Breaking Muphrys Law

Breaking Muphrys Law Breaking Muphry’s Law Breaking Muphry’s Law By Mark Nichol A recent newspaper blog post about a typographical error on Mitt Romney’s iPhone â€Å"With Mitt† app it refers to â€Å"A Better Amercia† inevitably succumbed to Muphry’s law, which states that any criticism of a writing or editing error will itself contain such an error. After commenting on the mistake, the blogger referred to the microblogging site Tumblr, writing, â€Å"And there’s already a Tumblr [page] for this with people goofing on the slip-up†¦.or what that be a Tumbeler?† That final phrase (which also reveals that the blogger obviously didn’t read my post about ellipses), should read, â€Å"or would that be a Tumbeler?† (If you want to ruin a joke that features a deliberate typographical error, there’s nothing better than immediately preceding it with an accidental typo.) The adage the blogger’s boo-boo upholds is also known, with variations, as McKean’s law, after lexicographer Erin McKean; Skitt’s law, named for an alt.usage.english contributor; and Hartman’s Law of Prescriptivist Retaliation, the grandiloquent nomenclature of technical writer and fiction writer and editor Jed Hartman. A blogger with the handle Zeno called it the Iron Law of Nitpicking, a better label, perhaps, as it does not credit a particular person, but Muphry’s law (which only indirectly refers to a specific source) is of course the most appropriate moniker. An Australian editor named John Bangsund explicated the law as follows in 1992: (a) If you write anything criticizing editing or proofreading, there will be a fault of some kind in what you have written; (b) If an author thanks you in a book for your editing or proofreading, there will be mistakes in the book; (c) The stronger the sentiment expressed in (a) and (b), the greater the fault; (d) Any book devoted to editing or style will be internally inconsistent. The oldest known statement along these lines, however, is one from early twentieth-century writer Ambrose Bierce (best known for his caustically misanthropic Devil’s Dictionary), who in 1909 wrote in a writing handbook, â€Å"Writers all, both great and small, are habitual sinners against the light; and their accuser is cheerfully aware that his own work will supply (as in making this book it has supplied) many ‘awful examples.’† The moral of the story one I disregard by writing this post, which according to Muphry’s law should be rewarded by divine retribution in the form of commenters pointing out some error I’ve introduced is, â€Å"Writers in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Redundant Phrases to Avoid11 Writing Exercises to Inspire You and Strengthen Your WritingHow to Style Titles of Print and Online Publications

The History of How Dogs Were Domesticated

The History of How Dogs Were Domesticated The history of dog domestication is that of an ancient partnership between dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) and humans. That partnership was likely originally based on a human need for help with herding and hunting, for an early alarm system, and for a source of food in addition to the companionship many of us today know and love. In return, dogs received companionship, protection, shelter, and a reliable food source. But when this partnership first occurred is still under some debate. Dog history has been studied recently using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), which suggests that wolves and dogs split into different species around 100,000 years ago. Although mtDNA analysis has shed some light on the domestication event(s) which may have occurred between 40,000 and 20,000 years ago, researchers are not agreed on the results. Some analyses suggest that the original domestication location of dog domestication was in East Asia; others that the middle east was the original location of domestication; and still others that later domestication took place in Europe. What the genetic data has shown to date is that the history of dogs is as intricate as that of the people they lived alongside, lending support to the long depth of the partnership, but complicating origin theories. Two Domestications In 2016, a research team led by bioarchaeologist Greger Larson (Frantz et al. cited below) published mtDNA evidence for two places of origin for domestic dogs: one in Eastern Eurasia and one in Western Eurasia. According to that analysis, ancient Asian dogs originated from a domestication event from Asian wolves at least 12,500 years ago; while European Paleolithic dogs originated from an independent domestication event from European wolves at least 15,000 years ago. Then, says the report, at sometime before the Neolithic period (at least 6,400 years ago), Asian dogs were transported by humans to Europe where they displaced European Paleolithic dogs. That would explain why earlier DNA studies reported that all modern dogs were descended from one domestication event, and also the existence of evidence of two domestication event from two different far-flung locations. There were two populations of dogs in the Paleolithic, goes the hypothesis, but one of them- the European Paleolithic dog- is now extinct. A lot of questions remain: there are no ancient American dogs included in most of the data, and Frantz et al. suggest that the two progenitor species were descended from the same initial wolf population and both are now extinct. However, other scholars (Botiguà © and colleagues, cited below) have investigated and found evidence to support migration event(s) across the central Asia steppe region, but not for a complete replacement. They were unable to rule out Europe as the original domestication location. The Data: Early Domesticated Dogs The earliest confirmed domestic dog anywhere so far is from a burial site in Germany called Bonn-Oberkassel, which has joint human and dog interments dated to 14,000 years ago. The earliest confirmed domesticated dog in China was found in the early Neolithic (7000–5800 BCE) Jiahu site in Henan Province. Evidence for co-existence of dogs and humans, but not necessarily domestication, comes from Upper Paleolithic sites in Europe. These hold evidence for dog interaction with humans and include  Goyet Cave  in Belgium,  Chauvet  cave in France, and  Predmosti in the Czech Republic. European Mesolithic sites like Skateholm (5250–3700 BC) in Sweden have dog burials, proving the value of the furry beasts to hunter-gatherer settlements. Danger Cave in Utah is currently the earliest case of dog burial in the Americas, at about 11,000 years ago, likely a descendant of Asian dogs. Continued interbreeding with wolves, a characteristic found throughout the life history of dogs everywhere, has apparently resulted in the hybrid black wolf found in the Americas. Black fur coloration is a dog characteristic, not originally found in wolves. Dogs as Persons Some studies of dog burials dated to the Late Mesolithic-Early Neolithic Kitoi period in the Cis-Baikal region of Siberia suggests that in some cases, dogs were awarded person-hood and treated equally to fellow humans. A dog burial at the Shamanaka site was a male, middle-aged dog which had suffered injuries to its spine, injuries from which it recovered. The burial, radiocarbon dated to ~6,200 years ago (cal BP), was interred in a formal cemetery, and in a similar manner to the humans within that cemetery. The dog may well have lived as a family member. A wolf burial at the Lokomotiv-Raisovet cemetery (~7,300 cal BP) was also an older adult male. The wolfs diet (from stable isotope analysis) was made up of deer, not grain, and although its teeth were worn, there is no direct evidence that this wolf was part of the community. Nevertheless, it too was buried in a formal cemetery. These burials are exceptions, but not that rare: there are others, but there is also is evidence that fisher-hunters in Baikal consumed dogs and wolves, as their burned and fragmented bones appear in refuse pits. Archaeologist Robert Losey and associates, who conducted this study, suggest that these are indications that Kitoi hunter-gatherers considered that at least these individual dogs were persons. Modern Breeds and Ancient Origins Evidence for the appearance of breed variation is found in several European Upper Paleolithic sites. Medium-sized dogs (with wither heights between 45–60 cm) have been identified in Natufian sites in the Near East dated to ~15,500-11,000 cal BP). Medium to large dogs (wither heights above 60 cm) have been identified in Germany (Kniegrotte), Russia (Eliseevichi I), and Ukraine (Mezin), ~17,000-13,000 cal BP). Small dogs (wither heights under 45 cm) have been identified in Germany (Oberkassel, Teufelsbrucke, and Oelknitz), Switzerland (Hauterive-Champreveyres), France (Saint-Thibaud-de-Couz, Pont dAmbon) and Spain (Erralia) between ~15,000-12,300 cal BP. See the investigations by archaeologist Maud Pionnier-Capitan and associates for more information. A recent study of pieces of DNA called SNPs (single-nucleotide polymorphism) which have been identified as markers for modern dog breeds and published in 2012 (Larson et al) comes to some surprising conclusions: that despite the clear evidence for marked size differentiation in very early dogs (e.g., small, medium and large dogs found at Svaerdborg), this has nothing to do with current dog breeds. The oldest modern dog breeds are no more than 500 years old, and most date only from ~150 years ago. Theories of Modern Breed Origination Scholars now agree that most of the dog breeds we see today are recent developments. However, the astounding variation in dogs is a relic of their ancient and varied domestication processes. Breeds vary in size from the one pound (.5 kilogram) teacup poodles to giant mastiffs weighing over 200 lbs (90 kg). In addition, breeds have different limb, body, and skull proportions, and they also vary in abilities, with some breeds developed with special skills such as herding, retrieving, scent detection, and guiding. That may be because domestication occurred while humans were all hunter-gatherers at the time, leading extensively migrant lifeways. Dogs spread with them, and thus so for a while dog and human populations developed in geographic isolation for a time. Eventually, however, human population growth and trade networks meant people reconnected, and that, say scholars, led to the genetic admixture in the dog population. When dog breeds began to be actively developed about 500 years ago, they were created out of a fairly homogenous gene pool, from dogs with mixed genetic heritages which had been developed in widely disparate locations. Since the creation of kennel clubs, breeding has been selective: but even that was disrupted by World Wars I and II, when breeding populations all over the world were decimated or went extinct. Dog breeders have since reestablished such breeds using a handful of individuals or combining similar breeds. Sources Botiguà © LR, Song S, Scheu A, Gopalan S, Pendleton AL, Oetjens M, Taravella AM, Seregà ©ly T, Zeeb-Lanz A, Arbogast R-M et al. 2017. Ancient European dog genomes reveal continuity since the Early Neolithic. Nature Communications 8:16082.Frantz LAF, Mullin VE, Pionnier-Capitan M, Lebrasseur O, Ollivier M, Perri A, Linderholm A, Mattiangeli V, Teasdale MD, Dimopoulos EA et al. 2016. Genomic and archaeological evidence suggests a dual origin of domestic dogs. Science 352(6293):1228–1231.Freedman AH, Lohmueller KE, and Wayne RK. 2016. Evolutionary History, Selective Sweeps, and Deleterious Variation in the Dog. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics 47(1):73–96.Geiger M, Evin A, Snchez-Villagra MR, Gascho D, Mainini C, and Zollikofer CPE. 2017. Neomorphosis and heterochrony of skull shape in dog domestication. Scientific Reports 7(1):13443.Perri A. 2016. A wolf in dogs clothing: Initial dog domestication and Pleistocene wolf variation. Journal of Archaeolog ical Science 68(Supplement C):1–4. Wang G-D, Zhai W, Yang H-C, Wang L, Zhong L, Liu Y-H, Fan R-X, Yin T-T, Zhu C-L, Poyarkov AD et al. 2015. Out of southern East Asia: the natural history of domestic dogs across the world. Cell Research 26:21.

Managing Product-Harm Crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Managing Product-Harm Crisis - Essay Example What are substandard or defective products? These are products that are harmful and dangerous to consumers, therefore organizations recall such products. Recalled products are the contributors of product-harm crisis. According to Vassilikopoulou et al. (2009), product-harm crisis occurs as a result of having defective products that are harmful to consumers in the market. Though organizations seek for better and improved products, departments in charge of inspections in an organization may still miss to identify the defects of such products because of negligence. While the expectation is that running an organization comes with several ups and downs, having a product-harm crisis tops the list because of its detrimental effects of an organization. Organizations need to maintain their products’ based on the required safety levels. Consumers lose faith in a company if they find the product it offers is harmful. A harmful product is not only dangerous to consumers but also hurtful to the ecosystem. For example, milk spiked with melamine is not only harmful to human beings, but to animals such as cats and dogs. Therefore, organizations need to examine the factors that contribute to product-harm crisis because it affects it directly affects a company’s success. Yannopoulu et al. (2011) claimed that product-harm crises are crises because they directly control the media and the consumers. For example, the media spreads the news to the consumers in way that may influence them negatively. In addition, after watching the advertisements or news, consumers pay more attention to the name of the organization selling defective products or the defective product.

Construction Project Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Construction Project Management - Essay Example literatures related to this research topic are: Google Search Engine, Emrald Library Database, Proquest Library Database, Glion Library Database, and EBSCO Library Database among others. The keywords and/or keyword phrases used in this search include: Culture and project management, Factors affecting project management, Organization culture and project management, politics and construction, construction projects jointly undertaken, and multinational construction projects. After the search engine displayed result, only relevant materials were selected since not all the materials from the search results were helpful. For example, only materials that integrated culture with project management were selected, and more emphasis was given to those materials relating culture with construction projects. It is important to note that Google search engine was used mainly to search for construction projects being undertaken or those that have been completed, and are being affected by culture or w ere affected by culture (including organization culture). The other search engines (in this case Library databases) were used to search for the connection between construction project management and culture. These were related to the identified construction projects in order to identify the how organization culture normally affect project management. Literature Review Justification of use of non-peer reviewed sources Before proceeding to the literature review it is important to mention that some sources used in this section are not peer reviewed. This due to the fact finding six projects jointly undertaken by two nations in peer reviewed articles is a great challenge. The non-peer reviewed sources used in this section of the paper are mainly web sources. Politics affects everything in all... This paper stresses that other than the typical constrains of managing construction projects such as time, cost and scope, there exist a number of factors that may inhibit successful completion of construction projects however how well a construction Manager may be. The problem may become worse while managing projects that are jointly undertaken by two nations. Some of these factors may include construction projects being undertaken by two nations are: politics between the involved nations, cultural differences, and national culture. A number of projects have been hampered by these factors while others have been completed. Completion of some of these projects has been after overcoming challenges while other projects have even failed to commence due to political interests and differences. This paper makes a conclusion that the success of these projects is a result of including and solving the various internal and external factors that may be associated with the projects in the designing and planning face. Therefore, in order that projects are completed successfully, it is important that the various aspects are integrated while planning for these projects. The author of the paper among the projects that have been hampered by politics are South-Sudan- Kenya oil pipeline project, the Mexico Fence Border project, and Channel Tunnel Project among others. Amongst the ones that have been completed with schedule, budget and scope are: Upgrading of Pacific Highway project and Oresund Bridge project among others.

International Political Economy Essay Example for Free

International Political Economy Essay International monetary fund (IMF) is an international organization composed currently with around 184 member countries representing almost all the nations in the world with an exception of a few. After the failure of Breton woods it came as a substitute of a regulatory monetary authority. The organization oversees the global financial system by implementing macroeconomics policy and financial policies aimed at stabilizing the economy’s the member nations. The organization was formed with an objective of stabilizing international monetary rates and enhancing economic development among the member states. Similarly International Monetary Fund offers leveraged loans to developing countries to stimulate their economic growth and development. At an extent IMF helps in promoting expansion, and balanced growth of international trade through co-operation with other bodies like World Trade Organization and World Bank. The organization also helps in developing a multilateral system for payment of current transactions. Despite the positive attributes from the organization it has come under severe attack from many experts and organization because of some of their inefficiency of their policies and their ineffectiveness to the targeted programs. Some of the policies used by the organization in trying to address the economic imbalances in developing nations have been ineffective as they have caused adverse effects to the member countries especially third world countries. In certain extent the organization has been used as a tool by the developed nations to propagate political interests of their â€Å"masters† through giving out conditional loans to poor nations and proposing for poor policy changes. The paper analyzes the roles of IMF and its policies and the effectiveness of those policies. Although other policies have used by the organization had positive results others technically contributed to economic underdevelopment in most poor nations. Roles of International Monetary Fund International monetary fund plays various significant roles in the global economy; International monetary fund was established to help member countries improve their economies by providing guidance and monitoring economic development in those nations. IMF is also engaged in ensuring there are sound financial policies formulated and implemented by the member states. Through extensive research and analysis the organization comes along with proposition which help in developing effective financial policies in tandem with country’s existing policies. Sound financial policies proposed by the organization are meant to strengthen the financial system of the global markets and member countries. â€Å"An effective financial system promotes economic growth and reduction of poverty by mobilizing savings and allocating them to productive uses† (World Bank, 2004, p. 72). International monetary fund provides three types of surveillance to member countries. That is bilateral surveillance, regional surveillance, and multilateral surveillance. Bilateral surveillance mostly involves discussions between international monetary fund, and the member country (Axel 2006, p 769-788). To begin the discussions in bilateral surveillance, IMF technocrats usually visit the member nation to collect information, and hold discussions with government officials in that country so as to gather enough information about the area. Apart from government officials, IMF experts also hold discussions with other members in the country such as labor unions and officials from the private sector and civil society. This is to gain more knowledge on the economic status of the country, and assess opportunities and potential threats. After the mission, the IMF staff holds meeting with the authorities to inform them on the findings obtained, risks and outlook. Bilateral surveillance helps identify risks to financial stability and international monetary fund in the member country. IMF uses bilateral surveillance to provide advice to member countries on the need to adjust certain policies. Bilateral surveillance helps IMF complement multilateral surveillance. Multilateral surveillance is important as it helps IMF strengthening its surveillance efforts. It helps IMF detect systemic risks and increase awareness of the risks in member countries. It also helps identify interdependencies in the international economy. Multilateral surveillance helps IMF identify developments in the global economy. It also helps the organization evaluate financial markets, and the outlook. Moreover, multilateral surveillance helps IMF identify changes to policy, and also effects caused by policies on member countries. IMF is working hard to enhance global discussions of economic connections among countries. This is to improve international trade among the countries (Axel 2006, p 769-788). IMF provides regional surveillance to member countries. Regional surveillance helps IMF monitor regional developments, and policies used by supra national authorities. Regional surveillance helps complement bilateral surveillance as it provides information from more than one country. Regional surveillance is important for members of currency unions. This is because policies in important areas of IMF are determined at regional level. In regional monitoring, discussions with country officials are carried out, and the report is represented separately. Formal procedures are used to conduct surveillance and evaluation over the monetary, and exchange rate policies of European nations. International monetary fund has strengthened its policies on monitoring measures so as to help eliminate concerns like vulnerability to balance of payment. These measures help in eliminating external sustainability and currency crisis in many countries and these are some of concerns that have affected many countries. IMF has developed several initiatives to help improve the effectiveness of bilateral trade. For example, the organization has established external vulnerability assessment. It has also developed initiatives to strengthen surveillance in the financial sector. The initiatives used to provide surveillance in the financial sector include a financial sector assessment program, and prevention of wastage of money. Other measures include prevention of terrorism financing, and assessment of offshore financial centre. IMF has also adopted other initiatives to help in improving its efforts. The organization has improved data provision to IMF, and also analyzing surveillance systems in member countries (Axel 2006, p 769-788). IMF helps in ensuring monetary policy in member countries are utilized effectively so as to prevent inflation (Axel 2006, p 769-788). International Monetary fund intervenes in trying to stabilize the exchange rate among member states. After the collapse of the Breton woods the main aim was to regulate the exchange rate of nations in order to avoid financial and economic imbalances IMF in this instance developed policies meant to help stabilize the exchange rate between countries. Mostly the organization favors a floating exchange rate and constant evaluates monitors and give recommendation on the appropriate exchange rate policies. At the same time IMF tries to develop monetary and exchange rate policy proposals in line with the individual countries policies. Exchange rate is critical in determination of a country’s monetary and trade policies. Monetary policy is used by monetary authorities to determine and regulate the circulation of money in the economy thus directly influencing the financial and economic measures to be taken. Determination of interest rates comes from the monetary policies decision taken. Adjustment of the interest rates either by lowering or increasing influence the pattern of the economic growth. Lower interest rates tend to stimulate economic growth and development. In this case monetary policy helps in enhancing economic growth, and stability in a country. IMF gives advices to countries on how to use monetary policy appropriately. Monetary policy is also used to prevent inflation in a country by raising interest rates. Monetary policy is important to member countries as it helps in improving economic status of the countries, and also enhancing development in the country. Countries with pegged exchange rates tend to unfairly compete with others in trade. Another role of International Monetary Fund is provision of loans to member countries. The organization provides loans to member countries experiencing balance of payment problems and economic difficulties. The loans provided by IMF are important to member countries as they help countries improve their international reserves, and pay for import (Axel 2006, p 769-788). The fund also helps countries stabilize currencies, and improve economic situations in the country so as to enhance economic growth in the country by adjusting policies to correct underlying problems. Funds provided by IMF help member countries improve national policies in the countries so as to eliminate problems. This is through restructuring of existing policies or creating new policies. IMF does not provide loans for specific projects in member countries. Member countries are encouraged to borrow from IMF if they have no enough funds to finance projects so as to meet their international payments. That is if the country cannot find enough financing to meet its net international payments and maintaining international buffer. IMF provides loans to member countries having financial problems so as to correct policies in the country, and carry out reforms. Countries are encouraged to use funds from IMF to adjust economic policies in the country so as to overcome economic crisis. This is important as it helps countries correct their financial balance, and improve conditions in the country. The funds enable countries to continue paying for imports, improve their international reserves and stabilize currencies. A member country has to follow the right lending process provided by IMF so as to get loans. IMF loans are provided under an agreement between the country, and IMF. The country provides enough reasons as to why it needs the money, and then economic program is established after the agreement. The program is established by country and IMF and presented to the right people. After the arrangement is approved then, IMF releases the funds in installments as the country continues to implement the program (Axel 2006, p 769-788). International monetary fund has established facilities that are customized to address specific situations of its member countries. Developing countries use different facilities from developed countries to access IMF loans. Low income countries use extended credit facility, and other facilities to borrow loans from IMF. These facilities allow countries to borrow on concession terms. Countries can access non- concessional loans via stand by arrangements, and other facilities that offer such loans. The organization provides emergency assistance to member countries to help them recover from natural disasters and conflicts (Axel 2006, p 769-788). Effectiveness of IMF Policies IMF uses various policies to help member countries improve their situations in the country, enhance economic growth, and financial stability. The policies include structural adjustment policies, financial crisis policies, and poverty reduction policies. Most people have criticized IMF policies for their ineffectiveness. This is because the policies implemented by International monetary organization have worsened economic conditions in member countries rather than improving the prevailing situations. The main role of IMF is to improve economic and financial stability in member countries using the policies named above. So far the IMF policies have not helped eliminate economic crisis in many countries and instead it has been contrary to expectations. The policies have affected developing countries more than developed countries as these countries depend on funds and advice from IMF to improve their economic status. (Robert and Jong-Wha 2002, p 1245-1269). Structural adjustment Policy is a shift of policies implemented by member nation’s mostly poor nations towards those guided and advised by IMF for purposes of qualifying to get financial and economic assistance. Structural adjustment policies have been criticized by scholars and experts as they have been seen as instruments of accelerating poverty and underdevelopment. Political shifts and governance reforms are always expected from the member nations expecting to benefit from the IMF. Most often the policies are in line with the system of governance of the developed nations (custodians of the IMF) which are deemed to be effective and efficient. Free trade and market liberalization is always encouraged by the IMF. Structural policies force countries to slash government spending and encourage privatization which also open up countries to exploitation by foreign investors. Structural adjustment policies have increased the level of poverty in many countries by causing many workers to loose jobs and reduction in income for workers due to free markets as most enterprises are sold to foreign investors who implement â€Å"effective† measures. The policies have given debt payment and economic development priority compared to education and health services. IMF has encouraged developing countries to lower living conditions of their citizens. This has affected provision of services in developing countries much. The policies have lead to shortage of the work force in developing countries as most companies, and health centers cannot afford to hire enough personnel (Ngaire 2002, p 83-100). IMF lending policies are condemned because of the conditionality associated with the policy. IMF forces member countries to adjust economic policies so as to overcome problems that led the countries to borrow funds from IMF. The international monetary lending policies are used to provide loans to member countries. The funds help member countries improve their economic status. International monetary lending policies do not serve member countries well. The policies are not flexible, and countries do not get enough money. The conditionality help IMF know if the country is able to repay the loan given. Developing countries do not get enough loans to finance projects in the country. Shortage of funds in developing countries hinders economic growth and increases poverty. The policy force developing countries cut their spending so as to have enough funds for development projects. The policies are not flexible enough to help developing countries get enough funds. In addition, the funds provided by international monetary fund are not enough to help countries eliminate problems. This prevents control of disasters and crisis in the country (Bird and Rowlands 2002, p 173-186). Conclusion The roles of IMF are very significant and critical in ensuring the stability and economic development of not only the member nations but the entire world in general. However Economic policies implemented by International monetary are not effective as they cause stifle economic growth. The economic policies are made to help developing countries improve economic growth, but they encourage economic stagnation. This is because developing countries cut spending in other sectors to get enough funds. Member countries have to cut spending on health sector, the education sector so as to get funds to adjust economic policies in the country. IMF encourages member countries to follow conditions established be fore accessing loans. The member countries are required to adjust policies in the country to overcome problems that have caused economic crisis in the country. This forces countries to concentrate on adjusting economic policies, but not development projects in those countries. This affects provision of crucial services in health care sectors and education. They also lead to lack of employment in developing countries. This leads to poor economic growth in developing countries (Axel 2004, p 445-464).

Essay --

Social constructionism was the theory described by Joel Best that explains how things in life become controversies or problems. The ways in which society thinks about situations and uses categories to analyze events in the world structures experiences and understandings of these events. Humans look at events beyond an objectivist approach, and instead subjectively, affected by the framework in which one lives. The social constructionist theory can be used to look at the relationship between science and the people that it serves, illustrated in Rebecca Skloot’s The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Henrietta Lacks was an African American woman who died from cervical cancer in the 1950s. She sought treatment at Johns Hopkins hospital, where she visited many times and eventually passed away. During visits, her cells were taken without her consent, and given to scientist George Gey. Gey quickly realized that Henrietta’s cells were not like other cells that he had grown in his laboratory; they had the ability to grow exponentially in a cell culture, known as HeLa, and soon became seen as immortal cells. Not only that, the cells soon became one of the most prolific resources in medical research, having a major impact in the development of polio vaccines, cloning, gene mapping, and much more. HeLa became a medical controversy, not only because it helped the science world achieve so much, but also because of the ethical quandaries that it developed. Social construction can be used to help explain how HeLa cells became famous in general. According to the theory, primarily claims must be made about something. Then, the media will eventually circulate said claims, which will eventually garner a public reaction. This would lead to policies ... ...Henrietta’s life, informed consent was very informal and lax. But because of cases like HeLa and Mo, informed consent became recognized to be a problem that needed to have strict guidelines and therefore has become required. Looking at the social construct theory, the HeLa cells became viewed as controversial, which in the end made the public find other cases in its nature controversial as well, and needing guidelines to regulate scientific research. Evaluating the current policies, clearly some still believe that there needs to be more guidelines, and others believe that things such as tissue and other biological materials should considered to be under the ownership of the person whom it came from. What the social construct can say about the story of Henrietta, HeLa, and Mo shows just how influential the society is in constructing values, practices, and traditions.

15 Uses of the Tooth Paste that you Never Know

Beauty Uses Toothpaste contains many useful ingredients that can be soothing and healing to the skin. For this reason, you'll be able to use toothpaste to help you with the following issues: 1) Pimples. Reduce redness and the size of your pimples with a dab of toothpaste. Let it sit overnight, then rinse away in the morning for a noticeable difference. 2) Brittle fingernails. Since our nails are made of the same enamel as teeth, toothpaste can do a lot to help them.Simply give your nails a good scrub with some oothpaste for cleaner, shinier, stronger nails. You'll also get that dirt out from underneath them in no time! 3) Fly-away hair. A gel toothpaste is largely made with the same ingredients as basic hair gels, so you'll be able to substitute easily here. Just use a little dab and apply like a hair gel when needed. First Aid Uses Beyond beauty care, you'll also find helpful ways to use toothpaste in that first aid kit. Keep a small tube tucked inside your kit for these emergencies : 4) Bites, sores, and blisters.Apply toothpaste to areas of skin irritation to reduce tching, swelling, and irritation. Toothpaste will dry them up quickly and help them heal faster. 5) Burns. For minor burns with no open sores, a quick toothpaste application can give you instant relief. The cooling properties get to work right away, relieving that painful sting. In the long-term, toothpaste will keep the burn from becoming a painful, oozing blister. 6) Bruises. For large bruises that take forever to fade, use a little toothpaste and a wide-tooth comb.Apply the toothpaste and gently comb the bruise in one direction o break up the blood clotting beneath the skin. Toothpaste helps with circulation and fghts off the inflammation. Fashion Uses the average tube of toothpaste. Give these a try: 7) Jewelry cleaner. Before you pay for someone else to clean it, rub toothpaste onto your silver Jewelry and leave it overnight, the wipe it clean with a soft cloth. Give a light scrubbing to your diamonds to see them sparkle again, Just be sure to rinse thoroughly. Avoid using toothpaste on pearls. Show care.Scuffed or dirty shoes can look new again with a little toothpaste. Apply it irectly to the dull, dirty, or scuffed parts of the shoe, scrub with a brush, and wipe them clean. Ta-da! 9) Clothing stains. Tough stains will disappear with a little toothpaste and some brisk scrubbing. Squeeze it right on the stain and rub until it disappears, then wash as normal. If using whitening toothpaste, be advised that this can have a bleaching effect on some colors and fabrics. Household uses : Toothpaste can save you money around the house by helping with some very basic tasks: 10) Computer cleaner.Scrub away fingerprints from your keyboard with a white, aking soda-based toothpaste. Follow up with a damp cloth and your keys are good as new! 1 1) Iron cleaner. Take away the â€Å"crusties† from the bottom of your clothes iron with a quick toothpaste rinse. Just be sure to rem ove all the toothpaste before you start ironing again. 12) Baby bottles. To freshen up baby bottles and remove that sour-milk smell, put some toothpaste on your bottle scrubber and give them a quick wash. Always rinse them very well afterwards. 13) Piano keys.Like computer keys, piano keys get grubby with repeated use from the irt, oil, and grime on our fingertips. Use a damp cloth and some toothpaste to rub down the keys, then wipe them clean with a dry cloth. 14) Crayon stains. Undo your kids' damage to the walls with a damp cloth and some toothpaste. Rub it in gentle circles and watch the crayon fade away. 1 5) Odor removal. After cooking with â€Å"stinky† foods in the kitchen (fish, garlic, onions, etc. ), getting the smell out of the skin is a challenge. Wash your hands thoroughly with water and toothpaste for a quick and easy remedy.

Stillborn Babies

Still Born Babies What is stillbirth? The medical definition of a still birth is when a baby is born without any signs of life at or after 20 weeks or weighing more than 500g before labour. Death in the fetus may have occurred during pregnancy, which is intrauterine death, labour, or birth. Most still births are intrauterine. As rare as stillbirth is, it occurs once in every 160 pregnancies. What causes a stillbirth? There are a number of known causes of stillbirth. Sometimes more than one of these causes may contribute to the baby’s death essay writer reviews.Common causes include: * Birth defects: Such as Down syndrome. Others have other birth defects resulting from genetic, environmental or unknown causes. * Placental problems: Placental abruption. In this condition, the placenta peels away, partly to almost completely, from the uterine wall before delivery. It results in heavy bleeding that can threaten the life of mother and baby. Sometimes it can cause the fetus to die f rom lack of oxygen. * Poor fetal growth: Fetuses who are growing too slowly are at increased risk of stillbirth.About 40 percent of stillborn babies have poor growth. Increased risk by smoking or high blood pressure. * Infections: Infections involving the mother, fetus or placenta appear to cause about 10 to 25 percent of stillbirths. These include genital and urinary tract infections that may go undiagnosed until they cause serious complications * Chronic health conditions in the pregnant woman: About 10 percent of stillbirths are related to chronic health conditions in the mother, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney diseases, and blood clotting disorders. Umbilical cord accidents: These include a knot in the cord or abnormal placement of the cord into the placenta, causing there to be a shortage of oxygen to the fetus. Other causes of stillbirth include trauma (such as car accidents), postdate pregnancy (a pregnancy that lasts longer than 42 weeks), Rh disease (an incomp atibility between the blood of mother and baby), and lack of oxygen (asphyxia) during a difficult delivery. These causes are uncommon. What are some factors that increase a mother’s chance of a stillbirth? Women 35 years old or older: As age increases, there are more risks to pregnancy and all around health. * Malnutrition: Just like us, the fetus will only survive for so long with little to no nutrition. * Inadequate prenatal care: Women who are a high risk pregnancy have to be more careful with their daily activities. Even a regular pregnancy requires rest, low stress and being aware of your surroundings. * Smoking: Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, including things like cyanide, lead, and at least 60 cancer-causing compounds.When you smoke during pregnancy, that toxic brew gets into your bloodstream, the fetus’ only source of oxygen and nutrients. * Alcohol and drug abuse: Alcohol and drugs, poison the bloodstream to the fetus, it’s only sou rce of oxygen and nutrients. * African-American ethnicity: It is not known why African American women are about twice as likely as other American women to have a stillborn baby. How is fetal death diagnosed? An ultrasound can tell if the fetus has died by showing the fetus’ heartbeat. It sometimes can help explain why the fetus died.The doctor also can do some blood tests on the woman to help confirm why the fetus died. What happens after the diagnosis? After finding out that the fetus has died in the womb, the mother must go through with the birth of her stillborn. Whether the parents want to wait until labour comes naturally or if they’d like labour to be induced is their choice. Testing for the cause of the stillbirth requires permission from both parents. A specialized doctor will perform an autopsy on the baby to reveal the cause.This is mostly done to prevent a repeated stillbirth. What are the chances of a repeat stillborn? The likelihood of a recurrent stillbir th depends upon the cause of your initial stillbirth. While repeated stillbirths do happen, they are very uncommon. Even in the case of genetic defects, recurrent stillbirths are very unlikely. Bibliography 1. Babycenter. â€Å"When a baby is stillborn – BabyCenter Canada. † Pregnancy, baby and toddler health information at BabyCenter Canada – BabyCenter Canada. Babycenter, n. d. Web. . 2. March of Dimes. â€Å"Stillbirth  |  Baby  |  Loss and grief  |  March of Dimes. † Pregnancy, Baby, Prematurity, Birth Defects  |  March of Dimes. http://www. marchofdimes. com/baby/loss_stillbirth 3. â€Å"Stillbirth: Trying to Understand – American Pregnancy Association. † American Pregnancy Association – Promoting Pregnancy Wellness. National Stillbirth society, n. d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. . 4. March of Dimes. â€Å"StillbirthA  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Loss and grief. Pregnancy, Baby, Prematurity, Birth DefectsA  |A  March of Dimes. March Of Dimes, n. d. Web. 12 Apr. 2013. . 1. â€Å"Understanding stillbirth — diagnosis and treatment. † WebMD – Better information. Better health.. WebMD, 23 Apr. 2012. Web. 11 Apr. 2013. . 2. Epigee. org. â€Å"Pregnancy Help and Information: Stillbirth. † Epigee Pregnancy Resource. http://www. epigee. org/pregnancy/stillbirth. html (accessed April 11, 2013).

Brontotherium Megacerops Facts and Figures

Brontotherium Megacerops Facts and Figures Name: Brontotherium (Greek for thunder beast); pronounced bron-toe-THEE-ree-um; also known as Megacerops Habitat: Plains of North America Historical Epoch: Late Eocene-Early Oligocene (38-35 million years ago) Size and Weight: About 16 feet long and three tons Diet: Plants Distinguishing Characteristics: Large size; paired, blunt appendages on end of snout   About Brontotherium (Megacerops) Brontotherium is one of those prehistoric megafauna mammals that has been discovered over and over again by generations of paleontologists, as a result of which it has been known by no less than four different names (the others are the equally impressive Megacerops, Brontops and Titanops). Lately, paleontologists have largely settled on Megacerops (giant horned face), but Brontotherium (thunder beast) has proven more enduring with the general public - perhaps because it evokes a creature that has experienced its own share of naming issues, Brontosaurus. The North American Brontotherium (or whatever you choose to call it) was very similar to its close contemporary, Embolotherium, albeit slightly bigger and sporting a different head display, which was larger in males than in females. Befitting its similarity to the dinosaurs that preceded it by tens of millions of years (most notably the hadrosaurs, or duck-billed dinosaurs), Brontotherium had an unusually small brain for its size. Technically, it was a perissodactyl (odd-toed ungulate), which places it in the same general family as prehistoric horses and tapirs, and theres some speculation that it may have figured on the lunch menu of the huge carnivorous mammal Andrewsarchus. One other odd-toed ungulate to which Brontotherium bears a marked resemblance is the modern rhinoceros, to which the thunder beast was only distantly ancestral. Just like rhinos, though, Brontotherium males battled each other for the right to mate - one fossil specimen bears direct evidence of a healed rib injury, which could only have been inflicted by the twin nasal horns of another Brontotherium male. Sadly, along with its fellow brontotheres, Brontotherium went extinct around the middle of the Cenozoic Era, 35 million years ago - possibly because of climate change and the dwindling of its accustomed food sources.

Allowances Available to Members of US Congress

Allowances Available to Members of US Congress If they choose to accept them, all members of the United States Congress are given various allowances intended to cover personal expenses related carrying out their duties. The allowances are provided in addition to the members’ salaries, benefits and allowed outside income. The salary for most senators, representatives, delegates, and the resident commissioner from Puerto Rico is $174,000. The Speaker of the House receives a salary of $223,500. The president pro tempore of the Senate and the majority and minority leaders in the House and Senate receive $193,400. The pay of members of Congress has long been a subject of debate, confusion, and misinformation. Members are paid a salary only during the terms for which they are elected. They do not, as has been widely claimed in social media, receive â€Å"their full salaries for life.† In addition, members do not get additional pay for service on committees, and they are not eligible for housing or per diem allowances for expenses incurred in Washington, DC. Lastly, neither the members of Congress nor their families are exempt from having to pay off their student loans. The salaries of members of Congress have not changed since 2009. Article I, Section 6, of the U.S. Constitution, authorizes compensation for members of Congress â€Å"ascertained by law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States.† Adjustments are governed by the Ethics Reform Act of 1989 and the 27th Amendment to the Constitution. According to the Congressional Research Service (CRS) report,  Congressional Salaries and Allowances, the allowances are provided to cover official office expenses, including staff, mail, travel between a Members district or state and Washington, D.C., and other goods and services. Outside Earned Income Representatives and senators are allowed to accept up to 15% of their base salary in permitted â€Å"outside earned income.† Since 2016, the limit on outside income has been $27,495. Since 1991, representatives and senators have been prohibited from accepting honoraria- payment for professional services that are usually rendered free of charge. In the House of Representatives The Members Representational Allowance (MRA) In the  House of Representatives, the Members Representational Allowance (MRA) is made available to help members defray expenses resulting from three specific components of their representational duties: the personal expenses component, the office expenses component, and the mailing expenses component. Use of the MRA allowance is subject to a number of restrictions. For example, members may not use MRA funds to pay or help pay any personal or campaign-related expenses. Members are also prohibited (unless authorized by the House Ethics Committee) from using campaign funds or committee funds to pay for expenses related to official congressional duties; maintaining an unofficial office account; accepting funds or assistance from a private source for an official activity; or using personal funds to pay for franked mail. In addition, each member is responsible for paying any expenses that are in excess of the authorized MRA level or that are not reimbursable under regulations of the Committee on House Administration. Each member receives the same amount of MRA funds for personal expenses. Allowances for office expenses vary from member to member based on the distance between the members home district and Washington, D.C., and the average rent for office space in the members home district. Allowances for mailing vary based on the number of residential mailing addresses in the members home district as reported by the  U.S. Census Bureau. The House sets the funding levels for the MRA annually as part of the  federal budget process. According to the CRS report, the House-passed fiscal year 2017 legislative branch appropriations bill set this funding at $562.6 million. In 2016, each member’s MRA increased by 1% from the 2015 level, and the  MRAs range from $1,207,510 to $1,383,709, with an average of $1,268,520. Most of each members annual MRA allowance is used to pay their office personnel. In 2016, for example, the office personnel allowance for each member was $944,671. Each member is allowed to use their MRA to employ up to  18 full-time, permanent employees. Some primary responsibilities of the congressional staffs in both the House and Senate include analysis and preparation of proposed legislation, legal research, government policy analysis, scheduling, constituent correspondence, and  speech writing. All members are required to provide a quarterly report detailing exactly how they spent their MRA allowances. All House MRA expenditures are reported in the quarterly  Statement of Disbursements of the House. In the Senate The Senators Official Personnel and Office Expense Account In the  U.S. Senate, the Senators Official Personnel and Office Expense Account (SOPOEA) is made up three separate allowances: the administrative and clerical assistance allowance, the legislative assistance allowance, and the official office expense allowance. All senators receive the same amount for the legislative assistance allowance. The size of the administrative and clerical assistance allowance and the office expense allowance vary based on the population of the state the senators represent, the distance between their Washington, D.C.  office  and their home states, and limits authorized by the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration. The combined total of the three SOPOEA allowances can be used at the discretion of each Senator to pay for any type of official expenses they incur,  including travel, office personnel or office supplies. However, expenses for mailing are currently limited to $50,000 per fiscal year. The size of the SOPOEA allowances is adjusted and authorized within the Contingent Expenses of the Senate account in the annual legislative branch  appropriations bills  enacted as part of the annual federal budget process. The allowance is provided for the fiscal year. The preliminary list of SOPOEA levels contained in the Senate report accompanying the fiscal year 2017 legislative branch appropriations bill shows a range of $3,043,454 to $4,815,203. The average allowance is $3,306,570. Senators are prohibited from using any portion of their SOPOEA allowance for any personal or political purposes, including campaigning. Payment of any amount spent in excess of a senators SOPOEA allowance must be paid by the senator. Unlike in the House, the size of senators administrative and clerical assistance staff is not specified. Instead, senators are free to structure their staffs as they choose, as long as they do not spend more than provided to them in the administrative and clerical assistance component of their SOPOEA allowance. By law, all SOPOEA expenditures of each senator are published in the  Semiannual Report of the Secretary of the Senate,

Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 31

Journal - Essay Example More often than not I feel depressed over my under achievement of tragic events that have taken lace in my life. This leads to some form of stress. I was a little bit surprised by the Perceived stress scale that was able to help me understand how a different situation affected my feelings and my perceived stress. My PSS score was 4. From the PSS scale, the scores that ranged room 0-13 indicate that I have low stress levels. I was also surprised by the frequency of the symptoms of stress that I experienced over the years. Top of my list was irritability, boredom. These are symptoms that I would experience quite frequently. Other symptoms that I experienced was anxiety, eating too much difficulty in sleeping, headache, restlessness and constipation. However this was not on a regular basis. The results I established from the Inventory of Collage Students’ Recent Life Experiences also took me by surprise as I was able to determine my exposure to different source of stress . I able to determine the intensity of those stressors and to get an overall score of 82. I was also able to determine which type of hassle played a greater part of my life. Hassle like Too many things to do at once, Struggling to meet your own academic standards, Not enough time to meet your obligations and financial burdens greatly impacted my life. These were the things that I had to look into more deeply so that I could manage my stress levels. The student stress scale also made me understand how each life event and the amount of readjustment that resulted to change. A major life event that I underwent is the death of a close family member. This made me stressed for quite a long time. My total score was 102. From the scale, it indicates that I have a 30 percent chance of serious health chang e. The ability to handle my personal problems, the ability not to cope with all things that I have to do. I also want to be able to handle my upsets because things