Value and Risk Management in the Chinese Construction Industry

Why Autumn Skies Are So Blue

Why Autumn Skies Are So Blue Have you ever noticed that fall skies appear to be a deeper, more saturated blue than normal?   What sorts of things can make the sky appear bluer, specifically during the fall season? Here are a few contributing factors: Falls Lower Humidity Fall is notorious for its pleasant weathernamely, its cooler temperatures and lower  relative humidity. As air temperatures cool, the amount of moisture that the air can hold  lessens. Less moisture means fewer clouds and haze occupying skies in September, October, and November. With little to no clouds or haze to veil the sky, its blue hue appears purer, and the sky itself, more open and vast. Falls Lower Sun Position As we progress  through autumn, the sun sits lower and lower in the sky. With the sun no longer directly overhead, you could say that more of the sky is significantly angled away from the sun. The Rayleigh scattering directs more blue light towards your eyes, while the indirect sunlight decreases the incoming levels of red and greenthe result of which is a more intense blue sky. Falls Foliage Believe it or not,  the very presence of  falls red, orange, and gold leaves actually  help give the skys blueness  a color boost. According to color theory, primary colors appear more brilliant when theyre  in contrast with their complementary colors.  Looking at a color wheel, you can see that  violet and blue (which are the two wavelengths of sunlight that are scattered for us to see and thus give the sky its characteristic blue hue) correspond to the  complementary colors of yellow, yellow-orange, and orange. Seeing any one of these leaf  colors against the backdrop of a clear blue sky makes the blue of the sky pop  that much more.

The Importance of Voting in America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Importance of Voting in America - Essay Example If a person votes he is making sure that he wants the government to know which candidate is best according to him or her. In a huge country like United States with a large population a single person's voice can only be heard with the help of voting. Voting enables a people to raise his or her voice or opinion on pending laws, ordinances, and it also enables them to decide who takes charge of the state offices. The second reason is a general reason but is a very big fact. It's the right of every citizen to vote as all the laws, rules and regulation that would be implemented later by the elected party would directly influence the person. It also makes sure that citizens select the people who will be the leaders of their country.Voting makes it impossible for someone or one party to become a monopoly and stay in the office for more than the legal time. Being a citizen of any country and utilizing the resources of that country it's a persons divine right to vote. The third reason for voting is related to the shaping of a persons life according to his vote. It's a universal fact that every person should live the way he or she wants; the only best way to achieve this is by voting.

Essay (mass communication) Review assay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

(mass communication) Review assay - Essay Example The new media has made access of information easier than ever, it offers a communication and information in a delightful, interesting and useful manner. Theorists (Livingstone & Lievrouw 2006, Manovich 2003) asserts that media like feature films, television programs, newspapers, magazines, books and other paper based publications do not include in the new media. The new media has emerged as a forceful component of the modern communications during the past two and a half years. Before 1980s media users relied upon older forms of media including television, radio, books and newspapers. The new manipulative nature of the new media has raised many questions since the information disseminated through this can be controlled and distorted in order to achieve specific political, cultural, or social goals. Due to this force of the new media globalisation is taking place and the social and cultural values are expanding beyond the boundaries of specific nation states (Flew 2002). One of the most important features of the new media is its interactivity. Various users can interact to each other in a very effective manner (Manovich 2003). The interactivity of the information is also important since various sources of information are available on the internet which can be compared, contrasted and evaluated interactively. This feature allows speedy communication and convenient access to the sources of information. Plenty of theorists have presented their theories concerning the new media, its characteristics and its implications on the social, cultural, political and psychological values of the people using it. Sonia Livingstone is one such theorist who has shed light on the new media as an object of research. She is concerned with the every changing nature of the Internet as an object of research. Livingstone argues that the audio-visual based Internet of the late 2000s is extremely different from the text-based media of the late 1990s (2005, p. 12). Livingstone

Writing a critique Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Writing a critique - Assignment Example One of the most notable depictions of Othello was took place in 1988 at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg, South Africa. In this play, director Janet Suzman uses Shakespeare’s Othello as means of addressing the divisive South African issue of apartheid. This essay functions as a critique of Suzman’s interpretation of Shakespeare’s Othello the Merchant of Venice, with specific emphasis on the play’s function as an underlining metaphor for South African apartheid and racial tension. One of the first instances one witnesses director Suzman’s thematic intentions occurs when Othello first comes on stage. While the appearance the racial clash between Othello and Desdemona’s father Brabanzio always makes this a dramatically compelling scene, Suzman’s Othello is more than simply non-white. Actor John Kani is also non-European, with clear African descent. It’s not difficult to ascertain that this choice has been made deliberately to align the Othello character with Africans facing apartheid. Indeed, a number of critics have noted Suzman’s use of Kani’s non-European, African descent in this regard as, â€Å"a South African actor whose first language is not English and who therefore not only looked but – more than black British and American Othellos – sounded different† (Hankey, pg. 93). It’s this Afrikanerdom that Kani exudes which sets Suzamn’s Othello on a trajectory that situates the play n ot as concerned with the inter-racial relationship tensions as much as its 20th century overarching political concerns. While this critique does not function as a literary analysis, there are a number of notable characterizations of Suzman’s contemporary overarching political concerns that coincide with Shakespeare’s text. For instance, when Barbanzio encounters the all-white, general counsel about Othello’s marriage to Desdemonia, Othello is characterized as having utilized magic or illicit methods to gain

Dietary Analysis and Reflection

Dietary Analysis and Reflection Diet Analysis Summary Final MyPlate.gov was very informative. It was nice to start the class out with a website that was very detailed but still interesting so you weren’t overwhelmed with the vast amount of information. It was easy to maneuver and find the information you needed. It is a very useful tool for an individual to use so they can learn the proper portions of a healthy diet. The individual plan you can receive from a licensed dietitian on the Super Tracker portion of MyPlate.gov is a wonderful feature. It can keep track and inform you if you have reached your goal for each food group, how many calories you’ve eaten per day, and the target amount of physical activity you should be doing per week. Each food group section under the MyPlan portion of the SuperTracker gives you the exact amount of ounces needed for your personal calorie goal. It breaks down how much an ounce is in popular foods, for example, 1 ounce of bread is 1 regular slice and 1 ounce of brown rice is  ½ cup. The indiv idualized sample meal plans take the guess work out of planning your weekly meals. It is designed to meet your individual nutritional needs and your personal calorie goals. Unfortunately, I haven’t used it since it was a part of the assignment many weeks ago. Since my diet isn’t well balanced and I need to add healthier selections off all the food groups into my diet MyPlate.gov is a great place for me to start. It can help me do some weekly meal planning since that is a huge weakness of mine. I can make healthier choices for myself and my family with the help of MyPlate.gov. Carbohydrates are a huge weakness for me as I love sugary candies, breads, pastas, chips, and juices. Each one of my weaknesses has an excess amount of sugars. When I eat too many sugars my digestive tract delivers glucose to my bloodstream and that carries the glucose to my liver and body cells. However, my body cells do not need any additional glucose so it is stored as glycogen in the muscle and liver. Once those stores are full the body cells go from burning fat to burning the excess glucose which leaves excess fat floating in my bloodstream until it’s picked up by fatty tissues and stored. Unfortunately, the fatty tissues have an unlimited capacity to store fat. An excess of blood glucose can lead to type II diabetes which can lead to circulation problems and nerve damage. Low blood pressure and nerve damage can lead to loss of blood flow to the kidneys which damages them, increased likelihood of infections, and possible loss of limbs due to gangrene and amputation. How I can prevent type II diabetes is to reach a healthy body weight of 120 pounds. To do that I need to eat healthy meals that are moderate in calories low in saturated fat, high in vegetables, fruit, legumes, chicken, fish, and whole grains. I need to be physically active, and limit my alcohol intake. The best way for me to cut out the excess sugars in my diet is to switch the sugary candies and chips with fruit and vegetables. Change the breads and pastas I eat to 100% whole grain bread. Stop drinking fruit juices and replace them with water. Doing all this can also increase my soluble and insoluble fiber intake which can help reduce my risk if type II diabetes, alleviate or prevent constipation, and lower my risk for digestive tract cancers. The changes I have made this semester about my carbohydrate consumption are; I have replaced my breads and pastas with whole wheat breads and pastas. I’ve increased the amount of vegetables and fruits I’m eating daily. Unfortunately , I haven’t decreased the amount of chips and sugary candies. It has been and still is a very stressful time for me and when I’m stressed I eat and I prefer to eat chips and candies. I have a great weakness for eating foods that are high in cholesterol and fat. I’ve enjoyed eating items like shrimp Alfredo and hamburgers and French fries. I have an elevated risk of developing heart disease because I am overweight, I eat high cholesterol and fatty foods, and I am physically inactive. The recommended daily amounts of fat for someone like Me Is 37 to 66 grams; whereas my average daily intake was 75grams. The recommended daily amount of cholesterol should be less than 300mg; whereas my average daily intake was 367mg. If I continue to eat this way I will develop heart issues like hypertension, atherosclerosis which can lead to coronary heart disease or stroke; I am also at high risk for developing cancer. I can lower my blood cholesterol by focusing on low cholesterol foods, low saturated fat foods, and Trans fat free foods like whole grains, fruits, soy, vegetables, fatty fish, oats, and beans. I need to become more physically active. Even doing simple things can impact my physical activity level like using the stairs instead of the elevator or I can wash my car instead of taking it to a car wash. One of the best changes I can make to improve my health is to start eating fatty fishes like sea bass, herring, trout, and salmon. These fish are an excellent source of omega-3. Omega-3’s can lower total cholesterol and LDL and can increase HDL. It can also lower the rates of some cancers by suppressing inflammation. Additional foods I can eat to fight cancer are crucifer vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, and kale which boosts an enzyme in the body that fights cancer. All berries have a phytochemical that can slow down the growth of pre-malignant cells. Tomatoes have lycopene which can stop the growth of endometrial cancer. This semester I have decreased my red meat intake and have replaced it with chicken or turkey. When I cook at home I get a 3% fat ground turkey for our meals instead of ground beef. I have also changed the hamburg ers I make at home for turkey burgers or veggie burgers, and my family loves them. My biggest weakness with proteins is animal-derived proteins; I eat eggs almost every morning for breakfast and have an animal derived protein with almost every lunch and dinner. An excess amount of protein itself is not known to contribute to heart disease, but excess amount of animal-derived protein does. They add unnecessary fat calories and saturated fat to my diet. Eating all that animal-derived protein leaves out all the other sources of protein I can consume which are much healthier like whole grains, fruit, legumes, and vegetables. Since I eat a lot of animal-derived protein I have a higher risk in being obese, it causes adult bone loss, and I have a greater risk in heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. To lower my animal-deprived protein I can eliminate the eggs in my breakfast and eat oatmeal. For lunch I can have rice and beans instead of a lunch meat sandwich. For dinner I can make a tofu stir-fry instead of a grilled chicken breast. If I change at least one of my daily me als form animal-derived protein to vegetable-derived protein I can cut down the amount of cholesterol and saturated fat I consume. This semester I haven’t changed the types of proteins we consume. What I can do that wouldn’t change our routine to much is to switch out or eggs for egg beaters. For three tablespoons, which is the same as one egg, it has zero saturated fat and cholesterol but still has 5 grams of protein which is only 1 gram less than a normal egg but so much healthier. My diet is low in folate, vitamin C, and potassium; and it is high in sodium. A diet low in folate can lead to many problems like anemia, fatigue, headache, weakness, irritability, and mental confusion. Most adults are to have 400mcg a day of folate; my average was 186mcg per day. So I definitely need to consume more foods rich in folate like asparagus, pinto beans, and lentils. A diet low in vitamin C can lead to fatigue, joint pain, bone fragility, bruises, frequent infections, bleeding gums, and poor wound healing. Most adults are to have 75mg a day of vitamin C; my average was 49mg per day. So I definitely need to consume more foods rich in vitamin C like sweet red peppers, strawberries, and broccoli. A diet low in potassium can lead to confusion, muscle weakness, and paralysis. Most adults are to have 4700mg a day of potassium; my average was 1050mg per day. So I definitely need to consume more foods rich in potassium like lima beans, baked potato, and a banana. I can pick out s ymptoms that I suffer from, out of each of those deficiencies. A diet high in sodium is also very bad for my health. Over time my high sodium diet may damage the linings of my blood vessels in ways that makes hypertension more likely to develop. A high sodium diet can also lead to heart disease and stroke. Some of the foods I eat regularly that are high in sodium are chips, microwave popcorn, turkey dogs, and macaroni and cheese. All that food can easily be replaced with healthier options. The chips and popcorn can be replaced with the strawberries and sweet red peppers so I can also get the vitamin C I need. The turkey dogs and macaroni and cheese can be replaced with a baked potato and pinto beans. This semester I have been eating more fruits and vegetables so I fell like my folate, vitamin C, and potassium will be better but my sodium intake hasn’t been decreased. I’m still eating my chips and convenient food. My diet is low on both calcium and iron. The recommended daily amount of calcium is 1000mg a day. There were days when I was just under that amount, 750mg, because I would have milk and cereal sometime during the day. However, there were some days where I would only consume 200 mg of calcium. That fluctuation and having more days where I consumed less calcium I am at risk for osteoporosis. Since calcium supplements are less effective than the calcium found in food sources I should increase my consumption of calcium rich foods like tofu, milk, and broccoli. The recommended daily amount of iron is 18mg a day. The average amount of iron I consumed was 12mg. That’s only because one day I had consumed 21mg; that’s because 12 mg came from eating a fortified cereal. Other days ranged from 2-11mg. Having an iron deficiency I have a higher risk of becoming anemic, being weak and fatigued, having headaches, and impaired immunity. The best way for me to increase my iron consumptio n is to eat navy and black beans, spinach, and clams. I have tried to increase my calcium intake during this semester by eating more yogurt. I’m not a big milk drinker but I like soy milk and almond milk. When we can get back into our condo I plan on making smoothies for breakfast again. I made it with tofu, soy milk, yogurt, spinach, a banana, and frozen fruit. It was delicious and full of nutrients. According to my BMI I am considered obese our book even calls me extremely obese. I absolutely, with every fiber in my being, hate that word. That one word can just get under my skin and make me so angry. I understand I’m overweight and I need to lose all the excess pounds I’m carrying, but don’t degrade me! That word has such negative connotations that it only makes you feel even worse about yourself. Is that what that word is meant to do? Is it meant to humiliate you into losing weight? If so it doesn’t work on me, it does the exact opposite. I get so angry and defensive, but inside I’m embarrassed so I eat more and become unhappy. I already have such prejudices for being overweight that I don’t need a book to call me names. I can’t go to the grocery store and buy healthy food because I get comments from people asking if I’m on a diet and getting a â€Å"good for you for trying to be healthy†. Or if I go to the store to buy any type of junk food I always get the nasty stares or the comments of â€Å"are you sure you should be eating this†. So either way if you’re fat you can’t win. Never mind about going to the gym; if you want to find the most stuck up nasty people be an overweight person at a gym and they’ll find you. I understand that one of the best things I can do to live longer and healthier is to lose weight, but I feel like if I do that then I’m agreeing with society that I’m not good enough for them just the way I am, and I’m not ok with that. Finding out all the information about nutrition, and my specific diet, throughout this semester has made me realize I do need to make some changes. I have come up with 5 SMART goals to accomplish during the summer. My first goal is to make my meals more balanced with healthier selections. Starting Monday I will follow the MyPlate.org guidelines by adding more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and dairy to my diet. I will do this by adding a fruit and vegetable to each meal and snack; having some type of dairy with each meal like low-fat cheese or yogurt; and changing all my carbohydrates to 100% whole grains. I will reassess my progress in 4 weeks. My second goal is to lower my daily sodium intake by 1000mg by the end of June. I will actively look for low sodium food to replace the high sodium food I’m currently eating. Instead of having chips with my lunch Ill have carrots or celery. I will not sprinkle additional salt on to my food during meals. My average daily sodium intak e is at 3600mg so by the end of June I will have it to 2600mg or less and then reassess my sodium intake. Since a lot of my protein intake is from animals I would like to change that. My third goal is by the end of June one meal each day will be vegetarian. I will do this by substituting my animal protein with plant based protein. Instead of a turkey sandwich for lunch I can make a bowl of brown rice and beans; or for breakfast I can have oatmeal. Dinner I can make a tofu stir-fry with fresh vegetables. My fourth goal is to decrease the amount of sugary candies and chips I eat. My go to food when I’m stressed, feeling sad or lonely is candies and chips. By the end of July I will be able to switch my dependence on candies and chips to exercise and eating healthier. When I’m craving a candy I’ll go and drink a glass of water and eat an apple. Instead of sitting on the couch and feeling sorry for myself I’ll get up and go for a walk. My fifth and final goal is to be more active. By the end of July I will walk for 30 min on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and lift weights beginning with 3 reps of 25 on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. By the end of July I will reassess my physical abilities to see if I can increase my routine. My feeling on this assignment was that it was interesting and eye opening. The only complaint I have is with the 7 paragraphs, at least for myself it wasn’t that clear on what you were wanting for each paragraph. The 4 bullet points you wanted added to each paragraph didn’t fit in with all the paragraphs. One of the bullet points asked for you to discuss your successful strategies; what if you haven’t changed any part of your diet to have any strategies. With the paragraph about MyPlate the 4 bullet points were hard to incorporate into it. I did somewhat enjoy the class; I was getting tired of every chapter telling me I was going to die of heart disease and cancer. I need to teach myself to not be so defensive about this subject and to stop thinking that trying to improve myself doesn’t mean the person who I was wasn’t good enough. Works Cited ChooseMyPlate.gov.ChooseMyPlate.gov. USDA, 2014. Web. 09 May. 2014. Heartorg Home Page.Heart.org. American Heart Association, 2014. Web. 09 May. 2014. Learn About Cancer.Cancer.org. American Cancer Society, 2014. Web. 09 May. 2014. Supertracker.Supertracker.usda.gov. USDA, 2014. Web. 09 May. 2014. Webb, Frances Sizer., and Eleanor Noss. Whitney.Nutrition: Concepts Controversies. 13th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2013. Print.

Cabaret Essay -- essays research papers

'How do the cabaret songs and routines comment on the social issues which are the background for the story of Cabaret?' Satirical on every level, Bob Fosse's 1972 film Cabaret redefines the previously accepted genre of the musical. Using the songs and routines as cunning tools of social commentary the musical numbers both predict and interpret the world of Berlin in 1931. The opening routine, 'Wilkommen', is a powerful introduction to the opposing worlds of the protagonists Brian and Sally and also indicates the significance all songs in the Cabaret will be instilled with. As the camera moves from the distorted mirror to the grotesquely masked face of the Master of Ceremonies (Joel Grey) who claims, 'I am your host, wilkommen', the need to look below the 'beautiful' surface of both the cabaret and Berlin is established. As the opening progresses the MC welcomes in three languages, English, French and German, communicating from the outset that the satirical and political messages of the film are universal, but often in need of personal interpretation. It is obvious the the MC as a good host will meet all our needs and it is vital to note that it is with him that we establish our initial identification; the relationship with Brian (Michael York) is secondary even though he is the protagonist. Like the audience, the MC is an observer who seeks to critiqu e the world of Berlin. The initial establishment of the female protagonist, Sally Bowles (Liza Minnelli), is also undertake...

Differences between US government and Texas State government

The United States of America is a country consisting of many states, including Texas state, and various outlying areas. Although Texas is one of the states of U. S. , to some degree, it has difference in terms of its governance. This paper scrutinizes the difference between the government of US and Texas State government in terms of its constitution and economy. The United States is a democratic federal republic under the Constitution of 1787 and its amendments.There are three levels of government: (1) national, or federal; (2) state, consisting of 50 separate governments; and (3) local, consisting of thousands of county, township, city, and other local units within the states (Ferguson, 2001). The U. S. Constitution, the oldest written constitution among the great nations, has served as a model for a number of other countries. The presidential system of government, with separation of powers between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, is one of the two leading forms of democratic government is use today (Bender, 2006).The emphasis on freedom in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights has been an important world influence. The United States form of government is based on these principles: 1. Popular Sovereignty. Supreme power is in the hand of the people. Government is based on the consent of the governed, as expressed through the United States Constitution, elections, and public opinion (Bender, 2006). 2. Constitutionalism, or Limited Government. The U. S. Constitution is the supreme law. Every government—national, state, and local—and every citizen must abide by its provisions.The national and state constitutions have bills of rights that guarantee certain basic rights to the individual (Bender, 2006). 3. Federalism. Governmental powers are divided between the national government and the states. Whatever powers are not granted to the national government by the Constitution are reserved to the state s or to the people (Bender, 2006). 4. Representative Government. As a republic and representative democracy, the government is run by the voters to express and enforce their will. 5. Separation of Powers.Governmental powers are divided among three generally coordinate (equal-ranking) branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. To prevent any one branch from taking over the functions of another, the power of each branch is checked and balanced by the powers of the other two. The President, as chief executive, has the power to veto, or refuse to give consent to, legislation. Laws must be approved by both houses of Congress, the legislative body. (Ferguson, 2001). Through the power of judicial view, the courts can invalidate laws and actions that are contrary to the Constitution.In addition, in terms of its economy, the United States is a leading agricultural nation even though the relative importance of agriculture in the economy has declined steadily over the years. Farming now a ccounts for less than 3 percent of the nation’s labor force and a similar percentage of the gross national product (Baumol, 2005). Nevertheless, it makes the nation virtually self-sufficient in food and, by value, provides about one-seventh of the nation’s exports. On the other hand, Texas is a state in the south-central United States.It extends from the Gulf of MÃ ©xico and the Rio Grande Valley into a heart of the Great Plains. Texas, with an area of 266, 807 square miles, ranked as the largest state in the Union for more than a century, and now is second only to Alaska in size. More than 7 percent of the total area of the United States is occupied by Texas. To many people, the name Texas brings to mind dry, barren plains dotted by occasional cattle herds and oil wells. In reality, there is great scenic variety, ranging from thick pine forests and long sandy beaches to beautiful mountains and canyons.There is as much variety in the state’s economy as in its s cenery (Jordan, 2003). Cattle and oil are still very important in Texas, but they are now only part of a highly diversified economy that is dominated by manufacturing. Texas cities that had long been primarily market and oil-refining centers are now industrial and financial capitals of a multistate area. Despite the many changes that have taken place, Texans maintain a traditional pride in their state and its colorful history. They sometimes tend to think of Texas as a separate country.This feeling is at least partly due to the vastness and diversity of Texas, its numerous resources, and a spirit of independence that goes back to the days of the republic of Texas (Ridgeway, 2002). Texas is governed under its fifth constitution, adopted in 1876 and frequently amended. The chief executive of the state is the governor. He is elected for a four-year term and may be reelected an unlimited number of times. The lieutenant governor, the attorney general, the comptroller of public accounts, the treasurer, the commissioner of agriculture, and the commissioner of the general land office are elected for four years.The secretary of state is appointed by the governor for a four-year term (Whisenhunt, 2004). The state legislature meets in odd-numbered years. It consists of a Senate elected for fours and a House of Representatives that are elected for two years. The judicial branch of the government is made up of a supreme court and several lower courts. The judges of all state courts are elected. Texas has 254 counties. It is represented in Congress by 2 senators and 27 representatives. Moreover, until the beginning of the 20th century the economy of Texas was based on farming, ranching, and lumbering.Then, in 1901, large-scale production of petroleum began following discovery of the Spindletop oil field near Beaumont. Since then, the economy of Texas has become closely bound to the production and distribution of petroleum, petroleum products, and natural gas and to such rel ated industries as petroleum refining and the making of petrochemicals. Since roughly mid-century, diverse manufacturing industries have been established in the state especially notable are those in the electronic and aerospace fields (McDonald, 2003). Today, about 20 percent of the nonagricultural labor force is engaged in manufacturing.Wholesale and retail trade, the service industries, and government also employ large numbers of persons. These changes in the Texas economy reflect the demand, both from within and from outside the state, for an ever-widening variety of products. Abundant resources, especially petroleum and natural gas, a large labor force, relatively low wages, and large amounts of investment capital have helped bring about these changes (Adams, 2003). Furthermore, Texas has the largest network of primary and secondary roads in the United States.The primary system, which connects all major Texas cities, includes seven Interstate routes and many miles of other multi lane divided highways. Railway mileage is also the largest of any state, but, as in most other states, has declined for many years. Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston are the chief railway hubs. Six major poets serve Texas. Houston, connected to the gulf by the 50-mile Houston Ship Channel, is the state’s largest port and ranks among the busiest ports in the country. Beaumont, Corpus Christi, Texas City, Port Arthur, and Freeport also handle heavy cargo tonnages.

History and Origins of Wheat Domestication

History and Origins of Wheat Domestication Wheat is a grain crop with some 25,000 different cultivars in the world today. It was domesticated at least 12,000 years ago, created from a still-living ancestor plant known as emmer. Wild emmer (reported variously as T. araraticum, T. turgidum ssp. dicoccoides, or T. dicocoides), is a predominantly self-pollinating, winter annual grass of the Poaceae family and Triticeae tribe. It is distributed throughout the Near Eastern Fertile Crescent, including the modern countries of Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, eastern Turkey, western Iran, and northern Iraq. It grows in sporadic and semi-isolated patches and does best in regions with long, hot dry summers and short mild, wet winters with fluctuating rainfall. Emmer grows in diverse habitats from 100 m (330 ft) below sea level to 1700 m (5,500 ft) above, and can survive on between 200–1,300 mm (7.8–66 in) of annual precipitation. Wheat Varieties Most of the 25,000 different forms of modern wheat are varieties of two broad groups, called common wheat and durum wheat. Common or bread wheat Triticum aestivum accounts for some 95 percent of all the consumed wheat in the world today; the other five percent is made up of durum or hard wheat T. turgidum ssp. durum, used in pasta and semolina products. Bread and durum wheat are both domesticated forms of wild emmer wheat. Spelt (T. spelta) and Timopheevs wheat (T. timopheevii) were also developed from emmer wheats by the late Neolithic period, but neither has much of a market today. Another early form of wheat called einkorn (T. monococcum) was domesticated at about the same time but has limited distribution today. Origins of Wheat The origins of our modern wheat, according to genetics and archaeological studies, are found in the Karacadag mountain region of what is today southeastern Turkey- emmer and einkorn wheats are two of the classic eight founder crops of the origins of agriculture. The earliest known use of emmer was gathered from wild patches by the people who lived at the Ohalo II archaeological site in Israel, about 23,000 years ago. The earliest cultivated emmer has been found in the southern Levant (Netiv Hagdud, Tell Aswad, other Pre-Pottery Neolithic A sites); while einkorn is found in the northern Levant (Abu Hureyra, Mureybet, Jerf el Ahmar, Gà ¶bekli Tepe). Changes During Domestication The main differences between the wild forms and domesticated wheat are that domesticated forms have larger seeds with hulls and a non-shattering rachis. When wild wheat is ripe, the rachis- the stem that keeps the wheat shafts together- shatters so that the seeds can disperse themselves. Without hulls, they germinate rapidly. But that naturally useful brittleness doesnt suit humans, who prefer to harvest wheat from the plant rather than off the surrounding earth. One possible way that might have occurred is that farmers harvested wheat after it was ripe, but before it self-dispersed, thereby collecting only the wheat that was still attached to the plant. By planting those seeds the next season, the farmers were perpetuating plants that had later-breaking rachises. Other traits apparently selected for include spike size, growing season, plant height, and grain size. According to French botanist Agathe Roucou and colleagues, the domestication process also caused multiple changes in the plant that were generated indirectly. Compared to emmer wheat, modern wheat has shorter leaf longevity, and a higher net rate of photosynthesis, leaf production rate, and nitrogen content. Modern wheat cultivars also have a shallower root system, with a larger proportion of fine roots, investing biomass above rather than below ground. Ancient forms have built-in coordination between above and below ground functioning, but the human selection of other traits has forced the plant to reconfigure and build new networks. How Long Did Domestication Take? One of the ongoing arguments about wheat is the length of time it took for the domestication process to complete. Some scholars argue for a fairly rapid process, of a few centuries; while others argue that the process from cultivation to domestication took up to 5,000 years. The evidence is abundant that by about 10,400 years ago, domesticated wheat was in widespread use throughout the Levant region; but when that started is up for debate. The earliest evidence for both domesticated einkorn and emmer wheat found to date was at the Syrian site of Abu Hureyra, in occupation layers dated to the Late Epi-paleolithic period, the beginning of the Younger Dryas, ca 13,000–12,000 cal BP; some scholars have argued, however, that the evidence does not show deliberate cultivation at this time, although it does indicate a broadening of the diet base to include a reliance on wild grains including the wheat. Spread Around the Globe: Bouldnor Cliff The distribution of wheat outside of its place of origin is part of the process known as Neolithicization. The culture generally associated with the introduction of wheat and other crops from Asia to Europe is generally the Lindearbandkeramik (LBK) culture, which may have been made up of part immigrant farmers and part local hunter-gatherers adapting new technologies. LBK is typically dated in Europe between 5400–4900 BCE. However, recent DNA studies at Bouldnor Cliff peat bog off the northern coast of mainland England have identified ancient DNA from what was apparently domesticated wheat. Wheat seeds, fragments, and pollen were not found at Bouldnor Cliff, but the DNA sequences from the sediment match Near Eastern wheat, genetically different from LBK forms. Further tests at Bouldnor Cliff have identified a submerged Mesolithic site, 16 m (52 ft) below sea level. The sediments were laid down about 8,000 years ago, several centuries earlier than the European LBK sites. Scholars suggest that the wheat got to Britain by boat. Other scholars have questioned the date, and the aDNA identification, saying it was in too good a condition to be that old. But additional experiments run by British evolutionary geneticist Robin Allaby and preliminarily reported in Watson (2018) have shown that ancient DNA from undersea sediments is more pristine than that from other contexts.   Sources Avni, Raz, et al. Wild Emmer Genome Architecture and Diversity Elucidate Wheat Evolution and Domestication. Science, vol. 357, no. 6346, 2017, pp. 93–97. Print.International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium. A Chromosome-Based Draft Sequence of the Hexaploid Bread Wheat (Triticum Aestivum) Genome. Science, vol. 345, no. 6194, 2014. Print.Fuller, Dorian Q, and Leilani Lucas. Adapting Crops, Landscapes, and Food Choices: Patterns in the Dispersal of Domesticated Plants across Eurasia. Human Dispersal and Species Movement: From Prehistory to the Present. Eds. Boivin, Nicole, Rà ©my Crassard and Michael D. Petraglia. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2017. 304–31. Print.Huang, Lin, et al. Evolution and Adaptation of Wild Emmer Wheat Populations to Biotic and Abiotic Stresses. Annual Review of Phytopathology, vol. 54, no. 1, 2016, pp. 279–301. Print.Kirleis, Wiebke, and Elske Fischer. Neolithic Cultivation of Tetraploid Free Threshing Wheat in Denmark and Nort hern Germany: Implications for Crop Diversity and Societal Dynamics of the Funnel Beaker Culture. Vegetation History and Archaeobotany, vol. 23, no.1, 2014, pp. 81–96. Print. Larson, Greger. How Wheat Came to Britain. Science, vol. 347, no.6225, 2015. Print.Marcussen, Thomas, et al. Ancient Hybridizations among the Ancestral Genomes of Bread Wheat. Science, vol. 345, no. 6194, 2014. Print.Martin, Lucie. Plant Economy and Territory Exploitation in the Alps During the Neolithic (5000–4200  cal Bc): First Results of Archaeobotanical Studies in the Valais (Switzerland). Vegetation History and Archaeobotany, vol. 24, no. 1, 2015, pp. 63–73. Print.Roucou, Agathe, et al. Shifts in Plant Functional Strategies over the Course of Wheat Domestication. Journal of Applied Ecology, vol. 55, no. 1, 2017, pp. 25–37. Print. Smith, Oliver, et al. Sedimentary DNA from a Submerged Site Reveals Wheat in the British Isles 8000 Years Ago. Science, vol. 347, no. 6225, 2015, pp. 998–1001. Print.Watson, Traci. Inner Workings: Fishing for Artifacts beneath the Waves. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 115, no. 2, 2018, pp. 231-33. Pr int.

Our Country;s Good - Plot essays

Our Country;s Good - Plot essays Scene one: The Voyage out- the scene opens on a convict ship, which is on its way to Australia. There are many convicts huddled close together in the cold. The character Sideway is being hit and the character Ralph Clark is counting the lashes. After he has finished his beatings, Sideway is chucked down with the other convicts. A few of the characters discuss how they feel and how hungry they are (these characters are Mary, Wisehammer and Arscott. Scene two: An aboriginal Australian enters and describes the first ever fleet of convicts coming to Australia. He also says that he sees the ship as a dream that has lost its way, describing it as if its coming from the sky. Scene three: Punishment- This scene opens with Phillip, Collins, Tench and Brewer all shooting birds, and at the same time, discussing the punishment of hanging. Each character expresses different thoughts on the matter, and this tells the audience quickly a lot about them. Scene four: The Loneliness of Men- Ralph is in his tent, and is reciting his diary to his wife in England. This diary entry tells us a lot about the character Ralph, and tells us how much he hates the convicts. He also desperately wants a promotion. Then enters Harry Brewer, and we learn that Harry is sleeping with Duckling. Duckling also slept with another marine; however Harry hanged him for supposedly steeling food. Harry then tells Ralph that the governor is thinking about putting on a play, with the convicts, and Ralph shows a very keen interest, and wants Harry to tell the governor about his interest in the theatre. Scene 5: An audition- the play has been decided to go through, and has been finalised as the recruiting officer by Farquhar. Ralph agrees to allow the convicts to play the parts in the play. Meg Long (shitty Meg) enters, and mistakes Ralphs new interest in the women, and offers to procure for him, however Ral...

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Politics - Essay Example As a result, children acquire understanding for which they readily pay a universal submission. Men pay such ready universal submissions on either both well or ill informed ideas. Locke, therefore, suggests and emphasizes the importance of early childhood education towards greatly shaping up their progress and development. Locke is categorical that teaching is an initial responsibility of the child’s parents from cradle long before bookwork begins. The reason for this is because such little or seemingly insensible impressions have lots of significance and lasting consequences on child behavior (Locke 133). He adds that the tempers, particular defaults, and different inclinations found in children are so diverse that they may require various remedies and combined efforts of various people to provide a remedy. Locke does not stop at collective responsibility in educating and caring for children, he gives an encouragement to parents to ensure that they watch their children closely. Consequently, through observation, parents get an opportunity to understand their children in distinctive inclinations. In another instant, John Locke advices parents to device their education methods paying particular attention to their children during perfect freedom and master the manner in which children spend the time available to them. As a result, such information would enable a parent to understand the best ways of motivating their children to conduct themselves in the right manner. However, John Lock is keen to warn parents that due to varied tempers, some children are likely to fall off the right path of reason compared to other children. He, therefore, questions against failure to guide their children properly. Children not properly guided become cruel or irrational, a situation he compares to water turning this way and that way. He argues that the mind of a child is like water that can easily move from one directions to another and change from one shape to