Ondaatje represents the immigrants, immigration and culture. The framework of fictionalized memoir allows both writers to speak their souls truth (cf.Hampl, 203). The search of identity is a process where there is a need to rely on the national identity and family identities. Its like you cannot runaway from where you belong because they somehow make you who you are. Arjie and his family had to leave Sri Lanka because Sri Lanka was no longer safe to be their home and it was no longer where they belong whereas, Ondaatje has to come back to Sri Lanka because that is where he can find his identity through his familys history. Even though, Arjie and his family had to run to Canada to survive, they are still Sri Lankans and are part of that country. Arjies father sent Arjie to a different school so that Arjie wont turn out funny, Arjie found Shehan who strengthen his sexuality. When it comes to Ondaatje, even though he is settled in Toronto, Canada, he has to go back to his birth place to find his identity. He even has dreams of going back to Sri Lanka. At last, one had to admit that the main part of their identity depends on where you are born and where you came from whether you are accepting it or not. This is evident in Shyam Selvadurais Funny Boy and Michael Ondaatjes Running in the Family. Work Cited Ashcroft, B., Griffiths, G. and Tiffin, H. The Empire Writes Back. New York: Routeledge, 1994. Bhabha, H.K.(1994). The Location of Culture. London.Routledge Gopinath, Gayatri. Impossible Desires: Queer Diasporas and South Asian Public Cultures.Durham: Duke UP, 2005. Hampl, Patricia. I Could Tell You Stories: Sojourns in the Land of Memory. New York; London: Norton, 1999. Kadar, Marlene. Whose Life Is It Anyway? Out of the Bathtub and into the Narrative. Essays on Life Writing: From Genre to Critical Practice. Ed. Marlene Kadar. Toronto: U of T Press, 1992. 152-161. Loomba, Ania. Colonialism/Postcolonialism. 2nd Edition. New York: Routeledge, 2005. Ondaatje, Michael. Running in the Family. 1982. NCL ed. Toronto: McClelland Stewart, 1993. Salgado, Minoli. Writing Sri Lanka, Reading Resistance: Shyam Selvadurais Funny Boy and A. Sivanandans When Memory Dies. The Journal of Commonwealth Literature 39:1 (2004): 5-18. Selvadurai, Shyam. Funny Boy. United States: Harcourt Brace, 1997 www.academon.com/Essay-Identity-in-PostTexts/54654 Cached Similar www.hichumanities.org/AHproceedings/Miriam%20Rothgerber.pdf Similar www.thecannon.ca//shyam_selvadurai_funny_boy_on_campus

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Four Noble Truths :: essays research papers

I. Life is filled with suffering due to our desires to want things to be different. II. Self-centered craving causes the of suffering of imbalance. III. In order to bring an end to suffering one must bring an end to self-centered craving. IV. The way to cease craving is to follow the Eight Fold Path. 1. Right View See things as they truly are without delusions or distortions for all things change. Develop wisdom by knowing how things work, knowing oneself and others. 2. Right Intention Wholehearted resolution and dedication to overcoming the dislocation of self-centered craving through the development of loving kindness, empathy and compassion. 3. Right Speech Abstinence from lies and deceptions, backbiting, idle babble and abusive speech. Cultivate honesty and truthfulness; practice speech that is kind and benevolent. Let your words reflect your desire to help, not harm others. 4.Right Action Practice self-less conduct that reflects the highest statement of the life you want to live. Express conduct that is peaceful, honest and pure showing compassion for all beings. 5. Right Livelihood Avoidance of work that causes suffering to others or that makes a decent, virtuous life impossible. Do not engage in any occupation that opposes or distracts one from the path. Love and serve our world through your work. 6. Right Effort Seek to make the balance between the exertion of following the spiritual path and a moderate life that is not over-zealous. Work to develop more wholesome mind states, while gently striving to go deeper and live more fully. 7. Right Mindfulness Through constant vigilance in thought, speech and action seek to rid the mind of self-centered thoughts that separate and replace them with those that bind all beings together.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Internet and Its Impact on Developing Countries

The Internet and its impact on developing countries: examples from China and India T. Kanti Srikantaiah Dominican University, River Forest, Illinois, USA and The Internet and its impact on China and India 199 Received February 1998 Revised March 1998 Dong Xiaoying Peking University, Beijing, China Introduction In the new information climate many countries are relying on electronic access to information through the Internet, which is revolutionising information management and information technology. Developed countries have improved their communication systems and are able to share information in a user-friendly environment.They have used the Internet in various sectors: †¢ agriculture; †¢ health; †¢ public sector management; †¢ industry; †¢ environment; †¢ telecommunications; †¢ trade; †¢ etc. The Internet is now penetrating developing countries. This paper discusses the role of the Internet in such countries, with specific reference to China a nd India. The Internet The idea of the Internet originated about 25 years ago at the US Defense Department Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), to keep track of data through computer hardware and software. The Internet is now a complex web of networks connected with high-speed links cutting across countries.There are no set boundaries for the Internet in cyberspace. Recent statistics show 50,000 networks in more than 100 countries with more than 50 million users (MIDS press release). It is estimated that the rate of growth in Internet use is around 20 per cent a month. Currently the Internet is not proprietary and is available to anyone with computer access connected to the external world. Since the USA launched the information superhighway in 1994, the Internet has come to play an ever-increasing role in the vast information market in many countries (Table I). Asian Libraries, Vol. 7 No. 9, 1998, pp. 199-209.  © MCB University Press, 1017-6748Asian Libraries 7,9 Country G-7 countries Canada France Germany Italy Japan Great Britain USA Africa South Africa Cyprus Tunisia Jamaica Senegal Egypt Mozambique Burkina Faso Cameroon Ghana Kenya Morocco New Caledonia Niger Swaziland Host Initial connection Country Turkey Indonesia Philippines India China Kuwait Malaysia United Arab Republic Kazakhstan Macau Fiji Uzbekistan Vietnam Lebanon Lithuania Latin America Brazil Mexico Chile Ecuador Peru Argentina Bermuda Venezuela Puerto Rico Costa Rica Guam Virgin Islands Nicaragua Panama Dominican Republic Host 22,963 10,861 4,309 4,794 25,594 3,555 6 994 1,136 1 0 153 3 1,128 2,761Initial connection 12/91 07/93 04/94 11/90 04/94 12/92 11/92 11/93 11/93 04/94 06/93 12/94 04/95 06/94 04/94 200 690,316 292,096 875,631 211,966 955,688 878,215 825,048 07/88 07/88 09/89 08/89 08/89 04/89 07/88 419 1,973 15 349 275 1,894 44 2 75 275 457 888 59 34 240 12/91 12/92 05/91 05/94 10/94 11/93 03/95 10/94 12/92 10/94 11/93 10/94 10/94 10/94 05/94 Asia and Middle East Taiwan 40,706 12 /91 Table I. South Korea 132,370 04/90 Distribution of hosts Israel 61,140 08/89 connected to the Internet Singapore 60,674 05/91 (1997): G-7 countries, Thailand 12,794 07/92 Africa, Asia, Middle East and Latin America Source of host number: http://www. w. com/zone/www/dist-byname. html, 1997 68,685 126 19,168 1,078 6,510 18,985 1,648 4,679 114 4,259 91 7 743 390 25 06/90 02/89 04/90 07/92 11/93 10/90 05/90 02/94 10/89 01/93 10/93 03/93 02/94 06/94 04/95 Malaysia’s Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohammed, once said: It can be no accident that there is today no wealthy developed country that is information poor, and no information rich country that is poor and underdeveloped (Nagy, 1991, p. 57). This statement emphasises the importance of the Internet for developing countries.From an international perspective access to and use of the Internet is unbalanced; there are obvious gaps between developed and developing countries in terms of the numbers of nets, hosts and users. As a study from the Panos Institute indicated: The Internet and its impact on Table I provides data on hosts and connection dates for selected countries in China and India Africa, Latin America, Asia and Pacific, along with G-7 countries for comparison.Of the hosts 56 per cent were in the USA, 26 per cent in Europe, 16 per cent in Canada and Latin America, 12 per cent in Asia and the Middle East, and the remaining 1 per cent were in African countries. The G-7 countries took about 80 per cent of total nets connected with the Internet, and the number of nets in 55 developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America amounted to only 5 per cent. According to another study, based on data from World Bank economic and social indicators, the correlation of Internet nodes with GNP per capita is 0. 88 per cent.Adjusted for population size, the country with the highest density of nodes for population was Switzerland. The USA ranked sixth, and India was one of the lowest. So the revolution in electroni c publishing and accessing is not really global (Jacobson, 1994). The timing of connection to the Internet is significant. For instance, while most developed countries obtained their connections to the Internet between 1988 and 1990, developing countries began around 1994-95. Even now many developing countries do not have Internet facilities. An approximate date of Internet connectivity for selected countries is also given in Table I.The World Bank has published data on various economic and social indicators for 133 countries. Table II shows data on population, literacy and GNP for selected developing countries and the G-7 countries. Tables I and II show a definite correlation among GNP per capita, population, illiteracy and number of networks connected with the Internet. The data show that the higher the GNP per capita and the lower the illiteracy rate, the greater the number of links to the Internet, whereas indicators such as higher population, higher illiteracy and lower GNP per capita accompany fewer connections to the Internet.For most developing countries Internet connections brought the golden opportunity of â€Å"leapfrog† development through participating and competing in global trade, sharing information globally in education, research and manufacturing/productivity sectors, and alleviating poverty, contributing to improved social and economic indicators. Information environment in China and India China and India are the two most populous countries in the world. With more than 2 billion people in these two countries, the market for the Internet is vast.In addition, both China and India are information-rich countries with a long tradition of learning, publishing and media activities. Both countries have recently experienced phenomenal growth in economic terms. According to a World Bank report, the annual average growth of GNP during the period 1985-94 in China and in India was around 7 per cent and 3 per cent respectively (World Bank Atlas, 19 96). Compared with other developing countries of the same scale, China and India have shown significant growth in the development here is a danger of a new information elitism which excludes the majority of the world’s population (John, 1995). 201 Asian Libraries 7,9 G-7 countries Canada France Germany Italy Japan United Kingdom USA Africa Cameroon Egypt Kenya South Africa Asia China Indonesia India Malaysia Thailand Latin America Argentina Brazil Mexico Peru GNP per capita in US$, 1994 Real growth rate, 1985-94 (%) Population, 1994 (’000) Growth rate, 1985-94 (%) Illiteracy rate, 1990 (%) 202 19,570 23,470 25,580 19,270 34,630 18. 410 25,860 680 710 260 3,010 530 880 310 3,520 2,210 8,060 3,370 4,010 1,890 0. 4 1. 7 1. 9 1. 3. 2 1. 4 1. 3 –6. 6 1. 6 0. 0 –1. 4 6. 9 6. 0 2. 9 2. 7 8. 2 1. 9 –0. 4 0. 6 –2. 5 29,121 57,726 81,141 57,154 124,782 58,088 260,529 12,871 57,556 26,017 41,591 1,190,918 189,907 913,600 19,498 58,718 34,180 159,143 91 ,858 23,331 1. 3 0. 5 0. 5 0. 1 0. 2 0. 3 1. 0 2. 8 2. 0 2. 9 2. 4 1. 4 2. 0 2. 0 2. 5 1. 6 1. 4 1. 8 2. 2 2. 0 * * * 3 * * * 46 52 31 – 27 23 52 22 7 5 19 13 15 Table II. Basic indicators for selected developing countries and G-7 countries Notes: – = not available; *according to UNESCO, illiteracy is less than 5 per cent Source: The World Bank Atlas (1996) Washington DC: World Bank ycle and in the utilisation of information technologies and information management. The steep decrease in the price of personal computers, proliferating software in Asia and the multimedia influx have contributed to growing markets and Internet use in China and India. Sales of PCs in these regions have expanded more than 20 per cent each year (Sherry, 1995, p. 71). A rating scale by the Gartner Group predicts a long-term potential for information technology in the Asian and Pacific region (Gartner Group, 1996).The rating is based on population, education, GDP, economic growth, government su pport to IT, popularity of IT, IT industry (and its competitiveness), the industry type and international perspective. Table III shows details for China and India, as well as selected countries for comparison. The total rating score for China was 75 and for India 58. In China the population of 1. 2 billion lives on 9. 6 million square kilometres. With its long civilisation and tradition of learning, and with its economy CountryEconomic Government Popularity Industry Total Population Education GDP growth support to IT of IT Competitive type International score 9 9 4 3 4 8 7 4 9 8 7 5 9 9 7 6 5 6 3 2 2 5 4 1 5 2 18 10 12 17 16 12 12 12 14 14 8 5 8 5 6 6 8 4 9 8 7 6 0 2 10 9 7 3 6 8 3 4 7 10 0 1 9 9 7 3 5 7 1 3 7 10 6 7 5 4 5 7 7 4 7 7 6 5 8 7 4 2 4 2 7 5 6 4 4 3 53 50 75 58 58 58 62 52 50 55 62 60 The Internet and its impact on China and India 203 USA 8 Japan 8 China 10 India 10 Indonesia 8 South Korea 6 Malaysia 3 The Philippines 6 Singapore 1 Taiwan 4 Thailand 6 Vietnam 6 Source: Ga rtner Group (1996), China Infoworld, Vol. 1, 29 July Table III. Long-term potential of information technology in Asian and Pacific countries growing rapidly since 1980, China has become one of the most powerful information resources and an integral part of the world information community. In 1995 there were 101,381 books, 7,583 kinds of magazines (4,014 are scientific and technical journals) and 2,089 newspapers (205 national and 844 provincial newspapers) published by nearly 600 publishers nationwide (Handbook of Press, 1996). There are 1,080 universities located in 29 provinces, and more than one million students graduate each year.There are 350,000 libraries of different types – public, university and school, research, military and labour union libraries. There are plans to have at least one library in each village and urban area in China by the year 2000. Government has always been the biggest information producer and consumer. A total of 34 information centres belonging to different central government departments, China Statistical Bureau, China Economic Information Centre and National Scientific and Technical Commission (NSTC) distribute and collect information from the central government at provincial, city and county levels.Chinese general information systems are divided into six categories: (1) information centres affiliated with the National Scientific and Technical Commission; (2) information centres belonging to central government ministries; (3) information centres of a provincial nature; (4) information centres of a specialised nature affiliated to regional governments; (5) information centres affiliated with state enterprises, universities and other research institutions; Asian Libraries 7,9 204 (6) information centres of non-governmental, regional, professional and similar bodies (Dong, 1995).Since 1994, the global upsurge of the information highway has influenced Chinese decision-makers. China’s information superhighway, consisti ng of â€Å"eight golden projects†, covers networks among universities, industry and state enterprises. The public need for the Internet and its potential are vast. India, which gained independence in 1947, covers a vast area of over 3. 2 million square kilometres and has a population of more than 900 million. In the area of information India is relatively rich, being the seventh largest publisher in he world. It also supports a flourishing book industry: some 11,000 publishers publish more than 18,000 monographs each year and there are more than 30,000 periodicals, of which 5,000 are in English. There are thousands of book-sellers, more than 196 universities and 8,100 colleges and research institutions. The student population in higher education alone exceeds 5 million. In Delhi alone, there are 360 booksellers, six universities, 80 colleges, approximately 40 research institutions and over 100 government agencies.Government offices and quasi-government offices at central, st ate, district, subdistrict and village levels produce and consume vast amounts of information. At the national level the main sources of information include: †¢ various line ministries; †¢ the Central Statistical Organisation (CSO); †¢ the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO); †¢ the Registrar-General of India (RGI); †¢ the National Information Centre (NIC); †¢ the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE); †¢ INSDOC; †¢ DELNET; †¢ Tata Energy Research Institution; †¢ the Centre for Science and Environment; and †¢ the Federation of India Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FICCI).There are hundreds of governmental bodies at state and local levels. The information output from these offices in the various sectors is considerable. In addition, information is created, acquired and disseminated in all manufacturing and service sectors. These sectors indicate the scope for the Internet in India. Over the years the demand for i nformation has increased in India and China. In India the market for information in English is enormous, as English speakers form a significant proportion of the literate population.They are generally wellestablished in economic and social terms and need information in paper and electronic forms. This is also reflected in the fact that the majority of newspapers and periodicals are published in English. India, one of the largest publishers in the world, exports many books and periodicals to countries in Asia and Africa and also to Western countries. It imports much printed The Internet and material from abroad. its impact on China has made substantial progress in information management.China and India According to a 1996 report, there were 1,038 databases covering both Chinese and English sources, representing an increase of almost 30 per cent since the previous survey in 1992 (Guide to Chinese Databases, 1996): 205 †¢ there were 41 per cent of databases concentrated in science , industry and technology; †¢ economy and business databases accounted for 28. 6 per cent, a considerable increase over the 1992 figure; †¢ social science took 15 per cent; †¢ general, 5. 6 per cent; †¢ law and medicine gained 3. 5 per cent; †¢ news and mass media took about 2. 9 per cent; †¢ databases with abstracts represented 66. per cent, and †¢ full-text and number databases took less than 30 per cent. With the inclusion of Hong Kong, China has become a superpower in information acquisition and dissemination, not only in Asia but also on a global basis. It is anticipated that demand for information in China will continue to grow in significant terms in the next decade. In both India and China access to the Internet will be extremely valuable. Internet connections In China the first TCP/IP link to the Internet was established in 1994, in the Institute of Higher Physics (IHEP), Chinese Academy of Science.The following are also connected with the Internet: †¢ Chinese Public Internet (Chinanet), established and run by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, the backbone of Internet connection in Beijing. It is available through local post offices for a subscription. †¢ China Education and Research Network (CERNET), owned by the State Education Commission. In 1996 CERNET connected 100 universities nation-wide. Eventually, it will connect to all universities and will become the basis for the booming educational and research development. National Computing and Networking Facilities of China (NCFC), started in 1989 and was the first high-speed network funded by the State Planning Commission and the World Bank. In 1994 its international route was opened. †¢ Gi Tong Company Network (GBNET), established in 1994, and supported by the Ministry of Electricity, has more than 1,000 users. Over three years China has shown an increase in numbers of computers and Internet users. According to statistics provided by the Information Centre of Asian Libraries 7,9 206 China Internet, the number of Internet users increased dramatically between 1994 and November 1997.The number of hosts connecting with the Internet increased approximately 35 times, from 569 to 19,739. The number of users increased steadily from 1,600 in 1994 to 620,000 in 1997, coming mainly from education, science, business and government (Information Centre of China Internet, 1997). ChinaNet plans to cover 30 provinces, and nation-wide users will exceed one million (Ge, 1996, p. 161). Internet users are generally scientists, social scientists, academics, university students, researchers and technical experts with higher-educational backgrounds and proficient in English.Access is gained, primarily, through universities, scientific and technical institutions and corporations. In India Internet access was initiated in November 1986 through the Education and Research Network (ERNET), with assistance from the Government of India and the Un ited Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Eight institutions were involved: the five Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT), the Indian Institute of Science (IISC) in Bangalore, the National Centre for Software Technology (CST) in Bombay and the Department of Electronics (DOE) in Delhi.The objectives included: (1) setting up a nationwide computer network for the academic and research community to promote research and development in India and abroad; (2) strengthening national capabilities in information infrastructure; (3) building specialised human resources through education and training to increase awareness of information resources available through the Internet; and (4) opening an India-USA technology gateway to provide a wide information base with other servers (ERNET, 1995).Three other internal service providers became involved at a later date: (1) SOFTNET by STP; (2) National Information Centre (NICNET); and (3) Gateway Internet Access Services (GIAS) (Ramakrishnan, n. d. ). By September 1996, India had more than 100,000 Internet users, 70,000 through ERNET, 15,000 through SOFTNET; 2,000 through NICNET and 8,000 through GIAS. User numbers are expected to grow to one million in the next three years; by then computer penetration will be around 10 million PCs.The education and research community has maximum penetration with 65 per cent, followed by business users of 25 per cent and other users of 10 per cent in the government and private households. A dramatic growth is expected once private sectors enter the Internet market. The city of Bangalore is expected to dominate the internal market because of its â€Å"electronic city†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ image (Ramakrishnan, n. d. ).Current issues and conclusions The Internet and There are three major areas of concern about the Internet that are significant in its impact on developing countries: China and India (1) national information policy; (2) regulatory framework and information infrastructure; and 207 (3) educa tion and training. National information policy Developing countries have a long tradition of oral culture; therefore, awareness of information sources in written form tends to be minimal.While national information policy in developing countries concentrates on trade, international relations, national security and technology, very little attention has been paid to accessing information electronically through the Internet and to deriving benefits. Developing countries, in order to achieve faster economic growth, should include in their official documents high-priority plans for implementing electronic information delivery systems. Policy statements should be integrated into national planning documents such as five-year plans and should be implemented on schedule.Sufficient funding should be allocated at the planning stage and should be made available quickly for implementation. Regulatory framework and information infrastructure The regulatory framework in developed countries enforces protection of investment, intellectual property and individual privacy in the information market. The legal framework addresses private sector involvement, skilled human resources, standards and implementation. In most developing countries regulatory frameworks concerning information do not exist.Although the rapid growth in information technology is changing methods of doing business at home, at work and in organisations in both developed and developing countries, regulatory frameworks have had very little effect on developing countries. While information technology, including telecommunications, has penetrated every market in the developed world, developing countries still view information technology as a means to support management information systems, finance and accounting facilities, and data processing.Computer penetration per capita in both China and India in the area of small office/home office (SOHO) is still not significant in relation to population numbers. Telecommunic ations still remain a major issue in both China and India. If information infrastructure were to cover the widespread Chinese and Indian populations, and technology were to be made available to access global information through the Internet, then the economic scene would be revitalised. Awareness of the Internet and its importance for policy makers xists only at the executive level, but unfortunately, not at the political level. This needs to be addressed urgently in both countries. Asian Libraries 7,9 208 Education and training Workforces in developing countries, as in developed countries, are changing from labour intensive to knowledge-based work. In developed countries, surveys have shown Internet use is associated with higher education. The same principle applies in developing countries. Thus, attention needs to be paid to improving literacy rates.It is the responsibility of governments, central, state and local, of learning institutions and civic associations to work together t o raise literacy levels in developing countries. The training of information professionals should be given priority. Trained information professionals will be able to utilise the Internet more efficiently and will be more effective in acquiring, organising and disseminating information. Often, developing countries are concerned about safeguarding their heritage of language and culture and supporting political systems.They are weary of foreign economic formats. Appropriate training for information professionals is an immediate requirement. Trained professionals can then educate the masses and take advantage of the Internet, sharing the dissemination of knowledge through cyberspace and adding value to the global information sector. The information revolution is real, and an information economy has already emerged, accelerating economic and social change. Information is crucial and is the central resource and basis for competition.The Internet will assist in development in the followin g ways: †¢ assessing the information capacity of the country and determining user needs, organising and synthesising information and providing access to internal and external information; †¢ disseminating information to meet the needs of the public and private sectors and the daily information needs of the general public. The two items are almost inseparable and have a symbiotic relationship. In developing countries it is urgent to train information professionals to support information infrastructure and information management.In the contemporary world, information is vital to all sectors. Thus, the role of governments in utilising the Internet is critical. First, it influences appropriate use of the Internet for social and economic change in the transition from labour-intensive production to knowledge-based information industries. Second, it defines public and private sector relationships and opens the market to a strong private information sector. Third, it redefines tel ecommunication policies to break down monopolies and to encourage competition among international and indigenous vendors.In conclusion, there is no single solution that can be applied, uniformly, to all situations in developing countries. Each case needs to be evaluated and customised to meet individual country needs. Priorities must be determined, depending on available resources. Indigenous resources should be harnessed and other resources tapped, including funding from international organisations. The Internet has considerable potential in developing countries: it is relevant to lobbying for more government support and budget allocation; it ffers delivery modes for the collection and dissemination of information; it may The Internet and be used to mobilise support among specialised ministries, universities and its impact on industries to produce and manage information, and to emphasise institutional China and India arrangements to influence policy makers and information purveyors to promote the Internet for the country’s development. References Dong, X. (1995), â€Å"The development and management of secondary information systems and services in China†, International Information and Library Review, Vol. 27, pp. 83-94. ERNET to Academic and Research Community (1995), brochure. Gartner Group (1996), â€Å"Information industry in Asia and Pacific is catching up and will become a main player in the 21st century†, China Infoworld, Vol. 41. Ge, W. (1996), â€Å"Internet in China: the state of art and perspectives†, China Computerworld, Vol. 9, September. Guide to Chinese Databases (1996), State Planning Commission and the State Scientific and Technological Commission, Beijing. Handbook of Press and Publ ication Statistics in China (1996), Press and Publications Administration, Beijing.Information Centre of China Internet (1997), â€Å"The current situation of Internet in China†, China Computerworld, Vol. 10, November. Jacobson, T. L. (1994), â€Å"The electronic publishing revolution is not ‘global’ †, Journal of the American Society for Information Science, Vol. 45 No. 10, pp. 745-52. John, M. (1995), â€Å"Third world faces ‘information poverty’ †, CD News Bank Comprehensive, Reuters America, 11 October. MIDS press release: â€Å"New data on the size of the Internet and the matrix†, . Nagy, H. 1991), â€Å"Information technology in World Bank lending: increasing the development and development impact†, World Bank Discussion Papers, Vol. 120,World Bank, Washington, DC. Ramakrishnan, S. (n. d. ), head, Information Infrastructure Division, Department of Electronics, Government of India, New Delhi, personal communication. Sherry, A. (1995), â€Å"The East is wired†, Far Eastern Economic Review, Vol. 15. The World Bank Atlas (1996), World Bank, Washington, DC. About the authors Dr Dong Xiaoying is Associate Professor in the Department of Information Management at Peking University.She is also a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of Asian Libraries. Address: Department of Information Management, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China. E-mail: [email  protected] bta. net. cn. Dr T. Kanti Srikantaiah is Associate Professor in the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at Dominican University, Graduate School of Library and Information Science, Dominican University, 7900 West Division Street, River Forest, IL 60305. E-mail: [email  protected] dom. edu 209

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Ute Indians essays

Ute Indians essays The Ute Indian tribes are the oldest residents of Colorado. They are members of the Shoshonean family. (1)The Utes roamed over a large areas in the Southwest. The Ute mostly lived off hunting and fishing with little farming. However they could not go that far off their territory to hunt because of other tribes who inhabited the areas and who would fight to drive them out. Their traditional enemies were the Navajo Indians who they did not get along with. (2)They speak Shashonean, which is a branch of Uto-Aztecan. The Utes used to be one big tribe but then formed seven different bands that only met up once a year in winter. The Utes came from the north and inhabited the mountainous areas. They are spread out all through Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. They eventually broke off into seven bands, they are the Mouache band, who lived on the eastern slopes of the Rockies and then from Denver south to New Mexico. The Capote band lived in the San Luis Valley near the headwaters of the Rio Grande and in the region of where Chama and Tierra Amarilla are today. The Weeminuche band was in the San Juan River area while the Taegauache lived in the Gunnison and Uncompahgre valleys. The Yamparicas band inhabited the Yampa River Valley. Lastly the Uintah Utes lived in the Uintah Basin, which included the Great Salt Lake Basin. For their government, since the Utes each had their own band of people each band had their own group leader. But later on when they began to come together into larger groups they had one tribal leader or chief. They also have people in charge of things like hunting and gathering food. Every year in the winter the tribal families would all come together and hold big festivities. At this time of the year is when most of their marriages would take place. (3)Every year four days into the early spring they would ...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Reasons for Imperialism essays

Reasons for Imperialism essays Major European powers had for centuries engaged in colonialism however the phenomenon of the period 1870-1914 was expansion in a form never before witnessed. Competitive industrial nations, Great Britain first and foremost set out on a race to divide the world, at least the parts unoccupied namely Africa and Asia between them. In the three decades after 1870 European nations divided up the remainder of the world; by 1900 Europe controlled almost all of Africa and Southeast Asia. Britain had taken over 345 million non-Britons in Africa, India and the Pacific region, France had raised its flag over 56 million people outside Europe, the Netherlands controlled 35 million and Germany almost 15 million. So what was the actual cause of this unprecedented expansion There are several reasons why the European nations competed with each other for colonies but a prime factor was economic motivation. The colonising country could control important markets for its exports and deny these markets to its competitors. Colonies were also important sources of raw materials providing in particular rubber, as well as being the source of more exotic goods for the affluent European market and as opportunities for investment. A country often also increased its wealth by conquering another civilisation and taking its riches or exploiting the mineral wealth of another land. The discovery of gold and diamonds in Africa greatly increased European interest in the continent. Industrialised countries often produced more manufactured goods than their people needed or could afford to buy. Colonies served as markets for these unsold products; Africa and to a lesser extent Asia were seen as a market for industrialised goods produced in Europe. Production costs abroad were lower than at home. The Europeans began to build plantations where they grew peanuts, palm oil, cocoa and rubber. The Congo produced copper and tin. As industrialis...

Monday, November 4, 2019

Community Assessment of Somers Point, NJ Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Community Assessment of Somers Point, NJ - Essay Example While the United States Average age is as per the last time was 35. 3 in the last census, Somers Point City had a median age of 38.4. In terms of age distribution in the city, there were up to 8,899 people who were above the age of 18 year. This figure represented an estimated 76.6% of the city’s population. This percentage was slightly above the national average that stood at 74.3% (Census.gov, 2013). The percentage number of people of 65 years and above was 15.1%. Again, this was higher figure when compared to the national average of 12.4%. In terms of racial composition of the city, the last census had placed the whites at 78.8%, African Americans at 0.25% and Native Americans at 3.1%. Other races such as the Asians, Pacific Islander and other races were placed at 0.06%, 4.17% and 3.025 respectively. The statistics are expected to vary with each census conducted. Again one may be able to compare the population distribution statistics with the national averages which place A frican Americans at 12.3% and Hispanic population at 6% (Census.gov, 2013). A comparison with state population would reveal some little differences where New Jersey State was at 8,864,590 as at the year 2012. This figure was arrived at by factoring in the 0.8% state increase in population to the 2010 census. The racial makeup in the state of New Jersey was 68.8% whites, a figure lower by 10% when compared to Somers Point City. African Americans in the state were 13.7% in the state, Native Americans at 0.3% and Asians at 8.3%. Other races made up 6.4% while an unclassified group and illegal immigrants were 2.7% and 17.7% respectively (Census.gov, 2013). Education profile in the city reveals that there are 84.2% of high school graduates or higher. This translates to 6,812 people while the number of people with Bachelor degree or higher in Somers Point stand at 1,601. This figure translates to 19.8% of the population. This is below the national average, which as per the last census was 24.4%. However, one may observe that the City’s median house hold income of $42,222 is slightly above the national median household income which was $41,994. Another socio-economic issue worth noting is that the number of families living below the poverty line in Somers Point City was 147 or approximately 5% of the population (Census.gov, 2013). In terms of life expectancy, the state of New Jersey is 81.94. The national rate is 81.17. In Atlantic County, male life expectancy is 74.5. At the state level, male life expectancy is 77.80 and 76.20 at the national level. Female have the highest life expectancy with Atlantic County being at 79.9 while the state life expectancy is 82.20. Female life expectancy at the national level is 81.30. Currently, access to health is improving throughout the state. This is especially after the passing of regulations to make healthcare affordable. Even so, the exact statistics are not immediately available. Even so, one would easily observe that the 5% that constitutes those living below the poverty lines as well as the illegal immigrants constitute the group that is hardest hit in terms of being able to afford health care (World Life Expectancy, 2011). 2. With the community as partner, identify five strengths and five weaknesses of the community The community in Somers Point boasts of the following

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Nashville urban plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Nashville urban plan - Essay Example For this to happen, Nashville must be planned in a manner that ensures that there are enough infrastructural facilities such as roads, enough housing, electricity, stadium, water and sewerage facilities. In addition, there must be enough social facilities in the city such as hospitals, schools, and religious places, as well as recreational facilities. It is only in so doing that Nashville will be able to restore its former glory and be competitive with the rest of the cities in the world. After having conducted a feasibility study in Nashville, it became apparent that Nashville lugs behind because of poor planning. For instance, Prestige Worldwide found out that the road network is a big problem in Nashville. This is because there are few roads that link the city to the rest of the country. This inconveniences communities as they take long on the roads as noted by Parfect, Power, and Ldr International (62). Furthermore, the few roads available are very narrow thereby causing traffic jams to build up very fast. As a result, people spent too long on roads either to or from Nashville. Therefore, as city planners, we have proposed the construction of bypasses to help ease congestions and reduce the traffic jams. At the same time, we have also come up with a strategy to expand the size of the roads leading into the city from its current single lane to eight dual carriages. At the same time, we shall ensure that all roundabouts causing a buildup of traffic jams to and from the city during rush hours are replaced with flyovers, which will see some cars pass from above. Certainly, this will help reduce the traffic menace currently being witnessed in Nashville. A feasibility study conducted by Prestige Worldwide also found out that public transport is a big problem in Nashville. This is because the city has a high number of people commuting from the city outskirts to the town center while there are few available means of public transport (Parfect, Power, and Ldr Interna tional 68). As a result, we intend to solve this problem by establishing both a subway and railway system. As such, we strongly believe that trains will help sort the problem of public transport in the city. The trains will be electric powered and will have a terminus at different locations where commuters will be picked at dropped. Smith and Zepp (16) reveal that Nashville is among the fastest growing cities in the U.S. with its population having doubled over the last century. In spite of the population growth, Nashville has not had enough housing structures to accommodate the growing population. This has resulted in the development of ghettos in the city. However, as the planners of the city, we have proposed the demolition of shanties build in the city, which will then be replaced with modern housing structures. We intend to oversee the construction of as many houses as possible so as to reduce the housing problem being experienced in Nashville. A feasibility study conducted with in the cities central business district also showed a lack of proper planning cause’s congestion in the city. This is because there is no pedestrian system connecting important destinations as noted by Faragher (13). As a result, we propose the construction of pedestrian lanes between houses within the central business