10 Unconditional Love Quotes

True love is selfless and unconditional. True love knows no boundaries. It is not judgmental but highly accommodating. Unconditional love only gives but does not take anything in return. You Find Unconditional Love in Places You Wont Even Look The love of a mother  is unconditional. A dog loves its master unconditionally. An infant has unconditional love for its mother. You will see that naive love is unconditional. It is tender, caring, and nurturing. The Bible says that Jesus loved his disciples unconditionally.   Forgiveness Is Unconditional Love Forgiveness is an intrinsic part of unconditional love. When you love someone deeply, you find the heart to forgive. You can overlook the blemishes because your love overcomes the flaws. Martin Luther King Jr. beautifully put it in words when he said, He who is devoid of the power to forgive, is devoid of the power to love. Unconditional love never imposes, never tries to change the other person. Writer Thomas Merton said, The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves, and not to twist them to fit our own image. Otherwise we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them. Here are 10 unconditional love quotes to strengthen your heart. Robert Wagner A dog will teach you unconditional love. If you can have that in your life, things wont be too bad. C. JoyBell C. It should be a privilege to be able to say I love you to someone. It shouldnt be something people say just because they feel like it. A privilege that is earned. They say you have to earn the right to be loved; no, love is unconditional, if you love someone, they dont have to earn it. But. The right to tell someone that you love them? That has to be earned. You have to earn the right to be believed. Mitch Albom, For One More Day When you look into your mother’s eyes, you know that is the purest love you can find on this earth. John Perry Barlow But groundless hope, like unconditional love, is the only kind worth having. Markus Zusak, The Book Thief No matter how many times she was told that she was loved, there was no recognition that the proof was in the abandonment. Ann Brashares Parents were the only ones obligated to love you; from the rest of the world you had to earn it. Isabel Allende Accept the children the way we accept trees—with gratitude, because they are a blessing—but do not have expectations or desires. You don’t expect trees to change, you love them as they are. Leo Buscaglia Only when we give joyfully, without hesitation or thought of gain, can we truly know what  love  means. Deb Caletti, The Secret Life of Prince Charming Unconditional love is like a country of two with no laws and no government. Which is all fine if everyone is peaceful and law abiding. In the wrong hands, though, you got looting and crime sprees, and let me tell you, the people who demand unconditional love are usually the ones who will rob and pillage and then blame you because you left your door unlocked. Nicholas Sparks, The Wedding What its like to be a parent: Its one of the hardest things youll ever do but in exchange it teaches you the meaning of unconditional love.

The Importance Of Our Health Fair Event - 1166 Words

The purpose of our health fair event is to educate and encourage older adults to remain active in their daily lives. Physical health is beneficial throughout one’s entire lifespan. Incorporating regular exercise into your daily routine will prevent chronic disease, improves their overall mood, and lowers their chances of injury (Aldwin Gilmer, 2013, Chapter 5). As we go through the aging process, our bodies require us to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Moderate exercise is favorable for people of all ages. Elderly people living with chronic illnesses can also participate in moderate physical activity. Medical conditions, such as dementia, heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure can all be improved by including regular exercise into an individual’s routine (Chronic Illnesses, PowerPoint). We will be hosting our event on Saturday, December 3rd, from 12-4pm at our local YMCA. This will allow time to not only get up and get their day started, but to also have time to get to the health fair event. In addition, they will also have enough time to walk around and explore each booth. This will be beneficial for multiple reasons. With hosting our event at the YMCA, we may be able to inspire individuals to become members of the gym if they choose to take that next step in the direction of a healthy lifestyle. The YMCA also offers various programs for older adults such as the Silver Sneakers program. The challenges of organizing such an event can be environmental or externalShow MoreRelatedMental Health Of The United States848 Words   |  4 PagesFlorida is diagnosed with depression (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011). Promotion, awareness, and the availability of mental health services are public health areas in my community that needs attention. 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Context of UK Investment Appraisal in the UK

Question: Topic Despite a development cost of over $0.5bn and huge marketing spend of over $700m, Microsoft recently announced that the Windows Vista project had not lived up to expectations. With reference to the different commercial mistakes that have been reported in the financial pages, you are required to discuss why projects fail. In the form of a business report for the Director, advise on what a company should consider, both financial and non-financial factors before embarking on an investment. Answer: Introduction The business report in here is developed on the firm Microsoft, which is one of the giants within the industry of technology. The study of the provided situation elaborates and highlights the fact that despite of spending a massive development cost of over $0.5bn and massive marketing spending of over $700m (Aabo et al. 2010). This evaluation includes the go through of various financial and non financial factors that are massively related behind project failures (Hu et al. 2015) (Arnold, 2010). Context of UK Investment Appraisal in the UK Investment is one of the major parts that should be managed with intense care by the management of the various firms within the industry to maintain the flow of the business process (Avadhani, 2010). All of these fields can open up exciting business opportunities for the firm. In the meantime, the firm have to abstain from overstretching constrained money related assets or limiting the organizations capacity to seek after different choices (Brigham and Daves, 2010) (Brigham and Daves, 2010). Investment appraisal can be defined as a collection of techniques, which are used to identify the attractiveness of an invested amount (Brotman, 2010). Investment appraisal has two major features, which are assessing the expected level of returns (Czaja et al. 2010). The various procedures of evaluating the investment appraisal that Microsoft should have implemented has been stated below: Discount Rate The markdown rate is an idea identified with the NPV system. The figuring of the markdown rate can be taking into account various methodologies including(Iatridis, 2010): The social rate of time inclination The open door expense of capital Weighted normal system (Aabo et al. 2010) The management of Microsoft should have evaluated and studied the above stated elements before starting the project of Windows vista (Finch, 2010). Internal Rate of Return (IRR) The IRR is the repayment rates which, when associated to net incomes of a course of action sets them corresponding to the preliminary speculation (Brigham and Daves, 2010). The favoured choice is that with the IRR most prominent in overabundance of a predetermined rate of return (Jorion, 2010). An IRR of 10% implies that with a markdown rate of 10%, the task earns back the original investment (Lewellen, 2015). Likewise, applying distinctive evaluation procedures to the same fundamental information may yield opposing conclusions (Kritzman and Li, 2010). Cost Ratio Cost ratio implies the discounted net revenues separated by the investments at the initial stages. Typically, the project with cost ratio value greater than 1 is preferable (Qin and Singal, 2015). The revenue forecasted or earned by the management of Microsoft was not at all satisfied for their vista project (Madura, 2010). However, the company has invested significant amount of money towards the vista project initially (Brigham and Daves, 2010). The management and the financial managers of have neglected the importance of calculating the cost ratio (Czaja et al. 2010). The cost ratio is also essential for commenting over the economic benefits of the companies (Monks and Lajoux, 2010). Discounted payback and Payback period The payback period is typically formulated or considered as one of the sophisticated investment appraisal techniques within the private sectors and estimates the range of duration for taking in order to recover the initial investment (Moore, 2010). However, the company Microsoft and their financial managers are mostly unsure about the payback duration for their vista project (Brigham and Daves, 2010). In addition, the method does not consider time value of money (Schmidgall and DeFranco, 2010). The discounted payback period represents the quantity of time that it requires for covering the cost of the project, by accumulating the net positive discounted cash flows evaluating from the project (Pogue, 2010). Sensitivity Analysis Sensitivity analysis or method is the method of developing the financial results regarding the cost advantage analysis that is sensitive towards the supposed financial values taken within the examination (Satyaprasad and Raghu, 2010). Sensitivity analysis is developed typically for the larger projects such as the windows vista project of Microsoft (Ushijima, 2015). Like other various financial analysis, sensitivity analysis is also recommended for valuing the project of Microsoft Vista (Aabo et al. 2010). The key requirements for the sensitivity analysis are a degree of investigative analysis for ascertaining the most susceptible variables (Scherer, 2010) (Zeng, 2010). Scenario Analysis Scenario analysis is also similar to the sensitivity analysis (Shapiro, 2010) (Sharma, 2010). Distributional Analysis The NPV calculations creates zero allowances regarding the distribution of the financial costs and financial benefits within the members and society (Smart et al. 2010). The company Microsoft implemented the Microsoft Vista project for meeting the needs and expectations of a particular segment of customers (Czaja et al. 2010) (Thomas and Gup, 2010). Cost utility analysis CUA is an alternative method for calculating the cost effectiveness analysis or CEA, which is prepared for estimating the qualified effectiveness of the alternative interventions for achieving two or more than two objectives (Worzala, 2011). Within a cost utility analysis, costs are articulated in terms of monetary, financial benefits are articulated within utility terms, and the outcomes are termed as the quality adjusted life years (Czaja et al. 2010). Cost utility analysis allows comparing the benefits of health interventions without having for implementing a financial value over the health states (Che and Che, 2011). Multi criteria Analysis The key steps of the multi criteria analysis are as follows: The first step is to recognise the performance criterion for assessing the Windows Vista project of Microsoft. Secondly, the step follows a plan for scoring a scheme in order to make the Windows Vista project of Microsoft under each principle heading (Aabo et al. 2010). Next, the step follows the allocation of scores towards each investment option against each criterion (Czaja et al. 2010). In addition, the step also follows to calculate overall outcome and test for strength. Finally, the step ends by preparing a report and by interpreting the findings of the analysis (Garrett and James III, 2013). Main Body That Synthesises Analysis and Evaluation of Examples from the Chosen Organisation For analyzing and evaluating these techniques will help understand the effects of the investment on the cash flow (Ross, Westerfield and Jordan, 2013). It will help estimate the benefits of the investment with reference to the total investment cost incurred. The time value of money is ignored while comparing benefits and costs of the investment (Aabo et al. 2010). It is essential for any company to undertake the investment appraisal analysis before deciding to invest huge capital in a new project (Aamer, 2013). Some of the features of the investment appraisal are- It helps assessing the expected returns level the company is likely to earn from its given expenditure level (Heysel and Filion, 2014). It helps estimating the future benefits and costs of the project throughout the project life cycle (Hirt and Block, 2012). It also provides better flexibility and improved production quality (Al-Ajmi, Al-Saleh and Hussain, 2011). It strives to improve the company image, good job satisfaction and staff morale, which in turn leads to better productivity (Hillier, 2013). It helps the management in taking quicker and better decisions due to the complete availability of all the investment related information (Al-Khafaji and Al-Khatib, 2011). In investment appraisal, the cash flows are calculated and compared more than the accounting profits because- It is difficult to spend the profit (Hirt, Block and Danielsen, 2011). Profits are more subjective (Jordan, Westerfield and Ross, 2011). Dividends are paid from the cash flows (Arnold, 2013). Some of the investment appraisal techniques used here are- ARR or accounting rate of return- ARR is also known as ROCE or return on capital employed. It is used to compare the profit the company wishes to make from its investment to the total investment amount. The ARR or ROCE is thus the total yearly profits divided by the total capital investment (Barbash and Roye, 2012). Therefore, ROCE or ARR= Average yearly profits/ Average capital costs*100% From the annual reports of Microsoft Windows Vista for the accounting year 2008, the total capital invested is development cost of $0.5bn and marketing cost of $700m. Therefore, total investment cost is $500m plus $700m, i.e. $1200m. Total profit from the annual reports is $17681000 (Taillard, 2013). Therefore, ROCE= $17681000/$1200000000*100=1.47342 =1.47 ROCE is 1.47, which shows that despite making such a huge investment, the company is not able to generate enough profit from its project (Aabo et al. 2010). However, in this method, some of the important information not considered is the project life, cash flows, working capital and the accounting policies (Barrow, 2011). Payback Period- It is used to measure the time-period within which the initial investment cost is recovered from the cash flows of various years. It helps assess the efficiency of the company to recover the initial cost from cash flows of various years (Robin, 2011). Suppose in case of Microsoft, it launched Windows Vista in 2007 with an initial investment of $1200m. From 2007 to 2015, the cash flows could be $100m in 2007, $150m in 2008, $200m in 2009, $250m in 2010, $300 in 2011, $300 in 2012, $350 in 2013, $400 in 2014 and $450 in 2015 (Bekaert and Hodrick, 2012). Therefore, the payback period is calculated as- Particulars Initial Investment Cash Flow Cumulative Cash Flows 2007 $ 1,200 $ 100 $ 100 2008 $ 150 $ 250 2009 $ 200 $ 450 2010 $ 250 $ 700 2011 $ 300 $ 1,000 2012 $ 300 $ 1,300 2013 $ 350 $ 1,650 2014 $ 400 $ 2,050 2015 $ 450 $ 2,500 (Berk, 2013) (Brooks, 2013) (Naumov, 2013) (Ramsden, 2011) From the above table the payback period is somewhere in 2012 which is a total year of 5 years and 4 months. From the assumed data, it can be said that the total payback period for the new project of Windows Vista of Microsoft is quite high in the total time period of 9 years (Moles, 2011). A higher payback period means that the company is not successful in generating enough cash flows from its investment (Brealey, Myers and Allen, 2011). Using the payback period will help the company get a simple method to deduce the efficiency of the project with respect to the change in technology and investment conditions. It also helps in- Evaluating the company growth (Peterson, 2012); Minimizing the risk (Jordan, Westerfield and Ross, 2011); Maximizing the liquidity (NicolaÃÅ'â‚ ¬s, 2013); Using the cash flows instated of the profits (Brigham and Houston, 2012). Cash Flow Methods- The company can also think of using the discounting cash flow methods, which are the NPV and IRR (Carmichael, 2011). Analyzing the investment sensitivity and risk- The benefit cost analysis is calculated by dividing the total benefits the company make from a project divided by the total cost the company have to bear to carry out the project (Madura, 2012). When the B/C analysis is show a result more than 1 it means that the company is able to create opportunity from the project but if the BC analysis is less than 1 it means that the company failed to create enough benefits from the investment in the new project (Eun and Resnick, 2012). For example, in Microsoft, the company had to incur a total investment cost of $1200m in developing Windows Vista and the total benefit earned by the company from the project is $840m. Therefore, the total B/C ratio is $840/$1200= 0.7 (Grieve, 2013). Conclusion The current report concludes that the Windows vista project of Microsoft was unable to draw expected return due to various reasons. The initial investments decisions related to the Windows Vista project taken by the management of Microsoft was not profitable entirely. However, the company might have the chance to enhance their profitability or to forecast the actual return based on various financial and non-financial factors that they have completely neglected formulating. The failure of Microsoft for their Windows Vista project could easily be minimised by following various investment appraisal techniques initially, which would indicate the actual return that they should expect from their Windows Vista project. Recommendation Masking an effective Investment Appraisal The key aim will be to justify whether the projects of Microsoft will go to be profitable for their business and whether the project of Microsoft will be able to draw higher amount of return on their investments. Identifying the Target Audience Accordingly The company Microsoft invested huge amount of money towards their Windows Vista project for meeting various costs associated with the developmental costs and marketing costs. Post Report Reflection (Learning Statement) From the current study, I have learnt various elements of strategic decision-makings.I have learnt that significant amount of investments towards the development and marketing expenses, are not always enough for achieving expected success. I have also learnt that the company Microsoft is not getting enough sales or customer response as they were targeting the wrong audience for their Windows Vista project. Reference List Al-Ajmi, J., Al-Saleh, N. and Hussain, H. (2011). Investment appraisal practices: A comparative study of conventional and Islamic financial institutions.Advances in Accounting, 27(1), pp.111-124. Al-Khafaji, O. and Al-Khatib, H. (2011). Capital Investment Appraisal in the Public Industrial Companies in Jordan: An Empirical Study.Journal of King Abdulaziz University-Economics and Administration, 25(2), pp.75-132. Arnold, G. (2010). Handbook of corporate finance. New York, NY: Pearson Financial Times Avadhani, V. (2010). International financial management. Mumbai [India]: Himalaya Pub. House Barbash, B. and Roye, P. (2012).Investment Management Institute, 2012. New York, NY: Practising Law Institute. Barrow, C. (2011).Practical financial management. London: Kogan Page. Brigham, E. and Daves, P. (2010). Intermediate financial management. Cincinnati, Ohio: South-Western, Cengage Learning Brooks, R. (2013).Financial management. Boston: Pearson. Brotman, B. (2010). The impact of market conditions using appraisal models. J of Property Inv Finance, 28(3), pp.237-242 Carmichael, D. (2011). An Alternative Approach to Capital Investment Appraisal.The Engineering Economist, 56(2), pp.123-139. Hu, D., Schwabe, G. and Li, X. (2015). Systemic risk management and investment analysis with financial network analytics: research opportunities and challenges. Financial Innovation, 1(1), pp.157-209 Iatridis, G. (2010). International Financial Reporting Standards and the quality of financial statement information. International Review of Financial Analysis, 19(3), pp.193-204 International Monetary Fund, (2012). Australia: Financial Safety Net and Crisis Management Framework Technical Note. IMF Staff Country Reports, 12(310), p.1 Jordan, B., Westerfield, R. and Ross, S. (2011).Corporate finance essentials. New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Jorion, P. (2010). Risk Management. Annu. Rev. Fin. Econ., 2(1), pp.347-365 Kritzman, M. and Li, Y. (2010). Skulls, Financial Turbulence, and Risk Management. Financial Analysts Journal, 66(5), pp.30-41 Madura, J. (2010). International financial management. Australia: South-Western Cengage Learning Moles, P. (2011).Corporate finance. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley. Monks, R. and Lajoux, A. (2010). Corporate Valuation for Portfolio Investment. Princeton: Wiley Moore, T. (2010). A Critical Appraisal of McKinnons Complementarity Hypothesis: Does the Real Rate of Return on Money Matter for Investment in Developing Countries?. World Development, 38(3), pp.260-269 Naumov, A. (2013). ON ACCURACY OF PROJECT'S PAYBACK PERIOD ESTIMATES.Theoretical Applied Science, 5(09), pp.95-99. Peterson, S. (2012).Investment theory and risk management + website. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley. Pogue, M. (2010). Corporate investment decisions. [New York, N.Y.] (222 East 46th Street, New York, NY 10017): Business Expert Press Qin, N. and Singal, V. (2015). Indexing and Stock Price Efficiency. Financial Management, pp.59-68 Scherer, B. (2010). A note on asset management and market risk. Financial Markets and Portfolio Management, 24(3), pp.309-320 Schmidgall, R. and DeFranco, A. (2010). Balance Sheet Ratios: Medians for High and Low Profit Clubs. The Journal of Hospitality Financial Management, 18(1), pp.66-66 Shapiro, A. (2010). Multinational financial management. New York: Wiley Ushijima, T. (2015). Diversification, Organization, and Value of the Firm. Financial Management, pp.879-908 Zeng, T. (2010). Financial Management of the Company for Financial Crisis. AMM, 34-35, pp.1185-1189

Personal Reflection free essay sample

Though it was hard we all knew the importance of prayer itself and prayer as a family. The old saying says â€Å"a family that prays together stays together,† well truer words have never been spoken for my family. Like all families there will be trials and tribulations, and it was only through the power of prayer that we were able to get through it. Had it not been for a praying family I would not be here today. In 2008 Hurricane Gustav hit Louisiana. Though very devastating to many, it was more devastating to my family and I. That Labor Day could have been a day I lost my life. Hurricane Gustav put three trees through the house where my family and I lived. That day was one of the scariest days of my life. One of the trees fell on our house and trapped me in a back room. The first word I could say was Jesus. We will write a custom essay sample on Personal Reflection or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I could almost feel his hand of protection on me. I know that it was nothing but God that got me out of that situation. I cannot thank him enough for his hand of protection on my life. Though prayer is very important Fasting is equally as important. For me fasting is a way to kill my flesh against things that I may want as a sacrifice for God. I a lot of times do a fasting week and everyday pick something that is important to me as a sacrifice. Some of the things I fast are television, cellphone, music, food, and mainly my time. Fasting is a great way to hear from God without all of the distractions of the world. So many times I am so busy that I feel like when I do finally have a moment to prayer and focus on God he is getting the leftovers of my day. God should be the beginning of your day. Having your steps ordered by God will definitely contribute to your day going much smoother than it would had you not prayed that morning. Because of that Prayer and fasting is something I do often. In the near future I would like to do a complete three day fast without food. That is something that is hard for me and it will be a challenge, but will be worth it in the end. In doing short fast, like a three day fast, I hope to prepare myself for a twenty-one day Daniel Fast. My church, both here and in my hometown of Baton Rouge, does a yearly Daniel Fast. I have opted not to participate until I was ready, and thought I could handle it. Through prayer I have realized that I have been pushing myself away from something that God wanted me to do. This is the year that I will do the twenty-one day Daniel Fast and follow it through to the end. I know that God has a special blessing for me and my church family in the end. Upon registering for this class I was not really sure what to expect. I had no plans on even taking this class until I went to my advisor last semester to be advised for this school year. I was told I needed to take this class as a part of the required classes I needed in order to obtain a degree in Worship leadership. Not knowing what to expect I was and still am very excited about this class. In hopes that I can draw even closer and gain more in depth knowledge of the bible and spiritual growth. Hoping to one day be a worship leader or Music Minister and hoping to lead a congregation in worship I want to know that I am as close to God as I can possibly be at that point in time. I am very excited about the spiritual retreat because it will force us busy college students to take out the necessary time to get into Gods word, Prayer harder than we ever have because we are all alone, Sing as loud as we want without judgment, even dance if we want in praise to our God. Really give God our full attention that we may hear from him and get an even clearer vision of his plan for us. Many people think that preacher kids are perfect and never have any struggles. I will be the first to tell you otherwise. I think because people who have a call on their lives for ministry have so many things coming against them because the devil can see what they will be, and not what they are now. What was and still is an encouragement to me when I am going through a tough time in my life is that I know God has great things in store for me.

The Plays the Thing

The Plays the Thing In Hamlet, there is the line that goes something like The plays the thing wherein we can catch the conscience of the king. If you play your cards right, playwriting can be the thing that earns you some extra money as a freelancer. There is a huge demand for appropriate plays for the middle school and high school markets. The reason is simple. A lot of people have found themselves in a position like I did several years ago when I was directing plays. I just couldnt find something suitable for the resources I had, so I wrote my own. Later, I queried a publisher on the off chance that it might accept freelance submissions. The one I queried did. Brooklyn Publishers accepted one of my plays and asked for more.   Since that first play, I have published seven plays with this company. The one thing about playwriting is that if you establish a reputation as a writer who can deliver what schools need, you can ride that formula to playwriting success. What I wanted was simple enough: easy comedies, simple sets, and flexible casts leaning heavily to more female parts. Now, twice a year I get royalty checks. If you would like to tap into this market, I would make three suggestions: First, look at publisher websites. Brooklyn Publishers is www.brookpub.com. Check out what they publish; read the descriptions and order a couple of plays to read. Do a search for paying magazines that pay for plays. I know of at least two that accept submissions: Dramatics and Plays. Second, go to performances. Im talking high school and college drama performances. Better yet, get involved in community drama. Third, learn some of the ins and outs of playwriting. There are at least two free online playwriting courses you can check on. MIT has an open course ware playwriting course and playwright Johnathan Dorf has on online course called Playwriting 101. You can google these and go right to them. http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/music-and-theater-arts/21m-604-playwriting-1-spring-2005/index.htm playwriting101.com What are you waiting for? Curtains Up!   Lets play.

Habits and Traits of Bess Beetles

Habits and Traits of Bess Beetles Bess beetles live together in family groups, with males and females sharing parenting duties. They go by quite a few common names: bessbugs, patent leather beetles, horn beetles, Betsy beetles, and peg beetles. Bess beetles belong to the family Passalidae and share certain habits and traits. Physical Characteristics Bess beetles can be quite large, measuring up to 70 or 80 mm in length. Theyre shiny and black, which is why some people refer to them as patent leather beetles. Youll notice a pronounced gap between the deeply grooved elytra and the pronotum. A single groove divides the pronotum in two. To distinguish bess beetles from other similar beetle families, youll also need to examine the head, mouthparts, and antennae. The bess beetles head will be narrower than the pronotum, and the mouthparts project forward. The antennae have 10 segments, and are not elbowed. They terminate in a 3-segmented club. Classification Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum:Â  ArthropodaClass:Â  InsectaOrder:Â  ColeopteraFamily:Â  Passalidae Diet Both adults and larvae feed on decaying wood. Both male and female bess beetles prepare the food by chewing it before feeding it to their young. Adults and larvae also feed on adult feces, which is predigested by microorganisms that break down cellulose. Life Cycle Bess beetles undergo complete metamorphosis. Adults mate within the tunnel system they excavate in a rotting log. The female lays her eggs in a nest made of masticated wood. Bess beetle larvae prepare to pupate about two months after eclosure from the egg. With the help of adults, the larvae constructs a pupal case made from frass. The larva works from the inside, and the adults from the outside. Adult bess beetles may live for over two years. Special Adaptations and Defenses Kids often like bess beetles because they squeak when you disturb them. Adult bess beetles stridulate by rubbing the undersides of their wings across their abdomens. Larvae can talk, too. Bess beetles have a remarkably complex language, making 14 distinct sounds. Home Range Entomologists list over 500 species of bess beetles worldwide, most living in the tropics. Just two species inhabit the U.S.

United States Colonization of the Philippines Essay

United States Colonization of the Philippines - Essay Example The period between 1898 and 1946 became a time when the Philippines underwent torture, enslavement and loss of their individual rights. Therefore, the colonization of the US was oppressive to the people of Philippine and it benefit for the US. In the year 1898, Philippines fought against exploitation by Spain and managed to reach a treaty. Therefore, the country was in the process of reconstruction before the US arrived in this country. The US disguised in its entry and pretended to have the motive of conducting business with this country. Although trade was part of the plan, it dawned that the purpose of the invasion was to take advantage of the country and leverage economic benefits from the country. In April 1898, the US army engaged the Philippines in war, which led to the death of many people. In the year 1902, the US government elected a civil law to govern the people of Spain (Fitzpatrick and Richard 840-845). This resulted into a tough battle between the two sides, but the Philippines had to finally give up and submit to the rule of the US. Therefore, Philippines served under the rule of Spain in the next 40 years. The motive of the US government to enter Philippine became clear immediately after it took over in the country. To begin with, the government took over the land that the Philippines had invested their efforts on. They were dispossessed of the rice and wheat lands that they had ploughed. The citizens served in these lands with little or no pay, what amounts to slavery. The US took advantage of the fertile lands to develop their industrial sector, which was the main reason for the expansionism strategy. In fact, many Americans became natives of Philippine and they even retained their identities after independence in 1946. The motive of the US was much similar to that of other western countries in the period of colonization. It was a strategy to

Child sex trafficking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Child sex trafficking - Essay Example In this essay, the current activities of the United States’ government to address child sex trafficking are analyzed and discussed. The essay also provides some policy recommendations, in the form of ideas and suggestions on how to reduce the prevalence of child sex trafficking in the United States of America. Child sex trafficking is prevalent, not only in the United States of America, but also across the world because children are particularly prone to human trafficking. 27% of the global trafficking victims are children (Siskin & Wyler, 2013). These children have been exploited sexually in the commercial sex industry or as sex slaves. Women and child sex trafficking is so prevalent in the world that the United Nations Organization, through its Sectary General, Kofi Annan, termed the trafficking of women and children for sexual exploitation as an international plague (Phinney, 2013). This crime is more prevalent in Eastern Europe and Asia, but evidence shows that women and child sex trafficking is a significant problem in America. It is associated with abuse of human rights (Phinney, 2013). Child sex trafficking involves the ‘purchase’ of a person. Later, the ‘purchased’ person is forced to engage in sexual acts for the economic benefit of the trafficker. Child sex traffickers capitalize on poor and the illiterate children. It should be noted that in most cases, child sex trafficking victims lack escape means, forcing them to remain in torture for so long. Victims of sex trafficking in the United States are overlooked. Authorities interpret that these victims are deviant and prostitutes (Brooks, 2011). Very many women and children are trafficked into the United States each year. The precise number of human trafficking victims is not yet known because the figures provided are not absolute, but mere estimates. This means that the figures could be much higher than what is reported. For instance, more than 800,000

Education-Benchmark Assessment Essay Example for Free

Education-Benchmark Assessment Essay Several theories explain the concept of Early Childhood Education (ECE). Deiner (2013) describes that all of them share the same opinion that an early childhood educator is extremely essential in the development of a childs intellectual and educational abilities. It is also commonly agreeable among the theories that the early childhood education can have a great impact in the life of an individual since education is progressive, and each stage leads to a higher one. However, there are some contradictions in the theories, which regard to some aspects of ECE. For instance, some studies feel that the intellectual development depends on the genes of the child as acquired from the parents. Other studies hold a different opinion, that the environment plays a great role in ECE. Some assert that both the environment and the biological play a great role in early childhood development. This study is based on the fact that the educator is part of the environment in which the child is subjected to, and all children can learn. The educator has several roles that make them have a great impact on a child. An early childhood educator has the responsibility to ensure that a child gains as much knowledge as possible depending on the level of the child, where the level is to a large extent determined by the age of the child. A child spends most of the waking time with the educator. There are differences presented by the various personalities of children. As a result, each child should be treated differently from the other by the educator. As a result, the educator needs to have sufficient knowledge on how to  understand each child, so that each child gains maximally. The educator defines the environment in which a child lives in school. It is agreeable that children have some common interests. For instance, most studies point out that using objects in educating children in grade three or lower can have on enhancing their knowledge by having them relate to things they frequently use. This means that the environment needs to have various objects and pictorial presentations for more effective learning. There are other considerations that the educator needs to be aware of, such as ensuring that the relationship among students themselves and between the educator and children is supportive to the education to be acquired. An early childhood educator deals with children who might not be much exposed, and they are open to what they are learn. It is clear from this essential role of educators that they should be having some personal characteristics. Grotewell Burton (2008) explains that one of them is that the educator should be role model to the children. In addition, the educator should maintain a healthy lifestyle since children are much vulnerable to communicable illnesses. The use of clear communication is also relevant, not only to convey information to the children, but also because it can affect the childrens communication skills as well. Moreover, the educator needs to work closely with the children, their parents and the fellow educators so that they can learn more about each child. This means that sometimes they are involved in settling conflicts between the children and families. The role as the professional in the teaching and learning of children is achieved through several ways. One of them is by the educators developing and implementing programs that are designed to meet the childrens physical, intellectual, social, emotional, developmental and cultural needs and interests. The programs are basically considerate on a play environment. The programs also consider the age of the children. The educator can improvise some of the equipment that can be needed by the children. Secondly, the role can be attained by building the childrens interpersonal and social skills. Positive self-concept can also be achieved by having the educator  establishing positive guidelines that let the children to feel comfortable, safe and secure. Third, as aforementioned, constant communication with the other stakeholders in ECE, mostly the parents, should be considered. Forth, activities that actively involve the children ensure that the children gain maximally. Such activities could include outdoor play, various play experiences, snacks and meals as well as field trips (Deiner, 2013). The child educator also plays a role as an advocate on behalf of children. The educator is expected to understand children in general. Sometimes, children can be presented by challenges that they cannot easily express verbally to the relevant authorities. This means that they can suffer silently over issues such as domestic violence, bullying and lack of basic commodities. The educator has sufficient knowledge to realize a child who is having some pressing issues. Some children can gain the confidence and trust to open up to the educator, virtues that the educator should possess. The educator could as a result gain information that could not be realized by the parents and other people close to the children. Bhavya (2007) feels that children might not be sure on how to approach these issues. Some may be living in fear of exposing how they feel. However, the educator is in a better position to assist. For instance, the educator can ensure that the bullies in the educational institution are warned against it in the best way possible. The educator can be aware on how they can assist when cases of violence where a child is a direct or indirect victim are presented, such as involving lawful measures as well as talking with the parents and guardians of the children. Children whose parents cannot sufficiently offer basic needs can have their needs sought from other sources. Therefore, the educator represents the children in cases where the child might be unable to express themselves. Educators should work with the mentality that all children can learn. Learning involves various aspects of gaining knowledge, and not exclusive to study of books. It involves interpersonal and communication skills. Children are also expected to learn values that are generally acceptable in the society. Each child consequently needs to learn. In addition, each child has  the capability to learn. Although there can be variances in the capabilities, children are able to continually gain knowledge on the aspects noted. The educator should understand how much each child can contain. Moreover, it is relevant to know exactly what a child needs in order to learn. For instance, some children could require frequent reminders and assignments so that they can understand some concepts (Grotewell Burton, 2008). As the different aspects of learning are concerned, there needs to be various assessments to test the success of each. Apart from the writing and reading skills, tests such as etiquette, posture and arts can be conducted regularly. Although the tests might not be recordable, an educator who clearly understands each of the students can clearly tell whether there is progress in the development of a child. The assessment practices should ensure that the children gain from the basics to the complex contents so that all children can learn (Bhavya, 2007). Technology currently plays a role in the education to young children. Educators are increasingly using technology due to the several benefits it has in enhancing gaining of knowledge among them. There are equipments that have been developed with an aim to create fun as children learn. For instance, counting machines are attractive to the children, and they can enjoy using it. The technologically developed equipments are also safe and easy to use. This means that the children can learn some things on their own after being guided by the educator. Some technology can be used in displaying information that could not be better displayed in any other means. Photos that are presented in screens can be relevant in showing children objects that can help them to learn. Technology also reduces costs in teaching children. For instance, a trip to view some objects in far places can be avoided by having the objects displayed. Therefore, technology is significant in teaching children (Morgan, 2011). The environment is crucial in the teaching and learning among children  between birth and grade three. It affects the emotional, intellectual, psychological and physical aspects of a child. The environment concerns several things, but most importantly the people who interact with the children. The environment should support learning, and it could contain learning inhibiting factors, or can contain motivating ones. If the environment does not support learning, the child cannot concentrate. Children are much likely to put more focus on issues that constantly happen to them. For instance, if they are being physically or emotionally abused, they cannot gain much in the learning process (Morgan, 2011). Children are much motivated by some aspects in the environment. One of them is the availability of ample playing space. Since the children gain a lot when playing, space and equipment provided by the environment can enhance their learning greatly. The environment can also be motivating by just being safe for the children. Therefore, the environment is crucial in the learning of children. References Bhavya, M. S. (2007). _Early childhood education_. Delhi [India: Kalpaz Publications. Deiner, P. L. (2013). _Inclusive early childhood education: Development, resources, practice_. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Grotewell, P. G., Burton, Y. R. (2008). _Early childhood education: Issues and developments_. New York: Nova Science Publishers. Morgan, H. (2011). _Early childhood education: History, theory, and practice_. Lanham, Md: Rowman Littlefield.

Getting Sober :: Expository Cause Effect Essays

Getting Sober To recognize that they have drinking problems, alcoholics have to be completely miserable and willing to change. When they get to this point, it is called their "bottom." There are "high bottom" and "low bottom" drunks, but it doesn't matter as long as they get sober. There are many different reasons why an alcoholic decides to get sober, but in my own case, I lost my self-esteem, I couldn't control my drinking, and my life became unmanageable. The first thing that made me think about getting sober was that I lost my self-esteem. I always used to cut myself down in front of people and never knew how to accept compliments- sure signs of low self-esteem. The biggest symptom I had of low self-esteem was that I wasn't comfortable in my own skin or around people unless I was drunk because the only way I could stand myself was when I drank. I also never cared about my appearance, so I wouldn't wear make-up, fix my hair, or bathe regularly. Still, low self-esteem was something I would never have guessed I had-that is, until I thought about killing myself. Then I knew something might be wrong. The second thing that made me want to get sober was the realization that I couldn't control my drinking-it had become a mental and physical obsession. Since my first drink at the age of twelve I couldn't go a day without a drink, and I could never have just one. By the age of seventeen I was used to drinking a case and a half of beer a day, and for the next two years I lived in a drunken fog. I could not go to school, work, or anywhere else outside my front door without a drink or the promise of one. I finally realized something had to be done when I couldn't get a drink one day and swallowing my own spit made me violently sick. I was forced to drink NyQuil to keep from throwing up because it was the only alcohol in the house. But the main reason I got sober was that my life became unmanageable. The first thing that made me notice I was out of control was getting kicked out of high school two weeks before graduation.

Motorcycle Helmet Laws in America Essay

Motorcycle are not the safest means of transportation but millions of people all across America choose them over automobile for the trill, speed and high performance capabilities they offer in fraction of the price of a automobile. Motorcycle do not provide the protection like automobiles do with their outer body and safety features like air bags and seat belts, therefore in case of an accident the injury sustained by the rider is often very serious. When dealing with motorcycle accidents, majority of the fatalities are due to head injuries which could have been prevented had the rider been wearing a helmet. Helmets are the only method to reduce the head injuries during crashes which is the leading cause of death involving motorcycle accidents. Helmet use law has created a lot of controversies over the years, while some supporting the law and other opposing it. One side who support the law believe that the helmet law protects the motorcyclist from danger in case of an accident and save the nation a good deal of money. While, the other side believes that the law is unconstitutional and it violets their right to freedom. Although helmet cannot prevent motorcycle accidents but greatly reduces the number of deaths caused by head injuries during these crashes as well as helps in lowering taxes, insurance cost and health care cost. According to the federal government estimates, the number of deaths on motorcycle per mile in 2006 was 35 times higher than in automobile. In last couple of years motorcycle deaths have seen considerable increase- more than doubling in 2007 from the record low in 1997. In contrast the passenger occupant death reached a record low in 2007. This paper examines the history of motorcycle helmet use law and also the current state of the law. It also tries to highlight the burden that accident involving riders not wearing helmet impose on the society and also the effect of helmet law on helmet use. BACKGROUND HISTORY OF MOTORCYCLE HELMET LAW: The motorcycle helmets laws in United States has gone through several changes throughout the years. In 1967, in order to increase the helmet use, the federal government required the state government to enact helmet use laws to qualify for certain federal safety program and highway construction fund. The federal incentives was a success and by early 1970s almost all the states had universal helmet laws which covered all the riders of all ages and experience. 1968, Michigan became the first state to repel its laws. This lead to a series of repeal, re-enactment, and amendment of motorcycle helmet laws. In 1976, US Department of transportation (DOT) moved in to assess the financial penalties on states without helmet laws but the congress corresponded to state pressure and stopped DOT from assessing financial penalties on states without helmet laws. By 1980, several states had repealed their helmet laws and some weakened their laws to cover riders under the age of 18 but not older riders. In the 1980s and early 1990, several states reinstated helmet laws applying for all riders. In the 1991 Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act, several incentives were created by the congress for the states to enact helmet use and safety belt use laws. The eligibility criteria for receiving special safety grants was that the state must enact both the laws. Up to 3 percent of federal highway allotment was redirected to highway safety program for all the states that did not enact the laws by October 1993. But again after four years of establishing the incentive program ,congress revised itself. In the fall of 1995, federal sanction against the states without helmet use laws was lifted which paved the way for state to repeal helmet use laws. This lead to many states weakening its helmet use laws. Now 20 states and District of Columbia have helmet laws covering all riders and 27 states have partial helmet use law covering some riders (usually riders under the age of 18). Illinois and Iowa do not have any helmet use laws. PRESENT HELMET LAW STATUS: [pic] NO HELMET LAW: |NO HELMET LAW (2 STATES) | |ILLINOIS |IOWA | PARTIALLY FREE: |AGE REQUIREMENT – PARTIALLY FREE (27 STATES) | |15 & UNDER |18 & UNDER |19 & UNDER |21 & UNDER | | | | | | |MAINE |ALASKA |DELAWARE |ARKANSAS | | |ARIZONA | |KENTUCKY | | |COLORADO | |RHODE ISLAND | | |CONNECTICUT | |SO. CAROLINA | | |HAWAII | |TEXAS | | |IDAHO | |PENNSYLVANIA | | |INDIANA | | | | |KANSAS | | | | |MINNESOTA | | | | |NEW HAMPSHIRE | | | | |NEW MAXICO | | | | |NORTH DAKOTA | | | | |OHIO | | | | |OKLAHOMA | | | | |SOUTH DAKOTA | | | | |UTAH | | | AGE REQUIREMENT & INSURANCE: |AGE REGUIREMENT + INSURANCE (1 STATE PARTIALLY FREE) | |21 & OVER | |FLORIDA | MANDATORY LAW: | | |MANDATORY HELMET LAWS (20 STATES) | |ALABAMA |MASSACHUSETTS |TENNESSE |NEBRASKA | |CALIFORNIA |MICHIGAN |VERMONT |NEW YORK | |GEORGIA |MISSISSIPPI |VIRGINIA |NEW JERSEY | |LOUISIANA. |MISSOURI |WASHINGTON |NORTH CAROLINA | |MARYLAND |NEBRASKA |W. VIRGINIA |OREGON | | | | | | | | | | | HOW DO HELMET LAWS AFFECT HELMET USE: Based on various studies of states enactment, repel and weakening of helmet laws, it was observed that the helmet use reached 100 percent when all the riders were required to wear helmet at all times compared to 50 percent when there was no law or law applied to only some riders. In 2008, according to NHTSA, 97 percent of the riders were observed wearing helmets in states with universal helmet laws compared to 90 percent in 2002. In states without universal helmet law the use of helmet was 52 percent in 2002 and 54 percent in 2008. Based on helmets judged to be compliant with federal safety regulations, use was 73 percent in 2002 and went up to 78 percent in 2008 among motorcyclists in states with universal helmet laws. It rose from 46 to 50 percent among motorcyclists in states without such laws. HOW DO HELMET LAW EFFECT MOTORCYCLIST DEATH AND INJURIES: In states which either reinstates or enacted saw a considerable increase in motorcycle helmet use and motorcycle death and injuries decreased drastically. Whereas the states which repealed or weakened their existing helmet law saw a great increase in motorcycle death and injuries and considerable decrease in helmet use. According to two studies published in 2007 and 2008, motorcyclist fatality rates were modelled based on helmet law type, after controlling for various factors such as per capita income, population density, and annual precipitation. It was observed that the states which had helmet law covering all riders had lowest death rates. Further on, the states which had helmet law covering only some riders had low death rate compared to states with no helmet law, but not as low as the states with universal helmet law. These results held for all three types of rates considered: deaths per 10,000 registered motorcycles, deaths per 100,000 population, and deaths per 10 billion vehicle miles traveled. Some examples of helmet law and its effect on death and injuries:   California enacted universal helmet law on January 1, 1992. The number of motorcycle fatalities decreased 37 percent to 327 in 1992 from 523 in 1991.   Nebraska reinstated a helmet law on January 1, 1989 after repealing an earlier law in 1977. The state saw 22 percent reduction in serious head injuries due to motorcycle crashes.   From 1968 to 1977, Texas had a universal helmet use law estimated to have saved 650 lives, but the law was amended in 1977 to apply only to riders younger than 18. The weakened law coincided with a 35 percent increase in motorcyclist fatalities. Texas reinstated its helmet law for all motorcyclists in September 1989. The month before the law took effect, the helmet use rate was 41 percent. The rate jumped to 90 percent during the first month of the law and had risen to 98 percent by June 1990. Serious injury crashes per registered motorcycle decreased 11 percent. But in September 1997, Texas again weakened its helmet law, requiring helmets only for riders younger than 21. Helmet use in Texas dropped to 66 percent by May 1998, and operator fatalities increased 31 percent in the first full year following the repeal.   Kentucky repealed its universal helmet law in 1998, followed by Louisiana in 1999. These actions resulted in lower helmet use, and quickly increased motorcyclist deaths in these states by 50 percent and 100 percent, respectively. In 2000, Florida’s universal helmet law was weakened to exempt riders 21 and older who have at least $10,000 of medical insurance coverage. An Institute study found that the motorcyclist death rate in Florida increased by about 25 percent after the state weakened its helmet law. A study of the Florida law change by NHTSA found a similar effect; motorcyclist deaths per 10,000 motorcycle registrations increased 21 percent during the two years after the law was changed compared with the two years before. IMPACT OF HELMET LAW ON MOTORCYCLE THEFT: Helmet law has also resulted in decline in reduction in motorcycle theft as potential robbers may not have an access to helmet and not wearing helmet will attract police notice. According to Texas department of public safety, motorcycle theft decreased 44 percent between 1988 and 1998 in 19 cities after enactment of universal helmet law. After enactment of helmet law by Great Britain, motorcycle theft feel 24 percent in London. The Netherlands saw 36 percent drop in motorcycle theft after it enacted helmet laws in 1975. In 1980, when on the spot fine was introduced in former West Germany, motorcycle theft plummeted 60 percent. IMPACT OF HELMET ON HEALTH CARE COST: Unhelmeted riders have higher health care costs as a result of their crash injuries, and many lack health insurance. In November 2002, NHTSA reported that 25 studies of the costs of injuries from motorcycle crashes â€Å"consistently found that helmet use reduced the fatality rate, probability and severity of head injuries, cost of medical treatment, length of hospital stay, necessity for special medical treatments, and probability of long-term disability. A number of studies examined the question of who pays for medical costs. Only slightly more than half of motorcycle crash victims have private health insurance coverage. For patients without private insurance, a majority of medical costs are paid by the government. † According to specific findings of several studies: 1996 NHTSA study found that inpatient hospital charges were 8 percent higher for riders without helmets compared to riders wearing helmets.   Various studies shows that the health care cost associated with head injured motorcyclist decline after the introduction of helmet use law in 1994 by the state of California. The rate of motorcyclist hospitalized for head injuries decreased by 48 percent in 1993 compared with 1991 and the total cost of patients with head injuries decreased by $20. 5 million during this period. †¢ After reinstatement of helmet law by Nebraska, study showed that there has been 38 percent decline in total acute medical charges for injured motorcyclist. A NHTSA evaluation of the weakening of Florida’s universal helmet law in 2000 to exclude riders 21 and older who have at least $10,000 of medical insurance coverage found a huge increase in hospital admissions of cyclists with injuries to the head, brain, and skull. Such injuries went up 82 percent during the 30 months immediately following the law change. The average inflation-adjusted cost of treating these injuries went up from about $34,500 before the helmet law was weakened to nearly $40,000 after. Less than one-quarter of the injured motorcyclists would have been covered by the $10,000 medical insurance requirement for riders who chose not to use helmets. Various studies conducted in Nebraska, California, Washington and Massachusetts indicates that taxpayers are burdened by injured motorcyclist. From January 1988 to January 1990, 41 percent motorcyclist injured in Nebraska lacked health insurance or received Medicaid or Medicare. In Seattle, public fund paid 63 percent of trauma care for injured motorcyclist in 1985. In Sacramento, 82 percent of the costs to treat orthopaedic injuries sustained by motorcyclists during 1980-83 was paid by public fund. Forty-six percent of motorcyclists treated at Massachusetts General Hospital during 1982-83 were uninsured. MOTORCYCLE HELMET LAW ISSUES: Motorcyclist often feel that helmet use law violets their right of freedom. They believe that the rider should have the freedom to decide the use of helmet. According to various motorcycle groups, helmet use law reduces riding which in turn results in less death rates in motorcycle crashes which the government uses to confuse people about the safety benefits of helmet. Many motorcyclist have gone to the court objecting the law. In 1972, a federal court told a motorcyclist who objected to the law: â€Å"The public has an interest in minimizing the resources directly involved. From the moment of injury, society picks the person up off the highway; delivers him to a municipal hospital and municipal doctors; provides him with unemployment compensation if, after recovery, he cannot replace his lost job; and, if the injury causes permanent disability, may assume responsibility for his and his family’s subsistence. We do not understand a state of mind that permits plaintiff to think that only he himself is concerned. † This decision was affirmed by the US Supreme Court. RECCOMENDATIONS TO INCREASE HELMET USE: Law makers should look into other means to increase use of motorcycle helmets other then law. Public campaign to encourage helmet use would greatly reduce the law enforcement cost also restriction to one’s own freedom felt by some riders. But the chances of achieving results through these method is minimal. Subsidies on helmet purchase can shift part of the cost from riders to general public by providing federal money to the motorcyclist purchasing helmets. Subsidies would not motivate riders who value their freedom and convenience over the benefits helmet use. Motorcyclist using helmet should be charged lower insurance premium compared to riders not using helmet to encourage helmet use. This difference in insurance premium would encourage un-helmeted rider to use helmet and other safety gear in order to reduce their premium. When novice riders take rider education course, more emphasis should be laid on the importance of helmet use and not just only the basic operating skills. If they understand the use of safety gear and helmet at early age, it might affect their choice later in their life. Motorcyclist who fail to wear a helmet and sustain head injuries could be denied compensation for injury and damages. however, it would become difficult for the court to determine on case to case basis in which compensation would be denied as head injuries are sustained when helmet are worn. Various studies have showed that when helmet use is not mandatory, 50% of all riders wear helmet but when it is mandatory nearly 100% riders use helmet. So, the only way to increase helmet is to enact universal helmet law in all the states of United States of America. REFERENCES: www. pubmedcentral. nih. gov www. iihs. org www. nhtsa. dot. org.

What Makes Us Human

Anthropologists say that we are humans because of evolution. The portion of DNA that is responsible for the structure of proteins is 99. 4% common in humans and chimpanzees. Anthropologists say that we are humans because of evolution. The portion of DNA that is responsible for the structure of proteins is 99. 4% common in humans and chimpanzees. The dictionary says that human beings are individuals of the genus Homo, or more specifically, Homo sapiens. That only answers the anthropological aspect of what makes us human.Paul Bae also takes the anthropological stance on humankind saying that â€Å"Changes caused by evolution and time make us human. † When asked what separates humans from animals, he replied saying â€Å"human minds are more developed than animals, allowing humans to be at the top of the food chain. † Psychologists say a distinctive quality in humans is the cognitive process. The cognitive process is a demonstration of the central ability humans possess th at define us. More simply, it is our ability to think and make decisions. The brain plays the most crucial part in the cognitive process.The part of the brain that differentiates the human brain from brains of other species’ is the cerebral cortex. The cerebral cortex controls senses, thoughts, language and memory. The brain plays the most crucial part in the cognitive process. The part of the brain that differentiates the human brain from brains of other species’ is the cerebral cortex. The cerebral cortex controls senses, thoughts, language and memory. Aaron Marentette agrees with psychologists and says â€Å"The thing that makes us humans is our ability to make smart choices and just choices in general. When he was asked the question of what difference there is between humans and animals, he responded, saying â€Å"The difference is that we have undergone evolution and therefore, have become more civil. † Finally, sociologists say that the factor that makes humans human is culture. Culture is simply the ideas, abilities, and behaviours people have acquired to become members of society. Culture is always evolving in society and the world and it mainly unique to the human species. Above: Culture plays a huge part in shaping humans.Culture affects how we treat each other and interact. Above: Culture plays a huge part in shaping humans. Culture affects how we treat each other and interact. Below: Culture is specific to humans. Animals indicate SOME aspects of culture but it is ingrained by genetic programming. Humans can change their environment and pass the changes onto their children. Below: Culture is specific to humans. Animals indicate SOME aspects of culture but it is ingrained by genetic programming. Humans can change their environment and pass the changes onto their children.Max Nascimento believes that we are human because â€Å"humans have free will and have the ability to conquer anything we envision. † His thoughts on th e variation between humans and animals are that â€Å"animals walk on four legs, act on instinct, and don’t have a conscience. † All three answers to what makes us human are correct. Evolution made us human through changes in DNA. The cognitive process made us human through our ability to problem solve and think. And finally culture shaped us into the social beings we are. They are all factors that affect humans and differentiate us from any other living species on this planet.

Jay Z Story of O.J Professor Ramos Blog

Jay Z Story of O.J Hip hop has been known for decades to have hidden meaning in its song. Recently due to the rise of trap and mumble rap, the meanings have changed to Drugs, Money, and Degrading women. The rise of trap and mumble rap caused some older rapping to either adapt or fall off. A veteran rapper like Jay z, who always stay true to his own style would not succumb to this problem. In most peoples eyes, Jay Z is considered a rap legend, He is respected by his peers and either inspired or paved the way for others. From songs like 99 Problems to Empire state of mind, Jay Z has been nominated 77 times and has won 22 Grammy awards. Jay Z has many hidden messages in his songs, He can give a clear message and deliver sick flows to the listener understanding. In one of his more recent projects called 4:44 in which he won a grammy. On there he has a song called The Story of Oj. The song and its music video have deep cultural meanings with a tone of awareness. The story of Oj makes the black community as k what should our priorities really be and how we should approach them. The Story of O.J. shows the viewer the darker side of American history through images and wordplay. How the Dark past has affected their identity.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The starts off with the person singing skin black, my skin is black this chores was sampled from the late Nina Simone, an African American Singer and civil rights activist. The Song Jay Z sampled is Nina Simone Four Women the Song is about empowering black beauty.   The animation style is based on the old early 1900s of black facing and monkey-like imagery to depict black people, also known as minstrelsy. It was America number 1 form of entertainment around the 19th century white men would put pitch-black oil and white gloves to perform their acts. The acts would use black stereotypes like eating watermelon for the jokes and loudly exaggerate black voices; this was not only degrading but racist.   An early example of minstrelsy is with Warner Brothers Looney Toons and old Disney animations Disney. In looney tunes, characters would wear white gloves, fake black voices there was even an episode where Bugs Bunny uses oil to blend in with black people.   The chores Light nigga, dark nigga, faux nigga, real nigga, Rich nigga, poor nigga, house nigga, field nigga, Still nigga, still nigga I like that second one, Light nigga, dark nigga, faux nigga, real nigga, Rich nigga, poor nigga, house nigga, field nigga, Still nigga, still nigga (Jay Z). The chores came from the idea that since black people came from nothing which is understandable,   that when we get success and money, we forget about our culture and where we come from. Another idea came from a Malcolm X speech, X said back during slavery there were two kinds of Negroes. The house Negro who always looked out for his master because of the better treatment, and then you had the field Negroes they hated their master because of there treatment. These lyrics parallel to Kanye west lyrics in his hit song All Falls Down Even if you in a Benz, you still a nigga in a coupe, most interpret no matter how much money and success you accumulate youre still black in their eyes. In the music v ideo during the first chores, they show all the types of Black people Jay z was referring too and lastly showing O.J. who the song is named after. Oj Simpson was an American football player from San Francisco California. He went to college at USC, where he would win the Heisman trophy the most prestigious award in college football. He got drafted by the buffalo bills, there Oj rushed for over 2000 yards in a season. Since Oj was so successful and accomplished as a   football player, he thought he was above the racial conflict. In 1994, Simpson was arrested and charged with the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her boyfriend, Ron Goldman. He would be found not guilty of the crimes, during the trial he uttered the famous quote Im Not Black, Im O.J. this is where Jay Z gets his famous one-liner Im not Black, Im O.J., Okay in his song Story Of O.J.   His verse rap verse starts with House nigga, dont fuck with me, Im a field nigga, with shined cutlery, Gold-plated quarters, where the butlers be, I ma play the corners where the hustlers be (Jay Z) while during the scene it goes to Jay Z cartoon style picking up cotton this goes back to the Malcolm Xs reference to the African slaves who worked in the house. They often grew fond of their master since they were treated better than field slaves. This dynamic caused some house slaves to preserve and protect the slave institute. House slaves believed their lives were optimum, while field slaves hated their masters and wanted to escape. Then switches to Jay Z on the counter of a new york street which probably references his hard beginning where he had to sell drugs on the corner to get by, this contrast to him being a field negro when he was a drug dealer.     Still In verse one the line I told him, Please dont die over the neighborhood, That your mama rentin, Take your drug money and buy the neighborhood, Thats how you rinse it ( Jay Z). This refers to how violent gang neighborhoods are and how gang members die over a counter or block that the government owns. Mostly all drug dealers dont have happy endings staying in the game or profession, so instead Jay Z believes you would use your drug money and by the neighborhood rent it out and make it a better place. This goes into Jay Z talking about financial literacy. The Next verse and scene start off with jay talking to his psychiatrist about the better financial decision. The lyrics go I bought every V12 engine Wish I could take it back to the beginning I coulda bought a place in DUMBO before it was DUMBO. For like 2 million That same building today is worth 25 million. Guess how Im feelin? Dumbo (Jay Z). Hip hop has created a lot of harmful ideals. One of those ideals is about forging whips. Typically when black rapper or athlete get their first big payday, they spend it on an expensive car instead of buying a piece of property. Jay Z trying to teach the viewer that instead of using the money to buy an expensive that depreciate quickly, buy a piece of property that gains value over time. The music video then goes to a stripper dance with Jay tells us, you wanna know whats more important than throwing away money at a strip club? Credit. Jay giving us more financial advice this time about credit, which in fact it may be just as important or more valuable than money. If you have a bad credit score getting a loan from a bank, its almost impossible. Then he givens us a lesson on how Jewish people own all properties in America. The music video show how he bought artwork for 1 million and each year it when up in value. Jay Z, according to Forbes, is the first billion-dollar rapper most of his wealth was accumulated in artwork and rea l-estate. The last scene shows Jay Z coming out from below the deck of the slave ship with the white sailor saluting him. The scene represents that he made it out of the struggle and now own the boat. The song goes to its chorus and shows all the historical black figures rapping along, finally once again showing a dark past. Since early America, it took African American over one hundred years to find their self meaning and identity because of all the set back they have faced. Jay Z Story of O.J   masterfully shows this struggle.

The Early History of the Internet

The Early History of the Internet On a cold war kind of day in 1969, work began on ARPAnet, the grandfather to the Internet. Designed as a computer version of the nuclear bomb shelter, ARPAnet protected the flow of information between military installations by creating a network of geographically separated computers that could exchange information via a newly developed technology called NCP or Network Control Protocol. ARPA  stands for the Advanced Research Projects Agency, a branch of the military that developed top secret systems and weapons during the Cold War. But Charles M. Herzfeld, the former director of ARPA, stated that ARPAnet was not created due to military needs and that it â€Å"came out of our frustration that there were only a limited number of large, powerful research computers in the country and that many research investigators who should have access were geographically separated from them.   Originally, there were only four computers connected when ARPAnet was created. They were located in the respective computer research labs of UCLA (Honeywell DDP 516 computer), Stanford Research Institute (SDS-940 computer), University of California, Santa Barbara (IBM 360/75) and the University of Utah (DEC PDP-10). The first data exchange over this new network occurred between computers at UCLA and the Stanford Research Institute. On their first attempt to log into Stanfords computer by typing log win, UCLA researchers crashed their computer when they typed the letter g. As the network expanded, different models of computers were connected, which created compatibility problems. The solution rested in a better set of protocols called TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) that were designed in 1982. The protocol worked by breaking data into IP (Internet Protocol) packets, like individually addressed digital envelopes. TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) then makes sure the packets are delivered from client to server and reassembled in the right order. Under ARPAnet, several major innovations occurred. Some examples are  email  (or electronic mail), a system that allows for simple messages to be sent to another person across the network (1971), telnet, a remote connection service for controlling a computer (1972) and file transfer protocol (FTP), which allows information to be sent from one computer to another in bulk (1973). And as non-military uses for the network increased, more and more people had access and it was no longer safe for military purposes. As a result, MILnet, a military only network, was started in 1983. Internet Protocol software was soon being placed on every type of computer. Universities and research groups also began using in-house networks known as  Local Area Networks  or LANs. These in-house networks then started using Internet Protocol software so one LAN could connect with other LANs. In 1986, one LAN branched out to form a new competing network called NSFnet (National Science Foundation  Network). NSFnet first linked together the five national supercomputer centers, then every major university. Over time, it started to replace the slower ARPAnet, which was finally shutdown in 1990. NSFnet formed the backbone of what we call the Internet today. Here’s a quote from the U.S. Department report The Emerging Digital Economy: The Internets pace of adoption eclipses all other technologies that preceded it. Radio was in existence 38 years before 50 million people tuned in; TV took 13 years to reach that benchmark. Sixteen years after the first PC kit came out, 50 million people were using one. Once it was opened to the general public, the Internet crossed that line in four years.

Professional Dispositions in Educational Environment Essay

Professional Dispositions in Educational Environment - Essay Example I reckon that it is encouraging for students to know that their educator understands and accepts them. Empathy helps me not to judge learners unfairly and instead, accept and respect their perceptions and opinions unconditionally. Empathy is strength in me as it helps me create an environment conducive to harmonious learning. It would be chaotic trying to impart knowledge on to individuals whom I have not taken time to understand. Lack of an understanding of my learners’ subjective worlds would make me judge the things they do and the way they do them. Empathy saves me the trouble of getting agitated by something that my learners do or say and instead savors this energy for helping my learners to rise above their biases and any other opinion that can hinder effective learning (Reid et. al., 2011). As a strength empathy helps me identify the areas in which individual learners need assistance and as such, I can attend to individual needs besides attending to the needs of the larger class. Individualized attention helps students be free and express their fears and weaknesses to me as an educator out of trust. Individualized attention is instrumental in improving the performance of learners. Authenticity is my other professional disposition with which I approach my work as an educator. Authenticity helps me reckon that different learners have different needs and as such, I vary my methods and approaches to teaching. This comes with an understanding that the method or approach that works for an individual learner or group of learners may not work for another. I emphasize originality and uniqueness in the execution of my duties and in the delivery of content to learners. Authenticity helps me accept my weaknesses and shortcomings and allows me to express myself with genuineness and honesty (Reid et. al., 2011).  

Causes and Effects of Obesity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Causes and Effects of Obesity - Essay Example The first cause of obesity relates to bad eating habits, as the food which we incorporate is the main determinant of our body mass. The trend of junk foods nowadays results in the incorporation of the bad fats in the body. The bad food choices resulting due to the advertisements attracting the people towards the products cause long terms effects, the most important of which is obesity. Also, lack of awareness amongst individuals in related to the poor eating habits, i.e. fats are basically of two main kinds; the saturated fats and the unsaturated fats. The saturated fats are the ones which are difficult for the body to break, and these are facts which are the main causes of obesity. (Wexler 2010) Secondly, the unhealthy lifestyle is also the sole determinant of the level of obesity. Our food intake won`t be as big of an issue if the fats are broken down properly, otherwise, fats incorporate in the bodies of the individuals. The trend of video games and the maximum activities over internet and computer results in the lack of strenuous activities amongst individuals. Thus, the body loses momentum, also lacks flexibility in the long run. Thus, when fats won`t be broken, they would definitely start accumulating under the skin resulting in obesity. Lastly, one of the main causes of obesity also lies in the emotional imbalances of individuals (Mocan 2009). Stress and other emotional issues found amongst individuals results in the hormonal imbalances. These hormonal imbalances result in the further distortion in the eating habits and the differences in the blood pressures. In the long term, it results in an increased obesity level. Analyzing the results or in other words the effects of the obesity, three main causes can be traced.

RGB LEDs Colour Mixing Controller Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

RGB LEDs Colour Mixing Controller - Lab Report Example The major aim of designing a light emitting diode mixing controller is largely for managing and controlling light emitting diodes colour points. It is also responsible for maintaining the controlled light colours to produce desired lighting effects. Another aim is to reduce cases of failed colour lighting in producing the RGB effect. For these aims to be achieved, specific objectives are necessary. Firstly, identification of all required equipment such as LEDs and power sources with appropriate current feeding is made. Secondly, the main controller is broken down into stages such that each stage can produce an independent controller for the purposes of achieving desired lights at each stage. Lastly, every stage involved use of assurance techniques to ensure that required voltages were attained. Introduction Lighting systems have been identified as some of the most beautiful creations of electronic engineering. Achieving lighting effects depends on the equipment used, mostly, LEDs. Given that most lighting designs employ the single LED technology, RGB employees the use of three Light emitting diodes, each with a corresponding primary colour. Designing and implementing RGB LEDs controller is a complicated multistage process. Achieving accuracy has been identified as one of the greatest milestones in practical electronic engineering design (Box 2010).

Extracting DNA From Living Samples

Extracting DNA From Living Samples Karen Stevenson Introduction Collecting DNA samples from animals is often difficult and stressful for the animal, so non-invasive methods of collection are needed. Extracting DNA from animals usually involves one of three methods: Destructive sampling involves the organism having to be killed to get the tissues needed for genetic analysis.  Non-destructive or invasive methods require a tissue biopsy or blood sample. These are the most ethically acceptable and humane ways to extract DNA from living organisms as they do not destroy the animal or its habitat and often any DNA from feathers, hair, skin, droppings, etc. can be used, although DNA samples do degrade over time which will subsequently decrease the accuracy of test results. Freeland (2005) discusses a number of processes for DNA preservation including the method we used in the class experiment which is described in this report. High quality DNA shows up in bright contrasting bands on the electrophoresis gel but poor quality DNA displays a blurred or smudged look. Gender will show up as either one or two separate bands. Unlike in mammals where the heterogametic male (XY) will show up as two bands and the homogametic female (XX) will show up on the gel as one band, with birds, this is the opposite and the male is the homogametic and his ZZ genotype shows up as one distinct band while the heterogametic female ZW genotype shows up as two distinct bands on the gel. It is very difficult to determine the gender of very young chicks because there are no visible dimorphisms yet and poultry producers need to determine the sexes well before the animals begin to mature. Modern molecular genetic methods mean we can profile for individual genomes from very small amounts of DNA, whereas historically much larger samples were needed to get accurate results. In this experiment we followed procedures outlined by Hogan, Loke Sherman (2012) in our Prac manual to extract DNA from three tissue types of a domestic chicken to determine the sex of the sample and also to compare the quality and amount of DNA from the three samples. Materials and Methods Tissue Samples. Feathers, muscle tissue and blood samples were supplied by the technicians in the lab. The tissues were taken from a domestic chicken Gallus gallus domesticus. DNA Extraction from Blood, Feather and Muscle Samples We extracted our Our DNA with the Quiagen DNA purification kit DNeasy Blood Tissue Kit (2012). PCR is a faster and more sensitive method of amplifying DNA than cloning, and it produces similar results. We used bird sexing primers to build up the gender-specific loci CHD1W and CHD1Z, which allowed us to determine the gender of the chicken from a method developed by Fridolfsson and Ellegren (1999) using universal avian sexing primers 2250F and 2718R. The class results were collected and graphed so that our individual results could be compared. Negative control, male and female controls were used to conclude whether our hypothesis that Blood and tissue samples would yield a better quality of DNA than feather even though these methods are more invasive than extracting DNA from the blood spot in a feather shaft. In this experiment we extracted DNA from a blood clot in the feather as in the Horvath, Martinez-Cruz, Negro and Goday (2005) procedure, which showed that this was more successful than using material from the tip and this blood clot sample took longer to deteriorate than the tip sample. We did not know how old the feathers were, nor the age of the bird. DNA extraction procedures work by lysing cells, which causes the cell membrane to break free from the cell. Proteinase K can be added to detach the proteins and RNA can be removed with the RNAse. The DNA is then precipitated out using ethanol and further improved using PCR methods and visualized using the electrophoresis procedure. The Section containing the blood spot was cut out using a sharp pair of scissors and cut into tiny pieces and added to 180 µL of Buffer ATL before digestion with Proteinase K (180 µL pipetted into a sterile 1.5 mL microfuge tube) was then incubated at 56ËÅ ¡C for 30 minutes (briefly mixed in the vortex every 10 minutes), after which the cells had been lysed. To precipitate the DNA we added 200 µL of 95% ethanol (AR grade) and mixed in the vortex for a further 15 seconds. The lysed DNA was then pipetted into the DNeasy Mini spin column and centrifuged at 8000 rpm (6000 x g) for 1 minute, binding the DNA to the membrane in the spin column, ready for washing. The spin column was placed in a new microfuge collection tube in which 500 µL Buffer AW1 was pipetted, centrifuged for 1 minute at 6000 x g (8000rpm) and the flow-through was discarded. Again the DNeasy spin column was placed into a new collection tube, 500 µL of Buffer AW2 added and centrifuged for 3 minutes at maxi mum speed (13 – 14,000 rpm), removed from the flow-through (which was discarded in hazardous waste receptacle), placed back into the collection tube and centrifuged again at maximum speed for a further minute to remove any ethanol. The spin column was then removed from the tube (which was discarded). After placing the spin column into a clean 1.5mL collection tube it was labelled appropriately and 100 µL of Buffer AE was pipetted straight onto the centre of the DNeasy membrane and incubated at room temperature for 1 minute, centrifuged for 1 minute at 6000 x g (8000 rpm) to elute it. The DNA was now pelleted in the bottom of the tube, so the spin column was discarded and the pellet stored in its tube in a cold box at -20ËÅ ¡C. Electrophoresis Method During electrophoresis, the negatively charged DNA fragments travelled towards the positive cathode causing the smaller protein fragments to move quicker than larger particles. The DNA was visualized as bright bands on the gel, which had been stained with GelRed which is a chemical used to increase mutation rates, multiplies the product and is assumed to be carcinogenic. The agar gel and TAE buffer had been prepared earlier in the microwave and allowing the gel to cool to 50 °C. GelRed was carefully added to 150mL of gel for a final concentration of 0.5 µL mL-1.The casting tray was carefully put into the gel tank with the black moulding gates at both ends. The comb was inserted after the gel had been poured into the tray inserted, then left for 30 minutes at room temperature to set. 10 µL of the DNA chicken feather sample we extracted previously was mixed with the 6x loading dye into a fresh microfuge tube. Wearing rubber gloves, we removed the black casting plates and the comb and then added the TAE buffer until the entire gel was submerged by 5mm. The first and last wells had molecular weight markers ÃŽ »HindIIIand 2-log ladder added and our DNA samples were pipetted into an empty well, noting the position. We applied the cover and connected to the power unit and ran it for 60 minutes at 120V. The DNA proceeded to float from the negative cathode (black cable) to the positive anode (red cable). When finished, we removed the gel tray and transferred it on a plastic container to the Gel Doc System for visualizing the images. PCR method We used the Polymerase Chain Reaction method to expand the DNA so that it could be viewed using electrophoresis. The PCR procedure involved cycles of heating then cooling the DNA which enabled the helix to unwind and bind. We prepared the Mastermix negative and positive controls using 40 µL of the PCR Mastermix and 10 µL of the DNA sample mixed into a 0.2mL PCR tube. Each group had individually calculated amounts using the chart in the Prac manual. We prepared tubes for male control, female control and one negative control (these were provided by the lab). We then placed the tubes into a thermo-cycler and initiated the program which had been perfected to augment the CHD1W and CHD1Z genes using the primers. When this was done, the DNA was then put on a 1% agar gel comb (that had been microwaved and cooled to 50ËÅ ¡C) in a 1 x SB buffer solution for 20 minutes. Wearing gloves, we added 15 µL of 3 x GelRed solution to 150mL of agar gel. We prepared the DNA samples by mixing 10 µL of PCR with 2 µL of 6x loading dye, pipetted it into the gel combined with 5 µL of a 100bp molecular weight marker. The sample was pipetted into an empty well in the gel, location documented and after closing and securing the lid, the electrophoresis unit was run at 300V for 20 minutes. When the gel had finished running the power was turned off, gel removed carefully and put into a plastic container and transported to the Gel Doc unit. The bands were then visualised using the Gel Doc System. Results The class groups successfully extracted DNA from all three types of tissue. Due to incorrect or absent labelling of DNA samples, we were unable to use some of the gel images in our report. Figure 1 shows the Gel electrophoresis from a co-operative class Muscle and Blood DNA extraction using Qiagen 2012, DNeasy Blood Tissue Kit, with blood showing up in more distinctive bands, muscle failing to show clear bands and feather samples extracted (on a separate gel image) displayed poorly using electrophoresis. Hogan, Loke Sherman (2012) explain how the DNA concentrations are measured by comparing the brightness of the sample to the 2log Molecular Weight Marker over the amount of DNA pipetted into the well. Figure 1: Blood muscle DNA extraction using (Qiagen 2012, DNeasy Blood Tissue Kit) Figure 2: Feather DNA extraction using (Qiagen 2012, DNeasy Blood Tissue Kit) After extraction and visualization using electrophoresis, our samples were diluted give comparable concentrations. If the band was too faint or not even visible we left it undiluted but most of muscle and blood samples were dilute. Figure 2 shows the Gel electrophoresis from our feather DNA extraction sample with no discernible results. This was expected. Table 1: Mean nucleic acid concentrations muscle, blood and feather DNA extraction using nanodrop technique From table 1, results show us the average DNA concentration of the three tissue types and reveals that compared to feather, muscle samples provided the best quality of extracted DNA, followed closely by the blood samples. Our test yielded 5 muscle samples, 6 feather samples and 8 blood samples as well as the 2 unspecified class samples. Because 1 feather sample and 1 blood sample failed to clearly show any visible DNA (see figures 1 2), they influence the averages. In the face of this, however, the resulting average sample DNA concentrations reveal that muscle still produced the highest class of extracted DNA in comparison to the blood samples. The feather sample still showed the poorest DNA quality, which related with our expected outcomes. Ladder Male control Female control Negative control Jack’s sample DNA Sample DNA Karen Feather DNA Sample Negative control Female control Male control Ladder Figure 3 shows the Gel electrophoresis from our feather DNA extraction sample with the male, female and negative controls. DNA had been amplified from the extraction and visualized using electrophoresis to determine the sex of the bird that our sample was taken from. Results successfully indicate that sexes were able to be determined. Our PCR result matched the expected result and we determined our sample to be ZW female and Jack’s sample to be ZZ male. This experiment matched the Fridolfsson and Ellegren (1999) procedure except that we used a 1% agar gel to visualize the DNA fragments via electrophoresis and Fridolfsson and Ellegren used a 3% gel as well as our use of a commercial kit (Quiagen 2012). Discussion The quality of DNA extracted varied between our different tissue samples although all we were able to amplify all of them using the non-invasive technique PCR. Extracting DNA from a blood clot of a feather is an option when alternative methods (blood or muscle) are not suitable. The destructive muscle samples provided a better class and measure of DNA in comparison to the feather samples, however destructive methods of DNA extraction necessitate the slaughter of the organism and is not typically ethically acceptable particularly when endangered species are involved. Invasive blood sampling provided a high quality of DNA in terms of results and should be used in preference to destructive methods if non-invasive methods are not possible. The disadvantage of blood sampling is that if the procedure is done in the field, it necessitates the capture of the organism to extract the blood sample as well as the storage while out in the field as DNA deteriorates over time. Although DNA from fea ther samples gives a lower quality than the other two methods discussed, they are usually easier to obtain in the field because capture, plucking and release are far less invasive that taking blood or killing the animal for muscle tissue (Mundy et al. 1997) and usually can be collected from nests or off the ground without having to involve capturing the animal at all. This experiment was conducted over a number of weeks. DNA deteriorates over time and storage is therefore very important. Freeland (2005) discusses the importance of preserving DNA to circumvent DNA molecules from re-arranging and so affect the results when amplified by the PCR technique. We froze the DNA at -20 °C to preserve the samples in between both practical sessions. While performing the practical sessions, our DNA was generally kept at room temperature which could possibly have caused some deterioration but this is not very likely to cause large variations of DNA quality as all our samples were exposed to the same conditions. Cold-boxes were used to store the DNA samples but all products including the DNA were kept at room temperature for the duration of both practical’s and this could easily have been avoided by asking the students to me mindful of the importance of preserving the DNA in order to get better quality DNA for extraction. References Freeland, J (2005).  Molecular Ecology. Wiley. Chichester. Fridolfsson, A and Ellegren, H. (1999). A simple and universal method for molecular sexing of non-ratite birds. Journal of Avian Biology. 30, 116 – 121. Hogan, F., Loke, S., and Sherman, C. (2012)  SLE254 Genetics: Practical Manual 2012~ Sex Determination of the Domestic Chicken (Gallus Gallus).Deakin University. Burwood. 1-46. Horvath, M. Martinez-Cruz, B. Negro, J. Kalmar, L and Goday, J. (2005). An overlooked DNA source for non-invasive genetic analysis in birds. Journal of Avian Biology. 36, 84-88. Mundy, N. Unitt, P., and Woodruff, D. (1997). Skin from feet of museum specimens as a non-destructive source of DNA for avian genotyping. Auk 114, 126-129. Qiagen. (2012).  Sample Assay Technologies: DNeasy Blood Tissue Kit.Retrieved September, 11th2012 Taberlet, P. Waits, L. and Luikart, G. (1999). Noninvasive genetic sampling: look before you leap. Trends in Ecology and Evolution. 14, 323 – 327.