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Sunday, October 6, 2019

Comparing and Contrasting Two works of Art Essay

Comparing and Contrasting Two works of Art - Essay Example These two works of art have a couple of similarities regarding their identity. The two effigies contain inscriptions. The Babylonian piece contains groups of laws. Similarly, the Roman column encompasses figures as well as an engraving that gives a remark so people can make sense of the structure. It talks about the people of Rome dedicating the image to Caesar. Moreover, the engravings were created following a certain order. The decrees were written in respect to the social status of the people. For instance, the rulings specified how a certain sanction will be applied to a noble citizen or to a slave. The column also has divisions in its carvings. The depicted wars were split into the two battles. The upper part portrays the war with the Dacians from 101 AD to 102 AD whereas the lower part showed what transpired from 105 AD-106 AD. Though their observable contents are dissimilar, their underlying theme is the same. The Code sought to honor Hammurabi’s wisdom and views on jus tice. Likewise, the Column commemorated the excellence of Trajan’s warfare skills. On the other hand, the differences regarding the statues’ identity are the material, artists, dating, and themes depicted. The artist responsible for the Code of Hammurabi’s construction is not yet verified since it is among the ancient works. It was found in 1901 by Gustave Jequier. He was an Egyptologist who was in an expedition. Nonetheless, the Column of Trajan was most likely overseen by Apollodorus, the known architect from Damascus. Furthermore, the material used in creating the legal code was a crude stone slab. Other duplicates of the manuscripts were found in other places (Freely, 2000). They were imprinted on tablets made of baked clay. Another copy of the Code is on a diorite stele and it is currently in The Louvre. The index shaped structure features an almost complete version of the laws. Regarding the Roman triumphal column, it is mainly made of marble (Lancaster, 1 999). The hollow beam consists of Carrara marble drums. Spiral stairs occupy the center. The huge edifice stands 30 meters or 98 feet high. The gap between the two works of art regarding their period is quite discernible. The Code came centuries before Trajan’s column. Their respective features speak of differences of craftsmanship that reflect the civilization of their times. The subsequent erection characterizes finer and more advanced craftsmanship. They also have distinctions as to their manifest content. While the Code of Hammurabi concentrates on what is accepted and what is not in their society, Trajan’s Column focuses on the settings that represent crusades against their enemies. A total of 2500 figures were found. Most of them were soldiers, priests, and soldiers. The emperor was illustrated 59 times. The 282 laws encompass conditions on trade, slavery, conducts, religion, and others (King, 2005). One of the most common decrees found in the slab is â€Å"an e ye for an eye† (Prince, 1904, p.602). The sanctions reflect how restrictions, punishments, and authorizations were being facilitated. Concerning the similarities of style, the two pieces are both realistic and geometrical. The king’s proclamations are credibly inscribed on the tablets and steles. Correspondingly, the column displays the realistic activities of the individuals organizing and involving in clashes. Particularly, Trajan’

Saturday, October 5, 2019

Motivation, leadership style and performance management Essay

Motivation, leadership style and performance management - Essay Example This essay is structured in different sections, with each section dealing with one factor of crucial influence on performance. The first section discusses the various theories of motivation including the works of Maslow (1943), Alderfer (1972), McClelland (1955) and evaluates the impact of motivation on the group’s performance. The second section discusses theories of leadership by XYZ, and assesses the impact of leadership style on the performance of our group. The third section of the essay covers performance measurement as the factor that impacts on the team performance. The final section of this essay covers my conclusions and the recommendations that can help in better performance management. The first factor that I intend to relate to performance of team is motivation. Motivation has been one of the most studied and discussed topics relevant to performance. According to one of the oldest and most popular theories of motivation, motivation is the result of drives or needs that human beings have. For example, Maslow’s Theory of Hierarchy of Needs (1943) states that there are several stages of needs, like the basic needs for food, shelter and security; social needs related to feeling a sense of belongingness or affection, status and self-esteem needs, and self-actualization needs. As a person is able to fill his lower order needs, the higher order needs become operant and motivate him. See Figure 1 below: Figure 1: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory (Source: Maslow, 1943). Another version of the derive theory is that proposed by Alderfer (1972), which segregates these needs into only three categories – ERG or existence, Relatedness and Growth needs. According to Alderfer (1972), all three types of needs can be operational at the same time. Similarly, a theory of need is proposed by McClelland (1955), which states that people are motivated by different needs and the prominent need defines what factors may motivate them. For example , according to McClelland (1955), people who have a high need for achievement are motivated by challenging tasks and lofty objectives, while people who have a high need for affiliation are motivated by opportunities that furnish them with more social interactions or recognition. Need for power is high in people who are motivated to obtain positions of high status and power. These theories root the basis of motivation into an internal need of the person. In contrast to these theories, theories like that of Vroom (1964), consider the external rewards and expectations as the driving forces for motivation and performance. Vroom’s theory states that people gauge if their efforts are capable of getting them the desired performance, and if the performance outcome can lead them to their goals or rewards. This means that there are basically two aspects to motivation one is the expectations of a link between effort and performance, and the other a direct link between the performance an d rewards. Another essential aspect of motivation according to this theory is the desirability of the reward or the expected value of the reward. People are motivated to expend the effort only if the reward has value for them. As such, motivation according to this theory is a product of: Motivation = Expectancy X Instrumentality X Valence Where, Expectancy is expectation that the effort leads to performance Instrumentality is the perception that the performance will be instrumental in attaining the reward Valence is the value of the reward for the person In addition, motivation can be both extrinsic, as in the case where rewards and incentives are the motivating factors, and intrinsic, where the person wants to fulfil an internal need –

Friday, October 4, 2019

European History 1914-to present Essay Example for Free

European History 1914-to present Essay The period that immediately followed the First World War was marked by the autocratic regimes in Austria, Germany and Russia being replaced by republics as they were overthrown. There seemed to be a promise of an era of democracy as the seven states that had all been newly created adopted the republican form of government giving the impression that democracy had finally been found after the First World War. However, this did not last as after only two decades, a form of dictatorship took over most of the democratic European countries. While some countries became communists, others took to fascism which resulted to totalitarian form of government (Gardner, Kleiner Mamiya, 2005). In totalitarianism individuals had absolutely no freedom in their life as all political, intellectual, social, cultural, economic and even religious and spiritual activities were subordinated to the authority of the rulers and the government. This form of rule was characterized by the rulers of the government as a central power controlling all the aspects of the citizens lives through force and repression such that those who held views that were different from the ideologies of the rulers and had different practices in the mentioned aspects of their lives were considered to be against the state hence enemies. Totalitarianism was manifested through mass-media that was state controlled, one party state in which the party controlled everything that went on in the state, mass surveillance accompanied with state terrorism and restricted free discussion or criticism especially of the governmental ideologies. In European countries such as such as Russia under Stalin and Germany under Hitler, totalitarianism and the practices of the government received overwhelming support from the citizens (Gardner, Kleiner Mamiya, 2005). The support was however not spontaneous, it required the rulers to be charismatic so that he would be able to draw support. The rapid development in infrastructure especially communication and transportation played a great role in the rise and spread of the totalitarianism and growth of its popularity amongst the citizens in the countries in which it was practised. This paper seeks to discuss totalitarianism and the reasons for its rise in Europe in the early 20th century. Totalitarianism is characterized by the state pursuing some goal that is special such as conquest of a certain region, exclusion of all others who hold different ideologies from those ones of the state or industrialization. All resources of the state usually are directed and focussed on achievement of these goals regardless of their cost. Anything that furthers the attainment of the goal is fully supported while the things that threaten to foil this achievement are rejected. It is a form of obsession that triggers an ideology that explains and describes things in terms of the intended goal, justifying all obstacles that could arise and all the forces that may struggle against the state in achieving the desired goal (Gardner, Kleiner Mamiya, 2005). This results to the state getting popular support from the citizens which gives it the power to practice any form of governmental actions. Anyone opposing the goals or ideologies of the state is considered evil and political differences within the state not allowed. Achievement of the goal is never acknowledged even in the event the state actually gets to achieve it. This is because totalitarianism is entirely founded on the ideology of achieving the goal such that in the event the goal is achieved then it should cease to exist. The pursuit of specific goals by different leaders for the states they ruled is considered to be the main reason for the rise of totalitarianism in Europe. As mentioned earlier, fascism was one of the main reasons for totalitarianism. This ideology was common in Germany and Italy. It originated with Mussolini Benito in his rule over the country. This ideology in which the proponents advocated for the creation of a single party state was a reaction against equality, liberty and fraternity that were being proposed by democratic nations such as France and Britain after they won the war. Fascists argued that nations and races usually are in a conflict in which only the strongest and the healthiest survive. Apart from being healthy the strongest also survive by asserting themselves against the weak through repression and in combat (Griffiths 2005). These governments prohibited and suppressed opposition and any form of criticism to the government. In Germany, races that were not German such as the Jews, Slavs and individuals who were either sick or disabled were targeted for execution as Hitler’s government sought to have a nation of pure healthy Germans. Fascism claimed that a nation was the race and hence sought to execute everyone who was not of the race of the rulers (Griffiths 2005). Fascism is also characterized by respect and love for collective organization in which individuals work together to achieve a certain goals and ideology. This formed totalitarianism in Italy and Germany. In which the citizens were organized against other individuals of other races that were considered a threat to achieving a nation that was formed of one superior race. Nazism was movement mostly in Germany which was is also referred to as National Socialism. This movement sought to spread the ideologies of Adolf Hitler’s government in Germany and the world as a whole. Nazism is argued to be a form of fascism as its characteristics are the same as those ones of fascism as it featured racism, expansion and obedience/loyalty to one leader. Hitler expected everyone to be loyal to him and executed anyone who defiled his orders. Nazism also had theories about other races which portrayed them as inferior to German Aryans and a threat to its existence hence the necessity to get rid of them. This led to the massive execution of the Jews and the disabled Germans as they were considered unfit for survival according to fascism. This ideology is therefore one of the reasons for the rise of totalitarianism in Germany and most of its neighbouring nations (Klaus Vondung 2005). Bolshevism-Stalinism was the reason for the rise of totalitarianism in Russia. Bolshevism was a movement formed by professionals who believed in military control over the country and democratic centralism such the party (Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party) took form of internal hierarchy in which individuals from other groups were not allowed to lead the party. Only these members made decisions and any party that was formed to challenge Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party it was purged (Worley, Morgan Laporte 2002). This movement greatly supported single party state and is believed to have caused the rise of Stalinism. Stalinism refers to the form of government used by Joseph Stalin and those who were allied to his ideologies (Worley, Morgan Laporte 2002). This ideology is sometimes referred to as red fascism as it is a form of fascism. Stalinism refers to a form of governance that is characterized by oppression of the citizens and extensive spying by the government so that individuals can not criticize or form movements to overthrow it. This system was also characterized by purging in which those who were opposed to the government ideologies were sent to prison camps or sometimes killed. The state used propaganda and established some form of cult around a leader who was a dictator so that he would have absolute control over the communist party and maintain control over all the citizens of Russia. Apart from the mentioned countries, Austria also participated in the rise of totalitarianism by supporting Nazism and Fascism. Its Prime Minister Kurt Waldheim is said to have assisted Germany in transporting Jews to dearth camps. Several other Eastern and Central European countries also got obsessed with the fascist movement (Klaus Vondung 2005). This included Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Slovakia, Lithuania and Croatia. The fascist movements in these countries were all characterized racism specifically against the Jews whom they associated with communism which they greatly despised. Spain is the only country which though fascist never got obsessed with race and believing in the ant-Jewish conspiracies that characteristic of German’s Nazism. The rise of totalitarianism in Europe during the early 20th century was mainly due to fascism. Both Nazism and Bolshevism-Stalinism which were the main movements in Europe at this time and are all forms of fascism which emphasizes on the power of the state over the citizens. A significant characteristic of these movements is racism in which each state believed in being occupied by only those who were of its race hence eliminating those who belonged to different races or had different practices than were contrary to the ideologies of the ruling government. The most affected race in Europe was the Jewish. The rise of totalitarianism in Europe can therefore be solely attributed to fascism. References Gardner, H. , Kleiner, S. Mamiya, C. , (2005). Gardners Art Through The Ages: The Western Perspective. Sidney: Cengage Learning. Griffiths, R. (2005). Fascism second ed. New York, NY: Continuum International Publishing Group. Klaus Vondung, K. (2005). The Apocalypse in Germany, Columbia and London: Univ. of Missouri Press. Redles, D. (2005). Hitler’s Millennial Reich: Apocalyptic Belief and the Search for Salvation. New York, NY: New York Univ. Press. Worley, M. , Morgan, K. Laporte, N. , (2002). Bolshevism, Stalinism And The Comintern: Perspectives On Stalinization. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.

Thursday, October 3, 2019

House Wren Use of Riparian Corridors

House Wren Use of Riparian Corridors PROJECT JUSTIFICATION The South Platte Wildlife Management Area (SPWMA) is a 5,908 Ha property consisting of about 40km of floodplain forest with surrounding upland prairie (Knopf 1986). Riparian forests such as that which occurs along the South Platte River have been of particular interest to researchers investigating avian use of riparian corridors during migration (Machtans et al. 1996, Skagen et al. 1998), and juvenile dispersal (Machtans et al. 1996). A riparian corridor is a strip of vegetation that connects two or more larger patches, and through which an organism will likely move over time (Fischer and Fischenich 2000). Regardless of size or degree of connectivity, many studies have shown these vegetation strips along rivers support a higher diversity and abundance of birds than adjacent upland forests or grasslands (Stauffer and Best 1980, Tockner and Ward 1999). Periodic inundation of alluvial landscapes creates a shifting mosaic of aquatic and terrestrial transition zones (Tockner and Ward 1999 ). This ever-changing mosaic paired with increased water quality (Fischer and Fischenich 2000) results in the increased biodiversity. In 1980, researchers inventoried breeding bird communities at the South Platte River WMA in both riparian and upland areas and compared species densities between them (Knopf 1980). Their results indicated that the floodplain forest is valuable habitat for both resident and migratory species; while 38 species occurred along the rivers edge, only 9 species were present in the adjacent upland. In addition, 30 species were observed only in the floodplain, suggesting that these birds may not have been present at SPWMA in the absence of a riparian forest. Yet another surprising finding of this study was that House Wrens made up more than 20% of the bird community within the floodplain with an estimated density of 3.3 birds/Ha. House Wrens are secondary cavity nesters (SCN), and further studies have found that density of large trees, length of dead limbs and cavity density are the most important habitat variables for density of House Wrens at SPWMA (Sedgewick and Knopf 1990). Furthermore, cottonwoods are probably critical in creating suitable nesting habitat, and a lack of regeneration due to inundation could reduce the overall density of cavity nesters (Sedgewick and Knopf 1990). Many bird species not requiring cavities however, such as Brown Thrasher and Spotted Towhee, do not appear to be as immediately affected by flooding (Knopf and Sedgewick 1987). In 1992, researchers at SPWMA found that SCN bird density was indeed being limited by cavity availability along the river (Sedgewick and Knopf 1992). Knopfs studies over 30 years ago continues to be relevant to this day. As modern day urban sprawl encroaches on to natural landscapes, research on areas important to wildlife remains crucial. It is our goal to continue this study by assessing House Wren use of the area, by estimating House Wren density both within the wooded area, and in the adjacent upland using point counts. Furthermore, we would like to gain insight into whether House Wrens use this riparian corridor for dispersal movements through grasslands. OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study is to estimate House Wren density along the South Platte River floodplain near Crook, Colorado using circular plot surveys. Specifically, our objectives are to: Compare House Wren use of a riparian forest and the adjacent prairie within the SPWMA; Estimate density of House Wrens within the riparian woodland and extrapolate this to other floodplain regions in the United States; and Compare this density with that of previous densities estimated in 1980. METHODS Survey Design Woodland vs. Upland Point Counts Building off of Knopfs 1980 study at this location, we will conduct 60- 6 minute (Thompson and Schwalbach 1995) point counts along the riparian woodland area encompassing about 3,800 Ha, and 60 counts within the adjacent upland area of 22,560 Ha. Points in both areas were created using the create random points tool in ArcMap 10.4.1, with a 300m allowance between points (Fig. 1). Any points falling in the river were moved to another random location. These surveys will be conducted between 24 May and 27 May. Riparian Woodland Use Point Counts Using a similar survey design, another set of 155 surveys will be conducted within the riparian woodland only. Although the efficiency in detecting new birds decreases after 3 visits to the same point (Smith et al. 1995), surveys will be replicated 4 times between 10 May and 26 May to adhere to Knopfs study. These survey locations were placed within the riparian buffer using a 200m allowance (Gutzwiller 1991) between points. These surveys will give a more accurate depiction of House Wren use of the woodland. Figure 1- Point count design Point Count Protocol Observers will use Garmin GPSMAP64 GPS units (Garmin Ltd., Schaffhausen, Switzerland) to navigate to each point. Observers will arrive at the first point of the day 30 minutes before sunrise, and wait silently for 5 minutes to allow birds to reposition themselves. Using a stopwatch, observers will recording all birds they see or hear for 6 minutes. All birds detected within 200m will be recorded (Savard and Hooper 1995, Thompson and Schwalbach 1995, Wolf et al. 1995), along with the radial distance to the bird from the point using a Nikon Aculon AL11 620 laser range finder (Nikon Corporation, Tokyo, Japan). Surveys will continue until 3 hours after sunrise (Lynch 1995). Additional environmental information will be recorded according to the provided survey data sheet (Appendix A). Assumptions in Survey Design In order to extrapolate the House Wren use of the surveyed area to the entire study area, we must meet two assumptions in regards to our survey design. These assumptions are critical to address before implementing the survey to ensure extrapolation is possible. First, the points must be randomly located. This states that to the best of our knowledge, the surveyed area is representative of the entire study region. In addition, we need a large sample of points (>20 points) that are evenly distributed across the study region. A sample of 60 points in each habitat meets this criteria, and an even distribution was achieved through use of a 200m allowance between points. Analysis Detection Function The probability of detecting a bird, given that it is a distance r from the observer is the detection function, denoted by g(r). This value will tell us how many House Wrens we are detecting relative to the real number of House Wrens in a survey. This is important to know, as not every individual is usually detected. We expect to see a detection function that has a broad shoulder and then decreases as distance increases (Thomas et al 2010). This means that the observer detects birds that are nearby at a higher rate, and as the distance from observer to bird increases, detection ability falls. Distance Sampling Assumptions In order to obtain reliable density estimates from point counts, we must meet several critical assumptions. The first is that birds are distributed independently of the point, which we did by placing the points at random locations. Secondly, we assume that birds directly on the point are detected with certainty, or g(0)=1. Third, all objects are recorded at their original location, prior to movement in response to the observer. Since observers are not moving, and utilize a resting period before a survey begins, point counts for a House Wren seems to be advantageous over a line transect. Next, all distances recorded are assumed to be accurately measured. This assumption will be met since observers will be using a range finder. Lastly, all detections are assumed to be independent from one another. This means that the presence of one House Wren will not attract or deter another wren from being present. Density Estimates Density estimates will be attained using DISTANCE 7.0 (CREEM, St. Andrews, Scotland). Since we already know that density and habitat differs to some degree between the forested and upland areas, we made sure to stratify the survey area into upland and riparian. Thus, density estimates will be calculated separately for each habitat. Density in point counts are calculated using the following equation (Thomas et al. 2006): where k is the number of points, w is the radius of each plot, and n is the number of birds detected within the plot. Once we have calculated House Wren density for both prairie and woodland habitats, we can also obtain global(overall) density for the entire area. This is done using the individual area sizes, and overall density for both habitats, in the following equation (Thomas et al. 2006): EXPECTED RESULTS AND BENEFITS With the South Platte River watershed encompassing such a large area, it is important to know how any land management practices would alter the bird community and secondary cavity nesters such as the House Wren. The proposed study will increase our knowledge of avian use of the woodland area surrounding the Platte River, which in turn will aid in future habitat alteration decisions. If funding for the proposed project is given, the project would start right away. Reports of raw abundance and estimated density will be submitted annually, and a final report in the form of a thesis will be presented at project closure. Project Deliverables will include: Annual Report of House Wren abundance and densities in each habitat. Final report by end of study discussing results and future considerations; final report will be in the form of a thesis. ENDANGERED SPECIES CONSIDERATIONS No special considerations need to be taken for the project in regards to endangered species, as our surveys will be non-invasive and do not require capture of animals. NECESSITY AND ETHICAL USE OF ANIMALS We will not be trapping or coming in contact with the study animals, however all federal and state guidelines regarding use of animals will be properly followed. PERSONNEL This study will require 3 avian survey technicians in order to meet the goals of the project. Two biologists already trained in identification of Colorado birds will be obtained through the Texas AM job board. The third person involved in this project will be a masters students at Texas AM University- Kingsville, and will act as the project leader. 2 field technicians to conduct point count surveys and enter data 1 project leader (M.S. student) to conduct surveys and coordinate survey methodology BUDGET Year1:$2.91 Flagging tape (Walmart), 3 at $0.97 $509.97 Laser rangefinder (Nikon Aculon AL11 620), 3 at $169.99 $599.97GPS unit (Garmin GPSMAP64), 3 at $199.99 $1000.00Apartment rental for one month $1,200. 00Rental truck (AVIS) $3200.00Technician salary, 2 at $1600.00 for one month Total:$6512.85 Year 2:$1000.00Apartment rental for one month $1,200. 00Rental truck (AVIS) $3200.00Technician salary, 2 at $1600.00 for one month Total:$5400.00 Year 3:$1000.00Apartment rental for one month $1,200. 00Rental truck (AVIS) $3200.00Technician salary, 2 at $1600.00 for one month Total:$5400.00 Project Total:$17,312.85 TIME SCHEDULE 2017Activity May 1-5Place flagging tape and distance markers at appropriate locations. May 10-23Conduct surveys within riparian woodland May 24-27Continue riparian woodland use surveys Begin woodland and prairie comparison surveys May 28Take down flagging tape and distance markers, data entry JuneData analysis July 312017 annual report turned in 2018Activity May 1-5Place flagging tape and distance markers at appropriate locations. May 10-23Conduct surveys within riparian woodland May 24-27Continue riparian woodland use surveys Begin woodland and prairie comparison surveys May 28Take down flagging tape and distance markers, data entry JuneData analysis July 312018 annual report turned in 2019Activity May 1-5Place flagging tape and distance markers at appropriate locations. May 10-23Conduct surveys within riparian woodland May 24-27Continue riparian woodland use surveys Begin woodland and prairie comparison surveys May 28Take down flagging tape and distance markers, data entry JuneData Analysis July 312019 annual report turned in DecemberFinal report turned in as M.S. thesis LITERATURE CITED Fischer, R.A., and J.C. Fischenich. 2000. Design recommendations for riparian corridors and vegetated buffer strips (No. ERDC-TN-EMRRP-SR-24). Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, MS. Engineer Research and Development Center. Gutzwiller, K.J. 1991. Estimating winter species richness with unlimited-distance point counts. The Auk 108(4):853-862. Knopf, F.L. 1986. Changing landscapes and the cosmopolitism of the eastern Colorado avifauna. Wildlife Society Bulletin 14(2):132-142. Knopf, F.L., and J.A. Sedgewick. 1987. Latent population responses of summer birds to a catastrophic, climatological event. The Condor 89: 869-873. Lynch, J.F. 1995. Effects of point count duration, time-of-day, and aural stimuli on detectability of migratory and resident bird species in Quintana Roo, Mexico. General Technical Report. PSW-GTR-149. USDA Forest Service. Machtans, C.S., M.A. Villard, and S.J. Hannon. 1996. Use of riparian buffer strips as movement corridors by forest birds. Conservation Biology 10(5):1366-1379. Savard, J.L., and T.D. Hooper. 1995. Influence of survey length and radius size on grassland bird surveys by point counts at Williams Lake, British Columbia. General Technical Report. PSW-GTR-149. USDA Forest Service. Sedgewick, J.A., and F.L. Knopf. 1992. Cavity turnover and equilibrium cavity densities in a cottonwood bottomland. The Journal of Wildlife Management 56(3):477-484. Sedgewick, J.A., and F.L. Knopf. 1990. Habitat relationships and nest site characteristics of cavity-nesting birds in cottonwood floodplains. The Journal of Wildlife Management 54(1):112-124. Skagen S.K., C.P. Melcher, W.H. Howe, and F.L. Knopf. 1998. Comparative use of riparian corridors and oases by migrating birds in southeast Arizona. Conservation Biology 12(4):896-909. Smith, W.P., D.J. Twedt, R.J. Cooper, D.A. Widenfeld, P.B. Hamel, R.P. Ford. 1955. Sample size and allocation of effort in point count sampling of birds in bottomland hardwood forests. Monitoring bird populations by point counts. General Technical Report. PSW-GTR-149. Albany, CA. USDA, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station p. 7-18. Stauffer, D.F., and L.B. Best. 1980. Habitat selection by birds of riparian communities: evaluating effects of habitat alterations. The Journal of Wildlife Management 44(1):1-15. Thomas, L., S.T. Buckland, K.P. Burnham, D.R. Anderson, J.L. Laake, D.L. Borches, S. Strindberg. 2006. Distance sampling. Encyclopedia of Environmetrics. Thomas, L., S.T. Buckland, E.A. Rexstad, J.L. Laake, S. Strindberg, S.L. Hedley, J.R. Bishop, T.A. Marques, and K.P. Burnham. 2010. Distance software: design and analysis of distance sampling surveys for estimating population size. Journal of Applied Ecology 47:5-14. Thompson, F.R. and M.J. Schwalbach. 1995. Analysis of sample size, counting times, and plot size from an avian point count survey on Hoosier National Forest, Indiana. General Technical Report. PSW-GTR-149. USDA Forest Service. Tockner, K., and J.V. Ward. 1999. Biodiversity along riparian corridors. Large Rivers 11(3):293-310. Wolf, A.T., R.W. Howe, G.J. Davis. 1995. Detectibility of forest birds from stationary points in northern Wisconsin. General Technical Report PSW-GTR-149. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station. Albany, CA. Apendix A- data sheet for avian point counts at South Platte Wildlife Management Area SOUTH PLATTE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA BIRD SURVEY Site #: ________________Habitat Type: Prairie / WoodlandDate: __________________ Observer Name: __________________________Start Time: _________________________ Wind: calm light moderate strongTemperature: 70 Cloud %: _________Precipitation: drizzle snow fog   Ã‚   SPECIES TIME Visual/ Aural DISTANCE (meters) NOT IN HABITAT (Flyover/ adjacent habitat) COMMENTS

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Frankenstein Vs. The Monster Essay -- English Literature

Frankenstein Vs. The Monster At this point in the novel, I sympathize with the monster even though he has become a terrible person. As his creator, Victor Frankenstein should have cared for the monster despite his disgusting appearance. Frankenstein failed to provide the monster with any type of parental guidance and instead ran away from his responsibilities. In the first few hours of his birth, the monster is faced with rejection, even from his creator. If Frankenstein would have guided and nurtured him, then the monster would have never sought revenge on Frankenstein and his family. However, I sympathize mostly with the monster because he is no the one to blame. I believe with most instances that the parent is the one to blame. The parent influences a child the most in that child's life. If a child lives in a bad or corrupt family that child will live with a damaged past. All that child knows is the failure of a family. Therefore, there is a continuation of this through family generations. Without a home or any place to go, the monster is forced to live in t...

Hypnosis :: essays research papers

Hypnosis The British Medical Association and the American Medical Association has called it "a temporary condition of altered attention in the subject that may be induced by another person," (Compton's Multimedia Encyclopedia) but there is still much about hypnosis that is not understood. Because it resembles normal sleep, it was studied and was found that the brain waves of hypnotized people are more similar to the patterns of deep relaxation than anything else. Rather than a psychic or mystical idea, hypnosis is now looked upon as a form of highly focused concentration in which outside influences are ignored. The most known feature of the hypnotic trance is that hypnotized person becomes easily influenced by the suggestions others-usually the hypnotist. They retain their abilities to act and are able to walk, talk, speak, and respond to questions; but their perceptions can be altered or distorted by external suggestions. At the command of the hypnotist, subjects may lose all feeling in a place on the body, and any kind of pain will not cause them any pain. The heartbeat can be slowed or quickened, and a rise in temperature and perspiration can be created. They can be commanded to experience visual or auditory hallucinations or live the past as if it were the present. Also, recently a scientist discovered that the way the subject's mind experiences time can be altered so that hours or even weeks can pass in second, from the subjects point of view. Subjects may forget part or all of the hypnotic experience or recall things that they had forgotten. The hypnotist may also make "posthypnotic suggestions" that are instructions to the subject to respond to a something after awakening. For example, the hypnotist might suggest that, after the subject wakes up he will have an urge to remove his left shoe, and the more the subject resists, the greater the urge to remove it will be, and once it is removed the urge leaves. These suggestions are sometimes used by specialists to repress or suggest away symptoms in a patient such as anxiety, itching, or headaches. Hypnosis is produced essentially by creating a deep relaxation and focused concentration in the subject. They then become mostly unresponsive to ordinary forms of stimulation, and although they are sometimes told to sleep, they are also told to listen and be ready to respond to commands made by the hypnotist. The word sleep is used in hypnosis not to induce actual sleep, but in practice it is understood that sleep is simply the hypnotic trance. The prefix hypno- is named after the Greek god Hypno which means "sleep.

Tuesday, October 1, 2019

Creative Writing †Belonging Essay

The clear, bright and enlightening blue skies greet my face as I ponder through my thoughts in my head. The sun blossoms it’s radiating sunlight, which glisten and reflect off the tranquil, wavy sea to reveal elements of a mystifying, inexplicable, yet convivial world. My heart beat pulsates through my ears†¦ so silent and blissful this world of beggaring-description, words could not hope to utter moments like these. It was the idea of confronting, change and experience which led me to this endeavouring challenge of discovery. In preceding life, â€Å"discovery† was but a mere artwork to me; its extravagant detail painted an image which took me to a new world of the unknown. Its colours merged and intertwined, creating infinite pathways for life to take me far beyond the norm. But, it was just a painting. Vibrant as the sky could ever be, inhabitants of birds and seagulls cluster amongst the sky’s surface to shadow various regions of radiation. Numerous shades of varying size, shape and darkness swam steadfast past my eyes, stimulating diverse light shades across the sea surface. I travel along a path to encounter countless fish as their scales unleash myriad hexagonal-structured reflections, capturing every single colour of the rainbow. I touch the water and an instant sensation crawled through my fingertips, as the water almost desiccated back down my finger, revealing wondrous ripples. The constant expansion and flow of ripples developed into motions of diffracting sunlight which followed a distinct pattern of iridescent white light. The sea so pure, its reflections illuminated my face with the pattern of the undulating water flow. A flash before my eyes re-writes the memoirs of my past life – solitary and confined to the one passageway of safety and security. Ironic is it not? That such an introverted life could lead to the feeling of belonging to something ordinarily worthwhile, or to conduct a life of normality. I still hear a screech suddenly exerted from the fancy convertible making an unceremonious turn, piercing the dusk, still fog of night. The periodic fear of tomorrow, dreading what society had in stall for me. A vision of â€Å"my world† was painted bit by bit, colour by colour and section by section; a world of drifting into the crystalline sea far beyond human sight. It shimmered into this blazing, crimson sunset that protrudes colours of red, white and tinted blue clashing and smashing, latticing over and over again, against one other only to produce an amalgamation of beautified hope and warmth, resulting in this augmentation of sanctity, safety and assurance. A world I longed to belong†¦ I always questioned myself, repeatedly over and over and over again about my identity, destiny and independence. Was it really necessary to do what I did? To precariously determine my own destiny, where life was to be lived unknowingly? To see my father tremulous and mother on her knees, with her hands drenched in tears. A sudden emotion of fear and regret struck my heart in its centre, but also a sigh of relief. I was suddenly brought back to reality by the roar of the motor. The consistency of ripples flowing causes my reflection to distort with the scaly and incandescent rays from the schools of fish and the sun’s protruding rays of warmth and somewhat, hope. I closed my eyes for a few seconds to relax and enjoy this free moment†¦ 1|Page Jason Chan Year 12 Ms. Sake However, I felt a drop of water plummet on the right side of my cheek. My heart froze for a micro -second, dreading to open my eyes as I assumed for the worst. I hear the deafening silence of the waves, on the brink of a complete halt in their tranquil motion. No longer did the extravagant light shower the crystal sea, nor did the birds flourish over the sky. Foul-coloured fluffs of clouds conquered the remaining essence of light the sky had to offer. Cataclysmic roars of thunder clashed in every direction, ringing my ear drums heavily like lava and debris suffocating the mountain sides. â€Å"My world† I belonged to flashed for one second and I saw the usual back gate with a pathway leading my innate mind to the cataleptic regret. It was then I compelled myself up knowing it was and is finality. I remember clearly tilting my head to the side, seeing the sun’s arms reaching through the minute openings of my curtains, greeting my face and mind, pondered with thoughts and feelings of beggaring description. My face heated up, my hands trembled, my fingers shook hysterically as I held the key to freedom, and a drop of water plummeted from the right side of my cheek onto the pure, hue labelled, â€Å"Father and Mother†. That final tear symbolised the very last essence of me, only to distribute out and smudge the ink. Nevertheless, I told myself my world is and always will be created by me, so I relieved myself of intense emotion and wiped my tears away, got my bag and strode with pride to my new world. The sight flashed again, bringing me to a world of catastrophe, as lightning collapsed from the sky as if Zeus had deliberately done so. My fear multiplied as fast as the rain drops fell. I felt a gush of aggravated wind fly past my hair at a ghastly speed. A continuation of heaviness impeded my stability as the turbulent sea rocked like an exacerbated avalanche. It was as if the glistening, crystal sea has become the enemy, the hardship, a hurdle to overcome – my world had become my enemy. I grasp the sides of my capsule with my sweat-bear hands, clenching in fear for my life. Spontaneously, words of my cataleptic regret begin surging in and out, left, right and centre of my mind†¦