Free Essays on Hinduism Intro

Statistically, there are over 700 million Hindus, mainly in Bharat (India), and Nepal. Hinduism is referred to as Sanatana Dharma, the eternal faith. Hinduism is not strictly a religion. It is based on the practice of Dharma, the code of life. A detailed explanation of Hindu texts are found in Veda page and the links pointed to from there. Since Hinduism has no founder, anyone who practices Dharma can call himself a Hindu. He can question the authority of any scripture, or even the existence of the Divine. The following article is based on my limited understanding. While religion means to bind, Dharma means to hold. What man holds on to is his inner law, which leads from ignorance to Truth. Though reading of the scriptures (shastras) would not directly lead you to self-realization, the teachings of the seers provide a basis and a path for spirituality. Despite being the oldest religion, the truth realized by the seers prove that the Truth and path provided by Hinduism is beyond time. Hindu Scriptures are broadly classified into Shruti (meaning 'heard'), Smriti (meaning 'remembered') and nyaya (meaning 'logic') based on its origin not on the mode of transmission. Therefore, shruti means something which were heard (directly from the Gods) by the sages while smriti refers to what was written down and remembered. shruti is considered more authoritative than smriti because the former is believed to have been obtained directly from God by the spiritual experiences of vedic seers and has no interpretations. Vedas constitute the shruti while the rest including Itihaasa-s (epics), PuraaNa-s (moral stories), and Agamas (emanated scriptures) are known as smriti while Vedanta-sutras (vedanta aphorisms) are classified as Nyaya. smriti and Nyaya always agrees with shruti. The oldest and foremost among them are the Vedas. The vedas are called shruti and stems from the inner spiritual experience of the ancient seers. Hindus believe that Vedas... Free Essays on Hinduism Intro Free Essays on Hinduism Intro Statistically, there are over 700 million Hindus, mainly in Bharat (India), and Nepal. Hinduism is referred to as Sanatana Dharma, the eternal faith. Hinduism is not strictly a religion. It is based on the practice of Dharma, the code of life. A detailed explanation of Hindu texts are found in Veda page and the links pointed to from there. Since Hinduism has no founder, anyone who practices Dharma can call himself a Hindu. He can question the authority of any scripture, or even the existence of the Divine. The following article is based on my limited understanding. While religion means to bind, Dharma means to hold. What man holds on to is his inner law, which leads from ignorance to Truth. Though reading of the scriptures (shastras) would not directly lead you to self-realization, the teachings of the seers provide a basis and a path for spirituality. Despite being the oldest religion, the truth realized by the seers prove that the Truth and path provided by Hinduism is beyond time. Hindu Scriptures are broadly classified into Shruti (meaning 'heard'), Smriti (meaning 'remembered') and nyaya (meaning 'logic') based on its origin not on the mode of transmission. Therefore, shruti means something which were heard (directly from the Gods) by the sages while smriti refers to what was written down and remembered. shruti is considered more authoritative than smriti because the former is believed to have been obtained directly from God by the spiritual experiences of vedic seers and has no interpretations. Vedas constitute the shruti while the rest including Itihaasa-s (epics), PuraaNa-s (moral stories), and Agamas (emanated scriptures) are known as smriti while Vedanta-sutras (vedanta aphorisms) are classified as Nyaya. smriti and Nyaya always agrees with shruti. The oldest and foremost among them are the Vedas. The vedas are called shruti and stems from the inner spiritual experience of the ancient seers. Hindus believe that Vedas...

The Mako Shark

The Mako Shark Two species of Mako sharks, close relatives of great white sharks,  inhabit the worlds oceans – shortfin makos and longfin makos. One characteristic that sets these sharks apart is their speed: The shortfin mako shark holds the record for being the fastest shark in the sea and is among the fastest swimming fish in the world. How Fast  Do They Swim? The shortfin mako shark has been clocked at a sustained speed of 20 mph, but it can double or triple that speed for short periods of time. Shortfin makos can reliably accelerate to 46 mph, and some individuals may even reach 60 mph. Their torpedo-shaped bodies enable them to surge through the water at such a rapid speed. Mako sharks also have tiny, flexible scales covering their body, allowing them to control the flow of water over their skin and minimize drag. And shortfin makos arent just fast; they can also change direction in a split second. Their remarkable speed and maneuverability make them lethal predators. Are They Dangerous? Any large shark, including the mako, can be dangerous when encountered. Mako sharks have long, sharp teeth, and they can quickly overtake any potential prey thanks to their speed. However, mako sharks dont usually swim in the shallow, coastal waters where most shark attacks occur. Deep-sea fishermen and SCUBA divers encounter shortfin mako sharks more often than swimmers and surfers. Only eight mako shark attacks have been documented, and none were fatal. Characteristics The mako shark averages about 10 feet long and 300 pounds, but the largest individuals can weigh well over 1,000 pounds. Makos are metallic silver on the underside and a deep, shiny blue on the top. The main difference between shortfin makos and longfin makos is, as you may have guessed, the length of their fins. Longfin mako sharks have longer pectoral fins with broad tips. Mako sharks have pointed, conical snouts, and cylindrical bodies, which minimizes water resistance and makes them hydrodynamic. The caudal fin is lunate in form, like a crescent-shaped moon. A firm ridge just ahead of the caudal fin, called a caudal keel, increases their fin stability when swimming. Mako sharks have large, black eyes and five long gill slits on each side. Their long teeth usually protrude from their mouths. Classification Mako sharks belong to the family of mackerel or white sharks. The mackerel sharks are large, with pointed snouts and long gill slits, and theyre known for their speed. The mackerel shark family includes just five living species: porbeagles (Lamna nasus), salmon sharks (Lamna ditropis), shortfin makos (Isurus oxyrinchus), longfin makos (Isurus paucus), and great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias). Mako sharks are classified as follows: Kingdom - Animalia (animals)Phylum - Chordata (organisms with a dorsal nerve cord)Class – Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fish)Order – Lamniformes (mackerel sharks)Family - Lamnidae (mackerel sharks)Genus – IsurusSpecies – Isurus spp Life Cycle Not much is known about longfin mako shark reproduction. Shortfin mako sharks grow slowly, taking years to reach sexual maturity. Males reach reproductive age at 8 years or more, and females take at least 18 years. In addition to their slow growth rate, shortfin mako sharks have a 3-year reproductive cycle. This extended life cycle makes the mako shark population extremely vulnerable to practices like overfishing. Mako sharks mate, so fertilization occurs internally. Their development is ovoviviparous, with young developing in a uterus but nourished by a yolk sac rather than a placenta. Better developed young are known to cannibalize their less developed siblings in utero, a practice known as oophagy. Gestation takes up to 18 months, at which time the mother gives birth to a litter of live pups. Mako shark litters average 8-10 pups, but occasionally as many as 18 may survive. After giving birth, the female mako wont mate again for another 18 months. Habitat Shortfin and longfin mako sharks differ slightly in their ranges and habitats. Shortfin mako sharks are considered pelagic fish, meaning they inhabit the water column but tend to avoid coastal waters and the ocean bottom. Longfin mako sharks are epipelagic, which means they inhabit the upper portion of the water column, where light can penetrate. Mako sharks inhabit tropical and warm temperate waters but arent usually found in colder water bodies. Mako sharks are migratory fish. Shark tagging studies document mako sharks traveling distances of 2,000 miles and more. They are found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, in latitudes as far south as Brazil and as far north as the northeastern United States. Diet Shortfin mako sharks feed mainly on bony fish, as well as other sharks and cephalopods (squid, octopuses, and cuttlefish). Large mako sharks will sometimes consumer larger prey, like dolphins or sea turtles. Not much is known about the longfin mako sharks feeding habits, but their diet is probably similar to that of shortfin makos. Endangerment Human activities, including the inhumane practice of shark finning, are gradually pushing mako sharks toward possible extinction. Makos are not endangered at this time, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), but both shortfin and longfin mako sharks are classified as vulnerable species. Shortfin mako sharks are a favorite catch of sport fishermen and are also prized for their meat. Both shortfin and longfin makos are often killed as bycatch in tuna and swordfish fisheries, and these unintentional deaths are largely underreported. Sources Shortfin Mako, University of Florida, Florida Museum website. Accessed online July 12, 2017.Longfin Mako, University of Florida, Florida Museum website. Accessed online July 12, 2017.Isurus , IUCN Red List of Threatened Species website. Accessed online July 12, 2017.oxyrinchusIsurus paucus, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species website. Accessed online July 12, 2017.Statistics on Attacking Species of Shark, University of Florida, Florida Museum website. Accessed online July 12, 2017.Mako Shark, NOAA Fisheries Fact Sheet. Accessed online July 12, 2017.Species: Isurus , Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute website. Accessed online July 12, 2017.oxyrinchus, Shortfin makoSpecies: Isurus paucus, Longfin mako, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute website. Accessed online July 12, 2017.Ovoviviparity, Support Our Sharks website. Accessed online July 12, 2017.Flexible Scales Add to Speed of , by Sindya N. Bhanoo, November 29, 2010, New York Times.Shortin Mako Shark

Statistics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Statistics - Essay Example As documented by the National Center for Education Statistics, NCES (2013), the years 1990 to 2011 saw an average drop from 12% to 7% of high school dropouts in the US. This shows that a majority of high school students increasingly appreciate the importance of graduating, thus the need for me to also strive to graduate. In support of this finding, it would be appreciated that school dropouts increasingly find it hard to secure employment. In 1990, 52.5% of high school dropouts were employed as compared to 49.8% in 2011 (NCES, 2013). Thus, with the aim of securing employment in future to attain financial independence, it would be important to complete my high school education. Completion would increase my chances of securing employment and therefore a brighter future. Interestingly, more male than female students consistently drop out of high school. As such, I appreciate the greater risk of dropout as a male student thus the need to take grater caution to ensure that I do not fall victim to factors that could hinder me from completing my high school education. Therefore, these statistics on high school dropout rates enlighten me on the importance of graduating from high

Hegel's philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hegel's philosophy - Essay Example Hegel’s philosophy explains about the appearances, images and illusions throughout the history of human consciousness. He have had tried to search for the eternal consciousness of the mankind .According to Hegel Geist is a post dead presence of soul. Hegel’s philosophy explains right from the human response to consciousness to attaining great knowledge of the un-consciousness pertaining in the world The Geist were said to make noise. They were described as the alien bodies which make their presence felt by their virtual movements and moving the physical things with out any sense of touch. The Geist is believed to be the Holy Spirit. Geist is said to lead the holy personalities to empower the eternal world and lead them to the father the mankind. Geist is not considered to be God but the follower and preacher of the ultimate. The Geist is the virtual essence of the ultimate which unifies the thought of community. The worldly knowledge when enhanced enables a sprit to dis tinguish between the good and the bad existing. This conscience leads to control the thought and moves the spirit towards the right path of implementation. God sets the stage with the rules but the individual has to grasp the essence and has to cross the stages to be at the stage where he himself can judge the will.According to Hegel the self was nothing until the mind was able to relate the self to its concept of 'Self'. Hegel believed that the individual, by interacting with other individuals, other objects in the external environment, as well as other ideas in the world of the spirit, could empower himself. According to Hegel self empowerment could only be achieved through interaction with other individuals, other objects, and other ideas. Institutions like the family; civil society, education etc. were absolutely essential means to attain freedom of the individual. Hegel believes that the material things which are visible are inexistent. The object which evolved has to face the cycle of extinction. As the time evolves an object created is an object going to be in past in future. The existence is not immortal. Every stage a human being crosses has a lesson to learn. Organisism: According to Hegel an object has to been seen as whole entity but not as individual sections. He emphasizes that every part has an equal contribution to overall growth of the object. If one section is diluted then it reflects on the other sections of the same objects. So, the working of each section is vital in building a strong system in an object. Human thoughts initially will be like an embryo which as time evolves develops into a strong physical structure by accumulating energy resources, mind also develops the expanse of visualizing the situation in-depth as it gains the knowledge to interpret the thought. According to the empowerment should occur inherently to sharpen the panoramic view of a thought developed in the mind. Historicism: The human thought and actions in various fields were bought from the historical implication rather than a spontaneous revolutionary idea. Thus Hegel signifies that the historical work done on an particular theme is a significant base for any new developments. The importance of the historical essence asserts on creating a clear idea of history to conceptualize any idea According to Hegel this system of looking back to the previous work enables us to pin-point at the fallouts of the previous and act upon the same to create a more meaning system. According to Hegel one must look at the individual in the society to know the value of the society. To understasnd the society of a region one must look at the history of the society.The persent senario existing in any society is due to the contemporary forces acting on it.Hegel considered human societies as the main sources of observation rather than the other external factors like the religion,race, culture etc.He discribes that modern philopher now a days don't isolate his presence but tries to be in the society to bring the

Racism in Canada Essay Example for Free

Racism in Canada Essay Canada is known around the world as an international peacekeeper, a place of liberty, and a loving country that accepts everyone. This reputation is part of our image, and is honoured by many nations. But Canada is not perfect. Racism still exists, sometimes it maybe in the shadows, it does not take a investigative detective to notice the visible racism all around us. In some cases it is social phrases, in some it may be serious bullying, discrimination or even assault, racism is still a problem. Like the United States of America, Canada has a history with racism. In the 1900s to 1950s, there was discrimination against African-Canadians. From the time of settlement into North America, up until a few decades ago, there was serious mis-treatment of First Nation peoples, including genocide, sexual assault and child abuse. Also during WW2, Japanese-Canadians were looked upon as enemies, and treated poorly. Compared to the past, we are much more liberal, and have less racial prejudices. The improvement of civil liberties from the past to now is amazing. But still not enough. Every time I see something racist, it deeply saddens me. In my heart, Canada as a whole has left racism behind, but some people still carry the disgusting tradition. I once saw a bus driver speaking disrespectfully to an older Chinese woman, about how he couldnt understand her, and she should try to speak in English. I thought to my self how sad it is that an official city worker can be so intolerant of other cultures. I do not like racism, and see it a lot. I see racism when a group of African-Canadians attack a Caucasian man for coming to the wrong neighbourhood. I see racism when people say, White people cannot play cricket, when some of the best cricket players are Caucasian, like Alastair Cook, with over 8000 runs  scored. I see racism in stereotypes. It is clear that racism is a part of our society now, but we need to improve our selves and eradicate it for good. To abolish racism completely, we first need to put personal feelings aside, and agree on facts. Yes, we are all humans. But we need to accept our differences, we are not the exact same. Specific genotype gives athletes like Bolt a boost, dailymail reports scientific research done by University of Szczecin in Poland. Once we separate fact from fiction, we can live without delusion. Secondly, we must call out racism when ever we see it, for example if a bus driver does something wrong, he should be confronted, to avoid it from happening again. If we call out all racism when we see it, we can put an end to it. In conclusion Canada is one of the best countries to live in in the world. It is a leader in civil rights, peacekeeping, and equality. However some racism remains in our community from the past, which should be cleaned up. If we all aim towards a better future, the present could looked upon in future similarly to how the bloody 50s are seen today.

Po :: essays research papers

All the Pictures   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Potatoes. Instant potatoes at that. This was the meal of the evening. A plastic bowl half filled with a pasty hot goo that claimed to be somehow derived from a potato. Thoughtlessly, Jimmy gulped it down as he stared blankly at his computer screen. On the monitor showed a blank white page, even whiter than his potato mush. The screen was ludicrously devoid of all semblance of any color than white. There was no hint of the black font that was supposed to have filled fifteen such screens by now. His term paper on the many recurring symbols of questioned manliness in a novel he had read in his English class was due the next class, which was in twelve hours to be exact. He was in no hurry to finish, or to even start, this task. He was content with his blank staring and eating.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This was a typical scene in Jimmy's room; clothes strewn about the floor and on his bed, his black chair covered with unread books and parts to his broken fan, his desk in utter disarray and covered with various pieces of paper and assorted plates and glasses from weeks past. In the center of it all always sat Jimmy, idly staring at his computer screen with a face that appeared barren of any thought or emotion. Pretty much any night of the week, you could find Jimmy in this exact position, and usually with the same meal in his hands and the same clothes in the same spots. One thing you could say for Jimmy, he was definitely reliable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Yet, he had not always been like this, or so it would seem. If one was so inclined to almost physically drag a story out of Jimmy, it would be raucous and amazingly entertaining, and probably filled with different kinds of liquor and different names of different women. But right after he would finish the story, he would fidget uncomfortably in his computer chair until the intruder of his room grew so uneasy himself that he would leave. He would just sit in his chair in silent boredom with everything about life, with no signs of any intentions to start to do anything about it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On his desk sat many pictures, some of him, some of his friends, some of his dog. Almost without fail, everyone of those pictures had Jimmy or someone else doing something absolutely ludicrous with huge stupid grins on their faces, and enjoying themselves and enjoying life.

A Novel About The Absence Of A Nurturing Parent Essay

‘Frankenstein’ was written by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley in 1816, after a frightful and horrific nightmare of a man conceiving outside the womb. Shelley had been staying with her husband and Lord Byron on the banks of Lake Geneva. She used the influences of her own personal experiences, Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’, Luigi Galvanni’s electrical experiments and the nightmare which occurred only a few nights before. I think that her experiences of losing her mother and having a negligent father were fundamental in developing the core of the story. When the novel was first published in 1818, it was the first example of Gothic fiction. It also got mixed reviews as society at the time was extremely religious however, the Age Of Enlightenment was just coming to an end and so science was also highly important. ‘Frankenstein’ is a novel about a scientist, determined to push back the boundaries of what is humanly possible, blinded by a hubristic desire for human omnipotence. Victor Frankenstein, the protagonist, artificially creates being by reanimating lifeless body parts. The being is then rejected by his creator and society, resulting in disastrous consequences including the death of Victor’s closest friends and family. ‘Frankenstein’ is definitely a novel about the absence of a nurturing parent and the effects which it can cause. I believe that it is a parent’s responsibility and duty to love and care for their child, making sure to raise them sufficiently. Parents should teach their children morals and should set a good example for them to follow. However, in the novel, none of this is observed as Victor abandons his creation almost immediately and only serves to be an awful role model to his child. On numerous occasions, he calls the creation, ‘wretched thing’, ‘demoniacal being’ and ‘monster’. This is due to the fact that Victor never gives his creation a name which is a basic responsibility of a parent as without a name, a person lacks identity. This is the foundation of all the monster’s crimes and the mayhem he created as the monster says, ‘misery made me a fiend, make me happy, and I shall be virtuous’. This suggests that due to Victor’s absence and the disregard he had for his creation, the creation was miserable and wreaked havoc. In chapter five, Victor animates his creation. Immediately after the monster awakes, Shelley utilises a horrifying lexis to create a semantic field of horror thus giving the readers the image of a truly disgusting being. Shelley writes, ‘I beheld the wretch-the miserable monster whom I had created’ and, ‘his shrivelled complexion and straight back lips’. These give a sense of the disgust which Victor straight away has for his creation and creates pathos for the monster as we see that even his father does not love or respect him. Also in this chapter, Victor says, ‘his arm stretched out seemingly to detain me’. Victor sees this as an act of aggression however, it is most likely a sign to connote the being’s need and love for his creator. In chapter ten, Victor faces up to his monster however, his feelings and the perspective in which he views his creation have not altered as he ‘trembled with rage and horror’ and was ready to engage in ‘mortal combat’. He also describes his monster as, ‘unearthly ugly’, ‘too horrible for human eyes’, ‘devil’ and ‘vile insect’. The monster however reacts in an extremely mature fashion, and in a more reasonable and rational approach than Victor himself. The monster says, ‘be calm, I entreat you to hear me, before you give vent to your hatred on my devoted head’. This shows the harsh and enormously diverse duality between the monster and Victor. However, the monster is acting like the mature and reasonable parent in this situation and Victor is acting like the immature and selfish child who isn’t getting his way and therefore has to throw a tantrum. This constant rejection by his creator creates severe pathos for the monster as we feel sorry for his misfortune and the fact that he is unloved. In chapter seventeen, the monster asks his father to create a female companion for him as he sees this as an opportunity to escape from the hatred and rejection which he faces from society. Shelley’s lexis creates pathos by writing the monster as portraying himself as lonely and desperate. He sees the prospect of a companion ‘as hideous as [himself]’ to be a way to mitigate the contempt shown towards him. In chapter twenty-four, Victor dies on Captain Walton’s ship in the Arctic. Shelley writes the monster mourning over his creator’s death. He takes full responsibility for his Victor’s demise, saying, ‘this is also my victim’. He is saddened and livid with himself for his actions, saying, ‘I, the miserable and the abandoned, am an abortion, to be spurned and, and kicked, and trampled on’. This shows that the monster loved Victor even though Victor never felt the same way. This shows that the monster has good inside him and always had the potential to be good however, the absence of his father and the lack of any form of nurturing parent. Pathos is created here as the monster wants forgiveness for the death of Victor and all his other misdeeds. Shelley uses a broad variety of lexis in her novel to create pathos for example, Victor calls the monster ‘devil’, ‘vile insect’, ‘wretched thing’ and ‘demoniacal being’. Some of these words are religious which is a recurring theme throughout the novel. Shelley contrasts the pro and antagonists, especially during belligerent scenes by portraying the monster as a calm, relaxed and modest being whereas Victor is a haughty, out-spoken and agitated. This is shown through numerous exclamation marks during Victor’s dialogue and often the mention of the phrase, ‘be calm’ during the monster’s. This shows the monster’s superior maturity and wisdom which is also shown through the contrast in sentence structure of each character’s discourse. Victor uses short, sharp sentences whereas the monster’s vocabulary is extremely fluent, articulate and expressive. I believe that ‘Frankenstein’ is indeed a novel about the absence of a nurturing parent. Although it confronts many other issues for example: the consequences of the lack of a maternal figure, reciprocity and also the penalties of man rivalling God, the fact that the monster had no real parents to raise him sufficiently, is the most prominent theme of the novel and the main reason of all of his transgressions.

Book Report †Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior Essay

The book, Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior, by Ori Brafman and his brother, Rom Brafman dives into the way that we make decisions. Why do humans make the horrible decisions we do when logic would tell us to act otherwise? There are several psychological influences that sway our decision-making ability according to the Brafman brothers. The authors look at several different factors, with a lot of fascinating and logic-breaking examples. This book will help you understand the decisions you make. In many circumstances times when logic would dictate that we take a certain action, we take the opposite. To illustrate, just ask yourself why you have stayed so long in a doomed relationship? Why was it so hard to sell a stock that has lost much of its value†¦or to sell your house if it will be for less than you paid for it? In their book, Sway, Ori and Rom Brafman explore our decision making process and what influences our behavior. Hence, the subtitle, The Pull of Irra tional Behavior is used. Sway opens with a convincing example — the historic KLM flight where the pilot made a seemingly irrational decision that cost the lives of 584 people in 1977, the largest airline disaster in history. The authors make the argument that because the pilot was so focused on getting to his final destination after being diverted; he was swayed into making a wholly irrational decision, which ended in tragedy. How was he swayed specifically? Well, the book revisits the KLM disaster a few times to flesh out the underlying irrational decisions likely being made by the pilot. The book is filled with such examples, such as people who have bid as much as $200 for a $20 bill. Why? Why would anyone pay more than the face value of a $20 bill? Well, the authors have the answers.Here I will describe all the major sways listed in the book. I will also give an example of the sway and why it affects people so harshly.1. We overreact to potential losses. Humans tend to focus more on the short-term consequences rather than the longer-term effects. This is illustrated well by AOL’s Internet options. For a while, AOL gave consumers access to the web through a pay as you go method. Customers would pay for every minute they used the Internet. Then, when AOL introduced a flat monthly fee, customers began signing up for that plan in masses. Customers wanted to make sure they avoided the perceived  losses from the pay as you go method, when in the long run; most users were losing money with the flat rate. 2. Loss averse. The more meaningful a loss is, the more loss averse we become, meaning we don’t want to give up our hold on the loss (even when it’s economically, emotionally or otherwise beneficial to do so). The best example of loss aversion is in the stock market. Inexperienced traders have the hardest time selling a plummeting stock. Say you invest in a stock for $10 a share and in a week the price rises to $20. Now it would be great to sell then. But then the next day the stock drops to $17 a share. For whatever reason, humans perceive this $3 difference as a loss, instead of a $7 gain (you invested at $10 and could sell at $17). So, the investor says, once it gets back to $20 I will sell. Then it drops to $15, then $12, then $6, and before you know it, you have lost money, when you could have gaine d $7 a share!3. Commitment. When we are committed to a relationship, decision, or position in our lives, it can be very difficult for us to see the better, healthier alternatives available. The best example of this in the book is the $20 dollar bill auction. Harvard Business School Professor Max Bazerman conducts this auction on the first day of his class. There are only two rules to the auction; first, bids are to be made in $1 increments. The second rule is a little trickier; the winner of the auction gets the $20, but the runner up still has to honor their bid, while receiving nothing. When the bidding gets closer and closer to $20 the students realize what is about to occur. The two people left in the bidding war both do not want to walk away with nothing, therefore instead of accepting defeat and losing $19 in the auction, somebody will bid $21. The students continue bidding, ignoring all rationality and drive the price upwards. Bazerman states that it once made its way up to $204. 4. Value attribution. Humans have a tendency to place certain qualities upon someone or something based on its perceived value rather than objective data. If we see something labeled a certain way, we’ll take that label at face value. The authors have two amusing examples of value attribution at work — a world-famous violinist is mistaken for a street musician in the subway and a SoBe energy drink that is only as valuable in helping improve your memory as you think it is. In the SoBe energy drinks case, the authors cite a study that measured test results after consumption of the energy drink. The subjects were put into three  categories. Those that had no SoBe, those that were told the powers of SoBe and then bought it at full price, and those that were also told the powers of SoBe but then received it at a discounted price. After taking a test, the results were measured to see if there was a pattern within the groups. The results showed that those who drank the SoBe at full price had better test scores than those who had no SoBe at all. But before we run to buy all the energy drinks we can afford, the group who drank the cheap SoBe performed far worse than those who drank no SoBe at all. When things are discounted off of their regular price, people tend to give the product or service a reduced value attribution. In other words, when we get a discount on something, we tend to unconsciously value it less than if we had paid full price.5. Diagnosis Bias. Humans have a propensity to label people, ideas or things based on our initial opinions of them. This includes our inab ility to reconsider those initial value judgments once we’ve made them. Again, the authors bring this sway to life with their examples of how players perform directly in relationship to their NBA draft pick number, amongst many others. A single word or label can color our entire perception of a person, closing off avenues of shared experience and seeing people for who they really are. Once a person is given a label (and even directly, a diagnosis), it’s hard for people to see people in a way that isn’t biased by that label. The authors also note that hiring interviews are actually a terrible way to identify possible employees. Turns out â€Å"first date† style interviews are completely unscientific and at the end of the day, quite horrible at helping managers choose a good employee.6. Fairness. People want and expect fairness in all of their dealings with other people, companies and organizations. It is vitally important for people to feel they have a voice. People want to be listened to and heard, even if nothing changes. Talking through our reasons for a price or our position in an argument or debate, explaining how we arrived at it, and communicating what we feel is the fair thing to do makes other people feel like we’ve treated them more fairly and reasonably. The authors cite a study done which pair’s strangers and offers up a chance at winning cash. The strangers are placed in separate rooms and told that they will never meet the other person, even after the study is over. Then the instructions are given to the first subject. They are told that there is $10 dollars to be split between them and the partner. They  have been chosen as the person to divide the money however they see fit. The catch is that the other person must agree to the offer. If the person does not agree, both partners will walk away with nothing. The same speech is given to the second pa rticipant except with minor changes letting them know that the other person will be splitting the money and that they have the power to say yes or no to the deal. The study showed that all splits of 50/50 were accepted and almost all of the uneven splits were denied. Even though people were offered some money, they chose to deny it because they saw it as â€Å"unfair†. People did not seem to realize that they were in a fortunate position just to be offered any money at all.7. Altruistically or Selfishly. Humans approach everything from one of these two viewpoints, but usually not both at the same time. When the two centers of the brain (altruism and pleasure) compete, pleasure usually wins. When the pleasure, self-interested perspective is operating, unexpected behavior or effects can occur. Essentially, a person cannot act in their own interest while looking out for others, because your desires to look out for number 1 will always win. This portion of the book also speaks on the most relevant portion to our class. It speaks on how rewards can damage someone’s work ethic when it is believe that they will actually help. It’s not that rewards for specific tasks or behavior are bad, it’s the possibility of a reward dangled ahead of time that can potentially result in destructive, unintended effects. It’s okay to reward someone after the fact, but don’t always create the possibility of the reward ahead of time. And know that money defeats/negates altruism.8. Groups. Groups can have profound effects on our ability to reason rationally. A study was done on individuals and their ability to ignore wrong information. Subjects were placed in a room with several other people and the task was given to all subjects; identify which two lines were the same lengths. Then, on the screen 4 lines would appear, two of which were the same length. The study made it very obvious too; no rulers were needed, for the lines were glaringly different. The catch was that only one person in the room was an actual subject, all other people were paid actors told to identify the wrong line. When the researchers asked the group which lines matched, all the actors would give the same incorrect answer, and the effects were powerful. 75% of the subjects incorrectly identified the lines because they did not want to go against the group. Then a second round began  and one actor was told to give the correct answer, or at least an answer different than the group. In almost all cases, the subject spat in the face of the actors and correctly identified the lines. The lesson to be learned here is that dissent is invaluable – you need a dissenter, even if you don’t agree with the specific dissent itself. Dissenters open up discussion and allow individuals to express their views. I highly recommend this book. It was nearly impossible for me to put down and only took me about a day to read. I think very economically and logically (or at least I would like to believe), so the book spoke to my every thought. The book offers a few solutions in the epilogue; solutions that help individuals think more rationally. However the solutions are very trivial. Suggestions such as â€Å"take a deep breathe and evaluate the situation† are recommended. The problem with these solutions is that the situations don’t allow for deep breaths! That is why irrational behavior takes place in the first place. Overall, the book was a great read and a valuable lesson.

Uintatherium Facts and Figures

Uintatherium Facts and Figures Name: Uintatherium (Greek for Uinta beast); pronounced WIN-tah-THEE-ree-umHabitat: Plains of North AmericaHistorical Period: Middle Eocene (45-40 million years ago)Size and Weight: About 13 feet long and 1-2 tonsDiet: PlantsDistinguishing Characteristics: Large size; small brain; three pairs of knobby horns on the skull About Uintatherium One of the first prehistoric megafauna mammals ever to be discovered, in late-nineteenth-century Wyoming, Uintatherium figured in the Bone Wars waged between the famous American paleontologists Edward Drinker Cope and Othniel C. Marsh. This bizarre, plant-eating beast was worth a good fight: Uintatherium was distinguished by the three, count em, three pairs of knobby horns on its head (which may only have grown on males, as a way to increase their attractiveness to females during mating season), making it look a bit like a mutated rhinoceros. (So enamored were Cope and Marsh of Uintatherium that they managed to name it half a dozen times, the now-discarded genera including Dinoceras, Ditetradon, Elachoceras, Octotomus, Tinoceras and Uintamastix.) As with other early mammals of the Eocene epoch, about 40 million years ago, Uintatherium didnt exactly excel in the intelligence department, with an unusually small brain compared to the rest of its bulky bodyno doubt an artifact of its plant-eating diet and its relative lack of natural enemies, as full-grown Uintatherium adults would have been virtually immune to predation.  How it survived for so long is a bit of a mystery, one compounded by the fact that this mysterious beast (and its fellow uintatheres) vanished completely off the face of the earth by the later Eocene epoch, leaving very few fossil remains in its wake. One theory is that Uintatherium was gradually displaced by better-adapted megafauna mammals, such as the thunder beast Brontotherium.

Radiation in Space and Astronomy - Definition

Radiation in Space and Astronomy - Definition Astronomy is the study of objects in the universe that radiate (or reflect) energy from across the electromagnetic spectrum. Astronomers study radiation from all objects in the universe. Lets take an in-depth look at the forms of radiation out there. Artwork of a planet orbiting a pulsar. Pulsars are very rapidly spinning neutron stars are the dead cores of massive stars and rotating on their axes often hundreds of times every second. They radiate radio waves and in optical light. Mark Garlick/Science Photo Library (Getty Images) Importance to Astronomy In order to completely understand the universe, scientists must look at it across the entire electromagnetic spectrum. This includes the high-energy particles such as cosmic rays. Some objects and processes are actually completely invisible in certain wavelengths (even optical), which is why astronomers look at them in many wavelengths. Something invisible at one wavelength or frequency may be very bright in another, and that tells scientists something very important about it. Types of Radiation Radiation describes elementary particles, nuclei, and electromagnetic waves as they propagate through space. Scientists typically reference radiation in two ways:  ionizing and non-ionizing. Ionizing Radiation Ionization is the process by which electrons are removed from an atom. This happens all the time in nature, and it merely requires the atom to collide with a photon or a particle with enough energy to excite the election(s). When this happens, the atom can no longer maintain its bond to the particle. Certain forms of radiation carry enough energy to ionize various atoms or molecules. They can cause significant harm to biological entities by causing cancer or other significant health problems. The extent of the radiation damage is a matter of how much radiation was absorbed by the organism. The electromagnetic spectrum show as a function of frequence/wavelength and temperature. Chandra X-Ray Observatory The minimum threshold energy needed for radiation to be considered ionizing is about 10 electron volts (10 eV). There are several forms of radiation that naturally exist above this threshold: Gamma-rays: Gamma rays (usually designated by the Greek letter ÃŽ ³) are a form of electromagnetic radiation. They represent the highest energy forms of light in the universe. Gamma rays occur from a variety of processes, ranging from activity inside nuclear reactors to stellar explosions called  supernovae and highly energetic events known as gamma-ray bursters. Since gamma rays are electromagnetic radiation, they do not readily interact with atoms unless a head-on collision occurs. In this case the gamma ray will decay into an electron-positron pair. However, should a gamma ray be absorbed by a biological entity (e.g. a person), then significant harm can be done as it takes a considerable amount of energy to stop such radiation. In this sense, gamma rays are perhaps the most dangerous form of radiation to humans. Luckily, while they can penetrate several miles into our atmosphere before they interact with an atom, our atmosphere is thick enough that most gamma rays are absorbed b efore they reach the ground. However, astronauts in space lack protection from them, and are limited to the amount of time that they can spend outside a spacecraft or space station. While very high doses of gamma radiation can be fatal, the most likely outcome to repeated exposures to above-average doses of gamma-rays (like those experienced by astronauts, for instance) is an increased risk of cancer. This is something that life sciences experts in the worlds space agencies study closely. X-rays: x-rays are, like gamma rays, a form of electromagnetic waves (light). They are usually broken up into two classes: soft x-rays (those with the longer wavelengths) and hard x-rays (those with the shorter wavelengths). The shorter the wavelength (i.e. the harder the x-ray) the more dangerous it is. This is why lower energy x-rays are used in medical imaging. The x-rays will typically ionize smaller atoms, while larger atoms can absorb the radiation as they have larger gaps in their ionization energies. This is why x-ray machines will image things like bones very well (they are composed of heavier elements) while they are poor imagers of soft tissue (lighter elements). It is estimated that x-ray machines, and other derivative devices, account for between 35-50% of the ionizing radiation experienced by people in the United States.Alpha Particles: An alpha particle (designated by the Greek letter ÃŽ ±) consists of two protons and two neutrons; exactly the same composition as a hel ium nucleus. Focusing on the alpha decay process that creates them, heres what happens: the alpha particle is ejected from the parent nucleus with very high speed (therefore high energy), usually in excess of 5% of the speed of light. Some alpha particles come to Earth in the form of cosmic rays  and  may achieve speeds in excess of 10% of the speed of light. Generally, however, alpha particles interact over very short distances, so here on Earth, alpha particle radiation is not a direct threat to life. It is simply absorbed by our outer atmosphere. However, it is a danger for astronauts.   Beta Particles: The result of beta decay, beta particles (usually described by the Greek letter Î’) are energetic electrons that escape when a neutron decays into a proton, electron, and anti-neutrino. These electrons are more energetic than alpha particles but less so than high energy gamma rays. Normally, beta particles are not of concern to human health as they are easily shielded. Artificially created beta particles (like in accelerators) can penetrate the skin more readily as they have considerably higher energy. Some places use these particle beams to treat various kinds of cancer because of their ability to target very specific regions. However, the tumor needs to be near the surface as not to damage significant amounts of interspersed tissue.Neutron Radiation: Very high-energy neutrons are created during nuclear fusion or nuclear fission processes. They can then be absorbed by an atomic nucleus, causing the atom to go into an excited state and it can emit gamma-rays. These photons will then excite the atoms around them, creating a chain-reaction, leading to the area to become radioactive. This is one of the primary ways humans are injured while working around nuclear reactors without proper protective gear. Non-ionizing Radiation While ionizing radiation (above) gets all the press about being harmful to humans, non-ionizing radiation can also have significant biological effects. For instance, non-ionizing radiation can cause things like sunburns. Yet, it is what we use to cook food in microwave ovens.  Non-ionizing radiation can also come in the form of thermal radiation, which can heat material (and hence atoms) to high enough temperatures to cause ionization. However, this process is considered different than kinetic or photon ionization processes. The Karl Jansky Very Large Array of radio telescopes is located near Socorro, New Mexico. This array focuses on radio emissions from a variety of objects and processes in the sky. NRAO/AUI Radio Waves: Radio waves are the longest wavelength form of electromagnetic radiation (light). They span 1 millimeter to 100 kilometers. This range, however, overlaps with the microwave band (see below). Radio waves are produced naturally by active galaxies (specifically from the area around their supermassive black holes), pulsars and in supernova remnants. But they are also created artificially for the purposes of radio and television transmission.Microwaves: Defined as wavelengths of light between 1 millimeter and 1 meter (1,000 millimeters), microwaves are sometimes considered to be a subset of radio waves. In fact, radio astronomy is generally the study of the microwave band, as longer wavelength radiation is very difficult to detect as it would require detectors of immense size; hence only a few peer beyond the 1-meter wavelength. While non-ionizing, microwaves can still be dangerous to humans as it can impart a large amount of thermal energy to an item due to its interactions with water and water vapor. (This is also why microwave observatories are typically placed in high, dry places on Earth, as to lessen the amount of interference that water vapor in our atmosphere can cause to the experiment. Infrared Radiation: Infrared radiation is the band of electromagnetic radiation that occupies wavelengths between 0.74 micrometers up to 300 micrometers. (There are 1 million micrometers in one meter.) Infrared radiation is very close to optical light, and therefore very similar techniques are used to study it. However, there are some difficulties to overcome; namely infrared light is produced by objects comparable to room temperature. Since electronics used to power and control infrared telescopes will run at such temperatures, the instruments themselves will give off infrared light, interfering with data acquisition. Therefore the instruments are cooled using liquid helium, so as to lessen extraneous infrared photons from entering the detector. Most of what the Sun emits that reaches Earths surface is actually infrared light, with the visible radiation not far behind (and ultraviolet a distant third). An infrared view of a cloud of gas and dust made by Spitzer Space Telescope. The Spider and Fly Nebula is a star-forming region and Spitzers infrared view shows structures in the cloud affected by a cluster of newborn stars. Spitzer Space Telescope/NASA Visible (Optical) Light: The range of wavelengths of visible light is 380 nanometers (nm) and 740 nm. This is the electromagnetic radiation that we are able to detect with our own eyes, all other forms are invisible to us without electronic aids. Visible light is actually only a very small part of the electromagnetic spectrum, which is why it is important to study all other wavelengths in astronomy as to get a complete picture of the universe and to understand the physical mechanisms that govern the heavenly bodies.Blackbody Radiation: A blackbody is an object that emits electromagnetic radiation when it is heated, the peak wavelength of light produced will be proportional to the temperature (this is known as Wiens Law). There is no such thing as a perfect blackbody, but many objects like our Sun, the Earth and the coils on your electric stove are pretty good approximations.Thermal Radiation: As particles inside of a material move due to their temperature the resulting kinetic energy can be described as the total thermal energy of the system. In the case of a blackbody object (see above) the thermal energy can be released from the system in the form of electromagnetic radiation. Radiation, as we can see, is one of the fundamental aspects of the universe. Without it, we would not have light, heat, energy, or life. Edited by Carolyn Collins Petersen.

Office Development Activity in New York City Essay

Office Development Activity in New York City - Essay Example The building costs themselves have slowed down after the much talked about real estate bubble (Tom Acitelli, Sep 2006). However, the cost of the properties has gone for a spin and has risen to levels well beyond one hundred and forty percent of the GDP. In this paper, we will analyze the growth of the real estate business specifically the commercial properties and the way they have been rising (and falling, if any) before we go on to take a look at the current days. Subsequently an analysis of the current scene would let us know the future trends. There will also be a short analysis of the status of the rental of offices and the fluctuations in the rental pricings specifically in the New York region. Finally, a short comparison between the rental and the ownership market of the real estate will be taken up to check which would be the best option for an office to go in the current scenario. All these will be presented in here for analysis and study. In order to trace the rise and fall of a market, it is always useful to monitor the change that is happening in the market for the last ten years at least. ... Figure 1: The stock market bubble (dot com) and the Real Estate Assets from left to right. The last ten years have seen the change in the price of real estate stock steadily increasing and gathering speed after the dot com crash. This was an investment option that people have taken to after the crash not knowing where to put their money in. More over it is also seen that the real estate, unlike dot com where most of the investors were speculators, here most of the people are investors for life time. Many things went in line with the investment. Interest rates were attractive and it worked out cheaper to buy a house rather than to lease it out. Economic Status The economic status of the country and of its people also plays a vital role in the real estate rental and cost. Normal indexes that are compared or monitored for this purpose are mortgage rates, Consumer Price Index, job creation, productivity, federal deficit and consumer confidence apart from payroll and other social considerations. In addition GDP is also an indicator of the change in economic status and the price of the real estate or the rental of the real estate. (Miller Samuel, 2006) Figure 2: GDP and Manhattan Median Sales Price The green on the graph is the US Gross Domestic Product while the Red is the Manhattan Median Real Estate prices year on year growth percentage marked on a quarterly basis. This clearly shows that the price variation in the market has been directly linked to the GDP variations in the last 10 years. Variation in the GDP has accounted for a similar change in the Manhattan prices. There might have been shorter and smaller variations at times, but by and large, it has been