Solar Feeder Internet Version Essay

Solar Feeder Internet Version Essay Solar Feeder Internet Version Essay Solar Feeder After reading the history and background story behind the development of Squirrel Defense Inc. (SDI), I have become rather intrigued about the bird feeder industry and the opportunities that exist in the market. SDI has come up with a very unique and innovative product that is very marketable and has the potential to produce profits. After reading more about the background information, there is plenty of information to support that there is a potential market to feed the demand of solar feeders. I have come to the conclusion that there are some underlying problems with the way things are currently being handled but there is room for improvement and I feel the business has potential if the problems are addressed and the proper changes are made. There are several problems that came to my attention when reviewing this case. For starters, cash is more or less non-existent. The owners of the company have stressed that they have a huge demand for their product, however they are unable to produce the product at a low enough cost that will allow for cash to generate. Without cash the company cannot purchase the ample supplies to meet demand. No supplies, no product, and no cash. The second problem I have discovered is a big problem. The year-end income statement for 1999 reveals that SDI is loosing money. They are generating a gross profit of $33,356 with expenses totaling $59,963. The company is in the red at $26,607 price tag. Another issue I have discovered is the pricing strategies SDI is currently using. Bo stated, â€Å"Originally I priced the feeders based on how much I wanted to make per unit†. He later says that he set the price based on what the market demands. Finally in another section Bo estimates the cost of his feeders between $100-$110. There is no real clear answer what the cost to produce these feeders is and this is the root problem for all of the financials. The last problem I would like to address is the advertising plan SDI currently uses. The retro-style advertising does not seem to fit the product and could use some help to target the market better. For SDI to turn things around they need to go back to basics and rebuild the foundation of the company. To do this, I suggest they invest in consulting an engineer to reinvent the product so that it can be put in mass production. Mass production will allow the company to produce these solar feeders in mass quantities to keep up with demand while decreasing costs. Lower costs will generate much more revenue and in the end giving the company more cash on hand. If the plant is pushed to max capacity the owners have projected costs to drop to approximately $50 for the town feeder and $85 for the cedar. This is much lower compared to current operating costs. Another suggestion to lower costs is to look into alternative material that is cheaper and easier to access compared to the expensive cedar wood they are currently using. The next problem that needs to be addressed is the pricing methods being used by SDI to price their product. Based on the information given, SDI is practically throwing a dart at a board to come up with a price. SDI needs to break down all materials and expenses that go into producing and shipping a complete product in order to find an accurate price. By utilizing the break even equation the company can come to a number that is bare minimum sales that needs to be generated in order to offset costs and break even. The last problem that I have found with the current operations at SDI is in the advertising. Currently SDI is using a retro style advertising campaign primarily in the 1950’s â€Å"mom-and-pop† styled layouts. Print ads use a psychedelic color scheme that to me can be off putting to customers. The target market SDI has indentified is middle to late aged men and typically women that are purchasing these feeders for their homes. Another portion of the target market are

Old Smyrna - The Possible Home of Homer in Anatolia

Old Smyrna - The Possible Home of Homer in Anatolia Old Smyrna, also known as Old Smyrna Hà ¶yà ¼k, is one of several archaeological sites within the modern day limits of Izmir in Western Anatolia, in what is today Turkey, each reflecting early versions of the modern day port city. Prior to its excavation, Old Smyrna was a large tell rising approximately 21 meters (70 feet) above sea level. It was originally located on a peninsula jutting into the Gulf of Smyrna, although natural delta buildup and changing sea levels have moved the location inland about 450 m (about 1/4 mile). Old Smyrna lies in a geologically active region at the foot of Yamanlar Dagi, a now-extinct volcano; and Izmir/Smyrna has been subjected to numerous earthquakes during its long occupation. Benefits, however, include the ancient baths called the Agamemnon hot springs, found near the southern coast of Izmir Bay, and a ready source of building material for architecture. Volcanic rocks (andesites, basalts, and tuffs) were used to build many of the public and private structures within the town, alongside adobe mudbrick and a small amount of limestone. The earliest occupation at Old Smyrna was during the 3rd millennium BC, contemporaneous with Troy, but the site was small and there is limited archaeological evidence for this occupation. Old Smyrna was occupied fairly continuously from about 1000-330 BC. During its heyday in the mid 4th century BC, the city contained about 20 hectares (50 acres) within its city walls. Chronology Hellenistic period, ~330 BCVillage period, ~550 BCLydian Capture, ~600 BC, after which Smyrna was abandonedGeometric, strong Ionic influence by 8th century, new city wallProtogeometric, beginning ~1000 BC. Aeolic wares, probably a small anchorage of some kindPrehistoric, 3rd millennium BC, first habitation, prehistoric According to Herodotus among other historians, the initial Greek settlement at Old Smyrna was Aeolic, and within the first couple of centuries, it fell into the hands of Ionian refugees from Colophon. Changes in pottery from monochrome Aeolic wares to polychrome painted Ionic wares are in evidence at Old Smyrna by the early 9th century  and clear domination of the style by the beginning of the 8th century. Ionic Smyrna By the 9th century BC, Smyrna was under Ionic control, and its settlement was quite dense, consisting mainly of curvilinear houses packed tightly together. The fortifications were remodeled during the second half of the eighth century and the city wall extended to protect the entire south side. Luxury goods from across the Aegean became widely available, including export wine jars from Chios and Lesbos, and balloon amphorae containing Attic oils. Archaeological evidence suggests Smyrna was affected by an earthquake about 700 BC, which damaged both houses and the city wall. Afterward, curvilinear houses became a minority, and most architecture was rectangular and planned on a north-south axis. A sanctuary was constructed at the north end of the hill, and settlement spread outside the city walls up into the neighboring coast. At the same time, evidence for an improvement in architecture with volcanic block masonry, the apparently widespread use of writing, and remodeling of public buildings suggest new prosperity. An estimated 450 residential structures were located within the city walls  and another 250 outside the walls. Homer and Smyrna According to an ancient epigram Many Greek cities argue for Homers wise root, Smyrna, Chios, Colophon, Ithaca, Pylos, Argos, Athens. The most important poet of ancient Greek and Roman writers was Homer, the archaic period bard and author of the Iliad and the Odyssey; born somewhere between the 8th and 9th centuries BC, if he lived here, it would have been during the Ionian period. There is no absolute evidence for his birth location, and Homer may or may not have been born in Ionia. It seems fairly likely that he lived at Old Smyrna, or someplace in Ionia such as Colophon or Chios, based on several textual mentions of the River Meles and other local landmarks. Lydian Capture and the Village Period About 600 BC, based on historical documentation and a predominance of Corinthian pottery amongst the ruins, the prosperous city was attacked and captured by Lydian forces, led by the king Alyattes [died 560 BC]. Archaeological evidence associated with this historic event is shown by the presence of 125 bronze arrowheads and numerous spearheads embedded in demolished housewalls destroyed in the late 7th century. A cache of iron weapons was identified in the Temple Pylon. Smyrna was abandoned for some decades, and reoccupation seems to come about the middle of the sixth century BC. By the fourth century BC, the town was a flourishing port city again, and it was refounded and moved across the bay to New Smyrna by the Greek generals Antigonus and Lysimachus. Archaeology at Old Smyrna Test excavations at Smyrna were conducted in 1930 by Austrian archaeologists Franz and H. Miltner. Anglo-Turkish investigations between 1948 and 1951 by Ankara University and the British School at Athens were led by Ekrem Akurgal and J. M. Cook. Most recently, remote sensing techniques have been applied to the site, to produce a topographic map and record of the ancient site. Sources Flickrite Kayt Armstrong (girlwithatrowel) has amassed a collection of photos of Old Smyrna.Berge MA, and Drahor MG. 2011. Electrical Resistivity Tomography Investigations of Multilayered Archaeological Settlements: Part II – A Case from Old Smyrna Hà ¶yà ¼k, Turkey. Archaeological Prospection 18(4):291-302.Cook JM. 1958/1959. Old Smyrna, 1948-1951. The Annual of the British School at Athens 53/54:1-34.Cook JM, Nicholls RV, and Pyle DM. 1998. Old Smyrna Excavations: The Temples of Athena. London: The British School at Athens.Drahor MG. 2011. A review of integrated geophysical investigations from archaeological and cultural sites under encroaching urbanisation in Izmir, Turkey. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Parts A/B/C 36(16):1294-1309.Nicholls RV. 1958/1959. Old Smyrna: The Iron Age Fortifications and Associated Remains on the City Perimeter. The Annual of the British School at Athens  53/54:35-137.Nicholls RV. 1958/1959. Site-Plan of Old Smyrna. The Annual of the Br itish School at Athens 53/54. Sahoglu V. 2005. The Anatolian trade network and the Izmir Region during the Early Bronze Age. Oxford Journal of Archaeology 24(4):339-361.Tziropoulou-Efstathiou A. 2009. Homer and the So-Called Homeric Questions: Science and Technology in Homeric Epics. In: Paipetis SA, editor. Science and Technology in Homeric Epics: Springer Netherlands. p 451-467.

Hindu and Budhist thought Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Hindu and Budhist thought - Term Paper Example According to philosophers, both Buddhism and Hinduism go beyond religion and thus, they are more of a way of life or philosophy. The two are termed as a philosophy since philosophy has been accepted to imply love of wisdom. According to philosophers, the Buddhist path is interpreted as leading a moral life, being mindful, as well as being aware of actions and thoughts and being able to develop understanding and wisdom. On the other hand, Buddhism is a religion that is indigenous in the Indian subcontinent encompassing a variety of beliefs, practices and traditions largely based upon the teachings that are attributed to Siddhartha Gautama. Hinduism, on the other hand, is a representative of a diverse and broad philosophy imbedded within the Hindu religion. Hinduism rests upon the trantric and vedic traditions with the vedic traditions being represented within the veda’s. Hinduism or Vedanta has been a worldwide, age-old popular religion with an immense following making it be ra nked third among the world religions. It is based on certain beliefs, and it is one of the most mingled religions in the world. Unlike other world, religions, it is preached by various religious organizations and believes in multi-doctrines. Hinduism is a religion, a tradition, a culture, a philosophy, and a way of leading life in the name of some spiritual being. The followers of Hinduism believe in both animals and humans’ spirits, as well as in life after death. They draw their energies from the Goddesses and Gods Idols, in which they believe, and symbolize the existence of God on earth.

Advanced Cost Analysis and Systems Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Advanced Cost Analysis and Systems - Assignment Example The Advanced Cost Analysis and Systems involves carrying out Business cycles for Apple Inc, which include Revenue--sales process, sales return, cash receipt Expenditure--purchasing, purchase return, cash disbursement Payroll Fixed Assets--Acquisition, dispose Inventory--production Treasury Cycle Finiancial. The payroll cycle begins by the receipt of time cards from the hourly employees. The time cards depict the number of hours worked by the employees in their respective departments. The head of the department either signs the time card for confirmation or does not sign to indicate rejection. The head of department then submits the time card to the payroll manager who then updates the payroll. The company’s CFO then reviews gives approval leading to the processing and posting of the payroll. Once the CFO authorizes the paychecks, the company then prepares adequate cash for disposal, in covering the amount indicated in the payroll. This triggers the preparation of a payroll voucher to act as a record for the total amount indicated in the payroll. After posting the payroll, the checks are then delivered to the employees. This transaction affects the cash department consequently triggering for the preparation of a disbursement journal. The company then reconciles the ledger informa tion. As depicted in the flow chart showing sales process, the first step is a customer placing an order for the company’s products. The company presents the customer with the details of products before the actual transaction starts. As a legal procedure, customer purchase order forms an inherent part of the transactions and must include company name, customer’s name, fabric, quantities, shipping and billing information. The receipt of the purchase order drives the company to approving the order and accompanied credit carried by the customer for the transaction. in the shipping process, the company makes use of a common

American medical care Essay Example for Free

American medical care Essay These early immigrants survived the harsh times and difficult American climate as well as the wilderness on primitive basic instincts. The early settlements were often ravaged by starvation and disease. During the colonial era, doctors education was informal. Most were literate, but some who were raised outside of New England were not. A man who wanted to practice medicine did not need any type of certification. Most did have a period of apprenticeship with an established physician, but even this was not a requirement. Up until the late 19th century, very few doctors had a college education. Medical facilities were unofficial. Most patients were treated in their homes. However, even the smallest towns had poorhouses, where needy people could live and receive limited medical care. The few hospitals that opened in North America during the colonial period were opened in places like Quebec and New Orleans. Public health was unknown in North America at this time. Towns and cities did not have boards of health except during times of epidemics. Because most places did not have public water or sewer systems, most Americans got their water from pumps and used outhouses until well into the 19th century. There was no trash collection so the streets became a breeding ground for all types of disease. There were a few attempts to influence public health. For example, when smallpox vaccinations were developed in the 18th century, many small town doctors had groups of people that had to stay quarantined for a few days to make sure they only developed a mild case of smallpox. Cures may have killed more people than the diseases themselves. The public developed a very skeptical attitude towards regular doctors. In the early 19th century, the do it yourself attitude of many Americans was popular. These people freely gave medical advice, emphasized the participant of the patient in his or her own treatment. However, other medical treatments were available also. Probably snake oil is best remembered. Andrew Taylor Still started the practice of osteopathy. Osteopathy incorporated bodily manipulations, similar to those seen in modern chiropractics. In osteopathy, these manipulations affected the magnetic flow of energy in the body. Osteopathy discouraged use of medicines, but did not forbid them. Another reaction against heroic medicine was homeopathy. A university-trained German doctor named Samuel Hahnemann started it. Heinemann said that doctors were giving their patients too much medicine. He believed that tiny amounts of drugs should be diluted in water before being given to a patient and that practitioners should take very thorough medical histories of each patient. Quackery was a way to fool people into believing they were being cured while making money from them. Quackery had even been licensed in London, but it was completely ignored by the America government for hundreds of years. Hydropathy was another special case. The healing power of water, hydropathy indicated the value of the rest cure, importance of having like-minded people around, the usefulness of light exercise and the fact that women who wore loose-fitting clothing generally felt better and had fewer physical complaints than the ones who did. Another special case is the entire issue of faith-only healing. While empirical evidence in favor of faith-only healing is lacking, anecdotal evidence suggests that some people who pray do experience spontaneous decrease of certain diseases. The late 19th century saw major changes in medicine in the United States. Medicine went from being medieval to incorporating many elements of modern science. The advances in chemistry, and biology had major impacts on medicine. As medical practitioners began to understand that the body was comprised of basic chemicals and not mysterious humors, effective treatments for diseases and injuries were developed. As medicine became more scientific, doctors needed both training and  licensing. In 1847, Dr. Nathan Davis founded the American Medical Association (AMA) in Philadelphia to help create professional standards for doctors and set minimal educational requirements. Medical colleges opened up across the country, increasing requirements from a few months without any college background to a number of years with a college degree. However, these colleges provided an extremely unpredictable level of medical education, with some of them a diploma and others provided a to notch medical education. As American cities exploded in size during the 19th century due to immigration from Europe, public health became more of an issue. With many hundreds of thousands of people living in cities: extremely crowded, unsanitary conditions; tuberculosis was often at epidemic levels in the cities. During the 19th century, people understood that TB was not caused by miasma, but was caused by bacteria. People with TB were sometimes sent out of the city to places in the country, where the cleaner air seemed to help their recovery. It was obvious that people needed clean water for drinking, and bathing. So cities started massive sewer projects to help bring clean water into the cities while removing wastewater from the city. Dead animal remains and garbage littered the street until the late 1800s when cities started sanitation crews to take the trash out of town and dumps to move the waste to. Many cities started dispensaries so the poor could receive treatment and medications for low cost. With the urban population explosion, the poorhouses (probably todays HMO Urgent Care) became even larger and harder to manage. With new medical advances, people needed to be in big cities to receive certain types of treatment. Americans began to build hospitals across the country in the 19th century.  The new hospitals were generally cleaner than the old poorhouses.

The Terrorist :: essays research papers

This book â€Å"The Terrorist† was written by Caroline B. Cooney and published by Scolastic Inc. in Toronto Ontario Canada.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Laura is in high school and she had just moved from Boston. At the beginning of the book, her brother died when a terrorist’s package bomb exploded and killed Billy. Laura and her family were heart-broken when they found out the bad news. Laura becomes determined to do what ever she could to find out who killed Billy. One day, when Laura was questioning Mohammed, Jehran asked her if she would like to go to a sleep over. At first Laura did not want to but she finally agreed. While she was at the sleep over, Jehran told her about a marriage that she would be forced into by her brother. She asked for Laura’s help to run away to the airport and take a plane to New York. After a while, Laura agreed. A week later, they went to the airport as planned, but they did not know that Jimmy was following them. Jimmy warned Laura’s other friends that she was going to New York. While Laura was boarding the plane, she started getting suspicions about Jehran. L aura decided that Jehran should leave by herself on the plane and she should go home. Jehran didn’t want to go by herself, so Laura confronted her and Laura found out that Jehran was the one who told the terrorists to kill Billy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jehran was charged but was found innocent. Laura and her family moved back to Boston without Billy. Billy would be a part of them forever.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Billy used to live in Boston but he moved to London England. He owned a â€Å"Macaroni & Cheese† business and he was financially secure. When he was getting off the train, a man handed him a package that his friend had dropped. Billy examined the box and realized that it was a bomb. He wrapped himself around the bomb and it blew up (so he died). Laura’s (and Billy’s) parents were miserable and were very upset. They had cared a lot about Billy, and so had Laura. Laura was miserable and she wanted to find out who killed Billy. One day, while Laura was questioning Mohammed, Jehran invited her to a sleep over. Jehran is a thin elegant girl who had long black hair. She was the one who had chosen Billy to be killed by the terrorists.

Systems, Processes, Education And Training: Help For Nurses To Promote Patient Safety

Hospital mission statements provide a statement of purpose. They inspire employees to provide quality care. Remembering your mission statement in crucial situations can help stakeholders refocus and think more critically. In Nursing, there are many resources available, to which nurses can refer, to obtain information and education to assist them in providing quality care, based on scientific knowledge. This paper is an analysis of the Task 1 scenario involving Mr. J. in the RTT1 course. After assessing the scenario involving Mr. J. , several nursing sensitive indicators are apparent.He is at risk for falls due to drowsiness, an altered cognitive status, a fractured hip and a history of falling. He is inappropriately restrained, there is an ethical issue that affects patient satisfaction, and he is at risk for pressure ulcers. When nurses and nursing staff are aware of the guidelines set forth by their organization, state licensing agencies and regulatory agencies, they can better ser ve their clients and offer an improved quality of care. Some state licensing agencies and regulatory agencies require hospitals to meet certain quality standards.The Joint Commission (TJC), is a regulatory agency that is used by many hospitals. They survey hospitals to evaluate whether they meet accreditation requirements. Hospitals must show evidence of high quality and safe care. Hospitals with TJC accreditation, collect data on their performance, which is evaluated and measured against other accredited hospitals. TJC has standardized goal sets for hospitals, such as Quality Improvement goals and National Patient Safety Goals. (TJC, 2000). Accredited hospitals are expected to act in accordance with these goals.Nurses should understand some of the history of the urgent call for quality improvement in healthcare and how to reduce preventable errors. In 2000, a book entitled, â€Å"To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System†, was published. In this report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), experts reveals statistics of medical errors that occur in hospitals, and presents recommendations for improving patient safety. The report has widespread implications that assist regulatory agencies, nursing associations and government agencies to collaborate and implement new processes to improve patient care and safety (IOM, 2000).In 1998, the American Nurses Association developed the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators, (NDNQI). (Montalvo, 2007). NDNQI is used by hospitals to help improve patient care outcomes. NDNQI has a set of quality measures that hospitals use for collection and submission of their data. In the scenario with Mr. J. , he has several nurse sensitive indicators that warrant documentation as reportable quality measures such as fall risk, physical restraint prevalence, pressure ulcer prevalence and patient satisfaction. These indicators suggest that the patient needs a higher quality of care.With the advent of electronic health re cords, nurses can document their findings in a more standardized manner. Aggregate data is more easily obtained with electronic records. When the data is submitted, it can be compared to other hospitals and it can be compared nationally. The process promotes performance improvement. Nurses must be well informed about nurse sensitive indicators, so that they can more effectively manage the bedside care, collaborate with the treatment team, make changes to the plan of care, monitor the effectiveness of the nursing interventions and evaluate the outcomes.The measurement of these outcomes will assist the nurse in having knowledge about the effectiveness of the care they provide. In regard to the ethical issues in the scenario with Mr. J. , the supervisor should utilize problem solving skills. A tried and true measure, is the nursing process. When problematic situations arise, the nurse should assess, analyze and diagnose, plan, implement and evaluate. This process helps the nurse to thi nk more critically to arrive at a quality resolution.Even though the patient is confused at times, he should be notified of the error and assessed for any gastrointestinal discomfort and any spiritual upset. A meeting should occur with the staff involved, including the kitchen supervisor. After conferring with a nurse manager, the supervisor should utilize effective empathetic communication to notify the daughter and to apologize.The daughter should also be informed of measures that will be implemented to prevent another occurrence of wrong diet. The supervisor  should instruct the RN to document an incident report to be used internally by nursing managers, and administrative staff, to help put processes in place to prevent reoccurrences. The incident should be discussed by the patients’ treatment team, including the nurse, the doctor, the dietitian, and social worker. When new processes are to be implemented, the people involved require adequate education and training. Emp loyees should be fully informed about the processes and systems in place to assist them with delivering high quality patient care.

Colombia Essay Essay

Colombia is a country in South America in the northwestern part of the continent. Colombia has a lot of natural resources, including beautiful beaches, dramatic mountains, and lush rain forests, but it is known for its political unrest and the violent influence of powerful drug cartels. Despite a long history of democratic government, Colombia has one of the most rigidly stratified class systems in Latin America. Colombia is the only country in South America with coasts on both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. Its neighbors on the east are Venezuela and Brazil; on the south, Ecuador and Peru; and to the northwest, Panama. The capital and largest city is Bogota. Colombian society is divided between the upper and lower classes, with a large and growing gap between them. A substantial middle class developed during the 20th century, a product in part of fairly widespread land ownership associated with the country’s coffee economy. Many of the attitudes that led to Colombia’s sharp class divisions originated in 16th-century Spain and became ingrained in Colombian society during the colonial period. Family lineage, inherited wealth, and racial background continue to be powerful determinants of status. Economic progress during the last 100 years has been substantial, but political, social, and economic power continues to be concentrated in the hands of the small upper class. Since the mid-20th century, Colombia has been torn by violence. Struggles between left-wing guerrillas, right-wing paramilitary groups, and the Colombian armed forces have convulsed much of the countryside. Colombia has also been plagued by an illegal drug trade that flourished in the country as a consequence of the growing demand for narcotics, particularly cocaine, in the United States and other rich, industrialized countries. The Colombian government has attempted to limit drug production and negotiate a peaceful settlement with the rebel forces. At the beginning of the 21st century, however, Colombia still experienced upheaval, and violence had become a daily experience for many Colombians. The total land area of Colombia is 440,831 sq mi. Colombia lies almost entirely in what is known as the Torrid Zone, the area of the earth’s surface between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. The climate, however, varies with elevation. The low regions along the coast and the deep Pata and Magdalena river valleys are extremely hot, with average annual temperatures of 24 deg; to 27 deg C (75 deg; to 81 deg F). From about 500 to 2,300 m (about 1,500 to 7,500 ft) the  climate is subtropical, and from about 2,300 to 3,000 m (about 7,500 to 10,000 ft) it is temperate. Above about 3,000 m (about 10,000 ft) is the cold-climate zone, where temperatures range from -18 deg to 13 deg C (0 deg to 55 deg F). About half of Colombia’s land is forested. To the north and west of the Andes, tropical forests line the major riv ers and fringe the coastal areas. East of the Andes, the forests become denser as they approach the Orinoco and Amazon rivers. Pastureland occupies about 40 percent of the country and is mostly located in the basins between the Andean highlands. Cropland accounts for a mere 4.1 percent of the land, with no more than 1.7 percent supporting permanent crops. Most of the arable land is found in patches on the Andean mountainsides. The mineral resources of the country are varied and extensive. Colombia ranks as the world’s major source of emeralds, most of which are mined in the western department of Boyac. Other significant reserves include petroleum and natural gas, located mostly in the northeast. Most coal deposits are located on the Guajira peninsula on the country’s northeast coast. Gold and silver are found dispersed in veins throughout the central highlands. Iron ore, salt, platinum, and uranium are other important natural resources of Colombia. Colombia contains several fertile low-lying valleys, but only 4.1 percent of the country’s land area, chiefly at higher elevations, is cultivated. The country’s agricultural regions suffer from soil exhaustion and erosion. These problems stem largely from slash-and-burn farming methods, in which forestland is cleared by cutting down and burning the existing plants. Colombia is divided into 32 departments and one capital district. Colombia’s capital and largest city is Bogota, an industrial center with a population (2000 estimate) of 6,422,198. Located on a mountain plateau in the Cordillera Oriental, it is the heart of cultural and political life in Colombia. Cali (2,128,920) lies in the Cauca Valley. The city began as a center for coffee production, but it later developed as the commercial heart of the entire southern region. Medellà ­n (1,885,001), situated in a highland valley of the Cordillera Central, ranks as the most important economic area. Originally settled by migrants from Cartagena, Medellà ­n grew into a gold-mining town, a general commercial settlement, and finally an important manufacturing center. Other important commercial cities include Barranquilla  (1,549,197), which boasts a seaport and a major international airport, and Cartagena (829,476), a seaport and oil pipeline terminal. The Colombian population has a dive rse racial makeup. About 58 percent of the people are mestizo (of mixed European and Native American ancestry), about 20 percent are of unmixed European ancestry, and about 14 percent are mulatto (of mixed black and European ancestry). Blacks account for 4 percent of the population, mixed black and Native Americans for 3 percent, and unmixed Native Americans for 1 percent. The main religion in Colombia is Roman Catholicism; about 96 percent of the people are Roman Catholics. Although it is not the official state religion, Roman Catholicism is taught in all public schools. Small Protestant and Jewish minorities exist. Coffee is still Colombia’s principal crop, although Colombia was recently surpassed by Vietnam as the second largest coffee producer in the world after Brazil. Colombia remains the world’s leading producer of mild coffee, but in the mid-1990s petroleum became the country’s largest source of foreign income. In the mid-1970s coffee accounted for 80 percent of Colombia’s export earnings; by the early 2000s coffee brought in less than 10 percent of export earnings. High production costs and low international prices combined to reduce the earnings of Colombian coffee growers. Coffee is cultivated chiefly on mountain slopes from about 900 to 1,800 m (about 3,000 to 6,000 ft) above sea level, principally in the departments of Caldas, Antioquia, Cundinamarca, Norte de Santander, Tolima, and Santander. More than 150,000 mainly small coffee plantations extend over approximately 1 million hectares (approximately 2.5 million acres). Coffee output totaled 702,000 metric tons in 2003, with most of the exported coffee going to the United States. While coffee is Colombia’s leading agricultural product, the country’s diverse climate and topography permit cultivation of a wide variety of other crops. Annual production of principal cash crops in addition to coffee includes cacao bean s (47,000 metric tons), sugarcane (36.6 million), tobacco (29,000), cotton (100,000), bananas, and cut flowers. Chief food crops are rice (2.5 million), cassava (1.8 million), potatoes (2.9 million), and plantains. Plants producing pita, sisal, and hemp fibers, used in the manufacture of cordage and coarse sacking material, are also cultivated. The livestock included cattle, hogs, sheep, and horses. The production of drug-related crops took on significant proportions starting in the 1970s  with the cultivation of marijuana. Although Colombia has become notorious for its cocaine supply, the processing of coca leaves was more significant than actual coca plant cultivation in the country until the mid-1990s. As the supply of coca, primarily from Peru and Bolivia, was disrupted, coca growing in Colombia increased significantly. Opium poppies, used to make heroin, also became a significant source of revenue despite government efforts to stop their cultivation. It was estimated that from 1980 to 1995 the value of illegal drug exports amounted to almost half the value of Colombia’s legal exp orts. Colombia’s government has undergone several changes since the mid-20th century. One of the most significant was the adoption of a new constitution in 1991. The new constitution replaced the 1886 constitution and provided for a more decentralized, pluralistic, and democratic government. Colombian governments also had to contend with major changes in the national economy. After 1980 Colombia began exporting large amounts of illegal drugs, primarily cocaine. The estimated value of illegal drug exports amounted to almost half the value of Colombia’s legal exports from 1980 to 1995. Earnings from the drug trade helped Colombia avoid the debt crisis that afflicted much of Latin America during the 1980s. But by cheapening the dollar and thereby overvaluing the Colombian peso, the drug trade also undermined the competitiveness of Colombia’s legal exports by making them more expensive than similar exports from other countries.

Abortion Essays (4016 words) - Fertility, RTT, Abortion, Free Essays

Abortion Essays (4016 words) - Fertility, RTT, Abortion, Free Essays Abortion Abortion In Roman times, abortion and the destruction of unwanted children was permissible, but as out civilization has aged, it seems that such acts were no longer acceptable by rational human beings, so that in 1948, Canada along with most other nations in the world signed a declaration of the United Nations promising every human being the right to life. The World Medical Association meeting in Geneve at the same time, stated that the utmost respect for human life was to be from the moment of conception. This declaration was re-affirmed when the World Medical Association met in Oslo in 1970. Should we go backwards in our concern for the life of an individual human being? The unborn human is still a human life and not all the wishful thinking of those advocating repeal of abortion laws, can alter this. Those of us who would seek to protect the human who is still to small to cry aloud for it's own protection, have been accused of having a 19th Century approach to life in the last third of the 20th Century. But who in reality is using arguments of a bygone Century? It is an incontrovertible fact of biological science - Make no Mistake - that from the moment of conception, a new human life has been created. Only those who allow their emotional passion to overide their knowledge, can deny it: only those who are irrational or ignorant of science, doubt that when a human sperm fertilizes a human ovum a new human being is created. A new human being who carries genes in its cells that make that human being uniquely different from any and other human being and yet, undeniably a member, as we all are, of the great human family. All the fetus needs to grow into a babe, a child, an old man, is time, nutrition and a suitable environment. It is determined at that very moment of conception whether the baby will be a boy or a girl; which of his parents he will look like; what blood type he will have. His whole heritage is forever fixed. Look at a human being 8 weeks after conception a nd you, yes every person here who can tell the difference between a man and a women, will be able to look at the fetus and tell me whether it is a baby boy or a girl. No, a fetus is not just another part of a women's body like an appendix or appendage. These appendages, these perfectly formed tiny feel belong to a 10 week developed baby, not to his or her mother. The fetus is distinct and different and has it's own heart beat. Do you know that the fetus' heart started beating just 18 days after a new life was created, beating before the mother even knew she was pregnant? By 3 months of pregnancy the developing baby is just small enough to be help in the palm of a man's hand but look closely at this 3 month old fetus. All his organs are formed and all his systems working. He swims, he grasps a pointer, he moves freely, he excretes urine. If you inject a sweet solution into the water around him, he will swallaw because he likes the taste. Inject a bitter solution and he will quit swal lowing because he does not like the taste. By 16 weeks it is obvious to all, except those who have eyes but deliberately do not see, that this is a young human being. Who chooses life or death for this little one because abortion is the taking of a human life? This fact is undeniable; however much of the members of the Women's Liberation Movement, the new Feminists, Dr. Henry Morgentaler or the Canadian Medical Association President feel about it, does not alter the fact of the matter. An incontrovertible fact that cannot change as feelings change. If abortion is undeniably the taking of human life and yet sincere misguided people feel that it should be just a personal matter between a women and the doctor, there seems to be 2 choices open to them. (1) That they would believe that other acts of destruction of

How to Balance Chemical Equations 3 Simple Steps

How to Balance Chemical Equations 3 Simple Steps SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips A chemical equation tells you what happens during a chemical reaction. A balanced chemical equation has the correct number of reactants and products to satisfy the Law of Conservation of Mass. In this article, we’ll talk about what a chemical equation is, how to balance chemical equations, and give you some examples to aid in your balancing chemical equations practice. What Is a Chemical Equation? Simply put, a chemical equation tells you what’s happening in a chemical reaction. Here’s what a chemical equation looks like: Fe + O2 → Fe2O3 On the left side of the equation are the reactants. These are the materials that you start with in a chemical reaction. On the right side of the equation are the products. The products are the substances that are made as a result of a chemical reaction. In order for a chemical reaction to be correct, it needs to satisfy something called the Law of Conservation of Mass, which states that mass can’t be created or destroyed during a chemical reaction. That means that each side of the chemical equation needs to have the same amount of mass, because the amount of mass can’t be changed. If your chemical equation has different masses on the left and right side of the equation, you’ll need to balance your chemical equation. How to Balance Chemical Equations Balancing chemical equations means that you write the chemical equation correctly so that there is the same amount of mass on each side of the arrow. In this section, we’re going to explain how to balance a chemical equation by using a real life example, the chemical equation that occurs when iron rusts: Fe + O2 → Fe2O3 #1: Identify the Products and Reactants The first step in balancing a chemical equation is to identify your reactants and your products. Remember, your reactants are on the left side of your equation. The products are on the right side. For this equation, our reactants are Fe andO2. Our products areFe2 andO3. #2: Write the Number of Atoms Next, you need to determine how many atoms of each element are present on each side of the equation. You can do this by looking at the subscripts or the coefficients. If there is no subscript or coefficient present, then you just have one atom of something. Fe + O2→ Fe2O3 On the reactant side, we have one atom of iron and two atoms of oxygen. On the product side, we have two atoms of iron and three atoms of oxygen. When you write out the number of products, you can see that the equation isn’t balanced, because there are different amounts of each atom on the reactant side and the product side. That means we need to add coefficients to make this equation balanced. #3: Add Coefficients Earlier, I mentioned that there are two ways to tell how many atoms of a particular element exist in a chemical equation: by looking at the subscripts and looking at the coefficients. When you balance a chemical equation, you change coefficients. You never change subscripts. A coefficient is a whole number multiplier. To balance a chemical equation, you add these whole number multipliers (coefficients) to make sure that there are the same number of atoms on each side of the arrow. Here’s something important to remember about coefficients: they apply to every part of a product. For instance, take the chemical equation for water: H2O. If you added a coefficient to make it 2H2O, then the coefficient multiples across all of the elements present. So, 2H2O means that you have four atoms of hydrogen and two atoms of oxygen. You don’t just multiply against the first element present. So, in our chemical equation (Fe + O2→ Fe2O3), any coefficient you add to the product has to be reflected with the reactants. Let’s look at how to balance this chemical equation. On the product side, we have two atoms of iron and three atoms of oxygen. Let’s tackle iron first. When first looking at this chemical equation you might think that something like this works: 2Fe + O2→ Fe2O3 While that balances out the iron atoms (leaving two on each side), oxygen is still unbalanced. That means we need to keep looking. Taking iron first, we know that we’ll be working with a multiple of two, since there are two atoms of iron present on the product side. Knowing that using two as a coefficient won’t work, let’s try the next multiple of two: four. 4Fe + O2→ 2Fe2O3 That creates balance for iron by having four atoms on each side of the equation. Oxygen isn’t quite balanced yet, but on the product side we have six atoms of oxygen. Six is a multiple of two, so we can work with that on the reactant side, where two atoms of oxygen are present. That means that we can write our balanced chemical equation this way: 4Fe + 3O2→ 3Fe2O3 3 Great Sources of Balancing Chemical Equations Practice There are many places you can do balancing chemical equations practice online. Here are a few places with practice problems you can use: Khan Academy: 7 practice problems ScienceGeek: 15 practice problems TemplateLab: 49 free balancing chemical equations worksheet downloads Balancing Chemical Equations: Key Takeaways Balancing chemical equations seems complicated, but it’s really not that hard! Your main goal when balancing chemical equations is to make sure that there are the same amount of reactants and products on each side of the chemical equation arrow. What’s Next? Writing a research paper for school but not sure what to write about? Our guide to research paper topics has over 100 topics in ten categories so you can be sure to find the perfect topic for you. Want to know the fastest and easiest ways to convert between Fahrenheit and Celsius? We've got you covered! Check out our guide to the best ways to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit (or vice versa). Are you studying clouds in your science class?Get help identifying the different types of clouds with our expert guide.

The effectiveness of dowel bars in concrete pavements Literature review

The effectiveness of dowel bars in concrete pavements - Literature review Example Dowel bars are popularly used in load transfer system over joints. This research paper critical examines various aspects of dowel bars from the theory behind these bars to how they ought to their proper placement in the joints. Stresses in Concrete Pavement A concrete pavement is generally referred to as a rigid pavement. It is multilayered with layers being placed on top of each. The strength of the layers decreases downwards. Figure 1 (Pavement Analysis and Design n.d) The major factors that subject concrete pavements to stresses are â€Å"the action of traffic wheel loads, the expansion and contraction of the concrete due to temperature changes, yielding of the subbase or subgrade supporting the concrete pavement, and volumetric changes† (Garber & Hoel 2009, p. 1085). In studying how concrete pavements are subjected to stresses, some basic assumptions have to be made. 1. Concrete pavement slabs are viewed as unreinforced concrete beams. This therefore means that even if the re is some reinforcement made, for instance by including steel, it is ignored (Garber & Hoel 2009, p. 1085). 2. Flexural and direct tensile stresses significantly contribute to creation of transverse and longitudinal cracks (Garber & Hoel 2009, p. 1085). 3. The subbase or subgrade layer below the concrete pavement is an elastic material. ... Temperature changes lead to expansion and contraction of concrete pavement and this may in turn subject concrete pavement to tensile and compressive stresses. Tensile and compressive stresses will depend on how wide the range of change in temperature is (Garber & Hoel 2009, p. 1085). If the range of the temperature between the top and the bottom of a concrete pavement is big enough then curling is likely to take place. If the upper surface has a higher temperature than the lower surface then the then a compressive stress at the upper surface will be experienced while the lower surface experiences tensile stress. The reverse occurs when there is change in temperature such that the top is cooler than the bottom of the concrete pavement. Freeze-thaw damage can also result to stressing concrete pavements. This often occurs when sedimentary aggregate is used and is often exposed to freeze-thaw cycles. These cycles often lead to durability cracking (Pierce 2009 p. 20). Wheel load stresses It has been noted that traffic wheel loads induce flexural stresses. Flexural stresses induced in this manner are dependent on the position of the line of action of the load, simply the location of the wheels, with respect to the pavement edge. Joint seal damage stresses Damages which may occur at the joints often exposes concrete pavement to a lot of stresses. The five damages which are likely to occur at the joints are: Adhesive failure when joint seal material debonds from the concrete surface; cohesive failure which may occur when the joint sealant material splits within the sealant; extrusion occurs when the joint sealant is pushed or pulled out of the joint due to slab movement and/or traffic; oxidation occurs due to exposure to the elements; and infiltration occurs when