Character Motivation How to Write Believable Characters

Character Motivation How to Write Believable Characters Character Motivation: How to Write Believable Characters If an author wants to focus on making their stories more believable, it’s crucial for them to fully understand character motivation. Readers will happily accept and suspend their disbelief for any story - whether it’s set deep in space, or in a society run by terriers - so long as all the characters have relatable motivations and behave plausibly.In this post, we’ll look at some of the big questions behind character motivation in fiction and help you understand why it’s important and, crucially, how to apply it to any book you are working on.What is character motivation?Character motivation is the reason behind a character’s behaviors and actions in a given scene or throughout a story. Motivations are intrinsic needs: they might be external needs and relate to survival, but they might also be psychological or existential needs, such as love or professional achievement.This motivation is at the heart of character profiles and is necessary if your g oal is to write believable and compelling characters.

Baseballs Legend - Jackie Robinson essays

Baseball's Legend - Jackie Robinson essays Imagine yourself in the stands of a baseball game on a spring day. The crowd cheering and the smell of popcorn in the air. The year is 1947 in the city of Brooklyn, New York and youre about to see history in the making. For the first time in history a black man takes the plate. By this doing he is about to break the social status of the black man. But not all are happy about this event. There are some that want things to stay the way it was. Every man is searching for some kind of acceptance in his life. Weather itll be trying to be accepted by his peers or by just himself. In life many just want to be accepted, one person who wanted to be an equal with his peers is Jackie Robinson. Some to consider him to be one of the best baseball players of all time and some just think of him as another Negro thats trying to play a white mans game. Jackie Robinson is the first black man to join the NBL (national baseball league). He joined the Brooklyn Dodgers and not all people are pleased about it. In Time Magazine one man writes, The answer for the Negro is to be found, not in segregation or separation, but by his insistence upon moving into his rightful place, the same place as that of any other American within our society. (White 3) White shows how blacks should be accepted. Jackie Robinson took the field for the very first time on April 12, 1947. At that game the fans ands fellow athletes taunted him. Even though he was taunted he still played very well. He married a beautiful, and white women named Rachel. He became the first black person in the Baseball hall of fame and he retired in 1957. The very first time Jackie Robinson took the plate, he was changing the way of life for all races and inspiring many at the same time. Joe Bostic, from the New York Amsterdam News, said, The most significant sports story of the century was written into the record books today as baseball to ...

Response Paper 1 Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Response 1 - Research Paper Example At this point, it is sound to assert that Socrates’ philosophies deviated from the ideals of the society, thus, they were, and remain to be wrong. The following discussion seeks to establish Burnyeat’s arguments that Socrates, the ancient philosopher remains to be as guilty as charged. Precisely, one is not supposed to make judgments according to his views; Burnyeat claims that one assumes the Athenian Juror’s position and thinks of the most rational thing one would think of given the Socrates’ knowledge (Warnek 53). Therefore, the prescriptions of Burnyeat seem to have some degree of imaginations. Socrates himself presented some charges at 24C of the Apology, which includes (i) failing to believe in the state’s God, (ii) coming up with new divinities, and (iii) corrupting the youth. By raising the question of whether Burnyeat is right by claiming that Socrates is guilty as charged, his first point is that, with his interpretive strategy, Socrates never claims he believes in the states’ gods, why one should think that he is innocent (76). Given that Socrates fails to defend himself against this judgment, what would be a normal Athenian claim basing his arguments on his understanding of Socrates? Burnyeat poses a claim that Socrates is guilty, and thus one should perceive him as a threat to the culture of Athenian and its religion. The gods that Socrates speaks of are different from the Athenian gods and an ideal Athenian would think that Socrates is guilty in the first place. The Socratic religion’s gods demand continuous questioning and virtues of the people unlike the Athens’ gods, which give clear teachings on virtue claiming that one needs gods to achieve this. For example, the Greek religion’s gods are the ones that one barters with to get what he or she wants in tough situations. On the other hand,

Microfinance Is The Panacea For Gender Empowerment Essay

Microfinance Is The Panacea For Gender Empowerment - Essay Example However, donors and advocates of microfinance constantly over-exaggerate the power of microfinance and related assistance while at the same time disregarding critical and deeply embedded concerns that can be regarded as apparent to the intertwining setback of poverty and empowerment of women. The present wave of euphoria over microfinance overlooks the salient question: since a majority of women has been inducted into microenterprises, why is women’s empowerment still elusive? It is apparent that microfinance is hardly a panacea for gender empowerment; besides, microfinance has failed to triumph over overbearing patriarchal structures that propel subordination of women at either households and/or society level. The paper examines the assertion â€Å"microfinance is the panacea for gender empowerment†, the associated problems/concerns, and available proof and appreciates that micro lending plays a critical function in revolutionizing women’s economic empowerment; however, microfinance possesses the possibility of adversely affecting the general health of gender empowerment endeavours, especially if it exclusively spotlights the financial aspect of women’s empowerment. The paper discovers that there has been an exaggeration regarding the gender empowerment impact of microfinance. In practice, however, microfinance is only a step in the long road of empowering poor rural women and not a panacea for gender empowerment. ... Remarkably, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution (A/60/210), recognizing the significance of microfinance in attaining the MDGs, outlining the significance of microfinance in attaining the MDGs, especially concerning goals 1 (reducing poverty) and goal 3 (revolving around gender parity and women’s empowerment). The accomplishment of some microlenders working with the poor, especially in Asia has put microlending high on the agenda of numerous development agencies. Numerous microfinance initiatives have been undertaken right from South America, to Asian and Africa, undoubtedly registering contrasting results (Onyuma and Shem 2005, p.199). Over the last two decades, microfinance initiatives have primarily been directed at poor women populations with the argument taking root on the question regarding whether microlending is, in essence, a decisive element to gender empowerment. This contest can be regarded as bordering west/south divide, and envelops theoretical analysis of studies touching on empowerment, especially on the link between microlending/microenterprise and gender empowerment that has constantly shaped microfinance discourse (Khandker 2005, p.263). The sociocultural landscape in target groups plays a critical function in shaping the results that can be derived from microenterprise projects and their relation to gender empowerment, rebutting one of the overriding hypotheses detailing that gender empowerment entails a routine result of micro lending (Mayoux 2002, p.77). In one phase of the continuum, proponents advance that microfinance bear constructive influences on aspects such as equality between genders, gender empowerment, and overall domestic/household wellbeing. In line with this thought, microfinance is considered as the

Combating Compassion Fatigue Essay Example for Free

Combating Compassion Fatigue Essay If you ask anyone in the field of healthcare, they will tell you that nursing is a very demanding profession. Many nurses feel weighed down by the emotional and physical demands of their chosen career. They may feel that their efforts go without acknowledgement. They may feel overwhelmed by their workload and feel they do not have adequate support or recourses to confidently and efficiently perform their roles. Part of the nurse’s role is to exhibit compassion for patients and their family members. Yet, compassion is an emotion that requires inner conviction and resiliency (Bush, 2009). When a nurse to facing fatigue and burnout, this compassionate feeling is replaced with feelings of apathy. It is important to recognize the signs of impending compassion fatigue and have knowledge of effective strategies to combat these feelings. Symptoms and Triggers Compassion fatigue to a term used to describe the unique stressors that affect individuals in a caregiver role (Bush, 2009). Some emotional symptoms to identify are anxiety, low self- esteem, powerlessness, and anger. Physical symptoms that are common are irritability, sleeplessness, and somatic pains. Environmental and emotional stressors of the workplace are what contribute to compassion fatigue. All caregivers at risk fro developing compassion fatigue, yet some may be more susceptible than others. All caregivers are at risk for developing compassion fatigue, yet there are some that may be more susceptible than others. Every person responds to emotional and environmental stressors differently. Some have a larger capacity for it than others. A shortage in staff results in a heavy workload for nurses. Nurses become fatigued when they are continually required to perform tasks alone that are best performed by a team. Unfair treatment of workers is perceived when evaluations, promotions, compensation  and benefits are not applied fairly (Espeland, 2006). When a nurse’s hard work goes unnoticed and unrewarded, this may result in feelings of hopelessness. Self-conflict is an important stressor that should be mentioned. Nurses tend to be very ambitious and have high expectations for themselves. These standards may lead the nurse to over-extend themselves, resulting in early on- set burnout. Also, a nurse may not be able to satisfactorily meet their own standards of care when they are simply given too much work to handle. The result of this is will be job dissatisfaction and subsequent compassion fatigue. Nurses who are young when they join the profession are at higher risk. This is because they are less prepared for role ambiguity, heavy workloads, and changing environments (Espeland, 2006). Bearing the suffering of others over a length of time is a big factor in the development of compassion fatigue. A nurse should be able to recognize their own individual risk for compassion fatigue and understand how to guard against it. Overcoming Burnout To change from a burnout state, we need to change our thought processes and viewpoints about the people and things that may have contributed to our burnout (Espeland, 2006). A nurse needs to actively take control of their situation instead of waiting for their situation to change on its own. By setting realistic goals for themselves and prioritizing important aspects of their life, the nurse can begin overcoming the state of compassion fatigue. It’s important to realize our personal limits. We can strive to perform at our optimal best without attempting to achieve perfection, which is impossible for anyone. We always have control of our own attitude. When we strive to maintain a positive outlook, we minimize feelings of compassion fatigue. It is inevitable that we will face challenges and adversity on our career path. Utilizing adversity as an opportunity for personal growth as opposed to a barrier is a way to guarantee personal and professional advancement (Espeland, 206). Another change that may need to be made to overcome burnout is a change in practice. Recognizing when it is time for a change is important. Whether it changing units within our hospital or changing disciplines within nursing, these changes provide us with the chance to grow in our profession and gain new skills. This variety contributes to career satisfaction and lessens the risk for burnout. It is imperative for nurses to know their risk for compassion fatigue, how to guard against it, and how to overcome it if they do find themselves in the state of burnout. Reviewing information about compassion fatigue to valuable to all nurses, as nurses in all disciplines of the profession are at risk for compassion fatigue. Applying these strategies and coping mechanisms will provide the nurse with a more satisfying experience in their nursing career and will assist them to perform at their optimal best. References Bush, N. (2009). Compassion fatigue: are you at risk?. Oncology Nursing Forum, 36(1), 24-28. doi:10.1188/09.ONF.24-28 Espeland, K. (2006). Overcoming burnout: how to revitalize your career. Journal Of Continuing Education In Nursing, 37(4), 178-184.

High-Tech Workers in the Silicon Valley Essay examples -- Essays Paper

Brief History of the Valley The Silicon Valley area became a major manufacturing power after World War II. The Cold War furthered this development, as industries involved in defense, aerospace, steel, oil, automobiles, and so on prospered (Hossfeld 405-406). The high-technology industry began in the laboratories of corporations such as Bell Laboratories, American Telephone and Telegraph, Fairchild Camera and Instrument, and General Electric during this Cold War era (Bacon, â€Å"Organizing†). Employment in California, especially Silicon Valley, grew rapidly between 1950 and 1980 due to technical innovation that characterized the postwar prosperity. Furthermore, federal spending expanded California’s economy, placing it in the front of a high-technology revolution (Hossfeld 405). Politicians such as the former President Clinton and Vice President Gore consider the Silicon Valley the model for the United States industrial growth in the new millennium. While this â€Å"model† has had remarkable products and performance, it also employs underpaid workers in unsafe environments (Siegel 91). Moreover, unlike most manufacturing industries in the United States, the high-tech workers are not organized into unions. Microelectronics and Cell Phones Santa Clara Valley, California, better known as Silicon Valley, is the birthplace and reigning capital of the largest and fastest growing manufacturing industry in the world, microelectronics (Hossfeld 405). Microelectronics is defined as a branch of electronics that deals with the miniaturization of electric circuits and components. This involves computers, processor, cell phones, and many other electronic devices. Cell phones are becoming a part of the microelec... ...ersity of California Press, 1995. - â€Å"Organizing the Valley.† Silicon Valley biz ink. 2003. Silicon Valley Business Ink. 14 Oct. 2003 . - Orr, Andrea. â€Å"Ex-IBM Worker Says He Lost His Sense of Smell.† Yahoo! News. 2003 - Yahoo! Inc. 13 Nov. 2003 . - Siegel, Lenny. â€Å"New Chips in Old Skins: Work and Labor in Silicon Valley.† Global Productions—Labor in the Making of the â€Å"Information Society†. Ed. Gerald Sussman & John A. Lent. New Jersey: Hampton Press Inc., 1998. - â€Å"Silicon Valley Companies.† San Jose/Silicon Valley Websites. 2002 San Jose/Silicon Valley Websites. 13 Nov. 2003 .

Archeozoic Era Essay

The Archeozoic Era stretches from about 3.8 billion to 2.5 billion years ago. Traditionally, the beginning of the Archean is defined to coincide with the oldest rocks discovered. As recent discoveries have pushed back the earliest dated rocks to about 4.0 billion years old, the beginning of the Archean has also been pushed back correspondingly. However, most texts still continue to date the beginning to 3.8 billion years ago. As the Late Heavy Bombardment (LHB) ended with the Hadean, the newly forming crust continued to stabilize, and eventually led to the creation of the continents. When the continents first appeared is still under debate. The Earth in this period was moderately warm. Although the sun was about 30% cooler than it is today, the geological activity of the earth was much higher, leading to a somewhat temperate climate. Most of the earth was covered with oceans. The atmosphere contained mostly methane and little to no oxygen; therefore it is considered a reducing atmosp here. Although recent discoveries may change this view, it is generally believed that life first evolved in the Archean. Some of the oldest fossils of life on Earth include the Apex Chert (3.465 billion years old) and stromatolites (3.45 billion years old) from Australia, and the Swaziland microfossils from Africa (also about 3.45 billion years old). Dating the oldest life forms is difficult. Stromatolite-like structures have been shown to be as old as 3.5 billion years, but it can be debated whether they were made by living organisms, or natural forces (hydrothermal vents). The earliest conclusive radiometric markers of life (such as O-12 uptake, or the first evidence of photosynthesis, for example), date to about 2.7 billion years old. However, it is widely believed that the first life appeared much earlier, possibly around the beginning of the Archean, around 3.8 billion years ago, or even in the Hadean. The earliest chemical markers of life are dated to about 3.8 billion years, but this is not the same as finding microfossils. [EDIT: the oldest conclusive evidence of life has been pushed back to ab out 3.43 billion years old, at Strelley Pool in Western Australia.] The first organisms were likely non-photosynthetic, utilizing methane, ammonia or sulfates for their energy needs. Photosynthesis became common with the cyanobacteria, perhaps as early as 3.5 billion years ago. The oxygen produced by these bacteria went into oxidizing rocks on the Earth and the iron in the oceans, so there was no increase in atmospheric oxygen for a very long time. Atmospheric oxygen did not begin to rise significantly until billions of years after photosynthesis first began. The Archean was the period in which continent formation first began. The surface of the Earth had started to solidify in the Hadean, with the presence of liquid water as early as 100 million years after the formation of the Earth. But the early crust was unstable, and was continually eroded, recycled and re melted. During the Archean these areas of land increased in size and during the middle Archean the first continent sized expanses of land first appeared. These proto continents no longer exist, but their remnants are sometimes found in cratons, areas of ancient rock that survive on some of the continental shields today. Cratons typically appear when the overlying rock (mostly volcanic igneous rock) is buried deep, but not deep enough to be re melted. Instead, the heat and pressure converts it into metamorphic rock. These are areas where the crust has thickened, with fresh igneous rock on top and metamorphic rock beneath (though folding of the crust can obscure this relationship). For reasons that are not well understood, there were extensive cratonization events towards the last third of the Archean, which have never been repeated in the history of the Earth. However, continents as we know them today, with continental plates and plate tectonics did not appear until the very end of the Archean. The Earth When the Archean began, the Earth’s heat flow was nearly three times higher than it is today, and it was still twice the current level at the transition from the Archean to the Proterozoic (2,500 Ma). The extra heat was the result of a mix of remnant heat from planetary accretion, heat from the formation of the Earth’s core, and heat produced by radioactive elements. Most surviving Archean rocks are metamorphic or igneous. Volcanic activity was considerably higher than today, with numerous lava eruptions, including unusual types such as komatiite. Granitic rocks predominate throughout the crystalline remnants of the surviving Archean crust. Examples include great melt sheets and voluminous plutonic masses of granite, diorite, layered intrusions, anorthosites and monzonites known as sanukitoids. The Earth of the early Archean may have supported a tectonic regime unlike that of the present. Some scientists argue that, because the Earth was much hotter, tectonic activity w as more vigorous than it is today, resulting in a much faster rate of recycling of crustal material. This may have prevented cratonisation and continent formation until the mantle cooled and convection slowed down. Others argue that the oceanic lithosphere was too buoyant to subduct, and that the rarity of Archean rocks is a function of erosion by subsequent tectonic events. The question of whether plate tectonic activity existed in the Archean is an active area of modern research. There are two schools of thought concerning the amount of continental crust that was present in the Archean. One school maintains that no large continents existed until late in the Archean: small protocontinents were the norm, prevented from coalescing into larger units by the high rate of geologic activity. The other school follows the teaching of Richard Armstrong, who argued that the continents grew to their present volume in the first 500 million years of Earth history and have maintained a near-constant ever since: throughout most of Earth history, recycling of continental material crust back to the mantle in subduction or collision zones balances crustal growth. Opinion is also divided about the mechanism of continental crustal growth. Those scientists who doubt that plate tectonics operated in the Archean argue that the felsic protocontinents formed at hotspots rather than subduction zones. Through a process called â€Å"sagduction†, which refers to partial melting in downward-directed diapirs, a variety of mafic magmas produce intermediate and felsic rocks.[citation needed] Others accept that granite formation in island arcs and convergent margins was part of the plate tectonic process, which has operated since at least the start of the Archean. An explanation for the general lack of Hadean rocks (older than 3800 Ma) is the efficiency of the processes that either cycled these rocks back into the mantle or effaced any isotopic record of their antiquity. All rocks in the continental crust are subject to metamorphism, partial melting and tectonic erosion during multiple orogenic events and the chance of survival at the surface decreases with increasing age. In addition, a period of intense meteorite bombardment in the period 4.0-3.8 Ga pulverized all rocks at the Earth’s surface during the period. The similar age of the oldest surviving rocks and the â€Å"late heavy bombardment† is thought to be not accidental Palaeoenvironment The Archean atmosphere is thought to have nearly lacked free oxygen. Astronomers think that the sun had about 70–75% of the present luminosity, yet temperatures appear to have been near modern levels even within 500 Ma of Earth’s formation, which is puzzling the faint young sun paradox. The presence of liquid water is evidenced by certain highly deformed gneisses produced by metamorphism of sedimentary protoliths. The equable temperatures may reflect the presence of larger amounts of greenhouse gases than later in the Earth’s history. Alternatively, Earth’s albedo may have been lower at the time, due to less land area and cloud cover. By the end of the Archaean c. 2500 Mya, plate tectonic activity may have been similar to that of the modern Earth. There are well-preserved sedimentary basins, and evidence of volcanic arcs, intracontinental rifts, continent-continent collisions and widespread globe-spanning orogenic events suggesting the assembly and destruction of one and perhaps several supercontinents. Liquid water was prevalent, and deep oceanic basins are known to have existed by the presence of banded iron formations, chert beds, chemical sediments and pillow basalts. Geology Although a few mineral grains are known that are Hadean, the oldest rock formations exposed on the surface of the Earth are Archean or slightly older. Archean rocks are known from Greenland, the Canadian Shield, the Baltic Shield, Scotland, India, Brazil, western Australia, and southern Africa. Although the first continents formed during this eon, rock of this age makes up only 7% of the world’s current cratons; even allowing for erosion and destruction of past formations, evidence suggests that continental crust equivalent to only 5-40% of the present amount formed during the Archean. In contrast to Proterozoic rocks, Archean rocks are often heavily metamorphized deep-water sediments, such as graywackes, mudstones, volcanic sediments, and banded iron formations. Carbonate rocks are rare, indicating that the oceans were more acidic due to dissolved carbon dioxide than during the Proterozoic. Greenstone belts are typical Archean formations, consisting of alternating units of metamorphosed mafic igneous and sedimentary rocks. The meta-igneous rocks were derived from volcanic island arcs, while the metasediments represent deep-sea sediments eroded from the neighboring island arcs and deposited in a forearc basin. Greenstone belts represent sutures between protocontinents Life during the Era Fossils of cyanobacterial mats (stromatolites, which were instrumental in creating the free oxygen in the atmosphere ) are found throughout the Archean, becoming especially common late in the eon, while a few probable bacterial fossils are known from chert beds. In addition to the domain Bacteria (once known as Eubacteria), microfossils of the domain Archaea have also been identified. Life was probably present throughout the Archean, but may have been limited to simple non-nucleated single-celled organisms, called Prokaryota There are no known eukaryotic fossils, though they might have evolved during the Archean without leaving any fossils.No fossil evidence has been discovered for ultramicroscopic intracellular replicators such as viruses. Eoarchean Period The earliest part of the Archean eon is known as the Eoarchean. We’ve defined it chronometrically as a 200 million year period from 3.8 to 3.6 billion years, although the earlier boundary (3.8 billion) is not universally recognized. Since the Archean begins roughly with the earliest known rocks, the beginning of the Eoarchean will vary, based on estimates of the ages of the oldest rocks currently known. The Eoarchean is best known through the Isua Greenstone Belt, which is the oldest known rock formation (3.8 – 3.7 billion years old). This area, located in southwestern Greenland, contains metamorphosed volcanic (mafic) and sedimentary rocks. Much of the belt is derived from basaltic and high-magnesium basaltic pillow lavas. During the Eoarchean, crust formation (which began in the Hadean) continued. Due to the cessation of LHB, some of this crust survived and became incorporated into continents, which formed much later. The earth was mostly covered with water, with volcanoes and volcanic islands emerging here and there. The oceans were green and acidic from dissolved iron compounds. They sky was orange from high concentrations of methane, ammonia and carbon dioxide. The climate was probably temperate. Earth produced about 3 times as much heat internally as it does today, which compensated for the dimmer sun, and made the earth intensely geoactive. Life first emerged during this period, if not earlier. The earliest life was probably based on methane or some similar chemistry. Paleoarchean Period The Paleoarchean is a 400 million year long period within the archean eon, dating from 3.6 to 3.2 billion years ago. There are no specific rocks layers that separate this level – it has been defined chronometrically. This era is very significant for the history of life on earth. Both archaea and eubacteria evolved during the paleoarchean, implying that the last universal common ancestor (LUCA) of all life of earth existed during this era. The oldest stromatolites date back to about 3.5 billion years, within the Paleoarchean. These were colonies of cyanobacteria, which are the only class of bacteria that produce oxygen as a by-product of photosynthesis. They might not have been the oldest photosynthetic bacteria (some reports suggest that purple bacteria or rhodobacter developed photosynthesis first), but vast numbers of cyanobacteria were instrumental in changing the geology of earth and the evolution of life through the production of oxygen. Although cyanobacteria first started producing oxygen in this era, it is important to remember that no significant amounts of oxygen existed in the atmosphere at this time, because of vast quantities of oxidizable materials in the earth’s crust and the iron in the oceans, which absorbed any oxygen that was produced. Continent formation continued, with increasingly larger land masses emerging from the oceans. It has been proposed that the first super continent, Vaalbara, came into existence in this era, around 3.3 billion years ago (may have been as early as 3.6 billion years ago). This is based on the similarity in sedimentary sequences on the South African Kaapvaal craton and the West Australian Pilbara craton (hence the name vaal-bara). This theory is controversial, and if Vaalbara did exist, it had started to break up by about 2.8 billion years ago, shown by the diverging paleomagnetic history of these two cratons from that time on. Mesoarchean The Mesoarchean is another era that has been defined chronometrically, rather than geologically. This era covers the middle of the archean, from 3.2 to 2.8 billion years ago. The Mesoarchean continued the trends from the previous Paleoarchean era. Continent formation continued. Plate tectonics forced the separation of the Kaapvaal and Pilbara cratons, and the separation of these ancient parts of South Africa and Australia was complete by the end of the Mesoarchean, around 2.8 billion years ago. Another super continent that may have originated during the mesoarchean was Ur. This consisted of the South African Kaapvaal and West Australian Pilbara cratons (which were originally together in Vaalbara, but no longer contiguous now), plus the Indian Bhandara and Singhbhum cratons, and some regions of what is now the east Antarctica. It is believed that Ur survived for a very long time, joining with other cratons to later form Rodinia, and even later, Pangaea. Although life evolved much earlier, the first incontrovertible fossils appear from this period. Stromatolites were prevalent in coastal waters, with their cyanobacteria continuing to pump oxygen into the atmosphere. However, atmospheric oxygen levels remained very low, as the oxygen continued to be used up in oxidizing minerals on the earth’s crust and in the sea. All life from this period was consequently anaerobic. The oldest banded iron formations (BIFs) are dated to this period. BIFs are a type of sedimentary rock, consisting of layers of iron-rich minerals such as hematite and magnetite, alternating with iron-poor layers of shale and chert. It is believed that oxygen produced by the cyanobacteria precipitated out the iron (as oxides) which had previously been dissolved in the acidic oceans. The layering indicates a pattern of cyclical activity, showing oxygen â€Å"pulses†. It is unknown if these pulses corresponded to seasonal activity or some other factor. The formation of banded iron formations continued until as recently as 1.8 billion years ago, at which point it is presumed that most of the iron in the seas had already been precipitated out. There are some more recent formations, that were thought to represent events corresponding to local oxygen depletion (if oxygen is depleted, iron continues to wash into the sea through the rivers and accumulates in solution until the oxygen level rises again and it is precipitated). However, more recent research shows that this â€Å"local† oxygen depletion may have been global — the result of the â€Å"snowball earth† scenario where all life (including cyanobacteria) came close to extinction. Banded iron formations contain enormous amounts of oxygen, perhaps as much as 20 times the amount of oxygen present in the atmosphere today. Together with other such oxygen â€Å"sinks† they explain why it took so long for atmospheric oxygen levels to start rising after the appearance of the cyanobacteria. Neoarchean The last 300 million years of the Archean eon have been chronometrically classified as the Neoarchean, from about 2.8 billion years ago to 2.5 billion years ago. Many of the processes described earlier, that originated in the Mesoarchean, established themselves in the Neoarchean. Cyanobacteria started producing significant amounts of oxygen in this period. This eventually lead to the Oxygen Catastrophe during the early proterozoic, in which rising levels of oxygen poisoned much of the life that existed at the time. There is some evidence that life first colonized land during this period. There has been some evidence that microbes colonized some land masses as early as 2.75 billion years ago, but the thinking was that such colonization was very limited in scope and insignificant. However, more recently, evidence has started to accumulate that there may have been a large scale colonization of land by microbes, which broke down rocks to release sulfur and molybdenum that eventually washed into the oceans. This was thought unlikely because at the time there was no ozone layer (which appeared hundreds of millions of years later after the oxygen catastrophe, after oxygen levels had built up sufficiently in the atmosphere), so life on land was unprotected from UV rays. However, microbes may have lived deep within the rocks. During the Neoarchean, large continents first appeared on earth, with modern plate tectonics (with subduction zones, continental plates sliding over each other and the upwelling of lava to produce new crust where continental plates tore apart). The first large continents were formed (when we call previously existing continents such as Vaalbara or Ur â€Å"super continents† it’s not because of size — they were smaller than Australia — but because they were the only continents around). Certainly there was recycling of crust prior to this period (perhaps all the way back to the hadean), but earlier continents formed at hotspots over mantle plumes, rather than at subduction zones. Continents basically grow by getting lighter and tougher. Cyclic re-melting and reformation of rock through lava flows (igneous differentiation) gradually separates the lighter minerals, and allows the development of felsic rocks from mafic rocks. Lighter rocks are more buoyant, and resist recycling by floating over the liquid mantle. The archean ended about 2.5 million years ago, with the beginning of the proterozoic. This was the end of the period when mostly geological processes affected the surface of the Earth, and the beginning of the period when life started to play a significant part in what was happening on Earth.

Adolescent Stage – Short Essay

Angelica Lopez Adolescent Stage The term adolescence is commonly used to describe the transition stage between childhood and adulthood. Adolescence is also equated to both the terms â€Å"teenage years† and â€Å"puberty. †I fully agree that this stage in the human life cycle is the most difficult. Adolescence is basically a time of storm and stress. This concept may be recognized in the various dimensions of self. These dimensions include: physical, intellectual, social, emotional, and ethical self.In the adolescence period, an individual’s hormones begin to react at various moments, hence, the emotional dimension is present causing feelings such as: love, happiness, sadness, and anxiety; these feelings may lead up to stressful situations which are difficult to handle. Storm, is recognized in the individual social dimension because he/she will be exposed to society more and various problems will arise depending on their level of socialization. The physical dimen sion is visible due to the fact that the adolescence body begins to develop which may be difficult depending on how the individual views his/her self with the changes.Intellectually, the teenager has the capacity to learn a variety of things; therefore, he/she will have a hard time adapting to the higher level of education. The ethical self is most important in my perspective because it defines an individual value system, and teenagers are faced with peer pressure at this stage; hence, arising at problems due to peer pressure with knowing what’s right and wrong. The various dimensions mentioned prior are key aspects in the development of an individual.The adolescence is face with more responsibilities for each dimension at this stage; consequently, allowing difficulties to arise as the child has to adopt to such a stage in his/her life. As you can see, many conflicts are possible at this stage of life as it is a major transition that occurs for a child. To conclude, I believe it is defiantly the most difficult stage in the human life cycle because I am experiencing such a stage, and I feel that the amount of hardships that I must endure has prepared me for life’s journey .

Drug Courts in the United States

Drug Courts in the United States Free Online Research Papers Drug courts in The United States have three main goals which are rehabilitating participants, reducing the use of drugs and reducing recidivism. Drug courts and treatment programs are more effective then the incarceration of nonviolent drug offenders. The use of drug courts are effectively fighting the budget problems that US criminal justice system are experiencing due to the cost of treatment programs compared to the cost of incarceration. Drug courts can be defined as special court calendars or dockets designed to achieve a reduction in recidivism and substance abuse among nonviolent, substance abusing offenders by increasing their likelihood for successful rehabilitation through early, continuous, and intense judicially supervised treatment; mandatory periodic drug testing; and the use of appropriate sanctions and other rehabilitation services (Drug Courts: Overview of Growth, Characteristics, and Results, Government Accountability Office, 1997). Participants for drug courts undergo frequent court appearances, incentives, sanctions, long term treatment and counseling. When treatment programs are successfully completed the participant may get their charges dismissed or reduced. Drug courts not only put legal obligations on drug offenders but the mandatory treatment and counseling they receive grant the participants the necessary tools to rebuild their lives. According to the Bureau of Justice Assistance there were 2,038 fully operating drug courts in The Untied States and 226 that were in the planning stages, as of July 2009. A statistic created by the Bureau of Justice Statistics in 2001 stated that between the years of 1984 and 1999 the number of defendants charged with a drug offense in the Federal courts increased from 11,854 to 29,306. Due to the increase in drug offenses the first drug court was created in1989 in Miami Florida when Judge Herbert M. Klein was troubled by the disabling effects that drug offenses were wreaking the Dade County Courts. Judge Klein became determined to â€Å"solve the problem of large numbers of people on drugs† (Miami’s Drug Court: A Different Approach,1993) Drug Courts across The United States share three primary goals. The first is to reduce recidivism or reduce the revolving door of crime and drugs by providing treatment to drug-addicted criminal offenders. Only 3.3% of participants who completed the treatment programs successfully were rearrested in the first six months after being released compared to the 12.1% of inmates who did not receive treatment. Compared with other offenders, drug court participants have lower recidivism rates, even if they do not finish the program. The second goal is to reduce substance abuse among participants. Drug court participants are less likely to use drugs after completing the treatment programs compared to drug users who are incarcerated and do not participate in treatment programs.20.5% of participants in the drug treatment programs used drugs within six months after being released. 36.7% of drug violators who were incarcerated used drugs within six months of being released. The third goal is to rehabilitate participants by successfully completing the treatment programs. Participants who went through a drug court are 15% less likely to repeat their offences than those who did not go through a specialized drug court. Drug court participants report that interactions with the judge are one of the important influences on the experience they have while in the program. More drug courts are being established to deal with first and second offenders rather than the normal use of the criminal justice system. The motivation has been more of a financial necessity than the need to make America drug free. While analyses on the effectiveness of drug courts are still ongoing, research indicates that drug courts can reduce recidivism and promote other positive outcomes such as saving the country money. Drug treatment programs are less expensive then long term incarceration. In 1998 there were 417,784 drug offenders in federal prison, state prison, and jail. Also in 1998 it was estimated that of the $38 billion were spent on corrections that year more than $30 billion was spent incarcerating individuals who had a history of drug or alcohol abuse, were convicted of drug or alcohol violations, were using drugs or alcohol at the time of their crimes, or had committed their crimes to get money to buy drugs. Drug courts are more cost effective then the standard US courts. Drug courts free up criminal justice recourses to use against violent and other serious criminal offences. On average it cost $5,928 for one person to complete a drug treatment program. It cost more than $20,000 to incarcerate a person for one year. The Average sentence for drug trafficking is 3.5 years, which is a total of $70,000, saving the country $64,072. Drug courts are effectively accomplishing there three primary goals of reducing recidivism, reducing substance abuse among participants and rehabilitate participants, while also saving billions of dollars to be used against serious and violent criminals. In the Spotlight. (2010). Retrieved November 06, 2010 from National Criminal Justice Reference Service: ncjrs.gov. Drug Treatment in the Criminal Justice System. (2008). Retrieved November 04, 2010 from Office of National Drug Control Policy: whitehousedrugpolicy.gov. Drug Court Review. (2010). Retrieved November 01, 2010 from National Drug Court Institution: ndci.org. Drug Courts. (2010). Retrieved November 06, 2010 from Minnesota Judicial Branch: mncourts.gov/. 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The Residency Application Process

The Residency Application Process In the residency application process, the personal essay plays a tremendous role. As a resident in a hospital, you will no longer be attending medical school classes but actually working as a doctor with live patients. That being said, residency directors want to know as much about your personal beliefs and character as they do your education. The most important part of any residency essay, in my opinion, is the first paragraph. Considering that the admissions committee have hundreds if not thousands of applications to read, you definitely want to make your stand out. The best way to do this is to open your essay with something interesting. There are several ways you can make the first paragraph of your residency essay stand out. One way is to begin with an interesting anecdote or quote. Another is to state your thesis boldly and creatively. Just make sure that whatever you do, it relates directly to the overall theme of your main idea. The residency application process isnt easy, but if you do it well the pay off is more than worth the effort! For more information about finding a residency program and/or if you would like help in writing your AMCAS personal statement, please dont hesitate to access the link provided.

Globalization and Local Cultures Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Globalization and Local Cultures - Research Paper Example Globalization has led to loss of cultural identity in the traditional society. Globalization has considerably threatened the local heritage because of westernization. The detached cultures are under threat in the contemporary society because of emerging issues of modernization. This is because modernization has fostered the decline of costs. The declining costs alter the experience of societies into a greater incorporation of varied cultural values. For instance, the information flow, increased advancement in technology and reduced communication cost has contributed to a global community. Wilson (2006) argues that the identity developed through the interaction process has become problematic because of ethnicity. The identity constructed in most cases to those people who travel beyond borders or interact through digital technologies contributes to conflicting issues among diverse cultures. The language expansion generates interaction plethora among varied nations in terms of variation s in policymaking, and it manipulates cultural identity.Globalization threatens the feasibility of locally manufactured products. The increased advancement in technology has contributed to cheap labor and high production of commodities that are competitive in the global market. This has threatened the locally manufactured products because globalization offers a welcoming entrance for many customers to access easily products that customers could not otherwise have. For instance, the new foreign products in the market are sold at cheaper prices.

Current Financial Article Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Current Financial Article Summary - Essay Example Homeowners are required to post insurance for titles of their properties for the purpose of gaining protection from property claimants. The author averred that â€Å"a 1974 federal law gives purchasers the right to choose† (McClay, 2011, par. 3) the title insurers, which, not all homeowners are aware of. Title insurers underwrite policies that protect the property from unforeseen claims. They, or the agents who sell the policies, conduct a land records search to make sure the property history is clean. The insurance pays for expenses related to defending against claims on the property and covers any valid claims. Homeowners who are refinancing are usually required to buy a policy, often for a lower rate (McClay, 2011, par. 8). The experience of a retired computer engineer, Tom Strange, faced with considering the title insurance offered by his mortgage broker, manifested a substantial savings that ensued from his searching the internet for alternative options. The offered price from Strange’s mortgage broker for the title insurance was $1,870. Upon exercising his right to select other alternatives, he was able to get a title insurance that was pegged a price half than what was offered by his mortgage broker. Actually, as revealed by McClay, the search for alternative options was only made possible when homeowners were revealed to â€Å"receive a summary of their closing costs earlier in the buying process. It’s been required by law since January 2010 that lenders must provide accurate closing costs within three business days of receiving a mortgage application† (McClay, 2011, par. 4). The three-day leeway in time prior to the submission of the application to refinance the mortgage makes it possible for homeowners to search the web and to compare quotations of costs from various title insurers. In analyzing the substantial amount in savings, the report revealed that be doing away with